>> A READING FROM THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. SOLOMON WENT TO GIBEON TO SACRIFICE THERE, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MOST RENOWNED HIGH PLACE. UPON ITS ALTAR, SOLOMON OFFERED A THOUSAND BURNT OFFERINGS. IN GIBEON, THE LORD APPEARED TO SOLOMON IN A DREAM AT NIGHT. GOD SAID, "ASK SOMETHING OF ME AND I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU." SOLOMON ANSWERED: "YOU HAVE SHOWN GREAT FAVOR TO YOUR SERVANT, MY FATHER DAVID, BECAUSE HE BEHAVED FAITHFULLY TOWARD YOU, WITH JUSTICE AND AN UPRIGHT HEART, AND YOU HAVE CONTINUED THIS GREAT FAVOR TOWARD HIM, EVEN TODAY, SEATING A SON OF HIS ON HIS THRONE. O LORD, MY GOD, YOU HAVE MADE ME, YOUR SERVANT, KING TO SUCCEED MY FATHER DAVID, BUT I AM A MERE YOUTH, NOT KNOWING AT ALL HOW TO ACT. I SERVE YOU IN THE MIDST OF THE PEOPLE WHOM YOU HAVE CHOSEN, A PEOPLE SO VAST THAT IT CANNOT BE NUMBERED OR COUNTED. GIVE YOUR SERVANT, THEREFORE, AN UNDERSTANDING HEART TO JUDGE YOUR PEOPLE AND TO DISTINGUISH RIGHT FROM WRONG. FOR WHO IS ABLE TO GOVERN THIS VAST PEOPLE OF YOURS?" THE LORD WAS PLEASED THAT SOLOMON MADE THIS REQUEST. SO GOD SAID TO HIM: "BECAUSE YOU HAVE ASKED FOR THIS -- NOT FOR A LONG LIFE FOR YOURSELF, NOR FOR RICHES, NOR FOR THE LIFE OF YOUR ENEMIES, BUT FOR UNDERSTANDING SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT -- I DO AS YOU REQUESTED. I GIVE YOU A HEART SO WISE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYONE LIKE YOU UP TO NOW, AND AFTER YOU THERE WILL COME NO ONE TO EQUAL YOU. IN ADDITION, I GIVE YOU WHAT YOU HAVE NOT ASKED FOR, SUCH RICHES AND GLORY THAT AMONG KINGS THERE IS NOT YOUR LIKE." ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ DEO GRATIAS ♪ >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> HOW SHALL A YOUNG MAN BE FAULTLESS IN HIS WAY? BY KEEPING TO YOUR WORDS. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> WITH ALL MY HEART I SEEK YOU, LET ME NOT STRAY FROM YOUR COMMANDS. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> WITHIN MY HEART I TREASURE YOUR PROMISE, THAT I MAY NOT SIN AGAINST YOU. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> BLESSED ARE YOU, O LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> WITH MY LIPS I DECLARE ALL THE ORDINANCES OF YOUR MOUTH. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. >> IN THE WAY OF YOUR DECREES I REJOICE, AS MUCH AS IN ALL RICHES. >> LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES. [ORGAN] >> ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, SAYS THE LORD, I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ ♪ ALLELUIA ♪ >> Father: ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> Father: ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> Father: THE APOSTLES GATHERED TOGETHER WITH JESUS AND REPORTED ALL THEY HAD DONE AND TAUGHT. HE SAID TO THEM, "COME AWAY BY YOURSELVES TO A DESERTED PLACE AND REST A WHILE." PEOPLE WERE COMING AND GOING IN GREAT NUMBERS, AND THEY HAD NO OPPORTUNITY EVEN TO EAT. SO THEY WENT OFF IN THE BOAT BY THEMSELVES TO A DESERTED PLACE. THEY HASTENED THERE ON FOOT FROM ALL THE TOWNS AND ARRIVED AT THE PLACE BEFORE THEM. WHEN JESUS DISEMBARKED AND SAW THE VAST CROWD, HIS HEART WAS MOVED WITH PITY FOR THEM, FOR THEY WERE LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD, AND HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM MANY THINGS. