A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 24, n. 28)

Corpus Christi/Week 10 in Ordinary Time: June 7-13, 2026

(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: May 31 – June 6, 2026 please go to ARCHIVES Series 23 and click “Trinity”/ Week 9”).

Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY:

June 7-13, 2026)

June 7, 2026: THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLODD OF CHRIST (CORPUS CHRISTI) (USA)

“JESUS SAVIOR: His Flesh Is True Food; His Blood

Is True Drink”

BIBLE READINGS

Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a // 1 Cor 10:16-17 // Jn 6:51-58

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 6:51-57): “My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.”

My parents immigrated to the States with one of my younger brothers and became American citizens. In 1997, however, my 82-year-old father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His wish was to die in his native Philippines where my other siblings were residing. Our Regional Superior gave me permission to fly to the States and assist my father in his illness. I stayed two weeks in the Bay Area to prepare the return trip of my parents to the Philippines. My father, recently discharged from the hospital, was too weak to go for his daily Mass. When I went to their parish church in Newark, I talked to the pastor about my father’s situation. He gave me permission to give communion to my father and provided a pyx that I could use to carry the sacred host. St. Edward Parish has a stock of vessels to be used by parishioners to bring communion to their sick relatives. The daily communion received by my father gave him peace and serenity to trust in the will of God and to accept his imminent death. We left for the Philippines on August 14. He continued to be nourished with the Eucharistic bread until he died two weeks later. The sacred host served as his viaticum. For him, the Eucharistic communion was truly an experience and pledge of eternal life.

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. The biblical scholar, Eugene Maly, gives a profound insight into the meaning of this feast in light of the Christian vision of death as the passage to eternal life. He comments: “As the Christian sees it, death is both dissolution and transformation. As dissolution it is the cessation of physical life and the deterioration of the body no longer sustained by life-giving blood. As transformation it is the ushering of the human spirit into a new kind of life that has been prepared for in the previous existence … In the renewed liturgical rites the emphasis is clearly on death as transformation. The white vestments, the repeated Alleluias, and, again, the homily all express the joy that a new and better existence is now shared by the deceased faithful believer. It may sound strange to be speaking of death on the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. I am doing so only that I might speak all the more forcefully about life … In the Gospel reading for this feast Jesus says, “He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal …” There is no question of Jesus’ meaning, the verb is in the present tense, the communion with Christ in the Eucharist means a sharing here and now in eternal life … Later on in our Sunday reading Jesus says, “… the man who feeds on this bread shall live forever.” Death, therefore, does not destroy this kind of life.”

Eugene Maly then delineates the basic characteristic of eternal life as communion with God: “For John eternal life is the kind of life that is proper to the Father and which he shares with the Son. That is what our reading says about it. Eternal life, then, is God’s life. And the most frequently mentioned quality of this kind of life is that it is shared. This is at the basis of the Christian doctrine of Trinity. That is why the real enemy of eternal life is not natural death, which affects only natural life, but sin, which destroys the union with God and, accordingly, eternal life. When we receive the Eucharistic body and blood of Christ, we are united to him and to the Father. This is sharing in eternal life that is a life of union with God.”

B. First Reading (Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a): “He gave you a food unknown to you and your fathers.”

The feast of “Corpus Christi” – the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ! As a community of believers, we celebrate the Real Presence of the Risen Christ - body and blood, soul and divinity - in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Our Catholic faith declares: “By the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood” (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1376). On this day, we meditatively focus our attention on the goodness and kindness of God in providing sustenance for his people. The Lord God fed the Israelites journeying in the wilderness to the Promised Land with “manna” from heaven. Now he continues to nourish and feed, in a marvelously unique way, the Church – the new People of God – with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ the risen and glorified Lord, through the Eucharistic sacrament of his body and blood.

The feast of Corpus Christi is a special “memorial” day for us Christians. As we listen to the Old Testament reading (Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a), the exhortation of Moses addressed to the Israelites moves us deeply and helps us in our “remembering” - and in not “forgetting”. We intend not to “forget” - but rather resolve to “remember” - how the Lord Yahweh was gracious to his people. For forty years he directed their journey in the desert. When they were hungry, he fed them with “manna” from heaven, a unique food unknown to their fathers. Journeying out of slavery in Egypt, they were led safely by him through a vast and terrible desert infested with scorpions and serpents. The Israelites’ throats burned with thirst as they moved through parched ground, but the Lord slaked their thirst with water gushing from the rock. Above all, in their experience of hunger and thirst in the desert, the Lord God provided not merely material sustenance, but something better and surpassingly nourishing - the bread of his living Word!

The manifestation of divine providence to the people of Israel is surpassed and excelled by God the Father’s gift of his Son Jesus Christ – the Bread of life – to the Church, the new people of Israel. Jesus is the true “manna” that came down from heaven to nourish us and enable us to share intimately in the divine life. It is most fitting that on this feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we deepen our sense of “remembering” – and avoid the misfortune of “forgetting” - by celebrating the saving event of Christ’s death, rising and glorification through the sacrament of the Eucharist. In the Eucharistic bread broken and shared, we receive Jesus Christ’s body broken for the life of the world. And in the Eucharistic wine, we drink the blood of Christ that sealed the new Covenant and the constitution of the new people of God.

One apostolic initiative to make the solemnity of Corpus Christi more meaningful is the “FORTY HOURS”, during which the faithful join with the local clergy in a continuous period of prayer for forty hours. This laudable pastoral practice enables the faithful to enter more deeply into the celebration of the Eucharist, which is its summit and source. Moreover, it intensifies the sense of “remembering” and thankfulness for the goodness and saving grace given to us by God in his Son Jesus Christ, the living Bread from heaven and the cup of eternal salvation. The following is my experience of the “FORTY HOURS” Adoration and Eucharistic Activities held in the Diocese of San Jose (California) in 2006.

Introduced at the San Jose diocesan level by Fr. Mark Catalana and Sr. Mary Rosario Gallardo, PDDM, the “FORTY HOURS” Adoration and Eucharistic activities were celebrated on June 16 to June 18, 2006 at the San Jose Vietnamese Catholic Center. With the blessing of Msgr. Francis Cilia, the Bishop’s Vicar for the Diocese, with the special cooperation of Rev. Fr. Hienh Minh Nguyen who offered the full resources of the Vietnamese Catholic Center, and with the collaboration of the clergy, religious and laity, three days of intense prayer were dedicated to contemplating the meaning and deep implications of “The Body and Blood of Christ”. This wonderful ecclesial event included the daily celebration of the Eucharist, day and night adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, group Eucharistic Adoration, Lauds and Vespers, Confession, and the Eucharistic Procession and Benediction, which followed the 11:00 A.M. Mass on Corpus Christi Sunday (June 18).

