A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 14, n. 19)
2nd Sunday of Easter and Easter Week 2: April 3 - 9, 2016
(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 of Year C from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: March 27 – April 2, 2016, please go to ARCHIVES Series 14 and click on “Easter Week”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: April 3-9, 2016.)
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April 3, 2016: SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (SUNDAY OF DIVINE MERCY)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Stood in Their Midst”
BIBLICAL READINGS
Acts 5:12 16 // Rv 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 // Jn 20:19-31
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 20:19-31): “Eight days later Jesus came and stood in their midst.”
I enjoyed Peggy Weber’s Easter experience that she shared with the readers of Guideposts magazine (cf. p. 4-5, April 2004 issue). One April afternoon, that busy mother braved to shop in a department store with her four-year-old and toddler twins in tow. Peggy narrates the embarrassing situation of the children’s tantrums: “By the time I got to the linen department, they were having a total meltdown – kicking and bawling. I could feel the stares of other shoppers. ‘Can’t people keep their kids quiet?’ one muttered. Then an elderly woman came up. I braced myself for criticism. Instead, she said, ‘Looks like you could use a hand.’ She nudged her husband who headed to another department. He returned with three small bags, one for each kid. Inside? Chocolate Easter bunnies. You never saw two toddlers stop crying so fast. What a sweet reminder that patience and understanding do exist in a busy world.” The kind elderly couple brought peace and joy to an otherwise unpleasant and wearying predicament. Their compassion and understanding led a distraught mother closer to the Easter event.
In today’s Gospel passage (Jn 20:19-31), we contemplate the apparition of the Risen Lord to his disciples and his gentle compassion to make them experience the marvelous Easter event of his glorification. The one who had undergone the saving passion appeared to the fearful disciples in glorified form. Freed from the constraints of his mortal body, he can appear anywhere: no obstacle, no locked door can prevent him from coming. Though the resurrected body of Jesus possesses spiritual qualities, the evangelist John underlines the continual existence of him whom the first witnesses had known familiarly. Jesus showed his hands and side to his disciples to make them realize that it was really the crucified who was standing there in their midst. The Easter apparitions were meant to calm their fears and evoke the faith of the disciples in the reality of the resurrection of the one who suffered and died on the cross.
In this Easter apparition, the Risen Lord, who calmed the fearful disciples with his blessing of peace, bestowed upon them the greatest Easter gift – the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the ultimate Easter gift is the Holy Spirit, who enables the Christian disciples to relish the fruits of love, joy and peace that Jesus reaped from the tree of life, the cross of his passion and glorification. On the cross at Mount Calvary, Jesus breathed forth his Spirit to the Father in total oblation (cf. Jn 19:30). In the Easter apparition, the glorified Jesus breathes his Spirit anew as he celebrates the re-creation of God’s people. The Risen Lord’s gift is also the animating energy of the post-Easter Church in its mission to perpetuate the work of salvation accomplished by Christ in his passion, death and glorification. The Spirit of the Risen Lord is the power of the Christian mission throughout time and space.
Today’s Easter Gospel is also an exhortation “to believe without seeing”. According to John’s narrative, the Risen Lord appeared eight days later and stood in their midst. Together with them was Thomas who doubted and reacted vehemently to their testimony. Jesus confronted the doubting Thomas with the stigmata of his passion and said to him: “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe” (Jn 20:27). Thomas’ resistance and unbelief broke down completely in the face of the Risen Lord. He then uttered the ultimate Christian profession of faith: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28). The Risen Lord, however, exhorted him to a greater faith: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (Jn 20:29). Like the first disciples, the faith of Christian disciples through history is founded in the presence of Risen Lord through his Spirit.
The last verse of today’s reading crystallizes the motive for the many “signs” written and proclaimed about Jesus, the glorious resurrection being the crowning event and the “sign of signs”. The evangelist John tells the recipients of the Gospel: “These are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (Jn 20:31). Indeed, to really relish the joy of Easter we need to believe this: that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Christ – the Son of God. He is the Lord and God of those who have experienced the power of Easter.
B. First Reading (Acts 5:12-16): “More than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them.”
On this second Sunday of Easter, which is also celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday, we thank the Lord for the many touches of divine mercy that are palpable in daily life. One example of this may be verified in the following experience narrated by the Maryknoll missionary, Fr. Joseph Fedora, derived from his AIDS ministry in Lima, Peru (cf. Maryknoll, March 2007, p. 34-35).
Olga, her body ravaged by HIV, is in mourning. So much loss in such a short life – 28 years old, going on 82. Gone is the luster in her long black hair, and her cheeks, deep craters surrounded by bony ridges, no longer blush. Too anemic for that. Her dark eyes, made darker by shadows and dimmed by pain, glow less brightly. Gone too are her once full lips, now stretched thin by chronic malnourishment, her teeth impossibly large in a face wasting away.
Olga smiles when she sees me approaching her bed. I bend down and kiss her forehead. “How are you?” I ask. “My back hurts,” she says. “Could you turn me on my side?” It seems easier than it should be; she weighs so little. “Hmmm,” she purrs, “much better.” Blessed respite, I think, but just then a coughing fit – like a spiteful taskmaster – cuts the respite short. Her body convulses, and with each cough one can almost hear her bones rattle. When the attack subsides, Olga moans. I gently rub her back, feeling every contour of every vertebra. Within moments she begins to purr once more. “That feels so good,” she says. She closes her eyes and smiles. We don’t talk for a while, comfortable in the silence and in the healing touch – healing for her, healing for me. No simple massage this, I think. Something much greater is afoot – something holy. After a moment, with eyes still closed, Olga invites me to apply more pressure, “but only if you’d like,” she says. “My pleasure,” I respond …
I close my eyes and pray my touch – like Jesus’ – comforts and heals this wounded woman now sleeping. She’s at peace, as I am. I savor the moment silently, then open my eyes. “No need for holy oils now,” I muse. “Better she sleeps. Besides, was not that backrub a sacrament?” I kiss Olga on her forehead and whisper goodbye. There’s a spring in my step as I make my way to another patient in mourning, to another encounter with the Word Made Flesh Wasting away. It pains me to see pain, but, oh, the comfort in comforting others.
