A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 13, n. 29)
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time and Weekday 11: June 14-20, 2015 ***
(N.B. The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year B from three perspectives. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 1. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 4. For reflections based on the Second Reading, open Series 7. Please go to Series 10 - Series 13 for the back issues of the Weekday Lectio. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: June 7-13, 2015, please go to ARCHIVES Series 13 and click on “Week 10”.
(Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: June 14-20, 2015.)
***
June 14, 2015: ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Shows the Power of Small Beginnings”
BIBLICAL READINGS
Ez 17:22-24 // II Cor 5:6-10 // Mk 4:26-34
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 4:26-34), which is composed of two parables, is very encouraging. The parable of the growing seed (verses 26-29) tells about a farmer who scatters seed in his field. While he sleeps at night and is up and about during the day, all the while the seed sprouts and grows. The farmer does not know how it happens, but the growing seed yields ripe grain for harvest. In this parable, Jesus underlines the inevitable growth of the kingdom of God. The kingdom has already irrupted into the world in Jesus’ ministry. Just as the scattered seed leads mysteriously to harvest, so the heavenly kingdom has an irresistible power to grow and reach its full destiny. The kingdom grows because of the God-driven principle that powers its growth and maturation.
The second parable (verses 30-34) is about the mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world. Planted in the ground, it grows and becomes the biggest of all plants. Birds come and make their nests in its shady branches. In this parable, Jesus contrasts the insignificant beginning of the extremely small seed and the enormous size of the full-grown bush. The image of a tiny mustard seed growing into the grandiose bush underlines the universal expanse of God’s kingdom that would encompass all nations, as well as Israel.
Jesus invites us to extol the power of small beginnings. We are called to sow the seed of the kingdom in today’s world as well as to trust in the Holy Spirit who powers the growing kingdom. Let us do our part in sowing the seed, and God will bless our humble initiative on behalf of his kingdom. The following experience of a thoughtful woman, which is circulated on the Internet, can help us understand more deeply the miraculous result of small beginnings.
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over”. I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. “I will come next Tuesday”, I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightfully hugged and greeted my grandchildren. “Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world, except you and these children, that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch.” My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this all the time, Mother.” “Well, you won’t get me back on the road until it clears, and then I’m heading home!” I assured her. “But first we’re going to see the daffodils. It’s just a few blocks”, Carolyn said. “I’ll drive. I’m used to this.”
“Carolyn”, I said sternly, “please turn around.” “It’s all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.” After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and saw a small church. On the far side of the church I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, “Daffodil Garden”. We got out of the car, each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, at the corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
“Who did this?” I asked Carolyn. “Just one woman”, Carolyn answered. “She lives on the property. That’s her home.” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs”, it read. The second answer was “One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain.” The third answer was “Began in 1958.”
For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met; who, more than fifty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.
***
Jesus’ message on the inevitable growth of the heavenly kingdom is reinforced by the prophecy of Ezekiel that we hear in the Old Testament reading (Ez 17:22-24). The tender shoot becomes a majestic cedar in accordance with God’s saving plan and compassionate intervention. The sprout that God plants on Israel’s highest mountain grows branches and birds of every kind find shelter there. This beautiful dynamic image of a growing tree symbolizes Israel’s hope of glory. The future of Israel is entirely in the hands of God, who can cut down the tall trees and make the low trees grow tall. His saving will is to lift up Israel and bring this nation to its glorious destiny. God is the Lord of history. He intervenes directly in order to bring life or death according to his divine will. His sovereignty is absolute and over all. We need to trust him and surrender to him.
The following charming story circulated on the Internet gives insight into the mysterious ways of our loving and sovereign God.
“Three Trees”: Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world.” The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!” The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall. When people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.”
Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. “This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. “Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest. I shall hold wonderful treasure!” the first tree said. The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings.” The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me”, he muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop, but the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail in an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in the lumberyard. “What happened?” The once tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God.”
Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox. “I wish I could make a cradle for him”, her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. “The manger is beautiful”, she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and His friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out His hand, and said “Peace”. The storm stopped quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.
One Friday morning the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten pile. She shuddered when the soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
The next time you feel down because you don’t get what you want, sit down and be happy because God is thinking of something better for you.
***
In the reading (II Cor 5:6-10), Saint Paul affirms that our life is a matter of faith, not of sight. Faith is not static but a dynamic ongoing response to God. The purpose of faith is to acknowledge God’s saving will even as we remain as exiles from our heavenly home. We long for our true home and courageously seek for it. More than anything else, we want to please the Lord, whether in our home here or there. Christ is our judge whose Gospel reevaluates all things and serves as a new basis for distinguishing between good and evil. Each one will receive recompense according to what he has done, good or bad in this bodily life.
The life of Zelie and Louis Martin, soon to be canonized saints, shows what it means to walk by faith and to endeavor to please the Lord (cf. “Historic First: Church to Canonize Married Couple in Joint Ceremony” in Alive! April 2015, p.5).
For the first time in her 2,000 year history the Catholic Church is to declare a husband and wife together to be saints. The two-in-one canonization will signal in a powerful way that the Church sees the sacrament of marriage, lived in love, as a principal path to holiness for lay people.
Cardinal Angelo Amato has disclosed that Louis and Zelie Martin, whose youngest child, the much-loved Therese of Lisieux, is already a saint, will be enrolled among the saints during the Synod on the Family in October. (…)
Louis and Zelie were married in Alencon, France in 1858, a mere three months after they first met. Five months earlier the Mother of God had appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes. Louis was a watchmaker while Zelie ran her own business making the famous Point d’Alencon lace. She continued to work while rearing her children.
