A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday and Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 11, n. 5)
CHRISTMAS SEASON: December 30, 2012 – January 5, 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: December 30, 2012 – January 5, 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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December 30, 2012: SUNDAY - THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Must Be in His Father’s House”
BIBLE READINGS
I Sm 1:20-22, 24-28 // I Jn 3:1-2, 21-24 // Lk 2:41-52
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
I came into contact with the pain and anxiety of one who has lost a child. The Italian lady, Sarah, and her adopted girl, Saraji, the six-year old daughter of lepers from a leper colony where she used to work as a volunteer, were guests at our convent in Bangalore, India. One afternoon, they went downtown to shop. An hour later a very distraught Sarah came back to inform us that Saraji wandered away and was lost. We prayed in earnest for her return. Sarah, accompanied by some Sisters, searched for her and after a few distressing hours, found the little girl at the police station calmly eating an ice cream cone. The mother was overjoyed when she found her child.
Today’s Gospel passage (Lk 2:41-52) is about the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. The story of the lost and found child seems banal and commonplace, but in the editorial strategy of Luke the episode illumines the entire Gospel. Indeed, this story that concludes the Infancy Narrative gives us a glimpse of the main content of the Christ event: Jesus’ special filial relationship with God and his paschal mission on behalf of the family of God. In this account of Luke, Jesus and his parents journey to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. The next time the evangelist Luke presents Jesus as journeying to Jerusalem will be for the celebration of the Jewish Passover feast at the end of his public ministry, and this will coincide with his own Passover sacrifice on the Cross.
In the context of the Father’s saving plan, the boy Jesus is not really “lost” in the temple, but is simply obeying a divine compulsion and asserting his personal duty to his Father in heaven. The necessity to be in his Father’s house and to be busy with his Father’s affairs lies in his inherent filial relationship with God who demands from him, the Servant Son, an absolute obedience to the divine saving plan. Indeed, the “three days” that Jesus stayed in the temple is a symbolic reference to the three days of being buried in the tomb, before he would reappear as the victorious Risen Lord, accomplishing the Father’s all inclusive plan to save the human family and the cosmic family of his beloved creation.
The episode of the boy Jesus in the temple depicts him as sitting among the doctors of the Law, not with any braggadocio or pride, but “listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and answers” (Lk 2:46-47). By implication, Jesus is being presented as the true Teacher at the center of the circle of teachers. He is the Divine Master – the ultimate Teacher - who would teach the family of God about the greatest lesson of love and obedience to the Father’s saving will. In the meantime, as the evangelist Luke narrates, he goes down with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth. Obedient to them, he learns the sterling lessons of love, and service in the context of family life.
According to Luke, the parents of Jesus “did not understand what he said to them” (Lk 2:50) and Mary, his mother, is portrayed as keeping all these things in her heart (Lk 2:52). Mary, the first disciple and the first “christofora”, continues her journey of faith as she ponders the meaning and destiny of her Son, who “increased in wisdom, and age and favor before God and man” (Lk 2:52). Indeed, the full understanding of Jesus’ messianic identity and saving mission needs to await the paschal event of his death and resurrection.
With Jesus’ intimate filial relationship with the Father and his paschal destiny as a backdrop, it would be easier to understand the role of the Holy Family of Nazareth in the divine saving plan. It is the cradle of life and faith for Jesus, the beloved Son of the Father. The perfect paschal sacrifice to be offered on the Cross is being prepared silently and diligently in the home of Nazareth, under the loving guidance of Mary and Joseph. This grace-filled domestic setting is where the Son of God is loved, nourished, and formed for his mission to reunite, at the end time, the human family and the cosmic family of God’s beloved creation.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we try to see Nazareth as a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and understand his Gospel? Do we make of our own human family a cradle of life and sanctification? Do we try to minister to the needs of the greater families: the family of God - the Church, the family of humankind, and the family of creation?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father, the origin of all families,
in Jesus Christ your Son,
we become a part of the greater family of God, the Church.
Like Jesus, your faithful Son-Servant,
help us to be always in “your House”
and be completely dedicated to your saving work.
May we look with joy to the Holy Family of Nazareth
and learn the enduring lesson of a holy family life
that is centered on Christ
and marked by love, prayer, and service.
