BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD
A LECTIO DIVINA Approach
to the Weekday Liturgy
CYCLE 2
ORDINARY TIME: WEEK 27-34
Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time (n. 97)
Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 98)
Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 99)
Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 100)
Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time (n. 101)
Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time (n. 102)
Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time (n. 103)
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 104)
Prepared by
Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang, PDDM
*** Text of the Cover Page ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 97)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 27
MONDAY: TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be a Neighbor … He
Reveals Himself to Paul the Apostle”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 1:6-12 // Lk 10:25-37
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 10:25-37): “Who is my neighbor?”
Tim Montanari’s story, “Saving Melissa” in Guideposts magazine (July 2004) is
notable in that it shows what it means to be a neighbor to one in need. Tim, a police
officer in charge of the anti-vice squad at St. Petersburg, Florida, met Melissa Collora,
the sweet little girl he used to babysit, after thirteen years as a crack-addicted prostitute,
caught in a drug deal in an alley of a notorious neighborhood. Tim remembered being at
the Collora’s home on steamy summer days when he was 15 or so, playing football in the
yard with her brothers. Melissa, about three, would sit on the swing-set clutching her
teddy bear, watching them with big brown eyes, so sweet and innocent. When she was
eight, Mr. Collora died and her mother remarried. Melissa’s stepfather abused her. In
1993 her mother committed suicide. Melissa went to live with relatives outside New
York City, where she discovered crack cocaine and life on the street. Tim, a man of faith
who tries to see the best in people, made every effort to help Melissa, to no avail. “That
girl’s a lost cause,” the officers in his squad said. “Why do you keep trying?” One day,
Melissa was ready for a change and appealed to him for help. Tim’s court testimony on
her behalf was instrumental in having Melissa’s imminent ten-year sentence at a state
prison commuted to treatment at the Walter Hoving Home in New York. Now Melissa is
doing well and recovering. Tim Montanari asserted, “What I did for her wasn’t much, but
I think it was the best thing I could have done.”
The Gospel reading on the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), which is set in the
context of Jesus’ paschal journey to the cross, underlines an important element of
Christian discipleship: love of neighbor. The parable of the Good Samaritan delineates
the Christian exigency of active service. Together with the story of the two pious
disciples, Martha and Mary (Lk 10:38-42) on the pre-eminence of listening to the word of
Jesus, the parable of the Good Samaritan helps depict Luke’s comprehensive image of
discipleship as love of Jesus present in our neighbor (active charity) and in his living
Word (contemplative prayer).
The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that the concept of “neighbor” is
not a matter of blood ties, nationality, or religious communion. There is no theoretical
definition of neighbor or practical limits to those whom we could consider a neighbor.
Our “neighbor” is the one to whom we draw near because he or she is in need of our help
and evokes our compassion. Harold Buetow, moreover, sees in this thought-provoking
parable a new definition of neighbor: “In the Book of Leviticus, the neighbor was one to
be loved, such as a countryman. The new definition of neighbor is one who loves.”
Furthermore, Luke’s parable helps us to focus on the figure of Christ, our ultimate
“neighbor”. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 6, p. 129, write: “He is the Good
Samaritan par excellence, beyond all comparison. No one has been or will ever be so
completely the neighbor of each person. He did not encounter them by chance on the
road. He voluntarily came to seek them, he, the Word of God who has taken flesh. He not
only did everything for them, but he handed himself over for them; he died and rose that
they might have everlasting life.”
B. First Reading (Gal 1:6-12): “The Gospel preached by me is not of human origin but
through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Today we begin the semi-continuous reading of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The
recipients of this letter are the predominantly Gentile converts in north Galatia who are of
Indo-Aryan origin and related to the Celts. Paul writes the letter around 54-55 A.D. from
Ephesus during his 3rd missionary journey. The dominant motif of the letter is: salvation
through Christ according to the Father’s plan. Paul opposes all those who refute or
jeopardize this reality.
In today’s reading (Gal 1:6-12), after greeting the Galatians, Paul does not make
an act of thanksgiving as he often does in his letters, but goes directly to the point. He
berates them for allowing themselves to the influenced so quickly and easily by those
who have distorted the Gospel. The culprits are the “Judaizers”, that is, Christians who
believe and insist that converts to Christianity should also observe Jewish practices, such
as circumcision and dietary restrictions. The situation is so serious that he condemns
anyone who perverts the Gospel proclaimed by him. The troublemaking “Judaizers” have
likewise challenged Paul’s authority as an “apostle” on the grounds that his commission
did not come from Christ personally. Moreover, they have also accused him of
opportunism.
Thus Saint Paul promptly defends his position as an apostle. He contends that his
authoritative commission comes from the Risen Lord himself. He asserts: “The Gospel I
preach is not of human origin. I did not receive it from anyone, nor did anyone teach it to
me. It was Jesus Christ himself who revealed it to me.” For Paul, there is no other good
news except the Gospel of salvation in Christ that he proclaims. His open attitude
towards non-Jews is not currying favor nor to be interpreted as opportunism. He is simply
a servant following the divine will.
The following story illustrates in a humorous vein the foolish stance of the
gullible Galatians (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations,
New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 70).
A Guru promised a scholar a revelation of greater consequence than anything
contained in the scriptures. When the scholar eagerly asked for it, the Guru said,
“Go out into the rain and raise your head and arms heavenward. That will bring
you to the first revelation.”
The next day, the scholar came to report: “I followed your advice and water
flowed down my neck. And I felt like a perfect fool.”
“Well”, said the Guru, “for the first day that’s quite a revelation, isn’t it?”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Did we ever ask the Divine Master the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal
life?” If yes, in what spirit or attitude did we pose that question? Are we truly neighbors
to those in need? Do we respond to them with compassion? Do we trust that Jesus is the
Good Samaritan par excellence and our true neighbor?
2. Do we cling to the true meaning of the Gospel or do we allow ourselves to be swayed
by false teachings that pervert the spirit of the Gospel? How are we faithful to the Gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
we no longer wish to ask,
“Who is our neighbor?”
But rather, we examine our heart and ask,
“Are we neighbors to those in need?”
You are the Good Samaritan, our ultimate neighbor.
With you living in us and we living in you,
may we incarnate your love
and serve those in need.
Give us the grace to perceive and to live out
the true spirit of the Gospel you have share with us.
We love you and adore you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with
all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Lk 9:23) //
“The Gospel came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:12)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for all of our neighbors in need of love and compassion. By your kind words
and deeds be a Good Samaritan and a true neighbor to those in need. At Mass, pay
particular attention to the proclamation of the lectionary text from the Galatians.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Welcome His Word …
Saint Paul Proclaims His Gospel to the Gentiles”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 1:13-24 // Lk 10:38-42
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 10:38-42): “Martha welcomed him into her house. Mary has
chosen the better part.”
One thing I have in common with Sr. Mary Adele Tozzi, now deceased, is a love
for pasta. One day as we were enjoying a delicious serving of spaghetti cooked “al dente”
and topped with dense tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese, she narrated a modern
version of the Lord’s visit to Martha and Mary.
Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a
sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening attentively to his
words. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do
you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to
help me.” The Lord replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried
about many things. A plate of pasta and a glass of wine will do.”
We hear in today’s Gospel (Lk 10:38-42) that in the course of his paschal journey
to Jerusalem, Jesus stops in Bethany to rest in the home of Martha and Mary. They
receive him with solicitude and hospitality. Martha’s type of hospitality, however, is full
of anxiety and her concern misdirected. She is more concerned with the serving than the
one served. Hence, Martha’s misguided hospitality provokes a good-natured reproach
from Jesus. He invites her to sort out her priorities and examine her concerns. Jesus wants
her to set aside the anxieties of a fretful hostess bent on preparing a perfect meal. It is
important advice given by the Divine Master journeying toward the Easter glory.
Martha’s desire to prepare a perfect meal and her anxiety for the “details of hospitality”
detract from what really matters: to listen to Jesus, the life-giving Word.
In the context of the total paschal event in which Jesus becomes the Bread broken
and shared for the life of the world, we can perceive that the true host in the Bethany
home is Jesus himself. He breaks the bread of the living Word for Mary, whose spiritual
hunger is satisfied as she peacefully sits beside the Lord at his feet, listening to him
speak. As the host of the spiritual feast, Jesus also wants the hardworking Martha to be
nourished by the bread of the Word. He seeks from her the hospitality that really matters
– the one that her sister lavishes upon him. Indeed, Mary of Bethany is an image of a true
disciple. She chooses the better part - the primary one - to listen to the Lord’s saving
Word in order to act upon it.
B. First Reading (Gal 1:13-24): “God was pleased to reveal his Son to me so that I
might proclaim him to the Gentiles.”
The reading (Gal 1:13-24) is a personal account of Paul’s conversion, vocation
and mission. He narrates to the Galatians that from a bold persecutor of “the church of
God”, he was chosen by the gracious God to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He
reminds the Galatians that he was ultra-devoted to the Jewish religion and traditions. But
God in his grace destined him even before he was born to be his servant. God graciously
revealed his Son to him so that he might proclaim him to the nations. Paul’s response to
God’s call is immediate, radical and intense. Because of his radical “conversion”, the
persecuted communities of Judea rejoice. Although it is God himself who chose him for a
mission to the nations, Paul sought contact with other apostles as well. Indeed, Paul
wants to prove to the Galatians that his mission of evangelization is legitimate in the eyes
of God and in the minds of the Church authorities in Jerusalem.
The following modern-day account gives insight into Saint Paul’s experience of
radical conversion (cf. Elizabeth Sherrill in Guideposts 2014, p. 373).
Mitsuo Fuchida, Japanese Commander: I flew to Japan to meet a man I’d hated
for thirty years – the commander who led the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.
Mitsuo Fuchida, a small, erect man of seventy-two, met me at my hotel in Kyoto.
As a translator repeated his words, I saw a boy dreaming of serving his divine
emperor by driving Western colonial powers out of Asia. “When we lost the war,
most of my officers committed suicide. But I had a wife and children.” He moved
them to a farm where, as he worked the fields, news of the war crimes trials in
Tokyo came over the radio. “It was then I learned about atrocities in our
prisoner-of-war camps.” In his eyes, I read the horror and disillusionment of this
patriotic man.
It was in a train station that someone handed him a leaflet written by an
American ex-prisoner of war. “But … the American wrote that he loved us! The
Japanese who’d tortured him!” This was because, the leaflet said, Jesus did.
Fuchida recognized that name: Jesus was one of the gods of the enemy. Fuchida
purchased a Bible and, alone in the farmhouse, discovered there were not many
gods but One, Who loved all people; Who came to earth not as an emperor but a
common workingman; Who said as he was tortured and killed, “Father, forgive
them, for they know what they do.”
“Why then … this Jesus had prayed for me too!” Tears trembled in his eyes as he
said this. By now I was fighting tears too.
To his countrymen, conversion made him a traitor; he and his wife received death
threats. “We do not care. It is better to die and be with Jesus.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are we hospitable? Why or why not? In what ways are we Martha? In what ways are
we Mary? Is our Christian discipleship characterized by receptivity and true listening to
the Word of God?
2. How does Paul’s experience of conversion impact us? Do we believe that we too have
been set apart by God for a particular mission in his compassionate saving plan?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Adapted from a prayer composed by Blessed Alberione for the PDDM Sisters)
Come, Jesus Master,
deign to accept the hospitality
we offer you in our heart.
We want to prepare for you
the comfort and the reparation,
which you found in Bethany,
with your two loving disciples, Martha and Mary.
In the joy of welcoming you,
we pray that you may grant to us in our contemplative life
that intimacy which Mary enjoyed,
and the acceptance of our active life
in the spirit of the faithful and hard-working Martha.
Cherish and sanctify us,
as you loved and sanctified the family of Bethany.
In the friendly hospitality of that house
you spent your last days on earth,
preparing for us the gifts of the Eucharist,
of the priesthood,
of your own life.
Jesus Master, Way and Truth, and Life,
grant that we may correspond to this great love
by sanctifying our apostolic services
for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity.
You live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(Cf. Opening Prayer, Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul)
God our Father,
you taught the Gospel to all the world
through the preaching of Paul your apostle.
May we who celebrate his conversion to the faith
follow him in bearing witness to your truth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken away from her.” (Lk
10:42) // “God set me apart and called me through his grace.” (Gal 1:15)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Thank the Lord for the gift of himself and his life-giving Word. Endeavor to
translate the Word you have received into your daily living. Continue to meditate on the
conversion and mission of Saint Paul the Apostle and let his personal experience impact
your life.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY
TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Pray … His Grace
Is Bestowed Upon Saint Paul”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 2:1-2, 7-14 // Lk 11:1-4
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:1-4): “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Today’s Gospel (Lk 11:1-4) presents Jesus praying in a certain place. When he
had finished, one of his disciples asks, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his
disciples.” It is the custom of a rabbi to teach his disciples to pray and John the Baptist
has done it. Jesus, the Divine Master, is happy to do it. Prayer is turning the heart toward
God. When we pray we enter into a living relationship with God. The Christian disciples
intuit that right relationship to the Father and to Jesus can be sought in prayer.
In response to their legitimate request, Jesus teaches his disciples the Lord’s
Prayer. It begins with a distinctive address for God – “Abba” – which means “Father”.
“Abba” is a term of endearment used by Jewish children for their fathers. The word
expresses the most intimate and personal relationship we could imagine of God. In the
Jewish scriptures, “Abba” contains also something of what the word “Mother” signifies
to us: tenderness, mercy and love. Jesus teaches us to pray first for the glorification of
God’s name on earth (“Hallowed be your name”) and the full establishment of his
kingdom (“Your kingdom come”). Then he shows us how to present to God our needs –
our need for his continual protection and providence day by day and our need for his
strength in the “final test”, so as not to succumb to temptation. Jesus underlines,
moreover, that our petition for divine forgiveness is deeply linked to our resolve to
forgive everyone in debt to us.
The following story illustrates the power of the Lord’s Prayer (cf. Helen Tutt, “A
Gentle Prompt” in Guideposts, September 2012, p. 39).
It was nearly midnight. The halls of the hospital were quiet as I started my
nursing shift. I flipped through the dayshift report to see which of the patients I
would be handling as the charge nurse that night. When I got to one name on the
list I froze. Mrs. C. Jackson. It had been years since I heard her name, but I had
never forgotten it.
Mrs. Jackson taught second grade in our small Texan town. To my shy, sensitive
daughter, Dana, she was a tyrant. Dana had always been a timid little girl. In a
group of strangers she could usually be found hiding behind my skirt. But Mrs.
Jackson had no patience for shyness. Often when Dana got home from school she
would collapse right into my arms, sobbing over some harsh words from her
elderly teacher. By the end of the year I disliked Mrs. Jackson just as much as
Dana did.
But Mrs. Jackson was my patient now. I was determined to give her the same care
I gave everyone else. But as I made my way to her room, all of my old anger came
back, worse than ever. What kind of care did Mrs. Jackson ever show Dana? I
thought. I stopped outside her door and put a smile on my face. I would show
Mrs. Jackson the caring respect I gave to all of my patients, but I certainly
wouldn’t have to feel it!
I pushed open the door. Is that really Mrs. Jackson? I wondered. The woman in
the bed was so tiny and frail, nothing like the ogre in my memories. I was shocked
at the change in her. She had frightened my little girl so much – now she looked
completely helpless. Moving to her side, I heard her softly speaking. “And forgive
us our …” she whispered. “And forgive us our …” Her forehead creased in
frustration. She struggled to remember the words, but remained stuck on the same
line.
Instinctively I took both of her hands in mine. “And forgive us our trespasses”, I
said. “As we forgive those who trespass against us.” We finished the prayer
together. Mrs. Jackson lay back into her pillows. I felt lighter too. My anger and
bitterness was gone, carried off with the words I had just spoken. I hadn’t realized
how heavy a burden I had carried until God took it away with a simple prayer.
B. First Reading (Gal 2:1-2, 7-14): “They recognized the grace bestowed upon me.”
In today’s First Reading (Gal 2:1-2, 7-14), Saint Paul continues his personal
account to the Galatians. Prompted by God and accompanied by Barnabas and Titus, Paul
goes back to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas/Peter and other Church leaders fourteen
years after his previous visit. In a private meeting with them, he explains the Gospel
message that he proclaims to the Gentiles. The leaders recognize that God has given him
the task of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, just as he has given Peter the task of
preaching the Gospel to the Jews. James, Peter and John acknowledge the grace that God
has bestowed upon Paul. They shake hands with him and Barnabas as a sign that they are
partners in the Gospel. The leaders in Jerusalem do not make any requirement regarding
following Jewish prescriptions. All they ask is that the needy in their group should be
remembered, which is exactly what Paul is eager to do. Indeed, solidarity with the poor is
a mark of new life in Christ.
Paul accomplishes his objective in Jerusalem, but not all difficulties are resolved.
While visiting Antioch, Peter succumbs to the influence of Judaizers and acts in a way
that contradicts the universal meaning of the Gospel. Paul rebukes Peter who is clearly
wrong. Thus Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, upholds that salvation won through the
mediation of Jesus Christ is for all nations. Christians are not required to follow the
Mosaic law on circumcision and dietary practices. In order to be saved one does not need
to become a “Jew”.
The following story gives insight into Paul’s difficult endeavor to let Christian
disciples understand the universal meaning of the Gospel of salvation (cf. Anthony De
Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p.
74-75).
An ancient philosopher, dead for many centuries was told that his teachings were
being misrepresented by his representatives. Being a compassionate and truth
loving individual, he managed, after much effort, to get the grace to come back to
earth for a few days.
It took him several days to convince his successors of his identity. Once that was
established, they promptly lost interest in what he had to say and begged him to
disclose to them the secret of coming back to life from the grave.
It was only after considerable exertion that he finally convinced them that there
was no way he could impart this secret to them, and told them that it was
infinitely more important for the good of humanity that they restore his teaching
to its original purity.
A futile task! What they said to him was: “Don’t you see that what is important is
not what you taught but our interpretation of what you taught? After all, you are
only a bird of passage, whereas we reside here permanently.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we treasure the Lord’s gift of prayer and do we allow the power of the Lord’s
Prayer to transform our life?
2. Like Saint Paul do we realize that God is at work in us by his power and that his grace
has been bestowed upon us for a particular mission in God’s saving plan?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Lord, teach us to pray.” (Lk 11:1) // “They recognized the grace bestowed upon
me. “ (Gal 2:9).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Thank Jesus for teaching us to pray the Lord’s Prayer and make a conscious effort
to translate into life the contents of this prayer. Be deeply aware of the grace bestowed
upon you by the Risen Lord for the service of his Gospel of salvation to all nations.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us Persevering and Trusting
Prayer … He Bestows Upon Us the Spirit”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 3:1-5 // Lk 11:5-13
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:5-13): “Ask and you will receive.”
In today’s Gospel (Lk 11:5-13), Jesus Master exhorts us to persevere in prayer
and to trust that our prayer to the “Abba” is answered. In the parable of the Friend at
Midnight, he tells us that a homeowner locked in for the night and already in bed with his
children, obliges to give loaves of bread to an imploring and persistent friend. Through
this parable Jesus teaches us to humbly present our needs to God. In contrast to the
“sleeping friend” inconvenienced by a midnight request, our Father in heaven never
sleeps and is ever ready to help us. God does not have to be cajoled into giving us what
we need, but it is fitting that we acknowledge intensely our needfulness for his grace. The
exaggerated case of a father giving his children snakes or scorpions drives home the
absurdity of thinking of the heavenly Father as harsh and cruel whenever our prayers are
not answered. God always responds to our prayers in ways that are best for us, though not
always according to our expectation or liking. The loving God wants the best for us - to
the point of bestowing upon us the Holy Spirit, his ultimate blessing. Jesus thus
encourages us: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door
will be opened to you.”
Mother Angelica of EWTN gives insight into the meaning of persevering and
trusting prayer (cf. Mother Angelica with Christine Allison, “Mother Angelica’s
Answers, Not Promises”, New York: Pocket Books, 1987, p. 102-104).
There is such a thing as a persevering prayer, and I want to mention it now so
that you can get your head out of “gimme” mentality with God. I’m not saying,
“Don’t ask him for things”. I’m simply saying that you might need to ask and ask
and ask, and that this might be His way of drawing you closer to Him or of
building your faith or of increasing your holiness.
A woman from Louisiana called the live show one evening when our guest was
Sister Breige McKenna, who has a healing ministry. The woman had an elevenyear-old boy who was paralyzed from the neck down. “For five years I have
prayed for his healing, Mother, and I’ve asked for the courage to stick with it. I’ve
received more strength than I ever knew was possible, and I know and believe in
my heart that my son is a perfect human being. But should I keep praying for his
recovery?”
Sister Breige answered with a story. She told the woman about a family of seven
from the Midwest. Their youngest child was a little boy who had a brain tumor. In
her beautiful Irish accent, she explained, “The doctors had thrown up their
hands. ‘No hope. No hope,’ they said. But the family continued to pray for the
boy’s recovery. “Every night before bed they would gather in Tommy’s room and
pray for him together. Two years passed, and the boy grew worse. ‘God’s made
up His mind’, the father said, and he stopped praying completely. But the mother
and the children persevered. Slowly, Tommy started showing improvement. Day
by day, he started to get better. And today, he is as normal and healthy a child as
you have ever seen. It was the father who told me this story”, Sister Breige
continued. “’If Tommy had been healed instantly’, he said, ‘the other children
would never have known about the power of prayer and the need for sticking with
it. And neither would I.’”
God permitted this child’s condition only because He knew that this family – all
seven of them – would be transformed by it. So always keep praying for your
needs no matter what. Never, ever stop asking God for His intervention and His
mercy. (…)
We all have worries and concerns about ourselves and other people. When there
is pain, especially another person’s pain, we want a resolution immediately, and
we see only one course of acceptable action. “Take the pain away.” “Help me
find a job.” “Bring my wife back.” “Heal my son’s drug problem.” But God is
answering your prayer for this resolution in many ways, through many voices and
even through Silence. Listen to Him. His answer may not be the answer you want
or expect right now, but He is telling you something at this very moment. Open
your heart to Him and let Him in.
B. First Reading (Gal 3:1-5): “Did you receive the Spirit from works of the law or
from faith in what you heard?”
In today’s First Reading (Gal 3:1-5), Saint Paul continues his efforts to make the
Galatians see the absurdity of going backward after the experience of “new life” in the
Spirit. By a series of rhetorical questions, the apostle wants them to reflect on their past
and present lives. The Galatians have already been justified by faith and blessed by God;
and all of that independently of the Law. Having received the Gospel of Jesus, the
crucified Messiah, they received the Spirit, experienced great things and even performed
miracles. Has that “experience” come from legal observance or from faith? The only way
Paul can understand how they could turn against their own experience is that they must
have been bewitched. The Galatians are indeed foolish to exchange the experience of new
life in the Spirit by allowing themselves to be subjugated by the “law of the flesh”, a
direct allusion to circumcision.
The following story gives insight into the absurdity that the “foolish Galatians”
manifest by succumbing to the influence of the “Judaizers” - those who believe that
Gentile converts should observe the Mosaic law (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A
Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 66).
“What a pretty baby you have there!”
“This is nothing! You should see his photographs!”
Words (and concepts) are indicators, not reflections of reality. But, as the
mystics of the East declare, “When the Sage points to the moon, all that the
idiot sees is the finger!”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we respond positively to Jesus’ teaching on persevering and trusting prayer? What
is our reaction when our prayers do not seem to be answered?
2. Do we allow ourselves to be swayed by false teachings? Are we like the “foolish
Galatians” who are absurd in embracing the enslaving message of false teachers?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
we thank you for teaching us
persevering and trusting prayer.
Even when our prayers seem unheeded,
we desire to persevere in them.
We trust in you for you act in ways that will be best for us
and for our greater good.
Help us never to reject our “new life” in the Spirit,
the ultimate blessing.
You are our loving Savior, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“For everyone who asks receives.” (Lk 11:10) // “Did you receive the Spirit from
works of the law, or from faith in what you have heard?” (Gal 3:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Today be very conscious of the power of persevering and trusting prayer and of
God’s awesome response to our prayer. Carry out a ministry of intercession for the
people around you and for today’s fragmented society. Pray for the grace not to be
bewitched or seduced by false teachings.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Exorcises by the Finger of God … He
Fulfills Abraham’s Faith”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 3:7-14 // Lk 11:15-26
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:15-26): “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out
demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”
In today’s Gospel episode (Lk 11:15-26), Jesus drives out a demon from a mute
man and cures him of his affliction. But his compassionate act is perceived very
negatively. Some accuse him of exorcising through the power of Beelzebul, the prince of
demons. Others ask for a further sign to make them believe. Jesus argues that Beelzebul
is not so foolish as to allow “infighting” and self-destruction. But rather, the Lord Jesus
routs out demons by “the finger of God” and brings about the “in-breaking” of God’s
kingdom. Jesus exorcises demons victoriously. He is the “stronger one” who vanquishes
the forces of evil. He is the mighty one who deserves our loyalty. With regards to our
relation with Jesus, there is no middle ground. Those who are not for him are against him
and they scatter. The example of the wandering unclean spirit that brings back seven
more wicked spirits to the place originally possessed reinforces the need to commit
wholeheartedly to Jesus. If the place vacated by the demon is not incorporated into the
kingdom of God, it is still Beelzebul’s and even more susceptible to his domination. To
be totally free from “inner demons” we need to belong wholeheartedly to Jesus, who
reigns over us.
Mike McGarvin (“Papa Mike”) of the Poverello House in Fresno gives insight
into the human struggle to be free from “inner demons” (cf. Poverello News, August
2011, p.1-2).
When a friend handed me an out-of-print book entitled Skid Row Beat, by Loren
Christensen, my curiosity was piqued. When my friend explained the author was
an ex-cop and a black belt in three martial arts, I was pretty much sold. I started
reading and couldn’t put it down. I’m not necessarily recommending the book;
it’s definitely not for the faint-of-heart. The author worked a police beat in
Portland’s extensive skid-row district for many years. As a rookie policeman, he
was shocked by what he saw. In later years as a veteran on the force he was more
callused. However, his book makes it clear that he was able to grasp the humanity
behind the debris and see humor in some of the revolting situations. (…)
Christensen divided his book into four sections: Sex, Violence, Excretions and
Characters. Those categories sum up what I’ve seen down here over the course of
almost forty years. Homelessness isn’t pretty, and I’ve gagged many times at the
sights and smells I’ve encountered.
There’s only one category that I think the author omitted: Jesus. My entry into
Christianity was through the Franciscan perspective. My early training in San
Francisco encouraged me to believe that in every food line on skid row, Jesus is
mysteriously present.
As Poverello grew, I came into contact with more and more Protestant and
Evangelical volunteers. Like the Franciscans, these people believed that Christ
was out there among the prostitutes, winos and addicts, but they also were
confident about Jesus changing the hearts and minds of people who seemed
beyond hope. Some of them were disappointed when they faced the stubborn
reality of hopeless resistance to change; others hung in there and nurtured along
some miracles.
Finally, I began meeting people from Twelve-Step programs who had faith in a
Higher Power. For some of them, that Power was Christ. A.A. (Alcoholics
Anonymous) and N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous) are spiritual programs, and have
been responsible for helping countless addicts find recovery, against all odds.
Many people who were down and out at Poverello House now have homes, jobs,
and happy, purposeful lives thanks to Twelve Step programs. (…)
The Catholics, Protestants and people in A.A. and N.A. changed how I viewed the
human destruction of homelessness. Believe me, the ugliness is real, and it’s
something that repels many people with good intentions. However, beyond the
ugliness, the deeper reality is spiritual. The spiritual reality helps me to realize
that each person walking into Poverello House, no matter how physically
degraded or emotionally tortured, is a precious child of God. Without that belief,
I doubt that I’d have the heart to continue showing up here each day.
B. First Reading (Gal 3:7-14): “Those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham
who had faith.”
In today’s First Reading (Gal 3:7-14), Saint Paul continues his argument against
the “Judaizers” by citing the Scriptures. Paul has perceived, through the concrete
experience of life, the futility of the Law petrified in traditions and institutions, but no
longer in the hearts. Jesus has been condemned by the Law to die on the cross and was
considered “accursed”. Paul himself in his zeal for the Law persecuted innocent people
and approved the stoning of Stephen. Hence, for Paul, salvation and justification cannot
come from the Law.
The apostle now presents the story of Abraham to illustrate that the righteousness
of the patriarch consists in faith and not in the works of the Law. The true descendants of
Abraham are those who, like him, live by faith, and not simply those bound to him by
racial ties. All nations will be blessed in him. Those who have faith are blessed along
with Abraham. Paul likewise underlines the “curse” that the Law imposes – the state of
slavery, the fear and dehumanization experienced by those who try to observe the
detailed legal prescriptions. By dying on the cross, Jesus Christ frees us from the “curse”
of the Law. In Christ, the promise of God to Abraham is fulfilled, namely that the nations
will be blessed. Through faith in Christ, we receive the Spirit promised by God.
Two stories here follow: one to illustrate “non-faith” (cf. Anthony De Mello,
Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 62-63)
and the other “living faith”, from a message circulated on the Internet.
An atheist fell off a cliff. As he stumbled downward, he caught hold of the branch
of a small tree. There he hung between heaven above and the rocks a thousand
feet below, knowing he wasn’t going to be able to hold on much longer.
Then an idea came to him. “God!” he shouted with all his might. Silence! No one
responded. “God!” he shouted again. “If you exist, save me and I promise I shall
believe in you and teach others to believe.”
Silence again! Then he almost let go of the branch in shock as he heard a mighty
Voice booming across the canyon. “That’s what they all say when they are in
trouble.”
“No, God, no!” he shouted out, more hopeful now. “I am not like the others. Why,
I have already begun to believe; don’t you see, having heard your Voice for
myself. Now all you have to do is save me and I shall proclaim your name to the
ends of the earth.”
