WEDNESDAY (June 24, 2020)
The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gospel Sentence
“Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” (Jeremiah 20:13)
Reading
“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” (Romans 6:14–19)
Meditation
The word obedience comes from the Latin word “oboedire”, from ob- ‘in the direction of’ + audire ‘hear.’ So, obedience is not just a contest of the will—it is not simply summoning up enough willpower to resist sin. Obedience means, first of all, to hear. To listen to the voice of the One who set us free from sin by His death on the cross.
Silence
Prayer for Holy Cross Member
Be with George this day, O Lord, and show him your great love throughout all the days of his life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Almighty God, through John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, You once proclaimed salvation. Now grant that we may know this salvation and serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Lord’s Prayer