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> Father: THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE HEAR VERY OFTEN AND EVEN TODAY ABOUT PEOPLE GOING TO OFFER SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. YOU KNOW, THESE SACRIFICES WERE UNBLEMISHED AND PURE LOOKING ANIMALS, SHEEP, GOATS, THEY WERE GIVEN AS A SIN OFFERING TO PLACE BEFORE HIM. THE GREAT SACRIFICE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL CALLED TO OFFER OURSELVES. JESUS AND IN THE BOOK OF HOSEA, THE PROPHET, GOD WANTS MORE THAN SACRIFICE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WAYS. HE DESIRES MERCY MORE THAN SACRIFICE. AND WHAT WE REMEMBER IS THE SACRIFICE, MANY TIMES, IT'S IN THE GIVING OF OURSELVES TO GOD, IN MIND AND HEART SO THAT HE CAN FILL US WITH HIS GRACE, TO BE MERCIFUL. BUT A LOT OF TIMES, WE HOLD BACK. WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE OUR FULL SELVES TO GOD WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS HARDENING OUR HEART. WE MAY BE STUBBORN IN SOME WAYS. BUT THE LORD WANTS ALL OF US. AND HE WANTS US TO POUR OURSELVES OUT TO HIM AND TO BE AN OFFERING. AND THE LORD GIVES US THIS GRACE TO OFFER OURSELVES. AS BAPTIZED CHRISTIANS, WE AT OUR BAPTISM ARE ANOINTED TO SHARE IN THE KEENLY OFFICE OF JESUS CHRIST. YES, WE ARE BY OUR BAPTISM, BROUGHT INTO THE COMMON, UNIVERSAL PRIESTHOOD OF THE BAPTIZED. WE ARE PRIESTS, YOU ARE, YES, I AM A PRIEST BUT WE ALL ARE BY OUR BAPTISM. A PRIEST TO SHARE IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, THE BAPTIZED, AND ALL OF THE BAPTIZED SHARE IN THESE GRACES. THEY HAVE THESE GRACES. IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST, THE HIGH PRIEST. I COME UP AS PRIEST, I AM A PERSON OF CHRIST OR CHRIST ACTS THROUGH ME. THAT IS DIFFERENT. I AM ANOINTED ONCE AGAIN WHEN I AM ORDAINED TO SHARE THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS AUTHORITY. BUT AS BAPTIZED CHRISTIANS, ALL OF US SHARE IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST AS ANOTHER CHRIST. HERE, WE HAVE THE GRACES NECESSARY TO OFFER OURSELVES. TO GIVE OURSELVES TO GOD AS JESUS GIVES HIMSELF FOR US INTO THE FATHER. IN THE GIVING OF OURSELVES, AS WE SEE IN JESUS WHO GIVES HIMSELF WITH SUCH A PURE AND INNOCENT HEART, ALL IN CHARITY, LOVE THE FATHER AND US, IS PURE SACRIFICE IS DONE ONCE AND FOR ALL. FOR ALL ETERNITY. AS BAPTIZED AND AS PRIEST CALLED TO SHARE THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IN HIS EARLY MISSION, WE HAVE TO GIVE OURSELVES OVER IN THE SAME WAY. BY DOING SO, THERE'S MUCH THAT GOD GIVES US IN RETURN. FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY, WE HAVE HERE, SOLOMON. WHO GOES TO OFFER SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. AND SOLOMON, YOU KNOW, HE IS NOT SO MUCH CONCERNED WITH GETTING THINGS FOR HIMSELF OR FOR MAKING AN OFFERING YOU CAN HAVE A LONG LIFE, GOOD HEALTH, OR PROSPERITY. HE IS GOING BEFORE THE LORD TO OFFER HIMSELF. TO GIVE EVERYTHING OVER TO GOD. AND SO THE LORD IS PLEASED WITH HIS SACRIFICE. BECAUSE HE'S GOING OVER SO MUCH HUMILITY, DOCILITY. GOD SPEAKS TO HIM IN A DREAM WHEN HE IS THERE. AND SAYS "WHAT DO YOU DESIRE? WHAT CAN I GIVE TO YOU?" FROM HIS HEART, HE SAYS HE WANTS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF GOD. HE WANTS TO BE PURE. AND WHAT DOES GOD GIVE HIM? WISDOM AND HOLY UNDERSTANDING. MORE THAN ANYBODY HAS EVER HAD AS IT IS SAYING HERE. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST DESIRE. THIS TYPE OF ATTITUDE. THIS TYPE OF MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION. THAT WE GIVE IT ALL TO GOD WITH THE PUREST HEART AND PUREST OF INTENTIONS. A LOT OF TIMES IN OUR SERVICE TO GOD, IT CAN BE VERY TAINTED. THE WAY WE LOOK AT THINGS, OUR MIND-SET. HERE IS THE WORLD. THE WORLD TELLS US WE SHOULD BE PROSPEROUS. WE SHOULD BE POPULAR. THE WORLD TRIES TO PUSH US UP AND MAKE US A GOD AND THAT IS WHY ST. PAUL SAYS "I APPEAR TO YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO OFFER YOURSELVES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD. BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND. SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT IS GOOD, PLEASING, AND PERFECT TO GOD." TO REALLY KNOW HIS WILL. ST. PAUL IS SAYING THAT WE GIVE OURSELVES OVER TO GOD AS A PURE SACRIFICE. OFFERING EVERYTHING. GIVING IT ALL TO HIM. TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND, THAT WE DO NOT LET THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, THE CULTURE OF THE WORLD, TRANSFORM OUR MIND. BUT THAT OUR MIND TO BE TRANSFORMED BY GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD. THE HEART OF GOD. THAT SHOULD BE OUR DESIRE, OUR HOLY DESIRE, TO HAVE A HEART AND MIND OF GOD, TO THINK THE WAY HE THINKS. BUT IF WE LET OURSELVES BE INFLUENCED BY THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, OUR MINDS ARE TAINTED IN THE SERVICE OF GOD. IT IS NOT FULLY PURE AS WE SEE WITH JESUS AND THE SAINTS. IF YOU'RE SACRIFICE IS WHAT GOD DESIRES. WE ALL HAVE THIS GRACE WITHIN US. EVEN MORE SO, THAN SOLOMON. HE HAS THE RIGHT DESIRES AND MOTIVATIONS. WE, UNLIKE SOLOMON, WE HAVE THE GRACE, FROM OUR BAPTISM, TO SHARE IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. HE DID NOT HAVE IT THE WAY WE HAVE IT NOW. WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT. ESPECIALLY AS WE OFFER OURSELVES. GOD IS GIVING US HIS GRACE AND POWER TO BE PURE LIKE HIM AND WE, AS WE MAKE THIS SACRIFICE OF OURSELVES, IT'S SO MUCH EASIER SAID THEN SHOW MERCY, SHOW LOVE. THIS IS THE TRUE SACRIFICE GOD WANTS. LIKE I WAS SAYING EARLIER, TO DESIRE MERCY MORE THAN SACRIFICE, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WAY WAYS, THE DESIRE TO BE MERCIFUL LIKE JESUS, MERCY -- YES, WE THINK ABOUT IT AS FORGIVENESS BUT MERCY IS HUGE. IT'S LIKE A HUGE OCEAN. UNENDING. THERE IS FORGIVENESS AND MERCY BUT THERE IS ALSO HEALING, COMFORT, CONSOLATION. STRENGTH, RESTORATION, PEACE AND THE MERCY OF GOD. THERE IS SO MUCH THERE. IT IS UNENDING, LIMITLESS. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BE VESSELS OF. GOD'S MERCY IN EVERY WAY. WE CANNOT HOLD BACK ANYMORE. YEAH, WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST SOMEBODY. WE MAY BE HURT IN SOME WAY. GIVE IT OVER TO GOD. ASK TO BE HEALED BY HIS MERCY. WHAT IS THIS DOING? TAKE IN THE MERCY SO WE CAN REFLECT ON THAT MERCY. WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GIVE IT OVER TO HIM. BRING IT TO HIM. THIS IS WHAT HE DESIRES. IN THE LIKENESS OF JESUS CHRIST, SHARING VERY STRONGLY IN THE MISSION OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS, IT REQUIRES THAT WE SPEND TIME WITH HIM. JESUS TODAY, IN THIS GOSPEL, THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO. THEY ARE GOING TO AWAY WITH THE LORD. SPEND TIME, BE QUIET WITH HIM. THIS IS NECESSARY FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN. SOMETIMES WE ARE LIMITED IN THE TIME WE CAN SPEND WITH GOD. