A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 13, n. 34)
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time and Weekday 16: July 19-25, 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: July 12-18, 2015, please go to ARCHIVES Series 13 and click on “Week 15”.
(Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: July 19-25, 2015.)
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July 19, 2015: SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Master-Shepherd”
BIBLICAL READINGS
Jer 23:1-6 // Eph 2:13-18 // Mk 6:30-34
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In 1995 I traveled about eight hours by bus from Manila to San Antonio to give a seminar on liturgical music. This scenic town is situated at the foot of Mount Pinatubo, a volcano that violently erupted on July 16, 1991, after five hundred years of dormancy. The people suffered great devastation. The town I saw was still full of sand and other debris spewed out by the volcanic eruption. The people narrated how they scrambled in all directions to save their lives. They were dispersed like sheep without a shepherd. My heart was filled with pity as I listened. In a mysterious way, I was reliving the compassion of Christ for the hapless crowd that pursued him.
The focus of today’s Gospel (Mk 6:30-34) is the Lord Jesus who shepherds. He shepherds the weary disciples who return from their missionary ministry, reporting to him what they had done and taught. His care for his tired and labor-spent disciples is heart-warming: “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mk 6:31). He invites them to a well-deserved respite and quiet. Indeed, the disciples-apostles who have completed their first mission of preaching repentance, driving away demons and anointing the sick need some quiet rest with their Master-Shepherd.
The Lord Jesus likewise shepherds the pursuing crowd who hunger for the bread of the Word. His response is beautifully described in the Gospel: “His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them with many things” (Mk 6:34). Jesus accomplishes his pastoral care for them by teaching, that is, by nourishing their hungry souls with the bread of the Word. His service of teaching is a “nourishing ministry”. It is an important task in shepherding God’s people. He nourishes those who seek spiritual strength and solace by proclaiming the Gospel. The liturgical scholar Adrian Nocent remarks: “It is by teaching the sheep that Jesus gathers them together … His teaching is filled with power and creates a new people. The crowds gather around him and share his teaching with one another by telling one another of their impressions; slowly they form a united flock on which Jesus bestows his love and for which he prepares future shepherds.”
***
I watched intently the gripping movie, “Hotel Rwanda”. The chaotic scenes and the footages of the atrocious genocide brought about by the Hutus against the Tutsis evoke the biblical scenarios of “the sheep without a shepherd”. As I watched the movie, I was moved to pity. I also remembered a priest friend from Rwanda – my classmate at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of St. Anselm University in Rome in the early 1980’s. Very tall, like a pine tree and strong as an oak tree, when he was climbing with me the Aventine Hill going to our school at the Benedictine abbey, he would make his naturally long stride very, very, very slow. I, in turn, would double pace my stride in order to catch up with him. I lost contact with him after graduation from the Liturgical Institute. As I watched the movie, “Hotel Rwanda”, I could not help but wonder whether he – a Tutsi - was one of the “tall trees” cut down by the Hutus. Deep in my heart, I was also sure that just like the benevolent and kind-hearted Paul Rusebagina, the hero of the “Hotel Rwanda”, he played the part of a true “shepherd” sent by God on behalf of the troubled and hapless people of Rwanda.
The Old Testament reading (Jer 23:1-6) offers a good background for the Gospel episode concerning Jesus’ care and concern for “the sheep without a shepherd”. Susan Myers remarks: “In the decades preceding the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the kingdom of Judah was a vassal state, subject alternately to Egypt and Babylonia. Kings ruled in quick succession, often installed by the foreign nations in power at that time. At one point, there were even two kings, one in exile and one in Jerusalem. In this chaotic situation, Jeremiah proclaims the oracle we read today. The false shepherds are those rulers who are responsible for the scattering of the people in exile. Beginning as an oracle of judgment, today’s passage quickly turns to provide hope for those exiled in Babylonia. God promises to take care of the remnant of the people which remains faithful, bringing them back home again. The prophet further predicts that God will raise up one from the lineage of David who will rule with justice.”
The promise of a future ideal king, described as “a righteous shoot of David” is fulfilled and crystallized in Jesus Christ, the ultimate Shepherd sent by God to nourish and care for his flock. The Good Shepherd is the Divine Master who nourishes with “the bread of truth”. His love and care is meant not only for a chosen few, but for God’s entire flock – the pitiable crowd who, in their brokenness, have a claim on the care and ministry of the Master-Shepherd.
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In the second reading (Eph 2:13-18), we hear again of the redemptive and unifying work of Jesus. He brings peace and reconciliation and makes the Jews and Gentiles one people. He unites people of all races and brings them back to God through his paschal mystery, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the pastoral ministry to the people of Israel, and especially through his sacrificial act on the cross by which he accomplished the fullness of his service as Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ leads the dispersed flock back to God the Father.
The life-giving sacrifice of the Good Shepherd on the cross is in accord with the divine plan “to restore all things”. Every Christian disciple, by virtue of baptismal consecration and configuration to Jesus Shepherd-King has a duty to seek peace and to work for reconciliation in our fragmented world. As Christians, we have a tremendous responsibility to promote unity within us and to bring healing to our wounded society and our deeply afflicted world. God calls us to incarnate in our lives the pastoral mission of Jesus. Our loving God the Father entrusts us with the ministry to shepherd his flock and to “restore all things in Christ”, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
R.W. Dellinger’s article, “GRYD: A More Comprehensive Anti-Gang Strategy” in The Tidings, Southern California’s Catholic Weekly, is very inspiring (cf. p. 4 of the July 10, 2009 issue). It illustrates the laudable efforts of today’s concerned and responsible citizens to eliminate violence and crime in our society. Capt. Mark Olvera, of the Los Angeles Police Department, and Father Stan Bosch are examples of those who continue the pastoral mission of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in the here and now.
