A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday and Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 11, n. 37)
NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME: August 11-17, 2013 *****
(N.B. The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year C from three perspectives. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 2. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 5. For reflections based on the Second Reading, open Series 8. Please go to Series 10 and Series 11 for the back issues of the Weekday Lectio.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: August 11-17, 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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August 11, 2013: NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: “He Prepares Us for the Final Call”
BIBLE READINGS
Wis 18:6-9 // Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 // Lk 12:32-48
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Bible readings for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time help us to glean deeper insights into our Christian vocation and into the priestly and religious vocation. The First Reading (Wis 18:6-9) asserts that it is God who summons us. The Second Reading (Heb 11:1-2, 8-19) tells us that like our father Abraham, obedient and total faith is our response to the divine call. Moreover, this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Lk 12:32-48) delineates the intense demand of Christian discipleship, which is to share with the needy, to live vigilant lives that are in harmony with our baptismal consecration, and to carry out our daily tasks as Christian disciples, priests, and religious, with deep responsibility and in a spirit of loving service.
The First Reading of this Sunday’s liturgy (Wis 18:6-9) highlights the vocation of Israel, radically “summoned” by God and eventually formed into a chosen people through the Passover events. The “transitus” or crossing over from a situation of slavery in Egypt into an experience of freedom in the Promised Land helps forge the tribes of Israel into a holy, priestly and kingly people consecrated to Yahweh. The trials and duress of the Exodus experience lead to an intimate covenant relationship with the liberating God. Just as for the people of Israel, the Lord God is the origin of our Christian vocation and of priestly-religious vocations in the Church. Just as the saving will of God, who “summoned” his people, Israel, manifests its special power during the night of Exodus, the divine call in Jesus Christ manifests its irresistible force in our daily “paschal” experiences – in moments of trial, suffering and sacrifice. Intimate union with Jesus Christ in his paschal mystery disposes the Christian disciple to open up to God’s call to religious consecration and priestly ministry.
The Second Reading (Heb 11:1-2, 8-19) depicts the wonderful response of the faith of Abraham to God’s call. Faith is our response to God. “By faith, Abraham obeyed when God called him” (v. 8). He put absolute trust in the word of God and the divine promise to make out of him a great nation. Harold Buetow comments: “Abraham’s faith was not according to the principle of most people, who cautious and comfort-loving, put safety first, his faith went into the unknown, where it could not see the end of the path. Abraham did everything God wanted of him – and, sure enough, ultimately his wife conceived and his son Isaac was born. Then, when God asked him to leave the comforts of his hometown Ur in the Chaldean mountains for what came to be known as the Promised Land and endure all the problems of a stranger in a foreign land, he did it – even though he was not sure where God was leading him. God, to test him even further, some years later asked him to give his young son Isaac as a living sacrifice. Despite his hope that through Isaac he would have descendants, he prepared to do as God asked. It was only at the last moment that God prevented him from going through with his sacrifice. We, like Abraham, should let go and let God!”
The call to a faithful response is reinforced in this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Lk 12:32-48). Through various images (the treasure in heaven, the servants awaiting the Master’s return, the burglar who comes in unexpectedly, the faithful steward and the abusive, irresponsible slave), the Gospel passage reminds us of the challenge of our Christian vocation, especially for those called to priestly ministry and religious consecration. We are called to share our resources with the needy and seek “the inexhaustible treasure in heaven”. We are exhorted to be vigilant and ever ready for the coming of God’s kingdom. We are challenged moreover to fulfill our daily tasks with personal dedication and to be the faithful stewards and responsible servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. Priests and religious, who have received gifts and blessings more abundantly in view of their particular vocation and mission, need to be keenly aware of the double-edged warning issued by Jesus: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more” (Lk 12:48).
The following story illustrates dramatically a person’s response to the final call (cf. Edward Mullen, “Answering the Call” in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al., Deerfield Beach, Health Communications, Inc., 1997, p. 245-246).
Father John’s little desert parish truly loved and appreciated his sincere style and caring ways. During the Sign of Peace, he always called all of the children attending Mass to come up and give him hugs. He did it for himself I’m sure, but he did it for the children, too. Each and every child waited for the time during Mass when he or she could stand next to the altar, be the center of attention and hug the not-so-old, and slightly plump priest.
