A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 17, n. 31)
Week 13 in Ordinary Time: June 30 – July 6, 2019
(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: June 23-29, 2019 please go to ARCHIVES Series 17 and click on “Corpus Christi & Week 12 Ordinary Time”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: June 30 – July 6, 2019.)
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June 30, 2019: THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
N.B. The Pauline Family celebrates today the Solemnity
of Saint Paul, the Apostle.
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Radical Discipleship”
BIBLE READINGS
I Kgs 19:16b, 19-21 // Gal 5:1, 13-18 // Lk 9:51-52
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 9:51-62): “He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem. I will follow you wherever you go.”
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.
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.
B. First Reading (I Kgs 19:16b, 19-21): “Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.”
In today’s Old Testament reading (I Kgs 19:16b, 19-21) we hear the vocation story of Elisha and his positive response to the divine call to be a prophet. The call to prophetic ministry comes from God who orders Elijah “You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you” (v. 16b). Elijah carries out the Lord’s command. He comes upon Elisha, a prosperous farmer, plowing the field with a team of twelve oxen. The biblical author narrates that Elisha is “following” the twelfth oxen. That day is truly significant for henceforth he will no longer be following “oxen”, but instead, it is the Lord Yahweh whom he will follow. Elijah throws his cloak over the toiling farmer, and the latter understands what the symbolic gesture means. The mantle symbolizes the personality and rights of the owner, and since the hair shirt mantle of the prophets is part of their official dress, casting Elijah’s mantle on Elisha indicate an invitation, an investiture and an initiation to the prophetic ministry.
Elisha’s response is immediate. He abandons the oxen he is “following” and runs after Elijah, the instrument of God’s call. Elisha requests permission from the master-prophet to kiss his father and mother goodbye while manifesting to him his resolve, “I will follow you”. Elijah does not object to the legitimate request for a devout, filial leave-taking. Elisha then shows his unreserved response to God’s plan by slaughtering his twelve oxen. He burns the plow as fuel to cook the oxen and serves the boiled meat as food for his people. Then Elisha leaves and follows Elijah as his attendant. Indeed, Elisha renounces and leaves behind his former way of life, symbolized by the leave-taking from his parents and the destruction of his farm equipment. His acceptance of the prophetic call is complete. In destroying the tools of his trade, he is vulnerable, and in a no “fall back” position. He does not have any security. Elisha is an eloquent model on how to respond to the call of God, who destines us for a special service to his people.
In the light of the vocation response of Elisha, the Gospel reading (Lk 9:52-62) about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and the various would-be disciples he meets on the road takes on greater meaning. The response required of them is a full response to the person of Jesus Christ, who “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” (Lk 9:51). His “journey” to Jerusalem is a symbol of the Lord’s irrevocable decision to be at the service of the divine saving will and expresses his radical resolve to undergo the ultimate “Passover”. The disciples of Jesus are therefore destined to follow him on the road to Jerusalem and are called to participate intimately in his paschal sacrifice and glorification. Christian discipleship is a radical and absolute commitment to the person of Jesus Christ and his paschal destiny. To follow Christ “on the road to Jerusalem” entails a radical dedication to the service of the Kingdom of God.
The following is an imaginary first person account of the vocation of Madre Maria Scholastica Rivata, the first Pious Disciple of the Divine Master. This is prepared by Christin Jezak, Pauline Cooperator, and Sr. Tiziana Dal Masetto, PDDM.
I was still a young child, and life seemed to be all roses and flowers. Loved by good parents, and surrounded by the most attentive care, the happy days passed quickly. With my silver voice, I filled the house with joyful cries and tormented mother with many questions. Oh! Beloved Mamma! Those days were too beautiful, and trials came to visit this little thoughtless creature. And the first came with a great suffering! After a brief illness, my beloved mother died. Who can understand it? Only those who have experienced it can understand this intense pain, this misfortune, to lose someone so dear! But how does one recover from such heartbreak? Less than a year later, I received my First Communion and encountered the Divine Master who would change my life. Oh most intimate life!
