A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 22, n.8)
Week 3 in Ordinary Time: January 21-27, 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: January 14-20, 2024 please go to ARCHIVES Series 21 and click on “Ordinary Week 2”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: January 21-27, 2024.)
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January 21, 2024: THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B
SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD.
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Follow Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Jon 3:1-5, 10 // 1 Cor 7:29-31 // Mk 1:14-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 1:14-20): “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
I heard this charming story while I was attending an evening Mass in an old church beside the sea, during my vacation in scenic Goa, India. The story was narrated by the parish priest in Konkani, his native language, as an introduction to his homily. After the Mass, my host graciously translated it into English for me. Here is the story:
A group of fishermen attended a town fiesta on another island. The festivity continued late into the night. By the time it finally ended, the fishermen had had a few drinks too many. The merry drunkards got into a boat drenched in the soft brightness of a starlit night. They started to paddle toward the next island. They paddled doggedly until their arms were sore, but the distant, flickering lights from their coastal homeland never came any nearer. As the morning sun rising in the vast sky dispelled their stupor, they realized that they had been rowing with their boat firmly tied to the shore!
The story of the tipsy revelers is a charming caricature of what Christian discipleship ought not to be, while the Gospel of today’s liturgy gives us an insight into what it ought to be. Indeed, the following of Christ involves a spirit of detachment, a life of conversion, and total adherence to the Gospel, to the person of Jesus Christ. When he appeared by the seashore, Jesus had an immediate and transforming effect on the fishermen whose lives he touched radically. We too are called to respond, Yes, I leave all and follow you, not only in one radical conversion experience but continuously, until the end.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 1:14-20) is composed of two episodes: the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (v. 14-15) and the call of the first disciples (v. 16-20). These immediately follow the episode of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (v. 12-13) where he, as the Son of God, had to overcome testing by Satan before beginning his public ministry. The inaugural words of Jesus’ public ministry contain the summary of his life-giving message. “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Jesus is in fact saying that he is the fulfillment of the divine promises and that the reign of God has begun in him. Indeed, for Mark, Jesus is the Good News in person. Jesus’ proclamation of the time of fulfillment would have exhilarated the faithful Israelites of his day, but he immediately links the Good News proclamation with an impelling call for a radical response. Jesus demands total conversion and faith, with its full biblical significance of orientation to a new existence and adherence to his very person.
The Evangelist, Mark, then completes his presentation of the inaugural ministry of Jesus by narrating the call of the first disciples. The story of the call of the fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, together with James and John, provides a model for our response to Jesus and depicts the sacrifices of Christian discipleship. To come after Jesus and to share in his saving mission is to walk a journey of self-giving and life-giving response. It is a call to tread in Christ’s paschal destiny.
B. First Reading (Jon 3:1-5, 10): “The Ninevites turned from their evil way.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Jon 3:1-5, 10), about the mission of the reluctant prophet, Jonah, to the “doomed” Ninevites, provides parallels and contrasts to today’s Gospel. These would help us to appreciate the meaning of Jesus’ messianic ministry and perceive the enormous challenge of his call. Against the somewhat comic background of the reluctant, obstinate prophet, Jonah, the figure of the obedient Jesus as the true prophet, sent by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the poor, becomes even more appealing. Totally committed to the Father’s will, Jesus Christ - the incarnation of the Gospel of God, is absolutely greater than the protesting Jonah, who was marked by parochialism and exclusivity. Inwardly hoping that the Ninevites would remain in their evil ways and thus receive their just punishment from God’s wrath, the extremely prejudiced Jonah couched his message as a prophecy of doom: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed” (Jon 3:4), and willfully omitted any reference to God’s mercy in his preaching lest those wicked people repent.
In contrast, Jesus, who preached throughout Galilee, is not a bearer of doom, but of “good news” – the fulfillment of the divine saving plan and the coming of the kingdom of God. The imminent coming of the Kingdom would thus necessitate the conversion response: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). Spontaneous repentance was the response of the Ninevites to the morbid threat of Jonah: “they believed in God … they proclaimed a fast … they put on sackcloth … they turned from their evil way” (Jon 3:14, 20). In the Gospel narrative, the response of the first disciples is likewise total and immediate, but even more: their conversion response is not just penitence and turning away from the evil way, but also faith adherence to Jesus Christ – the living Gospel. Indeed, the conversion experience of the Christian disciples surpasses those of the repentant Ninevites for it would involve an intimate configuration to Jesus Christ – the Gospel in person – especially in his paschal destiny.
The late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin comments: “Reform your lives and believe in the Gospel! With these words Jesus began his public ministry. Once we have heard the good news, what is left to do but to pay the price for it – to sell all to possess a pearl of such great worth? To respond means to change in mind and heart. It means faith and love. It means a new mind illumined by faith and a new heart inflamed by the love of Jesus Christ.”
The following, circulated on the Internet, is a beautiful conversion story.
Bartolo Longo was born in 1841 to a devout Catholic family. When Bartolo grew up he decided to study law. Naples at that time was undergoing a tremendous spiritual crisis. Paganism and Satanism of all sorts were abounding. Bartolo was not immune to these influences and became a satanic priest, much to the chagrin of his family who tried their hardest to get him to convert.
As Satanism began to torment his mind, his family convinced him to make a good confession. Alberto Radente, a saintly Dominican priest, helped lead him back to the Catholic faith and encouraged his devotion to the rosary. Bartolo had a miraculous conversion and in 1870, he became a third order Dominican and chose to live a life in penance for all the terrible sins he had committed against the Church.
One day, he nearly succumbed to the sin of despair, feeling that God could never forgive the tremendous sins he had committed against the church. At that moment he received divine inspiration and remembered the Blessed Virgin’s promise that she would help in all their necessities those who propagate her rosary.
He set out to restore the dilapidated chapel at Pompeii and promote the rosary to whoever would listen. Pamphlets about the rosary were distributed to help the people learn to pray this powerful devotion. He tried to find an image of Our Lady of the Rosary worthy of hanging in the chapel, but was only offered a worm-eaten painting with an image that he felt was coarse and not worthy of veneration, however, he accepted it from the convent in which it was stored.
As Bartolo continued his work of propagating the rosary, the chapel’s membership grew tremendously and many miracles began to be associated with Our Lady of Pompeii. Cures and spiritual conversions occurred due to the devotions through this new shrine. The people pledged their support to have a large church built that would properly honor Our Lady of the Rosary.
In 1894, Bartolo and his wife gave the church over to the care of the Vatican. The original image found in the convent was restored for the last time in 1965 and Pope Paul VI crowned the heads of Jesus and Mary with diadems given by the people of Pompeii. On October 26, 1980, Bartolo Longo was beatified by John Paul II who called him “the man of the Madonna” and the “Apostle of the Rosary”.
C. Second Reading (1 Cor 7:29-31): “The world in its present form is passing away.”
In today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 7:29-31), Saint Paul challenges the Christians in Corinth to develop an appropriate value priority in the midst of temporal and transient realities. The fact that “life is short” and that “the world in its present form is passing away” is not a license to indulge in a frenzy of pleasure and unbridled desires. But neither should it provoke them to despise and disregard earthly realities, since the Son of God became incarnate in this world and our salvation is carried out within this context of the created world.
