A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 17, n. 24)
Fourth Week of Easter: May 12-18, 2019
(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: May 5-11, 2019 please go to ARCHIVES Series 17 and click on “Easter Week 3”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: May 12-18, 2019.)
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May 12, 2019: FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
N.B. Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocations
and Mother’s Day.
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Gives His Sheep Eternal Life”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 13:14, 43-52 // Rv 7:9, 14b-17 // Jn 10:27-30
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 10:27-30): “I give my sheep eternal life.”
The following true story, published in Poverello News (March 2004), tells us how a desperate and hopeless young man, Rick McNiel, found “life” through the pastoral ministry of the staff of Poverello House, who believe in the dignity of every human being and provide care for the homeless, the poor and the disadvantaged. In 2002, Rick found himself living on the streets, in tremendous spiritual and emotional pain. His marriage had fallen apart, and he had been terminated from two drug rehab programs. He came to Poverello House in order to survive. Rick, however, made the mistake of breaking the community’s zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. Getting kicked out of a homeless mission was perhaps his lowest point, but sometimes good can emerge from brokenness and humiliation. The guard who found him drinking a bottle of vodka suggested that he come back the next day and try to get in the Resident Program. Rick had hit his bottom and was willing to listen. The miracle began at that moment. He did what was suggested. Rick narrates: “Something started happening … I faced things that I didn’t think were possible to deal with. Poverello really came through for me. The staff got to know me well enough that they saw when I needed a push, or when I needed to be confronted … There’s a lot of acceptance, but also accountability; if you mess up, you pay the price.”
Rick is now a Poverello staff driver for donation pick-ups. He is in his own apartment, paying bills, and learning to be a responsible citizen all over again. Rick has come a long way since getting kicked out for that pint of vodka two years ago. His inspiring story gives us a glimpse of what is presented in today’s Gospel (Jn 10:27-30), on the interpersonal relationship that exists between the life-giving Shepherd and the sheep that are called to follow the Shepherd.
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Today’s Gospel proclamation contains an astounding christological revelation: “The Father and I are one” (Jn 10:30), which is the basis for the life-giving pastoral ministry of Jesus. The profound mystery of unity between the Father and his Son Jesus, the victorious paschal Lamb, is the source of the latter’s incomparable power and unimpeachable authority as the Good Shepherd. He answers our most profound human longings and intense spiritual needs. Eternal life is the Good Shepherd’s most beautiful gift to us, the flock he shepherds.
The Shepherd’s gift of eternal life demands a positive response from the recipients. Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27). The interpersonal “knowledge” that exists between them necessitates receptivity in listening and obedience in following after Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Those who hear his voice and follow him obediently and lovingly are truly known by Jesus, the Good Shepherd. To the obedient and loving flock of disciples, whom he knows intimately and upon whom he would bestow the Easter gift of eternal life, Jesus gives the solemn assurance of divine protection. The perfect assurance given to the disciples comes not only from his solicitude and devotion as the Good Shepherd. Rather, the Son of God and Shepherd of the sheep can assure them of complete protection because the Father and he are one. Since the Father and the Son are one, no one can frustrate the divine saving plan, that is, the gift of eternal life for those who believe.
Today’s Gospel image of the Good Shepherd who defends and gives solemn assurance to his sheep has a profound implication for the Christian believer that he continues to shepherd today. The Benedictine liturgist Adrian Nocent comments: “The baptized Christian feels a new strength flow into him from these words of Christ; he is also compelled to reflect on the responsibility that such a gift demands of him … It means heeding and following; it means being disposed for a difficult life of conflict, but one in which we are sure that victory is possible.”
B. First Reading (Acts 13:14, 43-52): “We now turn to the Gentiles.”
It is wonderful to meet some diocesan priests who have received the special gift of contemplative prayer. One of them is Fr. Paul, who was ordained in 2006 by Cardinal Mahony for the Diocese of Los Angeles. A former bearded, long-haired, motorcycle riding “hippie”, the enigmatic Fr. Paul came to our convent in downtown LA one day and celebrated Mass with us. His deep intimacy with the divine mystery is drawn from long hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. His tremendous openness to the workings of the Risen Lord is very inspiring. Indeed, his profound experience of God has deeply moved us. He has renewed in us the Easter joy and the awareness that we are blessed by the Good Shepherd with the gift of eternal life.
In today’s First Reading (Acts 13:14, 43-52), eternal life is also the gift offered by Paul and Barnabas, both to the Jews and eventually to the Gentiles. It is what they preached to the Chosen People Israel who have first place in the actualization of God’s saving will. When the Jews rejected the apostolic witnessing and the Gospel about Jesus, the Son of God, who died and rose for our salvation, Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles in accordance with the Lord God’s mandate, “I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth” (cf. Is 49:6). Indeed, the Gospel of eternal life must be preached throughout the world for that is God’s gracious plan. The seed of divine life grows and blossoms in the hearts of those who are willing to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow him wherever he goes.