With more than 400 street gangs and 40,000 gang members – resulting in some of the nation’s worst youth-on-youth violence – the City of the Angels has the dubious distinction of being the gang capital of the U.S.A. Through the police department, Los Angeles has long tried to arrest and suppress its way out of this deadly urban dilemma. (…)
LAPD Capt. Mark Olvera – a classical Flamenco guitarist who, with wife Sylvia and sons Garrett, 17, and Joseph, 15, comprise the music ministry for the Saturday vigil Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Lincoln Heights – is on the front lines of the city’s new anti-gang strategy. The outwardly calm commander of what is euphemistically called “Shootin’ Newton”, part of which has been designated a gang-reduction GRYD (Gang Reduction and Youth Development) zone, is sitting at a round table in his back office of the grey-stone station on Central Avenue at 34th Street, right across from St. Patrick Church. Three paintings hang from the back wall, including an expensive Japanese watercolor. On top of a glass-front bookcase, an army of knick-knacks stand guard. An acoustic guitar rests nearby in a corner. The 52-year-old policeman born and raised in East L.A. explains that his wife, who decorated his office, wanted to make it as comfortable as possible as he was going to spend so much time there working – often 12-hour days that stretch from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Most Saturdays, after the evening Mass, he comes in to catch up on paperwork.
“It’s probably not written down anywhere, but the main thing with GRYD and its gang interventionists is to stop the retaliations. Once there’s a shooting, stop pay-backs by being on the scene. That’s the first goal,” Capt. Olvera explains. “The second goal is to let us know where there are hot spots so we can deploy for them. “But at the same time, the interventionists should be working to: ‘OK, let’s be preventive. Let’s make sure there is no shooting to begin with.’ And that’s where Father Stan Bosch (GRYD supervisor for both the Newton and 77th division areas, who is a Trinitarian priest as well as a trained psychotherapist) comes in with his counseling and wraparound services. He deals with the healing part at the scene and then after counseling families and gang members. “There’s also the reentry part – Who’s coming out of the probation camps?” he adds. “We can work with the probation and then connect the youths to services and Father Stan right away to get them out of harm’s way.” (…)
Still, Olvera admits that GRYD, which has only been in operation in the Newton area since April 1, is a work in progress. He and his staff are examining different ways of doing things and making changes based on what works. There’s one factor, however, that has really helped the team make inroads with certain gangs so far – Father Bosch’s connection with gang members through a shared Catholic faith. “The power of the symbolism of a Catholic priest working with these kids meant a lot,” he says. “I think we can really do things with that in terms of dealing with the violence. “Also, it’s a matter of tolerance,” the LAPD commander adds. To those who think it’s OK for a gang member to be killed, he replies, “That’s not the Christian way. None of these killings is OK. And that’s what we have to change. I think with GRYD we’re on the verge of changing that attitude.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus Christ is the Master-Shepherd.
He feeds us with the bread of the Word
and nourishes us with hope
by witnessing to your unconditional love.
By his blood on the cross,
Jesus gathers the scattered sheep into one flock.
Through his teaching ministry and work of evangelization,
the Good News of salvation becomes a reality.
O loving and gracious God,
we thank you for Jesus, our Master-Shepherd!
Through him,
peoples from all races and nations
are gathered into your presence
and rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We praise you and love 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 were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” (Mk 6:34)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Spend some moments of peace and quiet solitude with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Relish the beautiful experience of “coming away with him to a deserted place to rest awhile”. With the compassionate heart of the Shepherd, welcome those who are “like sheep without a shepherd” and share with them the bread of God’s Word.
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July 20, 2015: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (16); SAINT APOLLINARIS, Bishop, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Gives the Sign of Jonah … He Is Our Saving Glory”
BIBLE READINGS
Ex 14:5-18 // Mt 12:38-42
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Gospel (Mt 12:38-42) tells us that the scribes and Pharisees demand to see a “sign” from Jesus – a flashy miracle that will convince them he is truly the Messiah. The “sign” they want is one that fits their notion of a triumphant political Son of David. Jesus has given enough signs in his public ministry, both in word and deed. But their prejudice prevents them from recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. He obliges by giving them the ultimate sign: Jonah in the belly of the whale three days and three nights. The mind-baffling “sign of Jonah” refers to the paschal event of his death and resurrection. Failure to accept this sign is unfortunate and merits condemnation. The people of Nineveh, who responded with repentance to Jonah’s proclamation, and the Queen of the South, who yearned to hear the wisdom of Solomon, stand in sharp contrast to their unbelief. Indeed, Jesus is “something greater” than Jonah or Solomon. More than Jonah who preaches repentance, Jesus is our peace and reconciliation. More than Solomon and his wisdom, Jesus is the incarnate wisdom of God. He is the fullness of truth - the absolute revelation of the heavenly Father’s love.
Jesus continues to offer the “sign of Jonah”, and those who are sensitive to grace can perceive it. The paschal sign of his death and resurrection enfolds us. We are called to an intimate participation in it. The following story circulated on the Internet gives insight into this.
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.” Very quietly the doctor said, “I don’t know.” “You don’t know? You’re a Christian man and don’t know what’s on the other side?” The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining. And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here. And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death. But I do know one thing … I know my Master is there and that is enough.”