The missionary brought Christ’s healing touch and comfort to the sick woman, and the woman’s ailing body became an instrument of God’s healing touch and comfort to the ministering missionary. The touch that both the missionary and the sick woman experienced was a touch of divine mercy.
Today’s First Reading (Acts 5:12-16) depicts that part of the Risen Lord’s Easter gift is his healing touch. And this healing touch is passed on to his apostles who receive the ministry to cure the sick and the troubled. Indeed, God continues to work signs and wonders among the people through the instrumentality of his apostles. The power of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Lord’s Easter gift, enables the apostles to communicate his healing touch and power to the broken hearted and the sick. The people are so desperate for the healing touch that they even carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter comes by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. The touch of Peter’s shadow is enough to heal the sick for it is an encounter of faith with the healing power of the Risen Lord, of which Peter is a channel of grace.
C. Second Reading (Rv 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19): “I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.”
The Lord’s rising from death and his gift of the Holy Spirit power the life and growth of the early Christian community. But the early Christian community – in all its glory and vitality - likewise endures persecution just like its Savior Jesus Christ. The vibrant, ever-growing Easter community is a suffering Church, as can be gleaned from today’s Second Reading from the Book of Revelation (Rv 1:9-11a, 12-13). To the early Christians enduring intense difficulties and trials, John’s fascinating vision of a “son of man” is an encouragement in their distress. The vision of Christ who lives for eternity and has authority over death assures them of their own triumph within the tormented history of humanity. The decisive triumph of Jesus over sin and death is the ultimate Easter consolation. The Lord of life is paradoxically the one who once was dead. Now he lives! The conqueror of sin and death is alive for us, forever and ever!
Our Easter encounter with Jesus, just like Thomas and the other disciples, confronts us to the core of our being. We are called to make a leap of faith into the arms of the Risen Lord who summons us to live with him forever. Today, the living Lord – who still bears the scars of his sacrificial wounds - calls us anew to make a deep faith response, especially in the face of the well-founded charges of sexual abuse perpetrated by some clergy and religious on minors. Pope Benedict XVI’s Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, issued on March 19, 2010, addresses this issue openly and courageously so as to redress past wrongs according to justice and the Gospel … so that the wounds inflicted may be healed and the betrayed trust of the victims and of all be renewed. The following excerpt from the Pope’s Pastoral Letter illustrates the need to trust in the ever-living Lord Jesus Christ, who is full of mercy and compassion (cf. L’Osservatore Romano, March 24, 2010, p. 3-5).
With this Letter, I wish to exhort all of you, as God’s people in Ireland, to reflect on the wounds inflicted on Christ’s body, the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them, and the need for unity, charity and mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and ecclesial renewal. I now turn to you, with words that come from my heart, and I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
To the victims of abuse and their families: You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of what happened to you, no one would listen. Those of you who were abused in residential institutions must have felt that there was no escape from your sufferings. It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel. At the same time, I ask you not to lose hope. It is in the communion of the Church that we encounter the person of Jesus Christ, who was himself a victim of injustice and sin. Like you, he still bears the wounds of his own unjust suffering. He understands the depths of your pain and its enduring effect upon your lives and your relationships, including your relationship with the Church. I know some of you find it difficult again to enter the doors of a church after all that has occurred. Yet Christ’s own wounds, transformed by his redemptive sufferings, are the very means by which the power of evil is broken and we are reborn to life and hope. I believe deeply in the healing power of his self-sacrificing love – even in the darkest and most hopeless situations – to bring liberation and the promise of a new beginning.
Speaking to you as a pastor concerned for the good of all God’s children, I humbly ask you to consider what I have said. I pray that, by drawing nearer to Christ and by participating in the life of his Church – a Church purified by penance and renewed in pastoral charity – you will come to rediscover Christ’s infinite love for each one of you. I am confident that in this way you will be able to find reconciliation, deep inner healing and peace.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we receptive to the Easter event? Do we believe in faith that the Risen Lord is in our midst to renew all things and make us share in his glorious victory over sin and death? What does the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Lord’s Easter gift, mean to us? How will this Easter gift affect and shape our life in Christ?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Almighty and merciful God,
your Son Jesus Christ is in our midst.
He who once was dead
is now truly living.
He lives forever and ever
and through him, we too live forever.
By the Easter mystery of the ever-living Lord,
give us the grace to minister your healing love
to our suffering brothers and sisters.
Make us true messengers of the Gospel.
Help us to be joyful witnesses of the Easter event.
We extol you with sweet “Alleluias”,
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 disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” (Jn 20:20).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
On this Easter day, pray for a greater awareness of the blessings of Christ’s resurrection and of our consequent new birth in God’s Spirit, the Easter gift. At the consecration of this Sunday’s Mass, during the elevation of the sacred host and sacred wine, repeat solemnly the words of Thomas’ faith confession: “My Lord and my God!”
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April 4, 2016: MONDAY - THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
(N.B. Today is the birthday of Blessed James Alberione,
Founder of the Pauline Family)
“JESUS SAVIOR: The Angel Announces Him to Mary”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 7:10-14; 8:10 // Heb 10:4-10 // Lk 1:26-38
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:26-38): “Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son.”
Today the liturgical assembly listens devoutly to the Gospel proclamation of the annunciation of the birth of our Lord Jesus (Lk 1:26-38). The first recipient of this Good News is Mary, the virgin maiden of Nazareth, chosen to be the Mother of Jesus. The annunciation of the Lord brought about the dawn of salvation and this joyful message brings hope and consolation to people through the ages. The Church writer, Venerable Bede, remarks: “Today’s reading of the Gospel calls to mind the beginning of our redemption, for the passage tells us how God sent an angel from heaven to a virgin. He was to proclaim the new birth, the incarnation of God’s Son, who would take away our age-old guilt; through him it would be possible for us to be made new and numbered among the children of God. And so, if we are to deserve the gifts of the promised salvation, we must listen attentively to the account of its beginning.”
