A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy

 

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 14, n. 8)

2nd Sunday and 2nd Week in Ordinary Time: Jan. 17-23, 2016

 

 

(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 of Year C from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: January 10-16, 2016, please go to ARCHIVES Series 14 and click on “Baptism of the Lord – 1st /Week in Ordinary Time”.

 

Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: January 17-23, 2016.)

 

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January 17, 2016: SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Manifests Himself at Cana”

 

 

BIBLICAL READINGS

 Is 62:1-5 // I Cor 12:4-11 // Jn 2:1-11

 

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 2:1-11): “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee.”

 

When I heard the news, I shuddered at the senselessness of what had happened. A wedding feast was held in the town near our convent. The bridegroom’s family, which, in the Filipino tradition, is usually the one responsible for the expenses of the wedding, provided what was necessary for the feast. But there were so many guests (and uninvited guests) that the food and drink ran out. The bride’s relatives taunted the bridegroom for not having provided enough. The bridegroom “lost face” and was overwhelmed with shame (“hiya”). In the evening, they found him hanging from a tree. The bridegroom killed himself. What was meant to be a joyful event became a tragedy.

 

            In light of this story, which took place in an Oriental context, it is easy to imagine how unfortunate and critical the situation was at Cana when the wine was running out. Harold Buetow comments: “To run out of wine at a wedding was more of a humiliation for the couple than it would be today. For one thing, hospitality in the East was a sacred duty; for another, running out of wine would show poor planning, or – worse - the couple’s lack of prosperity, which would mean the absence of God’s blessing.” In this distressing situation, Jesus Christ dramatically manifested the compassion and the saving power of God by changing water into wine, thus prefiguring the abundant joy and intense happiness of the messianic age that he would bring. At the wedding of Cana, there was a renewed epiphany of God’s love and mercy through the miraculous intervention of his beloved Servant - Son, fully consecrated to the realization of the divine redemptive plan.

 

            The miracle performed by Jesus at the wedding in Cana has a profound paschal and eucharistic significance. According to the evangelist John: “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him” (Jn 2:11). In the biblical world, a “sign” is the initial manifestation of the reality to which it points. The “sign” of water being changed into wine at the Cana wedding feast foretells the way in which Jesus would fulfill his messianic mission, namely, by shedding his blood on the cross, and the glory it would bring.

 

            Indeed, the victorious paschal sign of Cana continues in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The 5th century musician, Romanus the Melodist, remarks: “When Christ changed the water into wine by his power, the crowd rejoiced, delighting in the taste of this wine. Today, it is at the banquet of the Church that we are all seated, for the wine is changed into the blood of Christ, and we drink it with blessed joy, glorifying the great bridegroom … for the true bridegroom is the son of Mary, the Word for all eternity, who has taken the form of a slave and who created all in his wisdom.”

 

 

B. Old Testament Reading (Is 62:1-5): “The bridegroom rejoices in his bride.”

 

On November 18, 2006, I attended the wedding of Jennifer, the daughter of a dear friend who is actively involved in the promotion of the Eucharistic-Marian movement in the Diocese of Fresno. The wedding invitation sent by John and Jennifer carried a poem of such tenderness and beauty that it evoked among us deep emotions of goodness and love. John composed this remarkable poem when he proposed to Jennifer. Their nuptial ceremony at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fresno was very touching and inspiring. When the two pronounced their marriage vows, I also renewed my nuptial bond to Jesus Christ, my spiritual and eternal Spouse – the Bridegroom of my soul. The love relationship of John and Jennifer as man and wife made me focus on my own love relationship with Jesus and, on a broader level, on his intimate relationship with his Bride, the Church.

 

Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 62:1-5) depicts the relationship between God and his people in intimate terms of marriage. The prophet Isaiah resounds a love song over messianic Jerusalem and speaks for God. In poetic imagery, the prophet foretells the glorious restoration of Israel after the exile. God and his chosen people, represented here by the city of Jerusalem, will be like newlyweds again. The poem extols the messianic age when the successful covenant between God and his people will be celebrated by a marriage. Jerusalem in her vindication will shine like a dawn and will receive a new name, the “Espoused One” and God’s “Delight”, indicating her new status and her glorious restoration as the beloved of God.

  

The nuptial imagery presented by the prophet Isaiah enhances the nuptial-epiphany-eschatological motif of the evangelist John’s account of the wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11), which prefigures the messianic banquet and contains the overwhelming freshness of a new world … of a new people. Indeed, the theme of Christ’s epiphany or manifestation of God’s glory is continued this Sunday. Since Jesus is truly the Word made flesh – every single act of his is an act of “glory revealed”. The Infant King revealed to the nations is JESUS – the Son of God and Servant of Yahweh, baptized at the River Jordan and anointed by the Spirit for his mission as the Messiah-Savior. At the wedding of Cana, Jesus reveals in anticipation the glory and power of his final act of exaltation on the cross and in resurrection. At the wedding of Cana, Jesus already gives us a glimpse of the glory of God that is truly his, and to which, all of us – the Church - are called to share intimately as God’s beloved “espoused”.