***
The reading (Ex 14:5-18) depicts Pharaoh and his army in pursuit of the Israelites. Pharaoh has changed his mind about the Israelites leaving Egypt. He now regrets letting them go and resents the loss of a significant slave-labor force. The Israelites understandably react to the enemy’s pursuit with fear, and are tempted to prefer the slavery in Egypt to sure death in the desert. To Israel’s cry of despair, Moses responds with the assurance: “Don’t be afraid … You will see what the Lord will do to save you today … The Lord will fight for you!” The Lord then gives directions to Moses to ensure the safe passage of the Israelites through the sea. Moses is to lift his staff, stretch out his hand, and divide the sea in favor of Israel. The consequent defeat of the Egyptians will be an eloquent witness to the power of the Divine Warrior. Thus the Lord God will be extolled and glorified.
The following story gives a glimpse into the fear and danger that the Israelites went through because of the attacks by the Egyptians (cf. Lou McMurray, “A Most Unusual Vacation” in Poverello News, March 2013, p. 3-4 // April 2013, p. 3-5).
Our group was visiting Crown Island off the coast of mainland Papua New Guinea (PNG). The island was populated by several extended families … I took a walk on a trail passing through a small family unit, unkempt gardens and rainforest. After the walk I decided to take a swim … I had swum approximately one fourth mile and was having a nice time looking at all the fish and coral formations.
I suddenly felt something big against my body and something clamped onto my right arm. I looked and saw a big crocodile with my arm in his mouth. I was immediately able to yank my arm out. I felt no pain and my body went into survival mode … This time he started snapping his jaws and caught my left lower leg. I again kicked and yanked my leg out of his mouth. He backed off and swam next to me. I was still at least 100 meters offshore. I didn’t notice the water depth. My only thoughts were to keep my eyes on the crocodile, that I was probably going to die and that I was getting exhausted from swimming and kicking him.
He came at me several more times. I can’t recall how many aggressive moves he made, probably five or six. He caught my other leg in one of the attacks and again I was able to kick free. I was now desperate. I realized that if he kept at me I wouldn’t make it to shore. It was all I could do to keep swimming and kicking at him. The croc was getting wise to my kicks and starting to lower his approach so I couldn’t get my feet under his jaws to kick him. He seemed to have no inclination to leave me.
I lost track of the crocodile and looked under water to see where he was. Before he stayed on top of the water and I could see him. My last view of him was underwater swimming away. But I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t come back, so getting on the boat was a high priority. The problem was that the ramp was narrow and about a foot above the water. I didn’t have the strength to lift myself in. I was totally exhausted. With the help of Dan, the boat hand, I finally got on board.
It was on the short boat ride back to the ship that I realized I was injured. I couldn’t evaluate my situation but could only feel overwhelmed with my good fortune that the rescue boat came when it did. Apparently, Steve, one of the boat hands on shore saw me struggling and splashing. As I was a good one fourth mile away he did not know I was being attacked. Thinking something was wrong Steve called the ship and requested a rescue boat to come to investigate. Had Steve not made that call, it’s doubtful I would have survived.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What is our response to the “sign of Jonah” that Jesus continues to offer us in our daily life?
2. What do we do when fear assails us and when we are the object of an enemy’s attack? Do we hold on and allow the Lord to defend and fight for us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you for the paschal “sign of Jonah”.
Please give us the grace to respond in faith
to this “mystery” and revelation of love.
Teach us to make a quest for you,
the eternal wisdom that leads to eternal life.
Loving Lord, help us to do what is required of us:
“to do the right and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with God”.
We love you and praise you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
All-powerful God,
like the Israelites in the desert pursued by the Egyptians,
we too suffer attacks from death-dealing forces.
Let us be comforted by your assurance:
“Do not be afraid … The Lord will fight for you.”
Be our defense and protection.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“No sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.” (Mt 12:39) // “Fear not … The Lord himself will fight for you.” (Ex 14:13-14)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be receptive to the “sign of Jonah” that surrounds us in daily life. By consciously participating in the paschal sacrifice of Christ, let the people around you realize that the “sign of Jonah” is a sign of salvation. // When assailed by temptation and danger, stand your ground and fear not, believing that the Lord himself will fight for you.
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July 21, 2015: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (16); SAINT LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI, Priest, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Family Obeys the Will of God … He Is Victorious in His Exodus”
BIBLE READINGS
Ex 14:21-15:1 // Mt 12:46-50
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Gospel (Mt 12:46-50) tells us that Jesus continues to suffer unbelief and rejection. The hostility of the Jewish religious leaders is mounting. The mother and relatives of Jesus are deeply concerned. They want to speak to him. They probably intend to take him away from danger. But Jesus makes use of the presence of his mother and kinsmen to define the true nature of his family. The true family of Jesus is constituted by those who follow the will of God – of which Mary is the model. Jesus does not reject the bond of blood kinship, but his commitment to the reign of God leads him to affirm the new and higher bond of spiritual kinship. Those who, in faith, submit to the will of God the Father are brothers and sisters and mothers to Jesus. They are true members of God’s family.
The following story, circulated on the Internet, shows how Mother Teresa of Calcutta testifies to how we can live in today’s world as true members of God’s family.
Jim Castle was tired when he boarded his plane in Cincinnati, Ohio, that night in 1981. The 45-year-old management consultant had put on a week-long series of business meetings and seminars, and now he sank gratefully into his seat, ready for the flight home to Kansas City, Kansas. As more passengers entered, the place hummed with conversation, mixed with the sound of bags being stowed. Then, suddenly, people fell silent. The quiet moved slowly up the aisle like an invisible wake behind a boat. Jim craned his head to see what was happening and his mouth dropped open. Walking up the aisle were two nuns clad in simple white habits bordered in blue. He recognized the familiar face of one at once, the wrinkled skin, and the eyes warmly intent. This was a face he’d seen in newscasts and on the cover of TIME. The two nuns halted, and Jim realized that his seat companion was going to be Mother Teresa!