On this feast of the Lord’s Annunciation we marvel at the immensity of God’s love and his saving design. We are awed by the vital role of Mary in salvation history – as the mother of Christ the Savior, the Son of God. We are also grateful for her maternal intervention in our life. The following article on the Internet is a beautiful example of a Marian “miracle”.
Benedictine College’s consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8, 2013, is just the most recent chapter in the story of the school’s relationship with Mary. “Our Lady’s intercessions date as far back as 1856 when she saved the founder of St. Benedict’s Abbey – Fr. Henry Lemke’s life during a torrential thunderstorm and flood. (…) Fr. Henry Lemke wrote in his diary about an 1856 incident where he was lost in a storm and prayed for Mary’s intercession. As soon as he said the prayer, a light appeared on the horizon. He stumbled toward it and found that it was a lantern hanging in the window of a cottage.
The mother and daughter who lived in the cottage sheltered him and told him that a lady dressed in white appeared to the child in the night. This had awakened the mother who hung the lantern. Wrote Lemke: “O you dearest Mother of God, it was through the pure and unsullied soul of a child that you effected that the mother would place a lamp in the window just about the very time when I was calling out for help because I feared for my life. The Mother of God worked a miracle.”
Two years later, Benedictine College was founded and the “lady dressed in white” appeared to another girl in a small town – St. Bernadette of Lourdes, France.
B. First Reading (Is 7:10-14; 8:10): “Behold the virgin shall conceive.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 7:10-14; 8:10) speaks of a prophetic sign directed to King Ahaz, who is anxious and trembling for the imminent siege of Jerusalem in 735 B.C. by the kings of Syria and Israel. Confronting his lack of trust in the Lord, the prophet Isaiah declares: “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” With the sign of the conception and birth of a child, God wants to manifest to King Ahaz that the Lord Yahweh is in perfect control of human history and destiny. Indeed, God is with us and intimately involved in our affairs. The “sign” announced by the prophet Isaiah is an invitation to Ahaz to trust in God alone – in the realization of the Covenant and his continual protection. King Ahaz ought not to rely on the political and military interventions of the Assyrians for salvation from his enemies. The conception and birth of a child by the king’s young wife is meant to indicate Yahweh’s abiding presence and merciful intervention on behalf of his people. The weakling ruler, however, does not accept the birth of his son, Hezekiah, as a “sign” of salvation and of God’s solicitude for the house of David. Trusting more in political security, Ahaz sends gold and silver to the King of Assyria and woefully becomes Assyria’s vassal.
The “sign” of a child used by the prophet Isaiah to challenge the feckless Ahaz is surpassed and radically fulfilled in the mystery of the Lord’s Annunciation. It is through the message of an angel that we learn of the incarnation of the Son of God. It is not a sign among many, but THE sign of God par excellence. The feast of the Annunciation celebrates the mystery of the Son of God conceived by the Blessed Virgin Mary in her womb in order to give him a body. This body, formed from the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mother by the power of the Holy Spirit, is the “body” that brings salvation to all through the paschal event of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
The Indian Nobel laureate poet, Rabindranath Tagore, remarks that the birth of every child is a sign that God has not given up on the world. God continues to surround us with “signs” of salvation and of his care and love. The following story narrated by Sue Monk Kidd in an old issue of Guideposts magazine illustrates how the appearance of a child in the languishing church community of Melba becomes a sign of the divine will to bring life and salvation.
In 1977, the Baptist Church in Melba, a rural American town, was about to close its doors forever. Over the years, churchgoing had dropped off alarmingly. Some hurts and misunderstandings had divided and shattered the congregation. All that remained was about a dozen people on the verge of giving up. That handful of people gathered in the church one Sunday to vote whether to continue services or close down for good. Their meeting was interrupted when a child appeared – a child of only seven years – who wanted to join the Sunday school and the church service. Angela, for that was her name, returned the next Sunday, and the next and the next.
That child became the reason for the Melba Baptist Church to go on. They struggled to live in order to nurture a young spirit from one Sunday to the next. Angela was their glimmer of hope. She was their future. The child’s appearance saved the congregation from extinction and sure death. The Melba Baptist Church has become renovated and increased in membership. As far as they are concerned, the little girl who came alone to the church that long-ago Sunday was sent by God.
C. Second Reading (Heb 10:4-10): “As it is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.”
Today’s Second Reading (Heb 10:5-10) gives us a profound insight into the “why” of the Lord’s incarnation. The Son of God became man so that through his “body” he could offer a sacrifice of perfect obedience to the Father’s saving will. The effect of Christ’s perfect sacrifice is our salvation and redemption. Through the offering of the body of Christ for all, we have been sanctified and consecrated to the loving, merciful God the Father.
The following AOL news report gives insight into the sacrificial-saving aspect of the Lord’s incarnation.
An 8-year-old helped rescue six of his relatives from a fire at their mobile home, but sadly he wasn’t able to make it out himself. Brave Tyler Doohan was laid to rest with a special title: honorary firefighter.
CNN says Tyler was able to wake up 6 people to alert them of the fire and get them out safely. He then ran back inside the mobile home to try to save his disabled grandfather. Fire Chief Chris Ebmeyer explained what happened next. “By that time, the fire had traveled to the back of the trailer”, Ebmeyer said. “Unfortunately, they both succumbed to heat and smoke.
The boy and his grandfather were found together on a bed in the back room. It appears Tyler had been trying to lift him. With this comes the example that even though he was 8 years of age, he was able to display that amount of courage that most people can’t in their entire lives.”
The funeral for Tyler, his grandfather and step-grandfather was held Wednesday, January 29, 2014 … Since the tragedy, Tyler’s neighbor has started a fundraiser for the family who lost everything in the fire. As of January 30th, supporters have donated more than $60,000 – far exceeding the $15,000 goal.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we imitate Mary’s “Yes” to the saving will of God? In what ways do we live out our openness to divine grace?
2. What is the personal significance of the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God in our life? Are we ready to welcome the Lord’s annunciation and incarnation as a saving sign that transforms our life?
