A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 22, n.30)
Week 12 in Ordinary Time: June 23-29, 2024
(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: June 16-22, 2024 please go to ARCHIVES Series 21 and click on “Ordinary Week 11”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: June 23-29, 2024.)
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June 23, 2024: TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME,
YEAR B
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Masters the Raging Seas”
BIBLICAL READINGS
Job 38:1, 8-11 // 2 Cor 5:14-17 // Mk 4:35-41
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:35-41): “Who is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
The reading (Mk 4:35-41) depicts Jesus in the stern, asleep on a cushion, while violent waves are breaking over the boat that is already filling up with water. Mark’s Gospel account of the windstorm reveals the divine character of Jesus and his wondrous power to pacify a raging sea. The presence of Jesus and his tremendous authority causes the furious waters of the storm to subside and calm down. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 5, comment: “The liturgy of the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time reminds us that we are still at sea, still in the process of navigating to the other shore. It is impossible to accomplish such a crossing without being buffeted by contrary winds and storms. The Lord is always with us – his Church – in the boat tossed by the waves. He is watching even when he is in the storm, asleep on a cushion. We should never doubt in spite of appearances to the contrary. Such certitude causes us to cry to him with faith and trust - with one word he can dispel all storms, quell all tempests. This assurance must give us the boldness to go ahead without being disheartened by anything.”
At times we become frantic when we are buffeted by the storms of life, and Jesus seems to sleep in the stern. At times we panic and despair for Jesus seems to pay no heed. But the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, is fully concerned and involved in our fear and distress. As the omnipotent One, he is truly in control over the tumults and “storms” of our daily life. Harold Buetow exhorts us: “Life presents all kinds of storms: disease, natural disasters, epidemics, and famines; and human anger, hatred, prejudice, injustice, betrayal, and selfishness. For Christians, acceptance of Jesus is not a guarantee that we will sail on trouble-free waters. To the contrary, Jesus invites us to travel on uncharted waters and to make for unfamiliar shores – and all this as darkness falls. The risk of faith demands a radical trust that, whatever our particular storm, Jesus is present; being conscious of his presence will give us a calm peace in all the storms of our life.”
The personal account of Sr. Mary Adelle Arboleda, PDDM, underlines God’s provident presence in the “storms of our life”.
The Most Trying and Purifying Moment of My Life: It was June 21, 2008 when typhoon Frank hit the town of Kalibo, Aklan. You cannot imagine how this typhoon left our town devastated!
We experienced strong rain and winds on the morning of June 21, 2008. We were monitoring on our radio the weather conditions and there was no alarming announcement. Noontime – the rain stopped and the winds died down. Calmness enveloped the whole place and seemingly the typhoon left. And yet I was getting a strange feeling that it was not over.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, a neighbor told us that Aklan River had overflowed. From our past experience, the flood never entered the town. But before four o’clock in the afternoon, to our surprise – here came the water rushing from our backyard and rising so fast. I immediately planned to transfer my mom, who was blind, to a neighbor’s house that is higher than ours. My mom was made a seat on a small table that served as a raft for her transfer. The improvised raft was steered by my nephews and neighbor. My sister-in-law accompanied my mom.
Our house was bungalow style and lower. Soon, inside the house, the water reached up to my neck. Even though I wanted to salvage things, it was not possible. The water was getting deeper. We struggled to climb to the roof. From there we could see many things being carried away by the flood. I think everybody in the town was caught by surprise. Seeing precious furniture being carried away by the flood, I could not help but say to myself, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes it away.”
For me that was a moment of grace. God allowed me to have that experience so that my faith and trust in him would grow. As I sat there on the roof top, soaked in the rain, hungry and feeling abandoned, I thought of my mother in another house. Even if she was sheltered, she must be feeling hungry. I agonized all the more and asked why this happened.
It was getting dark: no light … no food … wet and cold. I could hear a neighbor shouting for help and also the church bell ringing. And yet all of us were helpless. Communication black out! We prayed as we have never prayed before. That eased a bit our pain. I used to see on TV people trapped on the roof by the flood. And here I was experiencing the very same thing … not on TV … but a personal reality!
At four o’clock in the morning, we slowly went down from the roof. I tried to look for some dry clothes to change – none! Everything wet! When we saw that the curtain was nearly dry, we took them to cover ourselves. We heard that water was all over the town. Even our cathedral was flooded. It seems each of us had a “share”. Our neighbor who was lucky to have a third floor gave us some dry clothes to put on and also some food.
Our feeling was of gratitude to God for we were all alive even though we were under the mercy of others. It was a humbling experience, But I would say everything has turned into a blessing.
The support of the Congregation was overwhelming. Prayers, financial and material support were not wanting. We stayed in our neighbor’s house for 20 days – until we had cleaned and disinfected our own house. I put a mark where the water reached – it was six feet! And I also put the date. The mud inside the house was 8 inches.
A lot of things happened then. Words were not sufficient to capture and express them. It was a real experience of the loving care of God manifested in many ways. Trials may come – difficulties – whatever. It no longer matters. Only God, doing his will day by day, is all that matters. Deo Gratias!
B. First Reading (Job 38:1, 8-11): “Here shall your proud waves be stilled!”
One warm, beautiful morning in October in the 1990s, my Sisters accompanied me to the pier in Manila where I was boarding a ship to Cebu Island to spend a few days of vacation with my brother and his family. I bid the kind Sisters goodbye and headed off to the cabin. There was a young lady sharing the cabin with me, and since she was extremely busy making text messages, I excused myself and allowed her to do her personal business in peace. I went to the upper deck and had a great time watching the intense activity at the pier as the crew prepared for sailing. As the ship began to move, there was the soothing sound of parting waters and the cooling sensation of the sea breeze. And then I heard something fascinating – the amplified voice of a crew in devout prayer to the Lord God who masters the storms and the raging seas, asking for blessing and protection for all of us sea travelers. The ship company had experienced several tragedies involving the loss of human lives and property on account of storms and other misfortunes. The matriarch of the family who owns the ship company then decided to put everything in the hands of God. One of the most eloquent expressions of her faith is the public prayer that she exhorts the crew to offer at the beginning of each ship’s journey and at various moments of the day. There was even the celebration of the rosary in the evening. I felt so peaceful and secure in that sea voyage knowing that everything had been entrusted to God who has dominion over all – even violent storms and turbulent seas.
Today’s Old Testament Reading (Job 38:1, 8-11) is taken from the Book of Job, called by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, “the greatest poem of ancient and modern times”. The Lord God is addressing Job “out of the storm”, which evokes the raging emotions and turbulent storms that the distressed Job is experiencing from within. God obliges to confront the frantic Job, who is buffeted by the storms of life, but in his own infinite terms and ineffable ways as Creator God and Master of all. God does not answer Job’s questions, but simply puts them in proper perspective. The Lord does not make any positive proposition, rebuttal or self-defense, only a series of hypothetical questions that evince Job’s ignorance and affirm, at the same time, the omnipotent power of God as Creator and Master of the universe.