They went on to have nine children, only five of whom survived into adulthood. Many years later Zelie told her second daughter, Pauline: “From the time we had our children we lived only for them; they made all our happiness, and we would never have found it save in them … I wished to have many children, in order to bring them up for Heaven.”
Zelie was an enthusiastic, chatty letter-writer, and some of the 200 letters to different members of her family have survived, giving a marvelous glimpse into the life of an extraordinary couple.
They were a well-to-do family, focused on God, attending Mass each morning at 5:30, devoted to the poor, inspired by hope and having to face an immense amount of suffering, especially with the death of four of their children.
For some time Zelie had been anxious about her health. Then in October 1876, aged 44, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. To her sister-in-law she wrote: “If God permits that I die of this, I shall do my best to be resigned, and to bear my disease patiently, in order to shorten my Purgatory.”
The doctor advised against an operation, but gave her a prescription. When she asked, “What use is it?”, he bluntly replied, “None. I only do it to please my patients.” It was a stunning blow, but she was grateful that he told her the full truth, and regarded the visit as “priceless to me”. The following summer, wracked by pain, she was still determined to take part in Mass at least on Sundays. That August she died. Her youngest child, Therese, was aged 4.
A heart-broken Louis moved his family to Lisieux to be nearer their cousins. He lived for further 18 years, dying in 1894.
The couple’s feast day is 13th July, the date of their marriage.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we believe in the power of small beginnings and in the inevitable growth of the kingdom of God? Do we trust greatly in the power of God who can do all things in us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we are fascinated by how a seed,
scattered and sown in the ground by a dutiful farmer,
can grow into a vigorous plant and yield a rich harvest.
We are awed even more greatly
by the irresistible growth of the heavenly kingdom,
sown by Jesus into the field of salvation history
through his saving ministry.
We thank and praise you
for the miracle of the mustard-seed beginning of your kingdom,
which continues to extend its life-giving fruitfulness
to all peoples of the earth.
Help us to put our trust in you
and to believe in the power of small beginnings.
You are our hope and our joy, 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.
“Once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.” (Mk 4:32)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that people who sow the seed of the heavenly kingdom in today’s world may be blessed by the Lord. By your compassionate acts of love and service, and by trusting in the power of small beginnings, do your part in sowing the seed of the kingdom.
***
June 15, 2015: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (11)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Counters Evil with Good”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 6:1-10 // Mt 5:38-42
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The law of retaliation contained in the Old Testament (that is, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”) is meant to moderate vengeance and to keep violence within limits. It restricts the punishment inflicted by the avenger to injury proportionate to the damage done by the aggressor. In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 5:38-42), we hear Jesus’ radical teaching on non-retaliation, which seeks to break the cycle of revenge. The righteous man is called not just to respond with proportionate vengeance to an injury inflicted by an aggressor, but to take no vengeance at all. Jesus teaches us “to offer no resistance to one who is evil”. The Divine Master’s teaching of non-resistance to an evildoer is not an invitation to suicide, or to let true justice be trampled upon, but a call to counter evil with good, hatred with love, vengeance with forgiveness. Love, though vulnerable and paradoxical, is the only force capable of overcoming evil. By his passion and death on the cross, Jesus showed how forgiving love can overcome the ugly forces of evil and sin that lead to violence. With his life of non-retaliation and reconciliation, a new world order has begun.
The following story gives us insight into the ways of the non-vengeful who seek to overcome evil with good (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 65).
A traveler was walking along the road one day when a man on horseback rushed by. There was an evil look in his eyes and blood on his hands. Minutes later a crowd of riders drew up and wanted to know if the traveler had seen someone with blood on his hands go by. They were in hot pursuit of him. “Who is he?” the traveler asked. “An evil-doer”, said the leader of the crowd. “And you pursue him in order to bring him to justice?” “No”, said the leader, “we pursue him in order to show him the way.”
Reconciliation alone will save the world, not justice, which is generally another word for revenge.
***
Today’s First Reading (II Cor 6:1-10) gives us a beautiful insight into Saint Paul’s experience as an apostle. He recognizes that the Corinthians and he are working together with God in fulfilling the saving plan. He also exhorts them not to receive the grace of God in vain, but instead to claim the “now” as a moment of salvation. Paul’s primary work is to spread the saving Gospel and he absolutely avoids anything that will jeopardize his ministry. Indeed, Paul proves himself a minister of God by his way of life. In his Gospel ministry, he shows patient endurance through every kind of trial. He manifests himself as God’s true servant through a life of purity, knowledge, patience and kindness - in the love of the Spirit and by the power of God. Indeed, God equips him with “weapons of righteousness” which he uses in all circumstances - through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. His life as an apostle is challenging and fascinating, mysterious and paradoxical: treated as a liar though he speaks the truth, unrecognized but acknowledged, given up for dead but he lives on, punished but not killed, saddened but always rejoicing, poor but enriching many, having nothing but possessing all things.
Like Saint Paul, we need to conduct ourselves as servants of the Gospel. The following story, entitled “A Quarter for Jesus” and circulated on the Internet, gives us an idea of what it means to be a true “minister of God” today.
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.” Then he thought, “Oh, forget it. It’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare. They will never miss it. Accept is as a gift from God and keep quiet.”
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed
the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.” The
driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new preacher in town?”