Father always desired the best for me. There was a young man, Andrea, who wished for my hand in marriage. Father said, “He is a good young man and he also has means; you may have a happy life with him.” When I pondered marrying Andrea and saw him after our Sunday Mass I experienced a sudden fear. Filled with this fear, I rushed home. Entering the house, I hurried to my room in which there was a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart. I stood before the Sacred Heart and told Him: “Lord, you alone are my all. You are my everything!” I descended the stairs and went to my father to tell him: no, I will not accept his hand.
From that moment forward, I began to do more spiritual reading, which led me to read St. There of Lisieux’s Story of a Soul. This book instilled in me a strong desire to enter the religious life. My continued hunger for books led me to the great apostle of modern times Blessed James Alberione’s bookstore. After searching for a book one day, he asked me, “When are you coming to St. Paul?” That same day, in the marketplace I ran into my good friend Eufrosina, who had already joined Alberione’s order of religious women for St. Paul. She also invited me to visit with her contagious enthusiasm. At the age of 24, I knew this was the place I wanted to be.
Fr. Alberione knew my Divine Master Jesus and introduced me to a way of life spent for Him and the people of our times. He gave me a special book called Women of the Gospel. He knew the need for people who will proclaim the Good News with their lives like the women who followed Jesus and announced the Resurrection. In 1923, Fr. Alberione gathered all of us Sisters in the kitchen and announced, “Set aside, Orsola and Matilde for a mission I will entrust to them. Observe silence, silence, silence!”
This special mission developed into the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master on February 10, 1924, which consisted of myself and seven others. It was then that I took the name of Sr. Mary Scholastica. I promised to strive each day to become a disciple ever more in accordance with the desires of the Divine Master and Mary Most Holy, to live their life in an intense Eucharistic, priestly, liturgical apostolate which encompasses my entire being, mind, heart, will and energy.
There were many trials to gain the official approval of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master. This caused me much heartache and humiliation for many years … There was even a time that I was sent to Egypt to spread the Gospel! Finally, on Holy Thursday, April 3, 1947, we received approval by the Church through a decree signed by the Bishop of Alba soon followed by the Pope’s approval on January 12, 1948. After all these years, we were finally official! My heart was filled with so much joy!
From this moment I was transferred to Argentina as a missionary to live a life of hiddenness, silence and prayer. I sacrificed myself like a little grain of wheat. My prayers were planted in the earth to help grow this precious Congregation and spread it worldwide. Upon returning to Italy in 1963, I continued to live my life to the end. I embraced the whole world through my Eucharistic Adoration. I loved being an intercessor for my Priests and for the apostles of the Word of God with the Media, even for the conversion of politicians and many other needs …
My passion has always been my Eucharistic Divine Master burning within my heart like the Sun. This is my story lived in the service of charity and longing to unite myself to HIM in the eternal dance of the heavenly joy.
C. Second Reading (Gal 5:1, 13-18): “You were called for freedom.”
The Second Reading (Gal 5:1, 13-18) tells us that Christian discipleship is not all hardship or liability for it results in true liberation. Freedom is what we have for Christ has set us free! We are all called to freedom. Christian freedom, however, is not licentiousness, but a Spirit-animated condition that enables us to love and serve one another. This freedom in the Spirit leads us to live the perfection of God’s law: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Aelred Rosser remarks: “Christians agree to be intimately united with the person of Jesus and are therefore brought into a kind of freedom that cannot be understood apart from faith. It is the freedom to do what our best nature (our redeemed nature) is eager to do. The seemingly endless struggle for genuine freedom is part of the Christian life … The gift of salvation is precisely that – a gift. There are no strings attached. The accepting of gifts given in pure love does not create in the recipient an obligation to reciprocate. It creates an eagerness to respond with a like love. What could be more free than an eager response to love?”