Harold Buetow remarks: “God’s questions cover the most familiar phenomenon of nature. If Job cannot answer, how can he and God debate, and how can God explain to Job the deeper mysteries of His providence over people? Everywhere there are marvels, and everywhere also mystery. Today’s section deals only with that tumultuous and threatening element, the sea. Through it, God reminds Job that he, Job, is just a creature, and only God is the Creator. God alone formed the earth and the seas, and He alone can calm the winds and the waves of the storms. He pictures the sea more as a troublesome infant, in need of a loving parent to keep it calm, to clothe it in clouds and swaddling bands and feed it, and thus stop its movement and its cries. He had set limits to his child, telling it where it can and cannot go.”
Indeed, God who has created the sea and assigned it its boundaries, limiting the flow of its waves, is the almighty One who directs the course of each individual’s life. Everything that happens in the universe is under the power of God’s dominion and control. That God obliges to talk to Job “out of the storm” indicates that he is not a distant God. He is not detached and unconcerned with our destiny. He is there to share the storms of our life. And yet, though he is there present for us - to relate with us “out of the storm” - he is absolutely beyond the clutch of elemental powers and the manipulation of his creatures. God evinces sovereign mastery over the elements, particularly over the sea, which appears to be the most difficult to control. He also manifests his control, not only of nature, but above all, of the raging inner storms that threaten to submerge our human destiny as the chosen and favored ones of God.
C. Second Reading (2 Cor 5:14-17): “Behold new things have come.”
All of us go through storms in life, even the great apostle Paul. Harold Buetow remarks concerning the Second Reading (2 Cor 5:14-17): “St. Paul’s whole life consisted in one storm after another, most for the sake of Christ and many with the people of Corinth. The occasion for his writing today’s excerpt was that the Christians of Corinth were forsaking him, forging impossible loyalties with his opponents and calling him names. Further, they were claiming mystical experiences – ecstasies – which they valued more than anything else. In their view, Paul was inferior to these ecstasies, because he never said anything about his having had mystical experiences himself, nor had he performed miracles. In today’s excerpt, Paul reminds everyone that, through all the storms of life, it is the love of Christ that counts. There is no doubt about the love coming from Christ’s side of the equation. It remains for everyone to return that love in the ways Paul here enumerates: by being concerned about what Christ has done (v. 14), by living not for oneself but for others (v. 15), and by seeing all things in the new light of faith (v. 15). In that way people can be, in a favorite Pauline expression, in Christ (v. 17).”
Sickness and death are intense experiences and they are some of the stronger buffets of life. The presence of Christ and the power of love, however, could bring peace, calm a tumultuous situation and ease a sad predicament. To acknowledge and welcome the loving Savior Jesus Christ can help us cope with the storms of life. The following charming story, “Christmas Forever” by Fr. Joseph Bernie Marquis (cf. The WORD Among Us, June 2007, p.60-63) illustrates the peace, creativity and newness that result from the power of love and the spirit of Christ. Fr. Joseph was ordained in 2000 to the priesthood in the Byzantine Rite of Catholic Church. He used to have a moonlighting job playing Santa at various stores and events, but he still occasionally fills in for Santa.
A heavy wool suit trimmed with fur isn’t what I usually wear in ninety-five-degree weather, especially in a car with no air conditioning. Yet there I was, one hot and humid Michigan afternoon, wearing not just the suit, but boots, a snowy white beard, and a thick woolen hat. It felt like a sauna on wheels, but I really didn’t mind. This was no ordinary day, and I was no ordinary person: I was Santa Claus, on a mission of mercy to a little girl who was dying of leukemia at a nearby children’s hospital. (…)
As I made my sweltering way to the hospital, I asked the Lord to use my visit to delight four-year-old Angela (not her real name) and console her grief-stricken grandfather. He was the one who had arranged this “Christmas in June”, after learning that Angela had just five weeks to live. “What can I do?” he had asked God. “How can I put a lifetime of loving into the heart of my little granddaughter?” As he sat sipping coffee at the kitchen table, he had noticed Angela’s crayon drawing of Santa Claus taped to the refrigerator. He remembered what she had asked him once, as they watched the Detroit Christmas parade together: “Why does it have to end, Grandpa? … I wish Christmas could be forever!” Suddenly, he knew exactly what to do.
Approaching the hospital, I was surprised to see many helpers awaiting Santa at the main entrance – a doctor sporting a Santa hat, nurses, social workers, and volunteers decked out as Christmas elves. “Merry June Ninth!” they called out. “Everything’s ready! We’re so excited that you’ve come all the way from the North Pole to visit the kids.” I quickly got the message that all the patients in the pediatric cancer unit were about to enjoy the surprise arranged for Angela’s sake. Moving merrily through the lobby, my entourage and I packed into the elevator. Excitement mounted as we made our ascent to the oncology floor. Then the doors opened. A magical scene greeted us. The ward was ablaze with holiday lights and filled with the sound of Christmas music. Garlands decorated the hallway, where four Christmas trees stood in splendor. A lively Frosty the Snowman was there to welcome us, scattering snow through a spout that poked through his top hat. Then came cries of delight, as Santa was spotted by six or seven children who were strong enough to be sitting in wheelchairs. I stopped to greet each one, and then went visiting the other children room to room. Meanwhile, Angela’s grandpa stood watching with a smile.
When I finally got to Angela’s bedside, two big blue eyes were peering out over the top of the sheet. “Angela!” I said. The blue eyes opened wider still. A look of sheer joy came over her face. With the whole staff crowded around to watch, I reached into my bag and presented the gift her grandfather had chosen – a new blue dress that Angela had wanted for a long time. From Santa, there was a guardian angel with red tennis shoes and beautiful blonde hair, just like Angela’s before chemotherapy. A small snapshot from her grandpa’s wallet was still fresh in my memory. “She looks a lot like you”, I observed. Then I pinned a little button to her hospital gown. It read: “Santa said I was a good girl!” With the mood so jolly, we launched into some familiar Christmas songs – “Jingle Bells”. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”. Then I began one of my favorite carols, “Silent Night”. I really don’t have the words to describe what happened as we sang that last song. All I can say is that an almost palpable peace descended on the room. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was there. (…)
Angela died just ten days later. After the funeral in another part of the state, her grandfather phoned. “I’m not going to pretend that I’m having an easy time”, he said. “Before I called you, I had a good cry.” But then he went on to recount an experience he’d had at the funeral home. “I was looking at my little granddaughter lying there in a white casket in her new blue dress, with the guardian angel doll by her side, and wearing the pin you gave her: “Santa said I was a good girl!” The grief was almost unbearable. “But right then, when I was feeling the pain most profoundly … I can’t explain it, but I felt a sudden peace, even a joy. At that moment, I knew that Angela was with God and that we would be reunited in eternity.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What are our experiences of despair and pain? How does it feel to be in the same situation as the raging Job, buffeted by life problems and troubled by storms from within? How do we respond to God’s assertion of his power and glory?