Especially offered for the increase and perseverance of priestly and religious vocations, people of various age groups came throughout the day and throughout the night to respond to the spiritual invitation, “THE MASTER IS HERE PRESENT! HE CALLS FOR YOU!” (Jn 11:28). They came to celebrate the Eucharistic Mystery and to adore Jesus Master present in the ineffable sacrament of his Body and Blood k,eeping in mind the following reality: “Grateful for this immense gift, the Church’s members gather around the Blessed Sacrament, for that is the source and summit of her being and action. Ecclesia de Eucharistia vivit! The Church draws her life from the Eucharist and knows that this truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery in which she consists.” (Cf. Pope John Paul II, Homily for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – Corpus Christi, June 10, 2004, n. 4)

C. Second Reading (1 Cor 10:16-17): “The bread is one, and we, though many, are one body.”

The Second Reading (1 Cor 10:16-17) is a powerful witness of the Eucharistic faith of the Christian community. The Eucharist builds the Church, whose head is Jesus Christ. Participation in the body and blood of Christ is the source of the life and unity of the Church as one body.

The biblical scholar, Richard Kugelman, comments: “Through eating the bread and drinking the cup Christians are united to Christ in an intimate fellowship, because the Eucharist is his body and blood. From this Eucharistic fellowship with Christ follows the real union of all the faithful with one another in one body. Baptism incorporates the Christians into the body of the Risen Lord; the Eucharist in which each communicant receives the body of Christ strengthens and cements the union. The Eucharist is consequently the sacramentum unitatis ecclesiae (Augustine), and when we receive the Eucharistic bread, Christ assimilates and transforms us, making us his body.”

The multi-talented Fr. Leo Patalinhug, a third-degree black-belt in tae kwon do and arnis, a form of full-contact stick fighting, and an award-winning break-dancer, is also a fabulous chef. He has started the Grace Before Meals movement, which encourages families to prepare and enjoy meals together. It is a movement deeply rooted in the Eucharist. Fr Leo asserts: “Relationships are what I’m trying to encourage … relationships that are developed when we spend time with each other and feed one another.” Family meals can thus lead people to the Eucharist, enabling them to experience in it the sacramental reality: Because there is one loaf, we, though we are many, form one body.

The beautiful article reported below is most fitting for today’s feast of Corpus Christi (cf. Fr. Leo Patalinhug, “Cook’s Grace” in Guideposts, May 2011, p. 88-90).

Food was a big deal in our little house south of Baltimore. My parents, brother, sister and I crowded around the kitchen table. I remember Mom dishing hot pancit onto our plates, a simple Filipino meal of noodles, vegetables and chicken she loved making for our immigrant family. I dug in with my fork, hungry and wanting to rush back to my G.I Joes. “Slow down, Leo!” Mom would say. “Taste the different flavors.” I learned to chew … slowly … and there was the sweetness of the carrots, the pungent garlic. Mom was right. Food was meant to be savored, like a blessing. Mmmm!

“What did you learn at school today?” Dad would ask at dinner. It seemed remarkable to me, his fascination with both photosynthesis and James and the Giant Peach. We would all talk. Even after my plate was clean I lingered, wanting seconds of the conversation. It slowly dawned on me that mealtimes were for more than just eating. It was when my family connected. It helped that Mom was a great cook. Before long she began teaching me. My first meal was Eggs in a Nest. I made it for Dad for breakfast. One look at the love in his eyes and I knew how Mom felt cooking for us.

Eventually I answered a call to priesthood, which made my parents happy. I still love to cook though. My studies took me to Rome, where I learned to make pasta and discovered the wonder of sauces. Then, back in the States, assigned to my first parish, a realization: For many of my parishioners the dinner hour was no longer sacred. Rush here, rush there, take-out, mom and dad working late, no one sitting at the table anymore. I was troubled. I prayed about it.

Soon I felt a calling, to show how easy it is to make great food, to share my own story, and bring parents and children back to the Lord’s table – the one collecting dust in their homes. I was teaching at seminary by now but I had weekends free. I would spread the gospel of family mealtime and good food.

Five years later I’ve taken the message of our growing movement Grace Before Meals to nearly every state and countries around the globe. You may have seen my face-off and win against master chef Bobby Flay on the Food Network last year. That was huge. But my crusade can be lonely at times. I wonder if I’m making any difference at all.

Last November a parish in Tiverton, Rhode Island, invited me up. It was a Friday evening and I was tired after a long week of teaching. But I perked up when the event coordinator told me she expected 200 people, half of them teens. “Wow! Your kids must be into cooking.” “Not exactly”, she said sheepishly. “I made them come … as part of confirmation classes.”

My heart sank. As the crowd streamed in I searched their faces for some sign of recognition. Surely someone had come eager to see me. Why did every presentation feel like I was starting anew? I hopped onstage, behind the stove that serves as my pulpit. “Good evening”, I said. “My name is Father Leo. Tonight I’m making Penne alla Vodka, enough to feed your body, mind and soul.”

The adults chuckled appreciatively, but the kids looked at me blankly. I hoped I could hold their interest until I burned off the alcohol in the vodka. I grabbed my big bottle of olive oil, poured it into a pan and turned up the heat. I tossed a handful of garlic into the oil and paused to hear the sizzle. “That’s my favorite sound”, I said. “Or maybe it’s ‘Go in peace and serve the Lord’.” More laughter. They were getting into it.

I stirred in some onion, letting it caramelize, while sharing the importance of a family meal. Next some tomato paste. And a few more stories. At last it was time for the vodka. I took the bottle by the neck and tipped it into the pan. “Now I’m gonna set this bad boy on fire.” I struck a match and with a whoosh flames leapt from the pan. “Whoa!” the crowd roared. Kids were on the edge of their seats. For an instant I felt that familiar rush of adrenaline. I mixed in tomatoes, heavy cream and the penne. Finito! “Who wants a bite?” I said.

I dished out samples as the crowd filed past. Most everyone said they loved it, though a few said it was too spicy. But as I headed out the doors I felt drained. I’d done so many presentations like this and what did I have to show for it? Was I bringing families together or just putting on a show? On the flight back to Baltimore I wondered whether it wasn’t time to hang up my apron.