As the last few passengers settled in, Mother Teresa and her companion pulled out rosaries. Each decade of the beads was a different color, Jim noticed. “The decades represented various areas of the world”, Mother Teresa told him later and added, “I pray for the poor and dying on each continent.”
The airplane taxied to the runway and the two women began to pray, their voices a low murmur. Though Jim considered himself not a very religious Catholic who went to church mostly out of habit, inexplicably he found himself joining in. By the time they murmured the final prayer, the plane had reached cruising altitude. Mother Teresa turned toward him. For the first time in his life, Jim understood what people meant when they spoke of a person possessing an “aura”. As she gazed at him, a sense of peace filled him; he could no more see it than he could see the wind but he felt it, just as surely as he felt a warm summer breeze. “Young man”, she inquired, “do you say the rosary often?” “No, not really”, he admitted. She took his hands, while her eyes probed his. Then she smiled. “Well, you will now.” And she dropped her rosary into his palm.
An hour later, Jim entered the Kansas City airport where he was met by his wife, Ruth. “What in the world?” Ruth asked when she noticed the rosary in his hand. They kissed and Jim described his encounter. Driving home, he said “I feel as if I met a true sister of God.”
Nine months later, Jim and Ruth visited Connie, a friend of theirs for several years. Connie confessed that she’d been told she had ovarian cancer. “The doctor says it’s a tough case”, said Connie, “but I’m going to fight it. I won’t give up.” Jim clasped her hand. Then, after reaching into his pocket, he gently twined Mother Teresa’s rosary around her fingers. He told her the story and said, “Keep it with you, Connie. It may help.” Although Connie wasn’t Catholic, her hand closed willingly around the small plastic beads. “Thank you”, she whispered. “I hope I can return it.”
More than a year passed before Jim saw Connie again. This time her face was glowing. She hurried toward him and handed him the rosary. “I carried it with me all year”, she said. “I’ve had surgery and have been on chemotherapy, too. Last month, the doctors did second-look surgery, and the tumor’s gone. Completely!” Her eyes met Jim’s. “I knew it was time to give the rosary back.”
***
Today’s reading (Ex 14:21-15:1) recounts the awesome manifestation of divine power at the crossing of the Red Sea. This confirms the reality that the God of Israel is the Lord of all. As commanded, Moses stretches out his hand over the sea, resulting in a very special miracle. The water is divided, and the Israelites go through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides. At this point, the Egyptian forces pursue the Israelites on the dry land. Moses then stretches out his hand over the sea and the returning waters engulf the Egyptians. This victory at sea enables the Israelites to acknowledge God’s saving intervention on their behalf. Moses and the Israelites thus sing the following song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.” The Lord’s deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea has clearly proved his dominion over all forces and manifests that he is the singular savior of Israel. By his passion, death, and glorification, Jesus Christ has brought to fulfillment the saving event of the Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea, which prefigures it.
The “victory” that the Israelites experience at the crossing of the Red Sea continues to surface in our daily life, as the following story shows (cf. Sabra Ciancanelli, “July 5 Reflection” in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 212).
My son Solomon was afraid of getting his head wet. Last summer when I signed him up for swim lessons, my husband and I spent many nights reassuring Solomon that he’d be fine.
On the morning of his first lesson, Solomon and I waited outside the community swimming pool. I gave him a hug and whispered, “You can do it!” Solomon put on a belt with floats and climbed down the ladder. He followed the instructor’s words carefully. When she asked him to blow bubbles in the water, without hesitation, he leaned in and blew.
In the following days Solomon learned to float and paddle. By the second week my concern eased, and I read a magazine as they practiced. At one point I looked up to check on Solomon and didn’t see him. I raced to the pool’s edge and fearfully searched the bottom. I was about to yell out to the instructor when I noticed the boy in front of me swimming gracefully with his face in the water. He was wearing the same kind of swimsuit as Solomon. Wait, that is Solomon! Look how beautifully he glides! I clapped and cheered, and my eyes filled with tears as Solomon reached the edge of the pool.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we truly belong to the family of God by our faith response and obedience to the Father’s will? By our work and deeds, do we strive to be a mother, brother or sister to Jesus present in today’s poor and needy?
2. Do we trust that the Lord is with us to protect us as we cross the raging waters of our life? Do we acclaim his saving power in our life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Jesus,
you are the beloved son of God.
Baptized into the community of faith,
we become members of God’s family.
Help us to live our baptismal consecration
and obediently follow the Father’s saving will
that we may truly be a part of the divine family.
Give us the grace to be a mother, brother or sister
to the poor and needy in today’s world
that we may merit your gift of spiritual kinship.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
God our Father,
the exodus of the Israelites through the Red Sea
manifests your saving power.
Let your marvelous power guide us
as we attempt to cross the desert of temptations
and to traverse the raging seas of our life.
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 my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12:50) //“I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant.” (Ex 15:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your witness of charity and service to the people around you, let them know that you truly belong to the community of faith and that you are a brother, sister, or mother to Jesus. // Be attentive to the many “victories” in your daily life that you experience through divine grace, and be thankful to the Lord for them.