 

 

C. Second Reading (I Cor 12:4-11): “One and the same Spirit distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.”

 

Today’s Second Reading (I Cor 12:4-11) contains Saint Paul’s classic statement of “unity in diversity”. All gifts are given for the good of the community. All are important. All are needed for a thriving community. None can be dismissed as insignificant. To remember that gifts are given in order to be shared will make for more peaceful and loving communities. Spirit-laden and serving Christian communities, composed of loving and peaceful members, are an “epiphany” or manifestation of God’s glory in the “here and now”. In order to live in accord with our vocation to be the radiance of divine glory, we must not pervert the purpose of the gifts given us by God and his Holy Spirit. Moreover, we must avoid competition and divisions within our faith community.

 

The following story about Chad and Angel illustrates how the lay mission couple has used their spiritual gifts for the good of the Church (cf. Jospeh Fedora, “Love Grows in the Time of Mission” in MARYKNOLL, March 2009, p. 18-23). Chad and Angel have brought love, family and commitment to Brazil and manifested the saving power and the compassion of God on behalf of the needy and the poor.

 

Love of adventure drew them to Guam; love for each other drew them together; and love for God drew them to Maryknoll. Maryknoll Lay Missioner Angel Mortel was looking for a “radical change” in her life in 1990, when, at age 21, she applied for a teaching position at the Academy of Our Lady of Guam. “I guess I was eager to go into the unknown and see where the Holy Spirit would lead me”, she says. “It led me to Chad.” Chad is Maryknoll Lay Missioner Chad Ribordy who arrived in Guam from Wichita, Kansas, a couple of year earlier. He was teaching a course on peace and justice at the Academy when Mortel arrived. It wasn’t long before they became more than just colleagues.

 

“Island life is pretty conducive to romance. The sensual tropical breezes, long hot days and nowhere to go”, Mortel says, recalling her courtship with Ribordy. “Come on! Who wouldn’t fall in love in such a setting?”

 

Their attraction for each other, insists Mortel, was as spiritual as it was physical. “My mission vocation really began when I met Chad. In building my relationship with him, I learned a lot about opening my heart in love”, says the missioner from San Francisco. Ribordy was thinking about mission even before meeting Mortel. Prior to going to Guam, he considered serving in Liberia with another mission group, but just as he was about to ship out, civil war broke out in that African nation. “I, being only 24 and a presumed full life ahead of me, decided that the situation was too messy”, he says.

 

The couple returned to the United States and, in 1994, married. They moved to Washington, D.C., where Ribordy continued teaching at a high school while Mortel did graduate work in international development at American University. After her studies, she worked at Bread for the World. After living a couple of years in a community with other lay Catholics called Assisi Community, Ribordy and Mortel sent applications in 1997 to Maryknoll to become lay missionaries.

 

“I think mission is about moving out of your comfort zone, of feeling vulnerable, because it is in that sense of vulnerability that we are forced to let go and let God”, says Mortel. “I felt the need – and luckily Chad felt this too – to move even farther out of my comfort zone and that’s when we decided to join Maryknoll and go to Brazil.”

 

Moving to Sao Paulo entailed more for the couple than just letting go of the familiar – family, country, culture and language – it called for a radical trust in God and in each other. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it if Angel hadn’t been my partner”, says Ribordy. “She has always challenged me to become more the person God intended me to be.” Two years after arriving in Brazil, Mortel gave birth to Cecilia, and two years after that, to another daughter, Elisa.

 

As their children grew, so did their comfort with the language, culture and the city of Sao Paulo. So it was time to move out, once again, to unfamiliar terrain. They migrated from the city to the countryside, to a small farming community two hours southwest of Sao Paulo called Ibiuna. There Mortel participates in the diocese’s outreach program to pregnant women and mothers with children up to age 6. Ribordy gets his hands dirty with organic farming. (…)

 

“We go out in mission to spread the Good News that God is love”, says Mortel. “Missioners have such an important role in moving people to open themselves up to the love that is God.”

 

  

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO 

 

How does the “sign of Cana” impinge on our faith? Do we see in it the renewed epiphany of God’s love and the revelation of the glory of Christ in the totality of his death and exaltation? When we are experiencing the poverty of having “no more wine” of gladness in our life, what do we do? Do we turn to Christ, the source of Eucharistic wine and messianic joy?

 

 

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

Lord Jesus, Bridegroom of the Church,

at the wedding of Cana you changed water into wine

and gave us a “sign” of your paschal glory.

Look kindly on our poverty

and be mindful of our cry,

“We have no wine!”

Fill us with the sparkling wine of joy

that comes from your self-sacrificing love.

Increase in us the resolve

to share in the banquet of the kingdom

of a new world, a new wine, a new love.

We love you and adore you.

We thank you for the Eucharist

of joy-giving wine and life-giving bread.

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.

            

            “The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine.” (Jn 2:9)

 

 

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO   

 

When the priest elevates the consecrated wine at Mass, make a conscious act of adoration and be mindful of what St. Ephraim proclaimed: “All earthly joys come together in wine; all of salvation is joined in the mystery of his blood.” Pray for engaged couples participating in pre-Cana formative activities and those who will be married today. 

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January 18, 2016: MONDAY – WEEKDAY (2)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Bridegroom of the Church … He Is the Obedient One”

 

 

BIBLE READINGS

I Sm 15:16-23 // Mk 2:18-22

  

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:18-22): “The bridegroom is with them.”