Yes”, he replied. “Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going
somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you
too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.”
When the preacher stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, “Oh, God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I strive to conquer vengeful instincts and to overcome evil with good? Do I practice the ethic of non-violence and the Christian way of forgiving love?
2. Like Saint Paul the Apostle, can we present ourselves to the people of today as true “ministers of God”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
your example transcends the ugly ways of the violent.
By your life of forgiving love and reconciliation,
you show us how to break the cycle of vengeance in this world.
Give us the grace to be peaceful.
Let your love be upon us
that we may respond to evil with good,
to hatred with love.
Lead us on the path of true justice and peace.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Almighty God,
help us to live the Gospel to the full
and become your true servants
through trials and adversities.
Let us proclaim the Gospel of Christ
in the love of the Holy Spirit.
Sustain us by your power.
We believe that our poverty is our wealth
for we know that even though we seem to have nothing,
yet in Jesus we possess all things.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“Offer no resistance to one who is evil.” (Mt 5:39) //“In everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God.” (II Cor 6:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
If someone offends you, put into practice the teaching of Jesus of non-retaliation and reconciliation through the power of good. // Today make a special effort to conduct yourself with kindness, patience and unfeigned love toward the people around you and thus help them recognize you as a “minister of God”.
***
June 16, 2015: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (11)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Love Our Enemies”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 8:1-9 // Mt 5:43-48
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Gospel reading (Mt 5:43-48) contains the Divine Master’s radical teaching on magnanimous love even of enemies. Harold Buetow comments: “Jesus teaches largeness of heart and mind … Our love for our enemies – those we do not like or who do not like us – is not of the heart but of the will. Therefore, to love them need not be an emotional experience, but must be a decision to commit ourselves to serve the best interests of all other people … We see that the apex of God’s kind of perfection is compassion, a willingness to suffer for others. Those who love in such an unconditional and non-selective way are true children of the God of limitless love … In our dealings with other people, both friends and enemies, we are to be magnanimous: large-minded, wide open, generous – and holy.”
The Amish community’s compassionate act to reach out to the family of Charles Roberts, the suicide-attacker of 10 Amish girls, illustrates the grandiose love that forgives and embraces all (cf. Internet article of Daniel Burke, Religion News Service).
It was October 2, 2006, and Charles Carl Roberts IV had just shot 10 Amish schoolgirls before turning the gun on himself. Five girls died. Five others were seriously wounded. The shooting shocked this quiet, rural county and horrified countless outsiders glued to the nonstop media coverage. “Not only was my son not alive, he was the perpetrator of the worst crime anyone could ever imagine”, Terri Roberts said. After the shooting, the world was riveted by the remarkable display of compassion shown by the Amish, as the quiet Christian sect embraced the Roberts family and strove to forgive the troubled sinner. (…)
On the day of the shooting, Terri crawled into a fetal position, feeling as if her insides were ripped apart. Her husband Chuck, a retired policeman, cried into a tea towel, unable to lift his head. He wore skin off his face wiping away his tears. Family and friends poured into the Roberts’ home in Strasburg, Philadelphia, a small town about six miles from Nickel Mines, where the shooting occurred. No one knew what to say. “What do you say, ‘At least it’s not as bad as so-and-so’? There was nothing that anyone could imagine that would have been worse than that day”, she said.
Later that evening, an Amish neighbor named Henry, whom Terri calls her “angel in black” arrived at their house. Chuck had begun a second career as an “Amish taxi”, driving families to destinations farther away than horses and buggies could carry them. After the shooting, Chuck feared he could never face the Amish again. “Roberts, we love you”, Henry insisted and continued to comfort Chuck for nearly an hour. Finally, Chuck looked up. “Thank you, Henry”, he said. “I just looked at that and said, ‘Oh Lord, my husband will heal through this.’ I was just so thankful for Henry that day”, Terri said.
***
In today’s First Reading (II Cor 8:1-9), Paul proposes to the Corinthians a collection to alleviate the suffering of the poor of the Mother Church in Jerusalem. The apostle feels obliged to instruct the skittish Corinthians on this delicate but important issue. The collection for the poor is, for Paul, of special importance for it signifies acceptance of the Gospel and of self-donation to God. The apostle therefore urges them to emulate what God’s grace has accomplished in the churches in Macedonia, that is, in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea. Though living in poverty and undergoing severe trials, they abound in joy, simplicity and generosity. The Christians in Macedonia give as much as they can and even more than they can. For them it is a privilege to take part in helping God’s people. Acknowledging the spiritual riches of the Corinthians, Paul exhorts them to be likewise generous in this service of love for the Jerusalem faith community. The apostle then provides a spiritual foundation for his mission appeal: Christ’s kenosis. Rich as he is, the Lord Jesus makes himself poor for our sake in order to make us rich by his poverty.
The model of Christian giving that Saint Paul underlines in his second letter to the Corinthians is an inspiration for all. The following story illustrates that the spirit of self-giving lives on in the here and now (cf. Marion Smith, “Drawn to the Warmth” in Chicken Soup for the Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al. Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 226-227).
Factoring in the wind chill, I knew the temperature was below zero. The bitter cold cut through my Californian sensibilities, as well as my enthusiasm as a tourist, so I ducked through the nearest door for warmth … and found myself in Washington, D.C.’s Union Station. I settled onto one of the public benches with a steaming cup of coffee – waiting for feeling to return to my fingers and toes – and relaxed to engage in some serious people-watching.
