A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 14, n. 24)

Ascension of the Lord and Easter Week 7: May 8- 14, 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: May 1-7, 2016, please go to ARCHIVES Series 14 and click on “Easter Week 6”.

Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: May 8-14, 2016.)

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May 8, 2016: THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes Us His Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth”

BIBLICAL READINGS

Acts 1:1-11 // Eph 1:17-23 or Heb 9:24-28 // Lk 24:46-53

(N.B. For those who have celebrated the Ascension last Thursday,

the readings are from the 7^th Sunday of Easter:

Acts 7:55-60; Rv 22:12-14: Jn 17:20-26.

Please see the reflections below.)

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 24:46-53): “As he blessed them, he was taken up to heaven.”

I remember the beautiful afternoon I went to the convent of the Congregation, Sister Disciples of the Divine Master (PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI), located on the scenic hills of Antipolo, in the Philippines. I was a college student when I received from the Lord the grace to respond to my religious vocation. Then I felt ready to make a decisive step. My mother was with me the day I made my formal application to enter the convent. The Mother Superior accepted me as an aspirant and gave me the date of entrance to the congregation. When my mother and I were making our way back to the gate, we saw some Sisters having recreation outdoors. They looked so happy and joyful as they relaxed in the midst of a peaceful verdant garden, lined with blooming bougainvillaes ablaze in enchanting colors. It was a glimpse of heaven here on earth. The Sisters who were conversing among themselves along the pathway greeted us with warm smiles. One of them, Sr. Mary John congratulated my mother and assured her: “You are not losing a daughter, Mrs. Tapang! She will be ever close to you in prayer.” What Sr. Mary John told my mother was true. In my life of consecration to the Lord, I have been present to my father, my mother and my brothers spiritually, in a more intense and real way than mere physical presence.

Today, we celebrate the feast of the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s ascension into heaven is a farewell event to Christ in his earthly mission, yes, but even more. It is a celebration of his new presence. Aelred Rosser comments: “The ascension means that Christians have always believed that Jesus, having completed his earthly mission, returned to God, from whom he was sent, and now takes up his continuing role as priest, prophet, and king. That is the meaning of the words took his seat at God’s right hand. There is no implication that Christ is no longer present in the world or is inactive. Christ has not gone to a specific place any more than God can be said to be in a particular place; rather, Christ has taken on the role of intermediary in a new and spiritual way.”

Indeed, in the Church’s contemplation of the Lord’s ascension, there is no lamentation, but rather joy, for with this event we are given a glimpse of heaven and a pledge of the marvelous destiny prepared for us by the Risen Christ enthroned in glory. The early Church Father, St. Leo the Great remarks: “The ascension of Christ thus means our own elevation as well; where the glorious Head has gone before, the Body is called to follow in hope. Let us therefore exult, beloved, as is fitting, and let us rejoice in devout thanksgiving. For on this day not only have we been confirmed in our possession of paradise, but we have even entered heaven in the person of Christ.” Indeed, the feast of the Lord’s ascension, as a celebration of Christ’s new and wonderful presence, is a celebration of the mystery of hope. It is a celebration of what we are and the glorious destiny we are called to become in the Risen Lord ascended into heaven.

The astounding and continuing presence of the glorified Christ challenges his disciples, then and now, to bear authentic witness to the paschal mystery he had accomplished. In his last instruction to the apostles, Jesus says: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this” (Lk 24:46-48). The Risen Lord thus spells out the content of our witnessing, that is, the saving event of the life and works of Jesus, the Christ and Son of God. Difficulties and trials assail the lives of those who witness to Christ to the ends of the earth, but they have the inner strength to be true followers for they are empowered by the Holy Spirit, in accordance with Jesus’ words: “And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you, but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49). Indeed, Christian witnessing demands great openness and receptivity to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit – the ultimate and enduring manifestation of the Risen Lord’s presence in the world.

B. First Reading (Acts 1:1-11): “As the apostles were looking on, Jesus was taken up.”

In Acts 1:1-11, Luke inserts the “forty days” of Easter apparition and instruction before the event of the Ascension. This significant number evokes Jesus’ forty days and Moses’ forty days sojourn in the desert, which is a period of preparation for his important mission and saving ministry. With this fantastic detail of “forty days” of Easter apparition, the evangelist reinforces the truth that the Risen Lord is preparing the disciples for an important beginning, that is, the mission of the Church and their ministry as his witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The new age of the Church’s intense and expansive mission is associated with the special outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Church that is unfolding from the aftermath of the Easter mystery is animated and powered by the Risen Lord’s gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus, ascended into heaven, has inaugurated the age of the Spirit, the power of evangelization, and the fulfillment of the Father’s promise. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples become courageous witnesses. Today’s liturgy of Ascension calls us also to be bold witnesses of Gospel joy to the world. We have a mission from Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit assures us that in the evangelizing work we are not alone, but enlivened by the Holy Spirit.

The digital media are powerful means of evangelization which need to be harnessed by today’s Christian disciples. The social networks are “new spaces of evangelization” that we need to explore and use. Pope Benedict asserts: “Believers are increasingly aware that, unless the Good News is made known also in the digital world, it may be absent in the experience of many people for whom this existential space is important. The digital environment is not a parallel or purely virtual world, but is part of the daily experience of many people, especially the young … Social networks, as well as being a means of evangelization, can also be a factor in human development … In the digital world there are social networks which offer our contemporaries opportunities for prayer, meditation and sharing the word of God … There should be no lack of coherence or unity in the expression of our faith and witness to the Gospel in whatever reality we are called to live, whether physical or digital. When we are present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known the love of God to the furthest ends of the earth.” (Cf. Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the 47^th World Communications Day)

Our celebration of the Lord’s Ascension as well as of the World Communications Day inspires us to use the most efficacious means to proclaim the Gospel. Today’s Christian disciples are getting more and more “hi-tech” in their work of evangelization. The following story, circulated on the Internet, will tickle our funny bone for it imagines how it would be when heaven itself goes “hi-tech”.

“Heaven Gone Hi-Tech”: We have all learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of modern life. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God decided to install voice mail? Imagine praying and hearing something like this: “Thank you, for calling my Father’s house. Please select one of the following options: Press 1 for requests. Press 2 for giving thanks. Press 3 for complaints. Press 4 for all other inquiries.”

What if God used the familiar excuse: “I’m sorry; all of our angels are busy helping other sinners right now. However, your prayer is important to us and will be answered in the order it was received; so please stay on the line.”

Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call God? “If you would like to speak to Gabriel, press 1; Michael, press 2; for a directory of other angels, press 3; if you would like to hear King David sing a psalm while you hold, press 4. To find out if a loved one had been assigned to heaven, press 5. Enter his or her Social Security Number then press the # key. If you get a negative response, try area code 666. For reservations at my Father’s house, enter JOHN followed by 3:16. For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth, and where Noah’s Ark is, please wait until you arrive in heaven.”

What about getting responses like these? “Our computers show that you have already prayed once today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow. This office is closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday. Please pray again Monday after 9:30 A.M. If you need emergency assistance when this office is closed, contact your local pastor.”

C. Second Reading (Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23): “Christ has entered into heaven itself.”

Today’s Second Reading (Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23) delineates the meaning of Christ’s enthronement and the benefits of the Lord’s exaltation and ascension into heaven. We now have access to God himself in the heavenly sanctuary through the sacrifice of Christ. The priestly offering of Jesus surpasses that of the high priest entering the sanctuary of the Holy of Holies at the Jewish feast of the Atonement. Through his “once-for-all” sacrifice Christ has effectively made salvation available in the here and now, although the full blossoming and fruition will be at the end time.

The biblical scholar Albert Vanhoye explains: “Christians possess the right to enter the true sanctuary by the blood of Christ, that is to say, thanks to his violent death transformed into a generous offering. In order to have access to the sanctuary they now have a new and living way that is the glorified humanity of Jesus. Moreover, Christians have the very person of Christ, their priest, as guide. They are invited to remain in the dispositions corresponding to the dynamism of their privileged situation: sincere faith in relation to baptism, unwavering hope based on the promise of a faithful God, and effective love in generous deeds and regular participation in ecclesial assemblies.”

The saving event of the Lord’s ascension is a mystery of hope. We cling to his promise of salvation because he is trustworthy. The saving hope is at the root of the apostolic mission and witness. Jesus calls us to lead others to him that we may all share in the glory of eternal life. In the following story, a Christian believer gives an example of openness to divine will and courageous witnessing – of an attitude sustained by faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ ascended into heaven (cf. Jeff Cavins, “Refueling with God” in Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, et. al., West Chester: Ascension Press, 2004, p. 250-252).

My heart leaped with joy upon learning I had just landed a job as manager at a gas station in Pella, Iowa. To some, it might seem like an odd vocation for a college graduate, but for one seeking to evangelize, a gas station was fertile ground. People from all walks of life – Christian and non-Christian – would be walking through the door of the station. I would be there to meet them, get to know them, and look for opportunities to lead them to Christ. I had just recently quit my job as an announcer at a Christian radio station. Instead of preaching to the choir, I yearned to get out into the world and evangelize among people who did not know Christ.

The job turned out to be everything I had hoped it would be. By being friendly and interested in people, I got to know many of the regular customers. There had been many opportunities to befriend people, listen to their problems, and often lead them closer to Christ. I came to enjoy the early morning routine at the station. Arriving at 5 a.m. to do the inventory each morning provided me with quiet time to pray and reflect before opening at 6 a.m. One such morning, I was surprised to see a customer at the pump station just after I opened.

As I watched the young man pump gas into his car, I suddenly had the strong impression that I should say something to him about Jesus when he walked in to pay. Now, even though this was the reason I was working at the gas station, it was not my style to hit people with Christianity in such a direct manner. I had worked there three months and had never done anything like that. I usually befriended people over time and got to know them before sharing my faith with them.

When the thought first came to me, I said to the Lord: “I don’t want to do this. It’s not the normal way to greet people. I don’t want to seem weird.” Yet, as I watched this professional looking man in business suit, the feeling grew stronger that God wanted me to say something to him such as, “Sir, Jesus loves you.” I argued with God: “Let me get to know him first, then I’ll say something.” But the feeling only grew stronger. I had the impression that if I did not do this, I would be disobedient to what the Lord was asking of me. Although I am not the nervous type, I started getting nervous. The man looked “no-nonsense” and appeared to be in a hurry. He paced about while he waited for his tank to fill. I thought, “If this feeling is from the Lord, there is only one way I’m going to know and that is to go ahead and say something.” (…)

The guy finished filling his car and made his way to the station. I swallowed hard as he opened the door. Forcing myself to look him in the eyes, I took a deep breath and said, “Sir, Jesus loves you.” There was a silent pause that seemed to last an eternity. The man looked puzzled but then anger clouded his face. I became even more nervous imagining that he might come across the counter and knock me out. But then, he stopped and shook his head back and forth as if to say, “What is going on here?” The man proceeded to tell me that even though it was only six in the morning, already four people had told him that day that Jesus loved him. “What is going on?” he asked. “Well”, I answered, “maybe God is speaking to you.” He then softened and explained that he had stopped walking with the Lord some time ago and perhaps God was calling him back home. We stood there in silence for a moment before he thanked me and said, “This has given me something to think about.” He then turned and left.

I never saw him again but I prayed that the hound of heaven would continue to chase him until he gave his life to Christ. I may never know what happened in the end but I do know that he encountered the love of God that day. I pray that I will meet him one day in heaven. God gives us all opportunities to preach the gospel and share His love, but with that opportunity there comes risk. If we will respond to that risk in faith and love, we will be surprised what God can do through us.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Do we give ourselves time and opportunity to contemplate the mystery of the Lord’s ascension? What is the significance of this mystery in our own daily life? Do we personally feel a deep participation in the Lord’s exaltation and in the Church’s mission to be witnesses of Christ to the ends of the earth? Do we trust that in the Church’s age of mission, we are filled, empowered and energized by the Spirit of Jesus, the glorified Lord? How do we carry out our task of Christian witnessing in the Holy Spirit?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you ascended into heaven.

Make us your faithful witnesses

and bearers of the Gospel

to the ends of the earth.

Grant us the wisdom of the Holy Spirit

so that we may efficaciously harness

the power of the mass media

for the service of the Gospel.

Guide us as we explore and utilize the social networks,

the new spaces for evangelization.

Help us to be witnesses of your saving love

both within the physical and the digital world.

We love and serve you.

We extol and glorify you,

now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“You are witnesses of these things.” (Lk 24:48)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Resolve to discover in what way we can proclaim the Gospel of Christ both in the physical and digital world.

*** Text of the Lord’s Ascension ends here. ***

(N,B WHERE THE ASCENSION WAS CELEBRATED LAST THURSDAY, THE 7^TH SUNDAY OF EASTER IS OBSERVED TODAY.)

