A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 17, n. 12)
Week 6 in Ordinary Time: February 17-23, 2019
(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: February 10-16, 2019, please go to ARCHIVES Series 17 and click on “Ordinary Week 5”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: February 17-23, 2019.)
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February 17, 2019: SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Proclaims the Beatitude of the Poor”
BIBLE READINGS
Jer 17:5-8 // 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 // Lk 6:17, 20-26
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 6:17, 20-16): “Blessed are the poor. Woe to you who are rich”
I read with great amusement and interest the following story of Fr. Jerry Orbos, the Mission Director of the Mission Office of the Society of Divine Word, an international congregation of priests and brothers serving in more than fifty countries all over the world (cf. Jerry Orbos, Light Moments, Book IV, Manila: Logos Publications, 2002, p. 39). It is an example of what it means to be truly blessed by the Lord. The Orbos family may not have money, but in choosing to live the spirit of the Gospel, the family members experience the deep joy and the immense treasures of God’s kingdom.
My father was a lawyer, but he didn’t have money. Maybe because he was a good man and didn’t charge his poor clients. I remember how he helped many people from the barrios with their legal needs. He himself would do the typing on his old Underwood typewriter, and he would often ask me to get coffee for him and his clients. On different occasions, the people he helped would give him rice, fruits, poultry or livestock as tokens of gratitude. One time, he received two goats which he wanted to be butchered because no one could take care of them. I pleaded that I will take care of them, which I did. I would gather grass, give them water, and let them out in the fields every afternoon after classes. Soon the two goats multiplied, till I had about twelve, and felt like I was some goat magnate at the age of twelve.
Today’s Gospel passage (Lk 6:17, 20-26) depicts Jesus as coming down the mountain together with the chosen Twelve and meeting a large group of disciples and a great crowd of people from Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. To these people who needed healing and were hungering for the word of God, Jesus addressed the inaugural discourse of God’s kingdom (cf. Lk 6:17-49). Instead of staying on the mountain, the evangelist Luke portrays Jesus as coming down from the mountain. Like Moses who descended to the plain to deliver the law to the people (cf. Ex 34:15), Jesus went down the mountain to speak his saving word to his people. The inaugural discourse of Jesus begins by proclaiming the beatitudes of the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the persecuted on account of the Son of Man (Lk 6:20-23). As a counterpoint to the beatitudes are the maledictions directed to the rich, the satiated, the happy, and the popular (Lk 6:24-26).
Against the backdrop of last Sunday’s Gospel reading with its climactic final sentence: “When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him” (Lk 5:11), today’s liturgical assembly is being invited to focus its attention on the contrasting pair: “Blessed are you who are poor … But woe to you who are rich” (Lk 6:20, 24). These strong words, however, should be situated in their proper context, which is that of Jesus’ consciousness of the radical eruption of the Reign of God in the here and now.
We must take seriously the exigent appeal and challenge addressed to us by Jesus as he proclaims anew in the liturgical assembly the beatitude of the poor and the woe of the rich. Indeed, the Kingdom of God is the ultimate value and in this perspective, we realize that material wealth has only a relative value and must be used to promote the Kingdom value. The Christian disciples who have made the Kingdom of God their fundamental option and absolute treasure are truly rich.
B. Old Testament Reading (Jer 17:5-8): “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings; blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
In our Christian challenge to alleviate the lot of the poor and in the proclamation of the Good News of salvation, the message of today’s Old Testament (Jer 17:5-8) reading is very encouraging: God is our sole refuge. The Jeremiah text is a word of wisdom inviting us to trust God in our work for the Kingdom: “Unhappy is he who trusts in man; happy the man who trusts in the Lord.” There is a dramatic contrast between the person who trusts in God and the one who trusts in merely human power. The person who turns away from God and puts his trust in man is like a desert bush that futilely struggles to stay alive. The person who puts his trust in God is like a tree growing near a flowing stream whose source of nourishment is abundant and unfailing. The vivid images prompt us to make a choice.
In our fundamental choice for the Kingdom value and in making the beatitudes a reality, the following words of Archbishop Oscar Romero, the martyr of El Salvador, remind us not to rely on our efforts and inspire us anew to trust humbly in the power of the Lord God, the Master Builder of his Kingdom.
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is the Lord’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that should be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing that they will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers not messiahs. We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
C. Second Reading (I Cor 15:12, 16-20): “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain.”
The contrasting image of the blessed and the unfortunate could also be gleaned from today’s Second Reading (I Cor 15:12, 16-20). Those who believe in the resurrection of Christ are blessed. Pitiable instead are those who deny the resurrection of the dead for they ultimately negate the Lord’s resurrection and our very own redemption. The resurrection of Jesus proves that life is stronger than death. It is also a sign of the harvest of resurrection of all believers to come.
Faith in the Risen Lord Jesus and belief in the resurrection of the dead go hand in hand. Trust in God enables us to feel tremendous comfort in the death of our loved ones. The loving God fills the weeping hearts of bereaved family members and friends with the beatitude of consolation. This was my experience when I attended on January 26, 2010 the Annual Memorial Mass at St. Christopher’s Parish in San Jose, California where we gathered together to pray for our loved ones who died in the year 2009. Hope in the blessed resurrection was likewise strengthened by the following text so kindly prepared by St. Christopher Grief Ministry.
To My Dearest Family
Some things I’d like to say, but first of all to let you know that I arrived okay. I’m writing this from heaven where I dwell with God above where there are no more tears or sadness. There is just eternal love.
Please do not be unhappy just because I’m out of sight. Remember that I’m with you every morning, noon and night. That day I had to leave you when my life on earth was through, God picked me up and hugged me and he said, “I welcome you. It’s good to have you back again. You were missed while you were gone. As for your dearest family, they’ll be here later on.” When you are walking down the street and have me on your mind, I’m walking in your footsteps only half a step behind. When you feel that gentle breeze or the wind upon your face, it is me giving you a great big hug or just a soft embrace.