2. Do we feel abandoned and neglected by Jesus when the life-storms are violent and he seems to be “sleeping”? Why do we panic?
3. Do we believe in faith that God is in control? Do we place our trust in Jesus, whom even wind and sea obey? Do we derive strength from the fact that the Lord Jesus masters the storms and the raging seas?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
life presents all kinds of storms.
But you are the Creator and the Master of the sea.
You have the power to tame the raging waves
and the tempest of destroying waters.
In Jesus your Son,
you are with us as we navigate to “the other shore”
to bring us safely home to you.
Though the violent waves of life’s trials threaten to engulf us,
we feel safe in the presence of Jesus,
who can pacify the raging sea with his all-powerful word.
Almighty Father,
the fury of life’s storm will never daunt us
for we know that Jesus Christ always accompanies us through our sailing.
We do not allow useless anxieties and petty concerns to drown us
for we are heartened by the reality
that “whoever is in Christ is a new creation”.
We thank you, our Creator and omnipotent Lord,
for as we embark on new uncharted waters,
we draw closer to you and the peaceful waters of your heavenly Kingdom.
We adore you and praise you, 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.
“Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’.” (Mk 4:39)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray to God that we may be able to feel his presence and serenity even in the midst of life’s storms. Offer comfort and assistance to those whose faith is wavering and whose lives are deeply upset by trials and difficulties. Share with those who are overwhelmed in the sea of sorrows the comforting presence of Jesus, who masters the winds and the raging seas.
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June 24, 2024: MONDAY – THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
“JESUS SAVIOR: John the Baptist Is His Precursor”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 49:1-6 // Acts 13:22-26 // Lk 1:57-66, 80
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:57-66, 80): “John is his name.”
This happened on June 24th – a hot sunny day - many years ago. I was riding in a “jeep”, the most popular form of public transportation in the Philippines. I was on my way to visit my parents and have lunch with them. The route of the “jeep” would take me through San Juan, in Metro Manila, which was celebrating the feast of its patron saint. The town has a unique fiesta tradition – water dousing! When I boarded the “jeep”, I noticed that the plastic window curtains to protect passengers from rain were rolled down. The driver explained: “I don’t want you to get wet. It’s fiesta in San Juan.” When we were there, the “jeep” got stuck in the traffic. We saw some teenagers by the road ready with water ammunition, but they were totally ignoring us. Their attention was focused on passersby. When the vehicle started to move, there was a vigorous splash through the door. An abundant douse of water hit us. After the initial shock, we started to laugh. Thank God! It was clean water. We were wet, but it was fun. The water dousing steeped us in the fiesta spirit – we felt that John the Baptist had baptized us!
The universal Church celebrates today the nativity of John the Baptist, the Messiah’s precursor. The Gospel (Lk 1:57-66, 80) describes the marvelous circumstances surrounding the birth of John the Baptist. Elizabeth, the wife of the temple priest, Zechariah, gives birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives hear how the good Lord wonderfully has bestowed his mercy upon her. They all rejoice with Zechariah and Elizabeth. The joy is even greater on account of Elizabeth’s lifelong barrenness and the advanced age of the couple. In the biblical mentality, fecundity is a sign of divine blessing and childlessness a disgrace or a curse. The name given to the child by God and announced to Zechariah by the angel at the temple is truly significant: “JOHN” – which means “Yahweh has shown favor” … “Yahweh is gracious”. Indeed, the joy brought about by Elizabeth’s motherhood is a foretaste of the messianic joy that the birth of Jesus will bring to the world.
The following story gives a glimpse into the joy that motherhood entails (cf. Shawnelle Eliasen in Daily Guideposts 2015. P. 180).
“I have a surprise”, my son Samuel said. “What’s that?” I asked. His hand came forward, and his fingers uncurled. In his palm lay a few wadded, crumpled dollar bills and an assortment of change. “Wow!” I said. “What are you going to do with it?”
“What I’d like to do is take you for a ride on that.” A street fair had come to our small town, and Samuel turned toward the Ferris wheel curving just over the trees in our front yard.
“But that’s your Tooth Fairy and birthday money, Samuel. Are you sure you want to spend it like that?”
“I’m sure”, he said, but as we waited in line, I began to feel guilty. Maybe I should have offered to pay.
“C’mon up!” the man on the platform called. We headed straight for the sky. Around and around we went, in and out of the blue. We held our breath on the way up and giggled like mad on the way down.
“Are you having fun, Mon?” Samuel asked the final time we went around. “I am”, I said. “Thank you for the gift.”
Samuel nodded. His hand wrapped around min. His smile came straight from his heart. I didn’t need to feel guilty. My little boy was learning to give.
B. First Reading (Is 49:1-6): “I will make you a light to the nations.”
The liturgy’s First Reading (Is 49:1-6) comes from the Second Servant Song, which describes the commissioning of a mysterious personage - the Servant of God - as a prophet. The identity of the Servant is not specified and since the reference is open-ended, it is easily appropriated. On account of the versatility of its image, the figure of the Servant has been applied to various personages in salvation history, foremost of whom is Jesus Christ, the ultimate Servant of Yahweh. Today’s liturgy, however, applies the Second Servant Song to John the Baptist, whose birthday we commemorate today. Called from birth and given a name from his mother’s womb, the remarkable child will grow and be honed into a “sharp-edged sword”. He will be transformed into an effective prophetic instrument of God’s word. Like a “polished arrow” hidden in God’s quiver, John is to become an incisive weapon to be used at the right time to proclaim the judgment of God. Concealed for a time, the prophet John will appear in the desert to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and prepare the way for the public ministry of the Messiah. An enigmatic ascetic and a compelling figure in the wilderness of Judea, the Precursor will exhort the people tensed with messianic expectation: “Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.”
In bearing witness to the person of the Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens the world, and in upholding the integrity of moral truth against the malice of King Herod and his partner Herodias, John suffers martyrdom. His death is an intimate participation in the paschal destiny of the Messiah, of which he is a precursor. In sharing intimately the universal work of salvation of Jesus Christ, the words of Yahweh in the Second Servant Song, could also be applied not only to Jesus but also to John: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Is 49:6).
In sharing Christ’s saving work in the “here and now” we continue to incarnate the Word of God and make his love real and tangible. In doing so, we too become a “light to the nations”. Here is a modern-day example (cf. Pam Kidd in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 201).
Years ago, I was called to Zimbabwe on assignment to write about the street children. I didn’t plan on becoming involved beyond that, but it became abundantly clear that God’s call was for my family to get involved, and soon the children of this AIDS-ravaged country became our passion. Village Hope was born.
Now, standing amidst pots boiling on open fires and the delicious smell of bread baking in cast-iron ovens, I see children, once orphaned and alone, working alongside the local couple we partnered with, Alice and Paddington. They’ve been up since dawn, preparing for guests. Today is the dedication of their new church.
But for me, the anticipated visit by an important official of Zimbabwe’s presbytery touches the day with apprehension. Church executives can be stuffy and self-important, and I didn’t want to see the enthusiasm over this happy event dampened.