 

In today’s Gospel (Mk 2:18-22), Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, invites us to a new relationship that transcends mere legal observances and superficial piety. A loving relationship with the Bridegroom entails a radical transformation and infuses new meaning into such religious practices as fasting. The Christian disciples would fast, yes, but for the right reason. Indeed, the followers of Jesus exercise various forms of salutary asceticism, in a spirit of receptivity to the coming of the Kingdom. They carry these out in anticipation of the full joy that is prepared for them by Christ-Bridegroom in the heavenly wedding feast.

 

The radical newness of our relationship with Christ can be compared to a piece of new cloth which should not be sewn onto an old cloak, for it will make the tear even greater. It can also be compared to new wine which should not be poured into an old wineskin for it will cause the skin to break and spill the wine. Indeed, the love-relationship with Christ, the Bridegroom, demands an exhilaratingly new vision and life-style, symbolically portrayed by Mark as “new wine being poured into fresh wineskins” (cf. Mk 2:22).

 

The following story is charming and funny, but it gives us an idea of what “fasting” from evil thoughts and unkind words means (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 125).

 

There was once a priest so holy that he never thought ill of anyone. One day he sat down at a restaurant for a cup of coffee which was all he could take, it being a day of fast and abstinence, when, to his surprise, he saw a young member of his congregation devouring a massive steak at the next table. “I trust I haven’t shocked you, Father”, said the young fellow with a smile. “Ah! I take it that you forgot that today is a day of fast and abstinence”, said the priest. “No, no. I remember it distinctly.” “Then you must be sick. The doctor has forbidden you to fast.” “Not at all. I’m in the pink of health.” At that, the priest raised his eyes to heaven and said, “What an example this younger generation is to us, Lord! Do you see how this young man here would rather admit his sins than tell a lie?”

 

 

B. First Reading (I Sm 15:16-23): “Obedience is better than sacrifice. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too, has rejected you as ruler.”

 

The reading (I Sm 15:16-23) depicts the downward course of Saul’s rule as the first king of Israel. Through the prophet Samuel, Saul receives the divine order to put the sinful Amalekites under a “ban of destruction”. Like patriarch Abraham, Saul is being “tested” with a divine command. Whereas Abraham responded with an obedient faith, King Saul chooses to re-interpret the divine order. The victims of the ban, by being totally destroyed, are considered to be given over wholly to God in sacrifice. But Saul spares Agag, thwarting the divine decree of punishment. He also pounces on the spoil and withholds the best sheep and cattle for sacrifice. He probably thinks that sparing the best of the spoil as “sacrifice” would be pious and pleasing to God. Moreover, Saul has gone to Carmel to erect a monument for himself. The prophet Samuel thus utters an oracle against Saul: because he has rejected the command of the Lord, God too has rejected Saul as ruler. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Samuel compares Saul’s disobedience to the sin of divination, and his arrogance to idolatry.

 

Like Saul, obedience to God continues to be a challenge for us even today. But some choose to be faithful, as the following account shows (cf. Emily Simpson, “Couples Face Cross of Infertility” in Our Sunday Visitor, November 24, 2-13, p. 6-8).

 

For millions of Americans – as many as one-sixth of married couples – the face of the childless life remains what it always was, with the cross of infertility weighing all the heavier in a culture that no longer recognizes it as such. That cross, in many ways, is a cross of shattered expectations … The cross of infertility also brings with it a cross of seemingly endless doctor’s visits. (…)

 

Most couples trying unsuccessfully to conceive face those challenges. Catholic couples, however, face additional ones. First, they have to accept (then explain to others) that some options open to non-Catholics are off the table. “Everyone wants to know why we won’t try in-vitro fertilization”, said Jennifer Dornbush. “Especially when it’s the last viable medical option. They don’t understand why Catholics can’t go that route. Even when you explain, they don’t get it.”

 

Second, they have to live the childfree (or child-lite) life in a Catholic subculture that values large families. That’s a struggle for Mary Langley. Married at 37, she was thrilled when she gave birth to two children within a few years of getting married, and peacefully accepted her inability to conceive after that. Ten years later, however, in a Boston-area parish filled with large families, Langley often feels out of place. “Some assume we used contraception or that I waited to have children because of a career” she said. “They just have no idea. I would love to have more children. I would love to have been married earlier. It just wasn’t part of God’s plan.” (…)

 

Despite those struggles, the cross of infertility can bring blessings of a different sort. For Dornbush, the past 13 years have taught her about trusting God and letting go of the illusion of control. Langley said she’s grateful for the schooling humility that’s come with her small family. “It’s a trap when people have too high opinion of you”, she said. More opportunities for service outside the home also can present themselves.” (…) Dornbush, who works in the entertainment industry with her husband, agrees.

  

 

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. Are we faithful to our covenant with Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church? How?

 

2. Do we believe that an interior attitude of obedience is better than external “sacrifice”? How do we live out our total obedience to God in daily life?

 

 

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

Lord Jesus,

when you took on flesh,

you made a marriage of mankind with God.

Help us to be faithful to your word.

Give us the grace to persevere

until you call us to the heavenly marriage feast.

We love you and adore you;

we praise and serve you, forever and ever.

Amen. 

 

***

Lord Jesus,

help us to give you

the total obedience of our heart and life.

We love you and adore you;

we praise and serve 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.

 

“New wine is poured into new wineskins.” (Mk 2:22) //“Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (I Sm 15:22)

 

 

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

When you attend a wedding, pay attention to the text and rituals used in the celebration, and see how they evoke the nuptial relationship between Christ and his Body, the Church. // When confronted with difficult choices for God in daily life, ask him to grant you the grace of an obedient heart.