With pastoral insight and paternal concern, Paul exhorts the Corinthians and the Christians of all ages to live the earthly realities with discernment and to appreciate them at their just values, proportionate to their purpose. He teaches us that marriage is not an end in itself and that the married life should be seen in the perspective of the eternal and absolute: union with Christ. He also enjoins us that sorrows and joys must be lived, as everything else, in the Lord.
Indeed, God is in control; he does not forget the tears entrusted to him nor disregard the moments of happiness we relish by his grace. Saint Paul encourages us not to be defeated by trials. He warns us likewise not to be wildly elated by false joys – by merriment and pleasures that do not lead to God. Furthermore, he reminds us not to act as the absolute owners of our possessions, for what we have received from the Lord is meant for the good of all. The right to use and abuse acquired goods at one’s whim is definitely un-Christian. It is utterly abhorrent and displeasing to God. Thus Paul advises us to use material goods in a spirit of detachment. We should be greatly aware and wary of their temporary character and perishable nature that we may appreciate and pursue more fully our eternal destiny with God, in Jesus Christ.
The following personal testimony written by Felix Carroll on November 24, 2008, illustrates the wisdom of the Pauline order of priorities, the need to trust God and seek first his kingdom, and the challenge of divine mercy, cf. Felix Carroll, “Go Ahead, Let It Fly, It Will Come Back, I Promise (Works of Mercy)” in The Army of God – 1st Saturday Devotion Newsletter, December 2008, p. 5-6.
This story is not about how wonderful I am. (The jury is still out on that one.) Rather, this is a story about how wonderful God is. I recently gave away $400 that I didn’t really have. I am writing about this now because, miraculously, I’ve incurred a net financial loss of exactly $0.00, which proves a fact of simple spiritual economics: when we show our love for God by caring for those in need, God fills us with abundant graces, someway, somehow …
A month ago, my wife and I decided to financially help one of my brothers and his family. They were – and still are – in desperate financial straits. Like hundreds of thousands of Americans this year, my brother lost his job – a high-paying job. Then he lost his house, then his car. He, his wife, and their two boys live in a ramshackle rental that should probably be condemned. Their world has been turned upside down. But the bad news wasn’t over yet. In September, my brother finally landed a low-paying job in a warehouse, but on his very first day, a forklift operator accidentally dropped the forks down and crushed my brother’s right foot. His doctors believe he will be permanently disabled … Then a few weeks ago, my brother’s wife was laid off from her job … The day his wife lost her job, I said to my wife, “I’m going to send them $200.” We didn’t really have $200 to give … It has pained me to see how my brother, a formerly successful businessman who went to work each morning looking sharp, proud to be a breadwinner, has now been reduced to sitting all day at home with his foot up and struggling to find purpose in his life. Sending him the $200 recently was my attempt to take great pains to help him. But the pain part of the equation didn’t work out that way. The following day I was offered a quick photography freelance assignment out of the blue, which, of course, I took. By the time I logged in my hours, I had earned exactly $200. I thought to myself, “Hmm, interesting.” So I sent my brother another $200.
Now just bear with me … OK, so at this point, I’m down $200, right? Now just bear with me a little more. In an effort to save money on heating costs this winter, I installed a woodstove in our home. I had done the math. We had free wood to burn, and the stove and piping would still cost less than half of what we would have spent on heating fuel. But my plan hit a snag two weeks ago. I couldn’t manage to get the last two sections of stovepipe up on the roof. We had to have scaffolding set up to finish the job, though we weren’t too sure how we would pay for it. We hired a contractor named David – the husband of a woman my wife works with – who came with his crew and set up the scaffolding for us at my house so I could finish the job. Neither my wife nor I had ever met David. After the stovepipe job was complete and the scaffolding taken away, my wife and I were going over our monthly expenses. We estimated the bill for the scaffolding (considering set-up time and travel expenses) would probably cost us at least (you guessed it!) $200. This Wednesday, we received an invoice in the mail from David. It said:
Amount owed ………… $0.00
And David included a typewritten note to us that read: “Dear Felix and Cara … At times like these, when someone is able, they help out friends. If we all did that maybe the world would be a better place. I could say to you, ‘I have done this for you, now go out and do the same thing in some way for another person,’ but I have a feeling you are the type of people who already would. So go use this money that you would have used to rent this scaffolding and buy something for Henry for Christmas. Glad to help … David.” Henry is our son. I couldn’t believe David’s kindness. I want to laminate his letter. My wife and I read it to each other – twice …
Then, like a tidal wave, it hit me: God arranged this! He arranged it because he pours an abundance of graces upon us when we help those in greatest need. That’s his promise to us. And he keeps his promise. I’m sending my brother more money today to help pay for his family’s Christmas … Please take special care to help many families who are suffering these days because of our country’s economic collapse. I’m convinced that, like my new friend David says, if we all sought to lessen the pain of others, “maybe the world would be a better place”.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
When we come face to face with Jesus who invites us, “Come after me”, what is our personal response? Do we dare to respond: “Yes, I will leave all and follow you”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Lord, the kingdom is at hand!
You call us to turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel.
We leave behind our security nets and those dear to us.
We leave everything behind and follow you.
Something mysterious and beautiful is ahead of us.
Give us the grace to be faithful to our call
and 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.
“They followed him.” (Mk 1:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for greater fidelity to our Christian vocation. Promote priestly-religious vocations by word, example, moral-spiritual-material support, etc.
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January 22, 2024: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (3)
N.B. On the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe vs. Wade (1973), all dioceses of the United States shall observe
a day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee
of the right to life of a human person.”
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Was an Object of Blasphemy … The Shepherd-King David Prefigures Him”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Sm 5:1-7, 10 // Mk 3:22-30
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:22-30): “It is the end of Satan.”
In today’s Gospel episode (Mk 3:22-30), the scribes who have come from Jerusalem to observe are vicious. Having witnessed the exorcisms performed by Jesus, they accuse him of demonic possession and collusion. The Divine Master refutes their tortured reasoning, tainted with cold venom and vitiated with jealousy. Indeed, Satan is not so foolish as to align with Jesus in destroying his very self. Rather, Jesus expels demons through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus is the “stronger one” who overpowers Satan and subdues his household. Jesus exorcises through the power of the Holy Spirit. To declare that the power at work in Jesus is “demonic” and that the Holy Spirit that animates him is “unclean” is blasphemy. The animosity of the scribes is such that they willfully reject the power of God’s saving grace to work in them. Hence, in this sense, forgiveness is not for them.
The following story could give us an idea of the misunderstanding and rejection that Jesus suffered both from his kinsmen and opponents – the same experience that his disciples and people of good will continue to have today (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 124).
A family of five was enjoying their day at the beach. The children were bathing in the ocean and making castles in the sand when in the distance a little old lady appeared. Her gray hair was blowing in the wind and her clothes were dirty and ragged. She was muttering something to herself as she picked up things from the beach and put them into a bag. The parents called the children to their side and told them to stay away from the old lady. As she passed by, bending every now and then to pick things up, she smiled at the family. But her greeting wasn’t returned. Many weeks later they learned that the little old lady had made it her lifelong crusade to pick up bits of glass from the beach so children wouldn’t cut their feet.
