A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday and Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 11, n. 30)
TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME: June 23-29, 2013 *****
(N.B. The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year C from three perspectives. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 2. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 5. For reflections based on the Second Reading, open Series 8. Please go to Series 10 and Series 11 for the back issues of the Weekday Lectio.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: June 23-29, 2013. The weekday reflections are based on the First Reading. For the weekday reflections based on the Gospel Reading, please open Series 10.)
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June 23, 2013: TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: “He Is the Pierced One and the Christ of God”
BIBLE READINGS
Zac 12:10-11 // Gal 3:26-29 // Lk 9:18-24
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
We continue our journey through the verdant and grace-laden Sundays in Ordinary Time, delving into the various aspects of Christ’s paschal mystery and its implications for his disciples. The saving event of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection is so essential to our identity as “Easter people” that its prayerful reflection cannot be limited to a particular liturgical season or two. The paschal mystery permeates our life through and through. It is the foundation of our Christian life. We must strive to deepen our understanding of this divine mystery day by day.
Hence, on this Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we consider anew the sacrificial elements of Christ’s saving deeds. He is the one who was terribly rejected and pierced for our sins. But the atrocious sufferings he underwent became a means of healing and salvation for us all. In the Old Testament reading (Zec 12:10-11), Zechariah’s prophecy about the great mourning of “the house of David” for “the one who was pierced” prefigures the repentance and redemptive cleansing from sin that Christ’s sufferings would bring. According to Zechariah’s vision, “they shall look on him whom they have pierced”.
Against the backdrop of Zechariah’s vision of “the pierced one”, the paschal destiny of Jesus that is predicted in this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Lk 9:18-24) takes on greater meaning. Enlightened by the Easter event, the Christian believers finally perceived that “the pierced one” is Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Christ of God – the Son of Man – must suffer greatly to bring about the salvation of all, Jews and non-Jews alike. In his role as the suffering one, Jesus accomplished redemption and became “a fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness”.
The Pauline passage proclaimed this Sunday (Gal 3:26-29) underlines the deep implications of being immersed into the paschal destiny of the Suffering Messiah. In entering the baptismal water, we divest ourselves of all false apparel. On leaving the baptismal bath, we clothe ourselves with the true apparel. We put on Christ resulting in the obliteration of false differences such as those based on race, social status and gender. Baptismal incorporation favors deep solidarity based on being infused with the life of Christ and our vocation to participate in his paschal mystery.
An exemplar of what it means “to put on Christ” is the young Polish priest, Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984) who was beatified as a martyr on June 6, 2010, the feast of Corpus Christi (cf. Thomas Rosica, “The Sacrament of Nonviolence at the Heart of the Church’s Newest Martyr” in L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO, June 2, 2010, p. 8). He lived radically the way of Jesus who conquered evil and violence through the way of nonviolence, of sacrificial love and forgiveness, of solidarity. Totally “christified” in his daily acts of self-giving and in the supreme act of martyrdom, Fr. Jerzy is truly an inspiration for us today.
Jerzy Popieluszko was born on September 14, 1947, in the village of Okopy in Eastern Poland. He was from a strong Roman Catholic family. After secondary school, Jerzy entered the seminary in Warsaw, rather than the local seminary in Bialystok. His training was interrupted by two years of military service, during which he was beaten several times for living his Christian faith. After ordination, the young priest, who never enjoyed good health, held several appointments before his final appointment to the parish of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Warsaw. He worked part-time in the parish, which enabled him to work as well with medical personnel. As a result of his close work with health care personnel, he was asked to organize the medical teams during Pope John Paul II’s visits in Poland in 1979 and Warsaw in 1983.
August 1980 saw the beginning of the Solidarity trade union in Poland. Workers from the Warsaw steel plant, who were on strike in support of the shipyards on the Baltic Sea, requested a priest to say Mass for them. The lot fell to Fr. Jerzy. He stayed with the workers night and day. Solidarity represented for him a vision that he had first learnt from St. Maximilian Kolbe: that of spiritual freedom amidst physical enslavement. It was this vision of the truth about the vocation of every man and woman, which Fr. Jerzy promoted amongst the workers by his presence.
On December 13, 1981, the communist authorities imposed martial law, arresting many Solidarity activists and launching a program of harassment and retaliation against others. Many who had been on strike lost their jobs, and also their ability to support their families; others were beaten up on the streets and left for dead. Fr. Popieluszko became an important focus in a welfare program to support families affected by martial law. He regularly attended the trials of Solidarity activists, sitting prominently in court with their families so that the prisoners could see that they were not forgotten. It was in the courtroom that he had the idea for a monthly Mass for the country, to be celebrated for all the imprisoned and their families. It was not a political demonstration – Fr. Popieluszko specifically asked his congregation not to display banners or chant slogans. His Masses for the Fatherland became well known not only in Warsaw but throughout Poland, often attracting 15,000 to 20,000 people. Fr. Popieluszko insisted that change should be brought out peacefully; the sign of peace was one of the most poignant moments of each Mass for the Country.