Several tables of diners spilled out into the great hall from the upscale American Restaurant, and heavenly aromas tempted me to consider an early dinner. I observed a man seated nearby and, from the longing in his eyes, realized that he, too, noticed the tantalizing food. His gaunt body, wind-chapped hands and tattered clothes nearly shouted, “Homeless, homeless!” I wondered how long it had been since he had eaten. Half expecting him to approach me for a handout, I almost welcomed such a plea. He never did. The longer I took in the scene, the crueler his plight seemed to be. My head and heart waged a silent war, the one telling me to mind my own business, the other urging a trip to the food court on his behalf.
While my internal debate raged one, a well-dressed young couple approached him. “Excuse me, sir”, the husband began. “My wife and I just finished eating, and our appetites weren’t as big as we thought. We hate to waste good food. Can you help us out and put this to use?” He extended a large Styrofoam container. “God bless you both. Merry Christmas”, came the grateful reply.
Pleased, yet dismayed by my own lack of action, I continued to watch. The man scrutinized his newfound bounty, rearranged the soup crackers, inspected the club sandwich and stirred the salad dressing – obviously prolonging this miracle meal. Then, with a slow deliberateness, he lifted the soup lid and, cupping his hands around the steaming warm bowl, inhaled. At last he unwrapped the plastic spoon, filled it to overflowing, lifted it toward his mouth and – with a suddenness that stunned me – stopped short.
I turned my head to follow his gaze. Entering the hall and shuffling in our direction was a new arrival. Hatless and gloveless, the elderly man was clad in lightweight pants, a threadbare jacket and open shoes. His hands were raw, and his face had a bluish tint. I wasn’t alone in gasping aloud at this sad sight, but my needy neighbor was the only one doing anything about it. Setting aside his meal, he leaped up and guided the elderly man to an adjacent seat. He took his icy hands and rubbed them briskly in his own. With a final tenderness, he draped his worn jacket over the older man’s shoulders. “Pop, my name’s Jack”, he said, “and one of God’s angels brought me this meal. I just finished eating and hate to waste good food. Can you help me out?” He placed the still-warm bowl of soup in the stranger’s hands without waiting for an answer. But he got one. “Sure, son, but only if you go halfway with me on that sandwich. It’s too much for a man my age.”
It wasn’t easy making my way to the food court with tears blurring my vision, but I soon returned with large containers of coffee and a big assortment of pastries. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but …” I left Union Station that day feeling warmer than I had ever thought possible.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I strive to conquer the vengeful instincts and to overcome evil with good? Do I practice the ethic of non-violence and the Christian way of forgiving love?
2. In our self-donation and care for the poor, do we imitate Jesus Christ, who became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty we might become rich? Do we thank God for the many generous souls who follow the spirit of Christian giving and allow ourselves to be inspired by them?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
in you mercy and justice have embraced.
thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through his self-giving,
we realize that Christian holiness demands compassion.
It challenges us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Give us the strength to love unconditionally
and to learn the ways of justice and peace
Let us draw courage from the truth that we belong to Christ
and that he leads us on the right path.
You live and reign, now and forever.
Amen.
***
God our Father,
we thank you for the spirit of self-giving
that Jesus Christ has shown in his kenosis:
he became poor for our sake.
Help us to imitate his total self-donation.
Let our poverty overflow in a wealth of generosity.
Make us generous in caring for the needs of the poor.
You are a loving and provident God.
We love 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.
“Love your enemies.” (Mt 5:44) // “He became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (II Cor 8:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By an act of kindness and compassion to a needy person or an offensive person, or by a forgiving stance to an injury suffered personally, enable the Gospel of saving love to spread. // In a spirit of self-giving and in imitation of the generous Macedonians, make an effort to alleviate the suffering of today’s poor.
***
June 17, 2015: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (11)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Do Good Deeds”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 9:6-11 // Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
From today’s Gospel reading (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18), we realize that doing the right deed for selfish reasons is “phony” and not commendable. Jesus takes up three traditional Jewish good deeds: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. While encouraging his disciples to practice them, he warns about the manner of practicing them. These traditional acts of righteousness are meaningless when done hypocritically and in view of self-seeking. Jesus criticizes pious self-display and not the pious actions themselves. Almsgiving, prayer and fasting are meaningful only when they are motivated by a sincere and faithful relationship with God and one’s fellow human beings. The Father of Jesus – our own Father too – who sees acts hidden from human sight will surely reward good deeds done for the glory of God and the good of others. God the Father rewards good deeds, both those done in secret and those carried out in public witnessing, as long as they are properly motivated, i.e. to secure God’s glory and to promote the well-being of our brothers and sisters. While teaching his disciples not to be hypocrites and self-seeking, Jesus Christ also encourages them to let their light shine before others so that those who see their good deeds may glorify the heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:16).
After the 8:00 A.M. Easter Sunday Mass at our parish of St. Christopher in San Jose (CA-USA), our community of three, plus a friend, went for breakfast at a nearby restaurant in our Willow Glen neighborhood. We enjoyed freshly brewed coffee and placed our order. Mine was a bowl of fresh fruit and Eggs Benedict. Easter joy was in the air as we shared the meal. When we asked for the bill, the waiter told us that an “Easter bunny” took care of it. We greatly appreciated the kindness of our secret benefactor. We prayed that God the Father, who sees good deeds done in secret, may reward and fill him with Easter blessings.