The following article fascinates me (cf. “Order and Chaos” in POVERELLO NEWS, May 2010, p. 3-4). It illustrates the mystery of freedom that leads to perverted “freedom” and the consequent chaos and disorder it generates. More happily, the article also presents the resoluteness of the Poverello staff to pursue the freedom of loving and serving our brothers and sisters in great need.
Chaos is, for humans, an intolerable state. People who have lived in war-torn lands, characterized by wanton destruction and day-to-day unpredictability, often experience numerous mental and physical problems that result from the horrors they witness. Urban areas where crime and disorder are rampant create such a tremendous anxiety for residents that many exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Although chaos is intolerable, many people are nevertheless drawn toward it. Those whose lives lack purpose often prefer the constant excitement of crisis and chaos to divert their own attention from their own tedious and futile endeavors. For example, drug addicts seem to crave the madness that comes with their use of illegal substances. This is why sobriety, with its emphasis on order and responsibility, is such a hard sell with addicts.
At Poverello House, many of those we see are people in perpetual crisis. After dealing with them for a while, one starts to discern a pattern. When given a second or third chance at a new start, they inevitably seem to turn away and choose a course toward more chaos. The addict, after obtaining health, salvaging torn relationships, recovering financially and experiencing the spiritual peace that comes with sustained sobriety, will often opt to start dabbling in drugs again, with predictable results; the woman who is escaping domestic violence will cast herself back in the maelstrom of the destructive relationship, even after ample evidence that by doing so she is endangering herself and the lives of her children; a mentally ill person, after experiencing relief from his torment through psychiatric medications, stops taking them, and relapses into paranoia, delusional thinking, or hallucinations.
What motivates such people to steer a course toward chaos and despair? It would take an expert in mental and emotional pathology to adequately answer that question, but our experience at Poverello House gives us a perspective that might offer some insight.
Human nature is such that we all incline toward the familiar and comfortable. Most people, if given the choice between entering two rooms, one full of strangers, the other full of old acquaintances and good friends, would naturally choose the latter. The same gravitational pull of familiarity exists on the streets. Skid rows or jails are harsh, dirty, and dangerous, but for many, they represent communities that are comfortable and forgiving. Behaviors that would be deplored in other parts of town are ignored in such settings; people who have been rejected in other arenas of life can find acceptance, or at least tolerance, on the streets or while incarcerated. As hard to believe as it might be for someone unfamiliar with homelessness, street life for some is emotionally comfortable, because people grow accustomed to it.
There is a price to pay for that comfort or acceptance, however. When these people surround themselves with like-minded compatriots, who are willing to put up with their aberrant behavior, they receive little in the way of corrective criticism. With peer support for their self-destructive ways, they continue to create chaos in their lives. They stumble from crisis to crisis, and gradually come to depend on others to extricate them from their messes.
Dependency breeds contempt and rationalization, and so many homeless people we know are angry; they depend on Poverello and other organizations for their sustenance, but they also resent the fact that they are dependent. The anger fuels more hopelessness and depression, which prompts them to seek out the excitement of a crisis once again, completing the horrible cycle. The amazing thing is that this process is generally unconscious; the afflicted person can’t, or won’t, see what is happening to himself.
We once had a young man in our Resident Program who was in his mid-twenties, but had already been in thirteen drug rehab programs before he came to ours. He never finished our program, and was irate but manipulative while he was here. He began using heroin again the day he left the program. His pattern was set, and probably the rest of his life will be spent getting high on drugs, getting in trouble, and either going to jail or to yet another program. He had absolutely no insight into his condition.
Whether or not such people are hopeless is not for us at Poverello to determine. We need to set boundaries when we help them, because otherwise, they’ll burn out our staff and use up scarce resources; but help them we must, because that’s our mission and our role in the community. When their crises take them all the way down to the streets, Poverello is here to try to pick them up, and give them yet another opportunity to get it right.