“Very well”, said the Voice. “I shall save you. Let go of that branch.”
“Let go of the branch!” yelled the distraught man. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
***
From Carol, “Nativity Group Prayer Circle”, Nativity Church, Burke, VA, posted
on October 1, 2014:
A friend just got a text message from her brother asking her to shower him and
his parish in prayer. He is part of a mission and ISIS has taken over the town they
are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the
Christians and asking the children to denounce Jesus. He said so far not one child
has. And so far all have consequently been killed. But not the parents. The UN has
withdrawn and the missionaries are on their own. They are determined to stick it
out for the sake of the families - even if it means their own deaths.
He is very afraid, has no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who
have seen their children martyred. Yet he says he knows God has called him for
some reason to be his voice and hands in this place at this time. Even so, he is
begging prayers for his courage to live out his vocation in such dire
circumstances. And, like the children, accept martyrdom if he is called to do so.
She asked me to ask everyone we know to please pray for them. These brave
parents instilled such a fervent faith in their children that they chose martyrdom.
Please surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we trust in the power of Jesus to drive away demons? Do we commit ourselves
totally to Jesus and allow him to deliver us from all evil?
2. What does it mean to have the faith of Abraham? Do we try to live by that faith in our
daily life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ
who liberates us from the power of sin and evil.
Let your beloved Son-Savior reign in our hearts
that we may be delivered from all that could harm us.
In Jesus Christ we are victorious
and we rejoice in the glory of his name.
Help us to imitate the faith of Abraham
and let us rejoice in the fulfillment of that faith
through your Son Jesus, who died for us on the cross.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“It is by the finger of God that I drive out demons.” (Lk 11:20) // “Those who
have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith.” (Gal 3:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Humbly turn to Jesus for deliverance from all that could harm us. Be an
instrument of compassion and liberation for those in the bondage of sin and evil. Imitate
the faith of Abraham by trying to surrender to the divine saving will every moment of
your life.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY
TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Mother Is Greatly Blessed … Through
Faith in Him We Become God’s Children”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 3:22-29 // Lk 11:27-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:27-28): “Blessed is the womb that carried you. Rather,
blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
In today’s Gospel episode (Lk 11:27-28), in contrast to Jesus’ detractors who hurl
indignities upon him, whom they falsely accuse of diabolic connivance, a woman in the
crowd esteems him. She indirectly shows her admiration for Jesus by uttering words of
praise for his mother. Jesus delights in her praises, but wants to make their meaning
complete. Mary is undoubtedly blessed for having carried him in her womb and for
nursing him at her breasts. But in the context of Christian discipleship, in which spiritual
relationship is above physical relationship, Jesus asserts that those who hear the word of
God and observe it are more blessed. Mary is blessed to be his mother, but as the first and
true disciple, she is even more blessed for listening to the word of God and acting upon it.
We too are blessed to have Mary as our mother. Mary continues to teach us
conversion of heart and obedience to God’s saving word. The following story circulated
on the Internet shows how Mother Mary aids her children in distress.
The Rosary Converts Pompeii from Satanic Influence, Late 1800's
Bartolo Longo was born in 1841 to a devout Catholic family. When Bartolo grew
up he decided to study law. Naples at that time was undergoing a tremendous
spiritual crisis. Paganism and Satanism of all sorts were abounding. Bartolo was
not immune to these influences and became a satanic priest, much to the chagrin
of his family who tried their hardest to get him to convert.
As Satanism began to torment his mind, his family convinced him to make a good
confession. Alberto Radente, a saintly Dominican priest, helped lead him back to
the Catholic faith and encouraged his devotion to the rosary. Bartolo had a
miraculous conversion and in 1870, he became a third order Dominican and
chose to live a life in penance for all the terrible sins he had committed against
the Church.
One day, he nearly succumbed to the sin of despair, feeling that God could never
forgive the tremendous sins he had committed against the church. At that moment
he received divine inspiration and remembered the Blessed Virgin’s promise that
she would help in all their necessities those who propagate her rosary.
He set out to restore the dilapidated chapel at Pompeii and promote the rosary to
whoever would listen. Pamphlets about the rosary were distributed to help the
people learn to pray this powerful devotion. He tried to find an image of Our
Lady of the Rosary worthy of hanging in the chapel, but was only offered a wormeaten painting with an image that he felt was coarse and not worthy of
veneration, however he accepted it from the convent in which it was stored.
As Bartolo continued his work of propagating the rosary, the chapel’s
membership grew tremendously and many miracles began to be associated with
Our Lady of Pompeii. Cures and spiritual conversions occurred due to the
devotions through this new shrine. The people pledged their support to have a
large church built that would properly honor Our Lady of the Rosary.
In 1894, Bartolo and his wife gave the church over to the care of the Vatican. The
original image found in the convent was restored for the last time in 1965 and
Pope Paul VI crowned the heads of Jesus and Mary with diadems given by the
people of Pompeii. On October 26, 1980, Bartolo Longo was beatified by John
Paul II who called him “the man of the Madonna” and the “Apostle of the
Rosary”.
Pray the rosary to receive Our Holy Mother's heavenly aid in saving souls!
B. First Reading (Gal 3:22-29): “Through faith you are all children of God.”
In the First Reading (Gal 3:22-29), Paul explains to the Galatians the meaning of
the Law. Like the pedagogue in the ancient times, the Law provided discipline and
restraint until the individual reached the age or gains the skill of self-discipline and selfrestraint. The Law was in charge until Christ came to justify us with God through faith.
Now that the time for faith is here, the Law is no longer in charge. It is through faith that
we are all children of God. Saint Paul makes a beautiful assertion that we are baptized
into union with Christ and clothed with the life of Christ himself. So fully are we
transformed into Christ that there is no longer the difference between Jews and Gentiles,
slave and freeman, male and female among us. We are all now one in Christ Jesus. And if
we belong to Christ then we are heirs of Abraham and inherit the fulfillment of the
promises made to Abraham.
Against this Pauline vision, which is yet to be fully realized in the family of
nations, the initiative of Pope Francis to gather the Israeli and Palestinian Presidents and
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomaios I in the Vatican Gardens on
June 8, 2014, to pray for peace brings us hope. The following are excerpts from the
prayers for peace that representatives of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities
recited in that encounter (cf. L’Osservatore Romano, June 13, 2014, p. 8).
Jewish Community: Lord of Peace, Divine Ruler, to whom peace belongs! Maker
of Peace, Creator of all things! May it be Your will to put an end to war and
bloodshed in the world, and to spread a great and wonderful peace over the
whole world, so that one nation shall not lift a sword against another nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore. Help us and save us all.
***
Christian Community: Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there
is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord,
harmony; where there is error, truth; where there is doubt, faith; where there is
despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to
be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we
receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are
born to eternal life.
***
Muslim Community: Praise to God, merciful, compassionate, king, holy, peace,
faith, sovereign, precious, mighty, proud, creator, maker, former. O God, You are
peace, and peace is from You, and to You peace returns. You are blessed and You
are glorified. O Master of splendor and honor, inspire us, O Lord, with peace and
reveal to us peace and make us dwellers in the realm of peace, among those who
do not live in fear or sorrow.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What role does Mary carry out in our life? Do we look upon her as truly blessed as the
Mother of God and as a true disciple who hears the word of God and keeps it?
2. Do we believe that through faith we are all children of God? What do we do to
promote the unity of God’s children?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving Father,
we thank you for Jesus,
your beloved Son and Word made flesh.
We thank you for Mary,
who carried him in her womb
and nursed him at her breasts.
We thank you for her beatitude
as the mother of Jesus and the disciple of the Word.
Help us to imitate Mary
in hearing the Word and acting upon it.
Let Mary guide us in our quest for peace and unity.
You live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Lk 11:28) //
“Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:26)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Practice daily Bible reading and meditation that, like Mary, we may learn to hear
the word of God and observe it. Pray for the unity of God’s children and do what you can
to promote interreligious dialogue.
*** Text of 27th Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 98)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 28
MONDAY: TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Gives Them the Sign of Jonah … He
Has Set Us Free”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 // Lk 11:29-32
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:29-32): “This generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be
given it, except the sign of Jonah.”
I have a beautiful statue of the Holy Child Jesus (known in the Philippines as
Santo Niño). It is enthroned in a prominent place in my room. Every morning and
evening I kneel before him and offer special prayers for vocations. One day in 2012 I
received a new assignment. From our convent in San Jose I was to be transferred to
Fresno. But I was not sure whether I would bring the statue with me or leave it at our San
Jose convent. I prayed to the Santo Niño to give me a “sign” where he wanted to be. By
chance, I mentioned to Sr. Mary Lucy that I was praying for a “sign”. She spontaneously
remarked: “Leave the Santo Niño in San Jose. I will keep it in my room.” That was the
“sign” I was waiting for!
In today’s Gospel episode (Lk 11:29-32), the adversaries of Jesus ask for a “sign”,
but he refuses to oblige to their terms. It is futile to give a further sign to an “evil
generation” that chooses not to believe. His opponents have accused him of driving out
demons by the power of Beelzebul. They have also demanded from him a sign of divine
authority - proof that his authority comes from God and not from the prince of demons.
Jesus counters that they will not be given any sign, except the “sign of Jonah”. Jonah was
a prophet sent by God to the Ninevites to move them to conversion. Just as Jonah became
a sign and means of salvation for the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be the sign and
means of salvation for all generations and creation.
The pagan Ninevites and the Queen of the South are models of receptivity to the
Word that summons us to conversion. Jesus is the incarnate wisdom and, as the Word of
God, he is more than Jonah. Hence, the “paschal sign” of Christ is infinitely more
powerful and efficacious than the “sign of Jonah”. Through Jonah, God generously
extended forgiveness and salvation to the Assyrian Ninevites, a Gentile nation. But
through the “Son of Man” Jesus Christ, God extends forgiveness and salvation to all
nations.
B. First Reading (Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1): “We are children not of the slave
woman but of the freeborn woman.”
In today’s First Reading (Gal. 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1), Paul continues to
underline the status of liberty already acquired by the Galatians when they received the
Christian faith. Those who are in Christ are no longer subject to the Law. In the new life
in Christ, there is no place for slavery. Using the allegory of Sarah and her children of
freedom, in contrast to Hagar and her children of slavery, Paul refutes the Judaizers’
contention that Christians must follow the Torah’s legal prescriptions. Hagar represents
the Sinai covenant that “enslaves” the children to the Law. Sarah represents the Abraham
covenant, a context entirely free from the Torah’s legal prescriptions. For the apostle
Paul, the example of Sarah and Hagar supports the reality that in Christ, God’s new
freedom reigns. Paul’s statement to the Galatians is emphatic: “For freedom Christ set us
free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Indeed, to return to
“circumcision” is to fall into slavery; to adopt the practices of the Judaizers is to forfeit
Christian freedom.
The following story illustrates what it means to live Christ’s gift of “freedom” (cf.
Elizabeth Sherrill in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 317).
Dick Riley, Accountant: It was twelve-year-old Liz’s turn to go with me on an
interview. But, oh dear, I thought as we set out in the car for Pennsylvania, how
would she react when she saw Dick Riley?
Sixteen years earlier, an ambitious young man with a wife and a baby on the way,
Dick had fallen from a ladder. Paralyzed except for partial use of one arm, his
legs had been amputated so he could turn himself in bed.
“You mustn’t cry”, I coached Liz. “You mustn’t act sorry for him.”
Dick’s wife led me to the room where he sat in a motorized bed surrounded by the
files of his accounting business. I wrenched my eyes from the sheet – too flat
where his body ended at the hips – and met a pair of smiling eyes. “I didn’t use to
smile”, he told me. “All I cared about was getting rich fast.” Too fast to follow
tedious safety rules for ladder use. As for smiling: “Only at someone who could
help me get ahead.”
After the interview, Dick turned to Liz. Who was her best friend? What was her
hardest class? “I’ll pray at exam time.” When teenage Dicky came home, his
father asked after an ailing schoolmate. A client phoned. “I won’t charge him”,
Dick said afterward. “He’s struggling to keep his kid in college.”
And that self-absorbed young man he used to be? “He was a lot more
handicapped than I am. Sure, I’m trapped in thus useless body, but when you’re
wrapped up in yourself, that’s the real prison.”
Grant me the true liberty, Father, of self-forgetfulness.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are we receptive to the grace of God and his living Word calling us to conversion? Do
we greatly welcome the “sign of Jonah” into our lives?
2. Do we believe that Christ has set us free? How do we live out our freedom as children
of God? Do we allow ourselves to be subjected to various “enslavements”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
we thank you for being the “sign of Jonah” par excellence.
Help us to welcome the “paschal sign”
of your death and resurrection into our life.
Let not the pagan Ninevites and the Queen of the South condemn us,
but let their positive response be our own inspiration.
For freedom, your Son has set us free.
Do not allow us to become slaves again.
You live and reign,
forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“No sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” (Lk 11:29) // “For freedom
Christ set us free.” (Gal 5:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for those who have difficulty perceiving and welcoming the “sign of Jonah”
and the “paschal sign” of Jesus Christ into their life. By your acts of charity enable the
people around you to relish the “paschal sign” of Christ who calls us to salvation and
sanctification. By your daily self-renunciation, endeavor to live the freedom of the
children of God.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches the Importance of Almsgiving
,,, He Shows Us that Faith Works through Love”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 5:1-6 // Lk 11:37-41
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:37-41): “Give alms and behold, everything will be clean for
you.”
When I was a young girl, I was trained to scoop up a cup of grains from the rice
bin whenever the “alabado” (a beggar) knocked at our door. I would solemnly offer it to
him. He would pour my offering in his woven basket and utter words of blessing. That
childhood formation on almsgiving had a great effect on me. It helped me to be more
compassionate and caring for the poor and needy.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 11:37-41) contains a revolutionary statement of Jesus about
almsgiving. In the context of his polemic with the Pharisees, who are more concerned
with ritual cleanliness than with cleanliness of the soul, Jesus asserts: “But as to what is
within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” Indeed, almsgiving is
purifying. It liberates us from evil tendencies that lead to self-destruction. Jesus teaches
the ritually conscious Pharisees and all of us that charity is above hand-washing rules and
other humanly contrived regulations that are hard to bear. Jesus motivates his disciples to
be deeply concerned with the needy and vulnerable. To take a legalistic stance and a
hypocritical attitude would seriously compromise the meaning of Christian discipleship,
which is deeply animated by love of God and neighbor.
The following article, circulated on the Internet, gives insight into the importance
of almsgiving in the Christian life.
“Alms” is a word from Old English that refers to something, like food or money,
given to the poor. As a practice, almsgiving can include many things, such as
making a donation to a charitable organization or tithing to a religious institution
(that is, giving one-tenth a part of something). Almsgiving is part of our baptismal
calling, as it is one way to take care of our brothers and sisters, both locally and
globally, and to provide for the needs of the “least of these.” In a sense,
almsgiving is putting money where our mouths are, that is, giving a material gift
as a sign of our commitment to follow in the steps of Jesus.
Like fasting, almsgiving is a practice that encourages us to think about our lives
and ourselves in new ways. Almsgiving encourages focusing on what we have to
give, rather than on what we can get for ourselves. It also can help correct our
attitude toward material possessions. Rather than hoarding our things out of fear
that we may not have enough, almsgiving encourages us to express gratitude for
all that God has given to us by giving some away. Small acts of almsgiving help
us to grow in charity, leading toward recognition of Jesus Christ in the poor of
our world. Almsgiving takes us beyond an attitude of “it’s just me and God,” as
we respond to the needs of others, of those who participate in the Body of Christ
with us. (…)
Almsgiving and tithing do not have to involve money. Take a look at your closet
and what is in your room. Could you donate 10% of your clothes, items that are in
good condition that you do not use but that someone else could? Do you have
books in good condition that could be donated to a homeless shelter or school?
Think about how many hours of “free time” you have each week. Could you
donate 10% of that time to charity or justice work — serving lunch at a soup
kitchen, writing letters for Amnesty International, joining Big Brother/Big Sister?
B. First Reading (Gal 5:1-6): “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for
anything, but only faith working through love.”
In today’s first reading (Gal 5:1-6), Saint Paul underlines that justification in
Christ produces a new Christian identity. The Christian believers are now righteous and
free. Paul authoritatively exhorts the Galatians to remain free. He warns them that to
return to circumcision is to be obliged to observe the entire Law. The real issue, however,
is not circumcision or non-circumcision. The fundamental opposition is between the
justice sought in the fulfillment of the Law and the justice caused by God, that is, the
salvation won for us by the innocent crucified Jesus Christ. The justice through legal
observance “enslaves” while the justice through faith in Christ frees, produces life and
saves. Our hope of righteousness is based not on the Law, but on Christ’s redeeming act.
Moreover, when we are in union with Christ Jesus what matters is faith that works
through love. Freedom in Christ is manifested in communitarian and disinterested love.
The following modern day account gives insight into “the faith that works through
love” (cf. Rebecca Ondov in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 80).
Unrelenting screams drifted down the Jetway and through the plane as I searched
for my seat. Scooting next to the window, I stuffed my long legs in place and
looked up to see a mother wrestling with a three-year-old boy – the source of the
screams – into the seat next to mine. I closed my eyes. God, this must be a
mistake.
In spite of the mother’s trying to comfort her son, the screams escalated when the
plane lurched back from the gate and rumbled down the runway. My ears
throbbed. Staring out the window, I whined, God please shut him up. Yet in spirit
I heard, “Help him.” But, God, I don’t have anything to offer. “Show him My
mercy.”
I groaned. A white jet stream zigzagged across the sky. I looked at the boy. “Can
you see that cloud?” Tears streamed down his face. I continued, “That’s a jet.”
The boy’s brow furrowed. I asked, “Do you ever watch jets fly overheard?” He
sniffed and nodded. I managed a smile. “Did you know that there are little boys
watching us fly over? Let’s wave at them.”
His face brightened as he peered out the window, waved, and said, “Hi, little
boys.”
The rest of the trip he waved while his mother and I chatted. When we deplaned
his mother said, “I sure am glad that you sat next to us.”
I grinned. “Me, too.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we realize the importance of “almsgiving” in the practice of Christian discipleship
and in the cleansing of evil tendencies that lead to self-destruction? Are we guilty of
concerning ourselves with external observances but not with inner attitudes and personal
integrity?
2. Do we manifest our living faith through works of love?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus,
we thank you for calling us to personal integrity
and for teaching us
that charity preempts mere legal observance.
Help us to appreciate
the power and beauty of almsgiving.
Grant us the grace
to exercise almsgiving creatively and efficaciously.
Let us manifest our living faith through works of love.
You are our self-giving Lord, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” (Lk 11:41) // “What
matters is faith that works through love.” (Gal 5:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Practice almsgiving creatively and with personal dedication. In your daily life
manifest your faith through works of love.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY
TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Denounces the Pharisees and the
Lawyers … e Teaches Us How to Live by the Spirit”
BIBLE READINGS
Gal 5:18-25 // Lk 11:42-46
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:42-46): “Woe to you Pharisees! Woe also to you scholars of
the law!”
A religious habit, the special dress worn by Sisters, is a sign of religious
consecration and a witness to poverty. To wear a religious habit entails blessings as well
as responsibilities. People have high expectations of those wearing a religious habit. They
are deluded when a Sister’s behavior does not conform to the high ideals they profess.
Once, I was at a crowded boarding area in the Houston airport, trying to catch my
connecting flight to San Jose. Since I was eager to board immediately and find a space
for my bulky carry-on luggage, I unwittingly cut into the passengers’ line. One disgusted
lady muttered: “How shameful!” I felt very sorry and ashamed. The irked passenger was
justified in chastising me. I therefore resolved to be more attentive and respectful of the
rights of other passengers.
In today’s Gospel episode (Lk 11:42-46), Jesus is fully justified in chastising the
Pharisees and scribes for their lapses and hypocrisy. They have distorted their priorities
and have neglected the essentials. They pay tithes meticulously, but fail to pay the debt of
justice and charity. They seek recognition in synagogues and marketplaces, but fail to
give honor to God through integrity of heart. They are to lead the people on the right
path, but by their hypocrisy and false teachings they lead them astray instead. Hence, his
description of them as “unseen graves” is very fitting. Jesus likewise admonishes the
scholars of the law for imposing on people heavy burdens which they themselves do not
wish to carry. They use the law to punish the people instead of interpreting it for them as
a gift of God. The Pharisees and scribes, having studied the Torah and the prophetic
writings, should have set their priorities right. With all the special resources and tools
they have received, they should have known better. On account of the greater graces they
have received, they have greater accountability and responsibility.
B. First Reading (Gal 5:18-25): “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified
their flesh with its passions and desires.”
We conclude the liturgical reading of Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians on a
positive note. Today’s passage (Gal 5:18-25) underlines that the Christian has died not
only to the Law but also to his “self” (sarx), with all its earthbound, limited and
degrading tendencies. The lifestyle of a Christian is characterized by vitality, that is, by a
living relationship with Christ in the Spirit. Those who live by the Spirit bear the “fruit of
the Spirit”, which is love, joy, peace, patience kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. This is to be contrasted with the deeds of the “flesh”, which
can be clustered into four groups: sexual aberrations (immorality, impurity,
licentiousness); heathen worship (idolatry, sorcery); social evils (hatred, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy) and
intemperance (drinking bouts, orgies and the like). Although the tendencies of the flesh
do not disappear in human beings, Saint Paul reminds us that those who belong to Christ
have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. Moreover, if we live in the Spirit
and follow the lead of the Spirit, we prevail over the power of the flesh.
The following personal account illustrates a Christian’s struggle to live by the
lead of the Spirit (cf. Debbi Macomber in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 135).
My husband and I both grew up in small towns. Colville, Washington, Wayne’s
hometown, had the only stoplight in the entire county when we got married.
Twenty-four years ago, when we moved to Port Orchard, there was only one
stoplight in town. Even now neither of us is accustomed to dealing with a lot of
traffic. We know we’re spoiled, and that’s the way we like it.
When Jazmine, our oldest granddaughter was around three years old, I picked
her up in Seattle and drove her to Port Orchard. As luck would have it, I hit heavy
traffic. For what seemed like hours we crawled at a snail’s pace toward the
Tacoma Narrows Bridge. In order to keep Jazmine entertained, I sang songs and
made up silly stories. She chatted away happily in her car seat. Not so with me.
My nerves were fried.
Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer. “Jazmine, just look at all these cars”, I
muttered as I pressed on the horn. What’s the matter with these people anyway?
Obviously, they don’t realize I have places to go and people to see. Normally the
drive took forty minutes, and I’d already been on the road an hour.
“Grandma”, Jazmine asked from the backseat, “are we in a hurry?”
Oh, Father, thank you for my sweet granddaughter and the reminder of what is
really important: spending time with her.
Here is another beautiful story. It is about an experience of the “fruit of the
Spirit”, a marvelous gift (cf. Tim Williams, Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 206).
Dianne, my wife, can tolerate a lot of pain, but her arthritic hip finally forced her
to accept that it was time for surgery. She was in the hospital for three days after
her hip-replacement operation. I was with her most of the time, but several
dedicated nurses were with her all the time.
Yes, we are grateful for the skills of the surgeon and for nurses who can expertly
find a vein when inserting a needle for an IV. And, yes, competence should be the
tenth fruit of the Spirit. But in the course of the minute-by-minute duration of
recovery, there is nothing more important than kindness, one of nine spiritual
gifts listed in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
“I’m just doing my job”, Nurse Kelley gently chided me after I thanked her more
than once for taking care of my wife. How wrong she was! Kindness is a gift, not
an obligation. Kelley, Bonnie, James, Lisa, and others whose names I’ve forgotten
gave us that gift, again and again, until Dianne was able to come home.
Thank You, God, for the kindness of others. Please bless those who share such
a precious gift.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do I behave in ways that deserve censure and condemnation? What do I do to rectify
the awful things I have done?
2. Do we live by the Spirit and follow the Spirit’s lead? Do we manifest the “fruit of the
Spirit” in our lives?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Heavenly Father,
we thank you for Jesus, the Divine Master.
He exposes our hypocrisy and duplicity
that we may rectify our evil ways.
He leads us on the road to wholeness and personal integrity.
Help us to love God wholeheartedly
and serve our neighbors devotedly.
Let us always live by the Spirit
and follow his lead in our daily Christian life.
Fill us the “fruits of the Spirit”.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“You pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.” (Lk 11:42) // “If we live
in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When you receive some chastisement for a failure or a misdeed, do not react
negatively, but humbly welcome it. Resolve to rectify your actions so as to become a
better disciple of Christ. Pray for the grace to always manifest in your daily life the “fruit
of the Spirit”.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Suffered Persecution … He Calls Us to
Holiness”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 1:1-10 // Lk 11:47-54
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:47-54): “The blood of the prophets is required, from the
blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah.”
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 11:47-54), Jesus calls the scribes or teachers of the
Law to accountability. They build fine tombs for the prophets their ancestors murdered.
But their hostility and resistance to Jesus’ prophetic words replicate the very actions of
their ancestors who persecuted and killed the prophets. Moreover, the Divine Master
lambastes them for “taking away the key of knowledge”. They have distorted the true
understanding of God and salvation. By perverting and misusing the Law, they are not
able to enter God’s kingdom and stop others who are trying to come in. Today’s episode
ends ominously. When Jesus leaves, the scribes join the Pharisees in criticizing him
bitterly. Moreover, they lay traps for him, intending to catch him saying something
wrong.
The following modern day account gives insight into the hostility and persecution
that Jesus suffered (cf. Elizabeth Sherrill in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 220).
Rebmann Wamba, Presbyterian Pastor: It was a typical noisy market scene in
Kenya, except for the sudden silence surrounding the stall where Rebmann
Wamba had stopped to bargain over a stalk of matoke bananas. It was the same
at the poultry vendor’s, where he purchased a chicken (live), and the tea seller’s,
where he counted out the copper for two tea bags.
My husband and I were interviewing Wamba about his transformation from
violent Mau Mau chieftain to ordained Presbyterian pastor. Once hailed as a
freedom fighter, he’d told us, he’d become a despised outsider. We saw this now
ourselves as hostile eyes followed him on his errands.
The chicken and tea were luxuries in our honor. Wamba had invited us to Sunday
dinner with his wife and eight children in their mud-and-wattle home in Ngecha,
and afterward to the service at his church. Walls were all it had. No roof. No
floor. But a congregation overflowing the wood-plank benches. A drummer beat
out the rhythm of a joyous opening hymn. For two hours, Wamba preached in
Kiswahili while we watched the rapt faces of this embattled minority.
With the closing hymn, a collection was taken. The congregation’s offerings,
Wamba has told us, were the church’s only support. I looked into the basket,
which held a few penny coppers, two eggs, and an ear of corn. How long, I
wondered, till a roof rose over these walls? And how long had I taken for granted
the roof over our lovely stone church at home? How long had I tranquilly called
myself a Christian and never encountered the hostile gaze of a neighbor?
Remind me, Lord, of all those who have paid the price for following You.
B. First Reading (Eph 1:1-10): “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the
world.”
We begin the semi-continuous reading of Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In
today’s reading (Eph 1:1-10), we are invited to contemplate the comprehensive character
and vast horizon of our vocation as Church. The author of the letter to the Ephesians
makes us relish the following heart-warming reality: God chose us in Christ. God has
bestowed upon us every spiritual blessing in Christ. One of the most remarkable blessings
for which we render the almighty God thanksgiving and praise is our vocation to be holy
and our destiny to become his adopted children through his beloved Son, who redeemed
us by his blood.
By the paschal sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the mystery or the marvelous plan of the
Father to unite all things in his Son is wisely and fully revealed. God destined people of
all races, both Jews and Gentiles alike, to share in this plan of total restoration in Jesus
Christ. Moreover, the heavenly Father gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit as a pledge of
this universal integration and cosmic unification. Our ultimate Christian vocation then,
which has its origin from God even before the world began, is to participate in the divine
saving plan “to restore all things into one in Christ, in the heavens and on earth”
(Eph 1:10). In Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we
look forward to be united with God the Father forever and with all creation.
The following story is a beautiful example of a person who played a wonderful
part in God’s plan of salvation (cf. “ErnstT” by Mary Chandler in The Way of St. Francis,
March-April 2009, p. 12-20). In his unique and humble way, the Swiss-born American,
Ernst Belz embraced his call to holiness and played an important role in restoring all
things in Christ Jesus.
Sometimes a small body contains a heart as big as the whole outdoors. My friend,
Ernst Belz, had such a heart. Standing four feet four inches tall, he refused to be
hampered by his physical limitations. He hiked. He skied. He was a mountaineer.
He lived life fully – and he touched the lives of all he met. Encouraged by our
writing class, Ernst collected some of the stories he had read to us into a book,
which he called Glimpses of My Life. The youngest of five children, Ernst grew up
in a remote area in the Swiss mountains. His life was never easy; but at an early
age he showed compassion for the needs of others. During the harsh winter
months, he put hay in crib-like stalls for the elk and deer so they wouldn’t starve.
He split wood for his mother’s cooking stove and her bread-baking oven, while at
the same time mourning the loss of the beloved tree that had been his friend. In
one chapter in his book he talks with a spruce that had to be cut down. The tree
convinced Ernst that its sacrifice would benefit the family as firewood and by
opening up more space and sunlight for other trees. Ernst’s final request to the
spruce was simply: “May I embrace you once more?” (…)
In 1934, Ernst immigrated to the United States on the Queen Mary. He
disembarked at New York Harbor, wobbly and unsteady on his feet after four days
of being seasick, and was welcomed by his sponsors, a young Swiss couple who
had immigrated earlier. “As we left the pier”, Ernst said, “it saddened me to
notice some lonely and rather bewildered immigrants whom nobody had
welcomed. Did they know where they would spend their first night on American
soil?” A month later, he left his friends’ home in Connecticut to live in a hosteltype facility, the Sloane House, in New York City. Ernst was determined to “make
it”. Every day he went job hunting. American slang proved to be a challenge. One
morning a student waiter asked him how he wanted his eggs. Ernst wondered how
to order “sunny-side up”. He asked for “two eggs looking at me”, which made
the waiter roar with laughter. One morning at Sloane House, a well-dressed
gentleman joined Ernst at breakfast and asked if he had a church home. He
didn’t. Ernst joined the group, made friends, and for the next four and a half
years these young men and women, he said, put meaning and purpose into his life.