            

    

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January 19, 2016: TUESDAY – WEEKDAY (2)

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Lord of the Sabbath … He Is God’s Anointed”

  

 

BIBLE READINGS

I Sm 16:1-13 // Mk 2:23-28

 

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:23-28): “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for Sabbath.”

 

The wind was howling when I opened the gate. The village leader asked shelter for women and children from an impending typhoon. I presented the urgent request to the Superior. She acted promptly with good judgment and compassion. We prepared a place for the evacuees. This happened in the 1970s when rules for convent enclosure were strictly enforced. Indeed, we felt that in a crisis situation charity takes precedence over cloister rules.

 

Today’s Gospel (Mk 2:23-28) presents Jesus as Lord even of the Sabbath. Like David, who disregarded the sanctity of the tabernacle to feed his men, Jesus manifests the same freedom and sensitivity to the needs of others. He shows that genuine human need subsumes norms governing human life and conduct. Rules are meant for the total good of the human person and the spirit of charity must prevail over all. Wisely guided by the principle – The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath – Christians cannot be too-rigid or too-lax in the observance of rules that promote the individual and the common good.

 

 

B. First Reading (I Sm 16:1-13): “Samuel anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him.”

 

The Old Testament reading (I Sm 16:1-13) is about the election and anointing of an insignificant shepherd boy as the one to replace Saul as king of Israel. God has rejected the disobedient and presumptuous Saul. Following the divine order, the prophet Samuel anoints David, the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem. The least likely candidate among Jesse’s sons is God’s chosen one. At the anointing, the spirit of the Lord comes mightily upon David who is empowered to shepherd God’s flock. The God who chooses David to guide his people is the same loving God who calls forth the entire creation and all peoples into existence. The Lord God is the font of vocation. He is the author of the saving plan to redeem mankind through his Servant-Son Jesus Christ, the ultimate “Chosen One”.

 

The vocation and “anointing” of servants of God continue through salvation history. Here is a modern-day example (cf. Susan Hines-Brigger, “The Iron Friar” in St. Anthony Messenger, November 2013, p. 6).

 

For Father Daniel Callahan, a Franciscan Friar of the Atonement, exercising is a good way to connect his physical and spiritual health. He says it’s also a wonderful time to pray, pointing out that even Jesus went off into the desert to pray. “It’s my desert”, he says. “It’s a place to go and be with the Lord. I can talk to God.”

 

In fact, it was in a swimming pool where he had his conversion experience. Father Dan began searching for his spiritual home. He visited Graymore, the home of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, in Garrison, New York, in 1978 and joined the community two years later. After six years, he professed his final vows and was ordained the following year.

 

While he was ministering in South Central Los Angeles, his sister and brother-in-law invited him to do a triathlon. Father Dan had never done one and hadn’t trained, but figured he could swim, run, and bike, so why not? Soon after his time in Los Angeles, Father Dan was assigned as chaplain at St. Joseph’s Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center in Saranac Lake, New York. It was at a triathlon in Lake Placid, New York, that Father Dan began celebrating Mass for the athletes. “I was one of the athletes and preached in a way that would bring the race into the Gospel”, he says. (…)

 

He says running provides him with an opportunity to be accessible to people who may not connect with him on a faith level, but as an athlete. He appreciates the opportunity “to be able to meet them and bring them around to a deeper awareness of who Jesus Christ is, and to help people wake up to the presence and reality we have so immediately available to us because of God’s love and humility.

  

 

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. What is our attitude towards the rules and norms in society and in the Church?

 

2. Do we pray for and give our generous collaboration to those chosen and anointed by God for the service of his people?

 

 

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

O loving Father,

teach us the wisdom and compassion of Jesus

that we may understand the meaning of the law in the Church.

Rules are meant for the well-being of the person

and to promote the common good.

Grant us the freedom of the spirit

and the charity that never fails.

We surrender to your all-embracing care.

We thank and bless you, now and forever.

Amen.

 

***

O loving Father,

grant your abundant blessings upon your “anointed” ones

that they may faithfully serve the flock entrusted to their care.

We thank and bless 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.

 

“The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mk 2:28) //“Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him.” (I Sm 16:13) 

 

 

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

Make an effort to understand, memorize and put into practice the Ten Commandments and the precepts of the Catholic Church. // Give a word of encouragement to your pastor and the priests ministering in your parish.

 

            

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January 20, 2016: WEDNESDAY – WEEKDAY (2); SAINT FABIAN, Pope and Martyr; SAINT SEBASTIAN, Martyr

“JESUS SAVIOR: His Healing Love Transcends Barriers … He Is Victorious”

 

 

BIBLE READINGS

I Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 // Mk 3:1-6

  

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:1-6): “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to save life rather than to destroy it?”

 

In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:1-6), Jesus is angered and grieved at the hardness of heart of the Pharisees who object to his healing ministry on a Sabbath. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, declares that the Sabbath is made for man and not the other way around. He performs healings even on a Sabbath for he feels it is better to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, and to save life rather than to destroy it. His saving love is totally inclusive and greatly transcending. His saving works could not be restricted by a narrow-minded view of the Sabbath observance. There is no time or day when Jesus feels restricted to heal the sick and serve the needy. Jesus breaks down false restrictions and man-made barriers that militate against human well-being and dignity.