At the appointed hour, a big black car drove through the gates and an immaculately dressed man emerged. I kept my distance, waiting for Alice and Paddington to meet the dignitary and take him on a tour of the little farm. Finally, they appeared in the cooking hut, and I was surprised to see the tears in the man’s eyes. He looked at us and what he said melted our worries, clarified our struggles, and opened our eyes: “The Word made flesh”.
C. Second Reading (Acts 13:22-26): “John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance.”
The Second Reading (Acts 13:22-26) contains Paul’s speech to the Israelites and other worshippers in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. In this apostolic preaching, he underlines the mission of John with regards to the Messiah. According to Saint Paul, Jesus is the Savior whom God has brought to Israel from David’s posterity. The prophet John heralds the coming of the Savior by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. The baptism of repentance performed by John at River Jordan is a powerful call and an intense symbol of turning to God and reconciliation with him, a saving event to be completely achieved in the paschal sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Like John the Baptist we can be instruments of conversion and “heralds” of Christ’s coming into the life of a person. The following personal testimony is insightful (cf. Mike McGarvin, Papa Mike, Fresno: Poverello House, 2003, p. 59-60, 64).
Like Father Simon, Brother Kurt was a mystery to me, but in a different way. Father Simon was a pillar of strength, a wise, loving example, and very much a loner. I marveled at his energy, his intelligence, and the depth of his sacrifice, and I wondered how he did it, day after day, year after year.
Brother Kurt impressed me in many of the same ways. However, I saw more of his flaws up close, and it made him very accessible. Father Simon taught me that God is love, and that loving people directly translated into loving people. Brother Kurt taught me that God loves us just as we are, warts and all. Perhaps more than anything, his humanity endeared him to me. (…)
Kurt was just as tenacious in the various tasks he performed as a Franciscan. He loved people, and he kept plugging along in his difficult lonely vocation of service. God had called him to the Franciscans, and he was there to obey the call. He was full of human frailty, but he knew it and didn’t let his imperfections deter his dedication to his calling.
In some ways, he was the perfect friend for me at the time. Even thought I was big and rough, I was emotionally and spiritually fragile. Christianity was new and in many ways frightening, and Kurt put me at ease. He had many shortcomings, but I wouldn’t felt comfortable with someone who had it all together, or who was spiritually lofty.
Without Father Simon, I might have eventually destroyed myself. His life reflected the shining light of Jesus, and guided me out of a terrible darkness. Without Kurt, I might have fallen away from the faith in despair, because I would have become so discouraged about my sins and inadequacies. Each man reflected a different aspect of the Christian faith, and I neede both to continue being healed of my past. (…)
God was transforming my life through Poverello. Joining the Catholic Church gave me a new outlook, and my life had new meaning now. (…)
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. How does the vocation and consecration of John the Baptist inspire us? Do we believe that we too have been called by God from birth and entrusted with a prophetic mission in today’s world?
2. What is the meaning of the birth of John the Baptist and the name “JOHN” given to him by God from his mother’s womb? How did the neighbors and relatives respond to the saving event experienced by Elizabeth and Zechariah? Like them do we allow ourselves to be filled with joy in the Lord?
3. Do we contemplate devoutly the meaning of the Lord’s baptism and the role of John the Baptist as the precursor of the Messiah? Do we imitate John the Baptist in his mission to point to the Messiah and to bear total witness on his behalf, even to the point of death?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
We bless and praise you, O Lord, the God of Israel.
As we give you thanks for Jesus, the Day Spring,
we also thank you for his cousin John,
the prophet of the Most High.
He prepares the Messiah’s way
and disposes our hearts for the forgiveness of sins.
O loving God,
help us to imitate John’s faithful messianic ministry
and his personal integrity.
As we celebrate today his marvelous birth,
grant us the grace to imitate him
in his courageous witnessing on behalf of truth.
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.
“The hand of the Lord was with him.” (Lk 1:66)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the Christian disciples of today may truly understand the great role of John the Baptist in preparing the way and in bearing witness to Jesus Christ. In the surroundings where you live, endeavor to be like the Baptist in giving witness to truth and in your prophetic stance against the culture of death and falsehood of today’s society.
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June 25, 2024: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (12)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Abide by the Golden Rule … He Is our Deliverer”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Kgs 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36 // Mt 7:6, 12-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 7:6, 12-14): “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”
In today’s Gospel (Mt 7:6, 12-14), Jesus counsels discernment and discretion in dealing with those who are hostile to the message of salvation he brings. When our work for the Good News is rejected by those who impose rash judgments and are averse to the kingdom, he advises us not to get into a dispute. They lack understanding and refusing to understand, they will use what we say to condemn. The kingdom of God and its way of life are holy. They are like pearls of great price. The gift of salvation cannot be squandered and forced on anyone who resists them. It is sheer grace and an act of divine predilection to which we can freely respond.
Jesus Master tells his disciples to abide by the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” This wisdom saying can be verified in the Jewish tradition. Rabbi Hillel, who died when Jesus was about ten years old, was asked by a scoffer to teach him the whole Torah while he stood on one foot. Rabbi Hillel answered: “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor; that is the whole Torah; go and study it.” Jesus Master likewise uses the principle of mutuality, but on a higher level: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”; “Stop judging and you will not be judged”; etc. By putting positively the wisdom saying “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor”, Jesus transforms a prescription of self-preservation into an action of love. A negative counsel becomes pro-active. Jesus’ Golden Rule, “Do to others whatever you would have them to you” is in deep affinity with the great command, “Love your neighbor as yourself” on which depends all the law and the prophets”.
Jesus Master exhorts his disciples to enter by the narrow gate. This is an exhortation to become part of the pro-active faithful and not simply to follow the crowd or abide by social pressure. He sets before his disciples the two ways: the broad way that leads to doom and destruction and the narrow way that leads to life. The narrow way is that of the cross. With Jesus, we travel through the way of the cross to eternal life and the light of glory.
The following story, circulated on the Internet, illustrates how we can incarnate in our daily life the teachings of Jesus: the Golden Rule, choosing the narrow way, holiness, caring for those in need, etc.
One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”
Well all that she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.
Bryan just smiled as he closed the trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.” He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed home, disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small café. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred-dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get her change for her hundred-dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out of the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”
B. First Reading (2 Kgs 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36): “I will shield and save this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”
The reading (2 Kgs 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36) depicts the threat of Assyrian invasion of Jerusalem and the faith response of King Hezekiah of Judah to the crisis. The message sent by King Sennacherib of Assyria seeks to undermine the trust in God of Hezekiah and the people. He taunts them that God has deceived them with empty promises of deliverance. The Assyrian king brags that he has never been overpowered by any god and surely their God will not be able to save them. Confronted by the taunt that his God is powerless and that their trust is in vain, King Hezekiah remains faithful. He “spreads out before the altar” the letter from the presumptuous king. Hezekiah’s action is a striking and touching demonstration of his belief in God. His heartfelt prayer for deliverance is answered. The prophet Isaiah communicates God’s comforting message to him: “I will shield and save this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” Jerusalem will be delivered from the present threat and the kingdom of Judah will be saved. Through divine intervention, a pestilence decimates Sennacherib’s army and compels him to retreat to Assyria. His own sons murder him as he worships in the temple of his god Nisroch. Whereas the Lord’s temple has been a source of deliverance for King Hezekiah and the kingdom of Judah, Nisroch’s temple becomes the site of King Sennacherib’s bloody death.