On one particular Sunday, after all the hugs were thought to have been completed and the “Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world”, had begun, one small voice from half-way back in the church said, “What about me?” Father John stopped his prayer, and held out his arms. The little voice with freckled face, slicked black hair, shiny cowboy boots and shorts, ran down the aisle towards the altar, crying because he thought he had been forgotten. Father John just held out his arms, picked up the little boy and held him very near, and held him very dear.
Three weeks later, I returned to the little desert parish and there was a different priest, one I didn’t recognize, saying Mass. I sat next to a woman who silently cried as she held my hand as we all sang, “Our Father, who art in Heaven …” It seems that Father John had lost his place in the same part of the Mass the Sunday before. He told his parishioners, “As the Lord so taught us to pray …” and the parish responded with the “Lord’s Prayer”. And after they were finished, Father John again said, “As the Lord taught us to pray …” and again, the confused, but willing parish responded with the “Lord’s Prayer”. And for the third time after the prayer was finished, Father John said, “As the Lord so taught us to pray …” But then, before his willing congregation could have obliged him for the third time, Father John stopped and he fainted, and then Father John died. And once again, Father John had stopped his prayer, and held out his arms, and he answered the one who called out to him.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we truly believe that God is the font of the Christian vocation? Are we receptive to his “summons” and loving plan for us? How do we respond to the demands of Christian discipleship? Are our lives coherent with the faith we profess? Are we ready and vigilant to answer God’s “final call”? Do we pray that those called by God to the priestly ministry and a life of religious consecration may be total in their response and integral in their commitment?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you summoned Israel to be your people.
In Jesus Christ you summon us
to be part of your new chosen people.
Give us the grace to respond faithfully to your call.
Let us be ready and vigilant
for our final encounter with your judgment.
Grant to your Church
more priestly-religious vocations
who will serve you in your people
and give witness to the eternal value of your kingdom.
You live and reign,
forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“You also must be prepared.” (Lk 12:40)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the grace of a happy death. Do what you can to promote and care for vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life.
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August 12, 2013: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (19); SAINT FRANCES DE CHANTAL
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Love and Serve the Lord”
BIBLE READINGS
Dt 10:12-22 // Mt 17:22-27
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In today’s Old Testament reading, Moses gives another exhortation to the chosen people Israel as they face the Promised Land. He reiterates the great commandment that calls for total commitment to God: “Love and serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul”. Israel’s experience of a benevolent God who works marvels on their behalf is a motive for the covenant observance. Indeed, love of God is the centerpiece of Israel’s response to God who has singled them out as his own people. This love response entails a “circumcised heart”, that is, an obedient heart, as well as acts of service: charity to the most needy and vulnerable members of the society. Together with the widows and the orphans, God’s preferential care includes the aliens who have no protection against the trespass of their social rights. The Israelites need to care for the foreigners for they themselves were once “alien” in the land of Egypt, departing from it “as numerous as the stars of the sky”. If the chosen people wish to secure their future in the Promised Land, they need to be faithful to the Lord and keep his commands and statutes.
The need to care for vulnerable aliens and to give hospitality to them can be gleaned from the following personal testimony (cf. Erna Kirk, “Home at Last” in COUNTRY, June/July 2011, p. 38).
When World War II started, my parents were farmers in the Soviet Union. But my father was of German descent, so the government took away their land and livestock, and forced them to leave the country. I was born in Poland in route to Germany.
When we arrived in Germany, no one wanted us there, either, because they regarded us as Russians. So my parents began working to find a way to come to America. It took seven years to find a sponsor who would take on a family with four children.
In 1954, we arrived on Ellis Island with all our belongings in three suitcases. Even though we spoke no English, we made our way to the hills of Tennessee, where we had arranged to sharecrop some land. We learned the language by watching television.
After five years of long, hard hours in endless rows of cotton, we were able to purchase 140 acres with a beautiful frame house. When all the papers were signed, my parents knelt on the ground, kissed it and thanked God for the thousandth time. We were home at last.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How do we carry out the exhortation of Moses and the supreme teaching of Jesus about the love of God and compassionate care for our needy neighbors?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving God,
how marvelous you are
and great are your saving acts for Israel!
You brought to fulfillment your saving plan
through your Son Jesus Christ,
who teaches us how to love and serve you.