Fr. Popieluszko was neither a social nor a political activist, but a Catholic priest faithful to the Gospel. He wasn’t a forceful speaker, but someone of deep conviction and integrity. His sanctity lay in fundamental righteousness that gave people hope even in horrendous situations. He knew that all totalitarian systems are based on terror and intimidation. The Communists saw him as an enemy because he freed people from fear of the system. He exposed the hypocrisy of the Communist regime and he taught believers how to confront totalitarianism. How often Jerzy made St. Paul’s words his own in his preaching: “Fight evil with good.”
On October 19, 1984, the young priest was kidnapped by security agents on his way back to Warsaw after a visit to a parish in the neighboring town of Bydgoszcz. He was savagely beaten until he lost consciousness, and his body was tied up in such a way that he would strangle himself by moving. His weighted body was then thrown into a deep reservoir. His killers carried out their task with unprecedented brutality, which shows their hatred of the faith that the priest embodied. Jerzy’s driver, who managed to escape, told what had happened to the press. On October 30, Popieluszko’s bound and gagged body was found in the freezing waters of a reservoir near Wloclawek. Fr. Jerzy’s brutal murder was widely believed to have hastened the collapse of the communist rule in Poland.
Fr. Jerzy’s funeral was a massive public demonstration with over 400,000 people in attendance. Official delegations of Solidarity appeared from throughout the whole country for the first time since the imposition of martial law. He was buried in the front yard of his parish church of St. Stanislaus Kostka, and since that day, 17 million have visited his tomb.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we trust in the spirit of repentance and forgiveness poured forth by the “pierced one” on the Cross? Do we truly believe in Jesus as “the Christ of God” who redeems us through the way of nonviolence and suffering? Do we truly live the effects of our baptismal consecration? Do we “put on Christ” and allow ourselves to be immersed in his paschal destiny day by day?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we are called to share intimately
in the paschal destiny of your Son Jesus Christ,
the Suffering Servant.
Pierced for our offense,
he is the wellspring of salvation.
He is a “fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness”.
Together with Simon Peter,
we avow him as “the Christ of God”.
Through baptism,
we were immersed into the bloodbath of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rising from the baptismal water,
we have “put on Christ”.
We belong to him totally and forever.
Father, give us the grace to be faithful
and to be grateful
for all the blessings you have given us in your Son,
through the power of your Holy Spirit.
We love you and serve you;
we thank you 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.
“They shall look on him whom they have pierced.” (Zec 12:10)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that Christian disciples may put on Christ, “the pierced one”, and be dedicated to promoting solidarity. This requires that we pursue justice, eliminate racism, end human trafficking, protect human rights, seek peace, and avoid the use of force except as a necessary last resort.
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June 24, 2013: MONDAY – THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST (Solemnity)
“JESUS SAVIOR: John the Baptist Was His Precursor”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 49:1-6 // Acts 13:22-26 // Lk 1:57-66, 80
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
It was June 24th – a hot humid day - fifteen years ago. I was riding in a “jeep”, the most popular form of public transportation in the Philippines. I was on my way to visit my parents and have lunch with them. The route of the “jeep” would take me through San Juan, a town in Metro Manila, which was celebrating the feast of its patron saint, St. John the Baptist. The town has a unique fiesta tradition – water dousing! The revelers would stock up with water and merrily drench unknowing passersby. This was to recall the mission of their beloved patron who baptized Jesus and those receptive to the call of conversion at River Jordan. When I boarded the “jeep”, I noticed that the plastic window curtains to protect passengers from rain were rolled down. It was really strange for there was no rain, and the sun was shining brightly. The driver kindly explained why he unfolded the plastic curtains: “I don’t want you to get wet. It’s fiesta in San Juan.” When we were in San Juan, the “jeep” got stuck in the traffic. We saw some teenagers by the road ready with water ammunition, but they were totally ignoring us. Their attention was focused on passersby and they were quietly surveying possible “victims”. I heaved a sigh of relief. The excitement, however, was far from over. When the vehicle started to move, there was a vigorous splash coming through the door of the “jeep”. An abundant douse of water hit the passengers. After the initial shock, we started to laugh. Thank God! It was clean water! We were wet, but it was fun! The water dousing steeped us in the spirit of the town fiesta – we felt that John the Baptist was baptizing us.
The universal Church celebrates today the nativity of John the Baptist, the Messiah’s precursor. The liturgy’s First Reading (Is 49:1-6) comes from the Second Servant Song, which describes the commissioning of a mysterious personage - the Servant of God - as a prophet. The identity of the Servant is not specified and since the reference is open-ended, it is easily appropriated. On account of the versatility of its image, the figure of the Servant has been applied to various personages in salvation history, foremost of which is Jesus Christ, the ultimate Servant of Yahweh. Today’s liturgy, however, applies the Second Servant Song to John the Baptist, whose birthday we commemorate today. Called from birth and given a name from his mother’s womb, the remarkable child would grow and be honed into a “sharp-edged sword”. He would be transformed into an effective prophetic instrument of God’s word. Like a “polished arrow” hidden in God’s quiver, John was to become an incisive weapon to be used, at the right time, to proclaim the judgment of God. Concealed for a time, the prophet John would appear in the desert to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and prepare the way for the public ministry of the Messiah. An enigmatic ascetic and a compelling figure in the wilderness of Judea, the Precursor would exhort the people tensed with messianic expectation: “Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.” John then baptized in the Jordan River those who had confessed their sins and opened their hearts to the coming of the Kingdom of God.
