A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday and Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 11, n. 31)
THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME: June 30 - July 6, 2013 ***
(Today the Pauline Family celebrates the solemnity of Saint Paul the Apostle.)
(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 30 - July 6, 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 30, 2013: THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: “He Calls Us to a Radical Discipleship”
BIBLE READINGS
I Kgs 19:16b, 19-21 // Gal 5:1, 13-18 // Lk 9:51-62
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
I saw Franco Zeffirelli’s movie, “Brother Sun and Sister Moon”, many years ago when I was a novice. It portrays the life of St. Francis of Assisi. The most evocative scene in the film, for me, was when Francis divested himself of all his garments to indicate that he was renouncing everything to follow Christ and serve him in a life of poverty. Stripped naked, he was totally consecrated to the following of Christ. He was absolutely free and available to carry out the divine, saving will. That poignant scene of radical discipleship would always be a source of inspiration in my life of total consecration to the Lord. St. Francis of Assisi is an example of a Christian disciple who followed Christ unreservedly, with absolute commitment and dedication.
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 9:51-62) on radical discipleship is composed of two sections: Jesus’ departure for Jerusalem with his consequent experience of Samaritan inhospitality (verses 51-56) and the hardships of the apostolic calling (verses 57-62). The evangelist Luke presents the call to radical discipleship within the context of Jesus’ decisive journey to his paschal destiny. The Gospel passage begins with 9:51, which is a turning point in Luke’s narrative: “When the days for his (Jesus) being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.”
Thus the evangelist Luke portrays an enchanting portrait of Jesus as the faithful and resolute Son who, in word and deed, teaches the way that leads to everlasting life with God. Christian discipleship means to follow Jesus resolutely on the road to Jerusalem towards the fulfillment of his paschal suffering and eventual glorification. The following of Christ demands total participation in his Easter itinerary of dying on the cross and life-giving glory. In the context of the paschal journey to Jerusalem, the meaning and challenge of Christian discipleship are powerfully delineated.
Adrian Nocent writes: “Jesus is going to Jerusalem for his Passion. We are being told indirectly what following him ultimately entails. The will to follow Jesus requires a blind surrender, without any security for the future. The Son of Man, we are told, had no place to lay his head. Following Jesus also means that everything takes second place to the preaching of the kingdom. Jesus is unyielding on this point: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:60). Following in Jesus’ steps also means not looking back. Once we have abandoned everything, we must not think of the past but simply move on ahead.”
Indeed, Christian discipleship demands radical commitment and resoluteness or uncompromising singleness of purpose on the part of those called to be disciples. It leads to spiritual freedom and inner joy, to a sense of wholeness and well-being. Our total surrender to Christ as his true disciples leads to true security, our unconditional response to eternal life, and our single-hearted devotion to the victory of the kingdom of God.
Harold Buetow exhorts us: “Today’s liturgy challenges us to re-examine the attachments that may be holding us back from a liberated and joyful following of Jesus. Attachment literally means staked to. That may be a plow or a family or a corpse, by way of a strong chain or a golden thread. Let’s choose God with the same responsible abandon of Elisha following Elijah, the same freedom mentioned by Paul, and the same resolve of Jesus going to Jerusalem. Let’s each of us discern the Jerusalem we must face in our lives … that kind of commitment and effort frees us … It makes us free to be different without being afraid. It’s exhilarating, and filled with joy.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we ready to follow Jesus resolutely on the road to Jerusalem? Are we ready to pay the price of discipleship? Do we embark on the road to Jerusalem with inner peace and joy knowing that Jesus directs our steps towards the heavenly goal?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you call us to a radical discipleship.
You invite us to journey with you to Jerusalem
and share in the paschal destiny of your death and rising.
Help us to accept the cost of discipleship.
May we uphold you above all things.
Let us give heed to your reproach,
“No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind
is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Help us to be faithful to you
and persevere on the road to Jerusalem.
We love and serve you.
We thank and adore 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.
“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:62).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the increase and perseverance of priestly and religious vocations in the Church. Translate the precious gift of Christian vocation you have received into a meaningful service to the community, especially the poor, the sick, and the needy in today’s society.