I brooded about it for the next week. Then one day, in my office, I clicked open an e-mail from an unfamiliar name. Father Leo, So here’s the deal. My grandson Nathan eats nothing but PBJ and hot dogs. But on my birthday he announced he wanted to make me Penne alla Vodka. He attended your presentation in Tiverton. I laughed, but he knew every step of the recipe. I watched in disbelief as he cooked his first meal to perfection. You obviously made quite an impression on him and I just wanted to say thanks for a birthday present I’ll never forget.

I reread the e-mail, marveling at every word, like an answer to prayer. What difference could I make to a hectic world? Suddenly, through God’s grace, the possibilities seemed limitless.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is our response to Jesus’ auto-revelation: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:51)? What is our response to the gift of the Eucharist offered to us by the Risen Lord Jesus?

2. What is the importance of “remembering” in the life of Israel and the Church? How do we “remember” God’s guidance and providence for his people? How do we respond to the following reality taught by God: “Not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Dt 8:3)?

3. Do we truly believe that at the Eucharistic table the cup of blessing that we bless is a participation in the blood of Christ and the bread that we break is a participation in the body of Christ?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving and gracious God,

we thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ,

the true bread from heaven and the real cup of blessing.

At the Eucharistic table,

he offers us the flesh that is true food in the form of bread

and the blood that is true drink in the form of wine.

How wonderful is the memorial-presence

of the saving event of liberation through the sacrificial body of Christ

and of the new covenant that he sealed in his blood!

Let our participation in the wondrous mystery of the Eucharist

make of us “one bread … one body” .

Let us drink from the one cup of salvation

and enable us to share in the eternal life that is ours

as your covenant people.

We proclaim and thank you for this mystery of faith,

now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” (Jn 6:55)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Endeavor to share God’s goodness and sustenance to others, especially the poor and needy. Make an effort to participate meaningfully in the Mass and in Eucharistic activities such as the “Forty Hours”, etc. Be grateful for the grace of being “One Bread … One Body”.

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June 8, 2026: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (10)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Shows the Way of Beatitudes … He Shows the Power of God’s Word”

BIBLE READINGS

1 Kgs 17:1-6 // Mt 5:1-12

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 5:1-12): “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

In today’s Gospel episode (Mt 5:1-12) Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes which are a “summary” of the meaning of Christian discipleship. In the Beatitudes, Jesus – the new Moses teaching on the new mountain of revelation - offers us the foundations of the law of the Kingdom. He shows us the path of Christian perfection. The Beatitudes are a description of Christ as well as a portrait of the ideal Christian. In order to experience fully God’s beatitudes, the Christian disciples are called to live intensely the life of Jesus, as one who is poor, lowly, merciful, single-hearted, peaceful, persecuted, sorrowful, hungry and thirsty for holiness.

The following story illustrates the spirit of the Beatitudes in a modern setting (cf. Dale Galloway in Stories for the Heart, ed. Alice Gray, Sisters: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 1996, p. 65).

Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella. One day he came home and told his mother he’d like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, “I wish he wouldn’t do that!” because she had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines.

Valentine’s Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them nice and warm with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he would be disappointed … maybe that would ease the pain a little. It hurt to think that he wouldn’t get many valentines – maybe none at all.

That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. When she heard the children outside, she looked out the window. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear. He walked a little faster than usual. She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened she choked back the tears. “Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you.” But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: “Not a one … not a one.” And then he added, “I didn’t forget a one, not a single one!”

B. First Reading (1 Kgs 17:1-6): “Elijah stands before the Lord God of Israel.”

Today’s Old Testament reading (1 Kgs 17:1-6) depicts a prophet named Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead, confronting King Ahab of Israel with the power of God’s word. Ahab is one of the most notorious kings of the Northern Kingdom. His father King Omri aroused the anger of the Lord God by his sins and by leading the people into sin and idolatry. But his son, King Ahab, surpassed him in wickedness. Ahab sinned against the Lord more than his predecessors. He married the Baal-worshipping Jezebel of Sidon. He built a temple to Baal in Samaria and made an altar for the idol and put it in the temple. He did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than all the kings before him.

The prophet Elijah suddenly appears and announces to King Ahab the coming of a drought. Speaking in the name of the Lord, he tells the idolatrous king that there will be no dew or rain – so vital for the fertility of the parched land of Israel – for the next two or three years until he says so. Elijah’s claim is a challenge to Ahab and Jezebel who follow Baal as the god of fertility. Elijah asserts that the word of God he proclaims will be fulfilled. The prophet Elijah is depicted, moreover as faithful to God’s word. He obeys God’s command to take refuge by Cherith Brook where there is water and ravens bring him bread and meat every morning and every evening.

The drought experienced in various parts of the world evokes the image of the drought that plagued Israel during the time of King Ahab, who reigned from 874 B.C. to 853 B.C. Instead of being defiant and recalcitrant like Ahab, we need to present ourselves humbly before God in the face of this natural calamity. The following prayer is very significant (cf. “Prayer for Rain” from the National Catholic Rural Life Conference: Rural Life Prayer Book)

Almighty God, we are in need of rain. We realize now, looking up into the clear, blue sky, what a marvel even the least drop of rain really is. To think that so much water can really fall out of the sky, which now is empty and clear!

We place our trust in you. We are sure that you know our needs. But you want us to ask you anyway, to show you that we know we are dependent on you.

Look to our dry hills and fields, dear God, and bless them with the living blessing of soft rain. Then the land will rejoice and rivers will sing your praises, and the hearts of all will be made glad. Amen.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What are our experiences of joy and difficulty in living out the Beatitudes? Among the Beatitudes mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew, which ones challenge us with greater intensity today?

2. What is our response when confronted with the challenge and power of the word of God? Are we defiant and resistant; or do we respond with grace and humility?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus poor,

help us to be poor in spirit

and to trust in your divine assistance and strength

that the kingdom of Heaven may be ours.

Jesus, man of sorrows,

help us to mourn and to surrender to the divine will

that our grief may be transformed into joy and consolation.

Jesus, most gentle,

help us to be meek and humble

that peace may reign in our hearts and upon the earth.

Jesus, yearning for love,

help us to hunger and thirst for holiness

that we may satisfy our deepest longings.

O most merciful Jesus,

help us to be merciful

that we may relish your mercy and compassion.

Jesus, chaste and loving,

help us to be pure and single-hearted

that we may see God in the daily events of our life

and be admitted into his eternal Kingdom.

Jesus, our peace,

help us to be peacemakers

that we may build a world of harmony and beauty

and be called children of God.