The following article circulated in the Internet illustrates that the divine intervention continues to be at work. And in God’s saving plan, Mary, the Mother of Christ, plays an important part.
The Rosary Frees Austria from Communist Rule in 1955: For three years, Catholic Austria went under the tyrannical rule of communist Russia after World War II. A Franciscan priest named Father Petrus remembered the story of how Christians in the sixteenth century had defeated the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto through the rosary, despite being greatly outnumbered.
Father Petrus launched a rosary crusade and 70,000 people pledged to say the rosary daily for the intention of Austria becoming free from Russian rule. Although Austria was valuable to the Soviets because of its strategic location and rich resources, on May 13, 1955, the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima, the atheistic Russian regime, in a completely unprecedented move, signed the agreement to leave Austria. Not one person was killed, and not even one shot was fired. Today, historians and Military strategists still cannot explain how or why the Russians pulled out of Austria.
Those devoted to the rosary of Our Holy Mother know exactly the reason. Pray the rosary for world peace!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I believe in the positive value of the Golden Rule? Do I practice the Golden Rule in the spirit of Jesus’ love command?
2. Do we put our trust in God who delivers us from evil and sin? Do we have recourse to him in trial and affliction?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Jesus,
we thank you for teaching us
about the great value of the kingdom of God.
The heavenly kingdom is a pearl of great price
that must not be lost or squandered.
Thank you for calling us to holiness
and for consecrating us for your service.
Help us to put into practice the Golden Rule:
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”
Give us the grace to enter
the narrow way that leads to life.
Grant us the grace and strength
to be pro-active in our ministry of love.
You are the way, truth and life.
We bless you and adore you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
O loving God,
you are all-powerful and immortal.
Confound the proud
and put to flight all that could harm us.
You are our refuge and strength.
Deliver us from evil and sin.
Bring us close to you and let us rest safe in your care.
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.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” (Mt 7:12) // “I will shield and save this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” (2 Kgs 19:34)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Living by the Golden Rule, do an act of kindness for a needy person and be patient and kind to one who challenges your patience and provokes your anger. // In today’s secularized world when Christian values are brutally attacked and threatened, pray for God’s deliverance and confidently assert: “In God we trust.”
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June 26, 2024: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (12)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Tells Us to Beware of False Prophets … He Teaches Us to Be Faithful to the Covenant”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3 // Mt 7:15-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 7:15-20): “By their fruits you will know them.”
This happened in Antipolo, Philippines in the ‘70s. The Sisters welcomed into our convent a young priest who introduced himself as the Vocation Promoter of the Rogationist Fathers. He was offered a fine dinner and given permission to enter the Sister Superior’s Office to use the only telephone in the house. After the phone call he told us that he needed to go. After he left the Sister Superior discovered that the grocery money for the week was gone. She called up his seminary to investigate. She was told that our “guest” had entered their seminary and stayed with them for a few months. After getting what he wanted, he took off. We were victimized by a bogus priest.
In today’s Gospel (Mt 7:15-20), Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. Their evil sentiments are acted out in deceit – to the detriment of the people they claim to serve. Some of the false prophets in Jesus’ time are those who falsely claim to be spiritual leaders of the people and by their false teachings lead them to destruction. False prophets are like a rotten tree that bears bad fruit. The image of “thorn bushes and thistles” represents their grisly sin and the desolation it brings. True prophets are like a good tree that bears good fruit. Their words are true and their lives inspire people to holiness and transformation.
Papa Mike, the founder of the Poverello House in Fresno, talks about Fr. Simon Scanlon, the Franciscan priest who led him on the path of conversion, and was for him a true prophet-shepherd (cf. Mike McGarvin, Papa Mike, Fresno: Poverello House, 2003, p. 46-47).
Father Simon had once been a businessman. He and his brother owned a medical sponge business in the ‘30s and ‘40s. It was a million-dollar-a year enterprise, which was a huge amount of money back in those days. Then World War II intervened, and Simon went off to Europe. We don’t hear too much about older war veterans suffering the same sorts of symptoms as Vietnam vets, but they did. Many of the men who saw action during World War II witnessed carnage on an unbelievable scale, and Simon was one of them. The war made life as he knew it came to a halt, and he returned, not a victorious soldier, but a man whose soul had been ripped out and torn to pieces. Later in life, Father Simon told a newspaper reporter that after seeing so much bloodshed and death, nothing mattered except life. Making money no longer had any allure. He wanted to make a change, a radical change, so he signed over the business to his brother and entered the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church. Eventually he was ordained a priest.
He ended up in a tough parish assignment, St. Boniface Church in urban San Francisco. The area was like a vast bleeding wound. It was populated by people who just barely survived, who had long ago given up on life and were now numbly eking out a daily existence on disability checks, meager old-age pensions, prostitution, or muggings. It was an area full of predators and victims.
Father Simon responded by gathering some volunteers and opening the Poverello Coffeehouse. Poverello was a safe haven, a place of refuge. It was a small storefront room where people could find acceptance, hot coffee, and a few smiles. These weren’t earth shaking things, but they were rare commodities on the streets. Father Simon was the driving force behind Poverello, but he had a small cadre of friends who aided him. Always short-staffed, he was constantly on the prowl for help. Providentially, while I was talking to him, a fight broke out between two patrons. I instinctively stepped in and broke it up. Father Simon watched with interest while I enforced peace. When everything had calmed down, I came back to chat with him some more, and he popped the question: Would I like to volunteer there at Poverello?
I hesitated. Working and partying were my priorities, and I knew I couldn’t give up work. Volunteering at Poverello would cut heavily into the time I spent smoking weed and dropping acid; but then, it felt good when I broke up that fight. For the first time in quite a while, I felt useful, and I kind of liked it. Besides, something had clicked for me with this priest guy. He intrigued me, and I thought it would be interesting to hang around him for awhile. “Yeah”, I said. “I’ll try it out.” Thus began my career as a Bouncer for Jesus.
B. First Reading (2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3): “The king had the book that had been found in the temple read out to them, and he made a covenant before the Lord.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3) depicts a pleasing but rare figure of a God-fearing king. Son of the idolatrous and ruthless King Manasseh of Judah, Josiah ascends the throne at eight years old and rules for 31 years. King Josiah does what pleases the Lord and follows the example of his ancestor David, strictly obeying all the laws of God. Josiah is in the process of renovating the temple when the book of the Law is found. The book is read in the presence of the people. King Josiah and the people respond to the word of God by an act of covenant renewal, which symbolizes their recommitment to the Lord God. Josiah then purges the foreign cults introduced by his forebears, in particular Manasseh, and restores pure worship of God in the temple. A significant expression of their worship is the Passover which they celebrate in honor of God their Lord.