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR C

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prays Father, May They All Be One”

BIBLICAL READINGS

Acts 7:55-60 // Rv 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 // Jn 17:20-26

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

Today’s Gospel reading (Jn 17:20-26) is about Christian unity. After praying for his first disciples, Jesus’ Priestly Prayer now focuses on future disciples – on the Church of all time. He prays to the Father for Christian unity: “May they all be one.” It is a unity based on the shared life and love of the Father and the Son. Without Christian unity, the Church is unable to carry out its mission in the world efficaciously. When there is clearer evidence of unity, the world is more disposed to believe. Indeed, the only Gospel some people will read is the way Jesus’ followers live. There are many divisions then and today, but the unity that Jesus wills us to have surpasses all barriers and fragmentation and brings about healing and grace. By virtue of this unity, the pilgrim Church can live the mission entrusted to her so that the world may believe in the Son and in the Father who sent him.

Our Lord Jesus greatly desires Christian unity. Hence, we too must work toward the attainment of this goal. The spirit of mutual respect and charity can lead us toward the path of unity. My personal experience illustrates this.

Gisbert was almost 12 years old when I left home and entered the convent in 1970. I had very little contact with him since then. In 1981 I was assigned abroad. When I returned to the Philippines in 1990, he had married Veron, a “Born Again Christian”. Gisbert had also become a “Born Again”. It was understandable that we would have fiery discussions on some elements of Catholic faith that he contested.

One day we went on an excursion. While Gisbert and I were relaxing in the cool shade of a mango tree, we finally had a cordial and mature faith sharing. He listened attentively when I explained to him about the role of saints as models of those who have participated fully in Christ’s paschal mystery of passion, death and resurrection. From that day on, we focused on what unites us in our Christian faith, that is, the Word of God that is purifying and life-giving.

Eventually Gisbert, with his wife and children, immigrated to Canada. When Gisbert was diagnosed with cancer in September 2008, I would call almost every day from the States to strengthen him. By phone I would cite a Bible passage and pray over him. I had the grace to be with him during his last days at the Palliative Care Unit in Brampton Hospital in Toronto. He passed away on May 20, 2009. When he breathed his last, he was enveloped with prayers and the Word of God both from me – a Catholic nun – and the pastor of their community. His death became a beautiful ecumenical event for us all.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Do we contribute to the realization of the prayer and great longing of Jesus, “Father, may they all be one”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord,

you prayed for Christian unity

and you died on the cross to gather your flock.

Help us to overcome our divisions and fragmentation.

Make us whole

and let us be united in your love.

Let us be courageous in witnessing.

Save us from the hour of trial

and deliver us from evil.

You are our Savior whom we love and adore,

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.

“I pray …that they may all be one.” (Jn 17:20-21)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Be a promoter of Christian unity and compassionate acts of charity in our confused and divided world. Take notice of the universal character of our faith community and thank God for it.

*** Text of 7^th Sunday of Easter, Year C, ends here. ***

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May 9, 2016: MONDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (7)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Take Courage … His Holy Spirit Came Upon Them”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 19:1-8 // Jn 16:29-33

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 16:29-33): “Take courage, I have conquered the world.”

In the Gospel reading (Jn 16:29-33), we hear that the disciples unwisely presume they have totally understood Jesus. The Divine Master exposes their misunderstanding and confronts their presumption by predicting their failure to stand by him to the end. The disciples are to desert him in the hour of trial. But Jesus will not be alone because God the Father is with him. During the paschal “hour” the disciples will scatter. Jesus thus exhorts them to take courage for he has already overcome the world. Their victory is assured in his own victory. His saving love triumphs over our weaknesses, trials and sufferings. In Jesus we find peace and strength to endure.

The following incident narrated by Archbishop Van Thuan shows how Christian disciples of today take courage in the Lord and experience the Easter peace he brings (cf. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 65-66).

The Catholics in the prison of Phu Khanh had secretly brought in a copy of the New Testament. They divided the book into small pieces and distributed these pieces among the Catholics who began to learn the passage by heart. Since the cells had floors of sand, when they heard a guard’s footsteps, they would hide the Word of God by burying it in the floor.

In the darkness of night, the prisoners would recite in turn the part of the New Testament each had already memorized. It was an impressive and moving experience to hear the Word of God proclaimed in the silence and darkness of the prison … to be in the presence of Jesus the “living Gospel” spoken by the prisoners with all strength of soul; to hear the priestly prayer and the passion of Christ …

The non-Christians also listened with respect and admiration to what they called the “Sacred Word”. Many said they felt the Word of God to be “spirit and life”.

B. First Reading (Acts 19:1-8): “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”

In the reading (Acts 19:1-8), we hear that Saint Paul returns to Ephesus, led by the Spirit, and meets “believers who were baptized with the baptism of John”. Their faith is inchoative and they have not even heard that there is the Holy Spirit. True to his vocation, Paul takes every opportunity to proclaim the radical character of Christian faith to all peoples of the earth. He reminds them that John the Baptist urged people to believe in Jesus, “the one who is to come after him”. The Ephesian “believers” open their hearts fully to the apostle’s Gospel proclamation and are baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus”. Paul lays his hands upon them and they receive the gifts of tongues and prophecy. Like the “twelve” apostles that are the nucleus of the Christian community in Jerusalem, there are about “twelve men” who constitute the nucleus of the Christian community in Ephesus.

The role of the apostle Paul and the vitality of the Church in Ephesus give insight into the role of Pope Francis and the vitality of the Church in Korea today (cf. “Church in Korea” in Alive! April 2014, p. 4).

Pope Francis will visit South Korea from August 14^th till the 19^th to participate in a Catholic youth festival, preside over a beatification ceremony for 124 Korean martyrs, and bring a message of peace to the war-divided peninsula.

South Korea is a truly incredible place for the Catholic Faith. Consider the statistics.

Every parish has from 200 to 400 baptisms of converts from Buddhism each year. Most of the converts are city dwellers. Each year there are 130-150 new priests, one for every 1,110 of the baptized.

In 2009, the number of people baptized reached 157,000 and 149 priests were ordained, 21 more than in 2008. More than two-thirds of the priests are under the age of 40.

Over the past 10 years the Catholic Church in Korea has gone from three to five million faithful. In 1960, there were 250 Korean priests; today there are 5,000.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. When we experience trials and adversities, pain and suffering, do we take courage in the Lord?