 

The following story illustrates the need to follow the non-restrictive stance of Christ and the necessity of overcoming barriers of alienation in our community (cf. Bill Zalot, “I Belong!” in The Word Among Us, Advent 2011, p. 62-65).

 

You Don’t Belong: Until I was twelve, I felt like a valued member of the church. This had a lot to do with the fact that my home parish was founded just before I was born and that for years, until a church could be built, we had Mass in the gymnasium of the parish school. The place was easily accessible to people like me who needed wheelchairs. I felt an intimacy and closeness to God there that I will never forget. There was no barrier, no silent sign telling me I didn’t belong.

 

Everything changed with the opening of our new church in 1988. Suddenly, the place where I always felt accepted became the place where I felt most rejected. This building had no way for me to get inside. There was no wheelchair ramp – just two flight of steps that said, You don’t belong.

 

Our pastor’s attitude affirmed my sense of rejection. “There’s no need to bring him here”, he would tell my parents. Thankfully, they ignored his advice and found ways to get me to Sunday Mass. Still his words angered me. I became determined to attend Mass – both to defy him and to obey a God who I thought would condemn me if I missed. Inside, though, I grew increasingly bitter and withdrawn.

 

Unbound! It took the help of other priests – a college chaplain, as well as those who succeeded our founding pastor – to reverse my attitude. These men were more like one of my heroes, St. Lawrence. He is the third century Roman martyr who saw the lame, the blind, and the poor members of the church as its true treasures. With their encouragement, I began to participate in parish life and to discover a God of mercy who loves me and welcomes me as I am.

 

In the process, I came to realize that I couldn’t let physical barriers dictate my mood. It was my responsibility to determine whether I would be positive and caring or negative and bitter. It was something I could choose to do. Just as I could freely choose to use my wheelchair to get around, I didn’t have to let anger and resentment keep me from moving forward with the Lord.

 

This realization made a huge difference in my life. For one thing, it helped me to forgive the pastor who had caused me so much pain. And as my bitterness slipped away, I felt myself grow. No longer was I content with being a Catholic who simply “follows the rules”. I wanted to embrace my faith and live it fully every day! I wanted to be near Jesus and get to know his word and his love for me – regardless of whether I felt welcome at church or was physically able to do the things that everyone else could do.

 

It has been a pleasant surprise to discover how many things I can do. Over the years, I have used my gifts to serve the parish as a lector, sponsor, religious-education teacher, and outreach committee member. I wrote a series of parish bulletin articles on the role of people with disabilities in the church today. I have represented our parish at archdiocesan conferences. All of this has been truly healing for me. (…)

  

 

B. First Reading (I Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51): “David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone.”

 

The reading (I Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51) depicts the shepherd boy David, God’s “chosen one”, now at work to save Israel. In the battle against the Philistines the Israelites are the underdog. Goliath, a powerful and magnificently armed giant over nine feet tall, taunts Saul and his army encamped on the opposite hill. Saul and his men are terrified. Young David, sent by his father Jesse to bring provisions for his brothers in the Israelite camp, takes up the challenge. Trusting in the Lord, David’s fearless acceptance of the giant’s challenge shines out against the abject terror of the Israelites. David is convinced that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people who will be victorious. David overcomes Goliath with a sling and stone. The emboldened Israelites pursue the Philistines and rout them.

 

Today it is fitting to remember the many “Davids” in our society who fight courageously against gigantic death-dealing forces (cf. Maryann Gogniat Eidemiller, “Behind the Scenes of Pro-Life Movement” in Our Sunday Visitor, November 24, 2013, p. 18-19).

 

The faithful are supporting the pro-life movement in many small ways. Some contribute their art, legal or medical advice, knit blankets for babies, mail out requested materials, run crisis pregnancy centers, manage websites, make phone calls and otherwise contribute to protecting the dignity of life in all stages. “It is really a movement”, said Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (…)

 

“The vast majority of people in the pro-life movement are unsung heroes”, Doerflinger told Our Sunday Visitor. Although many have never been heard of nor received public recognition, they continue to be “of enormous importance” with their contributions. “One of the great reasons for hope in the movement is the active involvement of so many young people”, he added. “There’s a new generation who are very enthusiastic and very committed.”

 

And there’s no such thing as too young. “My grandchild who is 18 months old, prays with us for the babies”, said Tama Kain, who teaches religion and English at St. Patrick School in McCook, Nebraska. Kain organized students to collect diapers for an annual project sponsored by the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women who always exceed their goal of donating 50,000 diapers to Catholic Social Services and crisis pregnancy centers. The 50 participating St. Patrick students contributed 6,056.

 

When the collection ended in October, the students had a pro-life program and sang the song, “We Want to See the World”. The song was written by David Burke of Duluth, Georgia, a musician, composer of sacred songs and music leader at Mary Our Queen Church in Norcross. “When the melody came to me, I pictured an angel singing back and forth with children”, he said. “God sent me this sing to be heard by expectant parents contemplating an abortion.” The lyrics are a dialogue between unborn children who are asking their parents to bring them into the world. It’s the most requested song he’s ever written, and he makes the sheet music available for free to churches, schools and pro-life organizations (David-BurkeSongs.com).