Expanding their missionary endeavors to the non-Jews, the apostles marvelously participated in the saving works of Jesus, whom Simeon met in the temple as an infant and whom he identified as “a light to reveal God’s saving will to the Gentiles and bring glory to his people Israel” (cf. Lk 2:32). Indeed, those who believe in Jesus would never perish for he leads them to the light of truth and gives them the gift of eternal life. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, continues to defend and care for the flock given to him by his loving Father. Though faith and struggle are intimately woven into the fabric of Christian discipleship, the Good Shepherd assures his followers of ultimate victory. As an Easter people still journeying towards the completion of our personal paschal destiny, we trust in the love and strength of the victorious Shepherd and Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ.
C. Second Reading (Rv 7:9, 14b-17): “The Lamb will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water.”
The Second Reading (Rv 7:9, 14b-17) depicts a great, universal and exultant multitude around the victorious Lamb-Shepherd. Saint John’s vision is for us a powerhouse of comfort and joy. It encourages the suffering and militant Church that those who endure the present trials and sufferings will one day experience the triumph of their faith. The multitude of the redeemed, robed in white, holding palm branches and standing before the throne, are conquerors in the blood of the sacrificial Lamb Jesus Christ – who is also their Shepherd to eternal life. Indeed, God’s people are on the march, led by the Lamb to font of eternal life.
On Good Shepherd Sunday we opportunely celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, asking the Lord for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We pray especially for generous men to the priestly ministry. With the heart of the Good Shepherd, they will tend the lambs, lead the sheep to the “springs of living water”, and guide them to “eternal life”, which is a gracious gift of the Risen Lord to us.
The following testimony, “Why Did I Become A Priest?” was written in 2010 by Fr. Noel San Vicente, JCD, associate pastor at Queen of Apostles Church in San Jose, California, on the occasion of his 25th anniversary of priestly ordination. May his inspiring response to God generate more priestly and religious vocations in the Church today.
When I was assigned here at Queen of Apostles Church almost three years ago, the question parishioners often asked was: “Were you born on Christmas day?” And so when Father Mike, our pastor, asked me to write an article in our Bulletin, I took the opportunity to explain why I was named Noel even though I was born in August. And now as I celebrate my twenty-fifth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood I find myself being asked by many: why did you become a priest?
This question brings back a lot of memories from my younger days. I entered the seminary right after grade school. In the Philippines, we only study in grade school for six years so I was only 13 years old then. But my decision to enter the seminary was connected with my desire to become a priest even before that. I remember, even as a young boy of five, I was playing the role of a priest whenever I was with my cousins and kids of my age in our neighborhood. I would ask them to gather for a celebration of the mass under the mango tree in our back yard or at the large living room of my grandparents’ house where there is an altar of Christ the King with a gas lamp perpetually lighted until now. I would use bed sheets not just to pretend I was batman or superman, but in order to look like I was vested for the celebration of the mass. We used fita biscuits (the Filipino version of Ritz crackers) and sarsi cola for communion. But before that I would ask my cousins to come to confession as I sat behind a chair and heard them declare their sins as I gave them the makeshift absolution.
I fell in love with the priesthood and the Holy Eucharist at a very young age. I had the desire to come to mass frequently. I could not wait for Wednesdays to come so I could come to Mass and pray the Novena in honor of our Mother of Perpetual Help. I looked forward, every month, for the First Friday so I could come to mass in honor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. And, of course, I would always wish for Sunday to come so I could again attend Mass. Then I became an altar boy, That gave me the chance not just to come to Mass but to be able to serve at Mass. Then I realized that I had this desire, as a young boy, to celebrate the Mass. While serving the Mass as an altar boy I realized that this inner longing to be able, one day, to celebrate the Holy Eucharist was still there in my heart. So I concluded that the Lord was really calling me to become a priest. As I graduated from grade school our parish priest asked me if I wanted to enter the seminary, because that’s the only way one becomes a priest. So he recommended me to enter the high school seminary. When I was seeking admission, the Seminary Rector asked me, “NOEL, WHY DO YOU WANT TO ENTER THE SEMINARY?” Of course my answer was: “BECAUSE I WANT TO BECOME A PRIEST!” Here comes the other question: “WHY DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A PRIEST?” I remember that I answered with full conviction: “FATHER RECTOR, I WANT TO BECOME A PRIEST BECAUSE I LOVE GOD!”
As I celebrate the 25 years of my ordination to the priesthood, I was confronted with the question again: “Why did you become a priest?” And the more I reflect, in the past 25 years of my faith journey as a priest, there is one consistent truth that explains why I have decided to become a priest. And it is not because I love God – but because God loves me! What a precious gift that he gave me, but not only to me but also to Father Mike, Father Jim, and to all our priests.