In bearing witness to the person of the Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens the world, and in upholding the integrity of moral truth against the malice of King Herod and his partner Herodias, John suffered martyrdom. His death was an intimate participation in the paschal destiny of the Messiah, of which he was a precursor. In sharing intimately the universal work of salvation of Jesus Christ, the words of Yahweh in the Second Servant Song could be applied not only to Jesus, but also to John: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Is 49:6).
Today’s Gospel episode (Lk 1:57-66, 80) describes the marvelous circumstances surrounding the birth of John the Baptist. Elizabeth, the wife of the temple priest Zechariah, gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard how the good Lord wonderfully gazed upon her and bestowed his mercy upon her. They all rejoiced with her. The joy was even greater on account of Elizabeth’s lifelong barrenness and the advanced age of the couple. In the biblical mentality, fecundity was a sign of divine blessing and childlessness was considered a disgrace, if not downrightly a curse. The name given to the child by God, and announced to Zechariah by the angel at the temple, was truly significant: “JOHN” – which means “Yahweh has shown favor” … “Yahweh is gracious”. Indeed, the joy that resulted from Elizabeth’s motherhood was a foretaste of the messianic joy that the birth of Jesus would bring to the world.
Today’s Second Reading (Acts 13:22-26) contains Paul’s speech to the Israelites and other worshippers in the synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia. In this apostolic preaching, he underlines the mission of John with regards to the Messiah. According to Saint Paul, Jesus is the Savior whom God has brought to Israel from David’s posterity. The prophet John heralded the coming of this Savior by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. The baptism of repentance performed by John at River Jordan was a powerful call and an intense symbol of turning to God and reconciliation with him, a saving event to be completely achieved in the paschal sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus Christ. Astoundingly, Christ chose to be baptized by the Precursor at River Jordan.
Jesus’ gesture is a gesture of self-emptying. The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude to the new creation, and the Father revealed Jesus as his beloved Son. Indeed, the baptism of Jesus at River Jordan by John the Baptist was a messianic consecration. It was a wondrous event in salvation history in which God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power for his public ministry as the Savior of Israel and all mankind. As John was about to complete his mission as the Messiah’s precursor, he reiterated to the people that he was not the Messiah and pointed to the One who was to come: “What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet” (Acts 13: 25).
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How does the vocation and consecration of John the Baptist inspire us? Do we believe that we too have been called by God from birth and entrusted with a particular prophetic mission in today’s world? What is the meaning of the birth of John the Baptist and the name “JOHN” given to him by God from his mother’s womb? What is the significance for us of John’s baptism of repentance and Jesus’ baptism in the power of the Holy Spirit? Do we endeavor to be like John the Baptist in his mission to point to the Messiah and to bear total witness on his behalf, even to the point of death?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, “Birth of John the Baptist”)
All-powerful God,
help your people to walk the path to salvation.
By following the teaching of John the Baptist,
may we come to your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
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 Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name” (Is 49:1b)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the Christian disciples of today may truly understand and imitate the great role of John the Baptist in preparing the way and in giving witness to the Messiah Jesus Christ. In the very surroundings where you live, endeavor to be like John the Baptist in giving witness to truth and in your prophetic stance against the culture of death and falsehood that afflicts our modern society.
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June 25, 2013: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (12)
”JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Overcome Strife”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 13:2, 5-18 // Mt 7:6, 12-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The First Reading for the next three weeks is taken from the second part of the Book of Genesis, chapters 12-50, concerning the patriarchs or the early ancestors of Israel. The first patriarch is Abraham, a man of faith. The Lord God calls Abraham to leave his country, relatives, and father’s home to go to a foreign land. God promises to give him many descendants and make of him a great nation. Responding to the divine vocation, he takes his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and slaves they have acquired in Haran (in Mesopotamia) and start out for the land of Canaan. After a brief adventure with the Pharaoh in Egypt involving his wife Sarah, Abraham and his clan proceed to the southern part of Canaan.
Today’s Old Testament passage is a vivid account of shepherd nomads and their need for grazing land and water. Both Abraham and his nephew Lot own many sheep, goats, and cattle. There is not enough pasture land for the two of them to stay together. The herdsmen of Abraham and Lot begin to quarrel. With great wisdom and noble spirit, Abraham remarks: “Let there be no strife between us for we are kinsmen.” To forestall further dispute, Abraham proposes that they separate. The patriarch magnanimously defers to Lot, who chooses to go eastward and settle in the lush and fertile Jordan Plain near Sodom. Abraham is left with the western half of Palestine from the central mountain spine to the sea coast. Lot’s decision, although inspired by human wisdom and practical concerns, works ultimately for the fulfillment of the divine plan. God blesses Abraham and promises him the land and a numerous progeny to fill it.