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July 22, 2015: WEDNESDAY – SAINT MARY MAGDALENE
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes Us Messengers of His Resurrection”
BIBLE READINGS
Ex 16:1-5, 9-15 // Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene. The Gospel reading (Jn 20:1-2, 11-18) presents her as the first witness of the resurrection and as the first one commissioned by Jesus to proclaim the Easter message to his disciples. Mary Magdalene, who ministered to Jesus in his public ministry and stood by him at his crucifixion, is now depicted as weeping by the tomb and seeking the dead body of Jesus, whom she thought had been taken away. She fails to recognize the Risen Lord who appears to her, but like one of his sheep, she recognizes him when she hears him calling her name. Mary clings to him, but Jesus makes her understand that he must not be hindered from completing the full extent of his glorification. The Risen Lord assures her that from now on he and his disciples are inseparable. Through his glorification they have become children of the one Father and God, begotten by his own blood shed on the cross. Jesus commissions her to bear the good news of the Easter event – though she is a woman. Mary Magdalene, therefore, has the honor of being the “apostle to the apostles”.
In his apostolic letter, Mulieris Dignitatem (“On the Dignity and Vocation of Women”), Saint John Paul II wrote: “The Gospel of John also emphasizes the special role of Mary Magdalene. She is the first to meet the Risen Christ … Hence she came to be called the apostle to the apostles. Mary Magdalene was the first eyewitness of the Risen Christ and for this reason she was also the first to bear witness to him before the apostles. This event, in a sense, crowns all that has been said previously about Christ entrusting divine truths to women as well as men.” Indeed, Mary Magdalene becomes a significant part of the “new creation” that springs forth in the Easter morn. The glorification of Christ ushers in a “Christological creation” in which there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, between men and women (cf. Gal 3:28).
Tradition and fancy have developed regarding the ministry of Mary Magdalene, a privileged witness of Christ’s resurrection. The following Wikipedia article, circulated on the Internet, gives an example.
For centuries, it has been the custom of many Christians to share dyed and painted eggs, particularly on Easter Sunday. The eggs represent new life, and Christ bursting forth from the tomb. Among Eastern Orthodox Christians this sharing is accompanied by the proclamation "Christ is risen!”
One tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that, following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by the Roman Emperor Tiberius. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed, "Christ is risen!" The Emperor laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her hand turned a bright red, and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire imperial house.
Another version of this story can be found in popular belief, mostly in Greece. It is believed that after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary put a basket full of eggs at the foot of the cross. There, the eggs were painted red by the blood of the Christ. Then, Mary Magdalene brought them to Tiberius Caesar.
***
The reading (Ex 16:1-5, 9-15) depicts God’s act of graciousness upon the hard-headed Israelites. It is the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from Egypt and the people wandering in the desert are given to despair. They express a death wish that is tantamount to a rejection of God’s saving plan: “Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!” Their grumblings manifest their lack of trust in the God who desires to lead them into the Promised Land. The Lord God, however, responds to their despair with an act of mercy. To the people’s complaint and hunger pangs, the Lord God promises relief and nourishment. God rains down bread from heaven that they may have their fill. He also sends quails from the sky to provide them with meat to eat. God’s gracious care of the people in the desert prefigures the ultimate care he gives to his people by sending his beloved Son Jesus Christ, the bread of life come down from heaven.
The following story illustrates the enormous care of God, especially for those who trust in him (cf. Lalia Winsett, “Baptist Minister” in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, at. al. Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc. 1997, p. 197).
I have a cousin who is a Baptist minister. When we were growing up, we only saw each other a couple of times a year. Now we see each other even less.
A few years ago, when I hadn’t seen him for some time, I suddenly began thinking about him and his family. I just couldn’t get them off my mind. And for some reason, I felt compelled to send him a check for $100. I thought about it for a few days and made more than one aborted trip to the post office. I finally mailed it with a letter saying I hope I wasn’t offending him, but I believed the Lord wanted me to do this.
A couple of weeks later I received a reply. My cousin said it never ceased to amaze him how God worked in his life. And now God had once again shown him, through us, that he will always meet our needs. My cousin said the only concern he had was that I sent too much. All he needed was $97.56.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Like Mary Magdalene, are we willing to stand by the cross of Christ and at the tomb of his resurrection? Are we willing to proclaim the joyful news of his resurrection?
2. Do we ever grumble and complain to God about anything? What does this say with regards to our faith relationship with God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer, Mass: Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene)
Father,
your Son first entrusted to Mary Magdalene
the joyful news of his resurrection.
By her prayers and example
may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord
and one day see him in glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Almighty God,
how gracious you are
and how marvelous is you saving plan!
You responded with care and kindness
to the hunger pangs of the Israelites.
You have provided for their needs.
You rained down bread from heaven
to satisfy their hunger.
We too are hungry for spiritual food
and you send Jesus Christ,
the bread of eternal life.
We thank you for this marvelous gift.
Grant that, in being nourished by this gift,
we may be transformed
and become living “Eucharist”.
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.
“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’.” (Jn 20:18) //“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.” (Ex 16:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for persons who have hurt you, and whom you find difficult to forgive. Make an effort to bring God’s forgiving love and the good news of Christ’s resurrection to them. // Today when you are tempted to complain against God and grumble, keep in mind how good and gracious he is. Resolve to trust him in your deep needs.
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July 23, 2015: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (16); SAINT BRIDGET, Religious
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Speaks in Parables … He Is God Manifest”
BIBLE READINGS
Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b // Mt 13:10-17
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In the Gospel (Mt 13:10-17) we see that Jesus uses stories to communicate the kingdom values. He speaks to people in parables to reveal the mysteries of the reign of God. The Gospel message demands a positive response and necessitates openness of heart. The parables and stories are meant to be meditated upon and “interiorized”. Teaching in parables is a compassionate act of the Divine Master to reach out to those in need of salvation. The simple and childlike are able to glean the life-giving wisdom of Jesus’ parables. Those who have deliberately closed their heart to Jesus are untouched by the power of the parables. Since their heart is gross, they look but do not see; they hear but do not understand. They are oblivious to the saving message and are not moved to conversion and transformation. Their lack of understanding results from their prejudice that Jesus does not meet their criteria of the Messiah.