Jesus Savior,

help us to welcome persecution for the sake of justice

that we may be rewarded greatly in heaven.

Jesus, Risen Lord,

make us the people of the beatitudes.

Help us to trust in the power of your Word.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

***

Loving Father, Creator God,

your word is refreshing, life-giving and efficacious.

We long for your word to take root in our hearts

and bear abundant fruits.

Let our thirst for eternal life be quenched by the living water

that gushes from the wounded side of your Son Jesus Christ.

We give you glory and praise, now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Your reward will be great in heaven.” (Mt 5:12) // “He did as the Lord had commanded.” (1 Kgs 17:5)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Give thanks to the Lord for the gift of the Beatitudes in the Church. Choose a Beatitude as a moral-spiritual program and try to live this out in a more intense way this week. // Pay special attention to the word of God proclaimed in the liturgy. See what you can do for the victims of drought in various parts of the world.

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June 9, 2026: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (10); SAINT EPHREM, Deacon, Doctor of the Church

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to be the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World … We Trust in His Word”

BIBLE READINGS

1 Kgs 17:7-16 // Mt 5:13-16

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 5:13-16): “You are the light of the world.”

Today’s Gospel reading (Mt 5:13-16) presents the role of the disciples of Jesus using the images of salt and light. The biblical scholar, Daniel Harrington, gives a concise, but insightful explanation: “In Jesus’ time, salt was used not only to improve the taste of food but also to preserve meat and fish. When Jesus compares his followers to salt, he says that they improve the quality of human existence and preserve it from destruction. In Jesus’ time, the only lamps available were small dish-like devices in which oil was burned. By our standards these lamps did not give off much light, but in the time before electricity their light must have seemed very bright. When Jesus calls his disciples the light of the world, he says that their actions serve as a beacon of light in a dark world. The disciples are challenged to let their light shine as a witness to their fidelity to Jesus and his heavenly Father.”

Against this backdrop, I find the article of Robert Rodriguez on the De Alba Family, the co-parishioners of our PDDM Sisters in Fresno, very interesting (cf. The Fresno Bee, Dec. 25, 2004, p. A11). Remembering its roots in the fields, the family has fed farm workers in the central San Joaquin Valley for many years. It is their way of thanking them for their hard work in harvesting the region’s fruits and vegetables. It is also a reminder of how far this family of twelve has come from their own days of picking cherries, tomatoes and grapes in Valley fields and orchards. The De Alba Family also has held very successful canned-food drives for the poor and strongly supports St. Mary Queen of Apostles Church to which they belong. Rev. Pat McCormick, a former parish priest, testifies: “They have really been a unifying factor for the church. They are a great family.” Indeed, this wonderful De Alba family of Fresno is an inspiring example of what it means to be “the salt of the earth … the light of the world” in today’s world.

B. First Reading (1 Kgs 17:7-16): “The jar of flour shall not go empty as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.”

The reading (1 Kgs 17:7-16) narrates that the prophet Elijah obeys the word of the Lord and goes to Zarephath of Sidon. The Cherith Brook, where he used to drink, has dried up because of the lack of rain. God commands him to stay in Zarephath, assuring him that a widow will feed him there. The widow, who is preparing the last meal for herself and her son, gives Elijah water to drink and shares with him the little and the last resources she has. The prophet speaks to her the divine promise that the jar of flour and the jug of oil will not be empty until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth. Indeed, as the Lord has promised through Elijah, the flour and the oil are not depleted.

The miracle of the multiplication of the flour and oil underlines the power of God and the efficacy of his word. King Ahab’s sin brings suffering for the people of Israel. In contrast, Elijah’s fidelity to the word and the faith of the widow enable them to experience God’s providence and loving care. It is significant that the prophet lodges in Zarepahth of Sidon that is the territory of Baal, the god of Ahab’s ruthless wife Jezebel. In the perilous homeland of Baal and in the face of death-dealing situations, God preserves the life of the faithful and the “anawim”.

Like the generous widow of Zarephath, we too are called to share our resources and to be instruments of God’s providence. The following testimony gives insight into this (cf. Tim Anderson, “My Momma Always Knew” in Coutry, August-September 2013, p. 12).

When I was growing up in Nathalie, Virginia, everyone was friendly with the neighbors. And if someone was in need, it seemed that my Momma always knew. I especially remember a single mother who had cancer and no way to provide for her little daughter. So Momma, who was a great baker, got busy. She baked two cakes and decorated them beautifully.

There are two large country stores in town, and Momma asked permission to place one cake at each store. She raffled them off at 50 cents a chance. Now, you may not think that would add up to much, but there were 1,000 chances taken on those two cakes. Momma collected $500 for this mother and her child.

Momma and Daddy, the three sisters and I went down to where the woman lived, and Momma gave her the envelope of money. I still remember the happiness and gratitude that shone on her face. She and her daughter thanked Momma and hugged her, and we all had tears in our eyes.

Momma taught us many lessons at our country home and farm through the years. We learned that no matter how little anyone had, they could still help out a friend or a family in need. A little sometimes means a lot.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we “the salt of the earth … the light of the world”? Is the heavenly Father being glorified by our daily acts of Christian witnessing?

2. Are we afraid that the little we have is too “little” to share? Are we ready to trust and obey the word of God? Are we ready to be instruments of the divine providence?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus,

you call us to be “the salt of the earth … the light of the world”.

As “salt of the earth” and by the zest of our Christian witnessing,

we strive to uplift human dignity

and help our brothers and sisters relish the joy of salvation.

Moved by the Holy Spirit

to proclaim your saving love,

we wish to be “the light of the world … the city on the mountaintop”.

Amen.

***

Loving and merciful Jesus,

make us instruments of God’s compassion.

Help us trust that “the jar of flour” and “the jug of oil”

will never be empty.

Give us the courage to share

especially when what we have is too little.

Grant us the grace to surrender

to the divine providence.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.” (Mt 5:13a, 14a) //“The jar of flour did not go empty.” (1 Kgs 17:16)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By aiding the poor, the marginalized and the suffering members of the local and world community, strive to be “the salt of the earth … the light of the world”. // Do not be afraid to share with others the resources and talents you have, no matter how “little”.

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June 10, 2026: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (10)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us the Meaning of the Law … He Shows that God Alone Is Our God”

BIBLE READINGS

1 Kgs 18:20-39 // Mt 5:17-19

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 5:17-19): “I have come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.”