2. What role does Saint Paul play in leading the “believers” in Ephesus closer to Christ? What role do you play to help increase the vitality and deepen the faith of your community?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus,

you are our Savior.

You are victorious over the unbelieving world

and in your decisive victory on the cross

our own victory over sin and death is assured.

We take courage in you.

Help us to challenge the desperate and the hopeless

with your words: “Take courage. I have conquered the world.”

Give us the grace to promote the growth and vitality of the Church.

You live and reign, 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 week. Please memorize it.

“Take courage. I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33) // “The Holy Spirit came upon them.” (Acts 19:6)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Resolve to share the Good News with a people that, in this secularized world, tend to live without faith and hope. Pray for the pastoral ministry of the Pope in the Church and in the world.

***

May 10, 2016: TUESDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (7); SAINT DAMIEN DE VEUSTER, Priest (USA)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prays, Father Glorify Your Son … His Apostle Paul Bears Witness to the Gospel of God’s Grace”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 20:17-27 // Jn 17:1-11a

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 17:1-11a): “Father, glorify your Son.”

The Priestly Prayer of Jesus (Jn 17) is an important element of our daily Eucharistic adoration as Pious Disciples of the Divine Master. Because of its importance, I wanted to memorize the prayer, but never succeeded. In 2005, however, during a monthly retreat, the Belgian missionary Fr. Luke presented the main structure of the Priestly Prayer: Jesus’ prayer for his glorification, his prayer for the disciples-apostles, and his prayer for the Church of all time. With this structure to guide me, I was finally able to memorize the Priestly Prayer of Jesus!

Today’s Gospel (Jn 17:1-11a) contains Jesus’ prayer for his glorification. The “hour” of his “passing over” to the Father has come. As a priest, he makes the offering; as a victim, he is offered in sacrifice. The cross is the vehicle of his “exaltation” and the font of benediction for the people he came to save. The total gift of his very life on the cross is the true sacrifice; it is also the new priesthood that excels all others. Exalted on the cross, Jesus Priest-Victim radically reveals the nature of God as self-giving and life-giving Love.

The following account of Archbishop Van Thuan illustrates how the love of Christ, exalted on the cross, can change hearts and triumph over evil and adversities (cf. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 72-74).

In the beginning, the guards did not talk to me. They only answered me with yes or no. I was terribly sad. I wanted to be kind and polite with them, but it was impossible. They avoided speaking with me. One night a thought came to me: “Francis, you are still very rich. You have the love of Christ in your heart; love them as Jesus has loved you.”

The next day I started to love them even more, to love Jesus in them, smiling and exchanging kind words with them. I began to tell stories of my trips abroad, of how people live in America, in Canada, in Japan, in the Philippines … about economics, about freedom, about technology. This stimulated their curiosity and they began asking me many questions. Little by little we became friends. They wanted to learn foreign languages, French, English … And my guards became my students!

On another occasion, on the mountain of Vinh Phu and in the prison of Vinh Quang, I had to cut wood on a rainy day. I spoke to the guard. “Can I ask you a favor?” “Tell me. I’ll help you.” “I would like to cut a piece of wood in the shape of a cross.” “Don’t you know it’s severely forbidden to have any religious signs whatsoever?” “I know”, I answered, “but we are friends, and I promise to keep it hidden.” “It will be really dangerous for us.” “Close your eyes. I’ll do it now and I’ll be really careful.”

He went away and left me alone. I cut the cross and kept it hidden in a piece of soap – up until the time of my release. This piece of wood, later placed within a metal frame, became my pectoral cross. (…) It is love that prepares the way for the announcement of the Gospel. Omnia vincit amor. “Love conquers everything!”

B. First Reading (Acts 20:17-27): “I am finishing my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.”

In the First Reading (Acts 20:17-27), we hear that from Miletus, Paul sends for the elders of Ephesus to come to him. Like Jesus, who made a Farewell Discourse to his disciples at the Last Supper, the apostle Paul now makes a long address of farewell to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus. Paul’s speech is personal, a bit somber, but full of affection and tenderness. Paul points to his own mission and testifies that he has not failed in his duty. He has done his work as the Lord’s servant even in hard times and persecution. He has not held back anything that would be useful. Indeed, the apostle Paul has finished the work that Christ has given him to do: to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

The sterling example of Saint Paul in fulfilling his mission on behalf of the Church in Ephesus evokes the apostolic stance of the newly canonized Pope John Paul II (cf. “St. John Paul II” in Alive! May 2014, p.9).

In a recent interview Pope Emeritus Benedict highlighted several aspects of John Paul II’s life and ministry. First was his holiness, his constant striving to be close to God.

This was evident in his prayer and in his fearless teaching of the truth. “He did not ask for applause nor did her ever look worried about how his decisions would be received”, said Benedict.

He added: “The courage of the truth is to my eyes one of the main requirements for being a saint.” It was a telling remark from a man who, in his own life, has faced much hostility because of his fidelity to Gospel truth.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is the personal implication of the truth that God glorifies his Son Jesus on the cross?

2. Are we able to declare with Saint Paul that we have done our duty as God’s servants and that we have done the work that Jesus has given us to do on behalf of the Gospel?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Jesus,

on the night of Passover you prayed to the Father,

“Father, the hour has come.

Give glory to your Son so that your Son may glorify you.”

You so totally committed yourself to the divine will

that the almighty Father exalted you on the cross

as Priest and Victim of sacrifice.

Grant that in the sacrificial aspects of our daily life,

we may be sanctified and glorified.

United with you,

let us continue to reveal in today’s world

the depths of the Father’s love.

Give us the grace to declare the Good News

about the grace of God.

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.

“Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son so that your Son may glorify you.” (Jn 17:1) // “The ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus is to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24).

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Unite consciously and lovingly the sacrifices and difficulties you experience in daily life with Jesus glorified on the cross. Be strengthened by him in your daily witnessing to the Gospel.

*** *** ***

May 11, 2016: WEDNESDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (7)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prays Father, Consecrate Them in the Truth … He Builds the Church Up”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 20:28-38 // Jn 17:11b-19

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 17:11b-19): “May they be one just as we are one.”