3. Do you imitate Christ in his total submission to the Father’s saving will? Do you declare “through Christ, with Christ and in Christ” with a receptive heart: Behold, I come to do your will, O God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(cf. Alternative Opening Prayer of the Mass of the Annunciation)
Almighty Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you have revealed the beauty of your power
by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth
and making her the mother of our Savior.
May the prayers of this woman
bring Jesus to the waiting world
and fill the void of incompletion
with the presence of her child,
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.
“May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Any time today pray and meditate on the beautiful prayer, “The Angelus”. By your acts of kindness and charity, enable the people around you to welcome and experience God’s ultimate sign of love in Jesus Christ.
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April 5, 2016: TUESDAY - EASTER WEEKDAY (2); SAINT VINCENT FERRER, Priest
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Was Lifted Up”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 4:32-37 // Jn 3:7b-15
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 3:7b-15): “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.”
In the Gospel reading (Jn 3:7b-15), Jesus continues his discourse with Nicodemus, the closet believer. The Divine Master speaks authoritatively of heavenly things because he is “from above”. Coming forth from the bosom of God, Jesus carries out his saving mission as the “Son of Man”. He who has “descended” from heaven now speaks of “exaltation”. Jesus recalls the bronze serpent mounted on a pole by Moses as commanded by God. It was “lifted up” in the desert for the salvation of the chosen people. Those who gazed upon the bronze serpent were cured from the bites of poisonous snakes that were sent by God as punishment for their obduracy. The object of punishment became a means of salvation. Like the bronze serpent “lifted up” for healing, Jesus is “lifted up” on the cross for our salvation. The suffering that Jesus endured becomes the font of salvation. His “exaltation” on the wood of the cross results in his resurrection and exaltation as the Lord of glory, forever and ever.
I watched the beautiful film, “Bakhita: From Slave to Saint”. Two scenes impressed me: the crucifixion of a slave that the little girl, Bakhita, was witnessing with horror and the young woman, Bakhita, contemplating with fascination Jesus on the cross. Bakhita concluded with awe: “The man on the cross is a slave!” The crucified Jesus became her hope and salvation. Saint Bakhita would affirm: “I am definitively loved and whatever happens to me – I am awaited by this Love. And so my life is good.” And with heavenly understanding, she remarked: “If I were to meet those slave traders that abducted me and those who tortured me, I’d kneel down and kiss their hands, because, if it had not been for them, I would not have become a Christian and a religious woman.”
B. First Reading (Acts 4:32-37): “The community of believers was of one heart and mind.”
The following delightful story shared by one of our Sisters, the Indian-born Sr. Mary Luce Cornelio, has both a missionary and Easter tone.
We had a papaya tree in our garden and it was full of papayas, big and small. Since they were too heavy, it was bending. When my father saw it, he wanted to save the tree from falling. So he gave it a support, a piece of wood, and tied it. Then he prayed, saying, “Lord, please save this tree from falling and every papaya on it. When the fruits will ripen, we will sell them and put the money in the mission collection box.”
So the papaya tree never fell, neither did the fruits. We were able to sell all the papayas and we mortified ourselves from eating any of them. Finally, the mission collection box was full of money. When the priest came to pick up the box, he was surprised. Our collection contribution was the highest so he announced it during the Mass. My father’s joy was great and so was ours. We will never forget the great faith and love of our father for the missions. HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!
We have here a tightly knit family, animated by faith and love, capable of sharing and sacrifice. The members of this family and domestic church are capable of responding to the needy and have the missionary capability of going out of themselves to help others. In this charming family account is a glimpse of the Easter idyll narrated by the evangelist Luke in today’s first reading (Acts 4:32-35).
The passage from the Acts of the Apostles proclaimed today in the liturgical assembly depicts the early Christian community as being “of one heart and mind”. The sharing and caring faith-community that was formed in the aftermath of the Easter events is the fruit of a “new creation”. It sprang forth from the redemptive action of the Risen Christ and the vivifying action of the Holy Spirit – his Easter gift to the Church. The first Christians who were “of one heart and mind” were concerned with the needs of others. The early Christian believers were marked by harmony, unity and love that were the fruits of their response to the renewing and recreating action of the Holy Spirit in their lives and to the great power by which the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Indeed, Luke’s Easter idyll of the sharing and caring Christian community that is “of one heart and mind” challenges today’s Easter people to create a world in which no one has any need. The picture of a selfless faith-community in the “springtime of the Church” denounces the acquisitive and consumerist culture in which we live. It goads us to denounce the abuse of hoarded goods and the ill distribution of resources. The absolute necessity of Christian disciples to respond positively to the needy is resounded by the Church Fathers.
St. Basil the Great, an early Church Father, cries out to the hoarding, uncaring rich: “They proclaim themselves masters of the common goods they hoard, because they were the first to own them. If every one of them kept only what he required for his immediate needs, and if the surplus was given to the poor, wealth and poverty would be abolished … You are not a thief? You have taken for your own the goods of which you are supposed to be the caretaker … To the hungry belongs the bread you have … To the naked the cloak that is hidden in your trunk … To the footsore, the shoes rotting in your house … To the poor the money that you have buried in the earth. How can you oppress so many people that you could help?”
The vehement appeal of St. Basil the Great reminds us in this Easter season of our prophetic duty as redeemed people to pool our resources and sacrifice our possessions for the sake of the needy. The capacity to share and the grace to live in communal charity are signs of the in-breaking of the Spirit and the victory of the Risen Lord over the world of sin and selfishness. Indeed, if we live today in consonance with the idyll of the springtime of the Church, great favor will be accorded us all – God’s Easter people.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we contemplate the great mystery of salvation that flows forth from Jesus lifted up on the cross and in his rising from the dead and glorification? Do we allow ourselves to be a part of that saving mystery?
2. What is the relevance of Luke’s idyllic picture of the “springtime of the Church”? How do I respond to this challenge? Do I strive to be truly “of one heart and mind” with the faith community that cares for the needy?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus Christ was lifted on the cross,
the throne of glory.
His vivifying Spirit, the Easter gift,
renews us in our minds and hearts.
Help us to grow increasingly into a faith-community
that is “of one heart and mind”.
May we efficaciously build a more just and caring world
and gently and lovingly care for the poor
and respond to each other’s needs.
