THE PERFECT PRAYER   -repent, restore, rebuild
Luke.11 [1]  He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  [2] And he said to them, "When you pray, say:  "Father, hallowed be your name.  your kingdom come.  [3] Give us each day our daily bread;  [4] and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation."  [5]  And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves;  [6] for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';  [7] and he will answer from within, `Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'?  [8] I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs.  [9] And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  [10] For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  [11] What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;  [12] or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  [13] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

MARTHA AND MARY SERVANTS OF THE LORD
Lk 10, 38-42[38]  Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.  [39] And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.  [40] But Martha was distracted with serving [her family]; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."  [41] But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;  [42] one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.
En aquel tiempo, entró Jesús en un poblado, y una mujer, llamada Marta, lo recibió en su casa. Ella tenía una hermana, llamada María, la cual se sentó a los pies de Jesús y se puso a escuchar su palabra. Marta, entre tanto, se afanaba en diversos quehaceres, hasta que, acercándose a Jesús, le dijo: “Señor, ¿no te has dado cuenta de que mi hermana me ha dejado sola con todo el quehacer? Dile que me ayude”. El Señor le respondió: “Marta, Marta, muchas cosas te preocupan y te inquietan, siendo así que una sola es necesaria. María escogió la mejor parte y nadie se la quitará”. 

Matthew 12
Plucking Grain on the Sabbath   -LETTER OF THE LAW OR SPIRIT OF THE LAW
12At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath.’ 3He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. 5Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? 6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7But if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”, you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’

The kind of prayer we speak of  as properly "monastic" (though it may also fit into the life of any lay person who is attracted to it) is a prayer of silence, simplicity, contemplative and meditative unity, a deep personal integration in an attentive, watchful listening of "the heart." The response such prayer calls forth is not usually one of jubilation or audible witness: it is a wordless and total surrender of the heart in silence.

Moses asks in v. 13 for the name of the One speaking to him, but God responds with a words which preserve the utterly mysterious character of the DIVINE BEING even as it appears to suggest something of the inner meaning of God’s name: ‘ehyeh “I am” or “I will be(come)” for “Yhwh,” the personal name of the God of Israel. While the phrase “I am who I am” is mysterious, it nevertheless suggests an etymological linking between the name “Yhwh” and an earlier form of the Hebrew verbal root h-y-h “to be.” On that basis many have interpreted the name “Yhwh” as a third-person form of the verb meaning “He causes to be, creates,” itself perhaps a shortened form of a longer liturgical name such as “(God who) creates (the heavenly armies).” Note in this connection the invocation of Israel’s God as “LORD (Yhwh) of Hosts” (e.g., 1 Sm 17:45).

THE IMMIGRANTS IMPRISONED IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS “ … left half dead…”
LUKE 10  [25]  And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  [26] He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?"  [27] And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."  [28] And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live."  [29] But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  [30] Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  [31] Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  [32] So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  [33] But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion,  [34] and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  [35] And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'  [36] Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"  [37] He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." 

The Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. 11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.

Matthew 9

THEY GLORIFIED GOD, WHO HAD GIVEN SUCH AUTHORITY TO HUMAN BEINGS.

9

And after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town. 2And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3Then some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he then said to the paralytic—’stand up, take your bed and go to your home.” 7And he stood up and went to his home. 8When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

It is so utterly tragic and despicable to comprehend how our government can treat immigrant children seeking refuge in our country. Yesterday, some U.S. congressmen went to Clint, Texas, and observed the horrendous living conditions being provided by our country. Children were told to drink water out of toilets and no mattresses to sleep on and no basic hygiene such as a toothbrush.

When I spent those 21 days last November “inside”, the prisoners had warm meals, showers, basic medical services, and most of all, a mattress to sleep on. If an American parent treated their American children the way that the government is treating immigrant children, they could get life in prison without possibility of parole.

Sunday, I plan to go to Clint for a liturgical service and then go to the concentration camp.