(Gospel Reflection by Deacon Richard Noack, St. Christopher Parish, San Jose, CA-USA)

Sweating the Small Stuff in Faith: In his 1996 book, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,” Psychologist Richard Carlson writes that we spend too much time, energy, and stress focused on minutiae. The “small” stuff, suggests Carlson, will take care of itself if only we focus on the big stuff, such as our lives, relationships, and families. But in today’s Gospel, Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus tells us that He has come as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, not to abolish them. Not only must we love God and follow Jesus, the “big” stuff from our Christian perspective, we must also abide by all of the law and prophets, to the smallest part of the smallest letter, careful not to break the least of these commandments. When it comes to our faith, it seems, we must sweat the “big” stuff and the “small” stuff.

Over time, we Christians have gradually marginalized many of the strict Jewish laws in Deuteronomy, as well as those given by the prophets, as “small” stuff. Some of those laws such as circumcision, dietary restrictions, and Sabbath observance, were viewed as anachronistic, often as an accommodation for the assimilation of non-Jewish converts. But that legacy of not sweating the “small” stuff extends to the present day. There are those in our communities who view some of our faith practices, disciplines, and doctrines as “small” stuff that need not be sweated, such as regular Sunday Mass attendance, appropriate and respectful attire while attending Mass, arriving on time for Mass and staying until the end of the closing hymn, participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, meatless Fridays during Lent, and respecting the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

But these things aren’t “small” stuff. They are a part of who we are as a faith community and they define us as the People of God. As Catholic Christians, we consider our call to love God with our entire beings and to love our neighbors as ourselves to be our “big” stuff. Our faith practices, disciplines, and doctrines are signposts that point the way to the “big” stuff and that sustain, strengthen, support, nourish, guide, prepare, and affirm us along the Way.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” (Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

B. First Reading (1 Kgs 18:20-39): “Let it be known this day that you, Lord, are our God.”

The reading (1 Kgs 18:20-39) highlights that the Lord alone is God and that Elijah is God’s faithful prophet. Today’s episode tells us that in the third year of drought, a showdown on Mount Carmel between the prophets of Baal and Elijah, the prophet of the Lord God occurs. In obedience to God’s prompting, Elijah encounters the idolatrous King Ahab and arranges with him a contest that will oblige the fickle Israelites to choose between Yahweh and the idol Baal. Through the miracle of fire from heaven (a “lightning”), the prophet of the Lord triumphs over the 450 prophets of Baal. The power of the Lord God is revealed and the authority of Elijah as God’s prophet is confirmed. The people thus assert their choice for the one true God over the “non-god” Baal. The false prophets are punished in accordance with the Dt 13:5 injunction: to put to death a prophet who teaches the people to rebel against the Lord and leads them astray from the life that God has commanded them to live.

The following article gives insight into marvelous works that the Lord God continues to carry out in today’s world through his modern day prophets and on their behalf (cf. “A Sign from Heaven” in Maryknoll, September/October 2015, p. 30-31).

As some 300,000 faithful crammed the Divine Savior of the World plaza in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, for the beatification of Archbishop Romero in May, the overcast sky suddenly opened and the sun appeared surrounded by a circular rainbow. For many, it was a sign from God. Maryknoll Father Roberto Rodriguez and Maryknoll Sister Norma Pocasangre, both Salvadorians, were present for the beatification liturgy concelebrated by 1,400 priests from around the world. Following are the two Maryknoll missioners’ reflections.

Roberto Rodriguez, M.M.: The beatification of Oscar Romero was beautiful, solemn and filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. A special blessing occurred right after Archbishop Romero was proclaimed “blessed in the altars of God” when a rainbow appeared around the sun in the sky overhead. People fell to their knees; others began to cry from emotion at seeing this sign from heavens. For me, it affirmed the correctness of recognizing the sanctity of Oscar Romero. He was a good-hearted, humble and simple man, a priest of profound faith and prayer, selfless in service of others. Romero fought for the poor and the most needy in my country during one of the darkest periods of her history. Oscar Romero is a martyr and a saint in the strictest Christian sense of these words. (…)

Norma Pocasangre, M.M.: There were people from all over the world, young and old and some in wheelchairs. I felt that God was saying, “It is not only in antiquity that I had such faithful followers, but in modern times too there are people like Romero and like you, who can be faithful servants.” The most moving part was when they read Pope Francis’ letter announcing Archbishop Romero as Blessed. Incredibly, a great halo appeared in the sky! The people stared, surprised at what I call confirmation that God was celebrating with us. (…) We have the archbishop as an example of service to God, especially among the most marginalized and forgotten people.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I strive to act in accordance with the spirit of love that animates the law and the prophets? Do I value and carry out the “small” stuff that leads to the “big” stuff?

2. Do we resolve to choose the Lord God over the false idols of today’s world? Like the prophet Elijah, do we trust that God will prove his holiness and will manifest his power and truth?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Father,

you form us into a covenant people

through the law and the prophets.

Let your spirit of love animate us.

Help us to transcend the letter of the law

and to act by the love of the Spirit.

With Christ in the Spirit,

let us perceive the meaning of the law and the prophets

and lovingly fulfill it with devotion.

We bless and praise you, now and forever.

Amen.

***

O most powerful Lord,

you alone are God!

We resolve to renounce the false idols

that tantalize and seduce us.

Let your power and truth shine forth

and give us the courage to follow you

as the one true God.

We give you glory and praise, now and forever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Mt 5:17) // “Let it be known this day that you are God.” (1 Kgs 18:36)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Carry out your duties to God as well as the greater society, e.g. social service, paying taxes, etc., with personal dedication. // In your daily witnessing to truth and in your life of integrity, let is be known that our compassionate Lord is God.

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June 11, 2026: THURSDAY – SAINT BARNABAS, APOSTLE

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Manage Anger … He Sets Apart Barnabas and Saul for a Specific Mission”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 11:21b-16; 13:1-3 // Mt 5:20-26

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 5:20-26): “Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.”

(Gospel Reflection by Bong Tiotuico, ASSOCIATION OF PAULINE COOPERATORS- Friends of the Divine Master, Antipolo Unit, Philippines)

Anger, Hatred and Reconciliation: According to the Jews at the time of Jesus, righteousness is equated to one's ability to follow the law. Scholars of scripture describe the attitude of Jesus regarding the law. He rejects erroneous interpretations of the law while he holds firm to its original intent, i.e. the practice of a greater justice which is love. In this gospel, Jesus teaches a higher standard of adherence to the law that is more stringent than the "Thou shall not kill; whoever kills will be liable to judgment" commandment handed down through Moses.