 

When a group performed it at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C., Burke said, there was not a dry eye among the thousands attending. “God is using me as a vessel to bring his voice and message to the world in song”, he said. “I have a dream that some person comes to me someday and says my song made his or her parent choose life instead of abortion.” (…)

  

 

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. Is our love for our brothers and sisters all-inclusive, or do we give in to legalism, prejudices and other attitudes that create barriers and limit our care for them?

 

2. Do we believe that just as David slew Goliath by the power of God, we too will be victorious against the death-dealing forces in our society today through divine grace?

 

 

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO 

 

Thank you, loving Jesus,

for your courage to do good.

Give us the grace to overcome “barriers”

so that your healing love may touch the afflicted

at any moment and at any place.

Fill us with your all-inclusive compassion

and love that knows no seasons.

You live and reign, forever and ever.

Amen.

 

***

Loving Jesus,

make us courageous like the shepherd boy David

in our fight against the death-dealing forces of today’s world.

We love you, we praise you and we serve 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.

 

“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” (Mk 3:4) //“The battle is the Lord’s.” (I Sm 17:47) 

 

  

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

Resolve to help the disabled and other people who are physically challenged and enable them to experience the healing power of God. // Pray for the right of the unborn and for all the victims of illegal and legalized abortion. Do what you can to promote the pro-life movement.

 

       

*** *** ***

 

January 21, 2016: THURSDAY – SAINT AGNES, Virgin, Martyr

“JESUS SAVIOR: His Touch Heals … He Is a True Friend”

  

   

BIBLE READINGS

I Sm 4:1-11 // Mk 1:40-45

 

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:7-12): “The unclean spirits shouted, ‘You are the Son of God’, but Jesus warned them sternly not to make him known.”

 

In January 2014 I was in Cebú Island in the Philippines to attend the Santo Nino celebration. I had a chance to participate at the vigil novena in Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Mandaue City. I was awed by the thousands of people who lined up in snake-like formation and were patiently waiting to touch the Santo Nino. At the fluvial parade the following morning, a great crowd was lined up on the seashore. Many thousands more were on the bridge. Hundreds of boats with thousands of devotees accompanied the transfer of the Santo Nino from a wharf in Mandaue to a pier in Cebu City. The number of devotees waiting by the seaside to welcome the Santo Nino was unbelievable. They want to “touch”, even if only with their gaze, the beloved Nino, who is the font of blessing and healing.

 

In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:7-12), a great crowd seeks Jesus. His pursuers are not only from his native Galilee, but also from Judea and the border regions to the south (Idumea), east (Transjordan) and north (Tyre and Sidon). Pressing upon Jesus, they yearn to be healed. Indeed, with his “touch”, Jesus has healed the man with the withered hand, made the paralytic walk and forgave his sins, cured Simon’s mother-in-law of fever, liberated the demoniac, and cleansed the leper. Jesus has cured so many that the sick crowd about him. There is power in Jesus’ touch. The sick and the needy, through time and space, would continue to seek Jesus and yearn for his touch, for all who touch him are made whole. 

 

 

B. First Reading (I Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7): “My father Saul is trying to kill you.”

 

Today’s Old Testament reading (I Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7) depicts David as a victim of Saul’s rage and jealousy. David’s popularity grows with his victorious exploits and women sing praises of him to Saul’s disadvantage. “All that remains for him is the kingship”, Saul grumbles and he plots to kill him. Jonathan, Saul’s eldest son and heir, takes up the role of David’s protector. Jonathan extracts an oath from his father that he will not kill David. Saul relents and David serves him as before.

 

Jonathan’s covenant friendship with David is worthy to emulate. A friend in need is a friend indeed. The life of Saint Marianne Cope illustrates what it means to be a true “friend” for those in need (cf. James Breig, “Marianne Cope: America’s Other New Saint” in St. Anthony Messenger, October 2012, p. 41).

 

Barbara entered the convent and became a member of the Sisters of St. Francis in nearby Syracuse. Bearing her new religious name, Sister Marianne Cope taught school, was a principal, established two hospitals, and fostered medical education. Such talent and determination led to her being named Mother General of her order.

 

In 1883, Mother Marianne received a letter from the Sandwich Islands in the Pacific, which are now the state of Hawaii. It was an appeal from a priest for the Sisters of St. Francis to send someone to oversee “our hospitals and even our schools … Have pity on our poor sick.” The “poor sick” included those suffering from Hansen’s disease, the medical term for leprosy. The job description, which involved experience in both education and health care, fit one person: Mother Marianne. She replied, “I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen ones, whose privilege it will be to sacrifice themselves for the salvation of souls of the poor Islanders … I am not afraid of any disease; hence, it would be my greatest delight even to minister to the abandoned ‘lepers’.”

 

Mother Marianne led a delegation from her order to Hawaii and set about fulfilling the letter writer’s hopes. She told the sisters that their duty was, “To make life as pleasant and as comfortable as possible for those of our fellow creatures whom God has chosen to afflict with this terrible disease.” Up went a hospital on Maui; the care and treatment of lepers improved; a home for healthy girls whose parents had the disease was founded. Mother Marianne’s work naturally led her to meet another Catholic laboring in Hawaii: Father Damien Veuster, the Belgian priest who has been called “the Apostle to the Lepers”. After his death in 1889, Mother Marianne added his ministry to her own.

