Active participation in the Mass, advises Pope St. Pius X, is the indispensable source of the true Christian spirit, how to pray and how to live. The Epistle bids us reflect, who you are, “not debtors to the flesh,” by which “you shall die,” but “sons of God, joint heirs with Christ” by Whom you shall live.
The Gospel dramatizes this dignity and duty in the parable of the Steward, the meaning of which is “be wise,” you children of God. Use material treasures so as to make eternal friends. Exercise your talents in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and those whom you help to save, will help save you. Finally, the Offertory assures salvation to the humble, warns the proud of their final humbling. Christianity is not so much a “giving up” but rather an “exchange” of “gifts” (Secret), the human for the Divine, to bring healing to “soul and body” (Postcommunion).
The 18th July is the Feast of St. Camillus de Lellis C., who established an order to minister to the sick in hospitals, even those with deadly diseases, in the XVII Century. Pope Leo XIII named the Saint Patron of Hospitals. His name is included in the Litany of the Dying. First Century St. Symphorosa and her Seven Sons, martyred about 120 for the Faith, wife of the Martyr Getullus, are commemorated in the Mass of the Saint. Under the 1960 rubrics of the Mass, no commemoration is made of the Saints.
Mark 6:30-34 Erant sicut oves non habentes pastorem. In illo témpore: Conveniéntes apóstoli ad Iesum renuntiavérunt illi ómnia, quæ égerant et docúerant. Et ait illis: «Veníte vos ipsi seórsum in desértum locum et requiéscite pusíllum». Erant enim, qui veniébant et redíbant, multi, et nec manducándi spátium habébant. Et abiérunt in navi in desértum locum seórsum. Et vidérunt eos abeúntes et cognovérunt multi; et pedéstre de ómnibus civitátibus concurrérunt illuc et prævenérunt eos. Et éxiens vidit multam turbam et misértus est super eos, quia erant sicut oves non habéntes pastórem, et cœpit docére illos multa. | Mark 6:30-34 They were like sheep without a shepherd The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. |