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July 1, 2013: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (13); BLESSED JUNIPERO SERRA, priest (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is our Intercessor”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 18:16-22 // Mt 8:18-22
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament passage depicts Abraham in his compassionate role as an intercessor. The Lord has chosen Abraham to be a great and mighty nation and as an instrument of blessing to the nations. Moreover, God has singled him out that he may direct his descendants to do what is right and just. The Lord God will fulfill his covenant promise if they follow in his way. Against this backdrop of God’s plan for a just nation through Abraham, the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah seems abhorrent and deserves divine retribution. Abraham, however, dialogues with a just and merciful God and presents himself as an intercessor.
The Benedictine scholar Adrian Nocent comments: “Nothing could better show that prayer is a bold dialogue with God than this passage from the Book of Genesis, in which we see Abraham speaking with the Lord and almost straining the limits of respect in an effort to catch God, as it were, in the snare of his own goodness and his own sense of justice. The whole dialogue should be read in its entirety, for in it we see the Lord being pushed to the extreme mercy. The style and manner of proceeding are truly Semitic. The appeal to God’s honor and reputation for justice might seem to us highly disrespectful; as a matter of fact, however, it shows great confidence in God and demonstrates the friendly intimacy of God with Old Testament man. Abraham makes it clear that along with Moses, Samuel, and Jeremiah, he is one of the great spiritual men of all time, one of those whose spirit of trusting prayer is an example for every generation.”
Indeed, Abraham’s example of audacious confidence in the Lord God and his prayer of intercession prefigures the saving ministry of Jesus Christ. The following story, circulated on the Internet, makes us realize that Jesus Savior is our great intercessor and defender.
After living what I felt was a “decent” life, my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse. The doors opened, and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around, I saw the “prosecutor”. He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my “Attorney”, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me. I felt I knew him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he moved across the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said, “Let us begin.”
The prosecutor rose and said, “My name is Satan, and I am here to show you why this man belongs to hell.” He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, and times when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of the sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life – couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’d done? Satan finished with a fury and said, “This man belongs in hell. He is guilty of all that I have charged, and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.
When it was his turn, my attorney first asked if he might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking, I was able to see him in his full splendor and majesty. I realized why he seemed so familiar. This was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior. He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge. “Hi, Dad” and then he turned to address the court. “Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won’t deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished.”
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to his Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life, and he has accepted me as his Savior, so he is mine.” My Lord continued with, “His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from me. Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice but rather mercy.” As Jesus sat down, he quietly paused, looked at this Father and said, “There is nothing else that needs to be done. I’ve done it all.”
The Judge lifted his mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from his lips: “This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed.” As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, “I won’t give up. I will win the next one.”
I asked Jesus as he gave me instructions where to go next, “Have you ever lost a case?” Christ lovingly smiled and said, “Everyone that has come to me and asked me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, “PAID IN FULL”.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How does Abraham’s ministry of intercession impact us? Do we endeavor to dialogue with God intimately and trustingly as a true friend? How do we carry out our ministry of intercession in today’s world?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
All-powerful God,
just and true are your ways!
But you are also merciful and kind.
We have rebelled against you
and negated your love.
We have greatly sinned
and justly we merit the blow of your punishing hand.
Have mercy on us
through the merits of your Son’s saving passion.
We are deeply sorry for our sins and offenses.
Let the gift of your forgiveness be ours
through the intercession of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
He lives and reigns,
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.
“Their sin is so grave.” (Gn 18:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the Christian disciples of today may have the courage and strength to follow God’s commands and reject civil legislations that are against human nature and defy God’s benevolent will.
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July 2, 2013: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (13)
”JESUS SAVIOR: He Is God’s Judgment against Sin”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 19:15-29 // Mt 8:23-27
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot welcomes into his home the two angels sent by God to investigate the outcry against the two cities. All the men of Sodom, both young and old, surround Lot’s house demanding him to bring out his guests for they want to have sex with them. The actions of the people and their perversity more than confirm the charges that God has heard against them. The angels strike the perverse men with blindness and help Lot and his family escape from the doomed city. The Lord rains burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah and destroys them and the whole valley. Lot’s wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah manifests not only God’s judgment upon sin but also the presence of divine mercy. Mindful of Abraham, God’s choice means blessing and protection not only for the patriarch, but for everyone associated with him. Thus God spares Lot and his family because of Abraham.