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WORKING, GOING TO SCHOOL FULL-TIME, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS THAT HAVE HOUSEHOLDS, YOU'RE GIVING A LOT OF TIME FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. KIDS, SPENDING TIME WITH THEM. IT CAN BE A VERY BUSY TIME. WE ARE CALLED TO GIVE OURSELVES TO THE LORD. SOMETIMES, THIS CAN BE QUITE DIFFICULT. ON THEIR WAY, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE GO TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE AT. JESUS SEES AND HERE HE IS, OPERATING WITH MERCY AGAIN. "THEY ARE LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD." THAT IS WHAT HE IS OPERATING IN, LOVE. THAT'S WHAT HE'S WALKING FORTH IN. HE'S OFFERING HIMSELF. SPILLING HIMSELF OVER. HE'S ALREADY GIVING HIMSELF AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. THE TIMES THAT WE HAVE WITH GOD, MAKE IT QUALITY TIME. THAT IS APPROACHING HIM LIKE SOLOMON DID WITH THE RIGHT AND HOLY DESIRES. THAT WE BE LIKE HIM. TIME WITH GOD, YES, IT'S GIVING OVER OURSELVES BUT IT'S RECEIVING TOO. IT'S BEING WITH THE LORD. THE CREATOR. BEING STILL WITH HIM. KNOWING HE IS GOD OF OUR LIVES, GOD OF ALL, GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. GOD SUPREME AMONG THE NATIONS, OVER ALL THE EARTH. GOD CAN DO ANYTHING IN ALL THINGS AND HE CAN TRANSFORM US. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO BELIEVE. APPROACHING THE LORD, KNOWING THAT HE IS GOD. AND GIVING IT ALL TO HIM, AND PRAYING THAT WE HAVE THESE HOLY DESIRES. THAT WE BE INSTRUMENTS OF HIS MERCY. READY TO MOVE AND OFFER OURSELVES NO MATTER WHAT. WE CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF ST. AGATHA. ST. AGATHA HAS OFFERED EVERYTHING OVER TO GOD. SHE KNOWS THE LORD. SHE SPENDS TIME WITH THE LORD. THAT'S WHY, WHEN SHE IS ARRESTED AND CAPTURED, THIS HAPPENS AROUND THE YEAR 251, SHE IS ABLE TO ACCEPT MARTYRDOM. THE CROWN OF MARTYRDOM. A YOUNG LADY, THERE ARE MANY YOUNG LADIES LIKE THAT, COMMITTED TO GOD WITH PURE HEARTS. THERE IS WHERE OUR HEART HAS TO BE. TO APPROACH GOD, TO MAKE HIM AN OFFERING WITH PURITY. IF WE ARE ASKING HOLY THINGS, HE IS GOING TO SUPPLY IN ABUNDANCE. ST. PAUL SAYS HE GIVES ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES AND HIS GLORY. WE'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT. IT IS HERE WHERE WE APPROACH THE LORD. IT IS HERE WHERE HE MAKES OUR HEARTS SOFT, LIKE GOOD SOIL SO WE CAN RECEIVE FROM HIM. SOMETIMES, WE HAVE TO ASK FOR THE GRACE FOR THAT. AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO US ONCE AGAIN, ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES AND GLORY. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND YOUR TIME WITH GOD, MAKE IT QUALITY TIME. GIVING YOURSELF TO HIM BUT ALSO READY TO RECEIVE. BE HUMBLE, DOCILE, SO HE CAN POUR OUT HIMSELF ON US WITH LOVE, WITH MERCY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