This Sunday, I thank God for the gift of the priesthood! I thank the Lord, because through the gift of the priesthood, He continues to give us the Holy Eucharist, our life and strength in our journey. I thank Him for the gift of the Holy Eucharist that continues to unite all of us despite our diversities. I thank him for the gift of the priesthood, because we continue to experience the power of His kindness, mercy, healing and forgiveness.
I thank St. Joseph, foster father of our Lord, and patron of the Universal Church, and whose feast we just celebrated. When my father died in 1989, I began my devotion to him and asked him to be my protector and guide. Since that time, I have experienced his abiding presence. (I now serve the diocese under his patronage, at the city under his name, and where the bishop’s middle name is Joseph!).
I thank our Blessed Mother for her unfailing maternal care. Ever since I was a kid I learned to call upon her and I was convinced of her powerful intercession. She is truly the mother of all priests!
I thank God for the gift of family, my beloved Dad and Mom, who made me aware of God’s enormous love even before I learned how to walk and talk. I thank my sister and her family for their care and support all through the years. I thank God for the gift of friendship which all of you share that allow us your priests to give witness to the love of the heart of Jesus in our time!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we hear the voice of the Shepherd? Do we open our hearts to his call? Do we follow as true disciples? Do we incarnate in our life the life-giving ministry of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? Do we truly recognize and avow in the witnessing of our life the solemn revelation of Jesus, the Good Shepherd: “The Father and I are one” (Jn 10:30)?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(From the prayers composed by Blessed James Alberione)
Jesus Good Shepherd,
who brought from heaven the fire of your love,
give us your heart.
Inflame us with the desire for the glory of God
and with a great love for our brothers and sisters.
Make us sharers in your apostolate.
Live in us,
that we may radiate you
in word, suffering, in pastoral action,
in the example of a good life.
We offer you ourselves as docile and faithful sheep,
to become worthy of cooperating
in your pastoral mission in the Church.
Dispose all minds and hearts
to receive your grace.
Come, divine Shepherd, guide us;
may there soon be one flock and one shepherd.
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.
“My sheep hear my voice … I give them eternal life.” (Jn 10:27-28)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
The eternal life promised by the Good Shepherd continues to flow to the community of the believers through the Word and sacraments and other forms of Christian witnessing. Today as we celebrate the WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS, offer special prayers for the increase and perseverance of priestly and religious vocations. Offer a “sacrifice” for this intention.
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May 13, 2019: MONDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (4); OUR LADY OF FATIMA
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the True Shepherd-Gatekeeper … He Calls Us to Life-Giving Repentance”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 11:1-18 // Jn 10:1-10
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 10:1-10): “I am the gate for the sheep.”
Using the metaphor of shepherds and the imagery of a door or a gate, today’s Gospel reading (Jn 10:1-10) presents Jesus as the legitimate Shepherd of the flock and the gate of the sheepfold. Jesus’ fidelity to his sheep and his sacrifice for them are in contrast to the failure of the stumbling, blinded, bullying Pharisees and temple authorities. Jesus is the Good Shepherd loved by the Father because he lays down his life for the sheep. It is this act of total, loving self-sacrifice that makes him the true shepherd and the “gate of life”. Jesus gives us access to the fullness of life. He came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus’ pastoral mission of giving life to his flock is fully achieved in his paschal sacrifice on the cross and glorious resurrection.
In today’s world, Pope John Paul II crystallized the ministry of the true shepherd and incarnated the profound meaning of a sheep gate. Cardinal Ratzinger, who later succeeded him as Pope Benedict XVI, reiterated this at the funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II: “The Holy Father was a priest to the last, for he offered his life to God for his flock and for the entire human family, in a daily self-oblation for the service of the Church, especially amid the suffering of his final months. And in this way he became one with Christ, the Good Shepherd who loves his sheep.”
B. First Reading (Acts 11:1-18): “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”
The PDDM congregation (to which I belong) takes care of the Souvenir Shops at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. When I was assigned in Rome, I also had the privilege of helping at the Souvenir Shops. There we meet pilgrims and tourists from all continents of the world. One Japanese Sister met a young man from Japan, a non-Christian. She became God’s instrument for his conversion. When he returned to Japan the youth enrolled in RCIA and became a Christian.
In today’s episode from the Acts of the Apostles (11:1-18), the Holy Spirit presses irresistibly toward the integration of all nations in Jesus Christ, and the apostle Peter is a principal instrument of that divine saving plan. Peter reports to the Church in Jerusalem what happened in Cornelius’ household in Caesarea. To those who criticized him for visiting and eating with the Gentiles, Peter justifies his conduct and attributes to God’s action the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Cornelius and his Gentile household, the same gift that was outpoured upon them at Pentecost when they believed in Jesus Christ. Peter asks rhetorically: “Who was I to be able to hinder God?” Peter’s critics are pacified and conclude that God has also granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles. Though the early Christian community now recognizes officially the evangelization of the Gentiles as God’s initiative, the battle is not wholly won: the issue of whether Christianity should be bound to the Jewish practices or not would recur (cf. Acts 15).