Assist us to be channels of the peace and divine mercy
that flow out from Jesus, the Risen Lord,
who lives and reigns, forever and ever.
Amen. Alleluia!
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 be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (Jn 3:15)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your act of charity alleviate the pain of those who find their daily cross burdensome and too difficult to bear.
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April 6, 2016: WEDNESDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (2)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is God’s Sacrificial Love for Us”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 5:17-26 // Jn 3:16-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 3:16-21): “God sent his Son that the world might be saved through him.”
In the Gospel (Jn 3:16-21) we hear that God offers his beloved Son for our total liberation and redemption. Christ Jesus, “lifted up” on the cross and raised in glory, is the ultimate sacrament of the Father’s saving love. The death of Jesus on the cross is the high point of God’s passionate pursuit of his people. In the life-offering of the Son of God, the fullness of divine mercy is revealed. Indeed, as we contemplate the life-giving death of Jesus on the cross, we cannot help but praise God the Father for the wondrous mystery of his unbounded love.
Easter is a privileged time to contemplate and imitate God who loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. The sacrificial stance of God the Father can be gleaned from the following story.
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the Church’s pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening. In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.
With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak. “A father, his son and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific coast”, he began, “when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized.”
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. The aged minister continued with his story, “Grabbing a rescue line, the Father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy would he throw the other end of the lifeline. He only had seconds to make the decision. The Father knew that his son was a Christian and he also knew that his son’s friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves.
As the Father yelled out, “I love you son!” he threw out the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time the Father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered. By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister’s mouth.
“The father”, he continued, “knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son’s friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son’s friend. How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us. Our heavenly Father sacrificed his only begotten son that we could be saved. I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take hold of the lifeline he is throwing out to you in this service.”
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room (…) Within minutes after the service ended the two teenagers were at the old man’s side. “That was a nice story”, politely stated one of them, “but I don’t think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son’s life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian.”
“Well, you’ve got a point there”, the old man replied, glancing down at his worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up at the boys and said, “It sure isn’t very realistic, is it? But, I’m standing here today to tell you: that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up his son for me. You see … I was the father and your pastor is my son’s friend.”
B. First Reading (Acts 5:17-26): “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.”
Though persecuted, the apostles have the courage to continue the Easter proclamation because God’s protection is with them. The Christian apostles of today are called to manifest the same courage in the face of the opposition and trials that confront those who live out their faith. The following is a profile of a modern-day apostle who continues to teach the Easter faith in the name of Jesus Christ (cf. Russel Shaw, “Archbishop William E. Lori: Religious Liberty Point Man” in “Catholics of 2012” in Our Sunday Visitor, December 30, 2012, p. 10)
For a little more than a year, Archbishop William E. Lori has been the American bishops’ point man in the toughest fight the Catholic Church in America has faced in a long time. Maybe ever, in fact.
As chairman of the religious liberty committee of the bishops’ conference, the 61-year-old Archbishop of Baltimore is at the center of Catholic resistance to an Obama administration act of aggression – commonly known as the “HHS mandate” – as well as other government incursions on religious free exercise.
The mandate would require hundreds of church-related institutions to provide coverage for contraceptives, abortifacient drugs and sterilizations in employee health plans. This is the first time in America that government has sought to force the Church to cooperate in what it regards as a moral evil.
The religious liberty committee was established by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in September 2011. As chairman, Archbishop Lori has testified before Congress and played a key role in strategic planning for the Church’s response to what observers call the potential “institutional martyrdom” of Church programs via the HHS mandate. Currently, the mandate is the target of lawsuits in several courts.
A native of Louisville, KY, the archbishop was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., in 1977 and received a doctorate in Sacred Theology from The Catholic University of America in 1982. He served as secretary to the late Cardinal James Hickey of Washington, chancellor, moderator of the curia, and vicar general. Blessed Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Washington in 1995 and bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., in 2001. Eleven years later, Pope Benedict XVI named him Archbishop of Baltimore.
Archbishop Lori has held numerous committee posts with the bishops’ conference, including chairing the Committee on Doctrine and the Ad Hoc Committee on Universities and Colleges. He is the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.
Speaking at USCCB’s fall general assembly in November, he predicted the religious liberty struggle would be a long one. “We’re going to stay the course”, he promised the bishops and the Church.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we grateful to God for loving us so much that he gave his only Son to save us? How do we show our gratitude to God for his sacrificial love?
2. Are we willing to trust in God’s protecting hands when we take a stand for moral issues and for the Catholic faith?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you did not send your Son into the world to condemn it,
but to save it.
We praise you for your sacrificial love.
Grant that we may imitate your unbounded love
and give witness to your Son’s total self-giving.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen. Alleluia!
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.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” (Jn 3:16))
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Offer the daily sacrifices that you experience as a Christian disciple to God the Father and beg him for the grace to be self-giving in your ministry to others.
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April 7, 2016: THURSDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (2); SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST DE LA SALLE, Priest
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is God’s Beloved Son”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 5:27-33 // Jn 3:31-36
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 3:31-36): “The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.”
In today’s Gospel reading (Jn 3:31-36), John the Baptist speaks about Jesus. The Baptist testifies that the Father loves the Son. God has given everything to Jesus, especially the fullness of the gift of the Spirit. Jesus in turn gives to us the Spirit of God without measure. The Son speaks the words of God by the Spirit. Whoever believes in the Son and receives his testimony manifests to the world that God is trustworthy. The one who trusts in the Son and accepts his testimony has eternal life. It is very fitting that in this Easter season we hear the Baptist’s exhortation to receive the Son’s testimony about the heavenly Father. The Baptist himself witnessed to the world that Jesus Christ is trustworthy. By his ministry and martyrdom, John the Baptist surrendered trustingly to the Father and has received eternal life through the Son.