The Israelite tradition has always seen the sin of Sodom as total injustice and depravity towards God’s law. Unfortunately the situation of today’s society seems to “out-Sodom” Sodom itself. The following article gives an insight into this (cf. “Price for Choice Is Far Too High” in ALIVE! June 2013, p. 4).
Journalist Jillian Keenan, in Slate Magazine, made what she called the feminist case for polygamy, that it “shows women the respect we deserve. Here’s the thing: as women, we really can make our own choices” (see page 5). Her argument for polygamy, or any form of adulterous arrangement, boils down to one point: choice.
Choice has, in fact, become the dominant “liberal” argument in issue after issue in today’s society. No-fault divorce, for example, is based on the right of a spouse to walk out of marriage and family if he or she chooses. Indeed, virtually anything in the area of sexuality, from fornication to “gender identity”, from pornography to “gay marriage”, is now subject only to choice. Choice extends to the use of recreational drugs, how we dress going out, the school we send our children to, and so on.
The case for euthanasia argues that a person has a right to choose to end his or her own life. Given this background, the “pro-choice” argument for abortion carries great cultural power, even to the point where we can blind ourselves to the fact that it involves the killing of unborn children
Regard for choice now requires that we be spared, as far as possible, the harmful consequences of our behavior. And it includes a refusal on our part to “judge” what other people do. “It’s his/her choice” is enough to end almost any moral debate. (…)
Looking at it more closely, however, we see that choice is simply “my preference, what I want”. Pushed to the full expression, it is the ruthless self-assertion of the more or less disconnected individual. But putting it so bluntly exposes the fact that society is becoming less a community and more an arena where people compete fiercely to get what they want. This soon leads to rule by the powerful, involving emotional blackmail, bullying, various forms of manipulation, lying (now the rule in Irish politics?), even violence.
Uneasy at such a development we desperately resort to notions like right, equality, tolerance, pluralism, “compassion”. These give the impression of reason-based morality but are, to a large extent, ethical fictions with no substance, fig leaves to hide the crudity of our self-will. “It’s my right!” still sounds more acceptable to us than “I want it”, even if we know they amount to the same thing.
The only way out of this situation is a return to true objective morality, the recognition of good and evil ultimately grounded in the notion of divine creation. However, we may not want a “way out”. Being able to devote ourselves to our own desires, with the approval of society, is certainly attractive in the short term. That it leads to immense misery in broken homes, for example, and is paid for by the lives of countless unborn children, is unfortunate. But that’s just the price to be paid for choice. It remains to be seen, however, how long it will take us to realize that this price is far too high.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What lesson do I derive from the Bible account of Sodom and Gomorrah? How is divine mercy present in this situation? How is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah relevant for the people of today?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
God our Father,
we praise and bless you for your loving mercy and forbearance.
Forgive us our sins and perversion,
our injustice and depravity,
and our false “idols” and selfish choices.
Save us from the punishment that our sins merit.
Teach us to offer reparation for our wickedness.
Lead us, loving Father, on the right path,
on the narrow way that leads to life.
You live and reign,
forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“He was mindful of Abraham.” (Gn 19:29)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
As civil authorities continue to legislate laws that are contrary to nature and the common good and negate God’s benevolent plan, pray that the Christian disciples today may live with integrity and follow the dictates of their moral conscience and that they may be willing to undergo the sacrifice and persecution that Christian commitment entails.