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we truly thank the Lord for the gift of Jesus, the true Shepherd and the sheep gate that gives us access to eternal life? Do we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd? Do we also thank the Lord for the Pope, bishops and priests he has given us that we may experience abundant life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
though your people walk in darkness
no evil should they fear
for they follow in faith the call of the Shepherd
whom you have sent for their hope and strength.
Attune our minds to the sound of his voice.
Lead our steps in the path he has shown,
that we may know the strength of his outstretched arm
and enjoy the light of your presence.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the 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.
“I am the gate for the sheep.” (Jn 10:7) // “God has granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.” (Acts 11:18)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Express your gratitude to priests and all those who have truly carried out the ministry of the Good Shepherd in your local faith community. // Do what you can to promote world mission.
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May 14, 2019: TUESDAY – SAINT MATTHIAS, APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Chooses Matthias as His Apostle”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 1:15-17, 20-16 // 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.
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May 15, 2019: WEDNESDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (4); SAINT ISIDORE (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Light … He Consecrates Us
for a Mission in the Church”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 12:24-13:5a // Jn 12:44-50
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 12:44-50): “I came into the world as light.”
In today’s Gospel (Jn 12:44-50), we hear that Jesus comes to the world as “light”, not to condemn the world but to save it. His life-giving word is “sunlight”. To turn our back to sunlight is to embrace darkness. Spiritual darkness is the natural consequence of negation of divine light. To refuse the words of Jesus reinforces spiritual blindness and hardness of heart. The self-imposed verdict of death-dealing darkness results from one’s willful disbelief and refusal to see the divine glory revealed in Jesus, the light of the world.
Easter is a season of light – the ultimate light in the Risen Christ. As Easter people, we are called to see with “seeing” eyes. With the light of faith we thus see the beautiful contours of human life and history in sharp focus. John Sherrill, an insightful Christian writer, shares his experience of what it means to see “light” and perceive beauty everywhere (cf. Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 153).
I stepped out of our hotel early that morning, hoping for better air than we’d breathed since touching down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport the evening before. But again the city’s stench assaulted me. A swarm of three-wheeled Tuk Tuk taxis roared by, leaving blue smoke clouds behind them; a beggar’s face was masked against the foul smog; a dog with runny eyes sniffed at an orange peel in the gutter.
My walk took me to the refuse-clogged Chao Phraya River. And it was there that I saw her, a tiny woman with pitted skin and shaking hands. She wore a threadbare ankle-length green dress and she was as bony as the dogs scrounging for food in every alleyway. Around her neck was a rope of tiny purple orchids so fresh and perfect that they must have been in the orchid market ten minutes earlier. As I watched, she took the lovely flowers from her neck, placed them on a small quayside altar, arranged them with great care, stepped back to judge the effect, made a few small adjustments and left. This lady’s religion was not my own, but her gift was also a gift to me. She was bringing an offering of beauty, creating an oasis of order and harmony in one corner of a chaotic city.
From that moment on I began to see Bangkok differently. I noticed a woman scrubbing the sidewalk in front of her closet-sized store where she sold spools of thread; a man cleaning his ancient but gleaming car with a feather duster; a teenager helping a blind man into the bouncing ferryboat that crosses the river. All works of beauty are manifestations of God, and by the time I left Bangkok, I was seeing Him everywhere. It’s a beautiful, beautiful city!
B. First Reading (Acts 12:24-13:5a): “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul.”
Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (12:24-13:5a) presents a summary report of the spread of the word of God and the return of Barnabas and Saul to Antioch, bringing with them John, who is called Mark. Even though Antioch is secondary to Jerusalem, the doctrinal center from which the word of God spreads forth, Antioch in Syria becomes the historical center for the spread of the Gospel into the Gentile territory. Antioch is a church that has not only received the Gospel, but is also playing an important role in the evangelization of the Gentiles. In the church of Antioch there are prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon the Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Governor Herod, and Saul from Tarsus who met the Lord on the road to Damascus. The Holy Spirit works through them as they fast and pray and he prompts them: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” The work for which the Holy Spirit is consecrating them is the carrying of the “name” of Jesus and of the word of God to the people of Israel and to the Gentiles.
The prophets and teachers lay their hands on them and send them off. The commissioned missionaries sail to Cyprus, the native country of Barnabas, from which the Good News was brought to Antioch and proclaimed to the Gentiles. The church in Antioch is now engaged in a “reverse mission” helping those through whom it has originally received the Christian faith to continue the evangelization of their own country. When they arrive at Salamis they preach the word of God in the synagogues. Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, is with them to help them in their work.
The grace of “consecration” for a mission continues to be experienced in today’s world. The Italian born Sr. Maria Alba Scellato, PDDM, celebrated the 70th anniversary of her religious consecration. She narrates below the beginning of her vocation and her positive response to God’s call as a consecrated person.