Nicholas Sparks’ novel “The Rescue” (cf. Reader’s Digest Select Editions, Large Type, p. 275-277) contains the poignant past of a firefighter, Taylor McAden. He was nine years old when it happened. One night, when he was unable to sleep, he went to the attic to play with his set of plastic soldiers. He did not realize that the house was on fire and did not answer when his parents frantically searched and yelled for him. The fire trapped him in the attic. He scrambled to the window crying for help. Taylor narrated:
“My dad … my big strong dad came running across the lawn to the spot right beneath the window. By then most of the house was on fire. I remember him reaching up his arms, yelling, ‘Jump, Taylor! I’ll catch you! I’ll catch you, I promise!’ But instead of jumping, I just started to cry all the harder … The more my dad called for me to jump, the more paralyzed I became. I can still see my father’s face when he realized I wasn’t going to jump … Then my father nodded ever so slightly, and we both knew what was he going to do … He finally turned and started running for the front door … By then the house was completely in flames … I remember seeing him rushing toward me. He was on fire. His skin, his arms, his face, his hair – just this human fireball rushing at me. He pushed me toward the window, saying, ‘Go, son.’ He forced me out, holding on to my wrist until I was dangling above the ground. He finally let go … I watched my father pull his flaming arm inside … He never came back out … I didn’t mean to kill him.”
The failure of young Taylor to trust and to throw himself into his father’s waiting, rescuing arms proved disastrous. For many years, he would carry the specter of the dreadful accident. He was burdened with guilt for having refused his father’s saving hands. In a way, this is what happens when we fail to surrender ourselves to the loving design of the Father and refuse to accept his Son Jesus’ life-giving testimony.
B. First Reading (Acts 5:27-33): “We are witnesses of these words as is the Holy Spirit.”
The apostles proclaim fearlessly the core of the Gospel message. They tenderly care for God’s flock by nourishing them with the bread of the Word. They lovingly tend the sheep by extending to the sick and suffering the compassionate healing touch of God. They lay down their life for the sheep that have been neglected and abused by the false shepherds. Indeed, in the integral task of Gospel proclamation, the apostles are opposed and persecuted. Today’s reading (Acts 5:27-33) illustrates how Peter and the apostles incur the ire and resentment of the threatened Jewish religious leaders. The Sanhedrin officials strongly reprimand them for disobeying their orders to stop teaching in the name of Jesus. But Peter and the apostles resolve to obey God rather than men.
Blessed Oscar Romero is an sterling modern day example of a true pastor and of a staunch Easter witnessing (cf. “Romero Recognized as a Martyr for the Faith” in Alive! March 2015, p.9).
Bishops, priests and lay leaders throughout the world have been given a new model of holiness and of courage in proclaiming the truth and standing up for justice in society. The Vatican has ruled that Oscar Romero, assassinated on 24 March 1980, aged 62, died as a martyr. He died “in odium fidei” (out of hatred for the faith), rather than for political reasons.
The finding clears the way for the murdered Archbishop of San Salvador to be declared “Blessed” by the Church, with no need for a certified miracle. Romero knew his life was in danger because of his outspoken defense of the poor, but he continued to speak out fearlessly against injustice. (…)
Romero was shot dead as he preached at Mass. His final homily focused strongly on the theme of Christian hope, on working for justice in society inspired by the hope of eternal life. (…)
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I contemplate Joseph and Jesus at the workbench in Nazareth and derive insight about the dignity of human labor and the redemptive dimension of work?
2. How did Peter and the apostles minister to the needs of God’s flock entrusted to their care? Are we today’s heroic apostolic witnesses? Are we credible “signs” of the Risen Lord’s pastoral love and care for his sheepfold?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you sent your Son Jesus to reveal your great love for us.
His life-giving testimony is true.
O compassionate God,
you are trustworthy!
Grant us the grace to be faithful
and to give witness that in Christ we have eternal life.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen. Alleluia!
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.
God is trustworthy.” (Jn 3:33)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the digital media may be rightly used to proclaim the Gospel. In your dealings with the people around you, make them feel the love and mercy of God who gave his Son Jesus Christ for us.
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April 8, 2016: FRIDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (2)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Grants Us the Sign of Loaves and Fish”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 5:34-42 // Jn 6:1-15
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 6:1-15): “Jesus distributed to those who were relcining as much as they wanted.”
As I read today’s Gospel account (Jn 6:1-15), I remember a true story for inspiration that I read in a magazine. A housewife was in a quandary. Some dear friends from out of town called for an impromptu visit. She and her husband were delighted to see them, but she was worried because there was not enough food in the house. They had been working on a shoestring budget and the pantry was practically empty. Anxiously she went to her bedroom to pray. Then she heard a kindly voice assuring her, “You have food to serve.” She went to the kitchen to check. She found a fistful of ground meat in the freezer; two pieces of withered carrot and some onions in the vegetable bin, and a small box of biscuit mix in the cabinet. She hurriedly prepared a small pot of meat stew from this meager supply and baked mouth-watering biscuits, her specialty. The guests came and sat with them. She dreaded that there was not enough food for all. But as they amiably exchanged stories and the food was passed around, the guests as well as the hosts were able to serve themselves. They even treated themselves to a second serving. After the fine dinner, when she was lavishly complimented by the well-satiated guests for the delicious stew and biscuits, she was aghast that there was even some leftover! Indeed, the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves was replicated in their lives.
The account of the multiplication of the loaves carries a powerful message to the people of today. In a distressed world convulsed with deep human hunger, we are reminded that there is bread for all, if only we are willing to share. It teaches us that personal involvement is needed in carrying out a miracle of “loaves and fish” for God’s people. Although overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation, Andrew did not detach himself from the problem. He said to Jesus: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Andrew was creatively involved in the pastoral situation of the hungry crowd. Rather than being passive, he was exploring possible solutions. In the process, he unwittingly pointed to a basic material for Jesus’ miraculous intervention. From the modest portion offered by the boy, Jesus prepared a banquet for all.
B. First Reading (Acts 5:34-42): “The Apostles went out rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”
In the Second Reading (Acts 5:34-42), Peter and the apostles made known to the Jewish religious authorities their resolve to obey God rather than any human authority. Although not opposed to lawful authority in principle, their ultimate loyalty lies in God alone. Hence, they are likely to come into conflict with those who wield power and demand from them total loyalty and absolute obedience. They boldly proclaim anew before the Sanhedrin the Easter kerygma about Jesus: they have killed him by nailing him to a cross, but God has raised him from the dead for the forgiveness of sins and the repentance of Israel. Their witnessing so infuriates the Sanhedrin that they want to put the apostles to death.