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, 2019: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (13); SAINT JUNIPERO SERRA, Priest (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Follow Him Unconditionally … He Is our Intercessor”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 18:16-33 // Mt 8:18-22
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 8:18-22): “Follow me.”
(Gospel Reflection by Sr. Mary Gemma Victorino, PDDM)
Jesus' invitation is not a sweet and gentle word; his is a strong challenge: "Foxes have dens, birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." To another who also wanted to follow him, but set the condition of first "burying his father and mother", he gave an uncompromising reply - "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."
What does he want to say here? There is nothing more important than following him and announcing his gospel. Such following and preaching asks unconditional detachment, clarity of priorities, total trust and utmost generosity.
I experienced this truth early in life. A month after I graduated from college, the persistent call from the Lord Jesus to follow him in consecrated religious life came back to me. When I asked permission from my elderly father to attend the discernment retreat for young ladies contemplating the religious life, he grudgingly gave me permission, coupled with an ultimatum: "Okay, you may go and stay over the weekend but if you don't return consider me dead."
I didn't return home after the retreat. Where did I get the strength to disobey my father and face the pain of detachment? Looking back after all these years, I think it is love for the Master and his Word plus the faith and conviction that his Word carries power and makes things happen.
His powerful command “Follow me” gave me the strength to get out of my comfort zone and put my most important relationships in their proper place. Nothing is more important than finding out what is God's will for me, the reason why I have been created in the first place. In being an obedient disciple, that is, a follower of Jesus, I have brought home an important message as well to my beloved father. In fact, after we had reconciled, he confessed and proclaimed, "I think I now understand your mission: when I see you, I remember God."
B. First Reading (Gn 18:16-33): “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 18:16-22) 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
1. Do we respond fully to Jesus’ invitation “Follow me” and embrace the unconditional detachment it entails?
2. 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
Jesus Lord,
you call us to follow you,
but the cost of discipleship is dear.
Give us the grace to follow you unconditionally
through all the detachment and hardships it entails.
You are the center of our life
and the font of our joy.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
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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 week. Please memorize it.
“Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” (Mt 8:22) //“Their sin is so grave.” (Gn 18:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that many may respond in public service to God’s call offered in Jesus’ name. Promote vocations to priestly ministry and religious life in the Church today. // 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, 2019: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (13)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Masters the Raging Sea … 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
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 8:23-27): “Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea and there was great calm.”
One warm, beautiful morning, my Sisters accompanied me to the pier in Manila where I boarded a ship to Cebu Island. After putting my things in the cabin, I went to the upper deck and had a great time watching the activity on the pier as the crew prepared for sailing. When the ship began to move, there was the soothing sound of parting waters. I also felt the cooling sensation of the sea breeze. And then I heard something fascinating – the amplified voice of a crew in devout prayer to the Lord God who masters the storms and the raging seas, asking for blessing and protection for all of us sea travelers. I felt so peaceful and secure in that sea voyage knowing that everything had been entrusted to God who has dominion over all – even violent storms and turbulent seas.
God, the Creator of the sea and its boundaries, is the Almighty One who directs the course of each individual’s life. Everything that happens in the universe is under the power of God’s dominion and control. God has sovereign mastery over the elements, particularly over the sea, which seems difficult to control. He also manifests his power, not only over nature, but above all, over the raging inner storms in our lives.
The Gospel picture of Jesus who sleeps through a raging storm (Mk 8:23-27) is perplexing and challenging. At times we panic when we are buffeted by the storms of life, and Jesus seems asleep and unaware. At times we despair because Jesus seems to pay no heed. But the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, is in control. He is fully concerned and involved in our fear and distress. As the Omnipotent One, he can pacify the tumults and “storms” of our daily life.