Vocation Story: Sr. Mary Alba Scellato
(First Profession: Mary 25, 1943 – Final Profession: March 25, 1948)
My family was a fervent Christian one that observes the Sunday law and the precepts of the Church. My father died when I was eleven years old. A mule kicked him in the stomach. He was brought home in terrible pain. No means was found to save him. He died after three days. He was a Franciscan tertiary. A Capuchin father came to bless him.
My elder sister Felicia was learning tailoring. My mother had been sick in many ways. She wanted us to learn anything that would enable us to take care of ourselves. She thought she would die soon. All of us attended the church. We were close to a church and the hospital where the Sisters of St. Anne served and taught catechism. It was proposed to us to learn 100 questions and answers in catechism without mistakes. The benefits were many: to know Christian life and the Eucharistic presence with a few gifts besides, including a photo. Eight of us won!
At that time I was going to an embroidery class. The weekly catechetical instruction and the music rehearsal left a deep impression in me about the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The Sisters of St. Anne had a blind musician who played the organ. He taught us to sing a song I would never forget: heaven and earth exult on the day we receive Jesus in the Eucharist … we need to adore him present on the altar.
When I turned fourteen, my mother became more sick. Doctors suggested bringing her to Catania. My aunt Paula knew where to go and whom to contact. It was February 19, 1939. They took a rental car to go to Catania. In that car, there was an extra seat. Aunt Paula asked me if I wanted to go. She would visit the PDDM sisters in Catania because she used to give them hospitality when they were going to our native town of Nicosia for the ministry. We went to Catania and met the Sisters. Mother Pia Dogliani told us that if I wanted to stay with them, I was welcome. So when my mother was in the hospital, I stayed with them for nine days. When my mother was ready to return to Nicosia, I told her that if the Sisters would be willing to keep me, I would remain with them. Then my mother said, “You must come with us; we will prepare the dowry and bring you back.” But I said, “If I go home, I would not have the courage to leave home. But now that I am here, I am happy to remain.” My mother said “Yes” to me with tears in her eyes. I remained there and was very happy. My mother immediately gave part of the dowry and would settle the rest in the near future.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What is our response to Jesus, who comes into the world as life-giving and saving light? Are there moments in our life when we refuse to see light and prefer death-dealing darkness? Do we turn to the Risen Savior to let him dispel the darkness that dims our hearts?
2. Do we fast and pray, opening ourselves to the grace of the Holy Spirit, that we may discern the divine will and our mission in life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Risen Christ, you are the light of glory.
Dispel the sadness and death-dealing darkness in our hearts.
Let your victory over death fill us with life-giving power.
Make the sunlight of your saving word shine upon us all.
Help us to perceive the beautiful contours of life everywhere.
Transform us into light bearers
that radiate the joy of your resurrection to the whole world.
We rejoice in your unending light, now and forever.
Amen. Alleluia!
And:
Loving Father,
the prophets and teachers in the church of Antioch
worshipped you wholeheartedly and with self-sacrifice.
Bless us
and teach us to open ourselves
to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Like Barnabas and Paul,
help us to embrace fully our mission
to share the Gospel to all the earth.
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.
“I came into the world as light.” (Jn 12:46) // “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Look at the events of your daily life with “seeing” eyes that see the beauty and presence of the Risen Lord everywhere. Pray and comfort one person who is sad and despondent and help that person rejoice in the joy of the life-giving light. // Spend some quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament and, accompanied with fasting, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance concerning important aspects of your life, particularly your Christian mission to preach the Gospel.
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May 9, 2019: THURSDAY – SAINT EASTER WEEKDAY (4)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Service … He Is
Israel’s Savior”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 13:13-25 // Jn 6:13:16-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 3:16-20): “Whoever receives the one I send receives me.”
In today’s Gospel (Jn 13:16-20), Jesus reinforces the meaning of the foot washing as a prophetic action, describing the call of all Christians to be humble servants and to be totally immersed into his paschal destiny of death and resurrection. No slave is greater than the master; no messenger is greater than the one who sent him. Jesus exhorts his disciples to put his example of humble service into practice. At the moment, however, Judas Iscariot seeks to betray him. At this initiation into the final conflict, Judas decries his share with Jesus and refuses to believe in the “I AM”. Jesus manifests total control of the situation. He announces the betrayal as congruent with the divine saving plan: so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Jesus then underlines the principle of the unity of the disciple with the Divine Master: Whoever receives the one I send receives me.
The call to be a humble servant has been heeded by the newly canonized kindly Pope, Saint John XXIII. He exercised his pastoral ministry on “bended knees” and with refreshing humor, a tool of humility. The following article by Father James Martin, SJ, circulated on the Internet is insightful.
The Humor of Saint John XXIII: When the Pope was innocently asked by a journalist how many people worked in the Vatican, he deadpanned, “About half of them.”