The conciliatory act of Abraham foretells the non-violent stance of his progeny Jesus Christ, our Savior. In today’s world we all have personal responsibility to overcome strife and senseless division that vitiate human relationships. The following story is an inspiration (cf. Arlene West House, “An American Beauty” in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 230-233).
In the 1930s, after the death of her husband, a middle-aged woman named Marguerite left Germany to make a new life in America, away from Hitler and the Third Reich. Marguerite’s younger brother Wilhelm, stayed behind with his Jewish wife and family to protect their assets, unaware of the horrors to come.
In her adopted country, Marguerite lived on a small pension and supplemented her income by raising a variety of roses, which she sold to local florists and hospitals. She sent some of the earnings from her roses to help support her brother in Germany. And, as the war advanced, she also sent money to help Jews escape from Germany.
Marguerite’s neighbors viewed her as a quiet, unassuming woman who spent most days in her garden or greenhouse. Not much was known about her, nor did the community try to befriend the foreign-born woman. But when the United States entered the war against Germany, Marguerite became suspect. While her neighbors and shopkeepers had never been friendly or particularly kind, they were now openly hostile. There were mutters and whispers about her being a Nazi, always just loud enough for her to hear.
Without fanfare, Marguerite continued to send money to Jewish families and to her brother in Germany. Then, one day, she received a letter from her sister-in-law with devastating news. Her beloved Wilhelm was dying of cancer. He was praying for a miracle: to be able to come to the United States where he could receive better medical care. At first Marguerite was panic-stricken: she didn’t have the extra money. But soon, she was overjoyed when a hospital requested an unusually large order of roses. This was the extra income she needed to make the miracle happen!
For weeks she tended her roses, nurturing and fertilizing them with tender care. Each rose meant another dollar to help bring Wilhelm to America. In August, Marguerite entered a local contest for the most beautiful roses grown. If she won, the prize money of $25 would ease her financial burden when Wilhelm and his family arrived.
On the day of the festival, she rose early to cut the flowers before they were wilted by the sun. As she stepped into the garden, she nearly fell to her knees with shock. All one hundred rosebushes, lovingly planted and nurtured over the last seven years, lay in shambles before her. Every plant was slashed and chopped to the ground. They all but bled before her eyes. She could barely take it in: her beloved flowers, and her livelihood, gone, possibly forever. And the worst of it was that Wilhelm would not be able to come to America.
Marguerite was devastated, but more determined than ever to show up at the festival. She would not give the hooligans the satisfaction of her absence. She would still enter the contest, even if they left but a petal. She walked down the garden path to see if she could salvage anything from the debris. Clinging to life by the back fence, obviously missed by the vandals, was one single red rose. It was an “American Beauty”. She took the rose into the house, cut the stem on an angle and placed it in the icebox to keep it fresh until the contest. Then, shaking with distress, she cleaned up the ruined rose garden as best she could. When she could do no more, she put on her best hat and took a trolley to the contest, holding the lone rose in her hand.
When Marguerite’s turn came to show her entry, she held up her single “American Beauty”. In her halting English, she proudly described its origin, how she had bred it, and the special fertilizer she has used to enhance the color of its petals. But, when the winners were announced, she wasn’t surprised at the absence of her name. Why would they give the prize to a rose from the garden of the enemy? She went home that evening trying to think of some other way she could earn money.
The next day, Marguerite attended church, as was her custom, to pray for strength and guidance. When she arrived home and opened the door, the scent of flowers filed the air. Someone had placed a large vase filled with summer flowers on the entryway table. As she walked toward the kitchen, she saw that every room in her home had more bouquets of flowers in Mason jars and pitchers. It was heavenly!
As she approached the kitchen, she saw a fresh coffeecake in the middle of the table. Under the cake plate was an envelope addressed to “Marguerite”. She opened it to find $300 in single bills and a card that said simply, “Many thanks from your friends in town.” Stunned and happy, Marguerite realized that this was the miracle Wilhelm had been praying for! Now she could bring him to America. The miracle did come to pass. With the $300, Marguerite bought steamship tickets. Within a few months, Wilhelm and his family arrived. Marguerite and his wife cared for him tenderly, and he received excellent medical attention that added years to his life.
For years Marguerite tried to discover who her benefactors were, but without success. Many years later, a local woman was going through the personal effects of her late grandfather, who had been a cantor in the local synagogue. She found his journal – and in it, an entry of particular interest. The journal stated that while attending the rose festival, the cantor had overheard two men in the audience brag about ripping up “the Nazi’s” rosebushes. He knew who they meant. Marguerite had never sought recognition for her charity, but many Jews in the community knew that her roses helped Jewish families escape the nightmare of the Holocaust.
That day the cantor set about calling on members of the synagogue, explaining about the vandalism and the financial loss Marguerite had suffered. The men and women in the synagogue gave with their hearts and pocketbooks for the “rose lady”. Several women who shared Marguerite’s love of gardening gathered flowers from their own gardens to honor her for all she had done for their people. Rather than have her feel an obligation, they took an oath to remain anonymous until death. They all kept the promise.
