Saturday Reading

Acts 9:1-6,10-11,15-19
Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying. But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit.” Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. 5 He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus.

Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Prayer of the Faithful, vol. III:
Ramsho – SECOND PRAYER

Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Lord, you are the Most High who humbled yourself
to overcome our weakness;
the free One who gave yourself up to death
to free us from the penalty of sin.
O Source of life,
shine your face upon us and renew us
on the Day of your glorious coming.
Praise be to you, now and forever.
Amen.

Saint of the Day: The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ; Aaron the Patriarch, son of Jacob and brother of Moses, first high priest; Esther of the tribe of Benjamin and Queen of Persia, protector of the Jewish people.
Meditation:
In today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples about obedience to the Father. Jesus uses the idea of wisdom given to the humble in the Jewish Scriptures. Recalling the book of Sirach where wisdom says, “draw near to me” (51:23)… “put your neck under the yoke” (51:26) and …”see with your eyes that I have labored little and found for myself much rest” (51:27). The conclusion to be drawn of course is that Jesus is the wisdom given to them and to all who will believe. Jesus is the Advocate of the Father whom the apostles are able to see and touch, but for those who will believe due to their apostolic mininstry, yet another Advocate will be given, the Holy Spirit.
With little labor on our parts the Holy Trinity comes to give us rest, rest in the wsidom of salvation and eternal peace.