The following story gives us insight into the irrevocable quality of a covenant relationship with God (cf. Mary Lou Carney, “Her Spiritual Legacy” in Guideposts, November 2013, p. 62-65).
I sit in the car, staring at Mother’s house, waiting for the rest of the family to arrive. My sister, Libby. Her daughter, Carol. My own daughter, Amy Jo. The numbness is starting to wear off now, and I feel grief gripping my heart. Mother had died just a week earlier. She was only 74. (…)
Libby and the girls arrive and I step out of the car. What do I hope to find here among Mother’s possessions? The things I treasure most about her I already hold in my heart. Still, I’m her daughter. I have to do this. (…)
“Look what I found”, my niece calls from the back room. We huddle around a tiny white box Carol is holding. She lifts the lid, revealing two small circles of gold resting on white cotton. Mother’s and Daddy’s wedding rings. Mother slipped Daddy’s ring off his finger at his funeral 20 years ago, just before his casket was closed. “I’ll take Daddy’s”, Libby says, slipping the band on her index finger. “You take Mom’s.”
The gold feels solid in my palm. Mother’s marriage had not always been easy, yet she remained faithful to Daddy. To the vow she had taken when she was only 17. When Daddy was dying of cancer Mother hardly left his side, even to eat and sleep. Love? Certainly. But more than that. She would keep the promise she’d made: Till death do us part.” It took commitment to make a marriage strong. Sacrifice.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I try to be aware of false prophets and resist their destructive influence? Do I open myself up to the transforming presence of Jesus the true prophet?
2. Do I try to be faithful to the covenant relationship with our Lord God, font of life and all good?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
help us to beware of false prophets.
Give us the light of the Holy Spirit
that we may discern what is evil
and detest it.
By the strength of the same Spirit
help us to be faithful to truth.
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.
“So by their fruits you will know them.” (Mt 7:20) //“The people stood as participants in the covenant.” (2 Kgs 23:3)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Let your daily actions bear abundant fruit of goodness and holiness to benefit the people around you and the larger society. See in what way you can promote the sanctity and covenant quality of married life.
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June 27, 2024: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (12); SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Build Upon the Rock … He Strengthens Us in Our Affliction”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Kgs 24:8-17 // Mt 7:21-29
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 7:21-29): “The house built on rock and the house built on sand.”
Outward symbols must correspond to inner reality. Pious practices and confession with the lips are laudable, but are not enough; total obedience to the will of God and right actions are necessary. In the Gospel (Mt 7:21-29), using the powerful image of a solid foundation, Jesus tells his disciples that his teaching is the only safe foundation to build one’s life. Any other foundation spells destruction. The Divine Master calls us to build our lives on the rock of his living word and put it into practice. We must not simply proclaim in words that Jesus is Lord and call upon him as our Lord Savior. We must act in a way that corresponds to the inner strength of our word. Our actions must give witness to the faith we profess. Our worship of God must be incarnated in the life we live.
The following story of Jo Dee Baker from Slidell, Louisiana, whose lovely house and beautiful garden were devastated by Hurricane Katrina, tells of a community of believers whose efficacious faith is founded on a solid foundation (cf. “Angels on the Move” in Guideposts, Large Print Edition, March 2006, p. 5-9). Both Jo, the victim of a natural calamity, and the caregivers from the Baptist Church illustrate how wonderful and marvelous is a faith that is put into practice.
My beautiful yard was a mess of uprooted trees and debris; the salt water had burned the grass a sickly brown. My lovely white picket fence lay on its side, and shingles from my roof littered the ground like fallen leaves. Inside, slimy mud covered the floors, and water from the storm surge had tossed all my furniture upside down. The walls were caked black with mildew. Practically everything I owned was ruined. How could I ever come back from this? How could anyone? (…)
So many people needed help, and help was spread thin. “Lord”, I prayed, “I need some divine intervention here.” The next day, I pulled up to my house just as a man with a pickup truck was slowly passing by. He stopped, rolled down the window and leaned out. “Do you need any help?” he shouted. I laughed halfheartedly. “Help? I need an army,” I said. “I’m Brother Johnny from First Baptist Church of Pontchatoula.” He wrote down my name, address and number. “We’ll be in touch, Ma’am.” Then he drove off. But after two weeks I still hadn’t heard from him.
One Monday morning, lugging another bag of my ruined treasures to the curb, I stared down the street at the mountains of trash and destroyed homes. “So many people have lost so much,” I thought. Just then, my cell phone rang. Service was still spotty, but the voice on the other end was loud and clear. “Hello, it’s Brother Johnny. I’ve got some people who want to volunteer to help you. They’ll be calling you.” That was it. He hung up. Then the phone rang again. “Jo Dee? This is Jimmy Brown. I’m from the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Rives, Tennessee. We need to know what you need, exactly.” Where to begin? I told him about the mildewed floors, the torn up roof. “Don’t worry, Ma’am. We’ll be there. See you next Tuesday morning.” (…)
Nineteen people had traveled all the way from Tennessee just to help little old me. They spent three days cleaning the rot and grime and putting on my new roof. Two weeks after they left, about 40 more, from an association of 45 churches, came to finish the job! They ripped out and replaced the flooring, repainted the house, put in new shelves and cabinets, installed a stove and a water heater. By the time they were done, the house looked better than ever!
B. First Reading (2 Kgs 24:8-17): “The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon Jehoiachin and the chief men of the land.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (2 Kgs 24:8-17) presents a familiar picture of an unscrupulous king. King Josiah’s grandson, Jehoiachin becomes king at the age of eighteen and “does evil in the sight of the Lord”. His reign lasts only three months due to the Babylonian invasion. King Nebuchadnezzar takes him as a royal hostage and deports him to Babylon. The temple and palace treasures are confiscated and the people of Judah – the leading citizens, the skilled workers, the able-bodied men fit for military service – are brought in captivity to Babylon. The captors leave only the poorest of the people behind in Judah. Nebuchadnezzar installs Jehoiachin’s twenty-one year old uncle Zedekiah as puppet king. In the context of the sinfulness of Israel and Judah, the Babylonian invasion is an instrument of God to call the erring people on the right path.
The following story set in the Nazi-occupied Poland gives insight into the sufferings the Jewish people experienced in the hands of their Babylonian captors (cf. J.L. Witterick, My Mother’s Secret, Bloomington: iUniverse, 2013, p. 82-84).
The next morning, we are awakened by screaming and gunshots. There is a raid on the ghetto. They are rounding people up in the same trucks that took my brother. I know what this means.
I take my son and hide him in a woodshed, telling him to stay quiet until I return. Only six, he understood that his survival depends on it. My wife, sister-in-law and I, with the baby in one arm, climb a steep ladder leading to the small opening of an attic. There is pandemonium below.