With patient love and care, Marguerite’s roses bloomed again. And Marguerite bloomed as well. She made many friends in town in the years following the war, never knowing that many of them were her secret benefactors. And she continued to send money to Germany to help Jewish families until her death in 1955.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What do we do to overcome strife and ugly disputes? Do we endeavor to adopt a peaceful and conciliatory stance when confronted with divisive situations and potentially violent conflicts?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
God our Father,
we thank you for the noble example and magnanimity of Abraham,
our father in faith.
We thank you for Jesus, the prince of peace.
Make us channels of peace in today’s world
wounded with strife and brutal wars.
Help us to overcome violence and senseless divisions
by the love of the Holy Spirit.
We praise 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.
“Let there be no strife between us for we are kinsmen.” (Gn 13:8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When dealing with divisive and destructive conflict situations, pray for the grace to imitate the conciliatory and peace-making stance of Abraham, our father in faith, and his illustrious progeny, Jesus Christ.
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June 26, 2013: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (12)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Covenant Faith”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 15:1-12, 17-18 // Mt 7:15-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The unwavering faith of Jesus Christ who strengthens the faith of his disciples for the paschal event of his passion, death and glory is prefigured in today’s story of Abraham. The faith of Abraham in the first covenant is replicated and brought to perfection by Jesus in the new and everlasting covenant. In the Old Testament, it was God who initiated an intimate, loving relationship with Abraham, who responded totally with an irrevocable faith.
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly explains: “The fifteenth chapter of Genesis is a stunning piece of religious literature … When God called Abram from the land of his fathers, he promised him a great name and many descendants (Gen 12:1-3). Now some years later Abram is still without an heir. Yet he put his faith in the Lord, who then, in what we would call a bizarre ritual, initiated a covenant with the patriarch. Let us consider the theological insights. First of all comes the divine initiative, an unvarying element in all of biblical religion. God always acts first, and always in a saving way, here in the form of a promise. Abram believes in God. This is again, always the first and expected response of the human person. It is here an act of acceptance of, and surrender to, the promising God. There is no compelling reason, no persuasive argument. It is sheer faith … The bizarre ritual was actually a widely accepted form of treaty or covenant-making in ancient times. The animals are split in two to signify the fate of those who break the covenant. The passing between the divided pieces by a smoking brazier and a flaming torch symbolizes God’s acceptance and ratification of the covenant terms. God, as it were, puts his own life on the line for his servant Abram … The divine eagerness expressed in the Abram story spills over into a reckless giving of himself, his Son, to be with us. Only one question has meaning here: do we put our faith in him?”
The following story, told in a humorous vein, gives us an interesting insight into the meaning of faith (cf. Laverne W. Hall, “Faith” in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al. Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc., 1997, p. 198-100).
The fields were parched and brown from lack of rain, and the crops lay wilting from thirst. People were anxious and irritable as they searched the sky for any sign of relief. Days turned into arid weeks. No rain came.
The ministers of the local churches called for an hour of prayer on the town square the following Saturday. They requested that everyone bring an object of faith for inspiration.
At high noon on the appointed Saturday the townspeople turned out en masse, filling the square with anxious faces and hopeful hearts. The ministers were touched to see the variety of objects clutched in prayerful hands – holy books, crosses, rosaries.
When the hour ended, as if on magical command, a soft rain began to fall. Cheers swept the crowd as they held their treasured objects high in gratitude and praise. From the middle of the crowd one faith symbol seemed to overshadow all the others: a small nine-year-old child had brought an umbrella.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How is the loving initiative and compassion of God at work in the life of the patriarch Abraham? How does the reality of a loving God who initiates an intimate covenant relationship with our father in faith, Abraham, impact us? What is Abraham’s response to the loving God and his wondrous promises of paternity and posterity? What does “putting one’s faith in God mean”? How are we inspired by the “faith of Abraham”? Do we try to imitate the total and irrevocable faith of Abraham? How?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you are the God of the covenant.
Like Abraham, the “father of nations”,
we put our trust in you.
Transform us more deeply,
as we go through the daily paschal events of life,
into the image of your Servant-Son Jesus Christ.
Help us to live our covenant faith
and to experience its abundant and eternal blessings.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that those whose faith is being tested may never waver, but rather be strengthened in their experiences of distress and suffering. By your kind words and deeds, endeavor to share with them your covenant faith.