Nourished as beloved members of the Christian family,
help us to reach out in love and service
to the greater family of humankind and cosmic creation.
Let your beloved Son Jesus
be all and in all.
He lives and reigns, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Today, pause for a moment of quiet prayer and thank the Lord for belonging to the following: your biological family, nourishing family, family of God – the Church, family of humankind, family of creation. Invite a needy family to your home for a dinner, which may be preceded or concluded with a family blessing (cf. Book of Blessings).
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December 31, 2012: MONDAY – SEVENTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Incarnate Word, Full of Grace and Truth”
BIBLE READINGS
I Jn 2:18-21 // Jn 1:1-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
It is the last day of the civil year 2012. As we bid the old year goodbye, the Church, through the proclamation of the Prologue of Saint John, gives us a glimpse of God’s deep involvement in humanity’s historical “time”. The Prologue, which is a synthesis of salvation history, traces the saving mission of the Word-made-flesh from the Father and the return of the incarnate Word back to the Father. The evangelist John also underlines the reason why the divine Word is sent to us: that those who believe in the Son may receive power to become children of God.
As we close the year 2012, we also hear in today’s First Reading the exhortation about the “last hour”: we must hold fast to the grace of truth and be faithful to God. The Messiah has come and will come again. The intervening period is the “last hour” in which true Christians can recognize truth for what it is, and falsehood for what it is, through “the anointing that comes from the Holy One”. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us by Christ and we come to know the truth of God’s tremendous love for us. In spite of the deception of antichrists who have abandoned the Christian community, true believers are able to abide in the Father and the Son by the spiritual “anointing” they have received. True Christians are thus empowered by the Spirit to know and live the life of Jesus Christ, the font of saving love, and in conformity with the Father’s compassionate will.
The following story is a testimony of one who was tempted to succumb to evil but, guided by the Holy Spirit, made a fundamental choice for the power of good (cf. Kathy Collard Miller, “Desperate Hope” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, ed. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 51-54).
As the train rumbled past the East Coast countryside, taking my daughter and me to New York City for a mother/daughter vacation, my thoughts were as piercing as the screeching wheels of the train. Why did he do it? Why did Greg take his own life? He was a distant relative whom I rarely saw, yet the news that Greg had committed suicide made tears spring into my eyes and a deep sadness fill my heart. Relatives asked, “How could anyone be that hopeless and helpless?
But I knew. As I glanced over at my twenty-eight-year-old daughter napping next to me on the double seat, I realized with a force I hadn’t felt for a long time that if I’d taken my life, I would not have the fabulous mother-daughter relationship I now enjoyed with my daughter. (…)
One desperate day my rage was out of control. I ran into the bedroom and slammed the door behind me … Then suddenly I remembered where Larry stored his off-duty service revolver. The gun! That’s the answer! The gun! A tiny, sinister voice in my head whispered. “Take your life. It’s hopeless. Nothing has changed for months even though I’ve prayed over and over again; it’s only gotten worse. God doesn’t care. Otherwise He would instantaneously deliver me from my anger and heal our marriage. Larry hates me. I hate him and my life.
With trembling hands, I opened the locked drawer and almost gasped when the gleam from the shiny barrel of the gun glinted at me so invitingly. Darcy is better off without a mother like me. I’m ruining her for life. Seconds clicked off and then I reached for the cold revolver. But then a new thought popped into my mind. What will people think of Jesus if they hear that Kathy Miller took her life?
My hand stopped. The faces of the women in the neighborhood Bible study I led flitted before me. My family members who didn’t know Christ came to mind. I thought of the neighbors I witnessed to. Oh, Lord, I don’t care about my reputation, but I do care about yours!
I slammed the drawer shut and fell to my knees. The concern about Jesus’ reputation saved my life that day, and I knew it was prompted by the Holy Spirit.
I didn’t have any hope at that point, but in the following months God proved Himself faithful by revealing the underlying causes of my anger, giving me a patience to be a loving mom and then healing my relationship with Larry. (…)
Yes, I understood how Greg could have felt so little hope – in fact, no hope at all. How I wish I could have shared with him that there is always hope, and God is faithful if we will hold on to His promises.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we realize that we have received “the anointing that comes from the Holy One” and the revelation of God’s saving love and that these prompt us to abide in him and to walk in the light of truth?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer, Seventh Day of Christmas Octave)
Ever-living God,
in the birth of your Son
our religion has its origin and its perfect fulfillment.