Jesus’ perfect love for the disciples and his deep concern for their fate after his departure are contained in the Priestly Prayer. In today’s Gospel (Jn 17:11b-19), he prays the Father to take care of his disciples that they may be delivered from the evil one. The evil one is real and will tempt them to lose their faith in Jesus when faced with trials and persecutions. Hence, they will need the divine protection in a special way. Jesus thus asks the Father to consecrate the disciples in the “truth”. By the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be confirmed in their faith. They will put their trust in the word of God given to them by Jesus and imitate his sacrificial and healing love on the cross. Consecrated and strengthened, the disciples will be able to continue through time and space the saving mission of Jesus.

The following article, written by Amy Goodman and circulated on the Internet, gives us insight into the life of one who is “consecrated in the truth”.

The body bag marked “Victim 0001” on Sept. 11, 2001, contained the corpse of Father Mychal Judge, a Catholic chaplain with the Fire Department of New York. When he heard about the disaster at the World Trade Center, he donned his Catholic collar and firefighter garb and raced downtown. He saw people jump to their deaths to avoid the inferno more than 1,000 feet above. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed, and the force and debris from that mass of steel, concrete, glass and humanity as it hit the ground is likely what killed Father Mychal. His was the first recorded death from the attacks that morning. His life’s work should be central to the 10th anniversary commemorations of the Sept. 11 attacks: peace, tolerance and reconciliation.

One of the first vigils held this year was in honor of Father Mychal. About 300 people gathered Sunday in front of the St. Francis Church where Judge lived and worked, just down the block from the Ladder 24/Engine 1 Firehouse. The march followed Father Mychal’s final path to Ground Zero. The man behind the annual remembrance is Steven McDonald, the former New York police detective who was shot in 1986. He was questioning 15-year-old Shavod Jones in Central Park. Jones shot McDonald, leaving him paralyzed for life.

I caught up with McDonald as he led the procession, rolling down Seventh Avenue in his wheelchair. He talked about what Father Mychal meant to him: “He, more than anything ... reaffirmed my faith in God, and that it was important to me to forgive the boy who shot me. And I’m alive today because of that.” Father Mychal had managed to get Jones on the phone with McDonald and his wife. He apologized from prison. Taking the lessons of reconciliation, McDonald joined Judge in a trip to Northern Ireland, where they worked together to try to help end the violence there.

B. First Reading (Acts 20:28-38): “I commend you to God who has the power to build you up and give you inheritance.”

In today’s First Reading (Acts 20:28-38) we continue to hear the apostle Paul’s Farewell Discourse to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus. He charges them to watch over themselves as well as over the flock which the Holy Spirit has entrusted to their care. He bids them to be watchful and to be faithful to the true message about Jesus. Finally, Saint Paul commends the elders to God. Indeed, the word of God is the font of blessing and grace for the building up of the Church. The apostle Paul is truly a model for what a Christian bishop or presbyter should be. Like Paul, who feels that death is imminent, they must care for the flock generously and perseveringly to the point of sacrifice.

The spirit of intimate communion with God and pastoral care can be verified in the life of the Sicilian priest Father Pino Puglisi (cf. Katia Di Roucco, “Father Pino Puglisi Embodies in Himself the Word and Death of Christ”, in Il Rosario e la Nuova Pompei, September/October 2012, p. 8-11).

Giuseppe Puglisi was born on September 15, 1937, in Palermo, in the infamous neighborhood of “Brancaccio”, characterized by poverty, high moral degradation and organized crime. He himself was of humble origins, the son of a cobbler and a dressmaker. He was ordained a priest on July 2, 1960, and on the stampita-souvenir he condenses his program: “O Lord, that I be a valuable tool in your hands for the salvation of the world.” Since then his life has been a continuous commitment: collaborator of various parishes, chaplain of the Roosevelt orphanage, parish priest in Godrano, a village ravaged by a fierce battle between Mafia families, where Don Pino can bring reconciliation and peace by practicing the power of forgiveness, addressing himself especially to the wives, the mothers, to the children. (…)

He is interested in the social problems of the most marginalized districts of the city. He follows closely the proceedings of Vatican II and spreads quickly its documents among the faithful, with special regard to the renewal of liturgy, the role of the laity, the values of ecumenism and of the local churches. His desire was always that of embodying the message of Jesus Christ in the territory.

In 1990, he was entrusted with the parish of St. Gaetano, within the Brancaccio quarter where he himself was born. That area was then controlled by the Mafia. (…) A few months after taking over in the parish of St. Gaetano, Don Pino opened the Our Father center entrusted to the Sisters of the Poor, whose primary purpose is that of human promotion and evangelization … When going against the tide, Don Pino was aware that he was being required the sacrifice of his life to follow Christ. (…)

The Mafia decided to eliminate him. And in 1993, on the day of his 56^th birthday, he was murdered with a bullet in his nape … His pastoral work was the only motive for the killing. For this, many voices were raised to seek the recognition of martyrdom and, five years after his assassination, Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi established the ecclesiastical Court to start the investigation that ended in 2001, and the dossier is now under review by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.

Here is the motivation of the crime in the written judgment of the Court of Assises: “The figure of a priest emerges who worked tirelessly in the territory, out of the shade of the bell-tower … The work of Don Puglisi became a snare and a thorn on the side of the emerging criminal group that dominated the area, because it was an element of subversion in the context of the conservative, oppressive Mafia order which had been imposed in the area, against which the priest appeared to be one of the most tenacious and brave opponents. All projects and initiatives started by the priest, which have been reported in detail by his collaborators and people close to him, crown the figure of an austere and rigorous religious man, not a contemplative one but fully inserted in the social field, immersed in the difficult neighborhood reality, lucid and disenchanted but not bitter and disillusioned, defeated or weakened by threats, intimidations and open conflicts with the men of the local Mafia establishment. Don Puglisi had chosen not only to “reconstruct” the spiritual and religious sentiments of his faithful, but also siding, concretely, without veils of ambiguity and complicit silence, on the part of the weak and marginalized.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is the implication for you of Christ’s prayer, “Father, consecrate them in the truth”?

2. Do we realize that God wants us to participate in the pastoral care of the Church? What do we do to help the ordained ministers in their special ministry to God’s flock?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Jesus,

you prayed to the Father

to guard us from the evil one.

You begged him to consecrate us in the truth.

We believe in the power of your prayer.

We trust in the love that triumphs over all.

In the hour of trial,

we cling to your life-giving word.

In adversities and persecution,

we find strength in divine protection.

Help us to live fully

our consecration and mission in today’s world.

Help us to shepherd and nourish your flock,

and to lay down our life for your sheep.

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.