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July 3, 2013: SAINT THOMAS, APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Church Is Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 2:19-22 // Jn 20:24-29
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s First Reading underlines the familial and harmonious character of the Church as members of the family of God and as fellow citizens with God’s people. The Church is a community of “flesh and blood” believers that is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. The construction of the Church depends on Christ, first and foremost, but it also requires the apostolic witnessing and the ministry of the prophets for viability and growth. Jesus Christ is the Church’s capstone, its crowning glory. The service of the apostles and prophets make known God’s wisdom and the saving Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Today as we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas, we are filled with thanksgiving for the marvels God has done to build up the Church through the instrumentality of this apostle. In the following profile presented on the Internet by the Wikipedia, we contemplate the growth and expansion of the Church through the evangelizing work and martyrdom of Saint Thomas the Apostle.
Saint Thomas the Apostle, also called “Doubting Thomas” or Didymus (meaning “Twin”) was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He is best known for questioning Jesus’ resurrection after death when first told of it, followed by his confession of faith as both “My Lord and my God” on seeing and touching Jesus’ tangible and physical wounded body in the Gospel of Saint John (20:28). Traditionally he is said to have traveled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, traveling as far as India. He is often regarded as the Patron Saint of India. (…)
An early third century Syriac work known as the Acts of Thomas connects the apostle’s Indian ministry with two kings, one in the north and the other in the south. According to one of the legends in the Acts, Thomas was at first reluctant to accept the mission, but the Lord appeared to him in a night vision and said, “Fear not, Thomas. Go away to India and proclaim the Word. My grace shall be with you.” But the Apostle sill demurred, so the Lord overruled the stubborn disciple by ordering circumstances so compelling that he was forced to accompany an “Indian” merchant, Abbanes, as a slave to his native place in northwest “India”, where he found himself in the service of the Indo-Parthian king, Gondophares. According to the Acts of Thomas, the apostle’s ministry resulted in many conversions throughout the kingdom, including the king and his brother.
Remains of his buildings, influenced by Greek architecture, indicate that he was a great builder. According to the legend, Thomas was a skilled carpenter and was bidden to build a palace for the king. However, the Apostle decided to teach the king a lesson by devoting the royal grant to acts of charity and thereby laying up treasure for the heavenly abode. (…)
The Acts of Thomas identifies his second mission in India with a kingdom ruled by King Mahadwa, one of the rulers of a first-century dynasty in southern India. It is most significant that, aside from a small remnant of the Church of the East in Kurdistan, the only other church to maintain a distinctive identity is the Saint Thomas Christian congregation along the Malabar Coast of Kerala State in southwest India. According to the most ancient tradition of this church, Thomas evangelized this area and then crossed to the Coromandel Coast of southeast India, where, after carrying out a second mission, he died near Madras (= Chennai). (…)
He reputedly preached to all classes of people and had about 17,000 converts, including members of the four principal castes. Later, stone crosses were erected at the places where churches were founded, and they became pilgrimage centers. In accordance with apostolic custom, Thomas ordained teachers and leaders or elders, who were reported to be the earliest ministers of the Malabar church. (…)
Saint Thomas was killed in India in 72 A.D., attaining martyrdom at Saint Thomas Mount near Mylapore (part of Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu). He was buried on the site of Chennai’s Saint Thomas Basilica in the Diocese of Saint Thomas of Mylapore … The tradition is that Thomas, having aroused the hostility of the local priests by making converts, fled to Saint Thomas’ Mount four miles (6 km) southwest of Mylapore. He was supposedly followed by his persecutors, who transfixed him with a lance as he prayed kneeling on a stone. His body was brought to Mylapore and buried inside the church he had built. The present Basilica is on this spot. It was first built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 19th.
Few relics are still kept in church at Mylapore, Tamil Nadu, India. According to tradition, in 232 A.D., the greater part of relics of the Apostle Thomas are said to have been sent by an Indian king and brought from India to the city of Edessa (Mesopotamia) on which occasion the Syriac Acts of Thomas were written. On 27 September 2006, Pope Benedict recalled that “an ancient tradition claims that Thomas first evangelized Syria and Persia, then went on to Western India, from where also he finally reached southern India.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What role did Saint Thomas the Apostle play in the building up and growth of the Church? What is your personal contribution in the building up and growth of the Church?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer – Mass of the Feast of Saint Thomas)
Almighty Father,
as we honor Thomas the apostle,
let us always experience the help of his prayers.