B. First Reading (2 Sm 5:1-7, 10): “You shall shepherd my people Israel.”
The Old Testament reading (2 Sm 5:1-7, 10) is about the anointing of David as king not only of the tribe of Judah, but of the united Israelite kingdom. After the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, the fight between the forces supporting Saul’s family and those supporting David goes on for a long time. As David becomes stronger and stronger, his opponents become weaker and weaker. David does not seize power, but waits for the Lord to give him the kingship. At the death of Saul’s general Abner and of Saul’s son Ishbosheth, all the tribes of Israel rally to David at Hebron and urge him to be their king, saying: “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler.” David makes a sacred covenant with them. They anoint him as king of Israel. After the anointing, King David captures Jerusalem, reputed to be impregnable, and makes it the capital of his kingdom. The prophetic anointing by Samuel that designates him as leader-shepherd of God’s people is politically realized in Hebron.
The shepherd-king David is a figure of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Shepherd-King. The pastoral service and ministry of guidance of Jesus for God’s people is continued through the ages by his anointed ministers. The Irish martyr, Bishop Terence Albert O’Brien (cf. “Lives of the Saints: The Irish Martyrs” in Alive! January 2014, p. 15).
In January 1649, the forces of the English Parliament under Oliver Cromwell put King Charles to death. That settled the English Civil War on the island of Britain. In Ireland, however, some unfinished business had yet to be attended by the regicides and to this task Cromwell applied himself with murderous vigor. (…)
He laid siege to Drogheda and within a short time resistance crumbled, opening the way to utter savagery. Next came Wexford and Clonmel. At that point, having set the standard for atrocity, Cromwell returned to England leaving his “bloodied” troops to finish his work under the command of his son-in-law, Henry Ireton.
Ireton’s biggest challenge was Limerick, destined also to be his last, for reasons he did not expect. Limerick was a walled city, garrisoned by a force of Old English Royalists and Catholics. The gates were shut against Ireton when his army arrived to take it on 4 June 1651. Terms were offered to the defenders but under no condition would the Cromwellians concede their demand for the right of Catholics to freedom of conscience and worship.
The Puritan whip was to be applied mercilessly. Priests and religious in the city were to be deported as criminals and any who had been active in the resistance were to be executed. Among the latter was the Dominican, Bishop Terence Albert O’Brien, who had been ordained Bishop of Emily some years before when hopes were high in Ireland that a new era of freedom for Catholics was about to begin. The outcome of the Civil War and Cromwell’s arrival in Ireland had changed all that and Bishop O’Brien now found himself making a last ditch stand for faith and fatherland in the besieged city.
Earlier in his career O’Brien, now aged 50, had been prior of some of the Dominican houses in Muster, and had also been Provincial of the Order in Ireland. As negotiations for surrender progressed it became clear to Ireton that O’Brien was a leader of the resistance to any agreement which would not give tolerance for Catholics. To overcome this he first tried bribery, offering him an enormous bribe of 40,000 pounds and safe conduct out of the country if he would end his opposition. O’Brien refused to abandon his position and continued to press for tolerance.
The siege continued and the plight of the besieged grew worse. Starvation was followed by disease as the inhabitants and the refugees who had crowded into the city began to succumb to the dreaded bubonic plague. Bishop O’Brien’s role as a negotiator for peace now changed to that of a pastor succoring, spiritually and temporally, dying men and women while the Roundheads continued their relentless siege.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we guilty of jealousy and unable to recognize the grace at work in other persons? What do we do about this?
2. Are we ready to share in Christ’s pastoral and guiding ministry for God’s people in today’s world?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you were misunderstood and viciously accused.
But as for us, we embrace your love.
Let the power of your Holy Spirit be with us.
Help us to bring order and justice
to a world convulsed with the violence of evil and sin.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
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Lord Jesus,
let the power of your Holy Spirit dwell in us
and make us share in your pastoral care
and guidance for God’s flock.
We adore and bless you, our saving Lord.
We thank 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.
“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness.” (Mk 3:26) //“You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be the commander of Israel.” (II Sm 5:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for perpetrators of blasphemy against God, especially those who do this making use of the means of social communication. Make an effort today to spread the Good News to the people around you. // Make an effort today to share the Good News and to be a shepherd for someone who needs help and guidance.
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January 23, 2024: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (3); SAINT VINCENT, Deacon, Martyr (USA); SAINT MARIANNE COPE, Virgin (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: His True Family Does the Will of God … His Worship Is True”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19 // Mk 3:31-35
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:31-35): “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:31-35), the relatives of Jesus misunderstand his public ministry as “crazy” and “overdone”. They want to take charge of him. They probably have pleaded with Mary to come and see the frantic situation involving her son Jesus. They arrive when a crowd is sitting around Jesus and listening to him. The relatives send in a message, asking for him. Jesus uses the moment to declare what true family means to him. Those who do the will of God are his mother, his brother and his sister. Jesus redefines the sacred boundary of the family in a radical way. The biological family is replaced with the larger family of God, that is, those who do the will of God, of whom his mother Mary is foremost. Jesus subordinates natural kinship to a higher bond of relationship based on the obedience of faith. Indeed, the “family of God” inaugurated by Jesus is greatly inclusive and faith-intensive.
The following missioner tale illustrates the beauty and warmth of belonging to a spiritual family based on the love and service of God and his people (cf. Jason Obergfell, “Missioner Tales” in Maryknoll, May/June 2011, p. 11).
Recently, Maryknoll Sister Marilyn Bell passed away in Bolivia after countless years of service here. She was a tough woman who was active until a few months before her death, which is why she died in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where I serve as a Maryknoll lay missioner, rather than in the United States. Although no one from Marilyn’s biological family in the States was able to attend her funeral, her death brought together her Maryknoll family of priests, Brothers, Sisters and lay missioners who also serve in Bolivia.
Just last year being in mission in Bolivia, I was unable to attend the funeral of my grandmother, but now I was able to attend Sister Marilyn’s funeral as a “grandson” in our Maryknoll family. It was an experience that revealed what we only strive to describe with words. The Maryknoll family of missioners, thrown together by chance but held together by love for one another, is a lived example of Jesus’ message – we are all family. Sister Marilyn’s family in Bolivia wasn’t just limited to Maryknollers. The church was filled with Bolivians who had become her family because of her love for them. Being a model of God’s family, bound together by our love for one another, may just be the most important thing any of us will accomplish in mission or in life.
B. First Reading (2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19): “David and all the children of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19) depicts the transport of the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to Jerusalem, the city of David, establishing it as the religious and political capital of Israel. The transfer of the Ark to Jerusalem by King David is one of his most important deeds. The presence of the Ark sanctifies the city and blesses the rule of David. The grace-filled event calls for a celebration. At the festal procession King David, clothed only with the linen garment used by priests at liturgical functions, dances with all his might to honor the Lord. It is a time for joy, music and gift-giving. Above all, David, as God’s anointed, is a sacred person. He can offer burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord and is able to bless the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.
The following story gives us a taste of the joy and gratitude that the Israelites experienced at the transfer of the Ark to Jerusalem (cf. “A Parting Gift Brings a Long-Awaited Church” in Extension Magazine, Christmas 2013, p. 14-15).