The greatly revered teacher Gamaliel, a leading Pharisee said to be the teacher of Saint Paul, fittingly raises a word of caution. He persuades the Sanhedrin to wait and see whether this movement is of merely human origin. If it were so, it will fail like others in the past. If it were from God, then they would be fighting in vain against God. Gamaliel’s wisdom prevails and the Sanhedrin follows his advice. The apostles are released, but not before enduring suffering. They were flogged and ordered never again to speak in the name of Jesus. The apostles go out rejoicing, feeling privileged to suffer for the sake of Jesus. Every day in the Temple and the people’s homes, the apostles continue to teach and proclaim the Good News about Jesus as the Messiah.
To die rejoicing is exemplified in the martyrdom of the Japanese Christian Francis Toyama Jintaro (cf. Full Sail with the Wind of Grace, ed. “Martyres” Editorial Committee, Tokyo: Don Bosco Sha, 2008, p. 90-93).
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon …” The young pure-hearted Jintaro was captivated by the spirit of St. Francis, taught him by the Franciscan missionary Fr. Apolinar Franco. Jintaro said to himself, “I too, want to give my life for God’s peace. Jintaro was baptized in 1616 when he was 16 years old. He received the name of the St. Francis he loved.
His family and friends were worried about him. “Jintaro, are you sure about this? The Christian religion is forbidden and persecution is getting worse everywhere.” The 16-year-old could well understand what kind of suffering awaited those who become Christians, but no one could change his mind which was set on serving God.
Jintaro joined the Confraternity of the Cord to take care of the sick and help the poor. He led an austere life. Having learned foreign languages from the missionaries, Jintaro read books which were not yet translated into Japanese, and using simple words explained the teachings to other Christians. The missionaries visiting Wakayama took a rest at Jintaro’s home. When they were staying there, the house would be filled with the voices of the faithful who came to attend mass. Young Francis Jintaro matured into becoming a leader of the Church in Wakayama.
In 1619, Asano Nagaakira was transferred to Hiroshima. Jintaro moved to Hiroshima with his master. In Hiroshima also, where persecution had already begun, there were Christians secretly living their faith. Jintaro worked hard for God in Hiroshima, too … Jintaro had a serenity that was unusual for a youth of 19. He served everyone well and there was peace wherever he went. (…)
In December 1623, upon witnessing the Great Martyrdom of Edo, Jintaro’s master Nagaakira was terribly troubled. He could no longer turn a blind eye to the Christians. Upon returning to Hiroshima in January of the following year, Nagaakira started a thorough survey to identify the Christians. One day, when Jintaro was out, an officer came to his house. “There aren’t any Christians in this house!” Jintaro’s servant tactfully told the officer, turning him away. When Jintaro heard of this, he turned himself in to the commissioner. “I am a Kirishitan. I won’t run or hide.” Jintaro had decided to turn himself in because he didn’t want to cause other Christians to weaken. (…)
Many officers came and surrounded Jintaro’s residence. “You are disobeying the orders of the lord, and must commit seppuku like a samurai!” Jintaro shook his head and replied to those who brought Nagaakira’s orders. “I will not kill myself. My life is a gift from God.”
Before the execution, Jintaro left these words to his mother and his wife. “My time has come at last! Please rejoice. I am at peace!” “You have served everyone well. At least we are consoled to know that your wish will be fulfilled. Our tears are tears of joy.” Jintaro’s mother and his wife cast their eyes down and wept. Jintaro’s last wish was granted and he was beheaded before a statue of Our Lady, while his family prayed. It was 16 February 1624. Jintaro was only 24 years old.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe that we are being called to share our modest portion of “five barley loaves and two fish”? Are we personally involved in making the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves happen in our community/society today?
2. Are we willing to replicate the experience of the apostles: “rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Jesus, Bread of life,
you set a table of plenty for the hungry crowd,
giving them a sign of the heavenly banquet and Eucharistic feasting.
Help us to be attentive to the stupendous “signs”
that you continually carry out in our lives.
Like your disciple, Andrew,
help us to be personally involved
in the pastoral care for your flock.
Like the boy who shared with you the “five barley loaves and two fish”,
may we experience the beauty and nobility
of contributing our modest resource
for your messianic work and miracle of love.
Strengthened by the bread of the Word and the Eucharist,
grant us the grace to accept suffering for the sake of your name.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen. Alleluia!
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.
“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.” (Jn 6:11)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Identify the needs in your community/society and make a practical move to share your “five barley loaves and two fish” with the needy. When you suffer humiliation or an offense, do not react negatively but gracefully, and offer this for the glory and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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April 9, 2016: SATURDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (2)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Walks on the Raging Sea”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 6:1-7 // Jn 6:16-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 6:16-21): “They saw Jesus walking on the sea.”
Today’s Gospel reading (Jn 6:16-21) invites us to cling to the saving Lord through whatever storms we may be experiencing. Walking on the sea, he comes to us with the consoling words: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” When overwhelmed with anxieties and overcome with doubts and when we feel that we are sinking and drowning in misery, we need to call out to Jesus, who tames the raging sea. In whatever distress and trouble, we need to cling to him and put our faith in him that he will bring us safely to shore.
An example of a deep trust in Jesus can be gleaned from the life of Sr. Mary Agape Saccone, PDDM, who died in Fresno, California on April 28, 2008. Born in Messina, Sicily, this Sister with a bright smile was a woman of faith. For 60 years she worked as a missionary, mostly in USA. Here is an account of her faith experience in the high seas, during her second trip back to the United States in 1965 after visiting her family in Italy.