Harold Buetow comments: “Life presents all kinds of storms: disease, natural disasters, epidemics, and famines; and human anger, hatred, prejudice, injustice, betrayal, and selfishness. For Christians, acceptance of Jesus is not a guarantee that we will sail on trouble-free waters. To the contrary, Jesus invites us to travel on uncharted waters and to make for unfamiliar shores – and all this as darkness falls. The risk of faith demands a radical trust that, whatever our particular storm, Jesus is present; being conscious of his presence will give us a calm peace in all the storms of our life.”
The following personal account gives insight into what trust in the Lord and a miracle of faith mean (cf. Pam Kidd in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 72).
We are on a bus driving through an off-road thicket, deep in a moonless landscape. There is no electricity for miles, and I can see nothing as I stare out the window into the darkness. The bus rumbles to a halt, and my husband David and I and our fellow passengers stumble toward a pontoon boat. Within minutes we’re anchored in the middle of a forbidding bay. “This is the strangest tourist attraction I’ve ever seen”, I whisper nervously to David.
Earlier, after we’d arrived on the Lake of Vieques for a special holiday, our taxi driver had said, “Put the Bioluminiscent Bay at the top of your agenda.” So here we are, listening to the pilot of the boat say, “To experience the miracle of the bay, you must jump into the water.”
No one moves.
This is ridiculous. The water is black as the night. We all wait.
Suddenly David stands up and jumps into the unknown. In the pool of darkness, his body takes on a bright glow. His every movement radiates a flowing blue-green light. Mesmerized, I jump in, and others follow. I wave my arms and make angel wings and then twirl and swirl in a trail of fairy dust. By now, everyone is laughing and splashing as our every move turns the night magical. The moment seems part fantasy, part science fiction as the energy of our bodies sets trillions of microorganisms aglow.
Later, back on the boat heading for the shore, I think of the fear that wrapped around us. There in a dark bay, magic was waiting – waiting for someone who believed enough to take a chance and jump in.
Father, take away my toe-first inclinations and fill me with a leaping faith.
B. First Reading (Gn 19:15-29): “The Lord God rained down sulphurous fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 19:15-29) 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
1. Do we feel abandoned and neglected by Jesus when the life-storms are violent and he seems to be “sleeping”? Do we panic? Or rather, do we believe in faith that God is in control? Do we place our trust in Jesus whom even wind and sea obey?
2. What lesson do we 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
Loving God,
your Son Jesus Christ slept through the raging sea.
When life-threatening storms buffet us,
help us to call on Jesus our Savior.
He is the powerful Lord who masters the winds and the raging seas.
May our faith be steadfast and strong.
May we hold on to you and to Jesus
as we journey through the turbulence and the violence of this world.
You live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
***
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.
“Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (Mt 8:26b) //“He was mindful of Abraham.” (Gn 19:29)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Offer comfort and assistance to those whose faith is wavering and whose lives are deeply upset by trials and difficulties. // 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, 2019: WEDNESDAY – SAINT THOMAS APOSTLE
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Church Is Built Upon the Foundation
of Apostles and Prophets”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 2:19-22 // Jn 20:24-29
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 20:24-29): “My Lord and my God!”
(Gospel Reflection by Sr. Mary Gemma Victorino, PDDM)
St. Thomas put conditions to the apostles before he would profess his faith in the Risen Lord. He wanted to touch and see the marks of Jesus' crucifixion and cause of death. And the Risen Lord gave in to his conditions. A week after the first apparition to the apostles, Jesus came again and invited Thomas: "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." He who wanted to touch Jesus was in turn touched by him and exclaimed: "My Lord and my God!"
There is a “doubting Thomas” in each of us. It is but normal that in our life of faith we oftentimes seek confirmation from the Lord, even through our bodily faculties. We like to see, hear, touch, even taste and smell the presence and the goodness of the Lord especially in our “down moments”. Otherwise, we fluctuate and falter in our following of the Master.