Then the baby starts to cry. My wife looks at me with helpless panic. She tries to rock Biata and cradles her against her chest, but nothing works. We had moved the ladder away from the entrance of the attic to deflect attention, but someone is moving it back and climbing up – someone who speaks German. It’s a Polish officer working with a German soldier below. He looks at my terrified wife and whispers, “Do you want to go with your baby?” She only has a minute to make a decision that no one could make in a lifetime. She gives him our baby.
Descending the stairs, he says to the German soldier that he has found an abandoned baby. “Doesn’t matter”, says the soldier. “We’ll get the mother later.” I think that had it not been for our son, she would have gone with our baby. We stay hidden for a while even after the noise has died, and all the trucks have gone.
We know that you can never be too careful. How do you move when you feel like you can’t go on? You think of someone who needs you more. We find our son asleep in the woodshed, and we move on.
In the middle of the night again, I make a trip to Street of Our Lady with my wife, her sister, and my son, all so solemn now that you would think we were going to our death.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Is our faith solidly built on the word of God? Is it efficacious and operative? How do we translate our faith into action?
2. Are we aware of the death-dealing consequences of our sinfulness and evil choices? What do we do when we are the innocent victims of the sinfulness and evil choices of others?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
give us the wisdom of the Holy Spirit
that we may make the right choices
and be faithful to the kingdom values.
Assist us to trust in the saving word of Jesus.
May our faith be true and shown by our actions.
When the rains of temptation fall
and the floods of evil come,
let us not yield to despair,
but rather, increase our faith in Jesus.
He is our refuge and stronghold,
our rock of strength and true foundation,
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.
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Mt 7:21-29) //“He deported all Jerusalem …” (2 Kgs 24: 16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When life trials seem to submerge you, pray to God that he may strengthen your faith. Extend your helping hand and share the Word with those whose faith is wavering.
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June 28, 2024: FRIDAY – SAINT IRENAEUS, Bishop, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Cleanses Lepers … He Experienced the Plight of the Exile”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Kgs 25:1-12 // Mt 8:1-4
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 8:1-4): “If you wish you can make me clean.”
It was in 1984 when I visited the PDDM Sisters in Nellore, India. To give me a chance to know more about the local Church, they brought me to the diocesan leper colony. It was situated in a vast isolated farmland, dotted with the humble dwellings of the lepers. The sun was scorching as we plodded through the dusty roads. The inhabitants were gentle and hospitable. We were conversing with them from a safe distance, when an elderly leper lady thoughtfully opened a battered umbrella and came near to shield me from the noonday sun. I politely rejected the proffered kindness, explaining that I needed the therapeutic warmth of the sun. I did not want to hurt her feelings, but I was afraid to stay close to a leper. I dreaded to touch a leper!
In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 8:1-4), we have a very beautiful picture of Christian compassion. In this narrative, Jesus offers a completely new and radical response to the unmitigated human suffering personified by a leper. Breaking down the barriers of hygiene and ritual purity, Jesus does the unimaginable. Responding with compassion to the leper’s faith invocation, “If you wish, you can make me clean”, Jesus stretches out his hand and touches him saying, “I do will it. Be made clean.” He touches the “untouchable” with his healing hand. He comforts the outcast with an authoritative word that brings wholeness. Indeed, the cleansing of the leper is a victorious messianic sign that the Kingdom of God has come.
One of the exigencies of Christian life is to bring the healing ministry of Jesus to the many “lepers” of today, especially the millions of victims of Hansen’s disease all over the world who, more than all others, fit the description “the poorest of the poor”. Mother Teresa of Calcutta dedicated her ministry of charity in a special way to these lepers, impelled by the slogan that was a rewording of the ancient taboo. “Touch a leper with your compassion.” Mother Teresa, moreover, spoke of the “leprosy of the Western world”, which is, the leprosy of loneliness. In her ministry to the lonely, the unwanted, the marginalized, the rejected, the AIDS victim, etc. she had given witness that with the love of Christ, there is healing for the leprosy of our modern times. Indeed, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, together with St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Damien of Molokai, and many other Christian disciples, had shown that it is possible to respond to the Christian missionary imperative: “Cure the sick … cleanse the lepers!” (Mt 10:8) and that it is necessary to replicate the healing gesture of Christ: “Touch a leper with your compassion.”
B. First Reading (2 Kgs 25:1-12): “Thus was Judah exiled from her land (2 Kgs 25:21).”
The reading (2 Kgs 25:1-12) describes the ruthless destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army and how Judah is exiled from her land. Zedekiah, the puppet king of Judah, conspires against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Zedekiah, however, is not strong enough to rebel either militarily or by way of fidelity to the Lord God. The consequence is disastrous. Zedekiah is captured and, after the captors have killed his sons before his eyes, they blind him and then deport him to Babylon in chains. The invading army breaks down the walls that surround Jerusalem. Led by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the body guard, the Babylonians burn the temple, the king’s palace and the large dwellings in the city. Then they take away to Babylon the people remaining in the city, but leave in Judah some of the poorest people to work in the fields and vineyards. Thus Zedekiah’s failure to obey the will of God, spoken to him through the prophet Jeremiah, has led to his ignominious end, the tragic deportation of the nation and Jerusalem’s total devastation.
The following excerpt from a book based on a true Holocaust story that happened in Nazi-occupied Poland gives insight into the tragic plight of the Babylonian exiles (cf. J.L. Witterick, My Mother’s Secret, Bloomington: iUniverse, Inc., 2013, p. 68-69).
Bronek’ Narrative: By September 1942, my gold is running low, and we are herded up and sent to live in a part of the city that had been sectioned off by barbed wire. We are allowed to bring one bag each. I tell everyone to bring the most practical clothes and shoes. No one will care how we look. “We will need warm clothes and good walking shoes”, I say.
Worried that they will search our bags and take our money, I have Anelie saw a false lining in the coats to hide our cash. Also, Walter’s teddy bear has his stuffing replaced with zlotys. Our precaution pays off when our bags are searched on arrival. The Germans take everything valuable. They are ruthless and even have a dentist on hand to extract teeth for the gold fillings. We hear people begging and crying to keep their remaining possessions. I know that it’s useless to plead with the thugs, and that’s how I see them. I could fight the bully in the schoolyard, but this is beyond anything that I can fix.
My family is given one room in an old house with seven other families. There are two small beds for the five of us. We keep a small pot under the bed for Walter who can’t wait for his turn to use the outhouse.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. How do we react to people physically and spiritually afflicted with leprosy? Do we recognize the leprous elements in our modern society who bear the detestable sores of isolation and rejection, e.g. the poor and destitute, the homeless, the unattractive, the AIDS victims, etc.? Do we come to their aid?
2. How does the experience of the Babylonian exile impact us? How does the experience of the modern day “exiles” (refugees, immigrants, etc.) affect and move us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
if you will, you can make me clean.
Touch me; heal me.
Cleanse me from the “leprosy of sin”.
Free me from the sores of rejection and isolation.