Ernst landed his first job with a food importer and manufacturing company,
where he was expected to keep track of raw materials from the time of shipping
until the shipment arrived. He processed the documentation, particularly the
proper handling of the bill of lading and the negotiations of the letters of credit.
During the job interview, Ernst said, he was touched by his boss’ sensitivity
“when he was wondering if the chair would be comfortable because of my
height”. Three months after his arrival in the United States, Ernst had a job as
the assistant to the vice president. (…)
The final years of Ernst’s active life were spent with the Franciscans. A
Benedictine priest invited Ernst to the San Damiano Retreat House in the hills
near Danville in Northern California to visit his Franciscan friends. Ernst
learned that the Franciscans were beginning the “Franciscan Covenant
Program” for lay people, which meant that single men, women, or retired
married couples would commit themselves to live and work with the Franciscans
for a period of time and share their spiritual life. Ernst decided to leave his
position at the University of the Pacific to join the program three years before his
scheduled retirement. (…) During his time in the Franciscan Covenant Program,
Ernst served, for a few weeks each year, at the Paz Y Bien Franciscan orphanage
in Guaymas, Sonora Province in Mexico. “What a privileged opportunity it was!
This time I was working and living in the midst of about seventy children between
the ages of three and a half and eleven years. Although some of them were the
poorest of the poor, their happy and cheerful little faces seemed to light up the
whole world … I doubt that there could have been a more meaningful way for me
to end my active life than to serve in the midst of those dear, innocent little
orphan children.” In the picture he brought to class, Ernst blended in so well with
the children that he had to point himself out to us. (…)
Eventually, Ernst stopped coming to the writing class. The trip became too much
for him. He spent the last few months of his life in a care facility in Oceanside,
California, where he recently passed away. Long ago, Ernst came to the
conclusion that “economic success does not necessarily bring personal
contentment”. The orphans, “some of them the poorest of the poor, have nothing,
yet their happy, smiling and contented faces light up an otherwise dark and
hopeless world like little candles.” Because of his tender heart, his quest for
knowledge, and his loving outlook and philosophy, I was not surprised when a
friend from Oceanside, California sent me a clipping from the San Diego UnionTribune, dated May 12, 2006. At the dedication of a special Heritage Room, the
library director announced that the late Ernst Belz has bequeathed $67,667 to the
Oceanside Public Library. Somewhere, my small friend with his big heart is
smiling.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Have you ever met hostility or persecution for proclaiming the Christian faith? How
did you respond to it?
2. What is the personal meaning and implication for you of Paul’s affirmation, “God
chose us in Christ”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we praise you for the bounty of your spiritual blessings,
especially our vocation to holiness
and our pre-destiny as your beloved children in Christ.
By the strength of the Holy Spirit,
help us to participate fully in your saving plan
to unite all peoples and restore all things in Christ.
Strengthen us when we suffer persecution and hostility
for being true to our faith.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“They began to act with hostility toward him.” (Lk 11:53) // “He chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world.” (Eph 1:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for today’s persecuted Christians and see in what way you can help Christian
refugees. By your commitment to the dignity of the human person and the care for God’s
creation, endeavor to promote the divine saving plan “to restore all things in Christ”.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Encourages Us Not To Be Afraid … He
Continues to Unite All Things”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 1:11-14 // Lk 12:1-7
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:1-7): “Even the hairs of your heart have all been counted.”
The central message of today’s Gospel reading (Lk 12:1-7) is: do not be afraid to
speak out for Jesus and proclaim his kingdom of justice and right. The kingdom of God
message, proclaimed once by Jesus, must be repeated to every generation as a fearless
witness to truth. The all-knowing and compassionate God who cares for the sparrows has
even greater care for the faithful disciple who sacrifices his life for the spread of the
Gospel. Jesus argues that enemies may destroy the body, but not the soul. The worst
aggressions against the body do not always succeed in reaching the person’s inner core
where true dignity and greatness reside. God, who knows when a small bird dies and
perceives the destiny of each creature, is mindful of the trials and anguish endured by the
disciples on behalf of God’s kingdom. His Son Jesus therefore encourages us not to be
afraid.
Blessed Pedro Calungsod of the Philippines was canonized on October 22, 2012
by Pope Benedict XVI. The following, circulated on the Internet, is an account of his
martyrdom.
Pedro Calungsod (c. 1654 – 2 April 1672) was a young Roman Catholic Filipino
migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist, who along with Blessed Diego Luis
de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom on Guam for their
missionary work in 1672. Through Calungsod and San Vitores' missionary efforts,
many native Chamorros converted to Roman Catholicism. Calungsod was
beatified on 5 March 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. On 18 February 2012,
Pope Benedict XVI officially announced that Calungsod will be canonised on 22
October 2012
Calungsod (spelled Calonsor in Spanish records) was born ca. 1655. Few details
of his early life prior to missionary work and death are known. It is probable that
he received basic education at a Jesuit boarding school, mastering the Catechism
and learning to communicate in Spanish. He likely honed his skills in drawing,
painting, singing, acting, and carpentry as these were necessary in missionary
work. Calungsod would have been expected to have some aptitude in serving in
the Tridentine Mass (now known as the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite).
Calungsod, then around 14, was among the exemplary young catechists chosen to
accompany the Jesuits in their mission to the Ladrones Islands (Islas de los
Ladrones or “Isles of Thieves”). In 1668, Calungsod travelled with Spanish Jesuit
missionaries to these islands, renamed the Mariana Islands (Las Islas de
Mariana) the year before in honour of both the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the
Queen Regent of Spain, María Ana of Austria, who funded their voyage.
Calungsod and San Vitores went to Guam to catechise the native Chamorros.
Missionary life was difficult as provisions did not arrive regularly, the jungles
and terrain was difficult to traverse, and the islands were frequently devastated
by typhoons. Despite all these, the mission persevered, and was able to convert a
significant number of locals. A Japanese merchant named Choco began
spreading rumours that the baptismal water used by missionaries was poisonous.
As some sickly Chamorro infants who were baptised eventually died, many
believed the story and held the missionaries responsible. Choco was readily
supported by the macanjas (medicine men) and the urritaos (young males) who
despised the missionaries.
In their search for a runaway companion named Esteban, Calungsod and San
Vitores came to the village of Tumon, Guam on 2 April 1672. There they learnt
that the wife of the village chief Mata'pang gave birth to a daughter, and they
immediately went to baptise the child. Influenced by the calumnies of Choco, the
chief strongly opposed to give Mata'pang some time to calm down, the
missionaries gathered the children and some adults of the village at the nearby
shore and started chanting with them the tenets of the Catholic religion. They
invited Mata'pang to join them, but he shouted back that he was angry with God
and was fed up with Christian teachings.
Determined to kill the missionaries, Mata'pang went away and tried to enlist
another villager, named Hirao, who was not a Christian. Hirao initially refused,
mindful of the missionaries' kindness towards the natives, but when Mata'pang
branded him a coward, he became piqued and capitulated. Meanwhile, during
that brief absence of Mata'pang from his hut, San Vitores and Calungsod baptised
the baby girl, with the consent of her Christian mother.
When Mata'pang learnt of his daughter's baptism, he became even more furious.
He violently hurled spears first at Pedro, who was able to dodge the spears.
Witnesses claim that Calungsod could have escaped the attack, but did not want
to leave San Vitores alone. Those who knew Calungsod personally meanwhile
believed that he could have defeated the aggressors with weapons; San Vitores
however banned his companions to carry arms. Calungsod was hit in the chest by
a spear and he fell to the ground, then Hirao immediately charged towards him
and finished him off with a machete blow to the head. San Vitores absolved
Calungsod before he too was killed. Mata'pang took San Vitores' crucifix and
pounded it with a stone whilst blaspheming God. Both assassins then denuded the
corpses of Calungsod and San Vitroes, tied large stones to their feet, brought
them out to sea on their proas and threw them into the water. In the Roman
Catholic Church, Calungsod's martyrdom is called In Odium Fidei or In Hatred
of the Faith, referring to the religious persecution endured by the person in
evangelisation.
B. First Reading (Eph 1:11-14): “We first hoped in Christ, and you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit.”
In today’s First Reading (Eph 1:11-14), Saint Paul illustrates God’s plan to restore
all things in Christ. The Jews were first chosen by God as his chosen people in
accordance with his saving plan, based on what he had decided from the very beginning.
In the messianic time, God makes it possible – in Christ – for all peoples to be integrated
into God’s people. In hearing and responding to the Gospel of salvation, the Christian
community in Ephesus becomes part of the “the people of God”. They believe in Christ
the Savior and the Holy Spirit is the guarantor of their faith. The Spirit guarantees that the
divine plan of salvation will be realized in us all. Confronted by God’s grandiose and
magnificent plan of uniting all peoples and creation in Jesus Christ, Paul invites the
Ephesians and all believers through time and space to give glory and praise to God.
The following modern day account gives insight into Christ as the principle of
unity and integration of the human person and creation. Indeed, in Jesus Christ all things
hold together (cf. Melody Bonnette Swang in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 14).
We’d rushed my son Christopher to the emergency room with a serious back
injury. They took him in quickly for X-rays. I was directed to a crowded area
where other families anxiously sat, waiting for news from doctors. There was not
an empty seat in the room.
An elderly lady with the word Volunteer embroidered on her white lab coat
motioned me over. “Honey, there’s a place in the back that I can offer you to sit if
you’d like.” “Yes, thanks”, I said. I followed her to a tiny room and sat down in a
chair. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes.
I reached for the tiny silver cross hanging on a thin chain around my neck.
“Please take care of Christopher”, I prayed, “and, Lord, could You take care of
me too? Because right now, I feel like I’m falling apart.”
Just then the volunteer came back into the room. “Doing okay?” she asked.
“Better now”, I said, still touching my cross. I looked down at it. “This is what’s
holding me together right now.” She smiled and sat down next to me. “Have you
ever heard of laminin?” I shook my head. “My husband is a retired doctor”, she
explained, “and it’s something that he still marvels at. Laminin is a molecule that
helps our cells stick together. Without these molecules, we would literally fall
apart.”
She pointed at my cross and continued: “Interesting, isn’t it? When looked at
under a microscope, the laminin molecule is shaped just like a cross.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. In our Christian mission, are we brave and fearless in proclaiming the truth that is
Jesus? Trusting in the irresistible power of the Kingdom of God, do we respond
positively to Jesus’ exhortation not to be afraid in the face of trials and persecutions?
2. Do we give glory and praise to God for his marvelous saving plan to restore, or
recapitulate, all things in Christ? How do we collaborate in promoting God’s
compassionate and loving will?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus, you assure us: “Do not be afraid.”
Make us courageous witnesses of your Gospel.
We trust in the heavenly Father’s care for us,
knowing that we are worth more than sparrows
and that the hairs of our head have all been counted.
Loving Jesus,
you are the principle of restoration.
In you, all things hold together.
Let us promote in our daily life
the Father’s compassionate plan to unite all things in you.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Do not be afraid.” (Lk 12:7) // “You have heard the word of truth, the Gospel of
your salvation.” (Eph 1:13)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for Christian missionaries who promote the Kingdom value with courage
and conviction. Pray for those who have been persecuted, tortured and killed. In your
daily acts of charity and faith, be deeply aware that you are promoting the “restoration of
all things in Christ”.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Trust in the Holy Spirit
… He Is Head Over All Things”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 1:15-23 // Lk 12:8-12
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 11:27-28): “The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment
what you should say.”
In December 1989 I was to make a public defense of my doctoral dissertation,
“James Alberione and the Liturgical Movement” at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of
St. Anselm in Rome. I was anxious and distressed, but the Gospel reading at Mass during
the day of the thesis defense gave me strength: “Do not worry about how or what your
defense will be or about to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what
you should say.” The Holy Spirit truly came to my aid. Everything went well and I even
got a “ten out of ten” for my oral defense.
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 12:8-12), Jesus assures his followers through time
and space that they have the Holy Spirit to speak for them in times of trial. Christians
subjected to persecution have the Holy Spirit as their teacher and defender. They need not
worry how to defend themselves or what words to say when they are brought to court.
The Holy Spirit will give them strength and wisdom to witness to their faith in Jesus. But
they need to be receptive to the Spirit and allow him to work in them. To reject the Holy
Spirit who offers forgiveness, repentance and renewal is to reject salvation. Jesus’
contemporaries who rejected him during his earthly ministry would have another chance
through the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost. But to resist the Holy Spirit, the Easter gift, is
to refuse deliberately the Father’s saving will. To close oneself to the Spirit is to negate
the experience of God’s peace and reconciliation.
B. First Reading (Eph 1:15-23): “He gave Christ as head over all things to the
Church, which is his Body.”
According to St. Paul, the Church, whose head is the One seated at the right hand
in the heavens, is the fullness of Jesus (Eph 1:23). Just as Jesus is the fullness of the
Father, so the Church is the fullness of Jesus. Each one of us, as members of the Church,
is called to attain the full stature of Christ (Eph 4:13) and his fullness. As baptized
Christians we are all invited to attain personally to the full stature of Christ. To us is
given the mandate to proclaim the Gospel to every creature, so as to achieve the cosmic
fullness willed by God and hoped for by us.
The following family experience gives insight into what it means growing into the
full stature of Christ (cf. Scott Walkers in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 126).
How do you express gratitude to someone who has shaped your life? I pondered
this recently when I attended the seventy-fifth wedding anniversary of my uncle
Clarence and aunt Shirley Walker.
My grandfather Eddie Walker was a successful rancher on the high plains of
eastern Colorado. One day in 1933, he asked my father, Al. to ride with him to
pick up supplies. Walking into a store, my grandfather suddenly collapsed. His
stomach ulcer had perforated in an age prior to antibiotics. Within three days. he
was dead, leaving his wife, Callie, a sixteen-year-old son, Clarence, and my
fourteen-year-old father to run a ranch at the height of the Great Depression. It
seemed an impossible challenge.
However, Clarence dropped out of high school and poured his energy into saving
the ranch, insisting that my father remain in school and help only as time
permitted. Later, Clarence encouraged him to attend college. Over the next eight
years, my father earned a PhD in theology and became a minister, teacher, and
missionary.
As I flew to Colorado, I promised to say thank you. Clarence and Shirley are frail
and live in an assisted-living facility. Both are deaf, and there would be few
private moments for conversation. However, the time came on the evening
following the anniversary celebration. Sitting quietly by Clarence’s bed, I placed
my hand on his and quietly said a simple prayer of thanksgiving for a good and
loving man. I know he heard me and God did too.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. In moments of trial and persecution do you call upon the Holy Spirit to give you
courage and strength? How do you manifest your trust in the Holy Spirit?
2. Does the quality of my service promote a person’s growth in the full stature of Christ
and help achieve his fullness in all creation?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
help us to acknowledge you in today’s world
so that on judgment day,
you will acknowledge us before God’s angelic court.
In times of persecution and trials,
send us your Holy Spirit
to defend, teach and speak for us.
Help us always to be receptive
and obedient to his promptings.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
you have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
Grant us the spirit of wisdom resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened
that we may know the riches of glory in his inheritance.
We glorify and serve you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” (Lk 12:12)
//“He put all things beneath his feet.” (Eph 1:22)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In your resolve to give an authentic Christian witness invoke the Holy Spirit to
give you wisdom and strength. // Using a map or a globe, offer a prayer for the Church’s
mission to spread the Good News to all creatures and do what you can to promote this
Christian mandate.
*** Text of 28th Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 99)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 29
MONDAY: TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Essential One … He Reveals to
Us the Riches of God’s Grace”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 2:1-10 // Lk 12:13-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:13-21): “And the things you have prepared to whom will
they belong?”
Disputes regarding family inheritance can be very bitter and destructive. A priest
narrated to our Sisters an incident that he witnessed personally. He was called to assist a
dying rich man. While he was praying over him and administering the last rites, the
children were quarrelling in the kitchen over the inheritance. The priest was disappointed
and frustrated.
We see in today’s Gospel (Lk 12:13-21) that this is probably the same feeling that
Jesus has when someone in the crowd asks him: “Teacher, tell my brother to share the
inheritance with me”. Jesus’ response to the request shows that he is a wise Teacher.
Refusing to be dragged into the litigation, he denies any jurisdiction over the dividing of
inheritances: “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he turns to
the crowd, warning them about the trap of earthly possessions: “Take care to guard
against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions”.
As the Divine Master, he wants to show his disciples and would-be followers the true and
efficacious way of dealing with earthly possessions. Jesus does this by narrating a parable
about the hoarding Rich Fool. The latter is eagerly looking forward to a life of abundance
and leisure, unaware that he is to die that very night.
The final words of Jesus in the parable of the Rich Fool wield a cutting edge and a
tone of judgment: “Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not
rich in what matters to God” (Lk 12:21). The indictment against those who are obsessed
with material possessions should make us focus on what is essential. Romano Guardini
asserts: “Here is the sharp division between the essential and the non-essential … Eternal
possessions or temporal possessions – which are essential? Naturally, the eternal ones, for
the others fade away … The more deeply people realize that Christ is the essential, the
less concerned they will be about everything else.”
B. First Reading (Eph 2:1-10): “God brought us to life in Christ and seated us with
him in the heavens.”
The First Reading (Eph 2:1-10) delineates not only the abundant riches of God’s
mercy and grace, but also the need for a dutiful response to his forgiving love. Once we
fully realize how much God loves us, we are able to respond wholeheartedly and
spontaneously in loving deeds. Deeply conscious that we are recipients of the undeserved
gift of God’s love, we are filled with thanksgiving and contribute to the wellbeing of the
Church, humanity, the entire creation and the whole world.
The liturgical scholar Adrian Nocent remarks: “We contemplate the
superabundant grace the Father has bestowed on us. We are saved by grace. This grace is
inexhaustibly rich and makes our actions good in God’s sight … As we contemplate it,
we must grasp the marvelous coherence of God’s plan of salvation. But more than that,
we must ask ourselves how we are to live out the mystery in our everyday lives.”
Here is an example of how one can respond to the mystery of undeserved grace in
his everyday life (cf. Bob McGreevy, “Treated to a Blessing” in Amazing Grace for the
Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, et. al., West Chester: Ascension Press, 2004, p. 257258).
Walking out into a crisp September afternoon, my mood soared. My co-workers
and I had just completed the first milestone of a very important and complicated
project. As an energy and environmental comfort specialist, I had sold a product
for renovating the heating, cooling, lighting, and indoor air quality for a 220,000
square foot, ten-story building in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
“This deserves celebration”, I thought to myself as I walked into the convenience
store next-door. As I looked at the shelves for something to treat myself to, a
thought came to me: “Someone needs this more than I do.” It was not as if I was
down to my last dollar and had to choose between buying myself something or
giving to charity, but the thought seemed to be a direction – a prompting.
Recently, I seem to be getting more direction from God in my life since I changed
my morning prayer routine. My new routine involves sitting quietly and trying to
be fully present to the Lord, to be open to what He wants me to do. I am no
mystic. I do not hear audible voices, but I sense that this morning spiritual
exercise has helped me to be more in tune with God’s plan for me each day. On
this particular day, it would have been easy for me to brush the thought away and
go ahead and buy myself a candy bar or cupcake. After all, the idea that
interrupted my confectionary plans seemed totally subjective. I could choose to
listen to this soft prodding or brush it aside. I turned on my heels and left the
store.
Back outside, there were street maintenance vehicles and personnel working
nearby. I watched what they were doing for a few minutes. A man alongside me
explained that a transformer had blown the day before. The crew was working on
the repair. As we were watching the scene, another man walked up to me and
asked, “Can you spare fifty cents?” The middle-aged man looked homeless. He
carried his belongings in a bag. He had probably slept outside on some park
bench or in some doorway entrance. Despite his appearance, you could see that
he was probably new to living on the streets. He was certainly down on his luck,
but perhaps it was only a temporary situation. He had a pleading look in his eyes
as he quietly said, “Even a dime would help.”
I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and gave it to him.
The man looked at the bill and then back up at me, obviously surprised. Looking
me square in the eyes, he said, “Thank you! You do not know how important this
is to me.” He then turned and walked away with a livelier step than when he
approached. I watched him pump his fist and mouth, “Yes!” That look in his eyes
and that gesture of excitement gave me much more satisfaction that any treat
could ever have offered.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. How do I deal with material goods and temporal possessions? Is it obsessively, or with
true freedom and wisdom? How do I respond to Christ’s indictment: “Thus will it be for
all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God”? Do I
deeply realize that Christ is the essential? How does this realization affect my daily
choices and actions?
2. How do we manifest to the world that God is indeed rich in mercy? How do we share
the rich treasures of divine grace with the people around us? Do we realize that as God’s
handiwork, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works and that we are instruments of
the divine saving grace?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father, source of all good and rich in mercy,
you give to us the greatest gift - your Son Jesus,
the essential one and the ultimate good.
He is the Divine Master
who invites us to trust in your providence
and deal wisely with earthly possessions.
Fill us with concern for the poor, hungry and needy
so that we may share with them your blessings.
Let us listen to the voice of Jesus.
In him you have shown us
the immeasurable riches of your grace.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“One’s life does not consist of possessions.” (Lk 12:15) // “By grace you have
been saved.” (Eph 2:8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Thank the Lord for the blessings you have received from him. Then ask him to
inspire you how to share the goods you have received from God with others.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Ready … He Is Our
Peace”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 2:12-22 // Lk 12:35-38
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:35-38): “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds
vigilant on his arrival.”
Christian faith entails readiness and expectation of eternal glory. In the Gospel
(Lk 12:35-38), Jesus, the faith-filled person par excellence, invites us to deepen our faith
and calls us anew to vigilant faith. The liturgical scholar Adrian Nocent remarks: “Each
is called, during the night of faith, to stand ready for the final encounter unto which God
calls. This invitation is most important. Everything else must take second place when it
comes to having one’s lamp lit and trimmed, to being a faithful steward, to being always
alert and watchful by the light of faith. That is the lesson of today’s celebration. The
whole existence of the Church is a long, seemingly endless watch in which, century after
century, she awaits her encounter with the Lord. She is ever alert and ready, confident as
she is of the glory in store for her. Christ has promised that glory; more than that, he
enables his Church to perceive the sign of it in the Eucharistic sacrifice.”
When my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I witnessed how he
prepared for his final encounter with the Lord. Daily Communion and prayers were an
important part of his preparation. A naturally compassionate man, he started to give his
meager possessions as inheritance. I received a Hawaiian shirt, one hundred dollars in
cash and two very small plastic statues of Santo Niño and Saint Joseph, which I greatly
treasure. Above all, I witnessed how he was able to let go of a grudge that lurked in his
heart. He requested us to wear white at his funeral. The day before the Lord took him, he
was crying: “Lord, please come and take me with you!” When the final hour came, he
was ready to go with the Lord.
B. First Reading (Rome 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 2b-21): “He is our peace; he made both
one.”
In today’s First Reading (Eph 2:12-22), we hear of the redemptive and unifying
work of Jesus. He brings peace and reconciliation and makes the Jews and Gentiles one
people. He unites people of all races and brings them back to God through his paschal
mystery and in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the pastoral ministry to the people of
Israel and especially through his sacrificial act on the cross, Jesus Christ leads the
dispersed flock back to God the Father.
Adrian Nocent remarks: “We had gone astray, but now we are led by a Shepherd
who has given his life for us. We have become a single people and have access to the
Father in the one Spirit … The Lord stands before us who have gone astray and need a
guide: he stands before the peoples of our time as they seek for some unity in their lives.
Each individual wants unity within himself; human groups seek for unity; the peoples of
the earth are looking for common ways of thinking and for common life. There is only
one hope of succeeding in this manifold quest for unity, and that is to find unity in Christ,
who as Shepherd has shed his blood in order to bring peoples of the world together in
unity and peace.”
The life-giving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is in accord with the divine plan “to
restore all things”. Every Christian disciple, by virtue of baptismal consecration and
configuration to Jesus Shepherd-King has a duty to seek peace and to work for
reconciliation in our fragmented world. As Christians, we have tremendous responsibility
to promote unity within us and to bring healing to our wounded society and our deeply
afflicted world. God calls us to incarnate in our lives the pastoral mission of Jesus. Our
loving God the Father entrusts us today with the ministry of gathering his flock and
challenges us to “restore all things in Christ” by the power of the Holy Spirit.
R.W. Dellinger’s article, “GRYD: A More Comprehensive Anti-Gang Strategy”
in The Tidings, Southern California’s Catholic Weekly, is very inspiring (cf. p. 4 of the
July 10, 2009 issue). It illustrates the laudable effort of today’s concerned and responsible
citizens to eliminate violence and crimes in our society. Capt. Mark Olvera, of the Los
Angeles Police Department, and Father Stan Bosch are examples of those who continue
the pastoral mission of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in the here and now.
With more than 400 street gangs and 40,000 gang members – resulting in some of
the nation’s worst youth-on-youth violence – the City of the Angels has the
dubious distinction of being the gang capital of the U.S.A. Through the police
department, Los Angeles has long tried to arrest and suppress its way out of this
deadly urban dilemma. (…)
LAPD Capt. Mark Olvera – a classical Flamenco guitarist who, with wife Sylvia
and sons Garrett, 17, and Joseph, 15, comprise the music ministry for the
Saturday vigil Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Lincoln Heights – is on the front
lines of the city’s new anti-gang strategy. The outwardly calm commander of what
is euphemistically called “Shootin’ Newton”, part of which has been designated a
gang-reduction GRYD (Gang Reduction and Youth Development) zone, is sitting
at a round table in his back office of the grey-stone station on Central Avenue at
34th Street, right across from St. Patrick Church. Three paintings hang from the
back wall, including an expensive Japanese watercolor. On top of a glass-front
bookcase, an army of knick-knacks stand guard. An acoustic guitar rests nearby
in a corner. The 52-year-old policeman born and raised in East L.A. explains that
his wife, who decorated his office, wanted to make it as comfortable as possible as
he was going to spend so much time there working – often 12-hour days that
stretch from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Most Saturdays, after the evening Mass, he comes
in to catch up on paperwork.
“It’s probably not written down anywhere, but the main thing with GRYD and its
gang interventionists is to stop the retaliations. Once there’s a shooting, stop paybacks by being on the scene. That’s the first goal,” Capt. Olvera explains. “The
second goal is to let us know where there are hot spots so we can deploy for them.
“But at the same time, the interventionists should be working to: ‘OK, let’s be
preventive. Let’s make sure there is no shooting to begin with.’ And that’s where
Father Stan Bosch (GRYD supervisor for both the Newton and 77th division areas,
who is a Trinitarian priest as well as a trained psychotherapist) comes in with his
counseling and wraparound services. He deals with the healing part at the scene
and then after counseling families and gang members. “There’s also the reentry
part – Who’s coming out of the probation camps?” he adds. “We can work with
the probation and then connect the youths to services and Father Stan right away
to get them out of harm’s way.” (…)
Still, Olvera admits that GRYD, which has only been in operation in the Newton
area since April 1, is a work in progress. He and his staff are examining different
ways of doing things and making changes based on what works. There’s one
factor, however, that has really helped the team make inroads with certain gangs
so far – Father Bosch’s connection with gang members through a shared
Catholic faith. “The power of the symbolism of a Catholic priest working with
these kids meant a lot,” he says. “I think we can really do things with that in
terms of dealing with the violence. “Also, it’s a matter of tolerance,” the LAPD
commander adds. To those who think it’s OK for a gang member to be killed, he
replies, “That’s not the Christian way. None of these killings is OK. And that’s
what we have to change. I think with GRYD we’re on the verge of changing that
attitude.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we respond fully to Jesus’ call to vigilant faith? How do we prepare for the
triumphant return of the Son of Man who comes unexpectedly?
2. Why is Jesus Christ our peace and the font of unity, bringing people from all nations
into one? Do we endeavor to be a source of peace and unity ourselves?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus Christ is our Savior.
By his blood outpoured on the cross,
he made us one people of the new covenant.
Help us to heed the call of Jesus
for he is our peace and reconciliation.
Make us your faithful servants, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” (Lk
12:37) // “He is our peace.” (Eph 2:14)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that Christian disciples may learn to live in vigilant faith for the Lord’s
coming. By our commitment to pursue justice, seek peace, protect human rights and give
preferential concern to the poor and needy, let us allow our vigilant faith to make an
impact on today’s fragmented society and prepare them for the definitive coming of the
Lord’s kingdom at the end time.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Wants Us to Be Faithful Servants … He
is the Mystery Revealed”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 3:2-12 // Lk 12:39-48
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:39-48): “Much will be required of the person entrusted
with much.”
In today’s Gospel (Lk 12:39-48), Jesus exhorts us to be ever ready because his
coming is as uncertain as the coming of a thief. Peter asks a question which Jesus ignores
because it is impertinent. The lesson of Jesus’ parable is meant for all disciples, but
especially for Church leaders who are called to greater accountability. They are to be
punished in proportion to their irresponsibility. The leaders of the faith community are
called to greater fidelity in fulfilling the mission Jesus entrusted to them. Jesus warns
them: “Much will be required of a person entrusted with much … and still more will be
demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
My mother mirrors for me the quality of faithful vigilance. She was an elementary
school teacher for 38 years. No matter how tired or stressed she was, she would prepare
the following day’s lesson plan. School supervisors would come unannounced to check.
She would rather be absent than go to school without a lesson plan. She did not want
them to find her unprepared for that would be a big blot on her integrity as a teacher. But
I suppose, even if there were no school supervisors, she would continue her good work
just the same because of her loyalty to God and her sense of responsibility for the
children entrusted to her care.