***
In today’s First Reading (II Cor 9:6-11), Saint Paul underlines the blessings of generosity using the image of a sower. The one who sows many seeds will have a large crop. God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply all the seed we need and help produce a rich harvest. Indeed, God will bring forth a bounty from our generous and kind hearts. He will always make us rich enough to be generous at all times. Therefore, we should not fear that generosity will impoverish us. God is infinite in his gifts. There is no need to covet or hoard. Our role as Christian disciples is to reflect the richness of God and his concern for the poor. We must have unlimited trust in divine providence. Our sharing must be motivated by a desire to proclaim God’s name. Our generous giving must inspire people to thank God for the many gifts he showers upon us.
The apostle Paul likewise asserts that God loves a cheerful giver. Like Jesus Savior, we too must be cheerful givers and jubilant in serving. The following story gives a glimpse into this (cf. Carol Knapp in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 281).
I received a surprising faith boost through my job selling baked goods at the farmers’ market. I had a tent and tables to set up, heavy racks of bread to load and unload, long hours standing in the weather-of-the-day and waves of people eager to hear me explain my wares.
Mothers came with children to buy their favorite cookies. Men stopped by on their lunch breaks to pick up pepperoni rolls. Summer customers wanted sweet breads for the cabin or buns for the outdoor grill. Autumn shoppers purchased scones to go with morning coffee and savory loaves to have with the soup. One woman preparing a Greek dinner for friends bought the spinach feta; a man on a bicycle liked his granola with raisins; a curmudgeonly man counted on his sourdough.
Somewhere in the middle of my job, the joy hit me; the unexpected joy of serving people, matching the right breads to their needs and watching them walk away satisfied.
I formed a new picture of the Son of Man, exuberant in sharing God’s message, excited to serve others: Jesus providing wine for the wedding guests in Cana, touching the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law so that the fever left her, giving sight to a man born blind, restoring life to a twelve-year-old, welcoming children into his arms.
How Jesus must have celebrated with the recipients of these wonderful works! What joy he must have felt every morning, anticipating the great things he would do, the words of life he must teach!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we do our “good deeds” with proper motivation, or do we carry them out as an occasion for self-seeking? Do we believe that God the Father who sees in secret will reward us for all good deeds done for his glory and the salvation of his people?
2. Are we generous in self-giving? Are we cheerful givers?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Heavenly Father,
we praise and thank you
for you see all our humble efforts to love and serve you.
You search the secrets of our heart
and all our actions are known to you.
Teach us always to work with supernatural intentions.
Deliver us from self-seeking and hypocrisy.
May our prayer, fasting and almsgiving
be done always for your greater glory
and the good of souls.
Grant us the prophetic power of Elijah and Elisha.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
God of love,
help us to be generous sowers and bountiful reapers.
Please give us the grace we need
to be of service to your kingdom.
Let your provident hand
make a bounty of our generosity.
Help us to imitate Jesus
who is cheerful in giving and jubilant in serving.
Let our good works 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.
“Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Mt 6:4) // “God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Cor 9:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In every good you do and in your pain and suffering, give glory and praise to God and seek the salvation of souls. // In accomplishing your daily tasks and ministry, do it with a joyful heart and in a spirit of self-giving.
***
June 18, 2015: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (11)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Pray”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 11:1-11 // Mt 6:7-15
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
When I was a postulant, we had a retreat with an Irish Carmelite priest. To help us understand better the meaning of prayer, he narrated a story about two hermits. Each one planted a papaya and took care that it should grow well and be fruitful. They even prayed for the papaya. One hermit tried to make God understand what needs to be done for the papaya: “Lord, please send some rain today for the papaya”; “The sun is too hot; please send some cool breeze for the papaya;” etc. But his papaya was unhealthy and scrawny. When he visited his friend, he noticed that the papaya he planted was sturdy and extremely fruitful. “What is your secret?” he asked. The other hermit responded, “I prayed and asked God, Please take care of the papaya!”
In today’s Gospel (Mt 6:7-15), Jesus teaches us the true meaning of prayer and how to pray. God our Father knows our needs even before we make our request. But he wants us to ask in confidence and trust. In prayer we do not so much inform God of some situation or micromanage him, as express our dependence and faith in him. The “Lord’s Prayer” that Jesus teaches us is a model of total surrender to God: “Your will be done …” Mother Teresa of Calcutta remarks: “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at his disposition, and listening to his voice in the depths of our hearts.”
***
In today’s First Reading (II Cor 1:1-11), we see the apostle Paul constrained to do some boasting. His detractors think he is not on par with the “super apostles”. He contends that he may not have the rhetorical skills that their so-called “apostles” have, but certainly he is not lacking in knowledge. Saint Paul is absolutely not inferior to anyone in the knowledge of the true Gospel. Moreover, he has used every means at his command to preach Jesus and his Gospel to the Corinthians. Indeed, he has done more than the other “apostles” to further the work of Christ. Another foolish accusation hurled at the apostle Paul is that he does not seek recompense for his preaching simply because he is too insignificant to merit any payment. Paul refutes them by asserting that other churches do esteem him and support him in his apostolic ministry. With condescension, he uses his critics’ own foolish expression and says that he is “paid by other churches”. The Christian believers in Macedonia, in fact, have brought Paul everything he needs, while he proclaims the Gospel in Corinth without charge. He resolves to continue to be financially independent and to proclaim the Gospel gratuitously so as not to burden the Corinthians. This is to prevent his critics from maligning his ministry and to avoid being accused of preaching the Gospel for money. At the end, the ever-conciliatory Paul reaffirms his love for the people he is trying to evangelize: “God knows I love you!”