Help us to live with an obedient heart
and teach us how to give preferential care
for the most needy and vulnerable of our society.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourself.” (Dt 10:19)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be aware of the immigration issue being tackled by the nation and resolve to have a compassionate approach to it.
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August 13, 2013: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (19); SAINTS PONTIAN, pope, AND HIPPOLYTUS, priest, martyrs
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Urges Us to Be Steadfast”
BIBLE READINGS
Dt 31:1-8 // Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is about the appointment of Joshua as Moses’ successor and how Moses encourages him in his mission as leader of Israel. Deuteronomy 3:23-29 presents a very interesting scenario. Moses pleads with God to cross the Jordan River and see the fertile land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the mountains of Lebanon. But God does not allow him to enter the Promised Land: “That’s enough! Don’t mention this again … Give Joshua his instructions. Strengthen his determination because he will lead the people across to occupy the land that you see.” Moses resigns himself to the will of God. At the threshold of Canaan, the one hundred-year-old Moses makes it clear to the Israelites that he will not be able to enter the Promised Land and that it is Joshua who will lead Israel on the last stage of their journey into the Promised Land. Moses exhorts the Israelites: “Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread for it is the Lord God who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.” Moses summons Joshua and exhorts the new leader appointed by God: “Be brave and steadfast, for you must bring this people into the land which the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them … It is the Lord who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail or forsake you.” Moses tells Israel in general, and Joshua in particular, that they will succeed if they trust in the presence of God, the true liberator and warrior of Israel.
The following story is very inspiring. It depicts a “leader” whose trust in God is complete and whose faith has been passed on to his descendants (cf. Harold Hostetler, August 2 Reflection in DAILY GUIDEPOSTS 2010, p. 243).
Like many parents, I care about the faith of my children and grandchildren. I pray for them and hope they will always love God. But it’s easy to wonder how future generations will respond when it’s time to make their own decisions about following Christ.
That made me pull our family’s genealogy, an almost-1,200-page tome printed in 1928 titled Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler, which includes the history of my Swiss Amish ancestor as well as lists of the hundreds of family lines descended from him. My dad Ira is among those whose names appear in the book.
What struck me most about Jacob was his faith. His family had fled Switzerland and come to America in the early eighteenth century because of religious persecution. Like the rest of the Amish, he took the commands of God literally – he wouldn’t kill other human beings, even in war. During the French and Indian War he refused even to defend himself when Indians attacked his Pennsylvania home; he was wounded and lost his wife, a son and a daughter. As he and his two remaining sons were captured and about to be taken to separate villages, his parting advice was “Do not forget the Lord’s Prayer”.
Jacob and his sons survived the war and went on to spread the Hostetler (there are various spellings) lineage westward until, today, you can find us throughout the United States. Most of us are no longer Amish, but in our Jacob Hochstetler Family Association’s newsletter I’ve read of many Hostetlers down through the years who have gone into the ministry or otherwise heeded God’s call. What a legacy!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we brave and steadfast in love and service of God and in our discipleship of Christ? Do we believe that God is present to us and walks before us as our true leader and liberator?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O almighty God,
you will never fail or forsake us.
All your ways are true.
As we journey to our final homeland
you are present to us.
Jesus Christ is the “perfect Moses”
who leads to the eternal kingdom
of love, justice and peace.
Help us to trust in you
and to be brave and steadfast in following Jesus
to the ultimate Promised Land.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Be brave and steadfast … He will never fail you or forsake you.” (Dt 31:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When the ministry of leadership is overwhelming and when the challenges of discipleship are difficult to bear, allow yourself to be strengthened by the exhortation: “Be brave and steadfast … The Lord God marches before you … He will never fail or forsake you.”
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August 14, 2013: WEDNESDAY – SAINT MAXIMILLIAN KOLBE, priest, martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Fulfills the Task of Moses”
BIBLE READINGS
Dt 34:1-12 // Mt 18:15-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is the final chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy and concludes the Pentateuch, that is, the first five books of the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures. The 120-year-old Moses, still strong and with good eyesight, climbs Mount Nebo. God lets him feast his eyes on the Promised Land that he will not be able to enter. After having a panoramic vision of the whole land, the Lord’s servant Moses dies in Moab and is buried there. The people mourn his death, for no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses. Though Moses is remembered as a great leader, others will have to take his place if Israel is to remain loyal to the covenant. Joshua succeeds Moses as the leader who will lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. He is filled with the spirit of wisdom for Moses has laid his hands upon him. The people of Israel obey Joshua and keep the commands that the Lord has given them through Moses.