 

When she had left for the Sandwich Islands, Mother Marianne intended to stay only long enough to establish her order’s presence. Instead, she resigned her position with the order. Working with the victims of Hansen’s disease became her life’s mission. She died in Hawaii in 1918.

  

  

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. Do we seek Jesus and yearn to “touch” him?

 

2. Do I have a friend who cares for me in my need? Am I a friend to those in need?

 

  

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

Jesus,

your touch heals

and your power drives out the evil that threatens us.

You are always there for us.

We extend our hand to touch you

and you allow yourself to be touched.

We praise and bless you

for you are our Savior, now and forever.

Amen.

 

***

Jesus,

help us to extend a friendly hand to those in need.

Let us be true friends to the poor and forsaken.

We praise and bless you

for you are our Savior, 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 had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing about him to touch him.” (Mk 3:10) //“The Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel through David.” (I Sm 19:5)  

 

  

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

By your act of care and charity to the sick and the marginalized, let the healing touch of Jesus come to them. // By your act of care and charity to the sick and the marginalized, let the healing touch of Jesus come to them. Be a kindly friend to them.

       

 

*** *** ***

 

January 22, 2016: FRIDAY – WEEKDAY (2)

USA: On this anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe vs Wade (1973), all dioceses of the United States shall observe a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Summons and Sends Them … Great Is His Generosity”

 

 

BIBLE READINGS

I Sm 24:3-21 // Mk 3:13-19

 

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:13-19): “Jesus summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.”

 

In yesterday’s Gospel episode we hear of the crowd pressing about Jesus, wanting to touch him and be healed. Jesus had to withdraw into a boat to avoid being crushed by them. Against that rather chaotic setting, today’s episode of the call of the disciples (Mk 3:13-19) seems so refreshing and peaceful. Jesus goes up the mountain and summons his chosen ones. And they come to him. He designates the “Twelve” and symbolically founds the twelve tribes of the new Israel, the Church – the new people of God. Their mission is to be with Jesus. The blessed intimacy with Jesus is a formative moment to learn the mysteries of the kingdom and the demands of discipleship. But the life of intimacy is in view of mission: that he may send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

 

Jesus Christ lives on in the Church. He continues to call his disciples that he may send them to preach the Gospel and exorcise evil powers. In 2003, I was in our convent in Staten Island to give a liturgy course to our novices. After the course, we went to a nearby parish to attend the concert of John Michael Talbot. His beautiful music manifests a deep spirituality and reveals his intimate communion with God. As God’s troubadour, he spreads the Gospel through his songs. During the concert, while John was singing and playing a guitar, the sound system squealed diabolically. The malfunction caused a great disturbance. John stopped singing and put down the guitar. He prayed. He invoked God to cast out the spirit of disorder and to restore the order needed to sing his praise. Immediately peace and order were restored. John continued his songs undisturbed. It was awesome. The power to cast out evil is given to Christian disciples even today. 

 

 

B. First Reading (I Sm 24:3-21): “I will not raise a hand against my lord for heis the Lord’s anointed.”

 

Today’s Old Testament reading (I Sm 24:3-21) makes me remember an incident that happened in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1984. A young Sister and I were walking home to our Prarthanalaya convent near the Bandra sea coast. A group of young men were sitting by the sea breakers. One of them eyed us with curiosity and called out: “Look at those girls!” His friend rebuked him: “Those are Sisters and you can’t fool with them.” I was touched by the respect he showed for us Sisters, who are totally consecrated to the Lord.

 

Today’s account depicts David as truly respectful and reverent with regards to God’s anointed. He could have taken revenge upon Saul, who has been pursuing him relentlessly and unjustly, but he shows extraordinary restraint not to harm the anointed of the Lord. Since piety holds back his hand from killing Saul, David looks to the Lord to vindicate him. David humbly presents himself to the king with a skillful speech so persuasive that Saul is reduced to tears. Saul responds with a confession of sin, an acknowledgement of David’s great generosity in sparing his life, and a prophetic announcement that David will be a king.

 

 

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. Do we treasure our vocation of intimacy with the Lord and faithfully respond to the mission we have received to preach the Gospel and cast out the power of evil?

 

2. Do we show respect for the dignity of every human person and especially for those who have been “anointed” or “consecrated” for God’s service?

 

  

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

Lord Jesus,

we thank you for calling the “Twelve”

and for summoning us to a life of intimacy with you.

Teach us, form us, mould us and consecrate us to your service.

Give us the grace to share the Gospel with the nations.

Grant us the power to cast out the power of evil in today’s world.

We love you and we put our trust in you.

We praise you and glorify you now and forever.

Amen.

 

***

Lord Jesus,

enable us to be gracious to those who have wronged us

and to show respect for every human person,

especially for God’s anointed and the consecrated.

We love you and we put our trust in you.

We praise you and glorify you, now and forever.

Amen.

 

 

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

 

            The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

 

“Jesus summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.” (Mk 3:13) //“Great is the generosity you showed me today.” (I Sm 24:18)

 

  

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

Pray for greater fidelity to the Christian vocation and mission. By your spiritual, moral and material help, promote and assist priestly and religious vocations in the Church. // Be gracious and forgiving to those who have wronged you.