When he was a boy, Tom Deehan emigrated from Ireland with his parents and sisters. The family settled in the Astoria neighborhood of the New York borough of Queens, where his father was a trolley car conductor and his mother was a seamstress. “They came with nothing”, said his cousin Bill O’Donnell of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Tom graduated from Fordham University in New York and entered the seminary, but he left to serve in the Army during World War II. After the war, he moved to Florida, attended law school and had a long career with Eastern Airlines.
Tom spent much of his life caring for others – so much so that he delayed getting married. But later in life, he fell in love with a woman who had cancer. Despite her prognosis, the couple still wanted to get married. They had less than a year together as husband and wife. “Even though they were together for a short time, he was very devoted to her”, said Bill.
After retiring in the early 1990s, Tom moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas, where he was a parishioner at St. Peter the Fisherman Church. He loved his church and attended every funeral Mass because he believed everyone deserved mourners, his cousin said. Tom also attended 7:15 a.m. Mass every day. It was on his way home from morning Mass last spring that he found himself praying about making a gift to Catholic Extension. (…)
Tom knew his health was deteriorating, and he wanted to make a difference before he died, so the staff at Catholic Extension told him there was church in his own state that needed help. Holy Spirit Church had been using a run-down shack for its church building. But, with help from Catholic Extension, it had purchased the tire store and was in the process of converting it into a bigger, new church building. “He gave a generous offering to Catholic Extension to finish the project”, said Julie. “We were hoping he could be there for the dedication of the new church, but the last time he spoke to us, he said, ‘I don’t know if I’ll make it. My next stop is heaven.’”
Tom died on June 18, leaving no children or relatives behind, with the exception of his cousin and his godson, Tom Devine of Laurel, Maryland. But his funeral was packed with mourners – a fitting tribute to a man who had always mourned and prayed for others.
And on October 12, in a Mass celebrated by Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, the new Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg was dedicated. It includes seating for 250, along with a beautiful and spacious parish hall in what used to be oil changing pits. Said Father John Wall, president of Catholic Extension, “If only Tom Deehan could have seen the hundreds of people waiting in line for the dedication Mass. But his generosity will long be remembered, not only by this extraordinary new church, but also by the plaque inside that bears his name.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we strive to belong truly to the family of God by our life of obedient faith and serving love?
2. Do we treasure our belonging to the Church of God and offer him true worship?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Jesus, you are our brother.
You revealed to us the criterion for belonging to the family of God:
by doing the Father’s saving will.
We thank you for Mother Mary.
She exemplifies in her life the obedient faith
that makes us belong to God’s family.
Teach us to be faithful children of God our Father.
You live and reign, and forever. Amen.
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O dear Jesus,
you teach us the meaning of true worship.
Let us cherish our belonging to the Church
and offer the Father a perfect sacrifice of praise.
May our Church worship be transformed into daily self-giving
and our charitable deeds be united with you in the Eucharistic sacrifice.
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.
“For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mk 3:35) //“David and all the house of Israel were bringing the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy.” (II Sm 6:15)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your acts of charity and compassion to the poor and vulnerable, prove to the world that you belong to the family of God. // By your acts of charity and compassion to the poor and vulnerable, prove to the world that you are a “living stone” in the Church of God.
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January 24, 2024: WEDNESDAY – SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
N.B. Today is the death anniversary of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo,
who offered his life for the PDDM Congregation.
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Sows the Seedling of the Word … His Kingdom Will Last Forever”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Sm 7:4-17 // Mk 4:1-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:1-20): “A sower went out to sow.”
Today’s Gospel (Mk 4:1-20) depicts Jesus as sitting in the boat on the sea, with a large crowd gathered on the shore. The eager crowd of country folks has the potential of opening their hearts to the word of Jesus. To them he addresses the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed sown by the sower falls on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and on rich soil. In the first three cases nothing happens, but in the last case an abundant harvest is produced. Indeed, the coming of the kingdom of God means the abundance of all good. Jesus is the sower who sows abundantly the word of the Kingdom. The “seed” of the word is lavishly sown because the Lord wants to address all without discrimination.
Saint John Chrysostom asserts: “The sower does not make distinctions between different soils; he simply throws the seed. Similarly, Jesus does not distinguish between rich and poor, learned and unschooled, careless and fervent, courageous and timid. His word concerns everybody.” Though the parable underscores the inherent fecundity of the seed of God’s kingdom, it also emphasizes the responsibility and the positive response to be given by the recipients of the “seed” of the divine word. We need to believe and be more open to God’s word.
The following is a testimony regarding the power of God’s word and one’s personal response to the offer of God’s kingdom (cf. Janet Perez Eckles in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 90). Janet lost her sight at the age of 31, when her sons were 3, 5 and 7. She uses her own example of victory to teach others to triumph over trials. She lives in Orlando, Florida, and is warmed by the love of Gene, her husband of thirty-eight years, and the joy of her two grandchildren.
“Retinitis pigmentosa”, the doctor said, and finally the dreaded day came. I awoke, held my hands in front of my face, and saw nothing. At thirty-one, I was facing the rest of my life as a blind person. It terrified me.
“I can’t do this, God. I hate my life”, I whispered. How could God let a young mother go blind? Why would He refuse to answer my prayers for sight? Family and friends tried to support me, but none could understand the depth of my pain.
Then a friend called. “Come to my church. You’ll enjoy the service.” A trace of hope flickered, and I went. The message of Matthew 6:33 shook me. God was asking me to seek Him first. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I soaked in God’s Word. He promised to be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I believed it. I received it. And I applied it to my every moment as a wife and mom.
My life is peaceful now. Rest comes knowing God guides my footsteps, holds my future, and erases my fear.
B. First Reading (2 Sm 7:4-17): “I will raise up your heir after you and I will make his Kingdom firm.”
Susan Myers comments on the reading (2 Sm 7:4-17): “Today’s passage recounts David’s desire to build a temple for the ark and the subsequent message from God. God’s message is a promise of favor for David and his descendants, a promise that gives hope to Israel through the ages and to which Christians have also laid claim. The point of today’s reading centers on a play of words. David’s concern is to build a house for God, but God speaks of a different kind of house, promising to establish David’s lineage forever. Through the court prophet, Nathan, God pledges faithfulness to David and favor to his descendants … After the dissolution of the Davidic monarchy, the promise of God to David was understood by some to refer to a Messiah from the line of David, a savior who would restore Israel to its glory.”
The following profile of an Italian teenager illustrates that in his young life the messianic kingdom and blessing promised to David continue to live on (cf. Anne Nolan, “Teen Computer Geek To Become a Saint” in Alive! January 2014, p. 6).
Carlo Acutis was born in London on 3rd May 1991, to Italian parents who had moved to England in search of work. Some years later the family returned home to Milan. In September 2006 Carlo, aged 15, was diagnosed with leukemia, and less than a month later, on 12th October, he died. But instead of being forgotten by all but his family, his name has spread further and further afield. And an official process has now begun which, it is hoped, will lead to him being declared a saint.
Carlo was a normal teenager with many friends and was exceptionally gifted in computer programming, building his own website, and in film editing. The other side of him was his immense desire for holiness. At one point he said, “You must want holiness with all your heart. And if this desire has not arisen in your heart, you must ask insistently for it from the Lord.” At the same time he had a particular care for those on the fringes, classmates with no friends, the handicapped, immigrants, beggars and children. He worried about friends whose parents were divorcing, and invited them to his home to support them.