Help us to share in the life of Christ
for he is the salvation of mankind,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” (I Jn 2:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for those who are contemplating suicide and the victims of murder-suicide crimes. Do what you can to help them.
***
January 1, 2013: TUESDAY – THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD;
MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Blesses Us … He Is Gracious to Us … He Grants Us Peace!”
BIBLE READINGS
Nm 6:22-27 // Ti 2:11-14 // Lk 2:16-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
On the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the oldest Marian feast in the Church, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In this Marian feast we celebrate her intimate role in the Christmas mystery as the willing virgin who gave birth to the Son of God. Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens remarks: “We find Mary at the very heart of the mystery of the incarnation. She is the mother of the one who will be for all future ages the way, the truth, and the life. The threshold of the one who, above all, can introduce us to Jesus … To our contemporary world Mary offers the living and vibrant reality, the incarnate Savior of the world.”
The solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, falls on New Year’s Day (January 1), the first day of the civil year – an occasion when people look back on the past and wish each other God’s abundant blessings. It is most opportune that the Old Testament reading for the New Year’s Mass is the Priestly Blessing from the book of Numbers (6:22-27). Prayed in the context of the Christmas-Marian feast, it evokes the truth that Mary, Mother of God, is the utmost recipient of God’s blessing. In the motherhood of Mary, the icon of the blessed of God, the fullness of blessing is given to the world through her divine Child, the Savior of the world - the Priest of the New Covenant.
Combined with the Gospel episode (Lk 2:16-21) of today’s Marian feast, the Priestly Blessing from the Book of Numbers serves to interpret the Christmas mystery. From the manger, in his Son Jesus, the Lord God blesses us abundantly and protects us. In the Christ Child, the icon of the Father’ love, the Lord God lets his face shine upon us and enables us to experience his favor and graciousness. In Mary’s Son, the Prince of Peace, the Lord looks kindly upon us and grants us peace and total salvation. Indeed, in Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, is the fullness of the Father’s benediction to humankind. Moreover, in his Son Jesus, born of Mary, the fullness of blessing and praise – the Eucharist – is rendered to God, our Almighty Father.
The following story illustrates a positive attitude that is receptive to God and the blessings he will pour out in the New Year 2013 and in the days to come (cf. Philip Zaleski’s Reflections in DAILY GUIDEPOSTS 2010, p. 10)
Almost everyone I know has been affected by the recent economic downturn. My family is no exception. This became clear on New Year’s Day, when my wife and I went over our budget and realized that we would have to drop some of our dream projects. Most of them didn’t matter very much; that vacation in Hawaii could wait. There was one cutback that hurt, however. We could no longer afford to convert our garage into a home office. Instead I would have to continue to work in a corner of our small den, already crammed with a couch, a TV set, chess table, and countless books and DVDs.
I was angry and then depressed: Good-bye to all those dreams of a new workspace with floor-to-ceiling windows and beautiful built-in bookshelves, a quiet oasis in the hubbub of family life. Hello to messy, noisy reality!
Fortunately Carol refused to let me dwell in fantasies of might-have-been. Instead she suggested we give thanks for what we had and make the most of it. It was hard to argue with that. So we rolled up our sleeves and refashioned the den. We cleared out years of clutter, turned the computer around to face our lovely backyard garden, set up a new printer station and relocated our bulky television far away from the work area. Lo and behold, I had a new workspace without spending a penny! I hadn’t lost my dream office. I’d gained the serenity that comes with making do.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we take time to contemplate the marvelous Christmas mystery and the vital role of Mary, Mother of God, in the mystery of salvation? Do we bless the Lord for the great “benediction” granted us in Jesus, the Son of Mary? Do we allow the Lord God to bless us and keep us … to let his face shine upon us and be gracious to us … to look kindly upon us and give us peace? Do we look upon Mary as model of receptivity to grace and God’s abundant blessings? Do we look forward to the gracious blessings God has reserved for us in this New Year 2013?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Feast of Mary, Mother of God)
God our Father,
may we always profit by the prayers
of the Virgin Mother Mary,
for you bring us life and salvation
through Jesus Christ her Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The Lord look kindly upon you and give you peace!” (Nm 6:24-26)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
At the family reunion on New Year’s Day, use the Priestly Blessing as part of the prayer before or after meals, or any other appropriate occasion during the day. With the help of Mary, Mother of God, perform acts of charity and service throughout the New Year 2013 that will bring God’s healing and benediction to the poor, the marginalized, the lonely and the needy, and to the victims of war, violence, and injustice in today’s world.