“Consecrate them in the truth.” (Jn 17:17) // “I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up.” (Acts 20:32)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

When faced with trials and difficulties, be strengthened by Christ’s prayer of intercession for all his disciples. By your words and deeds of charity, endeavor to be a vital part of the Church’s pastoral care.

*** *** ***

May 12, 2016: THURSDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (7); SAINTS NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS, Martyrs; SAINT PANCRAS, Martyr

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prays Father, May They All Be One … His Apostle Paul Bears Witness to Him in Rome”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 // Jn 17:20-26

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 17:20-26): “May they all be one.”

In the Gospel (Jn 17:20-26) we hear that after praying for his first disciples, Jesus’ Priestly Prayer now focuses on future disciples – on the Church of all time. He prays to the Father for Christian unity: “May they all be one.” It is a unity based on the shared life and love of the Father and the Son. Without Christian unity, the Church is unable to carry out its mission in the world efficaciously. When there is clearer evidence of unity, the world is more disposed to believe. Indeed, the only Gospel some people will read is the way Jesus’ followers live. There are many divisions then and today, but the unity that Jesus wills us to have surpasses all barriers and fragmentation and brings about healing and grace. By virtue of this unity, the pilgrim Church can live the mission entrusted to her so that the world may believe in the Son and in the Father who sent him.

B. First Reading (Acts 22:30; 23:6-11): “You must bear witness in Rome.”

The prediction about the sufferings that the disciples would endure for the sake of Jesus is realized in Saint Paul. Jesus told his disciples: “You will be arrested and persecuted; you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison; you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake. This will be your chance to tell the Good News” (cf. Lk 21:12-13). In today’s First Reading (Acts 22:30; 23:6-11), after escaping the near-lynching in Jerusalem and the flogging from the Roman guards in the fort, Paul is brought to the Sanhedrin by the Roman commander. He wants to know why Paul has stirred up a riot. True to his vocation, Paul proclaims his faith before the Council: “I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” This is not a ploy to extricate himself from a difficult situation. Paul simply declares the truth about the resurrection of the dead, of which the Risen Lord Jesus is the “first fruits”. A near riot ensues between the Sadducees, who do not believe, and the Pharisees who do. Paul is rescued by the Roman troops and brought back to the fort. That night the Lord appeared to him with an assurance and a command to continue the witnessing that he gives in Jerusalem in Rome as well. This dream of consolation is very important in the life of Saint Paul. He must move on from Jerusalem to the ultimate witnessing that he will give at the center of the Roman Empire. Saint Paul’s martyrdom in Rome is foreshadowed.

The importance of Rome in Saint Paul’s apostolic ministry is likewise felt by Blessed James Alberione, Founder of the Pauline Family. Here is an account of the beginnings of the Pauline Family’s house in Rome (cf. Luigi Rolfo, James Alberione: Apostle for Our Times, New York: Alba House, 1987, p. 193-194).

The trip to Rome for the Holy Year in 1925 hastened the Founder’s resolve to open the first masculine and feminine branches of the Pauline community in the capital. And, with the rapidity with which he used to go from the idea of some project to its execution, Father Alberione entrusted the finding of a house suited for this purpose to Father Desiderio Costa, considered the most able negotiator not only because he had already traveled throughout Italy from top to bottom, but also because of his calm, clever way with words and his imposing figure. He found a place for the Paulines on the Ostien Way and for the Daughters and the Disciples some 1500 feet away on the Via Porto Fluviale.

News of the new foundation spread through the community in Alba around the end of 1925, and it excited a great deal of enthusiasm. Thereafter the Founder’s predictions quickly began to translate themselves into facts. Following that of Rome, there would soon rise other houses: there could be no doubt about it. And to go to Rome, a stone’s throw from the Pope, was an honor that many of the young Paulines would have paid for voluntarily with several years of their lives.

Father Joseph Giaccardo, whom all the Paulines were calling the “Teacher”, the man whom they all considered the most authentic interpreter of the thought of the Founder, was given the direction of the new house. And Father Giaccardo accepted the job with the docility and simplicity with which he would have accepted any other charge, from the most honorific to the humblest and least significant.

The house of Rome came into being almost as an extension of the Mother House, from which it took not only the personnel – Father Giaccardo and fourteen boys from the sophomore year of high school – but also the printing machines, type cases, parish bulletins to be printed monthly, the refectory tables, and the benches and books for study.

On the evening of the 14^th of January 1926, in a brief function in the chapel of the community, Father Alberione said a few words, noting in a special way that he had chosen Father Giaccardo as the leader of the house of Rome because of his great love for the Pope … Father Alberione, truly moved, embraced his disciple, hastily made a gesture of farewell to the boys who accompanied them and reentered his office. The others remained there yelling and waving their good-byes until those leaving had disappeared around the corner.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we contribute to the realization of the prayer and great longing of Jesus, “Father, may they all be one”?

2. Are we willing to give witness to the Risen Lord in every time, place, and situation? Do we look to Saint Paul as model of true Gospel proclamation and witnessing?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord,

you prayed for Christian unity

and you died on the cross to gather your flock.

Help us to overcome our divisions and fragmentation.

Make us whole

and let us be united in your love.

Let us be courageous in witnessing.

Save us from the hour of trial

and deliver us from evil.

You are our Savior whom we love and adore,

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.

“I pray …that they may all be one.” (Jn 17:20-21) // “You must also bear witness in Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Be a promoter of Christian unity and compassionate acts of charity in our confused and divided world. Take notice of the universal character of our faith community and thank God for it.

*** *** ***

May 13, 2016: FRIDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (7); OUR LADY OF FATIMA

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Asks Us to Tend the Sheep … The Apostle Paul Bears Witness to His Resurrection”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 25:13b-21 // Jn 21:15-19

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 21:15-19): “Feed my lambs; feed my sheep.”

Today’s Gospel reading (Jn 21:15-19) depicts a lovable portrait of Peter as a reconciled disciple and as a Christ-designated community shepherd. By the shore of the Sea of Tiberias where he initially received Jesus’ call: “Come, follow me; I will make you a fisher of men”, Peter is given a chance to redeem himself. The Risen Lord evokes a threefold protestation of love from him to nullify his threefold betrayal at the “hour” of trial. Peter’s weakness and failure, having made him more compassionate and humble, could now be positively integrated into his total destiny as Christ’s follower and in his apostolic mission as Church shepherd. The Risen Lord, who has sought his love and forgiven him, asks him in a threefold manner and with greater intensity to take care of the sheep. Bereft of braggadocio and trusting no longer in himself but in the grace of God, Peter will be able to follow Jesus Christ all the way – even to the point of laying down his life for the sheep.