And when it’s time for you to go from that body to be free, remember you’re not going alone. You are coming here to me. And I will always love you from that land way up above. We’ll be in touch again soon.
P.S. God sends his love.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we take time to join the crowd of disciples, the afflicted and the poor who hunger for the Word of God? Do we listen with receptive hearts to the challenging discourse of Jesus on the beatitude of the poor and the woe of the rich? How do we make use of the blessings given to us by the Lord? How do we use the “riches” we have received to alleviate the plight of the poor?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Leader: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” (Lk 6:20)
Assembly: We possess nothing because we are masters of nothing in our possession. All we possess is a gift. The Kingdom value possesses us. God alone suffices. We totally depend on you, O God; you are our only treasure.
Leader: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” (Lk 6:24)
Assembly: The moment we try to be rich by keeping something safely in our hands we become losers, for love is lost. May we use the bounty of blessings we have received from you to alleviate the plight of the poor and to promote the Kingdom value. We totally depend on you, O God; you are our only treasure.
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.
“Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” (Lk 6:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the beatitude invoked on the poor, on those who hunger and weep, on those who are excluded and marginalized in society may truly be realized in them. Endeavor to make this beatitude a reality by being an instrument of God’s compassion on their behalf. In your work for social justice and ministry to the poor, do not rely on human power and strength but on God alone.
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February 18, 2019: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (6)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Refused to Give Them a Sign … He Was a Victim for Our Sins”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 4:1-15, 25 // Mk 8:11-13
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:11-13): “Why does this generation seek a sign?”
Today’s reading (Mk 8:11-13) is about the Pharisees who are asking Jesus “a sign from heaven” to prove that he is the Messiah. Their demand for a spectacular public display is ill-motivated. They want to discredit Jesus who, for them, is a fraud. Their hearts are warped with unbelief and their demand for a “sign” manifests their willful blindness. Indeed, according to a 16th century proverb, “There are none so blind as those who won’t see.” The compassionate works of Jesus on behalf of the sick and suffering, of the hungry poor and dejected, do not touch their hearts. They do not perceive them as messianic signs. The miracles of healing and nourishment could not force them to love Jesus, who sighs from the depths of his heart. A heavenly sign for the unbelieving – no matter how spectacular - would be an exercise in futility. Of what use is it to have signs if the heart is blind? Hence, Jesus leaves them, gets into the boat, and sails off to the other shore.
The pathetic scenario of the unbelieving and unseeing Pharisees invites us to take the opposite stance. Jesus himself is the ultimate “sign” of the Father’s redeeming love for us. We need to open the eyes of our heart to see, love and serve Jesus. We need to be sensitive and receptive to the beautiful miracles that God continues to work in our daily life.
The following story gives us a glimpse into what perceiving “a sign from heaven” entails (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 52-53).
A prisoner lived in solitary confinement for years. He saw and spoke to no one and his meals were served through an opening in the wall. One day an ant came into his cell. The man contemplated it in fascination as it crawled around the room. He held it in the palm of his hand the better to observe it, gave it a grain or two, and kept it under his tin cup at night. One day it suddenly struck him that it had taken him ten long years of solitary confinement to open his eyes to the loveliness of an ant.
B. First Reading (Gn 4:1-15, 25): “Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”
In the Old Testament reading (Gn 4:1-15, 25), the story of Cain and Abel depicts humanity’s further alienation from God. Although full of anachronisms, the story powerfully communicates the religious message about the destructive effects of sin and the reality of a merciful caring God. Cain’s horrible crime confirms man’s “fallen” status. The rebellion against God continues in the assault of an innocent brother. The story of the murder of Abel illustrates the continuing degradation of sinful humanity. Cain is worse than the first sinners who simply shift the blame. When God interrogates him about Abel’s whereabouts, Cain lies and makes an insolent, sarcastic reply, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain’s evil deed cannot be ignored. The blood of his murdered brother cries out for justice. Cain is punished for his crime. Alienated from God and cursed to be a homeless wanderer, he is vulnerable to violent attacks. But the story underlines that God continues to be merciful to Cain, who dreads being subjected to the very same crime he himself committed. The Lord puts a mark on Cain to warn anyone who meets him not to kill him. Today’s Genesis reading ends on a hopeful note. Adam and his wife have another son to replace Abel. She calls him Seth. From Seth will spring forth a line that will lead to Abraham, the man of faith.
Fratricide and violence against another continues to be perpetrated by sinful humanity. The following is a modern day example (cf. Mike McGarvin, Papa Mike, Fresno: Poverello House, 2003, p. 81).
The streets were cruel in Fresno. In Chinatown, as in Tenderloin, life was cheap, and often things didn’t make sense. One African-American man, Mr. Brown, was one of the kindest, gentlest people I’d ever known. He was always reading the Bible, and when I’d ask him what was the “good word” he’d quote me some scripture. I could be wrong, but I don’t think he was an alcoholic or addict, just poor. For no apparent reason, one day some kids threw rocks at him, hitting him and killing him. The senselessness of it saddened me deeply.
Another man was called “Grasshopper”. He was an old Hispanic fieldworker, an alcoholic but a really personable guy. If I said “Hello” to him, he’d always respond, “Hello myself!”
One day Grasshopper was waiting to get on an old bus to go to the fields. When the bus pulled up, some younger Mexicans pushed by him and stomped on his foot. They broke his ankle, so he couldn’t get on the bus to work, and someone else got his spot. It was survival of the fittest.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Am I slow to read the “sign” of God’s love because of blindness of heart? How do I try to open the eyes of my heart to the “sign”?
2. Do I reject being my “brother’s keeper”? Do I ever inflict violence on anyone? Am I willing to take responsibility for any crime I have committed against my “brother”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
we are filled with wonderful signs of the Father’s love:
the beautiful sunrise and the gorgeous sunset,
the blooming of spring flowers,
the diligence of a lovely ant,
the compassionate hands
of those who care for the poor and helpless …
Above all, we are filled with praise and thanksgiving for you
– the ultimate sign of God’s compassion.
You are the radical sign of the divine redeeming love.