You are the wounded healer
and the bearer of new life
by your passion and death on the cross
You live, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Psalm 137
By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remember Zion.
On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps.
There our captors asked of us the lyrics of our songs,
and our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
“Sing for us the songs of Zion!”
How could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten!
May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not,
if I place not Jerusalem ahead of my joy.
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.
“He touched him.” (Mk 1:41) // “Then he led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city.” (2 Kgs 25:11)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the victims of Hansen’s disease all over the world and all caregivers who work to alleviate their pain and suffering. Through moral, spiritual and material support, contribute to their healing and restoration. // Pray for the refugees in today’s time and see what you can do to alleviate their suffering – morally, spiritually and materially.
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June 29, 2024: SATURDAY – SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Apostles Peter and Paul
Are the Pillars of the Church”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 12:1-11 // 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18 // Mt 16:13-19
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
We celebrate today the solemn feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the two great pillars of the Church. These two great apostles remind us that the cost of Christian discipleship is dear. By their pastoral ministry and self-sacrificing service to the Gospel, they have witnessed to the nations that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and the Savior of the world.
Today’s bible readings underline their intimate participation in Christ’s paschal mystery and his saving power. The Acts of the Apostles (12:1-10) narrates that King Herod Agrippa has Peter arrested and put into prison in Jerusalem so that he may be tried before the people after the Passover. Peter is under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. On the very night before Herod is to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains and sleeping between two soldiers, is rescued by an angel from imminent death. This miraculous divine intervention on behalf of Peter evokes God’s marvelous works on the night of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and at the Passover event of Jesus Christ from death to life. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 7, remark: “This was during the week of the Passover … The deliverance of Peter, whom God frees from prison at night, and precisely at this period of the year, assumes the value of a parable. For the Church, it is still the time of Exodus. During the night of this world, it prays with confidence, remembering the Pasch of Christ and giving thanks for the marvels God has accomplished, including thanksgiving ahead of time for the crowning marvel: when Christ himself, and no longer an angel, will come back to snatch her finally forever from the hands of her enemies.”
In the Second Reading (2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18), we hear about the apostle Paul who is also a prisoner for Christ and an intimate participant in his paschal mystery. Undergoing the humiliating conditions of a captive in Rome, he entertains no illusions as to the outcome of his trial. Knowing that he would be condemned to death, he does not allow the specter of death to daunt him. Confronted by the certainty of martyrdom, he avows God’s benevolent protection and recognizes the divine saving plan at work in his life. Trusting fully in the Lord Jesus and knowing that he had done all he could to proclaim the Gospel, Paul compares his life to a spiritual sacrifice and speaks of his upcoming death as a “passage” – a Passover toward the divine kingdom. Knowing that he has competed well in his endeavor for Christ and that he has kept the faith in him, he is sure of the “crown of righteousness” that the Lord Jesus has prepared for him and all those who long for Christ’s coming.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mt 16:13-19) speaks of Peter’s confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the subsequent investiture of Peter at Caesarea Philippi with the “keys” of the Kingdom of heaven. The “keys” symbolize the authority and governance entrusted to the apostle Peter to lead the young church after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus declares that Peter is the “rock” upon which he would build his Church. Peter will take on a role of primacy and a service of authority on behalf of the entire spiritual edifice, the Church, whose cornerstone and ultimate foundation is Jesus Christ himself. As willed by Jesus Christ, Peter’s ministry as a “rock” foundation of the Church and his service of authority as a recipient of the “keys” will live on through time and space.
In our celebration of the God-given gift to the Church of its great apostolic pillars, Sts. Peter and Paul, we are invited to consider anew our vocation and mission as Church and to pray for the Pope and all those who have received the special mission as stewards of the mysteries of salvation. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 7, conclude: “Peter and Paul, with their contrasting charisms put at the service of one and the same gospel, illustrate the nature of the Church of Christ and of the ministry entrusted to those whom the Lord chooses. Through the faith of which the apostles are witnesses and guides, the community of believers is solidly founded on Christ, the cornerstone that nothing can dislodge. Whatever may happen, despite all the trials, God delivers his friends as he freed his Christ from the power of death. Like their Master and Lord, those who exercise their responsibilities in the Christian community have only one ambition, to stay the course, to remain faithful to their mission as stewards of the mysteries of salvation, and to make themselves, without counting the cost, the servants of the servants of God, the messengers of his love.”
As we celebrate the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, I thank the Lord for the opportunity he gave me to spend several years of my apostolic life in Rome, under the shadows of Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican City and Saint Paul’s Basilica on Via Ostiense. I was enrolled at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, but it was a great joy for me to help our Sisters at the souvenir shops in Saint Peter’s Basilica during my free time. I had a chance to meet pilgrims from five continents of the world and savor the “universality of the Church”. The Sisters take daily turns for Eucharistic Adoration at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Saint Peter’s Basilica and offer special prayers for the Church and the Pope. One Wednesday afternoon, after our work at the Cupola’s souvenir shop and while walking in the courtyard to board our van, we were asked by the Vatican police to stay put. From the other part of the courtyard, there was a tremendous activity as the Pope’s entourage arrived. When we saw Pope John Paul II, we cried out, “Viva il Papa!” Pope John Paul II, who was boarding the Pope-Mobile for his Wednesday audience with the pilgrims, turned and waved to us like a loving father. Now he is a canonized saint.
I likewise remember when I would go to the SSP Provincial House at Via Alessandro Severo, near the Basilica of St. Paul, to pray at the tomb of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, and the first Pauline priest, Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, who were both beatified by Pope John Paul II. These two great pillars of the Pauline Family were deeply influenced by Saint Paul. The first foundation of the Pauline Family in Rome, at Via Alessandro Severo, received vital assistance from the kind Benedictines at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. In my prayer, I thank the Lord for the gift of the Pauline Family and our father Saint Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What insights does the celebration of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul give us about the nature and the ministry of the Church?
2. How did Saint Peter and Saint Paul participate intimately in Christ’s Paschal Mystery?
3. For the members of the Pauline Family: what will you do to make the celebration of the Pauline Centenary meaningful and transforming?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O gracious Father,
you fill our hearts with joy
as we honor your great apostles:
Peter, our leader in the faith,
and Paul, the fearless preacher.
Peter raised up the Church from the faithful flock of Israel.
Paul brought your call to the nations,
and became the teacher of the world.
Each in his chosen way
gathered into unity the one family of Christ.
Both shared the martyr’s death
and are praised throughout the world.
Grant us the grace to imitate
Saint Peter’s pastoral ministry to the Church
and Saint Paul’s zeal to proclaim the Gospel to the nations.
We give you glory and praise
and we pledge to love and serve you, 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.
“Upon this rock I will build my church.” (Mt 16:18)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Meditate on the marvels God has accomplished in the Church through the life witness and ministry of Saints Peter and Paul. Make an effort to read and reflect on the Pauline letters and be inspired by St. Paul’s teachings. In any way you can, enable the people of today to experience the pastoral and evangelizing ministry of Sts. Peter and Paul.
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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