May we have eternal life by believing in Jesus,
whom Thomas acknowledged as Lord,
for he 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.
“In him you are also being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Eph 2:19-22)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the Church in India, especially the Syro-Malabar Church whose foundation is attributed to the apostolic works of Saint Thomas. Let every kind word and deed that you do be a part of the Church’s action of building together a “dwelling place of God in the Spirit”.
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July 4, 2013: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (13)
N.B. Independence Day (in USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Perfect Sacrifice”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 22:1b-19 // Mt 9:1-8
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is about the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith. In the Bible, testing proves the faith of God’s people. In today’s episode, God puts Abraham to the test by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, “his only son, whom he loves”. Isaac, the reward of Abraham’s inchoative faith, becomes the test of the same faith. What is demanded of Abraham is the surrender of that faith’s only basis: Isaac – his one thin line of hope on the divine promise. God’s “test” demands the complete surrender of his “beloved son”. Abraham’s obedient response does not withhold anything. He offers not only the sacrifice of his “beloved son”, but above all the sacrifice of his will. Abraham learns and relearns that only faith in God is the way to prosperity and posterity. Abraham passes the test with flying colors. God confirms anew the covenant promise of numerous descendants and his abundant blessings upon them. Abraham’s “sacrifice” prefigures the heavenly Father’s own perfect sacrifice of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the altar of the cross.
Abraham’s obedient faith response challenges us to trust God fully and to surrender totally to his mysterious but benevolent will. The following story illustrates what it means to surrender to the divine will in a spirit of sacrifice (cf. Teresa Anne Arries, “Place of Sacrifice” in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al, Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc. 1997, p. 200-204)
(…) In the examining room, I had looked at Kim’s sweet face, distorted with pain. Her anguish wrung my heart. Holding my crying baby, I turned and faced the doctor. “If, if! That’s all I’ve been hearing for 16 months. Kim has had these painful shots every two weeks since she was born. You can see how she screams and cries. And all you can tell me is, ‘if’?”
Understanding the stress and fear behind my outburst, the doctor had not taken offense. “Her white blood cell count is the lowest it has ever been”, he said gently, holding the lab report in his hand. “The gamma globulin shots have helped her to survive her bout of illness, but her own body is not producing white blood cells in large enough quantities. I can’t give you a miracle. Kim will either start producing enough white cells or she won’t.” (…)
Tired and numb, I had returned home. Hearing Kim stir in her crib, I tiptoed in to check on her. In a deep sleep, she sobbed softly as she painfully moved her legs. The shots would bother her for several days. (…)
I went to the kitchen and began washing the breakfast dishes. The warm water felt wonderful on my cold hands as I twirled the soap suds, my mind beginning to wander. I was remembering when Kim became ill. “I wasn’t afraid, at first, I thought, as I spoke quietly in my mind to God. I knew you could heal. There is nothing you can’t do. If my baby was ill, you would heal her. Nothing more simple, right? Nothing more simple. I reached for the pan on the stove and started fiercely scrubbing it. Okay God, so what’s the deal? I know I believe and have faith in you. I have prayed. Our church has prayed. The elders have laid hands on Kim. We’ve studied your word, appropriated your promises and awaited your timing. What do you want? Why won’t you heal my baby? No answer came.
The dishes done, I dried my hands. In utter despondency, I went back to the living room. If my silent God had deserted me, where else was I to turn? My eyes fell on my Bible on the coffee table. A verse from Genesis 22 slipped into my mind, stunning me with its impact. I quickly opened my Bible to make sure that I had remembered it correctly. I had. The verse read, And he said, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”
I knew then, with absolute certainty that God was asking for Kim. My mind was suddenly clear as never before, and I realized that I had been placing my love for my little girl above my love for God. I had been asking for my will. My will. Not God’s. Not his sovereign choice. A clay pot had been railing at its maker, not falling in submission at his holy feet.
Realizing that I’d been manipulating God, I saw that I’d been doing all the “right things” so he would be required to answer my pleadings. I had never really considered the possibility that he might ask for Kimmie. Surely, sweet Jesus, you’re not asking this of me? Not my baby’s life. How easy for you to heal her. Just a touch. Oh, my Lord and my God, not this!