Jesus denounces murderous anger and hatred as immoral. From this, the Church teaches, if anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity although it is also praiseworthy to impose forms of restitution to correct vices and maintain justice. Yes, there is such a thing as righteous anger when we face oppression, greed, corruption and other forms of injustice. But most people are not righteously angry: most of the time they are "sinfully" angry. We experience deliberate hatred toward other human beings because of wounded pride. We want to get even from a perceived hurt.

Husband: When I get mad at you, you never fight back. How do you control your anger?

Wife: I clean the toilet.

Husband: How does that help?

Wife: I use your toothbrush.

We always need to teach the usual suspects a lesson they will never forget. Like when you get seriously angry with that colleague who, due to a misunderstanding, starts spreading lies behind your back. And there were moments when you secretly wished that neighbor down the corner bad fortune because you were simply envious of his brand new red Porsche.

From human experience we learn that anger, like sin, grows like a seed in our hearts, then becoming like a weed that chokes and displaces love, kindness, patience and other virtues, ultimately leaving no room for God. It is likewise compared to an acid which does more harm to the container in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. What is the antidote to these commonly occurring but overpowering feelings? Long before anger management therapy was invented, St. Paul (Eph. 4:31-34) advises, "Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another; be compassionate and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ." With our human weaknesses and limitations, how do we follow these prescriptions? With God's grace, nothing is impossible. We pray for patience, humility and for God to fill our hearts with love and forgiveness so we can better deal with that obnoxious next-door neighbor. In the same light, as they say in another part of the world: "If you are right, there is no need to be angry. If you are wrong, you have no right to be angry. Jesus tells us not only to reconcile with the subject of our anger but to do it without delay so that we can proceed to an authentic and perfect form of worship. Furthermore, to paraphrase St. James (Jas 1:19-20) "Let every person be quick to hear and listen, slow to speak, slow to anger like the heavenly Father, for anger does not fulfill God's justice."

B. First Reading (Acts 11:21b-16; 13:1-3): “Barnabas was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.”

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Barnabas, apostle. Born in Cyprus and named Joseph, he was converted shortly after Pentecost. He gave up all his possessions and was nicknamed Barnabas (“Son of Consolation”) because of his helpful, optimistic nature. In today’s reading (Acts 11:21b-26), he is described in glowing terms as “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith”. Sent by the mother Church in Jerusalem to Antioch to verify the phenomenon of conversion there, he is true to his optimistic nature. He sees the grace of God at work in this nascent Church of Antioch. He rejoices and encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord. He brings many people to the Lord. He even goes to Tarsus to look for Saul to help him teach and nourish the fledging Christian community in Antioch. Together with Saul of Tarsus, Joseph Barnabas of Cyprus is chosen by the Holy Spirit for a special missionary journey to proclaim the Gospel to the nations.

Saint Barnabas is faithful to his apostolic mandate even unto death. The following, circulated on the Internet, is an account of his martyrdom.

Church tradition developed outside of the canon of the New Testament describes the martyrdom of many saints, including the legend of the martyrdom of Barnabas. It relates that certain Jews coming to Syria and Salamis, where Barnabas was then preaching the gospel, being highly exasperated at his extraordinary success, fell upon him as he was disputing in the synagogue, dragged him out, and, after the most inhumane tortures, stoned him to death. His kinsman, John Mark, who was a spectator of this barbarous action, privately interred his body.

According to the History of the Cyprus Church, in 478 Barnabas appeared in a dream to the Archbishop of Constantia (Salamis, Cyprus) Anthemios and revealed to him the place of his sepulcher beneath a carob tree. The following day Anthemios found the tomb and inside it the remains of Barnabas with a manuscript of Matthew's Gospel on his breast. Anthemios presented the Gospel to Zeno at Constantinople and received from him the privileges of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus, that is, the purple cloak which the Greek Archbishop of Cyprus wears at festivals of the church, the imperial scepter and the red ink with which he affixes his signature.

Anthemios then placed the venerable remains of Barnabas in a church which he founded near the tomb. Excavations near the site of a present day church and monastery have revealed an early church with two empty tombs, believed to be that of St. Barnabas and Anthemios. St. Barnabas is venerated as the Patron Saint of Cyprus.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What do I do to manage my anger and to seek healing for sinful attitudes that lead to violence and acted-out anger?

2. Do we believe that like Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul, we too have been set apart for a special mission in the Church? How does Saint Barnabas, described as “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith”, inspire us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus,

heal us of sinful attitudes and unbridled emotions

that disturb our peace, harmony and dignity.

Give us the grace to pacify vengeful anger.

Let your Holy Spirit anoint the violent

with the balm of peace.

Give us the grace to choose God and life.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

***

(Cf. Opening Prayer – Mass of the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle)

God the Father,

you filled Saint Barnabas with faith and the Holy Spirit

and sent him to convert the nations.

Help us to proclaim the Gospel by word and deed.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (Mt 5:22) //“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By putting greater trust in Jesus, meek and humble of heart, strive to manage anger whenever it surfaces from your heart. Be a peacemaker to the people around you. // Spend some quiet moments before the Blessed Sacrament to thank God for the Church in mission, as exemplified by the work of Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul. Do what you can to promote priestly and religious vocations in today’s world. Pray for the Barnabite missionaries that they may have a more efficacious ministry.

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June 12, 2026: FRIDAY – THE MOST SACRED HEART

OF JESUS

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SANCTIFICATION

OF PRIESTS

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Meek and Humble of Heart”

BIBLE READINGS

Dt 7:6-11 // 1 Jn 4:7-16 // Mt 11:25-30

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 11:25-30): “Although you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, you have revealed them to the childlike.”

The Gospel passage (Mt 11:25-30) proclaimed in today’s solemn feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is about the mystery of the Kingdom revealed to the “little ones” and the call of Jesus, the meek and humble of heart. With this reading, the Church reminds the faithful that Jesus, the meek and humble one, reigns over all by the light of his wisdom and the yoke of his love. He is the instrument of revelation of the Father’s love. With Jesus, the yoke of submission to God’s plan becomes easy and the burden demanded by the love of God and neighbor becomes light. Indeed, united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we experience the immense peace and joy of the Kingdom. In heeding his invitation “Come to me …” we discover that, far from being burdened, we are spiritually liberated. Love makes every burden light.