At an early age Carlo was introduced by his parents to the lives of the saints and was greatly inspired by them, especially by St. Francis and by the children of Fatima, Francesco and Jacinta Marto. From the time he made his first Holy Communion, aged 7, he went to daily Mass and each day he recited the rosary. He would frequently say, “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven”, and from this comes the title of a new book (in Italian) about his life.
His mother, Antonia, tells how shortly before he was taken to the hospital and before anyone suspected he had cancer, he spoke to his parents. He told them: “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer to the Lord, for the Pope and the Church, for not to go to Purgatory and to go straight to Heaven.” He had a special devotion to Our Lady, and visited her shrine in Pompeii, near Naples, dozens of times with his parents. He would say, “The Madonna is the only woman in my life.”
He also liked to say, “All people are born with their own originality, but many die as photocopies.” Part of his originality was his courage in defending Christian values, and a religion teacher recalled that in one classroom discussion he was the only person to oppose the killing of the unborn.
Having discovered the joy of loving Jesus, he wanted others to share it. He was not afraid to speak about holiness, and he built his websites in order to lead others to the Savior. Carlo is a reminder to all of us that vibrant young people too can be holy, and that even in today’s world it is possible to be a saint.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we thankful for the goodness and generosity of Jesus the Sower? Do we truly believe in the power of the word of God?
2. Do we believe that in the person of Jesus Christ, born of David’s lineage, God’s promise of faithful love and eternal kingdom is radically fulfilled? Do we trust that we too are part and parcel of this promise?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Prayer by Nerses Snorhali in Jesus, Fils unique du Pere in Sources chretiennes 203, Paris: Cerf, 1973, p. 133)
I hardened myself like a rock;
I became like the path;
the thorns of the world have choked me
and have made my soul unfruitful.
But, O Lord, Sower of good,
make the seedling of the Word grow in me
so I may yield fruit in one of these three:
Hundredfold, sixtyfold, or even thirtyfold.
Thank you, loving Jesus,
Amen.
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(Cf. Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29)
Refrain: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
1. The favors of the Lord I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R.)
2. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever I will confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.” (R.)
3. “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.” (R.)
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.
“And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.” (Mk 4:8) //“Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.” (2 Sm 7:16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the seed of the Kingdom may find rich soil to make it grow and be fruitful. Be attentive to the word of God in the liturgical assembly and in the daily events of life. // Endeavor to make the kingship of Christ, the Son of David, real and palpable by our works of justice and love and by our preferential option for the world’s poor.
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January 25, 2024: THURSDAY – THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Transforms His Persecutor Saul into an Apostle”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22 // Mk 16:15-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul provides wonderful insights into his spiritual journey, which can be summed up as “MISTICA” (spiritual experience), “METANOIA” (conversion-transformation) and “MISSIO” (mission of evangelization). Paul’s spiritual journey was a spiritual experience that produced a transformation and impelled him to assume a mission of evangelization. The converted Paul thus became an apostle of Christ to the nations.
Mistica: On the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus had a profound, dynamic spiritual experience. It was God’s initiative, grace and compassion that brought about Paul’s encounter with the Risen Lord. It was an experience of light – of revelation – of who Christ really is for Paul. Christ revealed himself not as an enemy, but as a personal Savior. Moreover, on the road to Damascus, it was revealed that Jesus of Nazareth lives on in his Body, the Church – the suffering Church. It was a knocked-down experience that left Paul vulnerable, defenseless and open to grace. He could not help but welcome the loving initiative of God. Saint Paul is a model for us of total receptivity and openness to grace.
Metanoia: Paul confessed: “I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man filled with arrogance, but I have been mercifully treated … I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. He has strengthened me … made me his servant” (cf. I Tim 1:12-13). He experienced a change of heart, reorientation of goals, renewed vision and life transformation. From a bold persecutor of Christ-Church, he became a vessel of grace and the great apostle to the nations. As we look to Saint Paul as a model of true conversion, let us turn away from thoughts, words and actions that negate the love of Christ … from inconsiderate actions and words that wound the Church … from irresponsible deeds that do not promote the dignity and personal worth of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Above all, Saint Paul is our model of “christification”. Blessed James Alberione, the founder of the Pauline Family, exhorts us: “So then reach the point of Vivit in me Christus … when our thoughts and desires exist no more, but we live in Christ … It is not I anymore, but Christ in me. Transformation, transformation! In that way we have not only a body and soul, but another natural life – that is, the life itself of Christ.”
Mission-Evangelization: Paul’s mystic experience and conversion led to a special task or mandate: the mission of salvation … the call to evangelization. The Risen Lord who appeared to Paul made him a servant and witness to the nations. He mandated Paul to preach the Gospel that he may turn their darkness to light … that they may be brought back to God … that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and become part of God’s covenant people.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 16:15-18) about the missionary mandate to go out to the whole world and tell the Good News and about the signs of protection and power that will accompany the believers is fully exemplified in the life and person of Saint Paul. He went to the Gentile world to preach the Gospel of salvation. He was baptized by Ananias in Damascus. Totally obedient to Christ in faith, he became God’s vessel of salvation to the nations. He made the crippled man in Lystra walk. Through the apostle, God performed unusual miracles in Ephesus. Even handkerchiefs and aprons Paul had used were taken to the sick, and their diseases were driven away, and the evil spirits would go out of them. At Troas Paul resuscitated Eutychus, who fell from the third story to the ground during an evening fellowship meal while sitting drowsily by the window. When they picked him up, Eutychus was dead but Paul gave him back to them alive. After a shipwreck in Malta, Paul was bitten by a snake but was unharmed. Also in Malta, he healed the father of Publius, the chief of the island, and many others. Wherever he went, Paul was speaking a totally “new language” – the good news about Jesus as the Son of God – a marvelously “new language” of love and salvation.
The mystical and transforming experience of Saint Paul is replicated in the lives of many people through time and space. Here is a modern-day example (cf. Nathaniel Hurd, “Former Atheist Recounts His Journey to the Catholic Church” in Our Sunday Visitor, December 1, 2013, p. 22).
“These crazy Catholics are going to trample me to get to their bread”, I thought as the crowds pressed forward. It was Easter Sunday Mass 1998, outdoors in St. Peter’s Square. I was traveling with my friend Chris. He was a Catholic and a pilgrim. I was an unbaptized atheist and a tourist. Chris saw priests in cassocks and surplices, distributing the Body and Blood of Christ. I saw men in dresses, carrying bread. Fourteen years later, on October 11, 2012, I stood in that same square as a Catholic. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was the celebrant for the Mass starting the Year of Faith. I was preparing to receive Holy Communion, because seven years earlier, I had finally, fully accepted the gift of faith.
In my years as an atheist, agnostic and Episcopalian, I surprisingly remembered almost everything from that earlier Easter: Walking into St. Peter’s Square, thinking it was like two hands cupped together, waiting for people to fill it. Standing ahead of hundreds of thousands of people. Seeing flags from so many countries. Kenyans dancing when Pope John Paul II said “Happy Easter” in Swahili.