The following story illustrates that to glean the life-giving meaning of stories and parables, the heart must be at work (cf. Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird, New York: Image Books, 1984, p. 1).
A disciple once complained, “You tell us stories, but you never reveal the meaning to us.”
Said the master, “How would you like it if someone offered you fruit and masticated it before giving it to you?”
No one can find the meaning for you. Not even the master.
***
The reading (Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b) depicts the “theophany” or God’s manifestation on Mount Sinai. The people of Israel reach the desert of Sinai on the first day of the third month after leaving Egypt. The Lord commands Moses to prepare the people for the divine encounter by sanctifying themselves and through certain rituals for purification. On the third day of preparation, Moses leads the people out of the camp to meet God and they stand at the foot of the mountain. The Lord then comes down on Mount Sinai. Having summoned Moses to the mountain top, the Lord God speaks to him. In the Sinai theophany that is marked with fire, smoke and the shaking of the mountain, God reveals himself as the Lord of majesty, power and glory. The people of Israel are overawed. God likewise confirms Moses’ unique position as his prophet and the covenant mediator. God stipulates a covenant with the Israelites and fashions them into a “chosen people”, a people dedicated to God alone.
The divine manifestation goes on through time and space. God continues to reveal himself as a “mighty and powerful” God. Our response is awe and adoration. The following lyrics composed by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) underline a very positive response to the display of God’s power and might.
“I Sing the Mighty Power of God”
I sing he mighty pow’r of God that made the mountains rise,
that spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day.
The moon shines full at his command and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord that filled the earth with food.
He formed the creatures with his word and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how thy wonders are displayed where’er I turn my eye.
If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky!
There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes thy glories known.
And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from thy throne.
While all that borrows life from thee is ever in thy care.
And ev’ry where that I can be, Thou, God, are present there.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we make a personal effort to deepen our faith by prayerful reflection on the word of God? Do we continue to value the life-giving meaning of Jesus’ parables?
2. What is our response to God who manifests his loving and marvelous presence to us? Are we open to welcome the beauty and miracle of God’s self-revelation as a mighty, strong and immortal God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Lord,
you spoke in parables
to reveal to us the mysteries of the kingdom
and to manifest the state of our heart.
Help us to be receptive to your word.
Give us the grace and wisdom we need
to delve into the meaning of your parables.
Let your life-giving message transform us.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
O loving God,
holy, awesome, glorious and powerful are you!
You are our merciful Father.
Your love makes of us your “covenant people”.
Let us be faithful to you.
We will sing your praise all the days of our life
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.
“Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you.” (Mt 13:11) // “The Lord will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.” (Ex 19:11).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pay particular attention to Jesus’ parables, especially when they are proclaimed in the liturgical assembly. Make a special effort to glean their message for you and the community. // Be attentive and responsive to the various “manifestations” of God in our daily life.
*** *** ***
July 24, 2015: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (16); SAINT SHARBEL MAKHLUF, Priest
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Helps Them Understand … He Is the Rule of Life”
BIBLE READINGS
Ex 20:1-17 // Mt 13:18-23
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Gospel (Mt 13:18-23) tells us that without spoon-feeding them, the Divine Master helps his disciples delve into the meaning of the parable of the sower. He underlines that the growth of the seeds of the kingdom depend on various factors. But the clincher is the fruitful result of the seeds that fall into good soil. This refers to authentic disciples of Jesus who hear the word of God, make an effort to understand and glean its personal implication, and let the Gospel bear abundant fruit in their life.
The miracle of the fruitful seeds lives on through the work of Christian disciples who sow and promote the spirit of the Gospel in the here and now. The story of Papa Mike, founder of the Poverello House in Fresno, gives insight into this (cf. Poverello House, May 2012, p. 1-2).
A man named Ed was the victim of growing neighborhood violence. An older man who had been on the streets for many years, he recently got a place to stay. He still comes here to eat, and as he was leaving one day, two young men accosted him not too far from Poverello. They beat him, knocked out a tooth or two, and took his money.
When he told me about it, he was understandably angry. He wanted to get his gun and take his revenge. In his younger days, I have no doubt that Ed would have done just that. However, I was able to talk him down and help him try to see the big picture, how shooting these men would cause him even more grief. Thankfully, Ed listened to me. (…) I believe that I’ve done at least a little of what the Good Lord put me here to do.
***
Maryknoll magazine, published by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, never fails to inspire me. In its March 2006 issue, Sean Sprague presents the laudable work of Christine Bodewes, a Maryknoll lay missioner in Kenya (cf. “Sowing Seeds in the Slums”, p. 32-34). Eight years ago, Christine left her Chicago law firm and went to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to run a legal aid clinic. Many of her cases involved defending the slum dwellers’ rights to their land. Four years later, she responded to an invitation from the Mexican Guadalupe Fathers to set up a human rights office in Christ the King Parish, in the heart of Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi.
Christine narrated, “I spent a year trying to understand the complex ethnic, political, social and economic issues of Kibera. I didn’t have a strategy, but I spent a lot of time listening to people. I saw that human rights education was the key to the ministry.” She therefore networked and pulled together a part-time team of volunteering professional Kenyan lawyers, who created a curriculum to teach civic education to people who were ignorant of their rights. Later she was able to hire four full-time, paid employees, all Kibera residents, and they broadened their civic education curriculum to include the teachings of the Church. The recent addition to the team is a full-time Kenyan lawyer, Dorothy Ombajo.