Our Lord, in his goodness, gives in to these 'faith tests' now and then. I had one such experience lately. May 31 was the opening of our new PDDM Apostolic Center in Davao City, Southern Philippines. I came all the way from Manila to participate in this joyful event but, in the rush of preparations, I had a freak accident and suffered a second degree ankle sprain which left me immobile at the moment of the blessing of the center. As I was languishing in my pain and wondering how I could proceed to the new Center and join in the celebration, lo and behold, a poor parishioner who came around in his wheelchair saw me at that very moment. He offered his "special seat" just so I could be where my heart and body wanted to be. I was so touched by the gesture that I couldn't help thinking it was Jesus himself who came to console me.
The “doubting” Thomas became a loving, committed apostle of the Lord. In John 11:16, he professed his commitment by boldly saying: "Let us also go to die with him." Indeed he followed the Lord and witnessed to his love for him to the farthest bounds of the earth. In the middle of the VI century, an Egyptian merchant wrote how in southern India he unexpectedly met a group of Christians who informed him that they had been evangelized by the Apostle St. Thomas.
B. First Reading (Eph 2:19-22): “You are part of the building built on the foundation of the apostles.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 2:19-22) 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 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 the 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
1. Do we act like “doubting Thomas” in low points of our life, and challenge the Lord God to give us a reason for belief in him? Do we surrender ourselves more deeply in faith to God and thus merit the beatitude: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”?
2. 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.
“He said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (Jn 20:28) // “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
Let us renew our faith in the Risen Lord, especially in the “down moments” of our life and say to him, “My Lord and my God!” 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, 2019: THURSDAY – WEEKDAY (13)
INDEPENDENCE DAY (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Has Power to Heal … 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
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 9:1-8): “They glorified God who had given such authority to men.”
(By Mario Domino, St. Christopher Parish, San Jose, CA-USA)
Matthew’s description of the healing of the paralytic is not as elaborate as Mark’s (2:1-12). Matthew was more intent on proving Jesus’ messianic fulfillment: the establishment of a new kingdom. In order to do that, Jesus proves that he has power and authority.
Matthew shows that Jesus cures not only physical ills but, most significantly, spiritual ills. First, he tells the paralytic that his sins are forgiven him. Then, showing he can discern people’s thoughts, he rebukes the scribes by telling the paralytic to take up his stretcher and walk.
In a very convincing manner, he shows us that just as he has the authority to forgive sins, he also has the power to cure physical ills.
From this reading, we should take solace in the restorative powers of Jesus. He can indeed alleviate our physical ills but, more importantly, he does forgive our sins
***
Jesus Christ is the “holistic healer” par excellence. In imitation of Christ, his disciples endeavor to heal broken lives through “holistic” ways as illustrated in the following account (cf. Gladys Gonzales, M.M., “Healing Broken Lives” in Maryknoll, July/August 2014, p. 24-28).
Much of Tanzania’s landscape is surrounded by large boulders, which entrepreneurs are removing to construct buildings. The process is leaving huge holes, like craters, rendering the land unusable, causing massive erosion, and pushing out wildlife, flora and fauna. Added to that is the plight of the women who labor to break the stones to construct the buildings. (…)
Many of the women have lung problems. Many are completely blind or have impaired vision caused by the stone chips, particles and dust covering not only their faces but their whole bodies as they work day after day under a blazing sun. They have no hope of ever leaving this work until their bodies completely give out. I am working to help them holistically, that is, restoring their whole being, body and spirit, to health.
During my 18 years as a missioner in Tanzania I have discovered the importance of holistic healing working not only with women’s groups but also youth groups and children with HIV … I came to understand that the whole person is involved in any activity. That is what is meant by holistic. So I moved from formal teaching to informal teaching and the art of holistic healing. I believe that through nurturing, listening and responding to the deeper wisdom of our whole being, we can heal ourselves and the world. (…)
As a Maryknoll Sister, I am committed to carry on our charism: “to be an active participant in the mission of God: a mission of peace, healing, wholeness and love.”
B. First Reading (Gn 22:1b-19): “The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 22:1b-19) 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
1. Do we turn to Jesus Lord and seek healing? Do we help our sick brothers and sisters to come to Jesus and be healed? Do we care for their spiritual-physical needs?