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June 27, 2013: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (12); SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, bishop, doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Abraham’s Progeny”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 // Mt 7:21-29
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is a colorful account of the birth of Ishmael, Abraham’s progeny. Abraham’s barren wife Sarah takes the initiative to remedy the lack of descendants to insure the clan’s life-line. Following the ancient world custom and legal code, she proposes to her husband to impregnate her Egyptian maid Hagar. The offspring will be considered her legal child. Hagar is expected to humbly grant this right to her mistress, but instead she assumes an arrogant attitude of superiority over Sarah. This is understandable since childbearing is the most important marker of a woman’s status in that ancient culture. Likewise, it is understandable and perfectly legitimate for Sarah to insist that Abraham vindicate her. Following the law, Abraham returns Hagar to Sarah’s control. Sarah deals with her so severely that Hagar runs away from her. The Lord’s messenger appears to Hagar by a spring in the wilderness and extends to her God’s promise to make of her son Ishmael, Abraham’s descendant, a great nation. God’s promise to Abraham of progeny and posterity slowly unfolds. The divine plan for Abraham as “father of nations” will be partly fulfilled through his son Ishmael. But first Hagar must return home and humbly submit to her mistress Sarah.
From Ishmael’s descendants the Arabs came forth: Islam, the third great world religion that has its origin from Abraham, and is the fruit of God’s promise of progeny and posterity to him. Against this backdrop of the common origin of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity from Abraham, we are called to live in greater unity and brotherhood with one another. Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike – we are all part of the fulfillment of God’s promise. We all originate from Abraham, our father in faith. The following story illustrates what it means when the spirit of brotherhood reigns among us (cf. Patricia Lorenz, “Ali and the Angel” in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 255-257).
A few days after Thanksgiving, the pastor of a small church in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was shopping at a large mall north of Milwaukee. He wandered into a temporary store set up just for the holiday season, which contained one-of-a-kind statues and sculptures purchased from museums all over the world. Most of the stunning brass and bronze statues were life size. Some were over eight feet tall.
As Pastor Ron wandered down the first aisle, he looked at the prices, thousands of dollars for each. He wondered who could possibly afford to put one of those statues in their home. Certainly no one from my small church, he mused. I doubt if there’s a house in South Milwaukee big enough to do justice to one of those enormous statues.
Pastor Ron wandered up another aisle when he saw it. The angel. An incredible angel … approximately four feet tall, cast bronze, with a six-foot wing span and the most beautiful face the pastor had ever seen. Thinking about the memorial/hospitality room he was dreaming about for the back of his church, he stepped forward and turned over the price tag. He gasped when he saw $7,000 in neat black letters. “Whew! Too steep for our church”, Pastor Ron muttered. His church only had about eight hundred families, mostly blue-collar workers struggling from paycheck to paycheck.
Just then a tall, striking gentleman who seemed to be of Middle Eastern descent walked up. “May I be of help? The angel, she is beautiful, yes?” “Oh, without a doubt. The most beautiful angel I’ve ever seen.” Pastor Ron said wistfully. “But unfortunately I need to look at something smaller.” He followed the dark-haired man to the rear of the store where he pointed out another angel, this one only eighteen inches tall. “No, this is too small”, Pastor Ron said. Even the little angel was beyond the price range for his church. “We want to build a memorial”, Pastor Ron began, “but we don’t have much money to …” He stopped talking when he realized the salesman was no doubt of a different faith and perhaps wouldn’t understand.
Pastor Ron followed the man up the aisle toward the front of the store where the first angel, the most beautiful one, stood with arms outstretched. Once more Pastor Ron paused to admire the delicate beauty of the sculpture and the peace radiating from the angel’s face. He took a deep breath and started to thank the man for his time, when the salesman spoke, “Tell me again. What is it you need the angel for?” “Our church. I’m the pastor of a small church in South Milwaukee. We want to build a memorial, a sort of hospitality room in the back of church. A place to celebrate the living as well. We’ll have a bulletin board for photos of weddings, baptisms, confirmations … and I, well, I’ve been hoping to find an angel to preside over this place of prayer and hospitality.”
“I see”, said the tall, serious man as he pulled a calculator out of his pocket. “My name is Ali”, he said, “I am the owner and manager. We travel all over the country with these exquisite museum pieces.” Ali punched numbers on his calculator. Then he cleared the total and started over. Pastor Ron felt his shoulders sink as he thought to himself, “Even if he gives us a discount of twenty, thirty, or even fifty percent, we still can’t afford this angel. What am I doing here in a place where original, one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork are on display?” He began to feel uncomfortable, wishing he’d passed by this store during his visit to the mall.
Finally, Ali finished fiddling with the calculator. “How does this look?” he said as he held the calculator in front of Pastor Ron’s eyes. “I will even deliver the angel to your church for you personally”, he said. Pastor Ron jerked back a bit when he saw the figure. “Sixteen hundred dollars! Are you sure? You do mean the large angel, this one, the one priced at seven thousand dollars?” “Yes. The artist signed this cast bronze angel. It is a museum masterpiece.” “But why?” It was all Pastor Ron could mutter. Ali spoke softly. “Because I, too, am a spiritual man. I am a Muslim. I would rather see this angel in a house of prayer than in someone’s home. All I ask is that on the day you put this angel in your church you ask your people to pray for Ali.”