There is only one other sacred experience from my atheist years that I remembered so completely. My parents and I visited a cloistered convent when I was a teenager and heard the nuns sing evening prayer behind a screen. The prayer ended, and I sat transfixed. I thought it was only the beauty that moved me.
How did this atheist come to see the supernatural behind and beyond the beauty? First, Catholic friends modeled and shared the Faith. They answered my questions with respect and reason, not simplistic brush-offs. They stressed that they were sharing the teachings that Christ entrusted to his Church, not personal opinion. These friendships moved me to finally open the door to the divine.
God also provided moments of Grace. The first was during a run on Dec. 23, 2001. My thoughts were on the snow that covered the cornstalks, the river to my left and road under my feet. Although I had been thinking about faith over the past few years, I had not focused on Christianity. That moment I recognized the reality of one God in three Persons – Father, Holy Spirit and the Son who lived, died and rose for my sins. It was the start of seeing.
Easter 2002, I was baptized Episcopalian. However, I was a lazy disciple who took no responsibility for responding to the Lord. I eventually began to wonder if he was calling me to more than what I was receiving from my faith community. I stopped going to church.
On Good Friday two years later, a Catholic friend and colleague invited me to a “Way of the Cross” walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was the first Good Friday that the Passion was real and painful for me. The force of Christ’s challenge – “I did this for you. What are you doing daily for me?” – of the faith of the faithful around me, of the whole experience, overwhelmed and lifted me to an Easter Vigil Mass. I sat in back but felt as if I was in front on the altar experiencing Christ’s sacrifice. The power of the liturgy moved me to return for Easter Sunday and reconsider why I had been closed to Catholicism.
The more I learned the “what” and “why” of the Church and its teaching, the more it was clear that my original understanding had been based on stereotypes and misinformation. Only the Catholic Church seemed to be the sure way for me to know what Christ taught, how he wanted me to live and where I should go for whatever I needed to do. Only the Church seemed to be preserving and promoting the fullness of the Bible and the teachings of the apostles since Pentecost.
I entered a parish Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program … I was received into full communion with the Church and received first Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil 2005. I was struggling to understand some of the teachings of the Church, but my faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Church was strong.
God protected me during many trials. My mother threatened to cut off any communication with me. My father objected to the Church’s teaching that there is one Church and one way. For two years, my parents forbade me from visiting during Christmas and later banned me from using their car to go to Mass when I saw them.
Other obstacles were internal. I delayed going to daily Mass, thinking that I wanted to avoid “too much, too soon”. When I started going, I discovered what I had missed, what no one had explained to me: it is impossible to encounter God too much and too early. My personal and professional life changed. Daily Mass led to regular confession. When I returned to Rome, I returned as a Catholic. At St. Peter’s tomb, I made sure to pray for Christian unity.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we see the mystical experience as an important element in the conversion of Saint Paul and in our own personal conversion?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(cf. Opening Prayer, Mass of the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul)
God our Father,
you taught the gospel to all the world
through the preaching of Paul your apostle.
May we who celebrate his conversion to the faith
follow him in bearing witness to your truth.
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.
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
As we celebrate today the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, resolve to be more open to the grace of his presence, especially in the Letters of Saint Paul, and to find ways to make people interested in them.
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January 26, 2024: FRIDAY – SAINTS TIMOTHY AND TITUS, Bishops
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Seed Grow … He Is the Icon of Pastoral Ministry”
BIBLE READINGS
First: Reading: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5 // Mk 4:26-34
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:26-34): “A man scatters seed on the land and would sleep and the seed would sprout and grow; he knows not how.”
The farming images we have in today’s reading (Mk 4:26-34) are beautiful and powerfully symbolic. The parable of the growing seed while the farmer sleeps (verses 26-29) teaches us that the growth of the Kingdom is inevitable and that it is God’s initiative. The image of the sleeping farmer shatters the illusion of those who believe that the coming of the Kingdom is under human control. The Kingdom grows by the power of God. Like a seed that breaks forth from the ground, God’s Reign has already irrupted into the world through Jesus’ ministry.
The parable of the mustard seed (verses 30-34) underlines the contrast between an insignificant beginning and the full growth of God’s kingdom. The tiny seed grows into a full-blown tree. This symbolizes the organic continuity between Jesus’ ministry, so disappointing to Israel’s hopes, and the future of the Kingdom of God, that would encompass both the Israelites and the Gentiles – indeed peoples from all nations and cultures.
We are called to promote the growth of the Kingdom of God and the integration of creation. The following story illustrates the value of our personal contribution to bringing about the fruition of the divine saving plan (cf. Fr. Eric Haarer, “The Old Man in the Plaza” in Catholic Digest, July-August 2011, p.66-67).
Barcelona, Spain is an amazing city … I had been walking all day and it was hot, in the 80s. I wanted a rest away from the hustle and bustle, so I ambled down a side street and sat on a low wall in a tiny plaza near the Gothic Quarter. To my right was a small fountain, basically a pipe in the wall that spilled drinking water into a cement basin. In front of me stood a sickly looking sapling. It received little light in this narrow plaza, and its leaves were drooping and discolored from thirst and exhaust. An older, well-dressed gentleman at the fountain was filling an empty plastic soda bottle. He walked over to the tree and poured the water at its base. He returned to the fountain for more, and again watered the tree. And again. And again. I stopped counting after 12 trips and was on my way before he finished.
This simple act of kindness touched me deeply. It reminded me of something Mother Teresa said about her work in India: “We don’t do great things; we do small things with great love”. (…) This gentle man was tending the Earth, and in this “small thing done with great love”, he did his part to bring hope and new life into the world. Certainly he brought it to one foot-sore pilgrim.
B. First Reading (2 Tm 1:1-8): “I recall your sincere faith.”
In the First Reading (2 Tm 1:1-8), Saint Paul underlines the obligations of Christian faith. Paul was martyred at Rome in the year 67. His second letter to Timothy represented his last will and testament. Paul exhorts the young pastor, Timothy, to exercise serving faith. The “gift of God” that Timothy received at ordination implies dutiful service to the faith community. Paul reminds Timothy that the divine gift received through “imposition of hands” needs to be continually exercised and rekindled for the common good. Timothy is likewise called to an enduring faith. Timothy needs to give witness to our Lord. He must endure sufferings for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.
The following inspiring article illustrates what it means to remain “in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus” and how a Christian disciple could exercise a serving faith and an enduring faith in today’s world (cf. David Aquije, “The Bicycle Disciple” in Maryknoll, April 2010, p. 24-31). Fr. McCahill manifests his faith and shares this wonderful gift as he serves the sick poor in Bangladesh.
The day Maryknoll Father Robert McCahill arrived in Narail it was raining. The thin, 72-year old priest was physically exhausted and tired of looking for the place where he could begin a new phase of mission. Narail “was kind of miserable”, says the missioner, who for more than 35 years has been living in different villages of Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world, with a population of 150 million in a land the size of Iowa. Narail, a small, underdeveloped village without infrastructure in the southeast of the country, seemed to the missioner like “a good place to make a mark of Christianity, not for the purpose of conversion but simply for the idea of showing what a Christian is and does.”