Even as I spoke, though, I knew the answer. Only total submission to God’s sovereign will would do. In my breaking heart I built an altar. Upon this altar I placed my only, beloved child as truly and sacrificially as Abraham had ever placed Isaac on the altar of Moriah. Oh, my Lord, I place my trust in thee. If you are going to take my baby, take her. I can’t fight you any longer. Forgive me, Lord, for my lack of trust and obedience. I don’t understand why you are asking for my little girl, but I do love and trust you. Help me in the time ahead.
A profound peace filled me. The battle was over. The victory won. I let go of all the anger and fear that I’d been living with for so many months. I would rest in the perfect will of God for my life.
Six weeks later, Kim and I were at Dr. Rubinstein’s office again. Kim had not been ill during all that time. She sat up bright and alert in my arms, radiant with health. “I’ve never seen anything like this”, said Dr. Rubinstein with a puzzled look in his face. “Kim’s white blood cell count is absolutely normal. This is impossible. It couldn’t have changed so quickly.”
But it had. And in my heart I knew why. As Isaac had been returned to Abraham, so had my little girl been given back to me. My Lord was the Great Physician and a Father to be trusted.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we willing to make the Abraham-like sacrifice in our life? Do we trust the loving God enough to surrender our will to him?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Prayer after the Second Reading – Easter Vigil)
God and Father of all who believe in you,
you promised Abraham
that he would become the father of all nations,
and through the death and resurrection of Christ
you fulfill that promise:
everywhere throughout the world
you increase your chosen people.
May we respond to your call
by joyfully accepting your invitation to the new life of grace.
We ask this through Christ our 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 day. Please memorize it.
“Because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly.” (Gn 22:16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray to God for the grace to be able to submit to his saving will. To help you in developing this obedient stance of faith, dedicate some precious moments of the day to meditative prayer
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July 5, 2013: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (13); SAINT ANTHONY ZACCARIA, priest; SAINT ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Font of Consolation”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 23:1-4,19; 24:1-8, 62-67 // Mt 9:9-13
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading helps us to see the ongoing spiritual journey of Abraham, our father in faith, and his humble collaboration in the fulfillment of the divine marvelous plan. When Sarah dies at the age of 157 years, Abraham buys a field from the Hittites that would serve as a burial place, not only for Sarah, but also for Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah and Jacob. For the first time Abraham actually owns a piece of the Promised Land. Abraham’s possession of a portion of the land stands as a pledge of the future possession of the land in its entirety.
Abraham’s last task now is to ensure that his son Isaac will have a spouse and thus promote the divine promise of numerous descendants for the patriarch. He entrusts a senior servant of his household with the task of finding a wife for Isaac from among his clan in northern Mesopotamia, and not from the people of Canaan with whom they live. He also charges the servant not to bring Isaac back by any means to the land from where the patriarch migrated. Abraham makes his servant swear by his genital organs, considered the transmitters of life, and thus adds greater binding force to the oath. The servant dutifully carries out his task, confident in the faith that he witnesses in Abraham. The good and reliable servant thus places everything in God’s hand. At the well outside the city of his destination, the servant finds Rebekah, a beautiful young girl and still a virgin, the one designated by God to be Isaac’s wife. The servant recognizes Rebekah as God’s choice when she obliges to give him a drink from her jar and then she draws water from the well for his ten camels to drink. The servant is even more certain of God’s guidance when he discovers that Rebekah belongs to Abraham’s clan. After the customary negotiation with the family, the servant brings Rebekah, Abraham’s grandniece, to Canaan to become Isaac’s wife. In his love for Rebekah, Isaac finds solace after the death of his mother Sarah. Thus the progressing line of the covenant promise and its fulfillment moves on to a further stage of development.
The love of Isaac and Rebekah is a font of consolation. It prefigures the joy and comfort that spring forth from the love relationship between Christ and his Bride the Church. As Christian disciples we too must be a source of comfort and consolation for one another. The following story, circulated on the Internet, illustrates how love brings consolation.