The role of Moses is to be carried out by future leaders for succeeding generations. In the fullness of time, Jesus Christ brings Moses’ task to completion. The prophetic and shepherding ministry of Jesus, the perfect Moses, lives on in the Church. Saint Maximilian Kolbe exemplifies this (cf. Notes from Wikipedia on the Internet).
Kolbe was canonized on 10 October 1982 by Pope John Paul II and declared a martyr of charity. He is the patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, prisoners and pro-life movements. Pope John Paul II declared him “the patron saint of our difficult century”. Due to Kolbe’s efforts to promote consecration and entrustment to Mary, he is known as the “apostle of consecration to Mary”.
He was born Raymond Kolbe on 8 January 1894 in Zdunska Wola in the kingdom of Poland, which was part of the Russian Empire, the second son of Julius Kolbe and Maria Dabrowska. His father was an ethnic German and his mother was Polish. He had four brothers: Francis, Joseph, Walenty (who lived a year) and Andrew (who lived four years).
Kolbe’s family moved to Pabianice, where his parents initially worked as basket weavers. Later, his mother worked as a midwife (often donating her services) and operated a shop in part of their rented house where she sold groceries and household goods. Julius Kolbe worked at the Krushe and Ender Mill and also worked on a parcel of rented land where he grew vegetables. In 1914, Julius joined Josef Pilsudki’s Polish Legions and was captured by the Russians and hanged for fighting for independence of a partitioned Poland.
Kolbe’s life was strongly influenced by a childhood vision of the Virgin Mary that he later described: “That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me, a child of Faith. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both.
In 1907 Kolbe and his elder brother Francis decided to join the Conventual Franciscans. They illegally crossed the border between Russia and Austria-Hungary and enrolled at the Conventual Franciscan minor seminary in Lwow. In 1910 Kolbe was allowed to enter the novitiate where he was given the religious name Maximilian. He professed his first vows in 1911 and final vows in 1914 in Rome, adopting the additional name of Maria to show his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Kolbe would later sing hymns to the Virgin Mary in the concentration camp.
Kolbe was sent to Krakow in 1912, and later in the same year, to the house of studies in Rome where he studied philosophy, theology, mathematics and physics. He earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1915 at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a doctorate in theology in 1919 at the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure.
During his time as a student, he witnessed vehement demonstrations against Popes St. Pius X and Benedict XV in Rome during an anniversary celebrating the Freemasons. According to Kolbe, “They placed the black standard of the Giordano Brunisti under the windows of the Vatican. On this standard the archangel, St. Michael, was depicted lying under the feet of the triumphant Lucifer. At the same time countless pamphlets were distributed to the people in which the Holy Father (i.e. the Pope) was attacked shamefully.
This event inspired Kolbe to organize the Militia Immaculata or Army of Mary to work for the conversion of sinners and enemies of the Catholic Church, specifically the Freemasons, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. So serious was Kolbe about this goal that he added to the Miraculous Medal prayer: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. And for all those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the Masons and all those recommended to thee.
The Immaculata friars utilized the most modern printing and administrative techniques in publishing catechetical and devotional tracts, a daily newspaper with a circulation of 230,000 and a monthly magazine with a circulation of over one million. Kolbe also used radio to spread his Catholic faith and to speak against the atrocities of the Nazi regime. He is the only canonized saint to have held an amateur radio license, with the call sign SP3RN.
In 1918 Kolbe was ordained a priest. In 1919 he returned to the newly independent Poland where he was very active in promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, founding and supervising the monastery of Niepokalanov near Warsaw, a seminary, a radio station, and several other organizations and publications. Kolbe founded the monthly periodical Rycerz Niepokalanej in 1922 and in 1927 founded a Conventual Franciscan monastery at Niepokalanov, which became a major publishing center. Kolbe left Poland for Japan in 1930, spending six years there. The monastery at Niepokalanov began in his absence to publish a daily newspaper, Maly Dziennik, which became Poland’s top-seller. (…)
Between 1930 and 1936 Kolbe undertook a series of missions to Japan where he founded a monastery at the outskirts of Nagasaki, a Japanese paper and a seminary. The monastery he founded remains prominent in the Roman Catholic Church in Japan. Kolbe decided to build the monastery on a mountainside that, according to Shinto beliefs, was not the side best suited to be in harmony with nature. When the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Kolbe’s monastery was saved because the other side of the mountain took the main force of the blast.