B. First Reading (Dt 7:6-11): “The Lord set your heart on you and chose you.”

The Old Testament reading (Dt 7:6-11) underlines that the Lord God “has set his heart on us” and has chosen us. During this feast of the Sacred Heart, we are reminded that we belong to God who loves us unconditionally and takes the first initiative. As Israel has been set apart by God to be his treasured possession, each one of us is called to be holy and blessed by his saving love. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, the recipient of the visions of the Sacred Heart and chosen as an apostle to manifest to the world the treasures of the Sacred Heart, testifies: “And Christ showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and of withdrawing them from the path of ruin that made him form the design of manifesting His heart to men, with all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation which it contains, in order that those who desire to render Him and procure Him all the honor and love possible, might themselves be abundantly enriched with those divine treasure of which His heart is the source.”

C. Second Reading (1 Jn 4:7-16): “If we love one another, God remains in us.”

Today’s Second Reading (1 Jn 4:7-16) helps us to connect the cult of the Sacred Heart to God who is love. God has first loved us. He loves gratuitously, unmotivated by any worthiness on our part. He radically reveals his love by sending his Son Jesus as our Savior. God sends his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might have eternal life. God loves us so much that we too must love one another. Whoever loves proves that he is born of God. The love revealed by God in Jesus is perceived by faith and must be responded to in faith. We “manifest” our communion with God by our love for each other. Indeed, by loving one another as brothers and sisters, God dwells in us and his love is made perfect in us. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Son of our merciful God, is the great symbol of divine love.

Today’s feast is very meaningful to me personally. I grew up in the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Manila, Philippines and promoted in my family the First Friday devotion. When I made my religious profession, I was given a new name – “Sr. Mary Margaret” - in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the disciple of the Eucharist and the apostle of the Sacred Heart. The following article helps us delve into the meaning of the Sacred Heart devotion (cf. Fr. William Saunders, “The Sacred Heart of Jesus” in October 1994 issue of The Arlington Catholic Herald).

During a recent visit to my parish church, my Protestant friend was interested in our Sacred Heart shrine and the meaning behind the devotion. I told her that the Sacred Heart was a sign of the love of Jesus for us. Is there anything else I should say? What about the history of the devotion? – A reader in Alexandria

Actually, your answer “hits the nail on the head”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting Pope Pius XII’s beautiful encyclical “Haurietes Aquas” (1956) states: “Jesus has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings without exception.”

To appreciate the rich symbolism of the heart, we must remember that in Judaism the word “heart” represented the core of the person. While recognized as the principle life organ, the heart was also considered the center of all spiritual activity. Here was the seat of all emotion, especially love. As the psalms express, God speaks to a person in his heart and there probes him. This notion of the heart is clear when we read the words of Deuteronomy 6:5-6: “Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.”

The heart has even greater depth when contemplated in light of the Incarnation. We believe that Jesus Christ, second person of the Holy Trinity and consubstantial with the Father, entered this world taking on our human flesh – true God became also true man. While Jesus’ heart obviously served a physiological function, spiritually His Sacred Heart represents love: the divine love our Lord shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the Trinity; the perfect, divine love which God has for us; and the genuine human love Christ felt in His human nature.

I think one of the most beautiful passages of the Gospels is our Lord saying, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden light” (Mt 11:28-30). Therefore, while meditating on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are called to share in the love of the Lord and strive to express our own genuine love for God, ourselves and our neighbors.

Throughout the Gospel, we see the outpouring of Jesus’ love from His heart, whether in miracle stories, the reconciliation of sinners, or the compassion for the grieving. Even on the cross, our Lord poured out His love for us. There the soldier’s lance pierced his side and out flowed blood and water (Jn 19:34). St. Bonaventure said the Church was born from the wounded side of the Lord with the blood and water representing the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and baptism.

The early Church Fathers clearly cherished this meaning of the Sacred Heart of our Lord. St. Justin Martyr (d. 165), in his “Dialogue with the Jew Trypho” said, “We the Christians are the true Israel which springs from Christ, for we are carved out of His heart as from a rock”. Likewise, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202) said, “The Church is the fountain of the living water that flows to us from the Heart of Christ (“Adversus Haereses”). Paulinus of Nola (d. 431) added, “John, who rested blissfully on the breast of our Lord, was inebriated with the Holy Spirit, from the Heart of all creating Wisdom he quaffed an understanding which transcends that of any creature.” Although these are just a few brief examples from the times of the early Church, we find a profound respect for the Sacred Heart of our Lord as a font of His love which gave birth to the Church and continues to nourish its members.

The devotion continued to grow during the Middle Ages and in 1353 Pope Innocent VI instituted a Mass honoring the mystery of the Sacred Heart. During the age of the Protestant movement, devotion to the Sacred Heart was practiced in hope of restoring peace to a world shattered by political and religious persecution.

Shortly thereafter, the devotion escalated due to the fervor surrounding the apparitions of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). For example, on Dec. 27, 1673, Our Lord revealed, “My Divine Heart is so passionately inflamed with love … that, not being able any longer to contain within itself the flames of its ardent charity. It must let them spread abroad through your means, and manifest itself to man, that they may be enriched with its precious treasures which I unfold to you, and which contain the sanctifying and salutary graces that are necessary to hold them back from the abyss of ruin.” The four apparitions provided the catalyst for the promotion of the devotion to the Sacred Heart: a feast day in honor of the Sacred Heart and the offering of our Lord’s saving grace and friendship if the individual attended Mass and received holy Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays of the month.

In 1989 Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since then, his successors have exhorted the faithful to turn to the Sacred Heart and make acts of personal consecration. They have also begged the faithful to offer prayers and penances to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the many sins of the world.

Considering our present day and age, the temptations and sins of the world, the growing apathy and secularism, we too should turn again in loving devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and ask Him to pour forth His grace. We must strive to make our hearts like His own, for He said, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8).

May we remember the words of the Preface of the Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Lifted high on the Cross, Christ gave His life for us, so much did He love us. From His wounded side flowed blood and water, the fountain of the sacramental life in the Church. To His open heart the Savior invites all men, to draw water in joy from the springs of salvation.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

What is our personal response to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and his burning love for us? Do we promote the cult of the Sacred Heart? How?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Prayer “Anima Christi” (by Pope John XXII, 1249-1334)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O good Jesus, hear me.

Within your wounds, hide me.

Separated from you, let me never be.

From the evil one, protect me.

At the hour of my death, call me

and close to you bid me

that with your saints,

I may be praising you forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“I am meek and humble of heart.” (Mt 11:29)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your acts of mercy and compassion to the needy, suffering and grieving, let the love of the Sacred Heart console them and give them the strength of salvation.