2. 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
Loving Jesus,
we turn to you and seek total healing.
Forgive us our sins
and heal our weary soul and broken spirit.
Let our ailing bodies be restored to health,
according to the Father’s compassionate will.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(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.
“Your sins are forgiven … Rise and walk.” (Mt 9:5) //“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 for a sick person and, if possible, assist that person to have access to the sacraments of reconciliation and the anointing of the sick. // 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, 2019: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (13); SAINT ANTHONY ZACCARIA, Priest; SAINT ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Comes for Our Healing … 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
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 9:9-13): “Those who are well do not need a physician. I desire mercy not sacrifice.”
(Gospel Reflection by Rosemary Farrell, St. Christopher Parish, San Jose, CA-USA)
This short passage (Mt 9:9-13) contains the heart of the gospel message, the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is LOVE. The calling of Matthew to discipleship is of great significance to us all. As a tax collector, Matthew belonged to a highly disreputable profession and would have been regarded as a social outcast by his fellow Jews. The prior calling by Jesus of the fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James and John would not have excited public interest, but Matthew was conspicuous because of his despised profession and because of the other outcasts who associated with him. However, all were called by Jesus in their failings and imperfections, whether these were highly visible and open to public scrutiny, as in the case of Matthew, or not; so too have we all been called in our imperfections, whether they have received public scrutiny, if we happen to be politicians or celebrities, or are known only to ourselves and to God.
Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name. Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are mine. (David Haas)
This is the love of God, calling us just as we are, to be illumined in the light of His love; to be healed and transformed and to become His love to the world.
Even if your sins are scarlet, they can become snow white; even if they are as wool dyed crimson, they can be white as fleece. (Isaiah 1:18)
While dining with Matthew and others who are deemed outcasts, Jesus overhears the skepticism of some of the Pharisees. He refers them to the scripture that says, “It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices” and tells them to go and find out what that means. Here, Jesus is referring to the words of the prophet Hosea:
What I want from you is plain and clear: I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know me than burn offerings to me. (Hosea 6:6)
Hosea was not alone in uttering words like these; we hear them also from his contemporary, fellow prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Micah who completes his exhortation with the famous dictum:
The Lord has told us what is good. What He requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God. (Micah 6:8)
How do these words resonate with us today? Kindness, justice, humility and above all, love, we can certainly understand. We have each been called to know and love the God who is love, and to become His love for others; through this love, all the fruits of the Spirit will grow in us.
Hosea and the other prophets spoke out against animal sacrifice which was still practiced in the Temple in Jerusalem as atonement for sin in Jesus’ time and would continue until the Temple’s destruction in 70 AD. The Pharisees, who were critical of Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners, would have zealously performed the Temple sacrifices, but in referencing Hosea Jesus tells them that external duties and observances are inferior to Knowledge of God and the love and compassion that emanates from that Knowledge. We may be tempted to dismiss the word “sacrifice”, in the prophetical writings that Jesus referred to, as something belonging to the distant past and not applicable to us today as long as we do not allow external religious observances to take precedence over compassion, kindness and mercy towards our brothers and sisters. Perhaps we should contemplate the suffering of animals in factory farms and the billions of God’s creatures who are still sacrificed each day, no longer as sin offerings but to provide us with food that we do not need; it is easy to survive and be healthy on foods from purely non-animal sources.
Our task must be to widen the circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. (Albert Einstein)
B. First Reading (Gn 23:1-4, 19: 24:1-8, 62-67): “In his love for Rebekah, Isaac found solace after the death of his mother Sarah.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 23:1-4, 19: 24:1-8, 62-67) 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
1. How does the call and response of the tax collector Matthew impinge on you? Do we put our trust in the Divine Physician who calls us to be healed and transformed and to become his love in the world?
2. 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 Jesus, Divine Physician,
you did not come to call the righteous but sinners.