The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his three-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He yelled at her, “Don’t you know when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside it?”
The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy!” The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and he begged for her forgiveness.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the man kept that gold box for many years, and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How do the examples of Abraham and his dutiful servant inspire you in promoting the fulfillment of God’s saving plan? Do we value the value of marriage and family life? Do we value the Catholic teaching on marriage and family life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving Lord,
we thank you for guiding the life of Abraham,
our father in faith.
We thank you for your protective hands
upon Isaac and all the other descendants of our beloved patriarch.
We thank you for directing all human events
toward the fulfillment of your covenant promise.
Help us to be a vital part of salvation history
and to be a means of comfort and consolation for others.
We adore and praise you,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“In his love for her, Isaac found solace.” (Gn 24:67))
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Do something to console a family member, a friend, or anyone who is lonely or grieving. By word, example and deeds, promote the Catholic teaching on the sanctity of marriage and family life.
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July 6, 2013: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (13); SAINT MARIA GORETTI, martyr; BVM ON SATURDAY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is from Jacob’s Line”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 27:1-5, 15-29 // Mt 9:14-17
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
We hear in today’s Old Testament reading about Isaiah’s blessing of Jacob. In the ancient world, deathbed blessings are believed to be particularly effective. A blessing or a curse, once spoken, has a life of its own and could not be recalled. The blessing that the old and blind Isaac gives to Jacob is irrevocable. The blessing, however, has been obtained through a scheme instigated by Rebekah to deprive Esau of his birthright. But the God who entered into a covenant relationship with Abraham is able to write salvation history even on crooked lines. Indeed, the Lord God cannot be bound by the conventional arrangement that gives preference to the firstborn. Jacob, despite his unworthiness and the odds against him, becomes the object of divine choice to perpetuate the saving plan. Indeed, the God of Abraham is the Lord of history.
Nonetheless, the effect of Jacob’s deceit is painful and shattering. The aggrieved older brother Esau bears a murderous grudge against Jacob. Rebekah is compelled to send away Jacob for his own safety to her brother Laban in Haran (North Mesopotamia). Esau, however, is not a totally innocent victim. Esau has brought this on himself by irresponsibly selling his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a bowl of lintel soup and by his wanton intermarriage with Canaanites. Esau married the Hittite girls, Judith and Basemath, who made life miserable for Isaac and Rebecca. No wonder, Rebekah wants to secure Isaac’s blessing for Jacob and not for his twin Esau!
Today’s account helps us to consider the existence of family discord and squabble that need healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. Each member needs to invest oneself in promoting the joy and goodness of the family spirit. The following story, circulate on the Internet, gives us an insight into this.
“Loving Family”
I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
“Oh, excuse me please”, was my reply.
He said, “Please excuse me too.
I just wasn’t watching for you.”
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way, and we said good-bye.
But at home, a different story is told,
how we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
my son stood beside me, very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
“Move out of the way”, I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God’s still small voice came to me and said,
“While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor.
You’ll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise.
You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.”
By this time, I felt very small.
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed.
“Wake up, little one, wake up”, I said.
“Are these the flowers you picked for me?”
He smiled, “I found ‘em, out by the tree.
I picked ‘em because they’re pretty like you.
I knew you’d like ‘em, especially the blue.”
I said, “Son, I’m sorry for the way I acted today.
I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.”
He said, “Mom, that’s okay.
I love you anyway.”
I said, “Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Have we ever committed abuse, deceit, injustice and hurt to the people whom we love … to the people close to us? How do we feel about it? Do we try to rectify the harm we have done?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you are kind and forgiving.
We are deeply sorry for the hurt and injustice
we have caused our family members
and the people close to us.
Grant us the gift of healing and reconciliation.
Lead us on the right path
and into the peace and joy of your kingdom.
We bless and praise you
for you are our gracious God,
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 week. Please memorize it.
“The Lord, your God, let things turn out well with me.” (Gn 27:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Resolve to be more kind, gentle, patient and thoughtful to your family members and the people close to you.
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Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US