On the day Ali and his father delivered the angel to the little church in South Milwaukee, Pastor Ron began to understand a little more about angels. He learned that not all angels are gilded with copper and bronze. Not all of them have wings and small delicate faces. Some of them are tall with dark hair and black mustaches. One of them is a Muslim named Ali.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What does the story of the birth of Ishmael tell us about God’s mysterious plan of salvation? Do we value the common origin that we – Christians – have with the Jews and the Muslims as progenies of the patriarch Abraham?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
God our Father,
marvelous are your ways.
You made Ishmael, Abraham’s progeny, a great nation.
Help us to value our common origin with them
from patriarch Abraham, our father in faith,
Help us to promote interreligious dialogue
with the Jews and Muslims of today’s world.
Teach us to cultivate the spirit of brotherhood
among Christian, Jewish and Muslim believers.
We love and serve you,
our loving Creator God.
We adore your saving plan
and give you praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“You shall name him Ishmael for the Lord has heard you. God has answered you.” (Gn 16:11)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world. Do whatever you can to promote interreligious dialogue.
***
June 28, 2013: FRIDAY – SAINT IRENAEUS, bishop, martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Everlasting Covenant”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 17:1, 9-10, 15-22 // Mt 8:1-4
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading presents an episode in the life of Abraham, now ninety-nine years old, thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, whose mother is Sarah’s slave girl, Hagar. Revealing himself to Abraham as “El Shaddai” (“the God Almighty”), the Lord renews his covenant with him. The covenant is portrayed as a contract: God will give him many descendants; Abraham, on his part, is commanded to walk in the divine presence with blameless heart. What is unique in this encounter is God’s promise of an “everlasting covenant”. The covenant is not just with Abraham, but with all generations after him. It entails a new relationship: “El Shaddai”, who makes a covenant with Abraham, will be his God and the God of his descendants.
God’s covenant relationship with Abraham and his kin is physically signified through circumcision: every male is to be circumcised to indicate submission to the divine will. On his part, God will recognize the circumcised as a covenant partner. Abraham’s ninety-year-old wife Sarah plays an essential role in the fulfillment of the divine covenant promise. The barren and elderly Sarah, through divine intervention, will give birth to Abraham’s “son of the promise”, Isaac. Of him “El Shaddai” says: “I will maintain my covenant with him as an everlasting pact.” Although Abraham has suggested Ishmael to be the heir of the promise, God has an ineffable plan. The “everlasting covenant” will be fulfilled, not through Ishmael – who will likewise be blessed with numerous descendants – but through Isaac. And from Abraham’s son Isaac, a future descendant named Jesus Christ will fulfill, and bring to perfection, the “everlasting covenant”.
The beautiful Bible account of God’s predilection for Abraham and the latter’s total submission to his loving plan inspires us to live in the spirit of brotherhood with the people of today – no matter our racial and religious differences. The following story illustrates how wonderful it is to live in a spirit of compassion, harmony, and brotherhood (cf. Michael Jordan Segal, “A Beautiful Prayer” in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 267-268).
My father is the most unselfish person I know – always thinking of others first before himself. Perhaps that is why he chose to be a rabbi, to serve God by helping other people.
Every Christmas, my father Rabbi Jack Segal volunteers at a hospital in Houston so Christian employees can spend Christmas with their loved ones. One particular Christmas he was working the telephone switchboard at the hospital, answering basic questions and transferring phone calls.
One of the calls he received was from a woman, obviously upset. “Sir, I understand my nephew was in a terrible car accident this morning. Please tell me how he is.” After the woman gave my father the boy’s name, he checked the computer and said, according to the protocol at that time, “Your nephew is listed in critical condition. I’m truly sorry. I hope he’ll get better.”
As soon as my father said “critical”, the woman immediately began to sob and she screamed, “Oh, my God! What should I do? What should I do? Hearing those words, my father softly stated, “Prayer might be helpful at this time.” The woman quickly replied, “Yes – oh, yes. But it’s been ten years since I’ve been to church and I’ve forgotten how to pray”, then asked, “Sir, do you know how to pray? Could you say a prayer for me while I listen on the phone?”
My father quickly answered, “Of course”, and began saying the ancient prayer for healing in Hebrew, the Mee Shebayroch. He concluded, “Amen”. “Thank you, thank you so much”, the woman on the phone replied. “However”, she went on, “I truly appreciate your prayer, but I have one major problem. I did not understand the prayer, since I do not speak Spanish.
My father inwardly chuckled and said, “Ma’am, that was not Spanish. I’m a rabbi, and that prayer was in Hebrew.” The woman sighed heavily in relief. “Hebrew? That’s great. That’s God’s language. Now he won’t need a translator!”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How does the person of patriarch Abraham inspire us? Do we imitate his total and loving response to God and his promise of an “everlasting covenant”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving Lord,
you are our “El Shaddai”, the “Almighty God”.
We humbly bow down in your presence
and adore you.
We thank you for the gift of the “eternal covenant”
you established with Abraham, our father in faith.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ,
Abraham’s illustrious descendant,
who brought to perfection this covenant
by pouring out his sacrificial blood on the tree of life.
Pour upon us the blessings of the “everlasting covenant”
and help us share them with the peoples of all nations.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“You must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” (Gn 17:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the Jewish people that they may continue to grow in the love of God and in faithfulness to the covenant. Do what you can to promote the unity of the peoples of the earth.