Christine remarks: “Christ the King office of human rights is one of the best human rights groups in Kenya. The people feel blessed having a lawyer who understands their problems. There has been a huge increase in people coming to the office, especially children, about rape, sodomy and being thrown out of school … I also feel great pride in our human rights team. My goal has been to plant the seeds. These people can change the world.” Christine Bodewes is aglow with joy because, through her ministry as a lawyer, she was able to harness the spirit of the civil law to promote human rights and serve the good of people, especially the poor.
The first reading of today’s liturgy (Ex 20:1-17) is also about the law – the divine law given through Moses. It is about the Decalogue – also called the Ten Commandments - the fundamental law that regulates the moral life of the people of Israel. This rule of life, an expression of Yahweh’s passionate love for his chosen people, is meant to deepen his covenantal relationship with them and protect their identity as a people consecrated to him alone. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to establish a righteous relationship between God and his people, and between the various members of his people. The God who delivered his people from oppressive slavery in Egypt had given them this moral code as an opportunity to love him and their neighbors, not just in words, but above all, in deeds.
In an astounding revelation of divine love, the new and everlasting covenant would be inaugurated by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross and by his glorious rising to life. One characteristic of this new covenant in the blood of Christ is the “interiorization” of religion: the Law is no longer to be a code regulating external activity, but an inspiration working on the heart of man, under the influence of the spirit of God, - the spirit of Love - who gives us a “new heart”. Indeed, though the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through the incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 1:16) - the ultimate Rule of Life.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I intend to be good soil that promotes the growth and fruitfulness of the seeds of God’s kingdom?
2. What is our attitude to the Ten Commandments given to us by God? Do we consider it merely as a moral code, or do we treasure it as a gift of covenantal love? What do we do personally to help “interiorize” the spirit of the Ten Commandments? What is our response to Jesus Christ, who has ratified the new and everlasting covenant in his blood? How do we follow and reverence him as the total and ultimate Rule of Life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving Jesus,
you sow the seeds of God’s kingdom.
Let me be like the good soil
that promotes their growth and fruitfulness.
Teach me to open myself
to the miracle of life that you bring.
Give me true understanding of the message of salvation.
Help me to sow the seeds of your saving word
in the here and now.
We love you and praise you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Gracious Father,
your commands spring forth from covenant love.
You have the words of everlasting life.
In the death of your Son Jesus Christ,
your definitive saving word,
you have revealed the depths of your love.
Help us to follow unreservedly your Son,
the Rule of Life.
By the gift of his life on the cross,
which brought forth the new covenant,
cleanse us from what draws us away from you.
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.
“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit.” (Mt 13:21) //“For I, the Lord, your God, bestow mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Ex 20:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Reflect on what you can do to share the word of salvation with the people around you. Do what you can to make the Internet a forum of evangelization. // Pray for the conversion and enlightenment of those who disregard the commandments of God, either willfully or through ignorance. Study the incredibly enriching and inspiring chapters of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Ten Commandments.
*** *** ***
July 25, 2015: SATURDAY – SAINT JAMES, APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Apostles Share in His Passion and Are the Earthen Vessels of His Grace”
BIBLE READINGS
II Cor 4:7-15 // Mt 20:20-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The meaning of today’s Gospel account (Mt 20:20-28) can be understood if we consider the prophecy of the passion that precedes it (verses 12-19). The request of James and John to sit at Jesus’ right and left in glory is totally inappropriate in the context of the prediction regarding his imminent passion as the Suffering Servant. The Divine Master responds to their obtuseness by challenging them: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” (Mt 20:22). Since the image of the cup is a symbol of his forthcoming passion and death, we can deduce that Jesus is inviting them to participate in his paschal destiny. Indeed, discipleship is an intimate sharing in his role as the suffering Servant of Yahweh. Through this the Christian disciples share in his glory.
The apostle James, whose feast we celebrate today, has drunk the “cup” of passion and participated in Christ’s paschal destiny. The following notes about this saint, circulated on the Internet, are very interesting.
St. James the Greater was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, a son of Zebedee. He and his older brother John were called by Jesus while fixing their nets at the Lake of Genesaret. They received from Christ the name "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder," for their impetuosity. The gospel relates that James was present for the miracle of Jairo's daughter, the Transfiguration, and later with Jesus during His Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Acts of the Apostles relates that the Apostles dispersed to different regions to take the Good News to the people of God. Sister Maria de Jesus de Agreda was a Franciscan religious who received revelations from Jesus. It was revealed to her that St. James the Greater went to Spain to evangelize. He went first to Galicia, where he established a Christian community, and later to the Roman city of Cesar Augusto, today known as Zaragoza. It is believed that on January 2nd, in the year 40 A.D., St. James and his disciples were resting on the shore of the Egro River when they started to hear sweet voices singing. They saw the sky fill up with light and many angels coming near them. The angels were carrying a throne on which the Queen of Heaven and earth was sitting. This was extraordinary, for Mary was living at that time in Jerusalem, making her appearance to them in Spain a bilocation. The Blessed Virgin told St. James to build a sanctuary where God would be honored and glorified, and gave him a pillar with her image to be placed in the sanctuary. The Blessed Virgin also told St. James that the sanctuary would remain until the end of time and that she would bless all the prayers offered devoutly in this place. At the end of the apparition, Our Lady said to St. James that when the sanctuary was finished, he should return to Palestine where he would die.