Grant that we may truly rejoice in you,
now and forever.
Amen.
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We beg your mercy, Lord God,
for the crime we have inflicted against our brother Abel,
the poor and defenseless
… the Abel of all times.
Forgive us for refusing to be “our brother’s keeper”.
Let your merciful love come upon us
and teach us to walk in your ways.
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.
“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mk 8:12) // “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gn 4:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Make an effort to read the various signs of God’s love that surround us every day and be grateful for them. By your acts of kindness and compassion, strive to be a living sign of God’s caring love for the poor and needy in today’s society. Strive to be your brother’s keeper.
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February 19, 2019: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (6)
“JESUS SAVIOR: Even His Disciples Did Not Understand … He Grieves for the Hardness of Our Hearts”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10 // Mk 8:14-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:14-21): “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
The Gospel (Mk 8:14-21) tells us that after his encounter with the unbelieving Pharisees who demand from him a heavenly sign to prove his messianic credentials, the unscathed Jesus gets into the boat and sails with his disciples to the other side of the lake. In their hurry, the disciples have forgotten to bring bread except for one loaf. When Jesus starts to talk to them about the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, they immediately conclude that it is because they did not have enough bread. Having just witnessed two miracles of the loaves in which Jesus has fed thousands in the hungry crowds, their discussion about not having enough bread is senseless and unwarranted. Their concern for material food reveals their obtuseness and lack of insight. They have not seen nor understood any more than the declared enemies of Jesus.
The barrage of eight questions that Jesus directs to his disciples is meant to rip through their blinded hearts. He is patiently teaching them to fight off the hidden corruption of self-righteousness, power and worldliness that is infecting the Pharisees and the Herodians. Jesus is warning them about the corrosive messianic expectations of the Pharisees and the inimical political motivations of the Herodians. Their corrupting influence is as forceful as the yeast that leavens the bread. The Divine Master is thus helping his disciples to overcome their hardness of heart and obduracy of mind. He is teaching them to recognize him as the one loaf that matters. Jesus Christ is evoking their faith, for he is the true Messiah – the one sent by God to feed them with the Bread of Life.
The following story can give us an idea of our own obtuseness and lack of insight, like the disciples who were in the boat with Jesus (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 180). We have unseeing eyes and unhearing ears. We are not able to recognize or understand the daily “miracle of life”.
The great Gensha once invited a court official to tea. After the customary greetings, the official said, “I do not wish to squander this opportunity of spending some time in the presence of so great a Master. Tell me. What does it mean when they say that in spite of our having it in our daily life we do not see it?”
Gensha offered the man a piece of cake. Then he served him his tea. After eating and drinking, the official, thinking that the Master had not heard his first sentence, repeated the question. “Yes, of course”, said the Master. “This is what it means: that we do not see it, even though we have it in our daily life.”
B. First Reading (Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10): “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created.”
The Old Testament reading (Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10) stresses the ever growing estrangement of man from God and underlines the cosmic dimension of sin. The Lord sees how wicked everyone on earth is and how evil their thoughts are. Sin pervades the hearts of all people and only Noah remains faithful. God’s heart is wounded such that the bond of intimacy and patient forbearance shown them could no longer be sustained. The entire order in creation has been undone by human sin so that the earth has to return to the watery chaos from which the Creator God has called it forth. The Lord God decrees a catastrophic flood because of man’s sin. His purpose is not total destruction, but through Noah, to build it anew. In his preparations for the flood, Noah must also save every species of animal. Only after carefully preparing for the preservation of Noah and his family does God destroy the old order. The catastrophic flood is God’s judgment upon humanity, but this judgment is counterpoised by his compassionate will to save.
Noah’s response to the divine saving will is awesome. He builds the ark and, upon the Lord’s command, enters it that he may be saved. In a funny vein, the following story illustrates our failure to perceive God’s saving will and enter into the “ark of salvation” (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 97).
A priest was sitting at his desk by the window composing a sermon on providence when he heard something that sounded like an explosion. Soon he saw people running to and fro in a panic and discovered that the dam had burst, the river was flooding, and the people were being evacuated.
The priest saw the water begin to rise in the street below. He had difficulty suppressing his own rising sense of panic, but he said to himself, “Here I am preparing a sermon on providence and I am being given an occasion to practice what I preach. I shall not flee with the rest. I shall stay right here and trust in the providence of God to save me.”
By the time the water reached his window, a boat full of people came by. “Jump in, Father”, they shouted. “Ah no, my children”, said Father confidently. “I trust in the providence of God to save me.”
Father did climb to the roof, however, and when the water got up there another boatload of people went by, urging Father to join them. Again he refused.
This time he climbed to the top of the belfry. When the water came to his knee, an officer in a motorboat was sent to rescue him. “No thank you, officer”, said Father, with calm smile. “I trust in God, you see. He will never let me down.”
When Father drowned and went to heaven, the first thing he did was complain to God. “I trusted you! Why did you do nothing to save me?”
“Well”, said God. “I did send three boats, you know.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we so preoccupied with daily cares that we are unable to see and recognize the ongoing miracle of life that comes from God? Do we have faith in Jesus as the one loaf that matters – the Bread of eternal Life?
2. Do we realize the cosmic dimension of sin? What do we do to be instruments of God’s salvation in today’s sinful situation?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Jesus Lord, forgive us!
At times we are obtuse and insensitive.
Our eyes are not able to see,
our ears are not able to hear,
our hearts are not able to feel,
and our minds are not able to understand
the greatness of your love for us.
But you are the Divine Master and the Bread of life.
You are the one loaf that matters
– the life-giving Bread that satisfies the hungers of our heart.
Give us the light of your wisdom
and the love of the Holy Spirit
so that we may live only for you.
Help us share the bread of the Word
with a hungry world that longs for God.
Save us from the leaven of corruption.
Let us live our lives
as “bread blessed, broken and shared” for others.
You are the font of blessing
and we adore and bless you, now and forever.
Amen.
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O Creator God,
our sin is self destruction.