***
June 29, 2013: SATURDAY – SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES (Solemnity)
“JESUS SAVIOR: Saints Peter and Paul are the Pillars of His Church”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 12:1-11 // II Tm 4:6-8, 17-18 // Mt 16:13-19
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
We celebrate today the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the two great pillars of the Church. The liturgical Solemnity of the Princes of the Apostles helps us to contemplate the nature of the Church. Saint Peter and Saint Paul, by their faith-filled life that culminated in martyrdom, remind us of the cost of Christian discipleship. By their pastoral ministry and service to the Gospel, they have witnessed to the nations that Jesus is Christ the Savior, the Son of the living God. The source of strength of Peter and Paul, as pillars of the Church, is Christ himself.
Today’s First Reading (Acts 12:1-11) and Second Reading (II Tim 4:6-8, 17-18) underline the intimate participation of Peter and Paul in Christ’s paschal mystery and their wondrous experience of the Lord’s liberating power. The Acts of the Apostles narrates that King Herod Agrippa has Peter arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem. He is under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. On the very night before Herod is to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains and sleeping between two soldiers, is rescued by an angel from an imminent death. This miraculous divine intervention on behalf of Peter evokes God’s marvelous rescue of the Israelites from Egypt and his liberating hand in Christ’s Passover from death to life.
The Second Reading (II Tim 4:6-8, 17-18) is from the letter of Saint Paul, also a prisoner for Christ and an intimate participant in his paschal mystery. As a captive in Rome, he entertains no illusions as to the outcome of his trial. He does not allow the specter of death to daunt him. He trusts in God’s benevolent protection. Knowing that he has done all he could to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, Paul compares his life to a spiritual sacrifice and speaks of his upcoming death as a “passage” – a Passover toward the divine kingdom. He has competed well for Christ and has kept faith in him. He is sure of the “crown of righteousness” that the Lord Jesus is preparing for him and those longing for Christ’s coming.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mt 16:13-19) speaks of Peter’s faith declaration that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the subsequent investiture of Peter with the “keys” of the Kingdom. The “keys” symbolize the authority entrusted to the apostle Peter to lead the young church after Jesus’ resurrection. As willed by Jesus Christ, Peter’s ministry as a “rock” foundation of the Church and his service of authority as the recipient of the “keys” would live on through time and space.
In our celebration of the God-given gift to the Church of its great apostolic pillars, Sts. Peter and Paul, we are invited to consider anew our vocation and mission as Church and to pray for the Pope and all those who have received the special mission as stewards of the mysteries of salvation. I am truly blessed for the special ministry and spirituality I have received in relation to Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ, and Saint Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Here are some personal experiences I wish to share.
I thank the Lord for the opportunity given me to spend several years of my apostolic life in Rome, Italy. It was a great experience to help our Sisters at the souvenir shops in Saint Peter’s Basilica. I had a chance to meet pilgrims from five continents of the world and savor the “universality of the Church”. It was a great joy for us PDDM Sisters to take daily turns for Eucharistic Adoration at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Saint Peter’s Basilica and offer special prayers for the Church and the Pope.
One Wednesday afternoon, after finishing our work at the Cupola’s souvenir shop and while walking on the courtyard to board our van, we were asked by the Vatican police to stay put. From the other part of the courtyard, there was a tremendous activity as the Pope’s entourage arrived. When we saw Pope John Paul II, we cried out zestfully, “Viva il Papa!” Pope John Paul II, who was boarding the Pope’s Mobile for his Wednesday audience with the pilgrims, turned to us like a loving Father and waved at us.
Moreover, I remember the days when I would go to the SSP Provincial House at Via Alessandro Severo, near the Basilica of St. Paul, to pray at the tomb of our Founder Fr. James Alberione and the first Pauline priest, Fr. Timothy Giaccardo, who were both beatified by Pope John Paul II. These two great pillars of the Pauline Family were deeply and vitally influenced by Saint Paul. In my prayer, I thank the Lord because the life and mission of Blessed James Alberione and Blessed Timothy Giaccardo and the entire Pauline Family have deep connections with the life witness and service of truth of Saint Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. I consider it a “grace” to belong to the Pauline Family and I look forward to all the blessings that Saint Paul would bring to us all.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What insights does the celebration of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul give us about the nature and the ministry of the Church? How did Saint Peter and Saint Paul participate intimately in Christ’s Paschal Mystery? How did Sts. Peter and Paul carry out the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Alternative Opening Prayer, Mass of Peter and Paul, Apostles)
Praise to you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in your great mercy
have given us a new birth and hope
through the power of Christ’s resurrection.
Through the prayers of the apostles Peter and Paul
may we who received this faith through their preaching
share their joy in following the Lord
to the unfading inheritance reserved for us in heaven.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.” (II Tim 4: 17a)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for Pope Francis and his pastoral ministry. By your kind assistance, enable the priests to carry out more efficaciously their ministry to the people of God.
***
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