McCahill was one of five Maryknoll priests who arrived in Bangladesh in 1975 to begin a ministry of Christian witness. For eight years, the missioners lived together, forming a Christian fraternity in Tangail, near Dhaka, the capital. Afterward, McCahill focused his mission on traveling to the interior of the country to help people, particularly children, who were in urgent need of medical assistance. Finding a place to begin his next stay can take McCahill months of research. He has his own criteria: the place should be poor, have no other foreigners or Christians and some of the people must be willing to allow him free use of a small piece of land where he can build his own shack.
A disciple of our times, McCahill arrives alone – with only a bag with a change of clothing and the essential elements to celebrate his own Mass – in any community where he might live for the next three years. There he sits in any tea shop – “tea stalls” he calls them – where men generally congregate to drink cha, sweet tea with milk that is the national drink, the way coffee is in the United States. Noting the presence of a foreigner, the rustic shop quickly fills up with people and McCahill responds honestly to all their questions. “I am Brother Bob, a Christian missionary”, the priest from Goshen, Indiana, tells them. “I am here to serve seriously sick people who are poor.” In the predominantly Muslim nation with a large Hindu minority, the questions that McCahill receives are many: has he come to convert, how does he finance the help he offers and why had he no family? He responds that the medical help he offers depends completely on the financial donations of his extended family and not on an organization; that his purpose is to live among people who are not Christian and treat them with love, respect and brotherhood; and that his family is all of humanity. McCahill describes the three years that he lives in each town this way: “The first year many are suspicious of me. The second year trust begins to build. The third year people’s affection is felt. They say, ‘He said he only came to do good and that is what he does’.”
In Narail, a short while before finishing his three years, McCahill continues getting up very early in the morning to dedicate time for prayer and meditation before beginning his mission work. This morning in October, he leaves his shack of jute-stick walls, a dirt floor and a corrugated roof and mounts his bicycle that will carry him over windy dirt roads through the beautiful countryside of Bangladesh’s fertile farmland, where ironically millions of people live in extreme poverty. The missioner pedals some miles to the next village of Bolorampur, where he visits Mehenaz, a 3-year-old girl who suffers from cerebral palsy as a result of a poorly handled delivery by a midwife in the village. Mehenaz’ grandmother brings the girl out of her hut and puts a mat on the ground. The missioner squats down in the style of the Bangladeshis and observes and assists the grandmother with the recommended physical therapy for the child. The girl’s mother isn’t there and McCahill is happy that someone else in the family has learned the exercises.
Afterward, amid the songs of wild birds and the smell of burning firewood, McCahill again mounts his bicycle and pedals several more miles to the village of Buramara. In Buramara, McCahill visits Liza, a 2-year-old who suffered serious burns on her left arm before her first birthday. The burns were so grave that her entire hand was fused to her forearm. McCahill was able to take the girl to a hospital in Dhaka where surgeons separated her hand from the forearm. Liza wears a brace so that the hand stays straight. The missioner explains that the child needs another surgery to straighten out two fingers that are bent. Liza cries easily and McCahill thinks it is because she is still in pain, but he tries to console her and make her laugh.
That is McCahill’s ministry. He mounts his bicycle and rides miles to his destination. It doesn’t matter if the roads are full of mud during the monsoon season in this tropical Asian land, east of India, on the Bay of Bengal. He arrives in a village and looks to help people who would otherwise be disabled and burdened for a lifetime by their physical conditions. With a small camera he takes photos of their conditions: cerebral palsy, burns, muscular dystrophy, cleft lips, hernias, tumors and broken bones caused by accidents. Every week he goes to Dhaka, traveling the same as the poor, in the old buses that are part of the complicated and dangerous Bengali transportation system. At a hospital in the capital, McCahill shows the photos to doctors who make their provisional diagnosis. With this information the missioner arranges for free treatment at one of the government hospitals in the city and eventually makes the eight- or nine-hour trip again with the children and their parents. “Not a great expense”, McCahill says. “I afford them their tickets. I usually provide the medicine. It’s not a matter of money; it’s a matter of love, the heart.”
Because he lives in a poor and predominantly Muslim country, McCahill relies on only a modest budget that comes from donations from his extended family for his ministry. “If I had lots of funds at hand to use, and lived apart (in a parish), people’s attitude to me would differ”, he says, adding the people would be tempted to wheedle money out of him. “People here understand I’m using more money for their needs than I use for my own needs. No one can look at my life of service and say ‘he can only do that because he’s a rich American’.” For that reason McCahill shares the donations he receives through Maryknoll with other Christian communities that serve the poor in Bangladesh, especially communities of apostolic Sisters.
His is a life of service that he says began on Oct. 31, 1956. He was 19 years old and was interested in a career in political science. But that day as he was returning home from Seattle University, where he was studying, “I received – I can’t even describe it – an attraction to God like I had never felt before nor have needed since. The motivation I received in that moment was sufficient to keep me for life, as long as I continue to remember it.”
For years, McCahill has described his mission in a journal that he types every month on an antique Olivetti typewriter and shares with friends and family. “My mission”, he says, “is to show the love of Christ, the love of God for all people of all faiths; to be with them as a brother, to establish brotherhood by being a brother to them.”
C. Alternative First Reading (Ti 1:1-5): “Be vigilant that you may have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent.”
In the alternative First Reading (Ti 1:1-5) we hear from Saint Paul’s letter to Titus, a Gentile convert to Christianity, who became a fellow worker and helper in missionary work. Titus is Paul’s young legate in the island of Crete. Paul underlines his authority as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul has been chosen by God and sent to promote the faith of the God’s chosen people. Such a task will be accomplished through the help of Titus, Paul’s “loyal child in faith” who is faithful to his teaching. Paul charges Titus with the task of organizing the church in Crete. Such pastoral action is necessitated by the disruption caused by false teachers. In view of a more efficacious pastoral ministry, Paul’s invocation of blessing upon Titus becomes meaningful. He prays: “May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.”
Saint Paul’s relationship with the Church leader, Titus, is inspiring. The following modern-day account gives insight into the bond of charity and unity of faith that fellow workers in the Lord share (cf. Francis, Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 111),
I would like to remember for a moment the “kingdom of the wretched”, as one deportee called it, the prison camp in the Solovetsky Islands of Russia. One deported remembered an image of love in the midst of that great hell:
Uniting their efforts, a Catholic bishop who was still young worked together with an emaciated old man – an Orthodox bishop with a white beard, ancient in days but strong in spirit, who energetically pushed the load … Any of us who would one day have the good fortune of returning to the world, would have to testify to what we have seen here and now. What we saw was the rebirth of pure and authentic faith of the early Christians: the union of Churches in the persons of the Catholic and Orthodox bishops who participated unanimously in the duties, united in love and humility.
This happened in Solovetsky, “alma mater” of the Soviet prison camps.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe in small beginnings and in the power of God to make his kingdom grow and embrace all nations and creation? What do we do to promote the growth?
2. Do we endeavor to rekindle the gift of faith we have received at baptism and when ordained for a special service to the faith community? Do we endeavor to remain in the faith and love that are ours as Christians united with Christ Jesus?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
how marvelous is the growth of the heavenly kingdom!
It is a seed sown in human history by your messianic ministry.
Its power irrupts into our lives and we are a part of its growth.
We thank you for the power of life
and the universal expanse of the kingdom of God.
Grant that we may continue to give our very best
– no matter how humble and insignificant –
to promote the growth and fruition of God’s Reign
upon earth and in all creation.