With the invasion of his nation by Nazi Germany, Kolbe provided shelter to refugees from Greater Poland including 2,000 Jews whom he hid from Nazi persecution in his friary in Niepokalanov. On 17 February 1941, he was arrested by the German Gestapo and imprisoned in the Pawiak prison. On 28 May he was transferred to Auschwitz as prisoner #16670.
At the end of July 1941 three prisoners disappeared from the camp, prompting SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Karl Fritzsch, the deputy camp commander, to pick 10 men to be starved to death in an underground bunker in order to deter escape attempts. When one of the selected men Franciszek Gajowniczek cried out: “My wife! My children!”, Kolbe volunteered to take his place.
In his prison Kolbe celebrated Mass each day and sang hymns with the prisoners. He led the other condemned men in song and prayer and encouraged them by telling them they would soon be with Mary in heaven. Each time the guards checked on him, he was standing or kneeling in the middle of the cell and looking calmly at those who entered. After two weeks of dehydration and starvation, only Kolbe remained alive. The guards wanted the bunker emptied and they gave Kolbe a lethal injection of carbolic acid. Some who were present at the injection say that he raised his left arm and calmly waited for the injection. His remains were cremated on 15 August, the feast day of the Assumption of Mary.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we receptive and obedient to Church leaders commissioned by God to help us in our spiritual journey? How do we respond to the prophetic and guiding ministry of Jesus Christ, the perfect Moses?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord God,
we thank you for the leadership of Moses
on behalf of the journeying people of God.
We thank you for his successor Joshua and all future leaders
in the history of Israel.
Above all, we thank you for Jesus Christ, the perfect Moses,
who guides the Church, the new people of God,
to our true destiny.
Grant us a docile heart to follow Jesus
through the cross to Easter glory.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses.” (Dt 34:10)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In a spirit of thanksgiving for people like Saint Maximilian Kolbe who make present in today’s world the prophetic-pastoral mission of Moses and “the ultimate Moses” Jesus Christ, promote the apostolate of the Catholic media.
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August 15, 2013: THURSDAY – THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
(N.B. Holy day of obligation in USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Mother Mary Is Raised Body and Soul”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab // I Cor 15:20-27 // Lk 1:39-56
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s feast of the Assumption celebrates the fruit of Christ’s paschal sacrifice - eternal life and joy in God’s kingdom - bestowed upon his mother Mary in fullness. The Blessed Mother Mary points to our own glorious destiny with God. The French liturgical scholar Louis Bouyer remarks: “Mary should be looked on as the living pledge of Christ’s promises to the Church: that where he is, we also shall be; then the glory given him by the Father he will give to us, as he received it.”
The First Reading (Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab) depicts a “great sign in the sky” – a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. The image of a woman in childbirth is used to describe creative acts that involve time and sacrifice in order to be brought to full maturity. The heavenly vision of the woman in labor in the Book of Revelation evokes the painful and challenging process of the birth of Christ in the hearts of the faithful, as well as Mary’s vital role in the birthing of the Church.
From the Second Reading (I Cor 15:20-27a) we can deduce that the power of Christ’s own resurrection makes the mystery of Mary’s assumption possible. Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the “firstfruits” of those who have fallen asleep. In Jewish cultic terms, the offering of “firstfruits” symbolizes the dedication of the whole harvest to God. As “firstfruits”, the Risen Lord Jesus pledges the resurrection of us all, of which Mary is the exemplar of a promise fulfilled. Indeed, God triumphs over death. Death is ultimately vanquished through the power of Christ’s resurrection. It is no longer a dismal end. In Christ, the “firstfruits”, death becomes a passage or passing over to eternal life. Though Christ’s victorious Passover is complete, ours is not yet. As Church, we need to open ourselves to the effects of Christ’s saving works and offer the “fruits” of redemption to the fragmented humanity of the “here and now”.
Mary’s assumption is a powerful sign that in our intimate union and full response to Christ, the Paschal Mystery is brought to fruition. Likewise, Mary, in her Magnificat (cf. Lk 1:39-56), invites us to praise the Lord for the great things he has done for her and to proclaim with her the final victory of God, of which she is a full recipient. With Mary assumed into heaven, we glorify the Lord!