Save us from the flood waters of evil and death.
Lead us into the ark of salvation
and make of us a new creation.
You are the source of life.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Do you still not understand?” (Mk 8:21) // “His heart was grieved.” (Gn 6:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that Christian disciples may have better insight into the compassionate ways and plan of God. Make it a daily exercise to recognize and thank God for the beauty and bounty of the “miracle of life” that daily surrounds us. // Let us make the daily examination of the heart and ask God pardon for our sins and offenses.
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February 20, 2019: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (6)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Blind See … He Incarnates the Mercy of God”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 8:6-13, 20-22 // Mk 8:22-26
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:22-26): “His sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.”
The healing of the blind man in Bethsaida occurs by stages. Jesus takes him by the hand and leads him outside the village. Jesus uses spittle and lays his hands on him. The blind recovers his sight partially. He tells Jesus that he can see people who looking like trees and walking. At the second laying of hands, the blind man is able to see clearly. The healed man of Bethsaida is a symbol of all the disciples of Jesus, then and now, in need of his healing touch.
The gradual restoration of the man’s vision is similar to the gradual recognition of Jesus’ messiah-ship by his disciples. The healing “by stages” symbolizes the progressive healing of their spiritual blindness. The Twelve who followed Jesus have “seen” him without really seeing him. They need to undergo a conversion process that would enable them to overcome their blindness of heart and “see everything clearly”. Like the blind man of Bethsaida, Jesus would lead them by the hand. They would have a glimpse of Christ’s paschal destiny and grow progressively in faith.
The following story of the healing of a young man who became blind through an automobile accident gives us an idea of the wonderful experience of the blind man of Bethsaida healed by Jesus (cf. Joyce Stranger, “A Walk in the Dark” in Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, vol. 4, New York: 1988, p. 568-569).
It was strange to lie in a hospital bed again, aware of pain, his eyes bandaged. It brought back memories he would as soon have forgotten. They had operated on only one eye. There would be a second operation later. (…)
The days went by. Steve did not want the bandages removed. Better to hope than to know. He lay in a darkened room, shaking, when they finally unwrapped his eyes. “Open them”, the doctor said. He dared not. And then he forced himself to find out the truth. From the operated eye he glimpsed an edge of light at the window, a glint from a glass on the bedside table, the shape of a face above him. “I can see”, he whispered. The bandages were rewrapped. Steve lay, his heart pounding. Suppose it was only temporary? Suppose it lasted only a few hours?
But fate was kind, and each day revealed more of the world he had lost. He had to be careful. Bright lights hurt, and using his eyes even for ten minutes was a strain. But in those minutes he absorbed every impression he could get: the faces of the people about him, and such colors everywhere! The curtains in his room were yellow and blue. There were roses in a vase by his bed. They removed the bandages at night, and he lay like a child, staring at the shape of his hand, at the pattern on his pajamas. (…)
And then came the day when the curtains were pulled back, and he stood near the window looking out at a riot of colors dizzying his senses: bright flowers and trees, women in gay dresses, yellow against green against blue. He couldn’t bear it and had to draw the curtains again and reduce the light. Shaking, he sat in a chair, staring at the closed curtains, unable to believe his luck.
They brought him dark glasses, and with them he braved the world. He discovered that he had lost his sense of space; nothing seemed to be in the right place; distance had begun to play tricks on him. Steps were steeper and shallower than he thought; tables farther away. Perspective had vanished. He was terrified at the speed with which people walked toward him, sure they would bump into him.
At night, in his darkened room, he stood at the window and stared out at the trees bending in the wind, at the cloud banks lined with light. Light. Starlight. He was too fascinated to sleep, seeing the bright pinpoints of distant suns, the slender moon. The miracles continued. He walked in the garden, watching birds dart about the grass, seeing a cat slink out of the bushes, seeing it newly for the first time, an amazing creature. Sunlight bronzed its tortoiseshell fur. He wanted to sit and look forever.
He rediscovered shadows. He had been so used to them he rarely noticed them, but now he watched his own shadow as it stretched in front of him or suddenly dwarfed itself. But how could people live among such incredible sights and not notice them?
B. First Reading (Gn 8:6-13, 20-22): “Noah saw that the surface of the ground was drying up.”
Today’s Old Testament account (Gn 8:6-13, 20-22) underlines the mercy of God and Noah’s experience of salvation through the flood. God “remembers” Noah and all the animals, wild and tame, that are with him in the ark; he causes a wind to blow and the water starts to go down (cf. Gn 8:1). Noah sends out birds to determine if the waters have receded so that they could disembark. The image of the dove returning with a plucked-off olive leaf in its bill is a “sign” of God’s gift of peace upon mankind. The saving initiative is totally God’s. The appearing of the ground and the growth of vegetation indicate that the birth of a new epoch begins – a new creation rises! The “remembering” of God is intimately linked with his merciful love. Noah responds to the divine saving initiative by offering a pleasing “sacrifice” to God. Reconciliation with humanity is thus brought about in the primeval level. Though man’s inclination to sin may persist, God’s merciful saving plan guides the course of human history. The orderly phase in creation is an indication of God’s benevolence. The rhythm of the days and seasons emphasizes God’s desire to renew life in creation and to reconcile with humanity.
The personal account of Sr. Mary Adelle Arboleda, PDDM, gives insight into Noah’s experience of being saved through flood waters.
The Most Trying and Purifying Moment of My Life: It was June 21, 2008 when typhoon Frank hit the town of Kalibo, Aklan. You cannot imagine how this typhoon left our town devastated!
We experienced strong rain and winds on the morning of June 21, 2008. We were monitoring on our radio the weather conditions and there was no alarming announcement. Noontime – the rain stopped and the winds died down. Calmness enveloped the whole place and seemingly the typhoon left. And yet I was getting a strange feeling that it was not over.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, a neighbor told us that Aklan River had overflowed. From our past experience, the flood never entered the town. But before four o’clock in the afternoon, to our surprise – here came the water rushing from our backyard and rising so fast. I immediately planned to transfer my mom, who was blind, to a neighbor’s house that is higher than ours. My mom was made a seat on a small table that served as a raft for her transfer. The improvised raft was steered by my nephews and neighbor. My sister-in-law accompanied my mom.