John XXIII visited a hospital in Rome called the “Hospital of the Holy Spirit” run by a group of Catholic Sisters. The Mother Superior, deeply stirred by the papal visit, went up to him in order to introduce herself. “Most Holy Father”, she said, “I am the Superior of the Holy Spirit.” “Well, I must say you’re very lucky”, replied the Pope. “I’m only the Vicar of Christ.”
It was that somewhat frivolous story that in an instant drew me to John XXIII. How wonderful to keep one’s sense of humor, even while holding a position of such authority, when one could have easily become distant, cold or authoritarian. How wonderful to have a sense of humor at all! A requirement of the Christian life, I believe.
Anyway, who couldn’t love a Pope who had a sense of humor? Who couldn’t feel affection for a man who was so comfortable about himself that he constantly made jokes about his height (which was little), his ears (which were big), and his weight (which was considerable).
When he once met a little boy named Angelo, he exclaimed, “That was my name, too!” And then, conspiratorially, “But then they made me change it!”
When he was a Nuncio, he was at a dinner where a lady had a plunging neckline. One complained to Roncalli how scandalous it was. “All the men are looking at her.” Roncalli said, “Oh, no. The men are looking at me to see if I am looking at her.”
Believe it or not, it was the revelation that a saint could have such a sense of humor – that began my devotion to this great and holy man, who is now a saint. The need for humor in the spiritual life is often underplayed in Catholic circles. But as John XXIII and so many of the saints show us, it is an essential requirement for a healthy Christian life.
Some of the denigration of humor and laughter comes from a misunderstanding of not only the saints (many of whom had a well-developed sense of humor, contrary to the morose portraiture we see in churches) but also of Jesus. There are multiple signs of Jesus’ sense of humor in the New Testament – even though we can overlook them. Many of the parables, for example, are no longer amusing to us because we don’t live in the first-century Palestine and so fail to “get them”. The late New Testament scholar Daniel J. Harrington, SJ, told me that the original listeners would likely to have found some of them “hilarious”. Theologically, we also need to remember that Jesus was fully human, and part of being fully human is having a sense of humor. Jesus laughed. So can we. So should we!
A sense of humor about oneself also enables one to maintain a healthy perspective on life. Saint John XXIII was able to take God seriously, to take the Church seriously, but not to take himself too seriously. Humor, therefore, is a tool of humility. The Pope often used to recount what he would say to himself when concerns about the Church kept him up at night.
Pope John confessed that he had some difficulty in falling asleep on the night of the memorable day that he announced the convocation of the Second Vatican Council. He said that he talked to himself in this way: “Giovanni, why don’t you sleep? Is it the Pope or the Holy Spirit that governs the Church? It’s the Holy Spirit, no? Well, then, go to sleep, Giovanni!”
B. First Reading (Acts 13:13-25): “For this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.”
Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (13:13-25) depicts the first missionary journey of Paul and his companions as they sail from the island of Cyprus to Asia Minor. Luke’s narrative now focuses on Paul. The apostle Barnabas, who earlier had played the leading role, is mentioned merely as one of Paul’s “companions”. At Perga, John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, leaves them and goes back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas move on to Antioch in Pisidia. Their visit to the town’s synagogue gives Paul his first real opportunity to address a discourse to the Jews. We hear today a part of Paul’s inaugural address, which summarizes the main Christian preaching to the Jews and is based on scriptural precedents and arguments. Paul recalls the history of Israel from the Exodus to Samuel, Saul and David, who is a type of Jesus and his ancestor. Paul’s radical message to the assembly is that God has made Jesus, a descendant of David, the Savior of the people of Israel, as promised. In this awesome missionary sermon, he delineates salvation history as under the guidance of God who brings it to fulfillment. Paul, the evangelizer and preacher, is here at his best!
The following personal testimony gives insight into what it means to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world (cf. Karen Barber in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 209).
On the last day of our second mission trip to a remote village in Honduras, we were surprised when the villagers asked us to join them for a picnic beside a shallow river littered with rounded rocks and boulders.
As I started to walk toward the picnic, I noticed a tiny girl named Julia with Down syndrome looking up at me. The year before, she had shyly hidden behind her mother Gloria’s skirt. Now she held her hand up to me as if she’d known me all her life. I took her hand, and we made our way across the rocks together.
When we reached her mother, Gloria unfastened the small beaded necklace with a shiny rock in the center from around her neck. I froze as she reached up and firmly fastened the necklace around me. I shook my head, protesting, “No, no!” My mind told me, I can’t accept this! I have plenty of necklaces at home, but she has only one. Yet my heart answered, You can’t refuse her gift.
I smiled and gave Gloria a big hug, knowing that I had received more than a necklace; I’d been given the grace to receive a gift of love.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we ready to share in Christ’s paschal destiny? Are we willing to emulate him as the humble and faithful servant of God?