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January 2, 2013: WEDNESDAY – SAINTS BASIL THE GREAT AND GREGORY NAZIANZEN, bishops, doctors of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Leads Us by the Holy Spirit”
BIBLE READINGS
I Jn 2:22-28 // Jn 1:19-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The great Christmas mystery of God the Father sending his Son to be our Savior is not always accepted. In Saint John’s community, there are those who reject that Jesus is the Messiah. These “antichrists” reject both the Father and the Son, for whoever rejects the Son rejects also the Father. Saint John therefore exhorts us to be faithful to the message transmitted by the apostles from the beginning. This will lead us to live in union with the Father and the Son and, consequently, to experience eternal life. Faithfulness to truth is made possible by the Holy Spirit that Christ pours out upon us.
Today’s Gospel speaks about John the Baptist. Filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, he proclaims the truth that Jesus is the Messiah. The Church, in time and space, struggles with “antichrists” and continues to uphold the truth that Jesus is the Savior. By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth prevails.
The fight against Arianism, a heresy that denies that Jesus is the Son of God, illustrates the Church’s endeavor to defend the truth and to live in the truth (cf. Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2007, p. 65).
These were days of great uncertainty, but also of an intense Christian experience; the faithful of Milan discovered what it meant to be a community and what their bishop meant to them. As a widow in Africa, Monica had already formed the habit of going to church each day, and she felt that she was part of the Christian community, considering it a family. With a figure such as Ambrose, she felt more intensely the joy of shared prayer and fellowship, and she even provided food for those who remained in the basilica for days at a time. To find herself in the company of Ambrose, to have the opportunity to speak with him, to profit from his profound teachings, and, together with other Christians, to fight against the excesses of imperial power, was for her a magnificent experience of the living Church.
The imperial forces made a number of efforts to dislodge the resisters, but Ambrose always responded with courage, ready to die rather than give in to intimidation. After a while, the soldiers themselves began to enter the basilica to join those who were praying and singing there. In the end, the [Arian] empress was forced to back down, and on Holy Thursday, April 2, 386, she ordered the troops to withdraw. Ambrose and the Church of Milan had won and Monica had also played her part. Their exultation was tremendous.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we willing to keep in our heart the saving message about Christ, the Son of God? Do we treasure the Christmas mystery and abide by the truth?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Wednesday, from January 2 to Epiphany)
All-powerful Father,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to bring the new light of salvation to the world.
May he enlighten us with his radiance,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.” (I Jn 1:24)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Secure a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and/or Youth Catechism, and continue to delve into the beauty and riches of the Catholic faith.
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January 3, 2013: THURSDAY – CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY: The Most Holy Name of Jesus
“JESUS SAVIOR: In Him We Become Children of God”
BIBLE READINGS
I Jn 2:29-3:6 // Jn 1:29-34
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Jesus is the Father’s Christmas gift to us. The divine gift of love is his only begotten Son, the Savior of the world. Through this gift we become the children of God. What love the Father bestowed on us in making us his own children! Holiness marks our life of belonging to God as his children. Sin is “lawlessness” – a disordered existence of alienation. It is a negation of God’s love and is totally incompatible with our Christian vocation to live a life of intimacy with God. Jesus, however, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Through him, it is possible to turn away from sin and enter a life of renewed communion with our loving God.
The Christmas season is a beautiful occasion to thank the Lord God for Jesus and the gift of salvation. It is a call to embrace our vocation as children of God and to renounce “lawlessness” and sin. The hope of conversion is most welcome on Christmas and every day of the year. The following story is inspiring (cf. “Hardship and Christmas Miracles” in POVERELLO NEWS, December 2008, p. 3-4).