St. James fulfilled the desires of the Blessed Virgin Mary and constructed the first Christian Church in the entire world. St. James returned to Palestine, where he was decapitated by order of Herod on the 25th of March during a persecution of the Church in Jerusalem. According to tradition, the accuser of St. James, who led him to judgment, was so moved by St. James’ confession before his death that he converted and was willingly beheaded with the Apostle. His disciples recovered his body and transported it to Galicia without anyone’s knowledge in a miraculous boat guided by God.
In the Old Testament, Jacob constructed an altar for God naming it Bethel, which means "House of God" (Gen. 35:7). Jacob is a Greek name, and translated to Spanish, the name means James. Jacob constructed the "House of God” and St. James parallels his namesake with the construction of the first "House of God” of the New Covenant.
St. James' tomb was forgotten for over 800 years. Under the rule of Alfonso II (789-842), a hermit named Pelagio received a vision revealing the tomb of St. James. On July 25th, 812, the spot where the tomb was revealed to be was filled with a bright light. Because of this, it has since been known as Campostela, which means "Field of Light." The bishop of Iria Flavia, Theodomir, after investigating, declared that these were truly the remains of St. James in the tomb. In 1884 Pope Leo XIII, in a Papal Bull, declared that the remains of St. James were at Campostela.
St. James the Greater is also known as "Matamoros," Spanish for “killer of the Moors.” It is known that his intercession helped the people on various occasions against the threat of the Moors, especially in 1492 when Spain was re-conquered.
***
In today’s First Reading (II Cor 4:7-15), Saint Paul underlines the reality of human frailty and weakness and its limpid capacity to manifest the power of God. In the context of his experience with the contentious Corinthian community, the apostle is truly an “earthen vessel” because of his limitations. His critics despise him as not qualified for the apostolic task. Thus Paul, whose qualifications for the apostolate come from God and not from human origin, both concedes his poverty and underlines the divine power at work in that very poverty. He admits he is an “earthen vessel” – yes - but a treasure-bearing “earthen vessel”. In spite of our human limitations, God choose us to be bearers of his spiritual treasure. He wills to manifest through us the supreme power that belongs to him alone.
The apostle Paul then underlines what it means to be a treasure-bearing “earthen vessel”. He was afflicted but not constrained, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. Death-dealing situations seek to overwhelm him, but never succeed because he is totally united with Jesus in his life-giving passion. In union with the Christ’s paschal mystery, Paul’s ministry is bearing fruit in the believing Corinthians. Indeed, God the Father who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with him. This will cause thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
Like the apostles Paul and James, we are called to be “earthen vessels” of God’s grace. The following personal account is an example of what it means to be Christ’s “earthen vessels” in today’s world (cf. Fr. Emmet Murphy, “The Franciscan Journey” in The Anthonian, Winter 2012-2013, p. 29-30).
Although I was raised at St. Agnes in Arlington, Mass., a parish staffed by diocesan priests, I was one of the nine candidates who joined the Franciscans of Holy Name in 1951. St. Anthony’s Shrine in downtown Boston happened to be my first contact with the friars. Their joy and ministry immediately impressed me. After working for ten years as a salesman in Boston, I entered the Franciscan Brothers training program. (…)
All in all, I spent 13 fruitful and happy years at St. Francis Church, but my journey with the friars was not without its heartaches and pitfalls. Along the way I had neglected my early lessons in discipline and prayer and developed an addiction to alcohol, which completely unraveled my religious life. I was urged to take a leave of absence in order to bring peace to my chaotic life.
After an absence of two years, I was readmitted to the life of a friar and asked to consider entering into a new apostolate to help poor people in Philadelphia with Father Roderic Petrie, OFM. Soon, Father Robert Struzynski, OFM, joined us. After surveying the needs, we searched for a building in the impoverished Kensington section of the city that was to become St. Francis Inn. We bought an old tavern below the Market Frankford elevated train line for $9,000 and immediately set out to renovate the building. The first floor was the kitchen and dining room, the second floor to be rooms for the friars.
On December 16, 1979, the first day we opened this ministry to the poor so dear to the heart of St. Francis, we fed 29 people. Since then St. Francis Inn has been open every day of the year, and last year the permanent staff of four friars, two Franciscan Sisters and three dedicated laywomen plus a host of volunteers served nearly 150,000 hot, nourishing meals to families and to single men and women – some unemployed but most of them retired persons who cannot survive on their fixed incomes – and to others trapped by addictions, as I had been.
It was in Philly that I felt called to priesthood. I enrolled at St. Francis College for philosophy studies and Pope John XXIII for theology. I was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 at the ripe age of 52. Last June, at age 78, I took up residence at St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., after having spent almost four years in the large, very active Franciscan parish in Raleigh, N.C. I served as one of the North Carolina State prison chaplains, ministering to death row and general population inmates. I found the Raleigh’s Catholic community warm and friendly as they opened their homes and hearts to me.
My current priestly ministry has been in the Ministry of the Word; that is, preaching parish missions and leading Twelve Steps retreats. At times, I am also called to help out in neighboring parishes.
As I look back, I consider my life a blessed and incredulous journey … I would do it all over again!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we willing to drink the cup of Christ’s passion that we might have a share in his glory?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Almighty Father,
by the martyrdom of St. James
you blessed the work of the early Church.
May his profession of faith give us courage
and his prayers bring us strength.
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.
“Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” (Mt 20:22)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the strength to drink the cup of passion and salvation. In today’s secularized world, be ready to give witness to your Catholic faith when you are challenged.
***
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