    

         

*** *** ***

 

January 23, 2016: SATURDAY – WEEKDAY (2); SAINT VINCENT, Deacon, Martyr; SAINT MARIANNE COPE, VIRGIN (USA); BVM ON SATURDAY

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Misunderstood … He Is the Valiant One”

 

 

BIBLE READINGS

II Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 // Mk 3:20-21

 

 

 

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

 

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:20-21): “They said, ‘He is out of his mind.’”

 

Jesus comes down from the mountain with his twelve disciples. As before, people seek him for healing and crowd around him. Responding compassionately to their needs, he performs healings, especially exorcisms. The crowd is so great that Jesus and his companions could not even manage to eat. The situation alarms his over-protective relatives. They misinterpret Jesus’ intense preoccupation with the sick as madness. They try to take control of the situation and protect him from further folly. The relatives are appalled by his exaggerated ways and perceive his behavior as bordering on insanity. Thus Jesus is misunderstood and falsely perceived by his very own. In the same way, Christian disciples would experience rejection and misunderstanding as they proclaim the Gospel and carry out the ministry they have received from Christ.

 

The following charming story is about a Buddhist monk who, like Christ, is totally misunderstood and despised (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 120-121).

 

Gessen was a Buddhist monk. He was also an exceptionally talented artist. Before he started work on any painting, however, he always demanded payment in advance. And his fees were exorbitant. So he came to be known as the Greedy Monk.

 

A geisha once sent for him to have a painting done. Gessen said, “How much will you pay me?” The girl happened to be entertaining a patron at that time. She said, “Any sum you ask for. But the painting must be done right now before me.” Gessen set to work at once and when the painting was completed he asked for the highest sum he ever charged. As the geisha was giving him his money, she said to her patron, “This man is supposed to be a monk, but all he thinks of is money. His talent is exceptional, but he has a filthy, money-loving mind. How does one exhibit the canvas of a filthy, money-loving man like that? His work is good enough for my underclothing!”

 

With that she flung a petticoat at him and asked him to paint a picture on it. Gessen asked the usual question before he started the work: “How much will you give me?” “Oh, any sum you ask for”, said the girl. Gessen named his price, painted the picture, shamelessly pocketed the money, and walked away.

 

Many years later, quite by chance, someone found out why Gessen was so greedy for money. Devastating famine often struck his home province. The rich would do nothing to help the poor. So Gessen had secret barns built in the area and had them filled with grain for such emergencies. No one knew where the grain came from or who the benefactor of the province was.

 

Another reason why Gessen wanted money was the road leading to his village from the city many miles away. It was in such bad condition that oxcarts could not move on it; this caused much suffering to the aged and the infirm when they needed to get to the city. So Gessen had the road repaired.

 

The final reason was the meditation temple which Gessen’s teacher had always desired to build but could not. Gessen built this temple as a token of gratitude to his revered teacher.

 

After the Greedy Monk had built the road, the temple, and the barns, he threw away the paint and brushes, retired to the mountains to give himself to the contemplative life, and never painted another canvas again.

  

 

B. First Reading (II Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27): “How can the warriors have fallen in battle!”

 

We begin reading from Second Samuel which is the history of David’s reign as king, first over Judah in the south and then over the whole nation. Today’s reading (II Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27) contains the sad news of the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan. True to his noble spirit and remarkable reverence for the Lord’s “anointed”, David deeply grieves the fall of the great warriors, Saul and Jonathan. He tears his clothes in sorrow and, together with his army, fast for Saul and Jonathan and for the many Israelites killed in battle. Then David sings a dirge or elegy for Saul and Jonathan, extolling their courage as soldiers and depicting the union of their spirit. Above all, David laments the loss of a true friend, Jonathan, whose fraternal and sacrificial love surpasses the love of women.

 

The following modern day account gives insight into the deep loss and the mourning of David for the death of Saul and Jonathan (cf. Anne Blocker, “Losing and Finding My Father” in Reminisce, June/July 2015, p. 12).

 

Everybody was optimistic in 1945, sure that the war was coming to an end. Mother started making plans for the day when she received notice that Dad, 1st Lt. Henry Cochran, would be coming home. A big all-day celebration would take place with family and friends. (…)

 

On March 2, 1945, as Dad walked down a street in Dusseldorf, a sniper shot form an apartment window and killed him. Suddenly, our merry plans for a homecoming turned into a grief-stricken time of mourning. Dad was buried in Holland.

 

 

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

 

1. What do we do when, like Jesus, we are misunderstood and rejected?

 

2. How do we deal with the pathos of losing some one dear to us?

 

 

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

 

Lord Jesus,

you are the most caring and compassionate person.

You gave yourself totally on our behalf.

You were misunderstood, rejected and despised.

Help us to realize that suffering is part of our discipleship.

When we are rejected, we cling to you.

When we are misunderstood,

we trust that in God’s time, our accusers will see the light.

Bless us, now and forever. Amen.

 

***

            Loving God,

even David experienced the pathos of loss

and the caring love for a brother-friend.

Help us to nurture noble sentiments

of love, sympathy and care

for our relatives and friends.

Comfort us in moments of bereavement.

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.

 

“They said, ‘He is out of his mind’.” (Mk 3:20) // “They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan.” (II Sm 1:12)

 

 

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

 

When you are misunderstood and falsely criticized, stand firm and unite your sufferings with Christ. // Pray for the soldiers who sacrificed their life to defend the nation and its ideals of freedom, justice and integrity.

     

   

 

***

 

 

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

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