You call us just as we are.
Your healing love transforms us
that we may become in turn
your healing love to the world.
We give you thanks and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
***
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 day. Please memorize it.
“I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mt 9:13) //“In his love for her, Isaac found solace.” (Gn 24:67)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Meditate on the graciousness of God’s call and of the ongoing response we need to give to him. Through your compassionate ways, let the healing love of Jesus be felt by the persons close to you. // 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.
*** *** ***
July 6, 2019: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (13); SAINT MARIA GORETTI, Virgin, Martyr; BVM ON SATURDAY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the New Wine and Bridegroom … 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
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 9:14-17): “Can the wedding guests mourn a long as the bridegroom is with them?”
In the reading (Mt 9:14-17), John the Baptist’s disciples, probably prompted by the Pharisees, ask Jesus why they and the Pharisees fast, but his disciples do not. Jesus retorts with a rhetorical question: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” In today’s Gospel, Jesus underlines a deeper truth that goes beyond the question of fasting. In the Bible, the marriage feast is a symbol of the kingdom of God. Jesus - the Bridegroom – invites us into the fullness of the kingdom, depicted as a marriage feast. As the Bridegroom of the Church, he brings in the radical newness of the reign of God. The radical newness is depicted in the image of “new wine” in fresh wineskins and of a “piece of unshrunken cloth” that will tear an old cloth if patched into it. Elements of Judaism that were either a temporary dispensation (e.g. the animal sacrifice) or a mere preparation for something better are surpassed by the Bridegroom Jesus Christ. He blesses us in a new way that shatters old categories and conventions. In his public ministry, Jesus did not require his disciples to fast the way the Pharisees and the disciples of John did. In the post-resurrection Church, “fasting”, with its many expressions, is still appropriate as long as it looks forward to the culmination of the kingdom. Fasting is done in the spirit of the Church-Bride waiting for Christ-Bridegroom’s return at the end time.
The radical newness of the kingdom and the “fasting” it entails can be perceived in the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta (cf. Mother Teresa: Her Essential Wisdom, ed. Carol Kelly-Gangi, New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006, p. 97, 69, 64).
My sister and I used to read the same books. One day my sister read a book and passed it to me. As soon as I read two pages, I felt it would be a sin to read that book. Later I asked my sister whether she had read the book. She replied that she had and had found nothing wrong in it. There was no sin in my sister reading the book, but in conscience I could not read it. (…)
By our vow of chastity we renounce God’s natural gift to women to become mothers – for the greater gift – that of being virgins for Christ, of entering into a much more beautiful motherhood. (…)
I can’t bear being photographed but I make use of everything for the glory of God. When I allow a person to take a photograph, I tell Jesus to take one soul to heaven out of Purgatory.
B. First Reading (Gn 27:1-5, 15-29): “Jacob displaced his brother and usurped his blessing.”
We hear in today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 27:1-5, 15-29) 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 lentil 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 squabbles 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
1. Do I realize the radical newness of the kingdom of God that Jesus brings? How do I live out the radical newness of the kingdom?
2. 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
Jesus Lord,
you are the Bridegroom of the Church.
You call us to share in the feast of your kingdom.
You offer us to savor the “new wine” in fresh wineskins.
Teach us to practice true “fasting” on behalf of your kingdom.
Help us to express in our life
the beauty of the Gospel
and the radical newness that your life brings.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
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 day. Please memorize it.
“Pour new wine into fresh new wineskins.” (Mt 9:17) // The Lord, your God, let things turn out well with me.” (Gn 27:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Examine the actions and choices in your life that are not “new wine” in new wineskins and ask the Lord for the grace to overcome them. With the strength of the Holy Spirit, carry out the “fasting” (e.g. from excessive use of digital media, etc.) that will benefit you spiritually and promote the kingdom of God. // Resolve to be more kind, gentle, patient and thoughtful to your family members and the people close to you.
***
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US