2. Are we willing to give witness by our life that Jesus is our Savior? Do we commit ourselves fully and personally to Christ Savior?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Risen Christ,
you are sent by the Father as our saving Lord.
You too send us into the world
to proclaim the joy of Easter and God’s saving power.
Help us to be faithful and fruitful
in our evangelizing ministry.
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.
“Whoever receives the one I send receives me.” (Jn 13:20) // “God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.” (Acts 13:23).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Today emulate in a very special way the example of Jesus as the humble servant and, by this act of discipleship, enable the people around you to have a taste of the joy of the Gospel.
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May 17, 2019: FRIDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (4)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Way, the Truth and the Life … God Raised Him from the Dead”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 13:26-33 // Jn 14:1-6
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 14:1-6): “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Dan Griffin, a Maryknoll Lay Missioner, narrates a charming incident when someone had to show him the way (cf. Maryknoll, January-February 2005, p. 8).
Tanzania is a big country with few roads and even fewer road signs. One day as I was driving along in a remote area of Shinyanga in the pouring rain, I saw a woman alongside the road. I thought I would be a Good Samaritan and give her a lift. As she climbed into the truck, she asked me where I was going. I told her I was headed to Mwadui Mine. “Good,” she said. “Then we can help each other.” Puzzled, I asked what she meant. “I’m going to Mwadui,” she replied, “and you’re going to Mwadui, but we are going in the wrong direction.”
Today’s Gospel reading (Jn 14:1-12) underlines that we need someone to show us the way to the Father, and that Jesus, the true Shepherd and the Gate for the sheep, is precisely the true and living way to him. In the way he lives, in the truth of his word, and in the quality of new life that he brings, Jesus reveals the Father and leads us to a life of loving intimacy with him. Indeed, if we wish to know what God is like and if we long to have an access and participation in the divine life, we need to look to Jesus, the way, and the truth and the life – at his life of service and public ministry, at his transforming and prophetic words, at his paschal mystery of passion, death and resurrection.
B. First Reading (Acts 13:26-33): “God has fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus from the dead.”
Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (13:26-33) is the second part of Paul’s major sermon in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. Paul proclaims to the assembly the Good News: that God’s promises to their ancestors are now fulfilled in the death and rising of Jesus Christ. Paul identifies the crucified and risen Jesus, a descendant of David, as the Messiah. He proclaims that the fullest meaning of the prophets and the psalms is revealed in the light of this Good News. The apostles’ proclamation about Jesus as the Messiah creates a great impact on the people. They invite Paul and Barnabas to come back the next Sabbath and tell them more about these things.
Like Paul and Barnabas, today’s Christian disciples are called to proclaim the Gospel to the nations. The life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) is an example of a living Gospel proclamation (cf. Bert Ghezzi, “Spending this Advent Season with the Saints” in Our Sunday Visitor, December 2, 2012, p. 23).
Blessed Pope John Paul II celebrated Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati as a man of the Beatitudes. Athletic and strong, he devoted himself to the weak and malformed. He was wealthy, but he lived in poverty so he could give everything to the poor. He was gregarious, but a lover of solitude. He was rambunctious, the life of every party, and a practical joker, but at prayer he was solemn, reflective and quiet.
As a teenager, Pier Giorgio made friends with the poor in Turin’s back streets and gave them whatever he had – his money, his shoes, his overcoat. “Jesus comes to me every morning in holy Communion”, he replied to a friend on why the hovels did not repulse him. “I repay him in my very small way by visiting the poor. The house may be sordid, but I am going to Christ.”
Pier Giorgio saw the need for social change to relieve the causes of poverty. At the university he decided to major in mechanical engineering so that he could work with miners, who were especially disadvantaged. He was a leader in student political organizations and actively opposed Mussolini and the Fascists. At the same time, he was the organizer of student parties, games and ski trips to the Alps, where he would lead his friends in prayer. Afterward, they relaxed and enjoyed food, wine, cigars and songs.
Blessed Pier Giorgio has become the hero of contemporary young Catholics. They recognize his high Christian ideals still help while pursuing the same pleasures that they enjoy. They gravitate to this handsome and charming saint who delighted in reciting the poetry of Dante, praying the Rosary in a booming voice and spending a night in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. How do we personally experience Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life? In our word and deed, do we replicate the person of Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life?
2. Like Paul and Barnabas, do we endeavor to proclaim the Gospel with every means and opportunity at our disposal?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father of holiness, Lord of heaven and earth,
in the Word made flesh
you have spoken your words to us
and you call us to follow him.
He is the way that leads to you,
the truth that sets us free,
the life that makes our joy complete.
Grant us the grace to know the truth,
to follow the way
and to share your eternal life
in Jesus, the way, truth and life.
Together with Saint Paul,
we wish to proclaim your saving love
to all the nations.