“We had a reservation on the ship NUOVA RAFFAELO, a beautiful ship traveling to America. (…) After sailing for five days, at around 2:00 P.M., I went to the upper balcony to contemplate the sea and the immensity of the ocean and enjoy the beautiful view. All of a sudden, I heard a noise, like an explosion. After a short while, I became aware that the crewmembers were hurrying back and forth, and seemed to be worried. Later I learned that one of the engines of the NUOVA RAFFAELO had caught fire. The captain was forced to advise the passengers that the ship had to return to port for mechanical reasons. When the crew began the maneuvers to turn around, there were other noises and the ship began to shake. Everyone was worried. I sought to help the others remain calm and to encourage them during those terrible moments. I recall that I took the Gospel and read the passage about the calming of the sea to the other passengers. Finally, on November 6, we arrived safely at the port in Genoa. From there we left for New York once again, this time in an airplane. Once again we thanked God for his help.”
B. First Reading (Acts 6:1-7): “They chose seven men filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The First Reading (Acts 6:1-7) presents the endeavor of the early Christian community to be configured to the Risen Lord Jesus in its life of service. The Church is depicted as responsive to a challenging situation, receptive to the needs of others and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, able to organize in view of a more efficient community ministry, and has the capacity to restructure an existing service system and to innovate under charismatic impulse. In the beautiful springtime of its growth, the Church is presented as ministerial – a serving Church that cares for the needs of the faithful.
Harold Buetow comments“The first converts came from two groups of Jews, the Hellenists and the Hebrews. The Hellenistic Jews were Greek-speaking, and had returned to Jerusalem from all over the Mediterranean region. The Hebrews were native Palestinian Jews who spoke Aramaic. Today’s reading from Acts demonstrates one of the tensions between them: the Hellenistic group complaining that their poor widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food from the common store (v. 1) by the majority group, the local Hebrews. Another problem was that some of the members were so overworked in the service of the community that they were neglecting other important duties. The solution, arrived at by prayer and discernment, showed flexibility and growth, optimism and imagination. It showed the Church as an organization with an atmosphere of love, consideration, and enthusiasm. It showed a Church with each person treated equally with love, in the forefront of breaking down ethnic and racial barriers. Many of the qualities of the early Church were embodied in a new office: that of deacon. Though the assistants are not called deacons here, their office is deaconing: that is, service. Deacons were, however, to meet more than the immediate material needs. Later (Acts 6:8 and 8:5) we see two of the deacons involved in evangelization. All the faithful are called to serve with commitment. We are the lifeblood of the Church.”
The ideal of a serving and responsive Church continues to live on in today’s modern world. The following testimony and appeal of Tom Monaghan, a poor boy turned millionaire, illustrates the creative spirit of service and mission that animates the Christian disciples today.
My name is Tom Monaghan, and I am the founder of DOMINO’S PIZZA. Nine years ago I sold DOMINO’S in order to devote my time and assets to helping the Church. Over these last nine years, I have spent most of my time and money on advancing higher education through Ave Maria University, and I need your help to do it well. During the last quarter-century, I have given to a lot of Catholic causes, and been asked to give to more than I can remember.
Frequently, I have been criticized for both causes I have and haven’t supported. I think the first public example came in 1984 when I helped build the new Cathedral in Nicaragua. Some people said “Why put up a building, when there are poor people who need food?” So I then supported a mission in Central America that taught the youth how to farm to raise enough food for their families, and other people said “Why give them just food? You need to educate them so they can earn their keep.”
So I started a system of Catholic grade schools. However, after building a number of schools, I realized that, as worthwhile and important as this was, due to the expense of starting all these individual schools, I was going to run out of money faster that I had first thought. During this time, I realized that through Catholic higher education, we could train young men and women – tomorrow’s leaders, most importantly – in the precepts of Catholic Church, but also to be dynamic and successful contributors in our society and the Church. When this happens, people thrive, the society thrives, and the Church thrives. (…)
Years ago, I started going to daily Mass and then added praying the rosary daily some years later. I share this with you to invite you to do so as well. I first started going to daily Mass when I still owned DOMINO’S PIZZA, and I thought I was so busy. Then I read that Don Shula, the great head coach of the Miami Dolphins, who had just finished the only perfect season ever, was a daily communicant, and I thought, if a head coach of a pro football team has time to go to daily Mass, then so do I. Then, I heard a sermon regarding some of Mary’s apparitions and how she was asking us to pray the rosary daily.
I thought, if Mary is going through all this trouble to appear to us in such an extraordinary way, and she herself asked us to do this, then why shouldn’t I do so? It may sound funny coming from a guy who built a pizza delivery company, but I know what fasting is and that it will remain an integral part of worshipping God. I have always been taught that we were both physical and spiritual – having both bodies and souls – and that Christ clearly wants us to bend the body to the will of the soul. Christ fasted, and that’s good enough for me. It is especially important that we fast as the Church directs us. It is good for us, and not coincidentally, the money we save by cutting back on food and restaurants can be applied to the Church. (…)
In the late 80’s and early 90’s, I was approached by many Catholic causes asking me to support their efforts – some I did and some I didn’t. I wanted to be prudent with the resources at my disposal and I wanted them to have the greatest impact for the good of the Church. I learned that not everything that called itself “Catholic” was really Catholic, so I had to be discerning, as you do, in what I supported. As I got more and more involved in Catholic causes, I developed what I thought was a fairly specific focus of what I thought was the most important work for me to do, because I knew I couldn’t support everything that was good. Yet, I soon became convinced that I needed to get even more focused, and through this process I became convinced that investing in Catholic higher education would be the most efficient and effective way to train the next generation of Catholic leaders, both lay and clerical, who will carry on the vital work of the church after you and I are gone.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
When buffeted by howling winds and violent storms in the sea of life, how steadfast is our faith? In the midst of life’s storms, do we respond trustingly to Christ’s words: “It is I. Do not be afraid”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving and merciful Jesus,
when we are in troubled waters,
you are there for us with your saving love.
You assure us: “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
When overwhelmed with fears and challenges,
may we not sink into despair,
but believe that you are there for us
to draw us out of the raging waters.
Bring us safely back to shore.
We give you praise and bless you,
we thank and serve you,
we adore you and obey your gracious will,
now and forever.
Amen. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
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.
“It is I. Do not be afraid.” (Jn 6:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for those whose lives are in a “raging sea”. Do what you can to lift them up from their trials and difficulties.
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Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US