Our house was bungalow style and lower. Soon, inside the house, the water reached up to my neck. Even though I wanted to salvage things, it was not possible. The water was getting deeper. We struggled to climb to the roof. From there we could see many things being carried away by the flood. I think everybody in the town was caught by surprise. Seeing precious furniture being carried away by the flood, I could not help but say to myself, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes it away.”
For me that was a moment of grace. God allowed me to have that experience so that my faith and trust in him would grow. As I sat there on the roof top, soaked in the rain, hungry and feeling abandoned, I thought of my mother in another house. Even if she was sheltered, she must be feeling hungry. I agonized all the more and asked why this happened.
It was getting dark: no light … no food … wet and cold. I could hear a neighbor shouting for help and also the church bell ringing. And yet all of us were helpless. Communication black out! We prayed as we have never prayed before. That eased a bit our pain. I used to see on TV people trapped on the roof by the flood. And here I was experiencing the very same thing … not on TV … but a personal reality!
At four o’clock in the morning, we slowly went down from the roof. I tried to look for some dry clothes to change – none! Everything wet! When we saw that the curtain was nearly dry, we took them to cover ourselves. We heard that water was all over the town. Even our cathedral was flooded. It seems each of us had a “share”. Our neighbor who was lucky to have a third floor gave us some dry clothes to put on and also some food.
Our feeling was of gratitude to God for we were all alive even though we were under the mercy of others. It was a humbling experience, But I would say everything has turned into a blessing.
The support of the Congregation was overwhelming. Prayers, financial and material support were not wanting. We stayed in our neighbor’s house for 20 days – until we had cleaned and disinfected our own house. I put a mark where the water reached – it was six feet! And I also put the date. The mud inside the house was 8 inches.
A lot of things happened then. Words were not sufficient to capture and express them. It was a real experience of the loving care of God manifested in many ways. Trials may come – difficulties – whatever. It no longer matters. Only God, doing his will day by day, is all that matters. Deo Gratias!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I experience spiritual blindness? Do I allow Jesus to lead me, touch me and enable me to see with the eyes of faith?
2. Do I trust in the benevolence of God that is mightier than the “floodwaters” of sin? Do I accept God’s gift of peace and reconciliation that calls us from self-destructive ways?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
lay your healing hands upon me.
Let me see with the eyes of faith.
You are my God
and you alone I will love and serve.
Let all peoples praise you and glorify you,
now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord God,
we thank you for saving Noah and his family
through the floodwaters of death.
Through the sacrament of baptism,
let us be saved from the powers of sin and death.
Help us to walk into the dawning light of the new creation.
We adore 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.
“His sight was restored.” (Mk 8:25) // “Never again will I doom the earth because of man …” (Gn 8:21)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Make an effort to help the blind and the handicapped in your community. // See in what ways you can promote the integrity of God’s beloved creation.
*** *** ***
February 21, 2019: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (6); SAINT PETER DAMIAN, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Suffering Messiah … He Is the Rainbow of Reconciliation”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 9:1-13 // Mk 8:27-33
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:27-33): “You are the Christ. The Son of Man must suffer much.”
In the Gospel (Mk 8:27-33) we hear that to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers correctly, “You are the Messiah”. But Peter immediately reveals that his notion of the “Messiah” is as faulty and corrosive as those of the Pharisees. Influenced by popular expectation, he expects Jesus to be a religious-political savior replete with worldly power. The false notion of messiah-ship needs to be rectified. The Divine Master, who healed the blind man of Bethsaida “by stages”, manifests his continuing effort to heal the spiritual blindness of the disciples, especially Peter. He tries to enlighten them on the true meaning of Messiah. He gives them insight that the “Messiah” is the Son of Man who must suffer greatly and be rejected and killed, and rise after three days. Indeed, authentic messiah-ship and discipleship involve powerlessness and suffering rather than worldly power and might.
One of the most beautiful stories I have ever read is “To Live Again” by Harold Koenig, M.D. (cf. “To Live Again” in Guideposts, September 2006, p. 20-24). The psychiatrist, Dr. Koenig, who is the coordinator of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University in North Carolina, suffers from a crippling disease that racks him with pain. Here is an inspiring account of how he has coped with pain and suffering.
I had been diagnosed with psoriatic inflammatory arthritis. My immune system was attacking my tendons and joints. Any part of my body I used repetitively – legs, knees, ankles, hands, shoulders, back – could become inflamed. The disease could be progressive. There was no cure. Part of me was relieved to have a diagnosis – no more mystery pain. But then I saw the fear in Charmin’s eyes. I knew she was already mourning our walks together, our hiking vacations. I looked at Jordan. What kind of father will I be? Will we play baseball together? Can we even roughhouse? That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My back was throbbing. But it wasn’t just the pain keeping me awake. Why? I asked, cycling through thoughts of patients, research, all that I felt God had called me to do. Is all this work for nothing? Is it all going to get swallowed up in some disease? What am I supposed to do?
The bedroom was dark, the pain relentless. Finally, I got up and limped to the sofa in the living room. I lay on it and found the soft cushions eased the ache. Thank you, God, I prayed. And then it hit me. It was such a simple movement, from bed to sofa. God didn’t snap his fingers and make the pain go away. He didn’t promise to cure me. But he did show me how to adapt, how to live instead of giving up. Maybe that’s what I’m supposed to do, learn to follow God with the pain – and then help others do the same. Lord, that sounds hard. But if you’re with me, I’ll try.
God showed Dr. Koenig how to live with pain and how to help others cope with it. In embracing the mystery of suffering and in trusting the divine saving will, he was able to experience that God works through our weakness and our strength. Indeed, Dr. Koenig is a sterling example of how a disciple could participate fully and intimately in the paschal destiny of Jesus Christ, the suffering Messiah. Suffering is integral to Christian faith. And to follow Jesus involves redemptive sacrifice.