We adore you and glorify you, 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 am the way and the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6) // “What God promised our fathers he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (Acts 13:33)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Participate in the saving mission of Jesus Christ by trying to be yourself “way, truth and life” for a neighbor who is troubled, lost and confused. By your spirit of joy and charity make the people around you experience that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah.
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May 18, 2019: SATURDAY – EASTER WEEKDAY (4); SAINT JOHN I, Pope, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Image of the Father … He Is Preached to the Gentiles”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 13:44-52 // Jn 14:7-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 14:7-14): “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
In today’s Gospel reading (Jn 14:7-14), Jesus makes a very important statement: “If you know me, then you will also know my father.” Jesus is the true image of the Father. He radically reveals the nature of the Father as the fullness of love. Our daily living must be a reflection of God in Jesus. Our mind, will and heart, our thoughts, words and deeds must reflect who God is in his inmost being. Indeed, Jesus is the “great sacrament” of the self-giving, loving God. Since the Father is reflected in the Son, we get to know God the Father through his beloved Son Jesus Christ.
The following charming story illustrates the saying, “Like father, like son” (cf. Fay Angus in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 154). It also gives insight into the awesome affinity and intimate relationship of God the Father and his Son Jesus, sent as our Savior.
During the heat of the California summer, we invite our neighbors to come over anytime for a dip in our pool. Van is a favorite; he loves to cycle up and down our hills, his forehead dripping under his protective helmet, and it’s great to see him park his bike by the pool and plunge in, staying under so long that it’s a relief when he eventually surfaces.
This particular weekend his son was with him. On leave from his base in San Diego, he was tall, with the upright, straight-as-an-arrow deportment typical of the military, a firm handshake and steady eyes that locked into those of the person talking to him. I liked him. I liked him even more when he peeled off his T-shirt to take a swim, for across his upper torso, under his collarbone, was a tattoo: Carpe Diem, Latin for “seize the day”. I was fascinated, “Tell me about this”, I asked. “I want to make every moment of my life count”, he said, giving me his father’s wide smile. “My service to God, to my country and to making the world a better place: this is a daily reminder of my commitment.”
He sprang from the diving board and swam the length of the pool in one swoop, like a torpedo. On the return lap, his arms were turbojets churning the water. Wow, I thought, if he represents the caliber of our military, we’re in good hands!
B. First Reading (Acts 13:44-52): “We now turn to the Gentiles.”
In the reading (Acts 13:44-52) we see the people’s response to the Gospel: it is received both positively and negatively. The first reaction to Paul’s preaching in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia is positive. Many are converted. Nearly everyone gathers to hear the word of the Lord on the next Sabbath. But other Jews, full of jealousy on account of the interest and crowds the apostles are generating, contest what Paul is saying and insult him. But Paul and Barnabas speak out even more boldly and assert that since the Jews are rejecting the Gospel, they will turn to the Gentiles. In obedience to God’s commands, the apostles will be – in imitation of Jesus Christ – “a light for the Gentiles” so that all may be saved. The Gentiles rejoice and praise God’s message and they believe. But as the word of the Lord spreads everywhere in that region, the Jews incite violence against the apostles. They start a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, who shake the dust off their feet in protest. The apostles head off to Iconium to continue their work of evangelization. Meanwhile, the believers in Antioch are full of joy and the Holy Spirit.
The Christian disciples are called to continue the work of evangelization. The Parish of the Sacred Heart in Manila, where I grew up, was under the pastoral care of the Capuchin friars. One of the priests serving there, who became my spiritual director, was born in Goa, India. Before being assigned in Manila, Fr. Alexis Felinto worked as a missionary in Portuguese Angola, in Southwest Africa. He shared with us that when he viewed the movie “The Nun at the Crossroad”, about a nun who was sexually assaulted by African rebels, tears ran down his face. He had a first-hand experience of the violence the missionaries suffered from the Angolan rebels. He narrowly escaped death, but some of his colleagues were tortured and killed. The rebels plucked their beards, tearing off patches of skin from their faces, creating raw wounds and terrible pain. They have replicated in their life the trials Paul and Barnabas endured for the sake of the Gospel. Indeed, their afflictions were a participation in the saving passion of Christ.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe that if we know the Son we will know also the Father? How do we show our love for both God the Father and his son Jesus?
2. What do we do when we meet obstacles and trials, especially for the sake of the Gospel?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving Father,
your Son Jesus is the full revelation
of your saving will and life-giving love.
Let us be totally configured to Christ Jesus
and fully united with you through the Easter mystery
of his death and rising to glory.
Give us the grace to proclaim him to the nations.
We give you praise and glory, 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.
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.” (Jn 14:7) // “We now turn to the Gentiles.” (Acts 13:46)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your life of virtue and service to the poor and needy, manifest to the world the love and goodness of God the Father in his Son Jesus. // By the way you respond to daily trials and difficulties, manifest to the world that Christ, the Risen Lord, is the center of your life and the font of strength.
***
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