The following charming story, entitled “How Much Is a Miracle?” and circulated on the Internet, gives a glimpse into what it means “to preach the Gospel without charge”.
Tess was a precocious eight-year-old when she heard her mom and dad talking about her little brother Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving into an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money for the doctor bills and their house. Only a very costly surgery could save Andrew now and it was looking like there was no one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all of the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the biggest red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at the moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages”, he said without waiting for a reply to his question. “Well, I want to talk to you about my brother”, Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick … and I want to buy a miracle.” “I beg your pardon”, asked the pharmacist. “His name is Andrew, and he has something bad growing inside his head, and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?” We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you”, the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”
The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and
asked the little girl, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?”
I don’t know”, Tess replied with eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really
sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But, my Daddy can’t pay for it,
so I want to use my money.” “How much do you have?” asked the man from
Chicago. “One dollar and eleven cents”, Tess answered barely audibly. “And
it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.
“Well, what a coincidence”, smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”
The well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge. And it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
“That surgery”, her mother whispered, “was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?” Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost … one dollar and eleven cents … plus the faith of a little child.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What is the significance of prayer for me personally? What are my experiences of prayer? Do I try to glean the true meaning of the “Lord’s Prayer”?
2. How do we respond to the criticisms and trials we encounter in our apostolic ministry? Do we proclaim the Gospel gratuitously or do we allow money, or the lack of it, to inhibit the work of evangelization?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
***
God our Father,
we trust in your protection and providence.
Defend us from our adversaries.
Help us to proclaim the Gospel without charge
for you have given us gratuitously the gift of salvation
that your Son won for us at the price of his blood.
We love 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.
“This is how you are to pray.” (Mt 6:9) //“I preached the Gospel of God to you without charge.” (II Cor 11:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When you pray the Lord’s Prayer, mean what you say. // When you do something nice and beautiful for someone, let that person feel that it is done freely, gratuitously and joyfully on his/her behalf.
***
June 19, 2015: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (11); SAINT ROMUALD, Abbot
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Seek True Treasures”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 11:18, 21-30// Mt 6:19-23
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In today’s Gospel (Mt 6:19-23), Jesus gives instructions on choosing between God and earthly treasures. Jesus Master counsels us not to store up treasures on earth because “earthly treasures” are fragile, alienable and perishable. There is nothing on earth that is worth putting our heart into in an absolute way. Only the Lord God is the eternal and absolute treasure. Our heart should be placed in him. He should be the object of our love, self-surrender and sacrifice. In view of this fundamental option, our principal concerns and interests are to store up treasures in heaven. Jesus also talks about the “eye” as the “lamp of the body”. In the ancient world the term “eye” is understood as expressing a person’s attitude. To say that “the eye is the lamp of the body” means that one’s attitude controls what one does or says. A healthy “eye” means that one’s personal attitude is sincere and open to God’s guidance. Hence, to make wise choices for the heavenly treasures would require a healthy “eye”, that is, a personal attitude that is enlightened by the wisdom of God. Storing up treasures in heaven needs true insight and perspective that is enlightened by the Spirit of God.
The following story, “The Seven Jars of Gold” illustrates the tragedy and misery of hoarding false treasures as well as the possibility of being “enlightened” and of rectifying our dismal acts and unfortunate choices (cf. Anthony De Mello, The Song of the Bird, New York: Image Books, 1984, p. 134-135).
A barber was passing under a haunted tree when he heard a voice say, “Would you like to have the seven jars of gold?” He looked around and saw no one. But his greed was aroused, so he shouted eagerly, “Yes, I certainly would.” “Then go home at once”, said the voice. “You will find them there.”
The barber ran all the way home. Sure enough, there were the seven jars – all full of gold, except for one that was only half full. Now the barber could not bear the thought of having a half-filled jar. He felt a violent urge to fill it or he simply would not be happy.
So he had all the jewelry of his family melted into coins and poured them into half-filled jar. But the jar remained as half-filled as before. This was exasperating! He saved and skimped and starved himself and his family. To no avail. No matter how much gold he put into the jar it remained half-filled.
So one day he begged the king to increase his salary. His salary was doubled. Again the fight to fill the jar was on. He even took to begging. The jar devoured every gold coin thrown into it but remained stubbornly half-filled.
The king now noticed how starved the barber looked. “What is wrong with you?” he asked. “You were so happy and contented when your salary was smaller. Now it has been doubled and you are so worn out and dejected. Can it be that you have the seven jars of gold with you?”
The barber was astonished. “Who told you this, Your Majesty?” he asked.
The king laughed. “But these are obviously the symptoms of person to whom the ghost has given the seven jars. He once offered them to me. When I asked if this money could be spent or merely hoarded, he vanished without a word. That money cannot be spent. It only brings with it the compulsion to hoard. Go and give it back to the ghost this minute and you will be happy again.”
***
In today’s First Reading (II Cor 11:18, 21-30), Saint Paul continues “to boast” in the Lord. Challenged by his detractors, he is impelled to respond to them in their own terms. He exposes to them his ethical and religious credentials: “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So I am …” The most substantial part of his “boasting”, however, is based on his profound understanding of himself as a “minister of Christ”. He is a minister of Christ even more than the others, for he has done more in the service of the Gospel. If others gain recognition on account of their sufferings for the Gospel, their trials would seem insignificant in comparison to Paul’s. The apostle then enumerates the adversities he suffered: imprisonments, floggings, shipwrecks, attacks from fellow Jews and from Gentiles, dangers in the wilderness, dangers from false friends, etc. Above all, he cannot refrain from adding his anxiety over the churches he founded. The daily trials of caring for the churches are without end and the conscientious Paul cannot find rest from these. He suffers intensely when others sin and the problems of everyone deeply concern him. Indeed, the great “boast” of Saint Paul is his own “weakness” which manifests the power of God at work in him. The great apostle does not exalt his own work in any way, but in God’s protection.