B. First Reading (Gn 9:1-13): “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
In its February 2006 issue, Guideposts magazine continues its inspiring report on the heroes of super-hurricane Katrina – ordinary people who did extraordinary things (cf. p. 54-60). Among the heroes mentioned is Bob Ford, from Brandon, Mississippi (just outside Jackson, and about 200 miles north of New Orleans and the site of the worst of the devastation). He is a caterer with plenty of leftovers the night Katrina hit. Guideposts senior editor, Stephen Berg narrates (cf. p. 60):
In the face of the storm, hardly anyone showed up to the gospel concert he’d cooked for. So Bob and his wife, Jocelyn, took turkey legs and corn on the cob to a shelter in Jackson that was housing 1,200 evacuees. All those people made an impression on Bob. “I told myself, ‘I’m in this for the long haul’.” Bob, his wife, their two teenagers and an employee returned the next day. They kept cooking even after the power went out. When provisions ran low, Bob found a reporter so he could get on the local TV news to ask for help. Dozens volunteered. Standard fare from relief organizations was doughnuts and drink boxes. The Ford crew got up every day at 5:00 A.M. to make eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and, of course, grits for crowds as large as 1,700. “A hot meal is important to folks in distress,” Bob believes.
Bob himself was not untouched by Katrina. His house was smacked by a tree. Still, it didn’t stop him from setting up a wedding feast for a couple who had planned to get married in New Orleans. “We have to focus on what God wants us to do,” says Bob.
Bob and the other laudable heroes of the Katrina aftermath, with their compassionate acts of mercy, have sketched anew across the horizon of human history the beautiful rainbow of God’s benevolent will to bring forth life in the midst of destruction. The rainbow of God’s covenant love is made present, here and now, through the loving works of people who make the reality of neighborly love and compassion triumph over death-dealing situations. Indeed, the life-giving power that manifested itself through the flood and destruction wrought by hurricane Katrina evokes the divine miracle of life and the covenant love that reigned over the cosmic flood at the time of Noah, as narrated in the Book of Genesis (cf. chapters 5-9).
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 9:1-13) speaks of God’s covenant with Noah when the latter was delivered from the flood. The basic content of this inchoative covenant is God’s merciful permission to continue the history of humankind. This covenant comes after a period when sin has become universal. It is therefore a covenant of mercy and forgiveness and underlines the divine goodness that is greater than human sins.
God’s primeval covenant with Noah includes a sign of his intent to bring forth life and to continue to care for the earth and its inhabitants - the bow hanging in the sky. The ancient pagans believed in a divine bow used to inflict punishment on man. However, hanging upon the clouds unused and in a peaceable way, the spectacle of the grandiose bow arching majestically in the sky signifies divine appeasement and reconciliation. Arched over the immense horizon, the beautiful rainbow with its iridescent colors becomes a powerful symbol of God holding himself back from destroying his work. The fascinating and consoling sign of the rainbow manifests the Father’s benevolent plan of reconciliation with his beloved creation. The rainbow in the sky is a fitting covenant symbol, a promise of unconditional love, a sign of acceptance and care. The appearance of the rainbow suggests the association of covenant with water. The beautiful rainbow evokes the reality of Christian baptism, which is a supreme covenant with God.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe that suffering is an integral element of Christian faith? Do we wish to participate more fully in the paschal destiny of Christ, the suffering Messiah, as he redeems mankind and rebuilds the world?
2. Do we treasure the “rainbow” of reconciliation that God hangs upon the horizon of human history through the death and rising of his Son Jesus Christ? Do we point to others – especially to those who are hopeless – that the “rainbow” of divine benevolence is out there in the sky?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Lord,
you are the suffering Messiah.
Help us to see the true worth
of a messiah-ship based on powerlessness and suffering.
Loving Jesus,
guide us to walk in your ways.
Inflame our hearts with love for you.
Filled with your blessings,
help us to serve you without distinction.
Help us to love inclusively.
We sing your kindness and glory.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
we thank you for the beautiful “rainbow” of reconciliation
that you display in the horizon of human history
through the paschal mystery of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let us not be oblivious to this sign of covenant love
but celebrate this gift in our life.
You are full of mercy and compassion.
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.
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly.” (Mk 8:31) // “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Gn 9:13)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that Christian disciples may have deep insight into the beauty and nobility of Christ as the suffering Messiah. // By your kind words and deeds enable the people around you to perceive the many signs of God’s love and beauty in our daily life.
*** *** ***
February 22, 2019: FRIDAY – THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Cares for God’s Flock”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Pt 5:1-4 // Mt 16:13-19
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 16:13-19): “You are Peter, and to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
The Gospel episode (Mt 16:13-20) is situated in cosmopolitan Caesarea Philippi, a city built by Philip the Tetrarch. A dialogue between Jesus and his disciples ensues. Jesus does not ask for popular speculation, but the disciples’ own assessment of him. Peter, assuming the role of spokesman for the group, declares: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Simon Peter’s confession of faith is remarkable. He declares not only that Jesus is the “Messiah”, that is, the long-awaited Son of David who ushers in the reign of God. Above all, he avows that Jesus is the “Son of the living God”, that is, the unique representative of God to all people, possessing God’s Spirit and enjoying an exclusive union with the Father. In today’s terms, Jesus as the “Son of the living God” means that he is divine.
Indeed, Simon Peter’s confession of faith evokes Jesus’ admiration and blessing. There is an investiture and a “nomination”. Jesus calls Simon and surnames him Peter. Simon is designated as the rock upon which Jesus builds his Church. The stone is Jesus himself, the sole foundation. But Simon is, by the solemn designation of the Lord, the stone solidly set upon the unique foundation. He is the visible “rock” joined to it by the mortar of faith that the Father has given Peter.
The following account on the Internet concerning the recently canonized pope John XXIII gives insight into how Jesus continues to guide and build his Church through divinely instituted pastors (cf. Loyola Press Internet Service, James Martin, “My Life with the Saints”).
