A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 9, n. 45)
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – October 2, 2011 *
“Do These Things … Bear Fruit!
BIBLE READINGS
Ez 5:1-7 // Phil 4:6-9 // Mt 21:33-43
(N.B. Series 9 of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year A from the perspective of the Second Reading. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year A based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 3. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 6.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
This Sunday’s Gospel and Old Testament readings underline the necessity of bearing “good fruit”, a biblical image for living in fruitful obedience to God who loves us unconditionally. He radically revealed and accomplished his compassionate plan by sending his beloved Son Jesus Christ to save us. But we need to respond to his loving initiative by letting our faith in Christ bear abundant fruit in daily life.
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly remarks: “We must, by all means, believe firmly in God’s prior love for us. We must confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And we must also remember that our Lord has said to us, It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you to go forth and bear fruit (Jn 15:16).”
In a sense, this is the kind of “fruitfulness” that Saint Paul wanted the Christian community to grow into. By instilling in them the necessity of prayer and the importance of virtues, he wanted them to relish the peace of God, a fruit of the Spirit and a gift that surpasses our understanding.
Harold Buetow comments on today’s Second Reading (Phil 4:6-9): “Paul presents advice on how to achieve the peace of God from the God of peace. His essential advice is prayer – prayer which should not be a negative flight from anxiety, but positive requests which, along with thanksgiving, apply to everything, tears as well as laughter, anxiety as well as calm. Prayer implies, in addition to gratitude, a perfect submission to the will of God. God is greater than all our troubles and can give us his peace, which is beyond anything we can come up with on our own. For the God of peace to be with us, Paul lists qualities for us to cultivate. … For Paul, those virtues and others all form a single reality: life in Christ.”
Still in view of letting the faithful experience the God of peace, Saint Paul thus exhorted the community of believers to put into practice what they have learned and received, the words they have heard from him and the actions they have seen in him.
The following story, “Irish Blessing”, circulated through the Internet, gives us an idea of the things we must do and of the fruitfulness that our actions and attitude must produce in order that the peace of God may reign in the world.
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
“I want to repay you”, said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.”
“No, I can’t accept payment for what I did”, the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family hovel.
“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked.
“Yes”, the farmer replied proudly.
“I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like the father, he’ll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.” And that he did.
Farmer Fleming’s son attended the very best schools and, in time, graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill
His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Were there times in our life when we were like vines producing wild grapes and not fully responsive to the grace of God?
Were there times in our life when we behaved like wretched, miserable tenants deserving righteous indignation for rejecting God’s messengers of love and ultimately, his beloved Son Jesus Christ?
Do we overcome anxiety by making our requests known to God in prayer and petition, and with a spirit of thanksgiving? Do we steep our minds and hearts in all things that are noble and good that the peace of Christ may dwell in us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Leader: Almighty God,
you are the vineyard owner and the vine dresser.
Forgive us for being unresponsive to your compassionate care
and for producing wild grapes on lovingly-tended vines.
Forgive us for being irresponsible servants
and for our wickedness in negating your love
and in foregoing your saving will.
Bring us back to you and renew us.
Engraft us into the holy and fruitful vine Jesus Christ.
United with him, may we bear abundant fruit.
Guard our minds and hearts
that we may be freed from useless anxiety.
Let us experience your gift of peace
as we wait in joyful hope
for the final coming of your Son Jesus, our Savior.
By his mighty power,
fill us with whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and gracious;
with what is good and worthy of praise.
We adore you and love you;
we serve you and glorify you,
now and forever.
Assembly: 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.
“Have no anxiety at all … The God of peace will be with you.” (cf. Phil 4:6a,9b)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
ACTION PLAN: Pray for people who are deeply afflicted and are painfully anxious that they may experience the healing balm of Christ’s peace. By your compassionate acts of mercy and justice, be an instrument of God’s peace for them and allow your faith in Christ to bear abundant fruit.
ACTION PLAN: That we may be truly fruitful in Christ, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM website (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR: A Weekly Pastoral Tool (Year A, vol. 7, # 45).
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US