B. First Reading (Eph 3:2-12): “The mystery of Christ has now been revealed and the
Gentiles are coheirs in the promise.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 3:2-12) contains a very concise Christian message: by
means of the Gospel the Gentiles have a part with the Jews in God’s blessings. As
members of the same body, they share in the promise that God made through Christ
Jesus. This is the saving “mystery” once hidden, but is now made known to Paul and to
the apostles and prophet by the activity of the Holy Spirit. Paul is a minister of this
“mystery”. God gives him the privilege of taking to the Gentiles the Good News about
the infinite riches of Christ. Like Paul, the Church has a mission in the breaking down of
barriers and the coming together of people. In union with Christ and through our faith in
him we have the boldness to go into God’s presence with all confidence. The saving
“mystery” needs to be contemplated in great depth before we can grasp its implications in
daily life.
The following modern day account gives insight into how we can promote the
divine saving plan in our daily life (cf. Scott Walker in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 333).
All of our children are now in college or graduate school: Drew, a student at
University of South Carolina Law School; Luke, a senior at Samford University;
and Jodi, a sophomore at Furman University. Over the years many older friends
told us that our children would grow up before we realized it. They were right!
But we have anything but an “empty nest”. My wife Beth is the international
student relations adviser at Baylor University. One of her responsibilities is to
find host families in our community of Waco, Texas, who will befriend
international students. This year we have adopted three students: Lulu, a predentistry student from Singapore; George, a pre-law student from the Philippines;
and Lian, a graduate student in photojournalism from China.
This afternoon I received an e-mail from George’s father. Tonight Lulu ate dinner
with us and is spending the night. Yesterday Beth had lunch with Lian. Our life is
enriched by our friendship with these wonderful young adults from Asia. They are
now part of our family.
Beth and I are discovering that when we extend friendship and hospitality with
God’s children, we receive far more than we give. And when we embrace people
from around the world, God is able to multiply goodness and love between
cultures and nations.
God’s greatest gifts to us have been Drew, Luke and Jodi. We just didn’t know
that He would also give us the surprise package of Lulu, George and Lian.
Father, help me to know that all children are my children because they are Your
children. Amen.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we heed Jesus’ exhortation to be vigilant and faithful? How?
2. Are we grateful that the divine mystery of the salvation of all peoples has been
revealed and fulfilled through Jesus Christ? How does this reality impact us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you teach us to be ever ready for your second coming.
You warn us that from those who have received much,
much more will be demanded.
Teach us to prepare for your coming
by our faithful service and personal dedication.
Help us to be persevering and responsible servants
until you come again.
Be with us as we promote the divine saving plan
in our daily living.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” (Lk 12:48) // “The
Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same Body.” (Eph 3:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When you are tempted to be lax in the responsibilities entrusted to you, remember
the words of Jesus about faithful vigilance. Find in them inspiration for renewed
commitment. Seek ways to promote the gathering of nations and the unity of all peoples
in Jesus Christ.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is a Prophet of Contradiction … In Him,
We Are Rooted in Love”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 3:14-21 // Lk 12:49-53
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:49-53): “I have not come to establish peace but division.”
I was in my third year of high school when I came across Leo Tolstoy’s novel,
“War and Peace”. It was irresistible. I did not go to school for three days to read it from
cover to cover. I am fascinated by the Russian “prophet” Tolstoy. I appreciate his
commitment to Christ’s teaching on love, compassion and non-violence. Consciencestricken and upset by the plight of the poor, Count Tolstoy opted for a simplified life and
dedicated more greatly his literary pursuits to socio-religious themes. His wife Sonya did
not share his zeal for reform and for his new lifestyle that was simple and austere – for
example, making himself a brew of barley and acorns because coffee was a luxury! She
was chagrined that he chose to work on pugnacious tracts that put people off, when he
could be producing wonderful novels that would bring in lots of money. Tolstoy did not
care about money, but she had to, otherwise what would become of their children?
Unable to bear any longer the divisive and oppressive situation at home and detesting the
luxury found in his estate, Yasnaya Polyana, the 82-year old Tolstoy left home on
November 10, 1910, accompanied only by his doctor. He fell ill on a southbound train
and died at a stationmaster’s house on November 20, 1910. Leo Tolstoy is a fascinating
figure – a modern day example of a prophet of contradiction.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 12:49-53) presents the divisions that Jesus’ mission creates
even in families. The way of Jesus catalyzes separations and provokes conflicts among
those who had made a radical choice for him and those who had not. Aelred Rosser
remarks: “The division Jesus speaks of with such force (listing several familial
relationships for emphasis) is an inevitable consequence of well-lived faith. Into every
life there comes a time when the choice to be truly Christian comes into conflict with
another choice – perhaps a good choice. When that moment comes, we recognize the
division Jesus brought into the world. The peace that comes from making the right choice
is also something Jesus brought, but it is his peace, not the kind of peace the world
gives.”
B. First Reading (Eph 3:14-21): “Rooted and grounded in love, you may be filled with
the fullness of God.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 3:14-21) contains Paul’s beautiful prayer of adoration
and intercession for the Ephesians. In an intense and solemn posture of worship, the
apostle kneels before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is
named. That God “names” the family indicates his power and authority over every
family, which has a very important role in the divine saving plan. In a contemplative
mood, Saint Paul prays that the faithful may be strengthened inwardly by the Spirit, that
Christ dwell in their hearts through faith, that they be rooted in love so that they may
have insight into the full extent of Christ’s love that surpasses all understanding, and that
they may be filled with the fullness of God, who by nature is “love”. Saint Paul’s prayer
concludes with a celebration of the glory of God whose power transforms the lives of
believers: “To him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever
and ever. Amen.” In this prayer of glory and praise, Christ and the Church are deeply
united, in the here and now and in the ages to come.
The following story gives insight into the meaning of being rooted and grounded
in love (Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York:
Image Books, 1988, p. 160).
It was time for monsoon rains to begin and a very old man was digging holes in
his garden. “What are you doing?” his neighbor asked. “Planting mango trees”
was the reply.
“Do you expect to eat mangoes from those trees?”
“No. I won’t live long enough for that. But others will. It occurred to me the other
day that all my life I have enjoyed mangoes planted by other people. This is my
way of showing them my gratitude.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are we willing to embrace the detachment, renunciation and opposition that the peace
of Christ may entail? Are we willing to be fully united with Christ and become, in him, a
“sign of contradiction” in today’s world?
2. Are we rooted and grounded in love of Christ and do we allow ourselves to be
strengthened by Christ in the Spirit?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
You are the prophet of contradiction.
Grant us the grace to be faithful
when our radical choice for you creates division.
Help us to embrace the detachment and opposition
that our Christian commitment entails.
Let us experience the peace that you bring and
not the deceptive peace that the world offers.
Let our life be deeply rooted in you
and strengthen us inwardly by the power of the Holy Spirit.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but
rather division.” (Lk 12:51) // “To him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus!”
(Eph 3:21)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
While avoiding facile compromises and easy tradeoffs, endeavor to bring the
peace of Christ to a distressing situation that needs healing and reconciliation. Have the
courage to be a “sign of contradiction” when the situation calls for it. In your daily
actions and choices, seek to be deeply rooted in the love of Christ.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Exhorts Us to Read the Signs of the
Times … In Him, There Is One Faith”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 4:1-6 // Lk 12:54-59
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:54-59): “You know how to interpret the appearance of the
earth and sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
In today’s Gospel episode (Lk 12:54-59) we see Jesus talking to a crowd. He is
disappointed that they are able to read correctly the signs of the weather, but not the signs
of God’s kingdom on earth in the person of Jesus. He exhorts the people to interpret
correctly the “present time”, that is, the meaning of his mission. If only they were
receptive, they should be able to perceive in the ministry of Jesus – in his words and
deeds – that the kingdom of God has come. They should therefore respond to his call to
conversion. The certainty of divine judgment should lead people to seek full
reconciliation with God. Jesus warns them not to delay decision making for the kingdom.
When God’s righteous judgment comes, they will wish that they had settled the issue
before – just as a losing plaintiff wisely settles a legal case with a powerful opponent on
the way to the magistrate and thus escapes punishment.
As Christians in the modern world, we too are called to scrutinize the “signs of
the times”. We are called to recognize and understand the distinctive characteristics,
expectations, longings and needs of the people of today. We are called to be receptive to
the signs of the kingdom value and the tasks it entails. The following story illustrates the
receptive stance of a Christian disciple to the demands of the kingdom values (cf. Sarah
Ball, “Stay-at-Home Help” in Guideposts, October 2012, p. 19)
Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes. They all played out before me on the evening
news. I clicked off the TV. Every scene of people in need made me want to rush
out to do something. But rushing out to do anything was impossible for me right
now. I was recovering from surgery for breast cancer. With drainage tubes in my
side, expanders in my chest, not to mention all the medications I took for the pain,
I could barely move. What help could I be to people in trouble?
I can pray for them, I thought. And pray I did. I prayed for God to comfort those
who were grieving, to heal the injured, to speed recovery. But I still felt helpless.
“Please, Lord, isn’t there anything I can do myself?” I can’t even lift a gallon of
milk these days, I thought. How can I help anyone? I couldn’t go anywhere. And
although I’ve fostered animals in the past, even taking care of one displaced pet
seemed beyond me.
The next day I got word of another disaster looming – the one close to my home in
Iowa. Weathermen were predicting massive flooding in my area. There was a call
out for volunteers. Workers were frantically piling sandbags against buildings
and strengthening the levees. And here I was, stuck at home – not in danger, but
still on the couch. The only way I could help would be if the Lord dropped
something in my lap.
During a call to a friend I told her about my frustrations. “My friend Francis is
really in a bind”, she said. “She lives on the flood plain and has decided to
evacuate her mobile home, but she can’t afford a storage facility for her things.
She’s scared she’ll come home and find all of her furniture destroyed. I can’t take
any of it because my place is too small.”
“She can store it here!” I said. “Our basement is nearly empty; there’s plenty of
room. It’s perfect!” Friends moved Francis’ furniture into my house the next day.
It was the answer to her prayers – and mine.
B. First Reading (Eph 4:1-6): “There is one Body, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
The theme of “the unity of the Body” is underlined in today’s reading from the
letter to the Ephesians (4:1-6), which is called “the epistle of unity”. Jesus Christ is the
Savior sent by the Father to gather all human beings in the unity of the one body and one
Spirit. Their vocation is to serve one Lord and to share one faith and one hope. Immersed
into the blood bath of Christ, they are reborn and renewed by that one baptism and
become the beloved children of the one God and Father of all. Cognizant of this reality,
Saint Paul exhorts the Ephesians to live a life worthy of the calling they have receive and
to be always humble, gentle, patient and loving to one another.
In the following story, we have a glimpse of the spirit of love and unity at work in
a domestic Church in Guatemala (cf. “Missioner Tales” in Maryknoll, March 2009, p. 6.)
A village in the highlands of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, where I served as a
missioner, was having its annual festival for its patron saint. Standing on the
fringes observing the comings and goings, I noticed a man and a woman and two
children – a girl about 8 and a boy maybe 6 years old. Most likely they came from
an outlying area, and from their clothing, I sensed they were quite poor. Quietly
and respectfully, they stood as a family enjoying the music and the activities.
Nearby a man was selling ice cream cones. They were not expensive, maybe the
equivalent of 10 cents. Suddenly, the father approached the ice cream man and
bought just one cone. What I witnessed then made a lasting impression upon me.
The father returned to his wife and children, and the four of them shared one ice
cream cone.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we make an effort to read the “signs of the times” and ask the Lord for the grace
not just to perceive them, but to be able to respond to them?
2. Are we grateful to God for making us one Body – united in “one Lord, one faith, one
baptism”? How do we promote the unity of the Body?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Jesus,
you exhort us to read the signs of your kingdom.
Give us the grace to be receptive to the “signs of the times”
and help us to carry out our duties
on behalf of the kingdom value.
We thank you for making us one Body,
united in one Lord, one faith and baptism.
Help us to build up daily the unity of the Body.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” (Lk 12:56) // “There is
one Body and one Spirit.” (Eph 4:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the grace to scrutinize the “signs of the times”. In your own little way,
respond positively to the demands they entail. Be thankful for the one Body of Christ and
by your daily acts of charity, promote the growth of the Body.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Ultimate Chance … He Is Head
of the Body”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 4:7-16 // Lk 13:1-9
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 13:1-9): “If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
In an article by Jerry Davis in Guideposts magazine (February 2004), he tells us
about a remarkable journey that led him on the right path. He was kicked out of school
repeatedly as a teenager. One sleepless, cold evening in February 1963, while living on
charity at the Salvation Army in Kentucky, where he sought refuge, something clicked in
his mind, as if everything had suddenly been put into focus for his 19-year-old eyes. Jerry
narrated: “Somebody had to be looking out for me. Somebody who wouldn’t let me push
him away, no matter how hard I tried. In fact, the farther I ran from God, the closer he
seemed to pull me. I slipped out of bed and knelt in a patch of moonlight. Lord, I prayed,
the words finally coming. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your love. I don’t
know what’s good for me. Please, I need your guidance.” The runaway college dropout
found work at a Kentucky hospital and enrolled at a nearby college. That was the
beginning of a long road that led to graduate school and a Ph.D. Today he is the president
of a college in Missouri – the College of the Ozarks. Indeed, Jerry Davis has given us a
testimony of what it means to be given another chance and what it takes to respond to
that chance. His was a beautiful story of a positive response to the patient mercy of God.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 13:1-9) underlines the Christian call to metanoia, which
means conversion, repentance, and inner change, and encourages us with the reality of
God’s patient mercy. In this account, Jesus calls for decision and conversion by referring
to two contemporary disasters and by narrating the parable of the barren fig tree. Jesus
dispels the popular belief that links disaster with punishment for sin. Indeed, in the
present age, good fortune and disaster are not indications of a person’s spiritual state. In
the judgment to come, however, the evil ones will experience the ultimate disaster complete alienation from the life-love of God. Jesus dismisses the popular speculations
regarding the personal culpability of the victims of the Galilean massacre and the Siloam
accident by stressing the universal need for repentance. Unless all repent and respond
positively to the Gospel, all will suffer the greater disaster of being alienated from God.
The last section of the Gospel reading is Jesus’ parable of the barren fig tree
which received a reprieve, or stay, from the impending punishment by the vineyard
owner in response to the gardener’s compassionate plea: “Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If
not you can cut it down” (Lk 13:8-9). The biblical scholar, Samuel Oyin Abogunrin
remarks: “The parable reminds us of the long-suffering of God but it also implicitly
warns that those who persist in their sinful refusal to repent will suffer and eventually be
cut down.”
B. First Reading (Eph 4:7-16): “Christ is the head from who the whole Body grows
and builds itself up in love.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 4:7-16) underlines that in the basic unity of the Body,
there are diverse gifts from the Risen Christ so that each member may contribute in a
unique way to the growth and well-being of the Church. Christ, who descended
victoriously into the realm of death and ascended in glory into heaven, is the giver of
gifts. The various gifts that the exalted Christ bestows empower the ministers and are
meant to build up the Church. The Church leadership with its special ministries as
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is integral to community harmony
in Ephesus. The goal is to become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ’s
full stature. This means they will not take on a childish stance when confronted with false
teachings brandied about by deceitful men. By speaking the truth in a spirit of love is to
grow in every way to Christ, who is the Head, from whom the whole Body grows and
builds itself up in love. When each separate part works together as it should, there is unity
in an attempt to attain unity in Christ.
The following is a beautiful modern day example of how a member contributes to
the building up of the Body of Christ (cf. “A New Side” in Extension, Fall 2014, p. 6-8).
Stepping into the shoes of the people you serve can change your ministry. Just ask
Deacon Randy Canale of the Diocese of Lubbock, Texas. As a longtime minister
to the sick, he experienced a bout with cancer that left him weakened and scarred.
This event changed everything – his commitment to his ministry, the response he
received from the sick and his understanding of God’s intentions.
Hospital Ministry: Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Randy started his career in
the cotton business in 1966 at age 20, two years after he wed his high-school
sweetheart, Cindy. His international company sent him to Texas, the largest
cotton-producing state in the U.S. In 1975, Randy started his own cotton company
in Lubbock, buying cotton from farmers and selling it to merchants and mills. The
cotton business was perfect for him – allowing lots of time to socialize with people
on both ends of the trade.
As he welcomed three sons into his family, Randy began to think more seriously
about his faith – a part of his life that he sometimes neglected. With a Catholic
upbringing and a wife who converted to Catholicism a few years after their
wedding, Randy wanted more God in his life. In 1978, he started attending daily
Mass at 6:45 a.m. at Christ the King Cathedral. It was peaceful and reflective.
Soon, a fellow parishioner asked Randy to help with hospital ministry. Randy
obliged. One Sunday, Randy went to the hospital and returned home several
hours later – exhausted, but moved. He had brought Communion and prayers to
people who otherwise would have been alone. He was hooked.
In 1992, his friend, Bishop Michael Sheehan of Lubbock, who is now Archbishop
of Santa Fe, asked Randy to consider joining the diaconate. Randy laughed. He
had no idea what a deacon did and wasn’t interested. He was happy with his life:
he had active teenage boys, the cotton business was demanding, he enjoyed golf,
and his hospital ministry was meaningful. He wasn’t looking for a new
commitment.
While he thought of how to gracefully say “No”, Bishop Sheehan asked him to
pray. When Randy asked God why he should become a deacon, he wasn’t thrilled
with the response, “Why not you?” To further give him a nudge, Bishop Sheehan
told him, “You’re already doing the work of a deacon; you just haven’t been
ordained yet.”
Health Scare: During his diaconate training, Randy’s health took a major turn.
In 1995, he was diagnosed with cancer of the parotid gland – the salivary gland
located between the ear and jaw. Surgery removed the tumor, but in the process,
he lost an eardrum and part of his sight. Speaking also became difficult. As he
recovered, Randy continued training with a fresh commitment to the diaconate
and renewed dedication to his ministry. When he was ordained in 1996, Randy
said, “Becoming a deacon reaffirmed my faith and my need to serve, and helped
me become a better bridge between people and the Church.”
But cancer was still waiting in the wings. In 1997, it was discovered in his left
lung, and half that lung was removed. The following year, cancer was found in
the other lung, and the bottom of his right lung was removed. After the surgery,
doctors told him that he likely wouldn’t be around for long., but Randy said,
“God had other plans for me.”
Randy’s cancer gave him a new appreciation for vulnerabilities and a different
visage to show to the sick. His face has an indentation, his smile is crooked, his
eye droops, his breath is short, and his voice is raspy. But it’s a combination that
works. “His cancer is a special scar”, Cindy said. “People know he’s been
through something and overcome it. It gives them hope to see he survived. One
thing they know for certain – this person will understand me.”
For years, Randy has been visiting 30 to 40 people a week in all kinds of venues:
hospitals, nursing homes and individual homes. He sees the young, the elderly,
the remote and the forgotten. Sometimes, he meets people whose families have
abandoned them.
Sacred Work: For Randy, ministering to the sick is sacred work. (…) In his
humble, cheerful way, Randy brings the light of Christ to those who are infirm
and physically unable to be part of a parish community, but want to keep their
faith alive. Randy Canale, cancer survivor and dedicated deacon, gets in his car
and brings them hope.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we respond to Christ’s call to conversion and apostolic fruitfulness? How do we
react to the local and universal disasters that impinge upon our senses day after day
through the mass media? What challenge does the parable of the barren fig tree give to
us?
2. How do we contribute to the building up of the Body the Church? Do we build up
ourselves in the love of Christ?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father of mercy and goodness,
you revealed to us your patient mercy
by offering us the “ultimate chance”,
Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
who loved us unto death on the cross.
Help us to welcome your forgiveness and love.
We are truly grateful for making as members of Christ’s Body.
Make us mature in faith
and personally dedicated in serving love.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did.” (Lk 13:4) // “We should
grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ.” (Eph 4:15).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray to the Lord for the gift of repentance and sincere conversion from sin, and
for the gift of spiritual renewal. Pray for prisoners, especially those who have received
the death penalty, and for all those who minister to their care. Do what you can do be a
means of conversion for others. Let your daily acts of charity be for the building up of the
Church.
*** Text of 29th Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 100)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 30
MONDAY: THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Compassion Surpasses the Sabbath
Law … He Invites Us to Walk in Love”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 4:32-5:8 // Lk 13:10-17
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 12:13-21): “This daughter of Abraham, ought she not to have
been set free on the Sabbath day?”
My cousin, a pharmacist, belongs to a medical mission team that goes to Vietnam
to assist the sick. She suggested to their Franciscan director that since almost 75% of the
team is of Filipino origin, it might be a good idea to do a medical mission also in the
Philippines. The suggestion was well taken, but on account of the excessive red tape
imposed by the Philippine government, they were not able to carry out their mission to
the Filipinos.
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 13:10-17), the ministry of compassion of Jesus is
also threatened by a legalistic bind. A woman is crippled by a malady that makes her
incapable of standing erect. Jesus releases her from her bondage while teaching at the
synagogue on a Sabbath. The ruler of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus has broken the
Sabbath rule but not daring to rebuke him directly, addresses the crowd: “There are six
days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath
day.” The woman has suffered for 18 years, and the ruler wants Jesus to wait one more
day to cure her. But the compassionate ministry of Jesus cannot be bound nor postponed.
The eruption of the kingdom of God cannot be suppressed by a faulty, legalistic
interpretation of the Sabbath law. Jesus exposes the hypocrisy by arguing from the lesser
to the greater: If you loosen animals on the Sabbath to refresh them, why not loosen a
suffering “daughter of Abraham” from a crippling bondage. The kingdom of God is
superior to the Sabbath law. The meaning of the Sabbath is fulfilled by works of
compassion to those who yearn for the comfort and peace of God and a “rest” from their
anguish.
B. First Reading (Eph 4:32-5:8): “Walk in love, just as Christ!”
In the reading (Eph 4:32-5:8), Saint Paul invites us to walk in love, just as Christ.
As God’s beloved children, we must try to be like him. The perfect model of a child of
God is Jesus Christ. He loves us and has given his life for us as a sweet smelling offering
and sacrifice that pleases God. We follow Christ on the way of love, learning to lay down
our life for others. Indeed, as God’s people we need to renounce all that is not compatible
with our vocation to holiness. We should not be led by false teachings because the wrath
of God comes upon the children of disobedience. Rather, our life must be characterized
by “thanksgiving”. Moreover, since we have become God’s people, we are in the light
and are obliged to live like those who belong to the light. It is the light that brings a rich
harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness and truth.
The following account gives insight into what it means to walk in the way of love
(cf. Linda Neukrug in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 18).
While in line at the coffee shop one morning, I watched as the shabbily dressed,
skinny woman at the front line carefully counted out change for a cup of hot tea.
“Have a buttered roll with that”, the teenage counter girl told her. The woman
hesitated, and the girl said, “My treat. It’s my birthday today. God bless you.”
The older woman gratefully took the roll and, eyeing it hungrily, left the store.
When it was my turn, I said, “That was very nice of you to treat her on your
birthday. Happy birthday!”
She blushed, and the young man at the next register laughed. “Oh, it’s always her
birthday when that homeless lady comes in.” My jaw dropped. “You mean …” “I
just feel bad that she doesn’t have enough to eat”, the girl mumbled.
I took my coffee and waved away the change. “That’s for you”, I told her. “God
bless you.” “But it’s too much ---“
“That’s okay”, I said. “It’s my birthday.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
Are we truly persons of compassion or do we allow ourselves to be crippled by
faulty, legalistic interpretations? Are we totally “free” to carry out works of compassion
to those who yearn for the comfort and peace of God? Do we walk in love, just as Christ?
How?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we thank you for Jesus Master, the Lord of the Sabbath.
He teaches compassion
and the wisdom to surpass faulty, legalistic interpretation.
Help us to be “free” to carry out works of compassion
for those who are seeking “rest” from their anguish
and are yearning for your comfort and peace.
Give us the grace to walk in love, just as Christ.
We love you, dear Father, and serve you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” (Lk
13:16) // “Live in love, as Christ loved us.” (Eph 5:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your kind words and charitable deeds, alleviate the suffering of the afflicted
and enable them to experience “rest” from their anguish. Be thankful to God for he truly
loves us.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Blesses Small Beginnings … He Loves the
Church”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 5:21-33 // Lk 13:18-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 13:18-21): “When it was fully grown, it became a large bush.”
The first parable in today’s Gospel reading (Lk 13:18-21) is about the mustard
seed, the smallest seed in the world. Planted in the ground, it grows and becomes a large
bush. Birds come and make their nests in its shady branches. In this parable, Jesus
contrasts the insignificant beginning of the extremely small seed and the enormous size
of the full-grown bush. The image of a tiny mustard seed growing into the grandiose bush
underlines the universal expanse of God’s kingdom that would encompass all nations, as
well as Israel. The second parable is about the yeast’s leavening force that makes the
dough rise. Even a minimal amount of yeast has a natural tendency to expand, producing
a great change in the dough to make it fit to be baked into a loaf of bread. Likewise, there
is something inherently dynamic in the kingdom of God. Its power of good is
transforming.
Jesus invites us to extol the power of small beginnings. We are called to sow the
seed of the kingdom in today’s world as well as to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit
who animates the growing kingdom. Let us do our part in sowing the seed and in
manifesting to the world the dynamic and transforming power of the heavenly kingdom.
We are to be seeds of the kingdom and to exhibit the transforming power of good in
today’s world. The experience of Mike McGarvin, the founder of the Poverello House in
Fresno, gives insight into the mustard seed beginning and the dynamic power of his
compassionate ministry to the poor and needy (cf. Mike McGarvin, PAPA MIKE, 2003,
p. 73-74).
My job was with a local newspaper, the Fresno Bee … There was a void in my
life, because I had been so used to serving the Pov, and now I wasn’t doing
anything. It was this restlessness, and the unbearable heat in our trailer, that
compelled me to start checking out Chinatown. Fresno’s Chinatown is a tiny area
southwest of downtown proper. It was near to where the Fresno Bee building was
located, and it piqued my interest. In many ways, it reminded me of the
Tenderloin district in San Francisco. There were small struggling businesses, a
lot of cheap bars, single room occupancy hotels, prostitutes, and homeless people
everywhere. It had a few mysterious and charming street names, such as
“Fagan’s Alley” or “China Alley”, but it was dreary and gritty rather than
romantic.
It was 1973, just a few months after we had moved back to Fresno. I went to a
day-old bread store, loaded up on loaves, got some peanut butter and jelly, and
went to work. I took it all back to our trailer, and Mary and I made up a bunch of
sandwiches. I got some disposable cups, a jug of ice water, and drove the short
distance to Chinatown. I was working nights, so I had days free, and I started
going to Chinatown daily, taking the sandwiches and the water, walking and
giving them out. People were suspicious at first, but as time went on, they started
warming up to me. It helped that I was big, had a black belt in judo, and wasn’t
intimidated.
The homeless people I encountered had no place to go. There was a rescue
mission in town, but at that time it didn’t have a day program. Most of these folks
were typical skid row types – older alcoholics and drug addicts, worn-out
prostitutes, and poor, disabled men. They hung out on the streets in the summer
heat and the winter cold because there was nowhere to turn. They weren’t wanted
by anyone. The businesses didn’t want them around, because they scared
customers away and littered the area. The police didn’t want them around,
because they were nothing but trouble. I had stumbled onto a whole community of
outcasts. That old Poverello spirit was starting to take hold of me again. I loved
going out and seeing the smiles on the faces when I handed out sandwiches. I
enjoyed the jokes and stories I’d hear. I liked getting to know people by name,
and many of them seemed to crave not only the food, but also the attention.
My routine in Chinatown started out just a few days a week, but like the Pov up in
San Francisco, it slowly became a bigger part of my life. It wasn’t long before I
was going seven days each week. It was getting a little pricey on my new salary,
so I started hitting up my church, Mount Carmel, to donate some money to buy
bread and the peanut butter. That got some people interested. I figured out pretty
quickly that I might be able to get more than money out of the church. I was
meeting some good-hearted people and some of them wanted to join me. After
about a year, I was ready for help, although I wasn’t sure how these church folks
would react to some of the hardened street characters. There weren’t many who
hit the streets with me, but quite a few helped by preparing the food.
B. First Reading (Eph 5:21-33): “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to
Christ and the Church.”
The reading (Eph 5:21-33) underlines that the personal relationship between wife
and husband is based on Christ’s self-sacrificing love for others. Marriage between a man
and a woman draws its strength and meaning from the covenant love of Christ and his
Body, the Church. The mutual submission and sacrificial aspect that animates the love
relationship of spouses testify to the presence and fullness of the Spirit in their lives.
Their marriage covenant is thus modeled on the “great mystery” of union between Christ,
the Head, and his Body, the Church. The New Covenant ratified in Christ’s blood
enhances the love relationship and nuptial bond of a man and a woman with beauty,
fidelity and grace.
Moreover, the marriage of man and woman, when nurtured at the Eucharist and
nourished by “the bread of the covenant”, can serve as a reflection, however imperfect, of
the union between Christ, the Bridegroom, and his Bride, the Church. Such a marriage
can be a model of self-giving love in today’s world and a sacrament of God’s covenant
love and intimate relationship with his people on earth.
The following article in the Irish newspaper, Alive! (July/August 2009 issue, p. 6)
extols the decision of a young Catholic couple to trust in God and accept the divine will.
The moral commitment of Austin and Nuala Conway gives us an insight into Christian
marriage as sacrament-covenant and inspired by God’s fidelity.
The parents of Ireland’s first ever set of sextuplets decided to put their trust in
God rather than follow doctors’ immoral advice during their pregnancy. “These
babies are a wonderful gift from God. Whatever God laid out for our lives we
were taking it”, said 26-year-old Nuala Conway of Dunamore Co Tyrone.