Experiencing a bleak Christmas is a common occurrence for people ending up at Poverello House; however, the current big political and cultural events don’t necessarily affect the outlook of the homeless and poor, primarily because their day-to-day existence is already so grim. In much the same way as economically shell-shocked people this year mourn the passing of better days, the homeless mourn the passing of their former lives, which can seldom be regained.
Evan (not his real name) was one such person. Christmas of 2005 found him someplace he didn’t want to be: in the Poverello House Resident Program. His work and family life had come unraveled due to his and his wife’s addictions. By nature a kind and hardworking man, methamphetamine dependence had turned him into a raging, abusive spouse. He was incarcerated as a result of his violent actions. He lost everything, including his six children, all of whom he dearly loved. He had run out of hope until Jimmie, our Program Director, came to the county jail and interviewed him for our program. Evan was released into the custody of Poverello House. His probation required him to complete the Resident Program. That first Christmas at Poverello, nothing looked very promising in his life.
However, along the way, something changed inside of him. He began to really want sobriety and the benefits that come from living without drugs. He was determined to finish what he started at Poverello, and he followed through on that determination. He then chose to move into the transitional phase of our program, a phase designed to be a step toward a better future. He was observed to have talent in our kitchen and a knack for leadership, and he began to formulate a dream of attending a culinary institute. As Evan grew emotionally stronger, he reconnected with his children and began spending time with them. Eventually, Poverello helped him begin a local program in chef training.
Now, three years later, Evan is working toward completion of his schooling and has found some part-time work as a chef. In fact, he has developed a growing reputation as a chef with great ability, and has even prepared a meal for a celebrity fundraiser. He is beginning to be in demand in his profession, a situation that would have been unimaginable to him in 2005, when he felt like a complete failure.
This Christmas will be perhaps the best yet for him. As we all know, Christmas is very special when there is family harmony, and his family relationships are better than ever. Evan’s parents now have custody of his children and he is able to see them weekly. He has come to know them better, and a great deal of hurt has been healed by his efforts. Evan has achieved over three years of continuous sobriety; is on his way to certification as a chef; and is working in a field that promises to provide a good living, respect from others, and an outlet for his creativity. (…)
If Evan’s life can turn around so dramatically, then anything might happen during the magical and mystical season we call Christmas. The holiday began over 2,000 years ago with a miracle in a tiny stable. For those with the eyes to see, yuletide miracles still occur, and that fact should encourage us in hard times.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we respond to God the Father’s awesome love in making us his children in Jesus Christ? Do we try to abide in God and to avoid sin and “lawlessness” that drive us away from experiencing eternal life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Thursday, from January 2 to Epiphany)
Father,
you make known the salvation of mankind
at the birth of your Son.
Make us strong in faith
and bring us to the glory you promise.
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.
“See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.” (I Jn 3:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your peaceful stance and works of charity, promote the integrity and holiness of the “children of God”.
***
January 4, 2012: FRIDAY – SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON, religious (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Righteous One to Imitate”
BIBLE READINGS
I Jn 3:7-10 // Jn 1:35-42
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Christmas mystery – his “appearing” in our time and space - continues to impact us. The Son of God “appeared” in order to destroy the devil’s deeds. In Jesus Christ, we become children of God. He is the Righteous One to imitate. The “righteous” children imitate the holiness of Jesus Savior. We must keep ourselves pure as Christ is pure and holy as he is holy. The “seed” of God remains in the one begotten by him. The “seed” is the living Word that brings his children into harmony with his saving will.
The following story entitled “The Seed” and circulated on the Internet gives insight into the “righteousness” that befits the children of God.
A successful Christian businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO” he said. “I have decided to choose one of you.” The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a seed today – a very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”
One man named Jim was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by – still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – he so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach. It was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful – in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him.
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown”, said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!” All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I am a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!” When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed. Jim told the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Here is your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!” Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. “How could he be the new CEO?” the others said. Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. “When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we rejoice in the Christmas mystery of Christ “appearing”? Do we endeavor to imitate the righteousness and holiness of Christ and prove ourselves to be truly the children of God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Friday, from January 2 to Epiphany)
Lord,
fill our hearts with your light.
May we always acknowledge Christ as our Savior
and be more faithful to his gospel.
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 week. Please memorize it.
“No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him.” (I Jn 3:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In your daily dealings with the people around you, let the holiness and integrity that befit the children of God shine through and inspire people to do good.