The following account by Archbishop Van Thuan illustrates what true pastoral ministry means today (cf. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 56-57)

When under house arrest in the village of Cay Vong, I was under police surveillance day and night, and this thought became obsessive: “My people! My people that I love so much: a flock without a shepherd! How can I contact my people at a time when they have most need of their pastor? The Catholic bookstores have been confiscated, the schools closed, the religious dispersed. Some have gone to work in the rice camps and others find themselves in the ‘region of new economy’ in the midst of the general population, in the villages. This separation is a shock that destroys my heart.”

I told myself, “I will not wait. I want to live in the present moment, filling it with love, but how?” One night a light came to me: “Francis, it is very simple. Do as St. Paul did when he was in prison. Write letters to the different communities.”

The following morning while it was still dark, I signaled to Quang, a seven-year old who returned from Mass at 5:00 A.M. I said to him: “Tell your mother to buy old calendars for me.” That night, once more in the dark, Quang brought me the calendars. Every single day in October and November of 1975, I wrote messages to my people from prison. Each morning Quang came to take the papers and bring them home so that his brothers and sisters could recopy the messages. That is how the book, The Road of Hope, came to be written and has since been published in eleven languages.

When I was finally released from prison in 1989, I received a letter from Mother Teresa. It contained these words: “It is not the number of our works that are important, but the intensity of the love that we put into every action.”

B. First Reading (Acts 25:13b-21): “Jesus was dead whom Paul claimed to be alive.”

In the reading (Acts 25:13b-21), after the near-lynching in Jerusalem and the violent argument that he created between the Pharisees and the Sadducees at the Council meeting, Paul is kept in custody at the Roman governor’s headquarters in Caesarea. After two years have passed, Portius Festus succeeds Felix as governor. Under the instigation of the chief priests and Jewish leaders, Festus orders Paul to be brought to court in Caesarea and face the Jews who have come from Jerusalem to accuse him. Paul defends himself from false accusations. However, to gain favor with the Jews, Festus asks Paul to go to Jerusalem and respond to the charges of his enemies there. Paul wisely refuses and makes an appeal to Caesar. Governor Festus needs to make a written report in accordance with the Roman law before he could send Paul to Rome. In view of this, Festus takes the opportunity of the visit of King Agrippa and Bernice to Caesarea to present Paul to them. King Agrippa is intrigued to meet this man who claims that Jesus, once dead, is alive.

The prediction of Jesus about his disciples being brought into synagogues and before governors and kings, on account of his name, is accomplished in Saint Paul. The faithful apostle follows closely in the suffering footsteps of Jesus. Before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, Paul makes his last public defense in which he underlines the meaning and identity of Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. He narrates to them his experience of conversion and his mission to open the eyes of others and to bring them from darkness to light. Hearing his defense, they realize that he is innocent and conclude that Paul could have been freed if he has not appealed to Caesar.

Saint Paul is the model witness to Jesus’ resurrection. The famed naturalist John Muir has, in a sense, a conversion experience like Saint Paul. Having experienced a kind of “resurrection”, Muir dedicates himself to opening the eyes of people to the wonders of creation (cf. Linda Lawrence Hunt, “The Wild Places” in Guideposts, May 2013, p. 32-36).

Muir was the founder of the Sierra Club and best known as the father of our national parks, most notably Yosemite and Yellowstone. His eloquent words inspired Americans to visit those places. Hobnobbing with Teddy Roosevelt and congressional leaders, he succeeded in getting them to protect these great unspoiled lands. (…)

Muir studied botany in college, but figured his love of nature could only be a hobby, something to do on weekends. He pursued a career as a machinist and inventor. Then one evening Muir was tightening a new belt drive when sharp filings sprang up, blinding him in his right eye. Eventually he lost sight in the left eye as well. He feared being “closed forever on all God’s beauty”, as he lamented in his journal.

His sight did return – “It felt like a resurrection”, he wrote – and he was determined to leave his inventions behind and “devote the rest of my life to the study of the inventions of God”. At age 29, John Muir planned a pilgrimage to see the tropical plants of the southern United States, hoping to continue on to South America and Africa. (…)

“Led by the Spirit”, he wrote and began his journey. He walked 18 to 20 miles a day, rejoicing in the “splendid vision of pines and palms and tropic flowers in glorious array, not however without a few cold shadows of loneliness.” (…) Humbled by his own limits, still recovering from malaria, Muir detoured from his original plan to go to South America. Instead he traveled to the drier and milder climate of Yosemite Valley, where he found his true home. For the next 30 years he wrote persuasively about the need to preserve our wilderness, places where people could find inspiration and renewal, as he had. “Nothing can take the place of absolute contact, of seeing and feeding at God’s table for oneself”, he wrote … The hand of God is never more evident than in the splendor of nature.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we willing to follow Christ’s commission to Peter, the Church and to each disciple: “Feed my lambs … Tend my sheep … Feed my sheep”?

2. Are we willing to give witness to Jesus as the Risen Lord in every aspect of our life? Do we open our hearts to the many signs of “resurrection” and the wonders of God around us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord,

when you rose from the dead

and appeared to Peter by the Sea of Tiberias,

you commissioned him to care for your flock

and to nourish your sheep.

We fully embrace the pastoral task

you have given to Peter,

and through him, to the whole Church.

Give us the grace

to care lovingly and tenderly for your flock

even to the point of self-sacrifice.

Make us faithful witnesses of your resurrection.

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.

“Feed my lambs … Tend my sheep.” (Jn 21:15-16) // “Paul claims Jesus is alive.” (Acts 25:19)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the Pope, bishops, priests, deacons, etc. who are directly involved in Church pastoral ministry. In the context of the culture of death that afflicts our society, endeavor to promote the message of life, and to imitate Saint Paul in his mission to proclaim the Good News about the Risen Christ.

*** *** ***

May 14, 2016: SATURDAY – SAINT MATTHIAS, APOSTLE

(N.B. In the Pauline Family, the Feast of Mary, Queen of Apostles)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Chooses Matthias as His Apostle”

BIBLE READINGS

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 // Jn 15:9-17

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 15:9-17): “I shall no longer call you servants. I call you my friends.”