Doctors warned the married couple about the risks of a multiple pregnancy, and
“more or less” advised them to have several of their unborn babies aborted. But
the young Catholic couple rejected such a heartless solution and opted to trust in
God and accept his will. “Doctors gave us a couple of days to think about it, but
we knew without discussion what we both wanted”, said Nuala. “Whatever God
laid out for our lives, we were taking it.”
The four girls and two boys, weighing between 1 lb 7 oz and 2 lb 7 oz, were
delivered by Caesarian section 14 weeks early at Belfast’s Royal Victoria
Hospital, with the aid of 30 medical staff. In an interview with the Sunday
Express, Mrs. Conway said, “I prayed as much as I could for a child. I would
have been happy with one, but God blessed us with six, which is amazing.” It
wasn’t until just three months before the birth that a scan showed she was
carrying six babies. “I’m in love with every single one of them. I fell in love when
they were in the womb. When one moved they would all move and I could
definitely feel 24 limbs kicking”, she said.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe in the power of small beginnings and in the transforming power of the
kingdom of God? Do we trust greatly in God who can do all things in us?
2. In the Eucharist do we renew our covenant with the Eucharistic Master, avow our faith
in him and make an act of unconditional fidelity in him? How do we live out our
covenant bond with our wife/husband?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we are fascinated how a mustard seed,
can grow into a large bush to shelter the birds of the sky.
We are awed
by the leavening power of a small amount of yeast.
We thank and praise you
for the miracle of the mustard-seed beginning of your kingdom,
which continues to extend its life-giving fruitfulness
to all peoples of the earth.
We thank you for the dynamic power
of the heavenly kingdom.
Help us to appreciate small beginnings
and to believe in the dynamic power of the Gospel.
You are our hope and our joy, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
may we love and serve you alone.
We pray for married couples
that they may mirror limpidly the love relationship
between Christ and his body the Church.
Let us promote the integrity of family life
and holiness of Christian marriage in today’s world.
We adore you as our Eucharistic Master,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“What is the kingdom of God like?” (Lk 13:18) //“Christ loved the Church.”
(Eph 5:25)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that people who sow the seed of the heavenly kingdom in today’s world may
be blessed by the Lord. By your compassionate acts of love and service, and by trusting
in the dynamic power of the Gospel, do your part in making the kingdom of God come. //
By your personal dedication and service to one another as husband and wife and/or as
family members, promote the integrity and holiness of marriage and family life.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Enter through the Narrow
Gate … HWe Are in Intimate Relationship with Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 6:1-9 // Lk 13:22-30
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 13:22-30): “And people will come from the east and the west
and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God.”
In the Poverello News (February 2004), I read this beautiful story, which
illustrates the reality of a personal, total response to God’s offer of salvation presented in
today’s Gospel reading.
On May 10, 1748, a ship was being violently buffeted by a brutal storm. The
captain of the vessel, thinking that death was imminent, prayed in desperation.
The captain, John Newton, was not the praying kind. Nicknamed “The Great
Blasphemer”, he was a debauched, profane seaman who plied the most
despicable trade imaginable: he was a slave trafficker. After his fervent prayer,
the storm ceased and the sea calmed. Newton’s deliverance from death had a
profound effect on him. He contemplated his life and saw, perhaps for the first
time, the full extent of his misery, corruption, and moral ruin. That day was a
turning point in his life, a day that ultimately led him to reject his loathsome
profession, enter Christian ministry, and later become a key influence in the life
of William Wilberforce, a man who had a major role in abolishing slavery in
England. However, Newton is not known for his biography. He is best
remembered for a hymn he composed. That hymn is today sung all over the world,
heard mournfully played by bagpipes at funerals, and is still powerful enough to
bring tears to many who hear it. The hymn is “Amazing Grace”. Perhaps it has
so much force because it is Newton’s heart-felt confession:
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
John Newton’s conversion beautifully depicts the realization of Jesus’ words:
“And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and
will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold some are last who will be first,
and some who are first who will be last” (cf. Lk 13: 29-30). His wholehearted response to
God’s “amazing grace”, which saved a “wretch” like him, enabled him to participate in
the feast of God’s kingdom.
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 13:22-30) continues to underline the rich significance
of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to undergo the death
that leads to glory. Within the context of this paschal journey, someone asks: “Lord, will
only a few people be saved?” Rather than answer him directly, Jesus prods him with a
challenge: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate for many, I tell you, will attempt to
enter but will not be strong enough”. The narrow gate is open to all, but only for those
who seek it. Indeed, the gift of salvation is not an indiscriminate prerogative. It must be
willingly and fully embraced. We need to make a choice for the kingdom.
The biblical scholar, Samuel Oyin Abogunrin explains that the term “strive” (in
Greek, agonizesthe) is the word from which the English “agony” is derived. According to
him: “The struggle to enter must be so singularly motivated and focused as to be
described as agony that involves the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. Christian life is
a daily struggle to rise to a higher spiritual plane. It is wrong to sit back and relax after we
have made a personal commitment to Christ. We cannot remain stagnant in our loyalty to
God’s kingdom; unless we move forward we shall move backward.”
B. First Reading (Eph 6:1-9): “Willingly serving the Lord and not human beings.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 6:1-9) contains a household code to regulate the
relations between children and parents and between slaves and master. Just like the
relation between wives and husbands, the spiritual principle to animate these
relationships is Christ’s self-sacrificing love for others. There must be a reverence for
fellow members in Christian families and households. By his victorious exaltation, the
Risen Lord fills the universe. The glorified Christ brings his power and presence to bear
in all human institutions. It is the Christian duty of children to obey their parents and thus
enjoy God’s promise of abundant life. The parents are not to provoke their children to
anger, but rather raise them with Christian discipline and instruction. The “slaves of
Christ” are to carry out their duties responsibly and willingly, remembering that the Lord
will reward everyone for the good work he does. The masters have responsible
obligations to their subjects and realize that they also belong to the same Master in
heaven, who judges everyone by the same standard. Indeed, in the context of the new life
in Christ, the domestic relations take on a new meaning of love, reverence and respect.
In a funny vein, the following story gives insight into a beautiful relationship in a
Christian household (cf. Fran-Alice Aberle, “Not by Bread Alone” in Guideposts, August
2014, p. 21).
Mom had a huge family, especially to my 11-year-old eyes. So when she decided
to hold a family reunion at our house there was a lot to be done. My 12-year-old
brother, 9-year-old sister and I had to pitch in. “There are four loaves of bread in
the oven.” Mom said as she and Dad got ready to go into town for last minute
supplies. “Do not start playing and forget to check on them. Take them out when
they’re nice golden brown. If you burn the bread, you’re all in big trouble. It has
to be perfect.”
We all promised. We knew how important the family bread recipe was. Richard,
Lucia and I settled on the couch to wait. And wait. Finally we decided to wait
outside. Surely a little playing to pass the time wouldn’t hurt.
Well, we lost track of how much time had passed until I smelled something
burning. “The bread!” I screamed. “We forgot about Mom’s bread!”
We rushed inside and held our breath as Richard opened the oven door. There
was the bread black and smoking. Richard slammed the door shut. We couldn’t
bear to look at it.
“What are we going to do?” I cried. I was literally wringing my hands. “Mom
says all things are possible with God”, Lucia piped up. “Let’s pray.” We all put a
hand on the warm oven door and bowed our heads. “God, please heal Mom’s
bread to a light golden brown like she told us”, I said. “If you don’t we’ll be in
big trouble!” added Richard. “In Jesus’ name, amen”, Lucia said.
Tentatively, Richard opened the oven door again. Four golden brown loaves! We
couldn’t believe it. They were perfect.
“Where’d you get the recipe for this bread?” one of my Mom’s sisters asked the
next day. “It’s delicious!” “It’s the same recipe we’ve all used for years”, Mom
said with a laugh. “No, this definitely tastes different”, her brother said. “It’s the
best bread I’ve ever had!”
Everyone agreed. Finally we kids brought Mom into the kitchen and explained
just why the bread tasted so good. It had a special ingredient – answered prayers!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Am I willing to enter through the narrow gate that leads to the feast of God’s kingdom?
Do I respond to the “amazing grace” that comes from his forgiving love? Do I believe
that God wants all to be saved? What do I do personally and concretely to contribute to
the mystery of universal salvation? Do I participate in the feast of God’s kingdom with
joy and gratitude?
2. Do I allow the principle of Christ’s sacrificial love to animate my human and social
relations? Do I promote harmonious relationship in the domestic setting?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus Christ invites us
to enter through the narrow gate to salvation.
Help us to share in his paschal sacrifice
and the feast of the kingdom.
Let us experience your “amazing grace”
and make us respond to it wholeheartedly.
Enable us to satisfy the world’s hunger
for the bread of life and the cup of salvation.
Let us promote harmony and unity
in the family and in the society
to help us prepare for the coming of your kingdom.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” (Lk 13:24) // “You have a Master in
heaven and with him there is no partiality.” (Eph 6:9)
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Resolves to Journey to Jerusalem … He
Gives Us Strength in our Spiritual Warfare”
BIBLE READINGS
Eph 6:10-20 // Lk 13:31-35
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 13:31-35): “It is impossible that a prophet should die outside
of Jerusalem.”
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 13:31-35) is filled with pathos and drama. Tension
mounts as Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem. Some Pharisees bring the word that
Herod wants to kill him. Marked by hostility, their intent is to daunt rather than to help
him. But Jesus does not flinch in the face of danger. He remains firm on the course of his
divine mission. In accordance with God’s saving plan, it is necessary that Jesus must
continue his journey toward Jerusalem and embrace his paschal destiny of passion, death
and resurrection. Jesus, however, will not go to Jerusalem before the allotted time. In the
meantime he continues his public ministry of healing and exorcism. When eventually he
enters the walls of Jerusalem, the praises “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord” will resound within the city in his honor. Sadly, the “Hosanna” praises will turn
into a note of rejection.
The inevitable suffering Jesus will endure does not cancel his tender love for
Jerusalem, which symbolizes the heart of the chosen people. He laments: “Jerusalem,
Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. You stone the messengers God has sent you! I wanted to
put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but
you would not let me!” Jesus bemoans the destruction that will come upon the obstinate
people. However, at the end of his Jerusalem journey – after treading the way of the cross
– Jesus Life triumphs!
The following modern day story gives a glimpse into Jesus’ resolve to embrace
the paschal mystery (cf. Elizabeth Sherrill in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 390).
Dr. Li, Chinese Physician: We’d gone to China in 1981 to investigate a rumor
that churches were reopening. In Shanghai, sure enough, we attended Sunday
service in a redbrick church with a standing-room-only congregation. Afterward,
we talked with an elderly physician who’d studied in the United States in the
1930s. For two decades, Dr. Li said, this church had been boarded up. Three
months before our visit, it had reopened. “Our first service in twenty-two years.”
The first service, that is, inside … The first Christmas Eve after the church closed
in 1959 was just an ordinary night shift at the hospital for Dr. Li. It was cold and
drizzly when he returned to his apartment at 10:30. He took off his damp coat –
then, suddenly, put it back on. His wife put hers on too, and followed him outside.
Through the icy drizzle they walked, left at the corner, across a square, turn right
… headed to church. As they drew closer, they became aware of other silent
walkers. From every side-street they came, alone or in twos or threes, until
hundreds were standing shoulder to shoulder before the locked door. For two
hours they stood in the rain. No hymns. No sermon. “But it was Communion all
the same.”
For twenty-two years, this was their Christmas service. No one planned any of it.
“Just, that night, year after year, we put on our coats and came.”
B. First Reading (Eph 6:10-20): “Put on the armor of God, that you may be able,
having done everything, to hold your ground.”
Today’s First Reading (Eph 6:10-20) is Saint Paul’s conclusion to his ethical
exhortations. The apostle urges Christians to pray, stand alert and be ready to fight the
evil forces around them. Christ is the head over all for God put all things under his feet
and gave him to the Church as the supreme lord of all things (cf. Eph 1:22). Moreover,
God has saved us in Christ, whose paschal victory is radical and complete. Our paschal
mystery as Christians, however, is an ongoing endeavor towards completion. A spiritual
warfare rages on. Paul exhorts us to build up our strength in union with Jesus. He advises
us to put on the “armor of God” so that we may be able to resist the wiles of the devil and
overcome the malevolent cosmic powers. The “armor of God” consists of truth as a belt,
righteousness as a breastplate, the Gospel of peace as footgear, faith as a shield, salvation
as helmet, and the word of God as the sword that the Holy Spirit gives.
Putting on the “armor of God” and standing ready to fight the spiritual battle need
to be completed by prayer. The Christian soldiers need to pray on every occasion as the
Spirit leads. Moreover they must pray for all God’s people, including the apostle Paul,
who for the sake of the Gospel as its ambassador is now in prison. With humble trust,
Saint Paul asks the beloved Ephesians to pray that he may proclaim the Gospel boldly as
he should.
The following article gives insight into the meaning of putting on the “armor of
God” (Lisa Bogart in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 340).
Most mornings I dress without much thought. My day-to-day routine does not
require that I wear anything more elaborate than a clean T-shirt with jeans or a
blouse and dress pants. And yet I enjoy dolling up for special occasions. A fancy
night out requires planning. It takes time to select a dress, coordinate the
accessories, do my hair, and figure out the shoes. It’s fun to present my prettiest
self and I like seeing my husband in a tuxedo.
Just like the dressing up for a party, putting on the armor of God takes effort and
each piece is chosen with intention. What if I dressed with such deliberate care
every day? I imagine I would feel safe, blessed, privileged.
Today when I dress, I will buckle the belt of truth. I will pick up the sword of the
Spirit. I will slip on the shoes of readiness. Today I will use my wardrobe as a
reminder of Who my daily companion is.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Like Jesus, are we resolved to go on a spiritual journey that will bring to completion
the Father’s saving plan?
2. Are we ready to fight in the ongoing spiritual warfare against the forces of evil? Do we
intend to put on the “armor of God”? Do we pray in the name of Jesus that we may be
strengthened?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Heavenly Father,
your Son Jesus journeys resolutely toward Jerusalem.
Totally committed to your saving will,
no threat of death can deter him.
Unite us to Jesus
that we may be strengthened in our paschal journey
and in our spiritual warfare against the forces of evil.
Clothe us with the armor of truth, justice and peace.
Help us to pray as we should and in the name of Jesus.
He lives and reigns, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! I yearn to gather you together as a hen gathers her brood
under her wings.” (Lk 13:34) // “Put on the armor of God.” (Eph 6:13)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be deeply aware that in our ongoing paschal journey a spiritual warfare is
involved. Commit yourself to daily prayer in order to be strengthened spiritually by
God’s mighty power.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Heals Our Infirmities … To Him Our
Praise Is Due”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 1:1-11 // Lk 14:1-6
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 14:1-6): “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a
cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
Today’s Gospel episode (Lk 14:1-6) underlines that Jesus’ compassionate stance
cannot be hindered or obstructed by false legalism. One Sabbath Jesus goes to the home
of a leading Pharisee to dine. The people there watch him closely and some of them, no
doubt, with an intention to entrap him. A man suffering from dropsy, a disease in which
the body swells up with excess fluid, comes to Jesus. The Divine Master raises the issue:
“Does our Law allow healing on the Sabbath or not?” The scholars of the Law and the
Pharisees keep silent. Their silence is ominous and hostile. Jesus immediately heals the
man whose legs and arms are swollen and sends him away. Jesus then prods the Pharisees
and the scholars of the Law with a question: “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into
a cistern would not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” They are unable to
answer. Just as Jesus is compassionate to the man with dropsy, he likewise shows
concern for the Pharisees and the scribes by trying to open their minds to the absurdity of
denying healing to a suffering person on the basis of a law of the Sabbath, the day given
as a gift by God to refresh his people. Jesus teaches them and us not to postpone a good
deed for someone in need. Jesus shows us that love for neighbor transcends false
constraints.
Here is a news report I read in the Fresno Bee (July 24, 2006) about the rescue of
a young boy from India, trapped for two days in a 60-foot deep irrigation shaft. The story
broke into international prominence after the private Zee News channel lowered a camera
into the pit and captured haunting images of a child crying helplessly in the dark. The
news report helps us appreciate the logic of Jesus’ contention that if a son or ox falls into
a cistern, we would immediately pull him out.
Prince fell into the freshly dug hole Friday evening when he was playing in
Aldeharhi, a village in the northern state of Haryana. The shaft, covered only with
an empty jute sack, was just wide enough to fit the boy and too narrow for an
adult. When villagers and local police could not pull him out, they sought the help
of the army. Over two days, soldiers from an engineering regiment scooped out
drums of mud from an abandoned well 10 feet away from the hole, taking care not
to use heavy machinery so soil would not cave in on the boy. Oxygen was pumped
into the pit and rescuers talked to the boy to keep his morale up. Rescuers and TV
viewers alike could watch the boy looking around timidly, munching on chocolate
and biscuits and drinking milk from a can that had been lowered in by rope. With
their bare hands, soldiers then created a pipe-reinforced connecting passageway
to the irrigation shaft. One soldier reached Prince and, along with four others,
took him back through the pipe and up the abandoned well. Making a gripping
story even better, Prince was rescued on his birthday. Prince turned 5 on Sunday.
B. First Reading (Phil 1:1-11): “The one who began a good work in you will continue
to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
In the First Reading (Phil 1:1-11), Paul acknowledges with a spirit of
thanksgiving and joy the signs of hope that fill the early Christian community in Philippi.
He likewise prays that they may have greater love, understanding and insight so that they
may be pure and blameless for the Lord’s definitive Advent at the end time. It is
absolutely necessary that Christian disciples advance, upright and without stumbling,
toward the “day of Christ” – his final coming.
The biblical scholar Pedro Ortiz comments on Paul’s Prayer of Thanksgiving:
“After the greeting, Paul (following a general custom) adds a prayer of thanksgiving. He
begins by giving thanks to God for the solidarity the Philippians have shown with him in
his apostolic work, a solidarity born of their participation in the same faith in Christ and
the same Spirit and concretely manifested in the help they have given Paul in his
moments of need. Paul does not hide the sentiments of intimate affection he feels toward
the entire community of Philippi. Now that he is in prison he feels in a special way that
they are associated with him and his work, in their sending him Epaphroditus to help him
and serve him in his need. In exchange for that Paul asks God that the love they already
have may grow more and more and that it may be enriched with the intimate knowledge
of God and the capacity to discern and choose always what is best. Thus they will be kept
pure in a world in which evil prevails. And when the Lord comes for the eschatological
judgment, he will find them irreproachable, producing a harvest of righteousness, that is,
the good works they have accomplished. Thanks to the help of Christ Jesus and all
redounding to the glory and praise of God.”
The following story illustrates Saint Paul’s assertion: “I am confident of this, that
the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ
Jesus” (cf. Joshua Sundquist in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 3).
My family was set to move from Virginia to Florida. Dad was leaving his job as
an accountant to go to seminary. Afterwards, we would return to Virginia and he
would become the assistant pastor at our church. Then the unexpected happened:
I got cancer. Seminary plans were scrapped as my life hung in the balance for a
year, and those plans never recovered even after I did.
I did not get the feeling Dad blamed me for his lost dream; he is a man of deeper
faith than that. He was just confused as to why God would place such a burden on
his heart if ministry was not meant to be a part of his career.
It’s been nineteen years since my family took that detour. I now live in the
Washington, DC, metro area about two hours from where I grew up. Dad recently
accepted a job as an accounting manager for the very church I attend, and he is
elated. He thought he needed seminary to do God’s work, but it turns out God had
a different plan.
I’m not naïve enough to think God is in the business of fulfilling all of our dreams
in this lifetime, but sometimes He lays an idea in our hearts for a reason. And
seeing His faithfulness in my dad’ career reminds me that there are times when
what seems like a door shutting is actually a message that we need to wait
patiently until God opens a different door in His own time.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do I procrastinate with regards to acts of charity and delay for no valid reason the help
urgently need?
2. Do we trust that the good Lord who has begun a good work in us will bring it to
completion?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Jesus,
your love is abounding.
You answer the cry of the poor.
Help us to compassionately serve
our needy brothers and sisters.
Teach us to respond immediately
to their urgent needs.
We put our trust in you.
We believe that the Father who has begun a good work in us
will bring it to completion until the day of your coming.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“He had healed him.” (Lk 14:4) // “The one who began a good work in you will
continue to complete it.” (Phil 1:6)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be deeply aware that the little kindness, caring and acts of charity that you do are
a vital part of God’s saving plan. Make an effort to respond “timely” and immediately to
the urgent needs of the people around you.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Blesses the Humble … He Is Our Life”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 1:18b-26 // Lk 14:1, 7-11
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 14:1, 7-11): “Everyone who exalts himself will be bumbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In 2003 Mike McGarvin wrote a very interesting book, “Papa Mike”, about his
conversion and his service to the poor, the marginalized and the homeless. After reading
the book, I concluded that Mike McGarvin is a living example of one who had humbly
recognized his human frailty and weakness and turned to God for salvation. He is a
realization of the words of Jesus: “The one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk
14:11b). The following anecdote that Mike wrote in his book made me chuckle for it
fittingly illustrates the other aspect of Jesus’ lesson on humility: “Everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled” (Lk 12:14a).
At St. Boniface and Poverello, I got a real slice of life. The Tenderloin was the
bottom of the social barrel, and all sorts of desperate cases drifted in and out
…There was a regular at Poverello who was exceptional. He looked like a typical
street person: dirty, a ratty beard, deteriorating, mismatched clothes. One day
someone told me that he had once been a chess champion, ranked eighth in the
United States. He had been involved in a love relationship that didn’t work out,
and it had taken him over the edge. He started drinking too much, and eventually
landed on the streets in San Francisco.
One evening, a volunteer, who was a lawyer, looked out over the coffeehouse and
said, “I’ll bet these people aren’t smart enough to play chess.” I was offended by
his remark, but immediately thought of a way to cool this guy’s arrogance. I
pointed to the chess champion, and said, “I’ve seen that guy play a little chess;
why don’t you try him out?” The lawyer played three games with him, and the old
wino beat him resoundingly every time. The attorney fancied himself an excellent
chess player, so he was devastated. He came back up to the counter, and kept
saying over and over, “I can’t believe that old drunk beat me three times.”
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 14: 1, 7-11) tells us that on a Sabbath day Jesus had
gone for a meal to the house of a leading Pharisee. Jesus noticed how the guests were
choosing the places of honor at table. In this meal setting populated with “social
climbers”, the Divine Master narrated to the guests a parable that ends with a powerful
dictum: “For everyone who exalts himself with be humbled, but the one who humbles
himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11). The biblical scholar, Eugene Maly explains the faith
context of this parable: “Jesus is not concerned with ordinary social etiquette. He has
more in mind than that … This is a Kingdom talk. This is the way it is in the Kingdom of
God. A presupposition of the saying is that God issues the invitation to the Kingdom
banquet. And he issues it to the lowly, the humble, those who recognize their total
dependence on God’s salvation. These are the ones who will be exalted. But those who
say, ‘Look at me, Lord! See my strength, my wealth, my influence’, are the ones who
will be humbled. This humility, this total openness to the strength of God, leads to
greatness.”
Indeed, the kingdom parable of Jesus underlines the meaning of humility, which
is basically a total dependence on God who wills our salvation. The Divine Master took
the way of humility in his pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bring to fulfillment his life-giving
paschal destiny on the cross. Jesus crystallized the meaning of humility in his very
person. He is the Servant-Son totally consecrated to the saving will of God. With deep
humility as faithful servant and in filial obedience, Jesus humbly pursued the Father’s
saving plan and fully committed his entire being to God. The lowly one of Yahweh
trusted in the marvelous action of God – he who humbles and exalts. St. Paul and an early
Christian hymn acclaim: “Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even
death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him” (Phil 2:8-9).
B. First Reading (Phil 1:18b-26): “For to me life is Christ and death is gain.”
Saint Paul the Apostle is a privileged example of the laborer of the “last hour”
who benefited from the abundant riches of God’s grace. A persecutor of Christian faith,
he was converted and experienced the undeserved free bounty of God. Saint Paul is a
model of a true response to divine love radically revealed in Jesus Christ. In the reading
(Phil 1:18b-26), the Apostle is writing to the Philippians from a prison in Ephesus circa
56 A.D. Awaiting a possible death sentence, he reflects that for him both life and death
take their meaning from Christ. Saint Paul asserts that with his whole being, he would
bring honor to Christ, whether he live or die. Death for him is gain for he would relish the
heavenly reward. To continue to live in this world, however, would mean a more fruitful
labor for the Gospel. This would benefit more greatly the community of faith and
encourage them to live a life worthy of the Gospel. Having been evangelized and brought
under the power of the Gospel, they are to reflect in their life and their belonging to
Christ.
The following personal testimony of Fr. Jose Maniyangat, circulated on the
Internet, powerfully illustrates the necessity of responding faithfully and obediently to
our Christian vocation through life and death.
I was born on July 16, 1949 in Kerala, India to my parents, Joseph and Theresa
Maniyangat. I am the eldest of seven children: Jose, Mary, Theresa, Lissama,
Zachariah, Valsa and Tom. At the age of fourteen, I entered St. Mary’s Minor
Seminary in Thirivalla to begin my studies for the priesthood. Four years later, I
went to St. Joseph’s Pontifical Major Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala to continue my
priestly formation. After completing the seven years of philosophy and theology, I
was ordained a priest on January 1, 1975 to serve as a missionary in the Diocese
of Thirivalla.
On Sunday April 14, 1985, the feast of Divine Mercy, I was going to celebrate
Mass at a mission church in the north part of Kerala, and I had a fatal accident. I
was riding a motorcycle when I was hit head-on by a jeep driven by a man who
was intoxicated after a Hindu festival. I was rushed to a hospital about 35 miles
away. On the way, my soul came out from my body and I experienced death.
Immediately, I met my Guardian Angel. I saw my body and the people were
mourning for me. At this time my angel told me: “I am going to take you to
Heaven; the Lord wants to meet you.” He also said that, on the way, he wanted to
show me hell and purgatory.
Hell: First, the angel escorted me to hell. It was an awful sight! I saw Satan and
the devils, an unquenchable fire of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, worms
crawling, people screaming and fighting, others being tortured by demons. The
angel told me that all these sufferings were due to un-repented mortal sins. Then,
I understood that there are seven degrees of suffering or levels according to the
number and kinds of mortal sins committed in their earthly lives. The souls looked
very ugly, cruel and horrific. It was a fearful experience. I saw people whom I
knew, but I am not allowed to reveal their identities. The sins that convicted them
were mainly abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, hatefulness, un-forgiveness and
sacrilege.
The angel told me that if they had repented, they would have avoided hell and
gone instead to purgatory. I also understood that some people who repent from
these sins might be purified on earth through their sufferings. This way they can
avoid purgatory and go straight to heaven. I was surprised when I saw in hell
even priests and Bishops, some of whom I never expected to see. Many of them
were there because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad
example.
Purgatory: After the visit to hell, my Guardian Angel escorted me to purgatory.
Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and unquenchable fire. But it is far
less intense than hell and there was neither quarreling nor fighting. The main
suffering of these souls is their separation from God. Some of those who are in
purgatory committed numerous mortal sins, but they were reconciled with God
before their death. Even though these souls were suffering, they enjoy peace and
the knowledge that one day they will see God face to face.
I had a chance to communicate with the souls in purgatory. They asked me to
pray for them and to tell the people to pray for them as well, so that they can go to
heaven quickly. When we pray for these souls, we will receive their gratitude
through their prayers, and once they enter heaven, their prayers become even
more meritorious. It is difficult for me to describe how beautiful my Guardian
Angel is. He is radiant and bright. He is my constant companion and helps me in
all my ministries, especially my healing ministry. I experience his presence
everywhere I go and I am grateful for his protection in my daily life.
Heaven: Next, my angel escorted me to heaven passing through a big dazzling
white tunnel. I never experienced this much peace and joy in my life. Then
immediately heaven opened up and I heard the most delightful music, which I
never heard before. The angels were singing and praising God. I saw all the
saints, especially the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, and many dedicated holy
Bishops and priests who were shining like stars.
And when I appeared before the Lord, Jesus told me: “I want you to go back to
the world. In your second life, you will be an instrument of peace and healing to
my people. You will walk in a foreign land and you will speak in a foreign tongue.
Everything is possible for you with my grace.” After these words, the Blessed
Mother told me: “Do whatever he tells you. I will help you in your ministries.”
Words cannot express the beauty of heaven. There we find so much peace and
happiness, which exceed a million times our imagination. Our Lord is far more
beautiful than any image can convey. His face is radiant and luminous and more
beautiful that a thousand rising suns. The pictures we see in the world are only a
shadow of his magnificence. The Blessed Mother was next to Jesus. She was so
beautiful and radiant. None of the images we see in this world can compare with
her real beauty.
Heaven is our real home; we are all created to reach heaven and enjoy God
forever.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What does Jesus’ teaching on humility mean to us, personally and concretely? Are we
willing to replicate in our life the humble stance of Jesus, the Servant of Yahweh and the
Son of God?
2. Do we give honor and glory to God in all our being, whether by life or by death?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your only begotten Son Jesus is the humble Servant
in whom you are most pleased.
We praise and thank you for the mystery of his kenosis and self-emptying.
Help us to realize more and more that the feast of your kingdom is for all.
Fill us with zeal and apostolic strength
to spread your gracious saving invitation to all peoples,
especially the poor and lowly.
We ask this through Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you are the center of our life.
Whether we die or live, we belong to you.
Let us proclaim your goodness in everything we do
and by a holy life.
With Saint Paul we declare:
“For to me life is Christ and death is gain.”
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles
himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11) //“For to me life is Christ and death is gain.” (Phil
1:21)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In a spirit of humility, renew your total dependence on God and his saving will.
When you suffer some “humiliation” be gracious and make it an occasion to exercise the
virtue of “humility”. // Today be deeply conscious that whatever you do is being offered
to the Lord and for an apostolic intention.