In a way, Paul’s apostolic sufferings for the sake of the Gospel are replicated in the life of Pope Pius XII. The following excerpt gives insight into this (cf. Alive! May 2012, p. 13).
New York Jew Gary Krupp grew up hating Pius XII for what he was told was the Pope’s anti-Semitism and unwillingness to help Jews during the Holocaust. Then he discovered that the indoctrination which he, like many of his generation, had received was a lie. Krupp became a passionate defender of Pius, determined to dig up all the information that would show the true greatness of the war time Pope.
In six years of research Krupp and his “Pave the Way Foundation” have uncovered over 76,000 pages of original material, plus eyewitness accounts and testimonies from various international scholars. His research has forced Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem to significantly modify its section on Pius. Krupp believes that as the evidence emerges, the bid to blacken Pius’ name and destroy his reputation is coming to an end. “We’re definitely winning, absolutely no question”, he said. “Every time we do more research, we find a diamond. It’s incredible, but there’s nothing on the other side because there’s no documented foundation for any of their accusations.”
Some of the documents brought to light by “Pave the Way” show that more than 20 years before he became a Pope, Pius favored the creation of a Jewish state. Krupp also unearthed a letter written by the then Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli shortly before he was elected Pope on 2nd March 1939. The letter was an attempt to obtain visas to Brazil for 200,000 Jews still in Germany after Kristalnacht. “He wasn’t able to obtain the visas, but he tried”, said Krupp. “The point is, he didn’t do it from the safety of Washington DC or London. He did it while surrounded by hostile forces and infiltrated by spies. And yet he still managed to save more Jews than all the other world leaders combined.”
Through his nephew, Carlo Pacelli, Pius helped prevent the arrest of Roman Jews in 1943. Some 12,000 found refuge in convents, monasteries, and Catholic homes.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I truly seek to store up treasure in heaven? What are my priorities, interests and choices? Do I strive to keep the “eye” – the “lamp of my body” healthy? Do I cultivate true insight and a supernatural perspective in life?
2. What sufferings do we experience, or are we willing to undergo, for the sake of the Gospel and for the faith community?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Jesus Divine Master,
we thank you for teaching us where to put our hearts
and where to store up treasure.
Help us to seek God as the only and absolute good.
Let us not be tantalized
by the false treasures of this earth.
Give light to the “eye” of our soul.
Grant us true insight
that we may seek the eternal treasure in heaven
with love, devotion and sacrifice.
Give us the wisdom, grace and strength
to fight evil and to do good.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(From the prayer “To Obtain Patience” by Blessed James Alberione)
Glorious Saint Paul,
from a persecutor of Christianity,
you became a very ardent and zealous apostle,
and suffered imprisonment, scourging, stoning, shipwreck
and endured persecutions of every kind,
in order to make the Savior Jesus Christ known
to the farthest bounds of the world.
In the end you shed your blood to the last drop.
Obtain for us the grace to accept
the infirmities, afflictions and misfortunes of the present life
as favors of divine mercy,
so that the vicissitudes of this our exile
may not make us grow cold in the service of God,
but may make us ever more faithful and more fervent.
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 where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.” (Mt 6:21) // “I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (II Cor 11:40)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Get rid of superfluous goods and strive to share more fully your earthly and supernatural goods with the needy. // When sufferings and trials come your way as you carry out your task as “servant of the Gospel”, think of Saint Paul and the sufferings he endured.
***
June 20, 2015: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (11); BVM ON SATURDAY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Delivers Us from Anxiety”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 12:1-10 // Mt 6:24-34
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In today’s Gospel (Mt 6:24-34), Jesus continues to shape us into disciples whose priorities are straight and who totally depend on God. He wants us to serve God and not mammon. Our possessions have a way of possessing us, but that cannot happen if we make a core decision for God. Our fundamental option for Christ and our radical choice for the kingdom values eliminate useless anxieties. Indeed, Jesus wants us to be free from excessive concern about food and clothing. What are they in comparison to the infinite value of the kingdom of God and his righteousness? He invites us to reflect on God’s care as shown in nature. The birds in the sky neither sow nor reap nor gather food into barns, yet the heavenly Father feeds them. He gives color and beauty to wild flowers and clothes them with a splendor that surpasses Solomon’s regal attire. If that is how God cares for the birds and wild flowers, how much more would he care for us – more important in his sight. Jesus urges us not to worry, for worrying is unproductive and counterproductive, a vicious killer of joy in our life. If we put our heart in God and seek his kingdom and his righteousness, all other matters will be in place and our needs taken care of.
The following story gives insight into the meaning of Jesus’ exhortation not to worry about tomorrow for there is no need to add to the troubles each day brings (cf. Anthony De Mello, The Song of the Bird, New York: Image Books, 1984, p. 21).
The Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. At night he could not sleep for he was convinced that he would be tortured the next morning.
Then the words of his master came to his mind. “Tomorrow is not real. The only reality is now.”
So he came to the present – and fell asleep.