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June 13, 2026: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (10); THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY; SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA, Priest, Doctor of the Church; BVM ON SATURDAY

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Truthful … He Calls Us to Service”

BIBLE READINGS

1 Kgs 19:19-21 // Mt 5:33-37

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 5:33-37): “I say to you do not swear at all.”

In today’s Gospel (Mt 5:33-37), Jesus teaches us that truthfulness is assured by the inner integrity of the person. The biblical scholar Adrian Leske comments on the reading: “The practice of making oaths or vows had become so commonplace by the time of Jesus that the rabbis spent much time discussing valid and invalid forms. Originally oaths were made before the altar in the presence of God, when the truth of a matter could not be substantiated, by witnesses or documents. Included in such an oath was the invoking of a curse if the oath was false. Later in order not to take the name of God in vain it became a practice to use circumlocutions for God’s name, and even beyond that, in popular practice, to swear by anything of value. Jesus points out that no matter how one words that oath, it is still an oath before God … Those who belong to the kingdom will speak in sincerity and faithfulness, so their simple yes and no can be accepted as trustworthy before God and people. While oath-taking today may be required by courts and other institutions, the essential point here is speaking with utter honesty and sincerity.”

The following story gives insight into the value of a man’s word – if he is a person of integrity (cf. Iris Deurmyer, “Let’s Shake on It” in Country, April/May 2014, p. 51).

On a spring day when I was 6, I rode to town with Uncle Art to buy seed for planting gardens and fields and get feed for the calves. As a young girl growing up in the heartland, I found a special joy spending time with him. As we traveled in the pickup truck, Uncle Art made up silly rhymes and we sang them together. He patiently taught me to say the ABCs backward.

After loading supplies at the feed store, Uncle Art visited with the owner outside and then pointed at the truck. “I forgot to sign for this”, he said. The owner said, “Arthur, let’s shake on it. Your handshake is worth more than most men’s signatures.”

Later, I asked him what the owner had meant. Uncle Art explained that if a man gave his word, it should be dependable as money in the bank. He said a trustworthy man’s handshake was like an unwritten promise to keep his word.

In the half century since that day, I’ve reflected on Uncle Art’s words and his reputation. I can still picture that handshake; it’s a permanent reminder that the word should be as good as money in the bank. Oh, and one other thing has stuck with me. I can still rattle off the alphabet backwards.

B. First Reading (1 Kgs 19:19-21): “Then Elisha left and followed Elijah.”

In today’s Old Testament reading (1 Kgs 19:19-21) we hear the vocation story of Elisha and his positive response to the divine call to be a prophet. The call to prophetic ministry comes from God who ordered Elijah “You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you” (v. 16b). Elijah carries out the Lord’s command. He comes upon Elisha, a prosperous farmer, plowing the field with a team of twelve oxen. The biblical author narrates that Elisha is “following” the twelfth oxen. That day is truly significant for henceforth he would no longer be following “oxen”, but the Lord. Elijah throws his cloak over the toiling farmer, and the latter understands what the symbolic gesture means. The mantle symbolizes the personality and rights of the owner, and since the hair-shirt mantle of the prophets is part of their official dress, casting Elijah’s mantle on Elisha indicates an invitation, an investiture and an initiation to the prophetic ministry.

Elisha’s response is immediate. He abandons the oxen he was “following” and runs after Elijah, the instrument of God’s call. Elisha requests permission from the master-prophet to kiss his father and mother goodbye and manifests to him his resolve, “I will follow you”. Elijah does not object to the legitimate request for a devout, filial leave-taking. Elisha then shows his unreserved response to God’s plan by slaughtering his twelve oxen. He burns the plow as fuel to cook the oxen and serves the boiled meat as food for his people. His acceptance of the prophetic call is unreserved. In destroying the tools of his trade, he makes himself vulnerable, and in a no “fall back” position. He loses security. Elisha is an eloquent model of a total response to the call of God, who destines us for a special service to his people.

Sr. Mary Alba Scellato, one of our most inspiring and dynamic Sisters, illustrates the dynamics of God’s call and the person’s total response. Sr. Mary Alba turned 90 years old last June 3, 2014.

Vocation Story: Sr. Mary Alba Scellato

(First Profession: Mary 25, 1943 – Final Profession: March 25, 1948)

My family was a fervent Christian one that observes the Sunday law and the precepts of the Church. My father died when I was eleven years old. A mule kicked him in the stomach. He was brought home in terrible pain. No means was found to save him. He died after three days. He was a Franciscan tertiary. A Capuchin father came to bless him.

My elder sister Felicia was learning tailoring. My mother had been sick in many ways. She wanted us to learn anything that would enable us to take care of ourselves. She thought she would die soon. All of us attended the church. We were close to a church and the hospital where the Sisters of St. Anne served and taught catechism. It was proposed to us to learn 100 questions and answers on catechism without mistakes. The benefits were many: to know Christian life and the Eucharistic presence with a few gifts besides, including a photo. Eight of us won!

At that time I was going to an embroidery class. The weekly catechetical instruction and the music rehearsal left a deep impression in me about the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The Sisters of St. Anne had a blind musician who played the organ. He taught us to sing a song I would never forget: heaven and earth exult on the day we receive Jesus in the Eucharist … we need to adore him present on the altar.

When I turned fourteen, my mother became sicker. Doctors suggested bringing her to Catania. My aunt Paula knew where to go and whom to contact. It was February 19, 1939. They took a rental car to go to Catania. In that car, there was an extra seat. Aunt Paula asked me if I wanted to go. She would visit the PDDM sisters in Catania because she used to give them hospitality when they were going to our native town of Nicosia for the ministry. We went to Catania and met the Sisters. Mother Pia Dogliani told us that if I wanted to stay with them, I was welcome. So when my mother was in the hospital, I stayed with them for nine days

When my mother was ready to return to Nicosia, I told her that if the Sisters would be willing to keep me, I would remain with them. Then my mother said, “You must come with us; we will prepare the dowry and bring you back.” But I said, “If I go home, I would not have the courage to leave home. But now that I am here, I am happy to remain.” My mother said “Yes” to me with tears in her eyes. I remained there and was very happy. My mother immediately gave part of the dowry and would settle the rest in the near future.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Am I trustworthy? Do my words have integrity?

2. Am I willing to follow Christ unconditionally?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Lord Jesus,

you called me.

Help me to say “yes” and to follow you with integrity.

Make me a servant of your word

and make me trustworthy.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’.” (Mt 5:37) //“I will follow you.” (1 Kgs 19:20)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Resolve to be faithful to the demands of Christian discipleship. Make every effort to be honest and truthful.

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