***
January 5, 2013: SATURDAY – SAINT JOHN NEUMANN, bishop (USA)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Exemplifies Love for One Another”
BIBLE READINGS
I Jn 3:11-21 // Jn 1:43-51
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Christmas is a fitting season to contemplate the love of God the Father, revealed in the incarnation of his Son. Through Jesus and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we get to know what “love” is: it is life-giving. The ancient but ever-knew commandment we have received is: we must love one another. Part of the newness of this command of fraternal love consists in the model that Christians have been given to imitate – the selfless love of Christ himself. We perceive what love is by gazing on the act of love by which Christ died on the cross. Just as genuine faith is manifested in an open confession, so an authentic love is shown in practical action. Indeed, our love should not be just words and talk, but must be shown in practical action.
The following story illustrates the ideal of co-responsibility, mutual devotion and self-sacrificing love at work in the Roloff family and how this proved to be the best Christmas gift of all (cf. “Love Comes In All Sizes” by Amy Roloff in GUIDEPOSTS, December 2007, p. 66-69). Amy and Matt, who are dwarfs, are parents of four children: the 17-year old twins, Jeremy and Zachary, 14-year old Molly and Jacob, ten years old. Only Zachary is a dwarf, like Amy and Matt. The highlight of their Christmas celebration is gathering in the family room and reading together the story of Jesus’ birth, about this great gift God gave us, how God loved the world so much he gave us his only begotten Son. Recognizing that the real heart of Christmas is sacrificial love, the parents tried to impart this holiday lesson to their children, in ways both big and small. Last December, Zach had to undergo surgery in one of his legs to correct a problem caused by achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. The whole family traveled from Oregon to Oakland, California, where the surgery would take place, including Zach’s twin, Jeremy. Amy narrates:
Jeremy did what he could to help his twin, but I could tell he was getting a little antsy. Once we knew that Zach was out of the woods, Jeremy planned to fly up to Portland with Matt – and Zach – in time for snowboarding. His cell phone rang like crazy the whole time. “There’s new snow? Don’t worry. I’ll be back in Oregon soon. I am so there!” But then Matt announced a change of plans. “I’m going to stay in Oakland a little longer so I can drive Zach home.” It had become clear that there was no way Zach would be comfortable on a plane so soon after surgery. But I also knew there was no way Matt would want to do that trip without help from Jeremy. For one thing, he’s the only one of us who’s tall enough to load up the luggage rack. And he would be a big help with the driving.
There was silence in the room. It’s not Matt’s style to tell his kids to do things – especially a teen. I looked at Jeremy and could tell he was crestfallen. He was struggling, thinking of his buddies back at Mount Hood and his girlfriend, all those things that even a teen senses might only come by once in your life. For a moment I thought he was going to tell Matt that he had to have his freedom. Matt would manage. He’s used to managing.
“That’s okay,” Jeremy finally said. “I’ll stay here in Oakland. I want to help you guys. It’s important to be here for Zach – and for you.” And that was it. Matt and Jeremy drove Zach back, and Jeremy sacrificed his break without complaint. I received plenty of presents that Christmas, but the greatest gift was having my kids home, and especially seeing how my 17-year-old son had grown up. He’d discovered one of the best things about families: When you sacrifice something you love to help someone you love, you grow by leaps and bounds. That love is the glue that holds families together. It’s held ours together through good times and bad.
This Christmas we’ll all be at the farm again. There’ll be the usual quiet celebration, the trimming of the tree (Jeremy reaching the top), the honey-baked ham and apple pie, and, we hope, at least a guest or two. But this mother will be quietly treasuring the gift of last year. As Jeremy put it, “Mom, when it comes to the people you love, sometimes you have to put off the other stuff.” In doing that, you discover the stuff that really matters.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How do we put into action Christ’s command of fraternal love? Do we recognize that self-giving love is at the heart of the Christmas mystery?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Saturday, from January 2 to Epiphany)
All-powerful and ever-living God,
you give us a new vision of your glory
in the coming of Christ your Son.
He was born of the Virgin Mary
and came to share our life.
May we come to share his eternal life
in the glory of your kingdom,
where 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.
“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another.” (I Jn 3:11)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Do something nice and life-giving for the people around you in this Christmas season.
***
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