As Christian disciples, we nurture the Easter blessings we receive from God the Father. We are called to live a life of loving obedience to his saving will in imitation of Jesus, his Son-Servant. At the level of service, we are “slaves” since we follow the way of the Servant of Yahweh. Serving with love is deeply rewarding and exalting. At the level of intimacy, we are not “slaves” “because a slave does not know what his master is doing” (Jn 15:15), but “friends”. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us: “I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father” (Jn 15:15).

The love of Christ moves us to love one another. The fact that God loves us into a new existence in Jesus and that we are no longer slaves but friends, empowers us to follow Christ’s command: “Love one another as I love you” (Jn 15: 12). Christian love, moreover, involves a mandate to go and bear lasting fruit. Attached to the life-giving vine, Jesus Christ, we are impelled to go to the ends of the earth, proclaim the Gospel and bear abiding fruits of conversion and faith.

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Matthias. A witness of Christ’s public ministry and resurrection, he replaced Judas Iscariot as one of the twelve apostles. The eleven apostles felt unworthy to choose the “twelfth” of their own accord and prayed to God for guidance. The divine sign was revealed at the casting of lots. St. Matthias is privileged to be chosen by God to share in the apostolic mission of giving witness to Christ’s resurrection. In his personal relationship and service, St. Matthias is a friend-slave of Jesus. According to one tradition, he preached the Gospel in Jerusalem, Egypt and Ethiopia and suffered martyrdom in Colchis (modern Georgia) at the hands of “meat eaters” or cannibals. Another tradition says he died by stoning in Jerusalem. Through his Gospel service and martyrdom, the apostle St. Matthias became totally configured to Christ, our Lord and Savior.

B. First Reading (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26): “The Lot fell to Matthias and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.”

Today’s First Reading (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26) depicts the early life of the Church after the Lord’s Ascension and before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The election of Judas’ replacement to fill up the college of apostles is prepared by the ministry of prayer of the apostles, of Mary and other women, and of Jesus’ relatives. They are gathered in the upper room in continuous prayer.

The rules for Judas’ replacement require choosing “someone” who has been with the apostles during Jesus’ public ministry, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which Jesus was taken up to heaven. Above all, this “someone” is one who has been a witness to Christ’s resurrection. Only “someone” who knew Jesus before his death could witness that the risen Jesus is the same one who died. The group of apostles, reduced to eleven by the betrayal and death of Judas, feels it necessary to restore its full complement of twelve. Guided by the scriptural directive, May another take his office (Ps 109:8), the early Christian community of “about one hundred and twenty persons”, a symbolic allusion to the restored twelve tribes of Israel (12 tribes multiplied by ten – the perfect number), gathers in one place to select a successor to Judas Iscariot. The symbolism of “twelve” apostles is vital for it indicates the new representatives of the house of Israel (cf. Lk 22:30), and evokes the twelve foundation stones of the “new Jerusalem” (cf. Rev 21:14). The “twelve” are tasked to lead the community of about 120 disciples (12 x 10), a symbolic number representing the core of the Spirit-filled Israel at Pentecost.

As Jesus prayed to the Father for guidance in his messianic ministry, and as he especially prayed for his disciples when the time of sacrifice was drawing near, the early Christian community prays for guidance in selecting Judas’ successor in the apostolic ministry. They propose two candidates: Joseph called “Barsabbas”, also known as “Justus”, and Matthias. The community agrees that these two men fulfill the requirements for joining the Twelve, but the final choice among the two is left to God. The discernment for the person chosen by God for the apostolic ministry is made in prayer and in great trust of God’s omnipotent wisdom. After praying, they draw lots, and the lot falls upon Matthias who is listed as one of the twelve apostles. The appointment of Matthias to the apostolic college underlines that one does not arrogate the ministry to oneself: God and the Church call one to it.

God continues to choose ministers who will serve him according to his heart. The following article gives insight into some factors that favor response to the divine call to ministry (cf. “US Villages Produce Record Number of Priests and Nuns” in Alive! December 2014, p. 2).

The New York Times recently did a story on two Catholic villages in Michigan which have given the Church an unusual number of priests. The piece was triggered by the ordination of Todd and Gary Koenigsknecht, 26-year-old identical twins, the previous Saturday.

The twins, from a family of 10, grew up on an organic dairy farm, had no TV in their home and prayed the family rosary each night. Their younger brother, aged 19, is also studying to be a priest.

“The community naturally fosters priestly vocations”, said Fr. Todd. “It’s in the air.” For the Times, “this rural patch of Clinton County offers a case study in the science and mystery of the call to priesthood.” It reported that the twins’ village, Fowler, with a population of 1,224, had produced 22 priests, with the same number coming from Westphalia, a village just eight miles away, with a population of 938.

The houses in the two villages, according to the Times, are orderly, with Virgin Mary statues in front yards, American flags on porches and unlocked doors. “Faith is the center of life; those who live here say: Everyone is Catholic; everyone is related and everyone shows up at Mass. The youth groups are active. “Nearly all the students attending the prom in the villages begin the festivities by attending a regularly scheduled 4:30 p.m. Mass, dressed in their party attire.”

A positive attitude towards vocations is also important. Agnes, the new priests’ mother, explained: “They’re not ours to keep. How can you hold them back?”

Meanwhile, the parish has a weekly prayer hour dedicated to religious vocations and an annual fundraiser to help cover tuition; it contributed more than $10,000 to each Koenigsknecht twin. “If the families are open to God’s calling them, then the seminarian will come”, said Jerry Wohlfert, a shop-owner in Fowler. For such tiny places, the villages have also produced a remarkable number of vocations among young women, 37 from Westphalia and 43 from Fowler. (…)

One boy told the New York Times he had felt attracted to the priesthood watching his parish priest. “I was observing how close he gets to God, and I thought it would be so cool if I could become that close to God”, he said.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is our relationship with Jesus Christ at the level of intimacy and at the level of service? Do we endeavor to go out and bear lasting fruits?

2. Do we fully trust in the Lord God who knows the hearts of all? Do we allow God to work freely in the acts of discernment that we make day by day? Do we ask his guiding help in making decisions that will have an impact on our community and the people around us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

(Cf. Opening Prayer – Mass of the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle)

Father,

you called Saint Matthias to share in the mission of the apostles.

By the help of his prayers

may we receive with joy the love you share with us

and be counted among those you have chosen.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.” (Acts 1:26) //“I have called you friends.” (Jn 15:15)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Spend some quiet moments in church, preferably before the Blessed Sacrament, to deepen your spirit of listening and intimacy with the Divine Master. Look around and see how you could share the joy of the Gospel with the people around you.

***

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

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