One night [during retreat], around ten ‘clock, I was exploring the house library, a small, wood-paneled room with the typically motley jumble of old, used, worn and downright ugly furniture that characterizes “Jesuit style”. (In fairness, the little library at Eastern Point has since been spruced up.) Poking through the selves, I came upon a book called Wit and Wisdom of Good Pope John.
Published in 1964, not long after the pope’s death, the book had torn and yellowed pages. Despite [the assistant novice director’s] warning not to lose myself in books, the temptation to peek inside was irresistible. After a few pages I was hooked: who knew John XXIII was so funny? Of course, not all the stories were laugh-out-loud funny. And I had already heard his famous answer to the journalist who asked innocently, “How many people work in the Vatican?” “About half of them,” said His Holiness.
But the passage that made me laugh in the retreat house (and drew pointed glances from more silent retreatants) was one that placed the pope in a Roman hospital called the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. Shortly after entering the building, he was introduced to the sister who ran the hospital. “Holy Father,” she said, “I am the superior of the Holy Spirit.” “You’re very lucky,” said the pope, delighted. “I’m only the Vicar of Christ!”
It was that somewhat frivolous story that drew me to John XXIII. How wonderful to keep his sense of humor, even while holding a position of such authority, when he could easily have become cold or authoritarian. How wonderful to have a sense of humor at all! A requirement of the Christian life, I think.
It reminded me of a story I had heard from a friend about Fr. Pedro Arrupe, the former superior general of the Jesuits, often called “Father General,” or, more simply, “the General.” Once, Father General was visiting Xavier High School in New York City, which has, since its founding, sponsored a military cadet corps for its boys, a sort of junior ROTC. For his visit, the school’s cadets, in full uniform, lined both sides of the street. When Father General emerged from his car, the phalanx of cadets snapped to attention and saluted crisply. He turned to my friend. “Now,” he said, “I feel like a real general!”
Pope John XXIII had a similarly wry sense of humor, and who couldn’t love a pope who had a sense of humor? Who couldn’t feel affection for a man who was so comfortable with himself that he constantly made jokes about his height (which was short), his ears (which were big), and his weight (which was considerable). When he once met a little boy named Angelo, he exclaimed, “That was my name, too!” And then, conspiratorially, “But then they made me change it!”
For his humor, his openness, his generosity, and his warmth, many people loved him: Good Pope John. But to see John XXIII as a sort of papal Santa Claus is to only partly understand him. An experienced diplomat, a veteran of ecumenical dialogue, and a gifted pastor and bishop, he brought a wealth of experience to the office of pope.…
Soon after finishing the long retreat, I decided that I wanted to know more about Angelo Roncalli than just the few funny stories I had read in the retreat house library. So I slowly made my way through Journal of a Soul and Peter Hebblethwaite’s biography John XXIII: Pope of the Century as a way of getting to know him better. In time, I realized that I was drawn to John XXIII not as much for his wit, or his writings, or his love of the church, or even his accomplishments as for something more basic: his love for God and for other people. The gentle old man seemed to be one of the most loving of all the saints: always a loving son, a loving brother, a loving priest, a loving bishop, and a loving pope. John radiated Christian love. Was it any wonder that so many people were drawn to him?
B. First Reading (I Pt 5:1-4): “I myself am one of your leaders and a witness to the sufferings of Christ.”
The feast of the Chair of Peter, apostle, underlines Peter’s special role among the apostles and in the first generation Church, as well as the pastoral role of his successor, the Pope – the Bishop of Rome. In today’s first reading (I Pt 5:1-4), Saint Peter presents himself as a fellow elder and as a witness of Christ’s sufferings and sharer in the glory to be revealed. He exhorts his fellow elders to be true shepherds of God’s flock in their midst. Their mission is to give it a shepherd’s care. Their ministry is to be carried out with eager service, with noble and never selfish, mercenary motives. In their exercise of leadership, they should be supportive and not authoritarian. They should be models of devotion, service and generosity so that when the chief Shepherd comes they will share in his eternal glory.
The following article gives us insight into the pastoral ministry of our Holy Father Pope Francis and of the entire Church (cf. “Francis Begins a Revolution” in ALIVE!, December 2013, p. 7).
Pope Francis may yet bring about a far bigger revolution in the Church than any of us even suspect. Until now the media have focused on the pope’s surprising gestures, like his choice of name, his arrival in Lampedusa, his letter to an Italian newspaper. Then there is the watching to see how he may reform Vatican bureaucracy and the silly hope that he may turn out to be, in fact, a Protestant.
But from his first homily as pope, in the Sistine Chapel, he signaled where the real revolution will come. There he raised the question of what the Church and all her institutions are for. And he wants all those institutions, Vatican offices, diplomatic service, relief agencies, Catholic schools, local youth groups, media, hospitals, etc., asking the same question: what are we here for?
And Francis is in no doubt about the answer. “The Church is not a shop, she is not a humanitarian agency, she is not an NGP”, he said repeatedly. Rather, she exists to announce Christ, to proclaim the joy of salvation.
That has to be the primary aim of every Catholic group, be it family, a St. Vincent de Paul society, the Knights of Columbus, a parish bereavement service or a teacher-training college. Mary is the model for each individual and group. When visiting Elizabeth, “she brought not only material help but also Jesus, who was already alive in her womb. Bringing Jesus into the house meant bringing joy, the fullness of joy.”
Were the Church to fail in this regard, “were she not to bring Jesus, she would be a dead Church”. Francis could hardly make the point more bluntly. As groups open up to the Pope’s call and honestly question how they are fulfilling this mission and begin to measure everything in terms of evangelization, then we can expect a true revolution in the Church. Exciting times ahead.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How do I express my love and respect for the Pope and the other pastors of the Church? Do I pray for them and collaborate with them in caring for God’s flock?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Roman Missal, Opening Prayer of the Mass: Chair of Peter)
All-powerful Father,
you have built your Church
on the rock of St. Peter’s confession of faith.