*** Text of 30th Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 101)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 31
MONDAY: THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Hospitable to All …
He Teaches Us to Care for Others”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 2:1-4 // Lk 14:12-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 14:12-14): “Do not invite your friens, but those who are poor
and crippled.”
I grew up in a Filipino culture of reciprocity. One day when I was a teenager, I
baked a delicious “Devil’s Food” cake and shared it with the family next door. Sure
enough, they reciprocated. When their daughter baked a fantastic orange chiffon cake,
they shared it with us. Indeed, when someone does something good, we have a feeling of
indebtedness. The Filipinos call that sense of obligation “utang na loob” (debt of
gratitude). With my cultural background of “utang na loob”, it is easy for me to
understand the reciprocal relationship in the Jewish world.
To seek or give recompense is an honorable way of behaving, especially if it is
meant to strengthen friendships, deepen family bonds, increase our potential, etc. But
Jesus goes beyond mere human reciprocity. In today’s Gospel (Lk 14:12-14), he advises
his host Pharisee that when he holds a banquet he should not invite his friends, brothers,
relatives or wealthy neighbors lest he will be invited back and be repaid. He urges him
instead to invite the poor, the crippled and the blind – those unable to reciprocate. Jesus’
perplexing advice should not be taken literally. The “radical” advice is a hyperbole – a
Semitic exaggeration to teach a new way of behaving. He invites us to welcome and be
hospitable to the unfortunate – not just to those who can reciprocate our good graces. He
wants us to be good in a totally disinterested fashion – to be generous without expecting a
reward. We must show concern for the poor and needy. In sharing God’s blessings with
them, we mirror his compassion. Jesus teaches us that the kingdom of God is for all.
Hence, our hospitality must likewise be all-inclusive – embracing all – especially the
poor and vulnerable who are neglected by those who act merely reciprocally and with
selfish motives.
Our friend Rosel is a member of the Holy Family Institute, founded by Blessed
James Alberione. I am deeply touched by her compassion for the poor. When she
celebrates her birthday, or that of her daughter, she does it in a very “Christian” way.
Instead of hosting a party at their home in San Jose (CA-USA) she will send her hard
earned dollars to her hometown in Cebu, Philippines to feed the poor. Hundreds and
hundreds of poor, hungry children are able to enjoy a delicious meal on account of her
generosity. Rosel follows literally the words of Jesus: “When you hold a banquet, invite
the poor …”
B. First Reading (Phil 2:1-4): “Complete my joy by being of the same kind.”
In today’s First Reading (Phil 2:1-4), Saint Paul exhorts the Philippians to
community harmony and humility. The apostolic exhortation begins with four premises:
“If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the
Spirit, any compassion and mercy …” These conditions are real: they have been
strengthened by Christ, comforted by his love, shared in the fellowship of the Spirit, and
are the objects of God’s kindness and compassion. Since the Philippians are the
beneficiaries of this grace-filled reality, they ought to live in harmony and humility. In
this way, they will complete Paul’s joy – for they will be of one mind with Paul and one
another and possess the same love. Consequently, they will look out for one another’s
interests, not just for their own. They will not treat each other selfishly nor boastfully, but
with care and great regard for one another.
The following report on an Ebola survivor, circulated on the Internet, illustrates
what it means to regard the other as more important and to care for one another’s needs
Dr. Kent Brantly, one of the two US doctors who contracted the Ebola virus in
Liberia, has spoken out for the first time. He released a statement from his
isolation room at Emory University in Atlanta where he’s being treated after he
was flown out of Liberia last week.
He is the first Ebola patient to receive the experimental serum, ZMapp. Below is
the statement Brantly released:
“I am writing this update from my isolation room at Emory University Hospital,
where the doctors and nurses are providing the very best care possible. I am
growing stronger every day, and I thank God for His mercy as I have wrestled
with this terrible disease. I also want to extend my deep and sincere thanks to
all of you who have been praying for my recovery as well as for Nancy and for
the people of Liberia and West Africa.
My wife Amber and I, along with our two children, did not move to Liberia for
the specific purpose of fighting Ebola. We went to Liberia because we believe
God called us to serve Him at ELWA Hospital.
One thing I have learned is that following God often leads to unexpected places.
When Ebola spread into Liberia, my usual hospital work turned more and more
toward treating the increasing number of Ebola patients. I held the hands of
countless individuals as this terrible disease took their lives away from them. I
witnessed the horror first-hand, and I can still remember every face and name.
When I started feeling ill on that Wednesday morning, I immediately isolated
myself until the test confirmed my diagnosis three days later. When the result
was positive, I remember a deep sense of peace that was beyond all
understanding. God was reminding me of what He had taught me years ago,
that he will give me everything I need to be faithful to Him.
Now it is two weeks later, and I am in a totally different setting. My focus,
however, remains the same – to follow God. As you continue to pray for Nancy
and me, yes, please pray for our recovery. More importantly, pray that we would
be faithful to God’s call on our lives in these new circumstances.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
Does your behavior go beyond the bounds of human reciprocity? Do you imitate
the generous stance of Jesus, who empties himself for others without counting the cost?
Do you endeavor to live a life of harmony and humility within the community?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
you teach us the way of hospitality and generosity.
You call us to be united with you,
and thus live in harmony and with humility.
Help us to open ourselves
to the needs of the poor and the unfortunate.
Teach us to care for the needs of others.
Fill our table with your blessings
that we may share them with our brothers and sisters
who do not have.
Lead us all to the heavenly feasting
where we will rejoice with you, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind …” (Lk 14:13) // “Look out for
one another’s interests, not just your own.” (Phil 2:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Eliminate “unnecessary” spending and look into the possibility of donating your
resources to help feed the world’s poor and alleviate the sufferings of the needy.
Continue to pray for the sick and the afflicted and those who take care of them directly.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to the Feast of the Kingdom
… We Must Imitate His Attitude”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 2:5-11 // Lk 14:15-24
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 14:15-24): “Go out quickly into highways and hedgerows and
make people come in that my home may be filled.”
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly remarks: “One of the most pleasant of human
activities is the family or community meal. In its ideal form, it is a time when those who
love one another not only share the food they eat, but also share with one another their
hopes and fears, their experiences, and future plans. The love that already binds them is
made stronger. The Scripture attests to the fact that a meal is expressive of a wide range
of human attitudes and emotions … All mankind seems to be aware of the fact that a
shared meal creates or strengthens a community of life among the participants. That is
why this most human of activities would also be used to symbolize a community of life
between human and divine participants.”
All are invited to the feast of the Kingdom. The end-time feast is for all peoples,
with God himself as the gracious host. He is the Lord of the banquet who satisfies our
deepest longings. Today’s Gospel parable (Lk 14:15-24) underlines the need of a positive
response to his invitation. The Church, which has a foretaste of the heavenly banquet,
must go to the crossroads in order to invite everyone to the wedding feast. The banquet of
salvation, offered to all peoples in the highways and byways, is abundant and gratuitous.
But it demands a full response and commitment.
The following personal reflection of a Filipino Religious Brother (he prefers to
remain anonymous) gives us an idea of the positive response as well as the negative one
that can be given to the Lord’s invitation to the feast of the kingdom.
Preparation for a wedding banquet is too tedious. It puts the host into great
anxiety. The host will always look forward to the success of the occasion. The
celebration is disappointing if the invited guests will not come despite all the
preparation and invitations. Moreover, the story of the gospel is impossible today.
We seldom see a rich man inviting people of a lower class to his banquet. This is
impossible. If this will happen, the occasion is frowned upon by the wealthy and
influential.
In reading the Gospel, the story reminds me of the experience of our parish priest
in the province. He was organizing the Basic Ecclesial Community. He was
scouting possible community-leaders to facilitate the barrio people in forming
little communities and, at the same time, to train Special Eucharistic Ministers to
serve in the parish. The parish priest invited first the town people, “taga-
poblacion”. Some attended, but slowly they decreased in number until no one
remained. The priest was disappointed.
The Basic Ecclesial Community is the trust and mission of the Diocese in
response to the promulgation of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines.
The Council would like to emphasize the importance of the community-based
church wherein lay people can participate with their time, treasure and talents.
Because of the priest’s disappointment, he, in turn, called the people from the
barrio to attend seminars. The poor from the countryside gladly responded to the
call. They started a series of seminars and special education about the basic
tenets of faith, the Bible and the Doctrines. The presence of the “taga-barrio” and
the “hijos/hijas de entresuelo” (sons and daughters of the nobility by mistresses
in the countryside) annoyed the people in the “centro”.
The “taga-barrio” started to occupy a space in the parish. They became regular
visitors of the parish priest and that made the town people indifferent to them.
One morning, during the Novena Mass in preparation for the town fiesta, carts
and muddy vehicles started to arrive. They were decorated with artificial flowers,
twigs and leaves, giving a festive atmosphere that made the people wonder. This
event astonished the people. Envy haunted the townsfolk when some of those from
the barrio went in the procession with the priest at the beginning of the Mass.
They were commissioned as Lay Leaders and Special Eucharistic Ministers to
help the priest in distributing communion.
Even now, there are few Special Eucharistic Ministers from the “centro”. Indeed,
the wealthy and influential are occupied more by their affairs and they have
missed the call to associate with the poor and the little ones. This is still an issue
in the parish among the nobles.
B. First Reading (Phil 2:5-11): “He emptied himself and because of this, God exalted
him.”
The Second Reading (Phil 2:1-11) presents the “kenosis” or self-emptying of
Jesus as the ultimate paradigm of a perfect filial response to God. Jesus Christ is the
supreme model of total surrender to the Father’s saving will. Harold Buetow explicates:
“Jesus’ characteristic quality was self-renunciation. He did not want to dominate people,
but to serve them; not in his own way, but in the Father’s, and not to exalt himself but to
humble himself. His obedience went beyond that expected of an ordinary human being to
that which was expected of a good slave: that is, obediently accepting even death –
heroically, the degradation of even death on a cross! From that lowest point, Jesus’
upward movement began: God exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above
every name. Jesus’ new name is Lord … It means that Jesus is the master of life, a
cosmic influence over all creation … We give Jesus obedience, a love, and a loyalty we
can give no one else. At his name, every knee must bend – not in broken submission to
might and power, but to the influence of love. And all is, as was Jesus’ life, to the glory
of God the Father.”
If we live in deep communion with Christ and assume his humble stance of
servitude and self-emptying, harmony and unity would flourish in his body the Church.
Indeed, our actions as Christian disciples need to be inspired by Saint Paul’s exhortation:
“Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus”. The following personal
testimony gives insight into what it means to have the same attitude as that of Jesus
Christ (cf. Daniel Schantz in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 322)
As a teacher in a Christian college, my life has been lived in a somewhat
protected culture, but my son-in-law, who is also named Dan, lets his light shine
in the often brutal world of business.
Dan is a gifted manager of some six hundred large vehicles for a utility company.
He works with vendors, goes to meetings, inspects vehicles … and he is guided by
his faith in all he does. For example, he maintains his vehicles scrupulously
because he knows that the safety of his workers depends on attention to such
details as worn tires and brakes or burned-out headlights.
He treats his staff with respect. If he has to correct a worker, he goes in person,
face-to-face, the way the Bible says to do. “I was told that you are using a
company vehicle for personal trips. Is this true or just a rumor?”
When he fills out performance reviews, he tells the truth, neither all nice nor allnegative. “I really appreciate your hard work, but your mileage records need a
bit of work.”
It’s a large company, but when there is death in a worker’s family, Dan goes to
the funeral to show support. “I’m sorry about your great loss. I will be praying
for you.”
Little wonder that Dan is highly respected and appreciated.
I have learned that everything that I do has a spiritual dimension and not just
Bible reading or Church attendance. Whether I am shopping for clothes, fixing a
flat tire, or just driving down the freeway, my spiritual light is on and the meter is
running.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
What is our response to the Lord’s invitation, “Come to the feast”? How do we
react to the negative response of those who have been invited to the heavenly feast? Do I
strive to put on the same attitude that Jesus Christ had, especially with regards to selfemptying and service of the divine saving will?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving God,
you are the Lord of the banquet.
We thank you
for the “feast of rich food and choice wines”
you have prepared for us on your holy mountain.
In our daily celebration of the Eucharist,
we have a foretaste of the eternal joy
and the bounty of that heavenly feast.
Grant us the grace to respond positively
to the eternal “banquet of salvation”.
Let us put on the attitude of humble service of Jesus Christ
that we may totally rejoice in you.
We serve you and glorify you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Come, everything now is ready.” (Lk 14:17) // “The attitude you should have is
the one that Christ Jesus had.” (Phil 2:5)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the invitation to the wedding feast of God’s kingdom may find a
welcoming response in the hearts of our people. Endeavor to bring the bounty of God’s
wedding feast to the poor and hungry of today’s distressed and suffering world. In your
daily relationship with others, manifest Jesus’ attitude of humility and loving service.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Embrace the Cost of
Discipleship … His Power Is at Work in Us”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 2:12-18 // Lk 14:25-33
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 14:25-33): “Everyone of you who does not renounce all his
possessions cannot be my disciple.”
In 2004 I watched the video, “Maximilian, Saint of Auschwitz” that had been
stashed on a shelf in our community room. Produced as a joint venture by Saint Luke
Productions and the Ignatius Press, the film depicts the radical discipleship of Maximilian
Kolbe, who was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941 for his tireless work against the Nazi
forces. The founder of the Militia of Mary Immaculate was sent to the infamous death
camp of Auschwitz where he served in slave labor. He was frequently beaten and
subjected to humiliations. On August 14, 1941, he was granted the crown of martyrdom
when he offered his own life in place of another prisoner. Various scenes in the film
powerfully delineate his spirit of renunciation and total dedication to the Lord. Two
poignant episodes illustrate the saint’s uncompromising discipleship: when he was
offering his ration of bread to a younger famished prisoner and when he was lying in the
death bunker, naked and deprived of everything, waiting for the completion of his
paschal sacrifice. Indeed, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe exemplifies a disciple’s heroic
response to the challenge posed by Christ: “If anyone comes to me without hating his
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he
cannot be my disciple … Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot
be my disciple … Anyone who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my
disciple”.
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 14:25-33) situates Jesus’ challenge in the context of
his paschal journey to Jerusalem with great crowds accompanying him. Jesus addresses
the crowds to enlighten them about the cost of discipleship. He confronts them with the
real demands of being with him on his journey. They must renounce everything (be it
family, or their own lives, or possessions) in order to be his disciples. Discipleship, which
is a deliberate and total commitment to his person, entails renunciation, or a spirit of
detachment. Jesus reinforces his message by narrating two parables concerning the need
for reflection before taking decisive action. No one builds without planning carefully, and
no king would wage a war without thoughtfully weighing the costs. Discipleship is an allconsuming vocation that must be accepted with mature deliberation. A Christian disciple
cannot act on impulse, but only on a carefully considered program of involvement.
According to Robert Karris: “Those who want to follow Jesus on the way must
weigh the costs … Jesus’ followers must not recoil before any sacrifice required of them
to see their following of him through to the end, even if this means the sacrifice of all
their possessions … Disciples must beware of letting their allegiance to Jesus deteriorate
and become inactive.” A ruined builder and a conquered king are unpleasant images of a
failed and compromised discipleship.
B. First Reading (Phil 2:12-18): “Work out your salvation for God is the one who
works in you both to desire and to work.”
In today’s First Reading (Phil 2:12-18), Saint Paul continues his admonition to
Christian conduct. The apostle acknowledges that his beloved Philippians have ever been
obedient both when he was with them and now that he is imprisoned and away from
them. Heartened by their obedient stance to the practical exigencies of faith, Saint Paul
urges the Philippians “to work out their salvation with fear and trembling”. They are
called to make the gift of salvation efficacious in their life and this is to be done “with
fear and trembling”, that is, with a humble reverence and dependence born of faith in
God. Indeed, salvation is a gift from God that needs to be responded to. It ought to be
actually carried out, not by their own strength, but because God makes it possible for
them to do so. God energizes the Christian’s desire and effort toward salvation.
Strengthened by God’s power in their lives, Saint Paul exhorts the Philippians to
do everything without grumbling or questioning, a reference to the murmuring of the
people of Israel in the desert when they contested God and his providence. Rather than a
contentious or a negative presence, the believers are called to be blameless and innocent
in the midst of a society that does not know God. Their Christian mission is “to shine like
lights in the world” as they remain faithful to the Gospel, the “word of life”. If they do so,
Paul will rejoice on the day of Christ’s final coming for indeed he has not run or toil in
vain.
Saint Paul’s total commitment to the Gospel as a disciple of Christ is evident in
his willingness to offer his life for the Philippians and the faith they offer to God. The
possibility of martyrdom will not deter Paul, who will embrace his sacrificial destiny with
joy – a joy to be shared with others.
The following current-day account “On Ebola’s Front Lines” (cf. The Week,
October 31, 2014) gives insight into the meaning of Saint Paul’s words: “to be poured as
a libation”.
The first time Dr. Steven Hatch suited up in protective gear at an Ebola treatment
center in Suakoko, Liberia, he was confronted with the weight of his decision to
volunteer here. A patient, sweating and heavily soiled, had collapsed in a
corridor. “Literally every surface of his body was covered in billions of particles
of Ebola”, he recalled. (…)
In his first two weeks in Liberia at a new clinic run by the charity International
Medical Corps, Hatch has learned the ways of the Ebola ward. Much of West
Africa is following a no hands rule to avoid contagion from the deadly virus, but
doctors and nurses here, protected by layers of plastic and rubber armor,
routinely touch the sick. Without a drug that can cure the disease, they offer
patients fluids and medications to treat symptoms, but also the simplest of
comforts, like feeding them and cleaning them up. (…)
Hatch’s journey to this remote center in a tropical forest began last month at a
training course run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at a
former Army base in Anniston, Alabama. An infectious-disease specialist in
Worcester, Massachusetts, Hatch, 45, joined about two dozen other medical
workers heading to West Africa. (…)
Hatch, married with 13-year-old twins, says he is at peace with his decision to
treat Ebola patients. “I just don’t worry about my life”, he said. “When you’re
scared, you get jumpy. When you get jumpy, you make bad decisions.”
Last Friday, he carried a malnourished 9-year-old girl, Blessing Gea, into the
unit for those confirmed to have the disease. The next night, nurse Mulrroney,
clad in full protective gear, tended to the lonely little girl. She let her lean against
her as she squeezed a packet of peanut butter-based supplement into the child’s
mouth. She changed her clothing, put new sheets on her bed, and wrapped her in
a fuzzy blanket for the chilly night, stroking her head. Three days later, a blood
test showed the girl had recovered from Ebola.
Hatch visited a new patient, a pastor who was gravely ill by the time he was
admitted last week yet insisted on praying for the American doctor. “To see a guy
lying in bed that’s got a 50/50 chance of living or dying pray for you?” Hatch
said shaking his head. The next day, just before the pastor died, he prayed for
Hatch again.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
Am I ready to renounce anyone and/or anything that stands in the way of a total
commitment to Jesus: even closest relations, precious possessions, and my very life? Do I
wisely and realistically consider the cost of Christian discipleship? Like Saint Paul, am I
ready to offer my life as a sacrificial offering for the love of others? Do I trust in God’s
strength and not in my own power?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus invites us
to consider the cost of discipleship.
Help us to love your Son unconditionally.
Give us the strength to be totally self-giving,
even to the point of sacrificing our own life
for the love of Jesus.
Grant that we may be totally open
to the riches of the kingdom.
Be with us as “we work out our salvation with fear and trembling”.
We give you praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Everyone who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” (Lk
14:32) // “I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith.” (Phil
2:17).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray to God for the grace and strength of total dedication. Exercise daily selfrenunciation to prepare yourself for the greater challenges that lie ahead. As you daily
carry out the work of salvation, be deeply aware of the power of God that is given you.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Rejoices at Finding the Lost … He Is
Our True Value”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 3:3-8a // Lk 15:1-10
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 15:1-10): “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner
who repents.”
This happened many years ago. My dad was sick with cancer and emotionally
sensitive. My brother, Diko Pito, who was undergoing the development throes of teenage
life, was also sensitive. My sick father and Diko Pito had an argument. The disagreement
escalated to the point that my brother packed some belongings. He ran away from home
weeping. My mom was not around when this happened. When she realized that my
brother ran away, she immediately went to look for him. All of us were distressed. We
could only hope and pray that he may be found. Finally, my mom came back with my
“lost” brother. My mom found Diko Pito in the home of his best friend Augusto. My
brother was intending to take the evening train to our province in Bicol to take refuge in
the home of my Dad’s sister. We greatly rejoiced that Diko Pito was found … that he
came back home, safe and sound.
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 15:1-10), Jesus underlines the heavenly rejoicing
when the “lost” is “found”. A sheep has gone astray. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine
secure in the fold and searches diligently for the lost sheep. Because of the value of every
single sheep, his is not merely a token search. When he finds the sheep, he sets it on his
shoulders with great joy. Upon his arrival, he calls together his friends and neighbors to
celebrate. In the same way, there is great rejoicing in heaven over a repentant sinner.
Jesus reiterates his message by narrating a domestic parable. A woman loses one of her
ten precious coins. A drachma coin is worth a day’s wage for a laborer, and is extremely
valuable to the woman. She lights a lamp and sweeps the windowless room, searching
diligently until she finds it. She rejoices when the lost coin is found. In just the same way
there is great rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.
Today’s parables contain a distilled essence of the Gospel: about a loving God
who treasures us infinitely. Because of our extreme value, he patiently seeks us out when
we are lost. He wants to bring us back close to his heart. God cares for sinners and
rejoices at their conversion. In contrast, the Old Testament reluctant prophet Jonah was
upset when the people of Nineveh heeded the warning of doom that God commissioned
him to preach. He sulked when the people of Nineveh turned their hearts to God in
repentance and averted self-destruction. Instead of rejoicing that the sinners were saved that the “lost” were “found” – the punitive Jonah was angry at God for his mercy. But
God is not Jonah and does not act like Jonah. Our loving and forgiving God rejoices
when a sinner repents. When the “lost” is “found”, it is an experience of resurrection … it
is new life!
B. First Reading (Phil 3:3-8a): “But whatever gains I had, I even consider as a loss
because of Christ.”
In today’s First Reading (Phil 3:3-8a), Saint Paul asserts that Christ is the true
value. Contesting the false teachers who wish to impose physical circumcision upon the
Philippians, the apostle remarks that the Christian believers have received the “true
circumcision” for they worship God by means of his Spirit and rejoice in their life of
union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Christians are “the seed of Abraham” – the “sons of
Abraham – because of their faith in Christ Jesus. They do not put their confidence in
physical circumcision, which is not a guarantee for salvation. If there is any reason for
confidence in Jewish “merits”, such as the physical sign of circumcision, Paul, as a
Christian of Jewish background, can claim them as well as the Jews. He lists his Jewish
pedigree and elite background as a member of the tribe of Benjamin. Moreover, he was a
Pharisee so zealous that he persecuted the Church and kept the law blamelessly. But in
comparison to having gained Christ, all these can be counted as “loss”. Paul’s encounter
with Christ has completely changed his scale of values. All that seemed to be his
advantage before now means nothing to him. The knowledge of Christ, with the life and
love it entails, makes everything else relative and of less importance.
The following modern day testimony gives insight into Paul’s experience of
Christ as the central value that “relativizes” all things (cf. Anne Nolan, “From Catwalk to
Confession” in Alive! September 2014, p. 6).
After all the summer’s footballers, fashion models seem to be in the news this
month. Like Amada Rosa Perez. Having grown up in a small village, Amada Rosa
was “discovered” when she walked into a gym in Bogota, aged 18, and she went
on to become one of Colombia’s top models and film star.
A charismatic queen of the catwalk in Europe and the US, she was a regular on
magazine covers. Then she disappeared from the public eye. Five years later she
reappeared, a very different person. Call it a religious conversion or simply a
decision on her part to seek happiness in a very different direction.
Because behind all the glamour, her life was a serious mess. Desperately she
turned to Yoga, Reiki, Feng-Shui, Tarot, without suspecting the hidden price she
was paying: “The Devil always wants something in return”, she says. Deeply
wounded by her experiences, she felt unsatisfied, directionless, submerged in
fleeting pleasures, and at one point was so depressed she considered suicide.
Then, just like she had walked into a gym, one day she walked into a church.
There she read, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I shall
give you rest.” With that a light went on in her head. She went to confession and
found the peace she had been longing for. Then a little bit of Ireland touched her
life; she discovered the Legion of Mary and became a member.
Now, besides going to Mass daily, she prays the rosary, says the Divine Mercy
Chaplet at 3pm and goes to confession frequently. But she also wants to share the
peace and joy of her faith with others. For her, that’s part of being a Catholic.
“Being a model means being a benchmark”, she says, “being someone whose
beliefs are worthy of being imitated.”
“I grew tired of being a model of superficiality. I grew tired of a world of lies,
appearances, falsity, hypocrisy and deception; a society full of anti-values that
exalts violence, adultery, drugs; a world that exalts riches, pleasure, sexual
immorality and fraud.”
“I want to be a model that promotes the true dignity of women, and not their
being used for commercial purposes”, she says.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
What does it mean to be lost and found? Are you willing to experience the joy of
a loving God who rejoices when one sinner repents? With Saint Paul, will you be able to
declare: “But whatever gains I had these I have come to consider loss because of Christ?”
Do you consider Christ as the true value?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you are gracious and forgiving.
Your Son Jesus is the Good Shepherd
who seeks the lost sheep.
His diligence is akin to a woman
who carefully sweeps her house
to find a lost precious coin.
There is great rejoicing in heaven
over one sinner who repents.
This is awesome!
We are grateful that you care for us
and love us, O Father.
And because Christ is our ultimate value,
we consider whatever gains we had as “loss”
and of secondary value.
We praise and thank you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“There will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
(Lk 15:10) // “But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of
Christ.” (Eph 3:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the conversion of those who have gone astray, and by your kind words
and deeds, be an instrument to bring them back home to God. Do what you can to help
those who are searching for “lost” family members or friends. Every day be thankful to
the Father for Jesus Savior, our true value.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Enterprising … He Is
the Principle of Our Transformation”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 3:17-4:1 // Lk 16:1-8
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 16:1-8): “For the children of this world are more prudent in
dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”
This experience was narrated by a teenager writing in a Filipino national
magazine. A Chinese family moved into their neighborhood. For the local Filipino
families there, the new neighbors were simply “aliens”. They did not have much
sympathy for them. The Chinese immigrants are generally very good businessmen and
often acquire more material resources than the local folks. The business acumen of the
Chinese and their financial success sometimes generate a feeling of resentment among
the natives. One day, the poor neighbors heard much bustling and activity from the
Chinese home. They heard pigs being butchered and saw domestic helpers moving about
laden with groceries. Enormous vessels of food were cooked outdoors. The aroma of
delightful dishes stimulated not only the neighbors’ appetite, but also their curiosity. In
the evening, the domestic helpers of the Chinese newcomers scurried through the
neighborhood, lugging a most welcome gift for each poor family: a big wicker basket
filled with delectable dishes to satisfy their hungry stomachs: “adobo” – a spicy pork
dish, “pancit” – made of egg noodles and stir fry vegetables, and “leche flan” – a special
creamy custard. There were also some nicely cooked white rice and delicious, ripe fruits
to complete the treat. Instead of hosting a party for their relatives and friends, the well-todo Chinese family celebrated the daughter’s birthday by preparing food baskets for their
poor neighbors. The enterprising character of their charity slowly demolished the
resistance of the local folks who eventually became their friends.
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 16:1-8) Jesus narrates the parable of the crafty
steward. According to the biblical scholar, Eugene Maly: “In the parable the manager,
about to be dismissed, calls in the master’s debtors and reduces their bills (probably by
renouncing part or all of his own commission) in order to gain their good will for the
future. The lesson intended by Jesus is simply that we should be as enterprising about our
future in the Kingdom as was the manager about his future. No judgment, good or bad, is
made on the possession of goods.”
Indeed, in the parable of the wily manager is Jesus’ invitation to his disciples to
be enterprising in the pursuit of the kingdom of God. At the conclusion of the parable,
Jesus said to his disciples: “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing
with their own generation than are the children of light”. In it is a powerful appeal to
Christian followers, not only to be creative in the ways of kingdom stewardship, but also
to be radically decisive when confronted with a crisis situation concerning God’s reign.
Robert Karris remarks: “The steward was decisive when faced with a crisis, so too should
Jesus’ listeners who are wavering in their decision to follow him and his kingdom
message.”
B. First Reading (Phil 3:17-4:1): “We await a savior who will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body.”
Today’s First Reading (Phil 3:17-4:1) helps us to delve into our own vocation of
transformation. The Christian journey of transformation is radically initiated at baptism,
but needs to be perfected day by day, until the end time when “Christ will change our
lowly body to conform with his glorified body”. Saint Paul, responding so fully to the gift
of baptismal transformation that he could truthfully confess: “It is no longer I who live;
Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20), presents himself as an “imitator of Christ” – a model to be
emulated by the pledging Philippians. Paul’s journey of configuration to Christ was not
without difficulties and sacrifice. But remaining steadfast in his faith, he exhorted the
Philippians to stand firm in the Lord.
The biblical scholar Adrian Nocent comments: “Saint Paul develops the thought
that all who are baptized will share in the glory of the transfigured Christ. He urges the
Philippians to follow his own example and not let their hearts become attached to earthly
things. They are already citizens of heaven. How, then, could they glory in what is really
a cause for shame or make anything earthly the goal of their life? The Christian is
constantly confronted with choices he cannot evade. He must choose, and he must keep
on choosing, since, though already a citizen of heaven, he still lives in that form of a
servant which Christ himself assumed and in which he was humbled even to the point of
dying (Phil 2:6-11). But the day of the Lord’s return will be the day when his fidelity will
be rewarded: he will be transformed and become like the glorious Christ … We must
change our ways, we must choose and follow the Apostle, that is, in the last analysis we
must follow Christ on his paschal journey so that with him we may finally be transformed
and glorified.”