We love you and praise you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
O gracious God,
faith is your gift – your offer of eternal life.
Thank you for your goodness!
Through the intercession of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops,
let our faith response
be marked with strength of hope
and service of love.
May our Christian discipleship
be known for its serving and enduring faith.
We adore you and give you 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.
“Once it is sown, it springs up.” (Mk 4:32) //“Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel.” (2 Tm 1:8) or “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior” (Ti 1:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for social justice and the integration of creation. In view of the integration of God’s creation, practice proper waste management in your household using the ecological principles: reduce, reuse and recycle. // Make an effort today to spread the Good News to the people around you. Pray that our Christian discipleship may be an authentic sign of an enduring and serving faith.
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January 27, 2024: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (3); SAINT ANGELA MERICI, Virgin; BVM ON SATURDAY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calms the Raging Sea … He Overcomes our Sinfulness”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17 // Mk 4:35-41
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:35-41): “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
(Gospel Reflection by Andy Ruperto, Fresno, CA – U.S.A.)
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? Lord, who are You? Is this not the question we must constantly ponder? In today’s Gospel we again see Jesus’ disciples continuing on their journey of faith and asking, “Lord, who are You? You have power over the wind and the sea!”
In this event, we must place ourselves in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. The wind and waves are beginning to violently shake the boat. The disciples are stumbling around and yelling, trying to get things under control. I do not know what it must have been like being in a potentially life-threatening storm, but I do remember being in a motorboat with family on a lake. When the front of the boat took on some water, because it was too heavy, there were screams and a bit of hysteria. How much more so if we were in a violent storm?
In the meantime, our Lord is asleep in the stern. So, then the disciples ask – “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” This is a question I sometimes ask in different life situations. God, do You not know what I’m going through?” “Why is this happening to me?” Sometimes I ‘feel’ like my life is ending or that I cannot go on. There are too many storms – confusion, stress, studies, relationships, finances … So I ask, “Lord, do You not care that I am perishing?”
Jesus then comes in power, and stills the storms with His word and says, “Peace! Be still.” This is the peace that comes from Jesus and it is a peace not as the world gives it. Christ is the only way to true peace. Here, our Lord Jesus shows His power over the wind and sea and amazes the disciples. Jesus is GOD. He is powerful. He is mighty. He can do anything. He can calm these modern-day storms. He is also humble and sometimes we cannot see through the veil of humanity.
A friend once told me that the hard part for God is not the miracles, but changing human hearts. It seems that in this event, our Lord Jesus was using the storm to awaken the disciples’ hearts to faith. He asks them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
The “good news” of the reading today is one that was constantly repeated by our late Holy Father, John Paul II. It was the message, “Do not be afraid!” Our Lord tells us not to let our hearts be troubled. He is with us, and so what can we fear? He will take care of us. It is our faith that enables us not to fear. Let us always call on the name of Jesus in the stormy chapters of our lives. In these times let us quickly say, “Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You …”
B. First Reading (2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17): “I have sinned against the Lord.”
In the reading (2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17), we hear how the prophet Nathan, the mouthpiece of God, denounces the sins of David. Indeed, the chosen one of God, the hero of the people and the object of God’s grace, has sinned terribly. The intervention of a prophet is needed to make him conscious of his crime. The threat of God’s punishment brings David to his senses. Greatly chastised, David responds to the call to conversion. He acknowledges his personal responsibility: “I have sinned against the Lord”. Recognizing our sin and taking responsibility for it is the first step to repentance. The key to forgiveness is taking responsibility for our evil deed and being sorry for it. We need to see our anomalous situation and resolve to turn away from our wicked ways in order to experience the gift of God’s forgiveness. Confronted by the light of truth, David comes to his senses and is filled with sorrow for the awfulness and horror of his crimes. To the repentant David, the prophet Nathan communicates the gift of forgiveness from a loving and merciful God.
The merciful forgiving God continues to bring people back to him as the following account recalls (cf. Pauline Wilson, “Confession after Abortion” in 101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, ed. Sister Patricia Proctor, Spokane: Franciscan Monastery of Saint Clare, 2006, p. 108-109).
When I was seventeen years old, living at home, I unfortunately became pregnant. … All I could think about was getting rid of the baby so my parents would never find out … The day I went to have the abortion, I woke up and asked the Lord to please forgive me. I was scared and just wanted to get it over with. My boyfriend picked me up at the corner and we drove to the abortion clinic in silence. We walked and waited for them to call me back. I have never felt as guilty in my entire life as I did when I knew I was about to kill my unborn child.
I had the abortion and tried to forget about it as I went through life. I later married a wonderful man and had two beautiful children. Despite all this, I carried around the guilt of that day and never got over it. For more than fifteen years I was haunted with thoughts of the child I knew I would have had. I hated myself for going through with the abortion.
As an infant I was baptized in the Catholic Church and now I wanted my children to be baptized as well. I also wanted to be confirmed since I had never received that sacrament. I worked toward the day that I would be confirmed and my children would be baptized. Unfortunately, the very thought of going to confession for the first time scared me, but I knew this was what I needed to do to get rid of the guilt I had been carrying around.
My very first confession was made to Father Pellegrino from Saints Peter and Paul Church in West Valley City, Utah. I practiced over and over what I needed to tell him, hoping I would not feel like a complete idiot. As I drove to the church that night, I had a knot in my stomach and just wanted to turn around and go home, but something kept telling me that everything would be okay.
The wait in line seemed like an eternity as the events of my past abortion flashed over and over in my mind. Father Pellegrino called me in and listened to my confession as I cried and poured my heart out to him, I asked for the Lord’s forgiveness and felt a feeling of peace as Father prayed over me. As I left to go home, the dark cloud that had been following me around for the last fifteen years finally disappeared.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe in faith that God is in control? Do we place our trust in Jesus whom even the wind and sea obey? Do we derive strength from the fact that the Lord Jesus masters the storms and the raging seas?
2. Are we touched by David’s acknowledgment of personal responsibility for his sins? How? What do we do when we fall into a sinful situation? Do we repent and seek out God’s forgiveness? Do we trust in the merciful love and care of God for us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Prayer n. 1 by Andy Ruperto, Fresno, CA-USA)
So, Lord, who are You?
You are my refuge, savior and teacher in the storms.
You are GOD!
I have often tried to control the storms myself.
Let me learn to go through them with You,
having recourse to You when I find myself in trouble.
Peace! Be still my soul!
Know that Jesus is GOD and that He does care
and that He loves me.
Mother Mary,
you know our Lord so intimately.
Please purify our faith in Him.
Form us into His likeness and into fearless saints.
Amen.
***
Loving God,
when the guilt of sin torments us,
help us to call on Jesus.
He overcomes the violence of our sinfulness.
Forgive our sins
by the power of his passion, death and resurrection.
Let us live again in Jesus, our merciful Savior.
We adore and glorify 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.
“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mk 4:41) //“I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sm 12:13)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Offer comfort and assistance to those whose faith is wavering. Share with those who are overwhelmed in the sea of sorrows the comforting presence of Jesus who masters the winds and the raging seas. // Be an instrument of God’s forgiving love, especially where there is injustice and abuse. Endeavor to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation more meaningfully and worthily and invite others for this celebration.
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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