The following story inspires us to have recourse to Mary, assumed into heaven, as a patroness of a happy death (cf. Susan Mountin, “Homecoming” in AMERICA, February 15, 2010, p. 19).
On the day my mother died, she entered into a state that hospice caregivers know well – the body’s oxygen supply diminishes. She was unable to communicate with us from about noon that day until about 3. Then, to our amazement, she calls for my dad and reached out to hold his hands. She became quite anxious and thrashed about (another expected pattern in the death process).
But what happened next will be etched in my heart and soul forever. About an hour before her death she reached out her arms and began distinctly saying, “push me, pull me, push me, pull me”. Mom was not speaking to any of us in the room. I had no doubt that she was being greeted by angels and her deceased sisters and brother, whom she missed so much (she was the oldest of eight children born in close succession, and they were very close).
Those were her last words, “push me, pull me”. Then she became quiet. I felt her soul slipping from her body. We gathered my siblings and dad around the bed and began to pray: Our Father; Hail Mary. We all touched her. I put arm around dad’s shoulder as he sat on his walker next to the bed, and had one hand on mom’s foot. I instinctively began praying the Memorare, a prayer that had been renewed as a deep part of my own spiritual journey when I struggled with some issues years earlier. Then from the deepest recesses of my memory I prayed aloud the novena prayer to the Mother of Perpetual Help. Mom took five or six deep breaths and died. If there is such a thing as a peaceful death, we were blessed with one for mom … I remember and relive day after day the journey to my mother’s death because it brought all of us closer to our own destiny and to God.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How did Mary participate in Christ’s paschal sacrifice as well as in the victorious event of “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”? How do you participate in these saving events, personally and as a community? How does the meaning of the Blessed Mother’s assumption into heaven affect you personally?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
in Mary’s assumption into heaven,
body and soul,
we see our own beauty and glorious destiny in Christ.
But the Blessed Virgin is also a model
of intimate participation in Christ’s paschal mystery.
Her Son Jesus Christ rose from the dead
and became the “firstfruits” of those who have fallen asleep.
She is the exemplary recipient of the “fruits” of redemption.
Teach us to be receptive to grace.
Grant that we may truly experience the power of the resurrection
and relish the “firstfruits” of salvation.
United with Mary assumed into heaven,
we glorify you and exult in your goodness,
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.
“He has lifted up the lowly.” (Lk 1:52)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that Mary, assumed into heaven, may intercede for us as we endeavor to spread the “firstfruits” of Christ’s redemption to the fragmented humanity of our modern society. By our preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, let us allow the people of today to have a glimpse of our glorious destiny in heaven.
***
August 16, 2013: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (19); SAINT STEPHEN OF HUNGARY
“JESUS SAVIOR: God Has Accomplished Marvels through Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Jos 24:1-13 // Mt 19:3-12
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading presents Joshua toward the end of his life gathering the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He recounts the marvels God has done for the chosen people, starting with the call of Abraham “beyond the River” (that is, on the other side of Euphrates River) until the entrance into the Promised Land. Joshua’s magnificent summary is a great overture presenting the Lord as the one who accompanies Israel in its life and history. It is God who took Abraham, their ancestor, from the land across the Euphrates and led them through the whole land of Canaan. It is God who brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. It is the Lord who brought the people to the Promised Land overpowering the pagan nations and taking possession of their cities and eating of vineyards and olive groves they did not plant. Indeed, their success cannot be attributed to the military might or human prowess of the Israelites: “not to their sword or their bow”. Rather, it is the Lord who is responsible for all that has taken place.
Joshua uses the historical summary of God’s marvelous deeds to prepare the chosen people for a covenant renewal at Shechem. Today’s new people of God ought to keep alive in their memory the divine benevolent deeds in order to remain faithful to him. One way of doing this is by reading the Bible. The following personal experience gives insight into this and is an inspiration (cf. Alma Barkman, May 2 Reflections in DAILY GUIDEPOSTS 2010, p, 141).
At one point in my life, wanting to do great things for God, I decided to read through the whole Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. Realizing I had bitten off more than I could chew, I quit. A few months later I tried again, but this time I dived in with such determination that any blessings I might have derived from my reading were consumed in my haste to keep up with the schedule. And so I went back to my old habit of reading the Bible in bits and pieces.