We present below the inspiring profile of Jean Vanier, a modern-day example of a
full response to the divine “gift of transformation” (cf. “Jean Vanier’s Gift for Living” by
Carolyn Whitney-Brown in America, December 22-29, 2008, p. 22).
In August 1964, Jean Vanier was a 36-year-old former naval officer seeking to
follow Jesus and the Gospels in a new way. He invited two men who had been
living in an institution for people with intellectual disabilities to share a house
with him in a French village. Since then, more than 132 similar communities,
called L’Arche (the Ark), have developed in over 34 countries, welcoming people
of all faiths and traditions. Its related network, called Faith and Light, included
more than 1,500 communities. Jean Vanier has become internationally
recognized for his profound reflections on social inclusion, peace, forgiveness
and what it means to be human.
A celibate spiritual leader who is not a priest, a philosopher with a doctoral
degree who is not a professor, Vanier is not easily categorized. When he turned
80 in the fall, the Canadian Globe and Mail newspaper commended his
peacemaking, ecumenism and humanitarianism. The editorial endorsed Vanier as
a worthy candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, created to honor those who have
“greatly contributed to fraternity among human beings across the world”. Jean
Vanier was born into a distinguished Canadian family. His family was the last of
Canada’s diplomats to flee Nazi-occupied France when he was 11. At age 13,
Vanier decided to join the British Navy and again crossed the dangerous North
Atlantic. In his early 20s, after reading Thomas Merton, getting to know Daniel
Berrigan, S.J., visiting Friendship House and the Catholic Worker in New York
City, and completing a 30-day Ignatian retreat, Vanier resigned from the Navy.
For the next 14 years, he studied and prayed, became leader of an innovative
community of international students near Paris, wrote a well-received doctoral
thesis on Aristotle’s understanding of happiness, and was invited to teach at the
University of Toronto.
In 1964 his long search to follow Jesus came into focus in a new way, when with
Philippe Seux and Raphael Simi, he moved into a small house in Trosly, France.
Within a year the community had grown, because Vanier was asked to take on the
directorship of a local institution. A trip to India in 1969 deepened Vanier’s
understanding of the spirituality and vision of Gandhi and expanded his critical
understanding of poverty and community. Around that time L’Arche communities
began to grow rapidly around the world, including 16 in the United States. If
Vanier had any tendency to romanticize handicaps or spiritualize weakness, that
changed when he himself became weak and dependent from a prolonged tropical
infection in 1976 and endured a long recovery. He wrote to friends, “After twelve
years at L’Arche as an assistant, I am now experiencing what it is like to be on
the other side.”
His self-understanding deepened in 1980, when he spent a year living with people
with more severe handicaps, whose pain touched his own anguish and even
hatred. In learning to recognize his own hidden places of pain, Varnier learned to
befriend weakness not just in others but in himself. “Let’s stop running away from
ourselves and from the deepest part of our beings,” he encouraged people on
retreat. “Let us simply stop and start listening to our own hearts. There we will
touch a lot of pain. We will possibly touch a lot of anger. We will possibly touch a
lot of loneliness and anguish. Then we will hear something deeper. We will hear
the voice of Jesus; we will hear the voice of God: I love you. You are precious to
my eyes and I love you “
For Vanier, movements inward and outward follow naturally like tides. He
learned not to be an enemy of his inner contradictions and pain and began to
speak more about “the teaching of Jesus that, if it had been followed, would have
changed the history of the world – Love your enemies.” Love is about coming out
from behind barriers, he observed. “Do we want to win, or do we want to be in
solidarity with others?” he asked a Harvard audience in 1988.
After September 11, 2001, Vanier participated in gatherings where people
reaffirmed their vision of mutual acceptance, but he found that those evenings of
prayer left him uneasy. “I felt as though people were not praying for a new just
order between people and nations, but, motivated by fear, were praying to keep
the status quo – no change, no insecurity …” In words that sound especially
resonant now, as the economy dominates headlines, Vanier wrote that perhaps
“certitudes will crumble, and stock exchanges will wobble again before more of
us truly begin to search for new ways of living.” Vanier’s life offers one example
of a new way of living. For him, life’s work is not simply internal growth or
accepting one’s humanness. We each have something to offer. “The fundamental
principle of peace is a belief that each person is important,” writes Vanier. “Even
if you cannot speak, even if you cannot walk, even if you’ve been abandoned, you
have a gift to give.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do I belong to “the children of light”? If so, do I respond positively to Jesus’
challenge to be creative and enterprising in promoting God’s kingdom?
2. How do we respond to the gift of baptismal transformation? Does our life witnessing
catalyze the Christian transformation of others?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
grant us the grace to be enterprising
in the pursuit of your kingdom.
Help us to use creatively
the spiritual and material goods you have given us
by sharing them with the poor and needy.
Let the grace of transformation we have received
be turned into a “gift for living” for others.
May our transformation be complete.
Let it be a sign that our commonwealth is in heaven.
We praise and thanks you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“The children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own
generation than the children of light.” (Lk 16:8) // “He will change our lowly body to
conform to his glorified Body.” (Phil 3:21)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
With the aid of material and spiritual possessions given you by the Lord, minister
to the needs of the poor. Find a creative and enterprising way of relieving the plight of the
poor. Through your work of active charity for the weak, the handicapped and the
vulnerable, allow the grace of transformation to become a “gift of living” for others. Be
attentive to the various signs of the Lord’s transfiguration in your life and all around you.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Use Our Goods Wisely
… He Strengthens Us in All Things”
BIBLE READINGS
Phil 4:10-19 // Lk 16:9-15
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 16:9-15): “If, therefore you are trustworthy with dishonest
wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?”
In the Gospel (Lk 16:9-15), Jesus teaches us to use our goods wisely. He wants us
to convert the earthly goods into heavenly capital by sharing with others. Jesus calls us to
give exclusive loyalty to God and not to succumb to the enslavement of earthly goods.
One shows loyalty to God by sharing goods and resources with others, especially the
poor and the needy. The Pharisees, who love money, sneer at his teaching. They regard
wealth as a sign of God’s blessings or righteousness, which is not necessarily the case if
their hearts are full of avarice. However, earthly wealth can be put to good use for God’s
kingdom. Given as alms to the poor and needy, the benefactors obtain a place in the
heavenly kingdom.
One day Sr. Mary Clare, a member of our community in Fresno, shared with us a
tidbit at table. A rich British man sold his companies, his mansion and his beautiful car to
share with the poor. He is now in Japan ministering to the homeless. The British
benefactor remarked that houses and cars are meant to serve human needs, but they are
not “important”. He believes what is really “important” is that we have Jesus in our lives
… that we have love and respect for others.
The hurricane “Sandy” that devastated New York in 2012 brought about
experiences of misery as well as compassion (cf. Fresno Bee, November 1, 2012, p. A1,
A7).
In Manhattan at night, it was possible to walk downtown along an avenue and
move in an instant from the mostly normal New York scene – delis open, people
milling outside bars – into a pitch-black cityscape with police flares marking
intersections.
People who did have power took to social media to offer help to neighbors. “I
have power and hot water. If anyone needs a shower or to charge some gadgets
or just wants to bask in the beauty of artificial light, hit me up”, Rob Hart of
Staten Island posted on Facebook.
A respected New York steakhouse in the blackout zone, Old Homestead, realized
its meat was going to go bad and decided to grill what was left and sell steaks on
the sidewalk for $10. A center-cut sirloin usually goes for $47. “Give back to the
people of New York”, said Greg Sherry, the steakhouse’s co-owner. He said it
had served nearly 700 people on Wednesday.
B. First Reading (Phil 4:10-19): “I have the strength for everything through him who
empowers me.”
In today’s First Reading (Phil 4:10-19) Saint Paul expresses his gratitude for the
aid sent to him by the Philippians through Epaphroditus and for their concern for him.
Though the apostle has learned to be satisfied in all circumstances, he is grateful for their
help and their sharing in his ministry. Indeed, he has learned to be satisfied with what he
has. He knows how to live in poverty and in abundance. This “sufficiency” is founded on
the Lord. Saint Paul asserts: “I have the strength for everything through him who
empowers me.” He recalls, moreover, how the Philippians were the only church to help
him in the early days of preaching the Good News and how they sent help to him when
he was in Thessalonica. Their gifts are a sweet smelling sacrifice pleasing to God.
Indeed, their generosity redounds to their benefit on a spiritual level. Saint Paul assures
them that God will supply whatever they need in accordance with the glorious riches in
Christ Jesus.
The following modern-day account gives insight into Paul’s assertion that the
Lord aids us with his power and strength (cf. “Brosnan: Catholic Faith Got Me Through
Troubles” in Alive! September 2014, p. 2).
In his new film, “A Long Way Down”, Pierce Brosnan plays a depressed TV
personality who contemplates suicide. At the recent New York premier of the
movie he was asked by a journalist from the NY Daily News how he had coped
with the various tragedies of his own life. Without hesitation he replied, “I would
say faith, being Irish, being Catholic; it’s ingrained in my DNA.”
The actor lost both his first wife and his adopted daughter to ovarian cancer. His
wife, Cassandra Harris, died in 1991. On 28 June 2013 he announced, “my
darling daughter Charlotte Emily passed on to eternal life”. Aged 41, she was the
mother of two children; a boy aged 8 and a girl of 14. Her husband and children
were with her when she died.
Brosnan, most famous for his role as “James Bond”, has spoken frankly about his
Catholic faith before. “Prayer helped me with the loss of my wife to cancer and
with a child who had fallen on tough times. Now prayer helps me to be a father, to
be an actor and to be a man”, he told RTE.ie in March 2011. “It always helps to
have a bit of prayer in your back pocket. At the end of the day, you have to have
something and for me that is God, Jesus, my Catholic upbringing, my faith.”
He added: “God has been good to me. My faith has been good to me in the
moments of deepest suffering, doubt and fear. It is a constant, the language of
prayer. I might not have got my sums right from the Christian Brothers or might
not have got the greatest learning of literature from them but I certainly got a
strapping amount of faith.”
He also revealed to the NY Daily News that he is quite good at painting. “I paint
landscapes, figurative. I painted all my life”, he said. “In fact, I started as a
commercial artist.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are we faithful stewards of the goods God loaned to us? Are we willing to share our
earthly goods and personal resources with others, especially with the poor and needy?
2. Are we thankful for the graces we received from God and the help that other people
extend to us? Do we rely on the strength of God in all things?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you gave us the goods of the earth not to enslave us,
but to use them to minister to the needs of others
and to open for us the way to the heavenly kingdom.
Help us to use the earthly goods wisely
and to yearn for the truly “important” treasure
of your kingdom.
We love you, dear God,
our one and supreme good.
Help us to be thankful and to rely solely on your strength.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Lk 16:13) // “I have the strength for
everything through him who empowers me.” (Phil 4:13)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Make an inventory of your material and spiritual resources. Ask God for the grace
to use them wisely and the opportunity to share them with others. Express your gratitude
to God and others for the benefits and help received from them.
*** Text of 31st Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2 ***
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 102)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 32
MONDAY: THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us Responsibility for the
Little Ones … The Ministers Build Up His Church”
BIBLE READINGS
Ti 1:1-9 // Lk 17:1-6
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 17:1-6): “If your brother wrongs you seven times in one day,
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry”, you should forgive him.”
In the previous episodes, Jesus was addressing the “outsiders” – those outside the
intimate circle of disciples - the crowds, the scribes and the Pharisees. In today’s Gospel
(Lk 17:1-6), he focuses his attention on his disciples and delineates their responsibility
for the “little ones”, that is, the members of the faith community. Jesus acknowledges that
things that cause sin will inevitably occur because of Satan’s interference and the human
misuse of freedom. But he issues a strong warning to his disciples not to lead others to
sin. They must take care lest their actions cause others to stumble or lose faith in God.
Such scandal-causing disciples will be severely punished.
The Divine Master continues to form his disciples in the way of responsibility and
leadership. They must be able to correct and forgive. They must rebuke those who sin
and lead them on the right path. They must also forgive unceasingly those who truly
repent of their sins. Jesus exhorts them to forgive the truly repentant person for his
repeated sins – expressed exaggeratedly as committing wrong “seven times” in one day.
This is a tall order. How can the disciples live up to such a standard of integrity
and generosity? Jesus therefore underlines the power of faith. If the disciples truly have
“faith”, even the size of a mustard seed, they will be able to command a mulberry tree to
be uprooted and planted in the sea. They must have faith to avoid misleading others by
sinful actions, and that they may offer the gift of forgiveness to repentant sinners “every
time”. The power of faith will enable them to rise to the task and challenge of Christian
witnessing and ministry.
In the context of today’s sex-abuse scandal, the words of Jesus resound ominously
upon those who abuse the “little ones” and sin against them. The following experience of
a survivor illustrates not only the pain he suffered, but also the grace-filled attitude he
showed as a victim of offense and scandal (cf. Rachel Zawila, “Survivors Speak” in Saint
Anthony Messenger, June 2012, p. 20-25).
Peter Isely is a survivor. Growing up in a devout Catholic family, Isely envisioned
maybe becoming a priest himself. While at St. Lawrence, a seminary high school
in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, he was assaulted by a priest from age thirteen
to seventeen … It took him more than a decade to publicly acknowledge it. And
publicly he did. After reading an opinion piece by Milwaukee Archbishop
Rembert Weakland in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in November 1992, in
which the archbishop stated too much attention was being given to a priest sexabuse case, Isely could stay silent no longer. His open-letter response to
Archbishop Weakland ran on page 1 of the newspaper the following Sunday. In it
he shared his story, calling on the need for correction not only of offending
priests, but also of the entire culture that allows such abuse to occur.
Since then, Isely has remained in the public eye. A cofounder of SNAP (Survivors
Network of those Abused by Priests) he now serves as Midwest director in
Milwaukee. Isely can be seen around the country, joining in protests, giving
speeches, and meeting with bishops, cardinals and priests. (…)
Fighting a public struggle is not the only battle survivors face. For many, an
internal conflict of faith also wages on. Survivors struggle mightily with their
faith”, says Isely. “That’s a major element.” (…) “Even when victims are angry,
you can hear their deep attachment to their spiritual homeland”, says Isely,
including himself in the statement. “Many of us came from the most devout and
loyal Catholic parents and families. That was given to me as a child before I even
understood most of it. This truth was given to me, and I can’t betray it.” (…)
The sex abuse crisis is not over. Further investigations have revealed it is a
worldwide problem, and the Church continues to meet and form measures to
address the situation. “That we’re now talking about this as a global issue, that is
a huge success”, says Isely; “that there’s a conversation about the Vatican and
how authority is structured around this and what is happening. So at least that’s
being talked about now; that’s where the conversation is. Even getting there is
something of a miracle … I’ll tell people I’ve been at this at least fifteen years,
and we’ve made more progress in fifteen years than in fifteen centuries.”
B. First Reading (Ti 1:1-9): “Appoint presbyters in every town as I directed you.”
Today we begin to read Saint Paul’s insightful pastoral letter to Titus, a Gentile
convert to Christianity, who became Paul’s fellow worker and assistant in missionary
work. After his Roman house arrest (61-63 A.D.), Paul commissions Titus as his legate in
Crete and later (around 65 A.D.) he writes this letter to give Titus guidelines on how to
organize and animate the church community. In today’s reading (Ti 1:1-9) Paul identifies
himself as a “slave of God” and “apostle of Jesus Christ”. His divine commission is for
the sake of the faith of the Church, God’s chosen people. In the task of building up the
faith of the Church in Crete, Saint Paul relies on the help of the young pastor Titus, who
is especially bonded to him as a “loyal child in the faith”.
As part of the task of promoting the Christian faith, Titus is charged with
organizing the church-community in Crete by appointing an elder (“presbyter”) or leader
(“bishop”) in every town, to serve as the primary teacher in the community. They are to
preach sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. Through their ministry, the
Church stands as pillar and bulwark of truth. Their service is vital especially in light of
the disruption caused by false teachers. In order to carry out their ministry efficaciously,
they must be persons of good character, experience and probity. Their sterling qualities
lend credibility to their teaching. The bishop oversees the community, and his function as
overseer must be carried out faithfully and prudently.
The following article gives insight into the meaning of pastoral ministry exercised
by presbyters and bishops (cf. “2015-2016 Lumen Christi Award Finalists” in Extension,
Fall 2015, p. 21).
Father Fredy Angel, Diocese of Savannah, Ga.: From Bogota, Colombia, Fredy
Angel came to the United States as a missionary in 2001. Just four years later, he
became an ordained priest and shortly thereafter was pastoring four churches in
southern Georgia.
Today, as the pastor of Queen of Peace Parish in Lakeland and Ray City, Father
Angel has grown a once-struggling parish in rural Georgia into a dynamic and
thriving multi-ethnic community. Thanks to his perseverance and inspiration, the
parish is bursting out of its two locations and now requires the building of a new
larger church. Construction on what is to be the new St. Anthony of Padua is now
in full swing.
Another impressive feat: Father Angel has brought together all of his
parishioners, who come from diverse ethnic backgrounds into a multicultural
community. Father Angel has also been a founding member of the diocese’s
Hispanic Ministry Council, which acts as an advocate for the region’s Latino
Catholics.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Have we ever wronged the “little ones”? Do we recognize our responsibility and
culpability? Do we choose the way of forgiveness and repentance? Do we trust in God
and have faith that he is loving and forgiving?
2. Do we see and appreciate the importance of the ministry of priests and bishops in the
Church? How do we help them carry out more efficaciously their ministry? Do we pray
for them?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
you teach us the meaning of integrity and responsibility.
Help us to care for the “little ones”
Never allow us to wrong them or cause them to sin.
Let our words and deeds be irreproachable.
Give us the courage to correct those who are culpable
and the grace to forgive, “every time”, the repentant sinners.
Let our mustard-size faith sustain us
in the task of Christian witnessing
and in our ministry to the “little ones” of today’s world.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(From the Sacramentary: “For Priests”)
Lord our God,
you guide your people by the ministry of priests.
Keep them faithful in obedient service to you
that by their life and ministry
they may bring you glory in Christ.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur; woe to the person through whom
they occur.” (Lk 17:1) // “Appoint presbyters in every town as I directed you.” (Ti 1:5)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the victims of sex-abuse and those who are guilty of this crime. Do what
you can to help the “survivors” of clergy sex-abuse. // Offer a special Eucharistic
Adoration on behalf of priests and bishops.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Total Dedication … We
Await for the Great Day of His Appearing”
BIBLE READINGS
Ti 2:1-8, 11-14 // Lk 17:7-10
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 17:7-10): “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what
we are obliged to do.”
In my brother’s home in Cebu (Philippines), there are three domestic helpers.
Each one has a particular task, but all can multi-task. Hence, the gardener can also clean
the house if the cleaning boy is not around. The helpers have a food allowance in addition
to their monthly salary and are not expected to join the family at table. At meal time at
least one of them has to wait at table. They are very dedicated and are treated respectfully
and justly. But I suppose none of them would expect to be thanked or praised every time
for the work they do since they are paid workers.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 17:7-10) speaks of the personal dedication expected of a
multi-tasking servant who can plow the field, tend the sheep and wait at table. A servant
must not indulge in self-gratification nor give in to arrogant presumption that the master
owes it to him. A servant is expected to carry out his duties humbly and faithfully. If such
faithful service and total dedication are expected of a domestic servant, how much more
Jesus Master demands them from his followers. The Christian disciples are wisely
reminded that they can never stop and rest in the belief that they have worked enough.
Immersed into the life of Christ, the Servant of Yahweh, they are “servants” for the
kingdom. They are called to be totally, and devotedly, at the service of the Father’s
saving will. True servants do not seek themselves. Their humble attitude makes them
avow: “We are merely servants and we have done merely our duty!”
B. First Reading (Ti 2:1-8, 11-14): “We live devoutly in this age as we await the
blessed hope, the appearance of our savior Jesus Christ.”
In the reading (Ti 2:1-8, 11-14), we hear Saint Paul advising the young pastor,
Titus of Crete, to teach the various groups in the Church (the older men, the older women
who are, in turn, to teach the younger women, and the younger men) in accordance with
sound doctrine. Each group is to follow particular virtues and roles befitting to their life
in the community. All are called upon to be a good family example by being selfcontrolled, steadfast and loving. Moreover, the probity or uprightness of their lives will
counteract the suspicions and negative notions of outsiders.
God has revealed his grace for the salvation of all mankind. The saving grace is
realized in Jesus. The experience of this grace enables us to give up ungodly living and
worldly passions, and to live upright and godly lives in this world. Already justified, we
wait for our sanctifying confirmation at “the appearance of the glory of the great God and
of our Savior Jesus Christ”. The Christian moral life is thus based on Christ’s selfsacrifice. He gave himself up for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a
pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.
The following article illustrates that the pastoral spirit that has animated Saint
Paul and Saint Titus lives on in the Church (cf. “2015-2016 Lumen Christi Award
Finalists” in Extension, Fall 2015, p. 20).
Madeline Lyon, Diocese of Gallup, N.M.: High in the northern mountains of
New Mexico near Lumbertown, the small St. Francis School educates and
ministers to over 100 children in grades 1-8 as the only Catholic school in this
remote, impoverished area.
More than 85 percent of the students are Native Americans from the nearby
Jicarilla Apache Nation in Dulce. At the school’s helm is Madeline Lyon, a onetime volunteer who is now the principal.
“The light of Christ is needed here to cast out darkness”, she says. Students can
have many obstacles, including alcoholism, early parental death, and suicide.
Lyon and her volunteer teachers work tirelessly to overcome social issues and to
raise the standards of education within a nurturing Christian commitment.
“Connection to God is our greatest hope”, she says.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What is our attitude as servants of the Lord? Do we fully commit ourselves to the task
of building up God’s kingdom? Are we fully configured to Jesus, the Servant of
Yahweh?
2. How does the reality of God’s saving grace accomplished in Jesus Christ affect our life
personally? How do we live our Christian life in today’s hostile secularized world, whose
values are directly antagonistic to Christian values?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O Jesus, Divine Master,
you are the Servant Yahweh
and in you, we are “servants” for the kingdom.
Help us to be faithful cultivators of the seed of the kingdom,
loving shepherds of God’s flock and
humble waiters at the Eucharistic banquet.
We love you and praise you.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Jesus Lord,
as we await the blessed Day
of your appearing in glory on the last day,
give us the grace to give up ungodly living and worldly passions.
Help us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this world
so that people may experience the beauty of your saving grace.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we are obliged to do.” (Lk
17:10) // “We live devoutly in this age as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of
the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ.” (Ti 2:13).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the spirit of service may live on intensely in the Church. By your
personal dedication to your daily tasks, let the work you do be a means of sanctification
and building up of God’s kingdom. // Pray for the youth and the elderly.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Object of Thanksgiving …
Because of His Mercy, He Saved Us”
BIBLE READINGS
Ti 3:1-7 // Lk 17:11-19
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 17:11-19): “Has none but this foreigner returned to give
thanks to God?”
Today’s Gospel story of the healing of the Ten Lepers (Lk 17:11-19) acquires
deeper meaning when seen against the sinful reality of human ingratitude that warps our
filial relationship with God. In his book, Ode to Joy (New York: Alba House, 1997, p.
237), Harold Buetow observes that too often we’re like the doting grandmother who was
walking with her young grandson along the shore in Miami Beach when a huge wave
appeared out of nowhere, sweeping the child out to sea. The horrified woman fell to her
knees, raised her eyes to heaven, and begged the Lord to return her beloved grandson.
And, lo, another wave reared up and deposited the stunned child on the sand right in front
of her. The grandmother looked the boy over carefully. He was fine. But then she stared
up angrily toward the heavens. “When he came,” she snapped indignantly, “He had a
hat!” Like the ingrate grandmother, we presume that God is the service-giver and that he
owes it to us. We, therefore, fail to acknowledge our debt of gratitude to God.
Jesus Master responds compassionately to the ten lepers who call out to him with
an intense invocation. The Old Testament cry of despair, “Unclean, unclean” is
transformed into a new “prayer” in the presence of Jesus, who is on his paschal journey
to Jerusalem. Instead of warning, “Unclean, unclean” to isolate their wretched selves
from the society, the ten lepers boldly appeal to him for mercy and compassion. They
shout a new “prayer”: “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” Jesus Master orders them to
show themselves to the priests. On their way they realize they have been healed.
The grateful Samaritan, healed of his infirmity, returns to Jesus Master, the font of
compassion and healing. The return of the grateful Samaritan marks a new life of faith
and worship centered in the person of Jesus, the true object of praise and thanksgiving.
The healed Samaritan glorifies God, not in the Jewish temple, but in the person of Jesus.
The Gospel account of the healing of the Ten Lepers presents us not only with another
benevolent ministry of Jesus, but also an example of a faith that is transformed into glory
and praise. The return of the Samaritan illustrates the intimate connection between faith
and “thanksgiving”. Faith becomes “Eucharist” - an act of thanksgiving and worship in
Jesus Master.
B. First Reading (Ti 3:1-7): “For we ourselves were deluded, but because of his mercy,
he saved us.”
The reading (Ti 3:1-7) contains Saint Paul’s advice concerning Christian conduct,
especially the need to be peaceful, friendly and gentle toward everyone. They are urged
not to speak evil of anyone. Christians should dedicate themselves as good citizens to the
welfare of the state and submit to legitimate civil authority. Saint Paul counsels them to
do be ready to do good in every way. Why should Christians behave in this manner?
Because we have been transformed by grace! We were once foolish, disobedient and
slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. But when the kindness and love of God was
revealed through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, we were saved. We are recipients of
God’s loving kindness that releases us from sin. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us
new birth and new life through baptism. The Holy Spirit has been poured out abundantly
upon us by God through Jesus Christ, transforming us into “heirs of eternal life”. This
reality should therefore motivate Christian believers to good works. Indeed, the Christian
moral life is empowered by the divine grace experienced in baptism.
The following is a modern-day example of good Christian conduct (cf. Lisa Swan,
“Warm Feet, Warmer Hearts” in Guideposts, September 2015, p. 9)
Many current members of the military, as well as veterans, hail from Staten
Island, New York. So I wasn’t surprised to read in the newspaper that some
students at St. Adalbert’s, a local school, were looking out for those who served.
Through Operation Toasty Tootsies, the kids in first through eighth grade
collected socks to give to homeless New York City veterans receiving care
through the Department of Veteran Affairs. The kids collected more than 1,000
pairs of socks.
The students drew inspiration from Mother Teresa, who urged us to “do small
things with great love”. Why socks? The kids learned in science class that
significant body heat can escape through the feet. They might be too young to find
homes for veterans who need them, but they can keep them a little warmer.
It was a great reminder that there’s always a way to help. I already bought some
socks to donate this year.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What are the occasions in our life when we pray most intensely, “Jesus, Master! Have
pity on us!”? In what way are we the grateful, healed Samaritan leper? In what way are
we the healed lepers who did not return to Jesus? Do we allow ourselves to be heartened
by Jesus’ words: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you”?
2. Do our Christian conduct manifest the salvation that the kindness and mercy of God
have brought us? Do we endeavor to be good citizens of the nation, promoting the
common good and ready to do good in every way?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
We cry out to you, Jesus,
the font of compassion.
Have pity on us and take away our infirmities.
Restore us to health and take away the leprosy of sin.
We thank you for your healing word.
In you is true wholeness.
Let us rejoice in you,
now and forever.
Amen.
***
O merciful God,
you revealed your kindness and love
through the incarnation
and the death and rising of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let our Christian conduct
reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in us,
who gives us new birth and new life through baptism.
Through Christ and in the Spirit,
let us come to the joys of eternal life.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“He fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.” (Lk 17:16) // “Because of his
mercy, he saved us.” (Ti 2:5)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for all the marginalized and distressed people in today’s world. By your acts
of charity, alleviate their suffering and help them to be grateful to God “no matter what”.
// Make an effort to be peaceful, friendly and gentle toward everyone.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches that the Kingdom of God Is
Among Us … In Him We Are Brothers and Sisters”
BIBLE READINGS
Phlm 7-20 // Lk 17:20-25
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 17:20-25): “The Kingdom of God is among you.”
In today’s Gospel (Lk 17:20-25), the Pharisees ask Jesus when the kingdom of
God would come. Jesus answers, “The kingdom of God is among you.” The messianic
kingdom has been ushered in by Jesus and is deeply palpable in his compassionate
ministry to the poor and suffering. It is silently growing and flourishing, but it cannot be
perceived by those who reject the person of Jesus. Hence, for the unbelieving Pharisees it
is futile to search for the kingdom here and there and presumptuous to demand
spectacular “signs” to know when and where it will come.
Jesus then speaks to his disciples about the definitive fulfillment of the Kingdom
that is already at work among them. But before this happens, Jesus must first undergo
great suffering and rejection. During the ad interim time, even the disciples will be
desperate for the glorious coming of the Son of Man, and this could lead them to
succumb to follow false prophets and devious theories about his definitive coming. If
only they would give their full attention to the kingdom that is already at work in them,
then they will be ready for the glorious return of the Son of Man at the end time. Jesus
assures his disciples that his day of glory is unmistakable - it will be as vivid and
powerful as the lightning that flashes and lights up the sky.
This happened in 1984. After attending a memorial Mass in Bombay (now
Mumbai) for the deceased Italian soldiers who died during World War II, Mother
Dorothy and I hitched a ride. Also hitching a ride were two Italian youths - members of
the Focolare Movement founded by Chiara Lubich. The two young men were residing in
the slums of Bombay and ministering to the poor. A Sister who was with us in the car
was reciting a litany of woes. She demanded: “Now tell me: where is the kingdom of
God?” The Focolare missionary answered: “The kingdom of God is within you!” The
Sister sobered up. When we promote justice and peace in today’s world, when we
lovingly care for poor and needy, and when we zealously build a more harmonious world
– then we can perceive the kingdom that is within us. Indeed, the kingdom of God is an
“already but not yet” reality which we must nurture and treasure.