The person over whom the future has lost its grip. How like the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. No anxieties for tomorrow. Total presence in the now. Holiness!
***
Today’s First Reading (II Cor 12:1-10) tells us that the New Testament prophet Paul is afflicted with a “thorn in the flesh”. Like his beloved Lord Jesus Christ, the great apostle Paul has been rejected, challenged, contested and criticized by the people he is meant to serve. Some vicious critics in the Corinthian community doubt his credentials and rate him as not being on par with the “super apostles” who have received visions and revelations. Compelled to deal with his critics on their own terms, the indignant Paul confesses that he too is a recipient of a special vision. This unique “revelation” has transported him to paradise. His ecstatic, mystical experience definitely surpasses those of the so-called “super apostles”. Paul speaks of this “revelation” in the third person to emphasize that it is an undeserved gift received from God. Indeed, until driven to this extreme by his Corinthian critics who looked down upon him, he has refrained from speaking about this and kept it a secret. However, in order that he may not become conceited on account of this extraordinary revelation, the mystic Saint Paul has been gifted with a “thorn in the flesh”, most likely, an embarrassing, chronic physical malady. The purpose of this affliction is clearly to help Paul assume a humble stance and allow the grace of God to work more freely and efficaciously in him.
The experience of Saint Paul testifies to the presence of divine grace in all our afflictions. Though his “thorn in the flesh” continues to afflict him, the certainty of God’s favor and assistance is enough for Paul. The Christians of today are called to the same trust, surrender and faith that in weakness, there is strength, if only we are united with Christ. The following story of the cancer victim, Kevin Barry, a former chief of legislation for the U.S. Coast Guard and a director of the National Institute of Military Justice, is a modern day testimony of how a physical affliction – a “thorn in the flesh” can be a “gift” to manifest the love and power of God (cf. “Pain and the Power of Prayer” in Saint Anthony Messenger, February 2009, p. 35-37).
It is said that cancer changes everything. That goes also for prayer. I was diagnosed with colon cancer on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1997. When the diagnosis first came in, prayer suddenly took on a much more prominent role in my wife’s life, as well as my own. Each time the cancer returned, and with each new crisis, prayer again rose up to be a more constant companion. But it is not just the proximity or amount of time we came to spend in prayer. What is more important is that, since cancer, our prayer habits have changed. Our prayers have become more present, more intense, more frequent, more together. (…)
My cancer has also resulted, at various times in the past years, in me experiencing pain. At such times I tend to pray with more intensity than is my norm when I am not in any pain and life is proceeding smoothly. That intensity can vary from a little more prayer than normal to an almost constant plea for strength to endure when the pain is particularly severe … Obviously, the pain is part of the whole deal. It is a result of cancer. Thus, it has to be part of what Roslyn and I have come to accept as “the gift of cancer”. (…)
To a certain degree, my experience of pain changed in 2007, after I had to stop chemotherapy in February because it wasn’t working well – its toxicity became too great. My white blood cell and platelet counts were being suppressed and were taking longer and longer to bounce back. Soon thereafter, I began to experience cancer pain that was chronic and quite severe, and I learned just how much a part of my life pain and pain medications could become. I spent more time praying, not just for the grace to endure the pain, but especially for the grace to accept better both my cancer and its pain as part of the gift (some would call it a cross), which was fashioned just for me by my loving God. I was extraordinarily blessed when the next round of chemotherapy miraculously terminated the pain just two days after the first treatment. I believe this sudden relief from all pain was a reminder of God’s mercy. (…)
The serious pain I have experienced has led me to consider pain and suffering on another level. Paul the Apostle has two extraordinary sentences in his letters. One is: I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20). The other is: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ (Colossians 1:24). What could possibly be lacking in the sufferings of Christ? His passion and death were part of his perfect sacrifice. The only thing I know that is lacking is for his suffering to be made present today – in this place and in this time. But if Christ lives in me, then my suffering becomes Christ’s suffering. Suddenly, it is much easier to endure pain knowing that, by doing so with the right intention; I bring the mystery of Christ’s own suffering into my life, for my benefit and for the benefit of all who are “one with me” in my struggle. It is like a variation on the Mass, through which Christ’s sacrifice is made present today in our world. In my suffering here and now, if I can truly live Paul’s words, Christ lives and suffers in me. And I live and suffer in him. What an awesome mystery. What a profound faith to share.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I put my total trust in God, not worrying about tomorrow and not giving in to useless anxieties?
2. What are your own experiences of grace? Can you truly avow that there is “strength in weakness”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
we trust in divine providence.
We look at the birds of the sky
and the immense field of wildflowers,
radiant with color and beauty.
You care for them.
How much more will you care for us!
Deliver us from useless anxieties.
Give us the grace to seek you
and the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Help us to persevere in overcoming evil with good.
Let us live day by day in your grace.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
be present to us in our afflictions
through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the power of the Holy Spirit.
We trust in your saving help
and we allow ourselves to be grasped by your guiding hand.
Gracious God,
in our human weakness and brokenness,
allow us to believe that there is “strength in weakness”.
You are our provident Father,
and together with your beloved Son Jesus Christ our Savior
and the Holy Spirit, the breath of life and love,
we 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.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Mt 6:33) //“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Cor 12:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When the present socio-economic situation threatens you with fear and anxieties, turn to God and assert more strongly your fundamental option for him as the one and absolute good. // Pray for the weakest and most vulnerable members of the society and, by your works of charity on their behalf, allow them to experience that there is “strength in weakness”.
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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