May nothing divide or weaken
our unity in faith and love.
Grant 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 week. Please memorize it.
“God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s care.” (I Pt 5:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Let your pains, trials and sacrifices of these days be offered for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the pastoral Church as it embarks on the task of a renewed evangelization.
*** *** ***
February 23, 2019: SATURDAY – SAINT PLYCARP, Bishop, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Transfigured in Glory … He Is the Absolute Model of Faith”
BIBLE READINGS
Hb 11:1-7 // Mk 9:2-13
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:2-13): “Jesus was transfigured before them.”
One of my few prized possessions is a picture of the faces of students enrolled at Maryhill School of Theology, to enable the professors to memorize their names more easily. This particular picture contains the faces of the seminarians who participated in the course, “The Word of God in the Liturgy” which I taught in 1993. This “souvenir” is particularly meaningful for it includes the youthful face of my celebrity student, Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, a young Claretian missionary who worked in the thickly Muslim populated and rebel infested island of Basilan, in the southern Philippines. The Abu Sayaf rebels, notorious for their lawlessness and ferocity, kidnapped him, together with some female catechists, for ransom a few years ago. Fr. Gallardo was subjected to various forms of torture. His toenails were pulled out and he was commanded to rape his catechists, which he refused to do. He was humiliated for his heroic fidelity to prayer. Finally, as the Aba Sayaf rebels were retreating when the government forces attacked, he was shot in the head and died as a true pastor and martyr for the faith. I would show this “souvenir” to new students and, pointing to Fr. Gallardo’s image, proudly proclaim, “This is my beloved student!”
In today’s Gospel (Mk 9:2-13), we hear a similar acknowledgment in the authoritative voice coming from the cloud. It is the voice of the heavenly Father making the divine affirmation, “This is my beloved Son …” This affirmation echoes the acknowledgment the Father made at the baptism in the Jordan: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased” (cf. Mk 1:9-11). In the transfiguration of Jesus, we get a glimpse of the glorious fulfillment of Christ’s paschal journey and the magnificent destiny of his covenantal fidelity to be at the complete service of God’s saving will. Indeed, the words from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son,” received their full meaning from Jesus’ willingness to be sacrificed and from the willingness of the Father “not to spare his own Son” (cf. Rom 8:32).
Indeed, Jesus, the beloved Son, is the primordial sacrament. He is the sacrament of the Father’s covenant fidelity to save us. He is the presence of the Father’s tremendous love for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, our Savior, his most precious One (cf. Jn 3:16). Indeed, God did not deny his own Son that we may be saved. The sacrificial aspect of the Father’s love and the beloved Son’s submission is the cause of our salvation. This is such an astounding reality that, with St. Paul, we can exclaim: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
B. First Reading (Heb 11:1-7): “By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God.”
The First Reading (Heb 11:1-7) presents a cloud of witnesses to faith. The Old Testament models of faith would culminate in the example of Jesus, the new and supreme model of faith. The author first defines faith as “the reality of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. He continues to give insight into this beautiful reality and asserts that by faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God and that the visible came into being through the invisible. The author describes the faith of Abel whose sacrifice of gifts is pleasing to God; the faith of Enoch who was taken up to God; the faith of Noah who obeyed God and followed his warnings about things in the future that he could not see. Above all, the author depicts the wonderful response of faith of Abraham to God’s call.
Indeed, faith is our response to God. “By faith, Abraham obeyed when God called him” (v. 8). He put absolute trust in the word of God and the divine promise to make out of him a great nation. Harold Buetow comments: “Abraham’s faith was not according to the principle of most people, who cautious and comfort-loving, put safety first, his faith went into the unknown, where it could not see the end of the path. Abraham did everything God wanted of him – and, sure enough, ultimately his wife conceived and his son Isaac was born. Then, when God asked him to leave the comforts of his hometown Ur in the Chaldean mountains for what came to be known as the Promised Land and endure all the problems of a stranger in a foreign land, he did it – even though he was not sure where God was leading him. God, to test him even further, some years later asked him to give his young son Isaac as a living sacrifice. Despite his hope that through Isaac he would have descendants, he prepared to do as God asked. It was only at the last moment that God prevented him from going through with his sacrifice. We, like Abraham, should let go and let God!”
The following testimony by Harold Hostetler about the faith of Jacob Hochstetler, his Swiss Amish ancestor, is inspiring (cf. Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 243).
What struck me most about Jacob was his faith. His family had fled Switzerland and come to America in the early eighteenth century because of religious persecution. Like the rest of the Amish, he took the commands of God literally – he wouldn’t kill other human beings, even in war. During the French and Indian War he refused even to defend himself when Indians attacked his Pennsylvania home; he was wounded and lost his wife, a son and a daughter. As he and his two remaining sons were captured and about to be taken to separate villages, his parting advice was “Do not forget the Lord’s Prayer.” Jacob and his sons survived the war … I’ve read of so many Hostetlers down through the years who have gone into the ministry or otherwise heeded God’s call. What a legacy!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe that Jesus, revealed in his transfigured glory, is the primordial sacrament of God’s love and his covenant fidelity to save us? Do we allow ourselves to be transformed by this wonderful gift? How do we contribute to the healing and transformation of our wounded society today?
2. How do we live and share our Christian faith?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving and merciful Father,
you have made us your sons and daughters
in your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
He is the primordial sacrament of your covenantal love for us.
Transform us; transfigure us; Christify us.
Hear our humble supplications
and grant us the grace we need
in order to face the challenges
of being your own beloved children
in today’s world that needs healing.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you are the absolute model of faith.
Help us to walk by faith and to live by faith.
Grant that we may truly treasure the gift of faith
we have received from you
and from the cloud of faith witnesses then and now.
With this legacy of faith,
grant that we may embrace the future with hope.
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.
“He was transfigured before them.” (Mk 9:2) // “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Do something for the youth, especially the most rejected, that they may experience the transforming love of God through his Son Jesus Christ. // Be thankful to God for the gift of faith and endeavor to put that faith into practice.
***
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