And then I heard the minister say, “If someone is in medical school, training to be a doctor, he or she reads the whole book of anatomy, not just bits and parts. If an apprentice is taking a course in mechanics, that person reads the whole manual, not just paragraphs here and there. The Bible is our manual for life, so we ought to read it from cover to cover, again and again.”
His words challenged me, so I decided to try it again. This time I read through the Bible systematically, but at my own speed, day by day, month by month, year by year, a little a time. I’ve been able to note the context of the passages and jot down a daily verse on my desk calendar. Best of all, reading through the Bible over and over again has given me ample opportunity to learn more about the Author.
“God, I may never do great things for You, but through Your Word, You certainly do great things for me.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we make an effort to keep in our heart the saving marvels God has done for his people Israel and for the “new People of Israel” through his Son Jesus Christ? Do we spend time to read and meditate on God’s saving actions in the Bible?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Gracious Father,
how great is your plan for Israel!
We thank you for you have chosen us in your Son Jesus Christ
to be part of the universal plan of salvation.
Let us be mindful of the marvels you have done
for the Israelites and for the new people of God.
Grant us the grace to be true to the gift of the covenant
and let us be obedient to your word.
You are our utmost good.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“I brought you into the land … You took possession of the land.” (Jos 24:8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Allow the “memories” of God’s saving events to dwell in you and transform your life by committing yourself to read and study the Bible.
***
August 17, 2013: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (19); BVM ON SATURDAY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to a New Covenant”
BIBLE READINGS
Jos 24:14-29 // Mt 19:13-15
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading is about the renewal of the covenant in the Promised Land, which the Israelites have entered and taken possession of through God’s assistance. Joshua clarifies the covenant obligation: total commitment to God. He challenges God’s chosen people: “Decide whom you will serve!” The people respond that they, as Joshua’s household, will serve the Lord who has been for them the “God of Exodus and of conquest”, and “the giver of their land”. To Joshua’s warning that Yahweh is a “holy and jealous God” who does not tolerate rebellion and infidelity, the people assert: “We will still serve the Lord.” The Israelites thus resolve to live within the bounds of a covenant that keeps them united with God. The Book of Joshua ends with the triumph of fidelity of the people of God and their leader Joshua, a precursor of our Savior Jesus Christ.
The new covenant established by Jesus Christ by his blood calls for total commitment. It challenges us to choose God, the giver of life. The following article illustrates a positive response to God’s offer of life (cf. “Quads’ mother: I’m proud of what we have achieved” in ALIVE! May 2013, p. 9).
An English mother who repeatedly refused to let doctors kill any of the four children she was carrying has spoken about the joys and difficulties the family had faced in the children’s first year of life. (…)
The four boys were conceived naturally at odds of 750,000 to 1, and were delivered by Caesarean section on the 29th of February last year. Despite the physical risks of multiple births, they are flourishing. (…)
Emma Robbins, a project manager from Bristol, spoke about the pressure put on her from early on to “selectively reduce” two of her unborn babies to give the remaining pair a better chance of survival. But she refused. The couple knew all that could go wrong, and that even if all the boys survived, it would be a huge burden for their finances. “But I couldn’t bring myself to choose between them”, she said. “How could anyone? I knew I had a strong marriage, that Martin would support and help me every step of the way, so I decided to let nature take its course.” (…)
It wasn’t an easy pregnancy, but eventually the babies were delivered two months early. “I’d worked so hard to keep my little stars safe and it was the most incredible feeling to know they had come into the world”, said Emma. Despite all the demands, the couple is now enjoying their role as parents. (…) She said, "And every day one of the boys will do something that makes me think: ‘You’re the sweetest, most beautiful thing in the world’.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What is our response to the challenge “Decide today whom you will serve”? What will give us strength to make a positive response to this challenge?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving God,
you are the God who led us out of slavery
and led us to our gracious heritage in the Promised Land.
Help us in our fundamental option to love and serve you.
Let us never forsake you.
Give us the grace to be faithful
to the new covenant ratified in Jesus Christ.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” (Jos 24:18)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Today renew your covenant to love and serve the Lord and let the covenant commitment be translated into daily life by your loving service to the needy people around you.
***
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US