B. First Reading (Phlm 7-20): “Have him back, no longer as a slave but more than a
slave, a brother, beloved especially to you.”
In his loving letter to Philemon, Saint Paul, an exemplary Christian disciple and a
“prisoner for Christ”, illustrates that absolute preference for Christ and immersion into
his paschal destiny lead to transformation and new relationships. Onesimus’ new birth in
Christ through baptism establishes a new kinship with the saving Lord and with other
Christians. Though Saint Paul does not directly challenge the institution of slavery, he
exhibits a humane attitude that would eventually guide Christianity to abhor that system.
Considering the historical background, it seems that Philemon has responded to
Paul’s revolutionary challenge to freely love Onesimus and respect him with dignity and
respect as a “brother” in Christ. Philemon freely renounces his legal right to his slave
Onesimus, who is eventually returned to Paul to be the latter’s co-worker in the Gospel.
The former slave, Onesimus, becomes in time a bishop of a vibrant Christian community
in Ephesus. Following the inspiration of Saint Paul, Philemon has wonderfully embraced
the liberating new vistas of Christian discipleship that enables him to embrace an escaped
slave, to give opportunity to a forgiven slave and a “brother” in Christ to realize his full
possibility, and to transcend personally the flawed structure of a civil society based on
slave ownership.
The following article gives insight into Paul’s assertion that he is a “prisoner for
Christ Jesus” (cf. Fr. Kevin O’Neill, “A Bishop’s Story” in L’Osservatore Romano, July
28, 2010, p. 3).
The first time I saw 86 year old Bishop John Baptist Wang was during the Easter
Vigil Mass in the cathedral of his diocese. It was a moving Easter ceremony.
There was a large fire outside the church followed by a procession into the
church with lighted candles. Primary school children read the readings with
gusto. Just before the Gloria was sung a huge banner of the risen Jesus was
unveiled over the main altar accompanied by a fanfare of trumpets followed by
fireworks outside the church.
The symbol of water was in the form of a waterfall set up on the right side of the
sanctuary. The congregation shouted aloud in one voice their renewal of faith
while holding high their lighted candles. This was very powerful. Just before the
liturgy of the Eucharist, Bishop Wang was ushered to the altar with assistance.
He sat in a chair beside me so I assisted him with his standing and sitting during
the Eucharistic prayer. In 2008 he had a number of minor strokes that affected
the feeling in his hands and his ability to walk unaided. A few days later I had the
opportunity to talk with him. He was still quite frail then, lying in bed with a drip,
nevertheless he graciously met with me.
He was ordained a priest in 1951 at the age of 28. In 1999, at the age of 76
(normally Bishops resign at 75 years of age), he was ordained Bishop by the
former Bishop of his neighboring home diocese. He pointed out the needs of his
diocese as the formation of priests, sisters, seminarians and catechists. The sisters
work in parishes, clinics and an orphanage. The priority of the diocese is mission
outreach. The diocese is one of the poorer dioceses in China that gets some
financial assistance from Rome.
A few months later I had the opportunity to return to his diocese. This time the
Bishop was in better health but still unable to walk unassisted. He shared with me
a little of his experience in detention and prison.
In 1965, at the age of 42, he spent 11 years in detention and nine years in prison.
It took the officials 11 years to charge him with being an “anti-liberationist”. He
said life in detention was tougher than life in prison though life in prison was also
difficult. While in prison he shared a small room with seven other men. There was
one bed for them to share. If they all slept on their side they could manage to fit
onto the bed. If anyone needed to use the toilet at night his space on the bed
would be gone. The toilet was in the corner of the room.
They were allowed to leave their room for 20 minutes once per week. Food was
passed into the room through a small hole in the door. Meals consisted of soup
and a little vegetable. They had a change of clothes once a week. He did not wash
his body for the 20 years he was incarcerated! He said the smell in the prison cell
was terrible. He was released from prison in 1985 and for political reasons had
to leave his home diocese and work in the neighboring diocese where he is now a
Bishop. When he was in prison his family sent him a dictionary and the book Tale
of Two Cities. He used these to study English. He added a few sentences of
English when he spoke to me saying, “Can I now practice my English with you?”
A good grasp of Latin helped him in learning English.
It was hard for me to fathom how an old man who had experienced so much
suffering could be so serene. He didn’t even have a bad word to say about those
who kept him captive all those years. I think deep down he has forgiven them
though of course I imagine he could never forget what they did to him and others.
Serenity is so obvious in his face, his gestures and speech … Though old and
frail; he is strong in mind and spirit.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe that the kingdom of God is within us, and is growing towards
completion? What do we do to hasten the definitive advent of the kingdom of God?
2. Do we believe that in Christ we become brothers and sisters and enter into a more
intimate relationship with God our Father? Do we endeavor to overcomes the various
“slaveries” brought by sin?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
we truly believe your words:
“The kingdom of God is among you.”
When we dedicate ourselves
to works of justice, peace and compassion,
we feel the kingdom power within us.
Give us the grace to be faithful
so that at your glorious coming at the end time,
we may rejoice with you in the heavenly kingdom.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
free us from the slavery of sin
by the death and rising of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let us be dutiful in our service to one another
and let our eyes be fixed on you as those of a faithful servant.
We give you honor, glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“The kingdom of God is among you.” (Lk 17:21) // “He is more than a slave: he
is a dear brother in Christ.” (Phlm 16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your works of mercy and compassion, by your peace-making efforts, hasten
the definitive advent of the kingdom of God. // Do what you can to eliminate all forms of
slavery caused by sin.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Ready for His Final
Coming … We Remain in His Teaching”
BIBLE READINGS
II Jn 4-9 // Lk 17:26-37
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 17:26-37): “So it will be on the day when the Son of Man is
revealed.”
Many years ago I saw a movie entitled “The Bad Seed” about a young girl who
was very wicked. Twice she committed murder without compunction. One evening she
put on a raincoat and, with a flashlight, calmly walked into the rain towards the river to
fish out some evidence of her crime. While she was doing that a powerful lightning bolt
struck and killed her. That was a brutal end to a “bad seed”.
In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 17:26-37) we hear Jesus talking about his Second
Coming as an encounter either with destruction or salvation. For those who have trusted
in him and have prepared for his coming, it will be an event of salvation. For those who
have rejected him and have been preempted by earthly concerns, it will be an ominous
condemnation and self-destruction. Jesus mentions Noah and Lot as examples of those
prepared to encounter the divine judgment with integrity. Around them were people who
were not prepared for the flood, and the threat of destruction. Worldly pursuits and sinful
deeds have prevented them from welcoming the judgment of the Lord as a gift of
salvation. Lot’s wife failed to experience the divine offer of salvation because she kept
turning back toward the sinful city Sodom.
In his lesson on preparedness, Jesus depicts the opposite fortunes of two people in
one bed and of two women grinding meal together: one is taken, the other left. This
impressive imagery illustrates the suddenness of the coming of Christ and the readiness,
or un-readiness, he will find at his “coming”. Those who are ready to sacrifice even their
life for the Lord Jesus are most ready to welcome him at his coming. The call to readiness
is reinforced by the image of vultures gathering where there are carcasses: for the
impious and the wicked, the coming of the Lord is their destruction.
B. First Reading (II Jn 4-9): “Whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and
the Son.”
The reading (II Jn 4-9) contains the appeal of the “Elder” to the “Chosen Lady”.
The “Elder” or Presbyter addresses himself to the “Chosen Lady”, a quasi-poetic
description of some particular church within his jurisdiction. Her “children” are the
members of the faith community. His brief but incisive message is an appeal to love one
another and a warning against false teachers. The “Elder” reiterates the need to follow
what is commanded from the beginning: that all must live in love, a love that entails
obedience to God’s commands. The “Elder” likewise inveighs against the “deceivers”,
who do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ came as a human being. These itinerant
teachers deny his “fleshly” existence thus depriving his life among us of any historical
reality.
The teaching of the “deceivers” leads to misconceptions: that Christ’s life and
death are not a real manifestation, within the confines of history, of the love of the Father
and that there is no obligation for Christians to imitate Jesus and give a historical
dimension to their life of faith and love. Such a position ultimately denies the very nature
of God who revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ as “love” (agape). These false teachers
purport themselves as “progressives”, brandishing the superiority of their doctrine. The
Church members, therefore, should be on guard against them lest they lose their “full
reward”, that is, the eschatological salvation they hope for. The “Elder” exhorts them to
remain with the teaching of Christ. For whoever stays with the true teaching has both the
Father and the Son dwelling in them.
The presence of false teachers who sow falsehood continues to be verified even in
today’s world. The following open letter circulated on the Internet gives insight into the
contentious issue delineated by the “Elder” to the “Chosen Lady”.
Dear Friend,
Biology. Tradition. Children … the Constitution?
Rubbish.
So said the Supreme Court of the United States this morning in a 5-4 decision
striking down laws in every state passed by the people upholding marriage.
Today we got the “Roe v. Wade of marriage” – where the Court pretends to settle
a controversial question by judicial fiat, while the rest of America says: “no
way”.
For years same-sex marriage advocates have knowingly lied and deceived the
public. They first claimed that they simply wanted the right to “marry” the person
they love. And yet where same-sex marriage has been approved, a tiny percentage
of people got married.
They claimed homosexuality was genetic, but now say “gender” and “sexual
identity” is a choice.
They claimed a mantle of tolerance and diversity – and yet have betrayed those
same principles in attacking anyone that disagrees. Speak up for marriage in any
public place today and you will be shamed and shunned, or worse.
So what is really at stake?
For many in the LGBT movement, the marriage debate is merely a proxy for a
much larger revolution underway. Their end goal is to destroy marriage
altogether, including the family, religion, and any institution that proposes limits
on human behavior, especially sexual behavior.
They believe gender is a social construct and that children should be brought into
the world outside of the traditional family. For many, the idea that men and
women are made for each other or that children deserve a mother and a father is
a form of discrimination.
This is what the fight for marriage is ultimately about – and why it’s far from
over. (…)
In some ways the tables have now been flipped, with the burden of showing
respect, tolerance and opposing discrimination now in the hands of the gaymarriage movement.
Will they respect the right of ordinary Americans who believe in male-female
marriage to live out this time-honored truth?
Today is the feast of St. Josemaria. With today’s news, it’s good to be reminded
now more than ever of our calling to be saints in the world.
This is time for prayer and bold witness.
So much to do.
So many people need Christ,
Brian
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What do we do to prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of Christ? Do we live in a
spirit of detachment, and endeavor to focus on doing the divine saving will?
2. Do we strive to follow God’s great command to love one another? Do we cling to the
teaching of Jesus Christ and not allow ourselves to be deceived by the “progressive”
teaching of false teachers?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you will come again on the last day.
Help us to be ready
so that our final encounter with you
will be an experience of salvation,
and not of condemnation.
Give us the grace to nurture the kingdom of God
that is already within us.
We look forward to the end time
when you will restore all things
and you will be the king of all nations
and the Lord of all creation.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
give us wisdom of heart
to discern and commit ourselves to the truth.
Help us to remain in the teaching of Christ
and to reject the “progressive” teaching of false teachers.
Your love for us is eternal
and for this, we give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.” (Lk 17:30) // Whoever
remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.” (II Jn 9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Make an effort to focus your attention on the “last things” and let the thought of
the Lord’s Second Coming shape your daily life. // Be deeply aware of the Catholic
teaching with regards to important social and moral issues such as abortion, same-sex
marriage, etc.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Does Justice … In Him We Are CoWorkers in the Truth”
BIBLE READINGS
III Jn 5-8 // Lk 18:1-8
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 18:1-8): “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen
ones who call out to him day and night?”
At times, the power of evil is so overwhelming that even persons of faith begin to
falter. This is evident in the following account:
Archbishop Romero offers her a chair. Marianela prefers to talk standing up. She
always comes for others, but this time she comes for herself. Marianela Garcia
Vilas, attorney for the tortured and disappeared of El Salvador, does not come
this time to ask the archbishop’s solidarity with one of the victims … This time she
has something personal to say to him. As mildly as she can, she tells him that the
police have kidnapped her, bound, beat, humiliated, stripped her – and they raped
her. She tells it without tears or agitation, with her usual calm, but Archbishop
Romero has never before heard in Marianela’s voice these vibrations of hatred,
echoes of disgust, calls for vengeance. When Marianela finishes, Archbishop
Romero, who always gives advice and comfort, is weeping like a child without
mother or home. He who always gives assurances, the tranquilizing assurance of
a neutral God who knows and embraces all – Archbishop Romero doubts. He
weeps and doubts.
Against the backdrop of today’s painful human realities experienced by those
whose faith is severely tested, today’s Gospel (Lk 18:1-8) becomes relevant and
meaningful. Jesus comforts those in distress with the following truth: God secures the
rights of his chosen ones who call out to him in faith. The evangelist Luke explains
that the parable of the unscrupulous judge and the importunate widow, which Jesus
addresses to his disciples, is about the need to pray always and never lose heart. The
widow pursues relentlessly the dishonest judge and pesters him to render a just decision
on her behalf. To get rid of the importunate widow, he finally grants her request.
In the Gospel parable, the perverse judge acts as a foil for God, who will, at the
end-time, see to it that justice is done speedily for those who persist in faith and prayer.
The loving and compassionate God does justice for the poor and the oppressed. Indeed, if
the persistent pleading of the helpless widow triumphs over the unjust judge, guided by
neither divine nor human law, how much more will the persistent praying of Christian
disciples achieve true justice! If an unjust judge yields to the entreaties of a pestering
widow, how much more will a gracious God come to the help of his disciples who cry out
to him for help. The decisive question, therefore, is the one raised by the Lord Jesus:
“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Will the disciples remain
faithful to Jesus during the long haul caused by the delay of his return? The true issue is
faith, which must always be reawakened in us without losing heart.
B. First Reading (III Jn 5-8): “We ought to support such persons so that we may be
co-workers in the truth.”
The Third Letter of John is short but valuable both theologically and historically.
It gives us a glimpse into the life of the early Christian community with their itinerant
preachers, their struggle to preserve the purity of the truth they have received, and the rise
of factions between them. The reading (III Jn 5-8) is addressed by the Elder or Presbyter
to an individual, Gaius, a leader of another local church. Visitors to that church had
spoken well of him. The purpose of the letter is to commend Gaius, while encouraging
his continual support for Christian missionaries. Gaius has been generous in helping
fellow Christians even when they are strangers. The Elder urges him to help them as they
continue their trip in the service of Christ. The Elder urges Gaius and the faith
community to help the missionaries so that they may share in their work for the truth –
that is, the truth of God’s irrevocable love and merciful plan to save us. Indeed, even in
our days, Christian missionaries need the same support granted to them in the New
Testament, including sustenance, supplies and our sincere prayers.
The following modern-day account illustrates the beauty of being “co-workers in
the truth” (cf. Genie Natividad, M.M. in Maryknoll, May/June 2015, p. 9).
After a long journey from the United States, I arrived early in the morning at the
airport in Dar es Salaam only to find my flight to another area in Tanzania had
been delayed for six hours. I decided to rest at a hostel about 30 minutes from the
airport. As I pushed a cart with my luggage and guitar to find a taxi to the hostel,
a man in his early 50s offered to help. I told him where I was going and he offered
to drive me.
As he drove, we talked. I found out about his family and his work at a safari
company. He asked what I was doing in Tanzania. I told him I am a missionary
Sister doing ministry with orphans, HIV/AIDS and women’s groups.
Near the hostel, he handed me five $100 bills and said it was his contribution for
my mission. Later, I sent him a text message thanking him again. He replied:
“Thank you very much for being a genuine and committed ambassador of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You are blessed for life.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What is our attitude towards the Lord’s exhortation about the necessity of persevering
prayer and the need to pray without losing heart? In light of today’s situations and the
unmitigated cry of Yahweh’s anawim for justice, do we truly believe that he will secure
the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him in faith? What is our personal response
to the Lord Jesus’ decisive question: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith
on earth” (Lk 18:8)?
2. Do we esteem the role and ministry of missionaries in the Church? How do we
collaborate with them in their work for the “truth”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father in heaven,
at times the force of evil is so strong that our faith is shaken.
We doubt and falter.
We lift up our hands in supplication
for justice in today’s fragmented world.
Together with the importunate widow we pray for justice.
Strengthen our faith and hope
so that when our Savior comes at the end-time,
he will find us engaged in promoting your kingdom
and fighting for the cause of justice and right.
We love and glorify you, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you are the missionary par excellence.
We pray for the missionary Church
and all those called to specific missionary tasks.
Help us to be witnesses to your “truth”
and to be “co-workers in the truth”.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“He will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.” (Lk 18:8) // “We ought
to support such persons so that we may be co-workers in the truth.” (III Jn 8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the victims of violence and injustice in today’s world, and for those who
fight for the cause of justice and right. Read your diocesan paper and/or parish newsletter,
and see how you can respond to the appeal of the poor and needy and do justice as part of
the diocesan-parish community. // Extend your help (material, moral and spiritual) to the
missionaries of today and their work to promote the Gospel truth.
*** Text of 32nd Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2***
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 103)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 33
MONDAY: THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Blind See … He Reveals the
Father’s Message”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5 // Lk 18:35-43
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 18:35-43): “What do you want me to do for you? Lord, please
let me see.”
The need for true spiritual sight is the subject of today’s Gospel reading (Lk
18:35-43), which narrates the healing of the blind beggar at Jericho. In comparison to the
blind beggar, the people crowding around Jesus seem to be fortunate for they could see
the “miracle worker” from Nazareth with their physical eyes. But there is a deeper reality
than physical sight.
The remark of Anthony Bloom, a physician who became Metropolitan and
Patriarch of Moscow in 1965, is insightful: “If only we knew that we were blind, how
eagerly would we seek healing … But the tragedy is that we do not realize our blindness
… Blinded by the world of things we forget that it does not match the depth of which
man is capable … To be aware only of the tangible world is to be on the outside of the
fullness of knowledge, outside the experience of the total reality which is the world in
God and God at the heart of the world. The blind man, Bartimaeus, was painfully aware
of this because, owing to his physical blindness, the visible world escaped him. He could
cry out to the Lord in total despair.”
To cultivate a positive attitude through faith in Jesus and trust in him will enable
us “to see”. The following story enables us to appreciate the “gift of sight”, which is
spiritual (cf. Marilyn Morgan King, “A Matter of Attitude” in Daily Guideposts 2010, p.
265).
My former neighbor Carla Gallemore had become blind as a result of “twilight
sleep”, an anesthetic technique used during childbirth in the early twentieth
century. “At one time I felt sight was my most precious gift, but I was wrong.
Atittude is”, Carla said, and she proved it. Using a Braille typewriter, she wrote
a very successful book, Once I Was Blind.
One day Carla called me and said, “Did you know The Miracle Worker is
showing at the Fox? I’d like to see that movie.” “See it?” I asked. “Yes, I’ve
learned to ‘see” with my ears and through other people’s eyes. I can follow a
movie pretty well by listening. When I can’t, I’ll tap your arm and you can
whisper to me what’s happening on the screen.”
So we went to the movie – the story of the young Helen Keller and her teacher
Annie Sullivan – and found it to be extremely inspiring. I think Carla got more
out of The Miracle Worker than I did, even though she had no sight. “It’s all a
matter of attitude”, she said. “Keeping a hopeful mind and heart makes all the
difference, whatever one’s handicap is.”
B. First Reading (Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5): “Realize how far you have fallen and repent.”
We begin the weekday readings from the Book of Revelation. This was written
when Christians were being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.
The author’s concern is to give his readers hope and encouragement and to urge them to
remain faithful through suffering and persecution. The Book of Revelation mainly
consists of revelations and visions couched in a symbolic language that could be
deciphered by Christians of that day, but would be enigmatic for others. Opinions vary
regarding the interpretation of the details, but the central message of the book is clear:
through Jesus Christ the Lord, God will finally and totally defeat all of his enemies,
including Satan. When the victory is complete, God will reward the faithful ones with the
blessings of “a new heaven and a new earth”.
The reading (Rev 1:1-9; 2:1-5) tells us that the book is “the revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave to him”. It is both a message of Jesus Christ to his churches and
from God about the coming judgment. The Lord promises a blessing on all who read,
hear and heed the message. John is the mouthpiece for God and Jesus. In his prophetic
ministry, angels intervene and figure extensively.
John addresses himself to the “seven churches in Asia”. Through his message to
these churches, he intends to reach all the churches in Asia and the universal Church.
John is commanded to deliver the Lord’s message to the church in Ephesus, which was
founded by Saint Paul about 53-56 A.D. Ephesus is the commercial metropolis of Asia
and the seat of the pre-consular government. Understandably, this cultural and political
center is very open to syncretistic tendency, among which is the imperial cult and the
worship of the goddess Artemis. The Lord commends the church in Ephesus for being
hardworking and faithful. They have detected the deceit of false teachers and rejected
them. They are patient in suffering and have endured. But this is what the Lord Jesus has
against them: they have lost the love they had at first. They have abandoned brotherly
love and this entails the loss of Christ’s love. The Lord therefore confronts them:
“Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first.” Unless they
repent, the “lampstand” – symbol of God’s presence – will be taken away from them. The
waning of brotherly love eventually leads to self-destruction.
The prophetic reproach delivered by John to the church in Ephesus is very
relevant to the modern world’s situation. Unless we repent and recover our love for one
another, we will perish. The following modern day crisis situation cries out for
repentance and change of heart (cf. The Fresno Bee, August 30, 2015, p. 10B).
On August 26, about three hours after a troubled television reporter murdered
two of his former colleagues on live television in Virginia; a judge in Colorado
sentenced James Holmes to 12 lifetime sentences for the massacre of 12 people in
Aurora, plus another 3,318 years behind bars.
“Get the defendant out of my courtroom”, Judge Carlos A. Samour, Jr. said in
disgust as he instructed a deputy to banish the schizophrenic man from a society
weary of gun crime.
The Virginia shooter committed suicide. But rest assured, America will meet
another murderous madman today, and tomorrow, and the next day. There are
thousands of them, and more to come, unless this nation gets serious about gun
control and mental health care – and actually enforcing the gun ownership
regulations that are already on the books. (…)
In our lifetimes, the United States has seen a president shot in the back seat of a
car, a president shot as he exited a hotel, a U.S. senator shot in a hotel pantry, a
civil rights leader shot on his hotel balcony, and thousands upon thousands of
humbler and less heralded humans – school children, theatergoers, workers –
annihilated in fusillades of bullets.
How many times must we watch before we take a good look at ourselves as a
country … We know the answer. Too many more.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Have we made the invocations of the blind man of Jericho our own: “Son of “David,
have pity on me!” … “Lord, please let me see”?
2. How do we value the revelations God, through Jesus Christ, reveal to us? How does
the message of the Lord Jesus to the church in Ephesus impinge on us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Master,
you made the blind man of Jericho “see”.
Your gift of sight and insight
enabled him to follow you,
giving glory to God.
Your marvelous work
inspired the people who witnessed it
to give praise to God.
Grant me the gift of sight and insight.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving God,
we thank you for your “revelation” in Jesus Christ.
Help us to act on his saving message
so that we may be ready at the final judgment
to face your mercy and your justice.
And when our practice of Christian charity wanes,
bring us back to our senses.
Let our love for one another be renewed.
Increase our love for Jesus day by day.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Lord, please let me see.” (Lk 18:41) // “You have lost the love you had at first.”
(Rv 2:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Exercise the gift of sight and insight by identifying one wonderful thing that
happened to you today and by thanking God for it. // Ask God for the grace of repentance
and forgiveness every time you backslide in the duty of fraternal love. By his grace,
resolve to do better in exercising Christian fraternal love.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Saves the Lost … We Need to Hear His
Voice and Open the Door to Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 3:1-6, 14-22 // Lk 19:1-10
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 19:1-10): “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what
was lost.”
The book Papa Mike was written by Mike McGarvin, the founder of Poverello
House that serves the poor and the homeless in Fresno. Like Jesus, it is his mission to
save the “lost”. Here is Papa Mike’s amusing account of a rescue.
One of the more disturbing events took place about half a block from Poverello. It
was winter, and raining hard. The streets in that part of town often had poor
drainage, and our block was exceptionally bad. I don’t remember why, but I was
walking along F Street that day. I passed by a huge puddle that had formed in a
gutter. It was clogged with leaves from the sycamore trees in the neighborhood,
and for some reason I glanced down at the puddle. When I did, I spotted some
bubbles coming up in the water. On closer inspection, I saw they were coming
from a small fleshy object sticking out of the water.
With a shudder, I realized that the object was the very tip of someone’s nose. I
reached down in the puddle and pulled a man’s head out, grabbed the shoulders,
and pulled him onto the sidewalk. The standing water had been so deep that he
had been completely submerged except for his nose. He was covered with leaves,
so that he was invisible to any passerby. He was still alive, but I couldn’t wake
him up. I ran to the Poverello and called 911. He had apparently got drunk,
passed out in the gutter and stayed there all night. As the rain began to pour
down, he slept right through it. The water kept rising, and if I hadn’t seen him, he
would have been completely under water in a few minutes. When the paramedics
came, they took him to the hospital. He survived, but he had hypothermia.
Today’s Gospel reading )Lk 19:1-10) presents another marginal who wants “to
see” – just like the blind man at Jericho. The tax collector Zacchaeus wants specifically
“to see” Jesus. Despised by others on account of his despicable trade, he seeks “to see”
who Jesus is. Short in stature and impeded by a jostling crowd from “seeing” the Divine
Master, he overcomes the difficulty by climbing a sycamore tree. When Jesus reached the
spot where Zacchaeus is waiting, he looks up and, “seeing” him precariously perched in
the tree, says: “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house”. The
energetic tax collector responds to Jesus’ initiative by climbing down from the sycamore
tree and by welcoming him into the banquet at his house. But more radically he
renounces half of his possessions and makes a promise of four-fold restitution to anyone
he has defrauded. Zacchaeus’ great desire “to see” Jesus is fulfilled. He experiences a
great joy because the Savior of the “lost” has cast a compassionate glance upon him and
rescued him.
B. First Reading (Rv 3:1-6, 14-22): “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will enter his house and dine with him.”
The reading (Rv 3:1-6, 14-22) contains the Lord’s message to the church in Sardis
and to the church in Laodicea. His reproach to Sardis is that, though they are reputed to
be “alive”, they are actually dead. They are enthusiastic about spiritual gifts, but they
have failed to follow God’s commands. They have managed to preserve the appearances
of Christianity, but they are experiencing the spiritual death from which Christ has
rescued them. They need to wake up and strengthen whatever good they have lest they
lose them completely. Some of them have been faithful and will share in Christ’s victory
at his coming. Those who refuse to obey what they have been taught will be erased from
the book of life.
Addressing himself to the church in Laodicea, the Lord rebukes them for being
smug and complacent. Since they are “lukewarm, neither hot nor cold”, the Lord will spit
them out of his mouth. Laodicea is known for its clothing industry; it is a banking center
and has a medical school that specializes in eye diseases. Unfortunately, the material
prosperity that Christians enjoy in this city has vitiated them and has closed their heart to
the grace of God. Their spiritual well-being has been compromised. Though materially
prosperous, they are really “poor, naked and blind”. The Lord advises them to procure
pure gold from him; to cover their nakedness with white clothing; and to apply ointment
on their eyes that they may see. In effect, the Lord is telling them to draw out true riches,
the fullness of salvation and complete healing from him. At the time of the visitation of
the Lord, who stands at the door and knocks, they must listen to his voice, open the door
of their heart, and welcome him. Then they will be victorious and joyfully participate
with the Lord in the banquet of eternal life.
The following article/interview gives insight into the dynamics of moral and
spiritual degradation and the possibility of conversion (cf. Gail Marshall, “Chowchilla
Bus Kidnapper James Schoenfeld’s Own Words Add Insight to Crime” in The Fresno
Bee, August 30, 2015, p. 1B, 3B-4B).
[On July 15, 1976], twenty-six school children from Dairyland Elementary School
and their bus driver, Ed Ray, were abducted from their school bus by three young
men, transported hours around the state in two vans, then buried alive in a
moving van. In a daring escape, the bus driver and older boys clawed their way
out of their underground prison, leading the younger children across a rock
quarry in a sprint to freedom. (…)
The three male kidnappers were in their 20s. Frederick Newhall Woods, James
Schoenfeld and his brother, Richard, were caught within two weeks and given life
sentences after pleading guilty to kidnapping charges … James recently was
released on parole after being incarcerated for 39 years. His younger brother,
Richard, was released a couple of years ago. Woods remains in prison. (…)
Why? The young men were healthy and wealthy by any measure. They came from
good homes, went to college. (…)
In his testimony, James describes an enviable early childhood as the middle child
of three boys, raised in a “great” home with two parents. His father was a
physician. By the time he was 14, his parents had taken him on two trips around
the world. In their modest neighborhood in Palo Alto, they were minor celebrities.
Their pictures were on the front page of the newspaper. Later, they moved to a
more upscale neighborhood in Atherton, another Bay Area suburb. James
changed.
“Why did you take the children?”
In Atherton, I was no longer something special. I was just – in fact I was not
special at all, so I wanted to be – have that feeling again. I wanted to fit in with
these new people that we moved next to. And, you know, my friend’s parents had
twin Ferraris, you know, his and hers with telephones in them. I had no money of
my own. My dad lent me some money. I bought a Jaguar. I found out that the
insurance was more than I made in a whole year, so two months later I had to sell
the Jaguar. I was 19. I was working full time as a busboy. I was also going to
college.
I had envy issues trying to fit in with one crowd, and my other friends, they were
getting married. They were buying houses. They were on their own career paths,
and I was falling behind them and I just figured I need money. Money would solve
all my problems. I felt I couldn’t earn my way out of my problem. (…)
“Why kidnapping?”
I saw a headline. Ronald Reagan put out a headline that the state of California
had a billion-dollar surplus. I kept thinking the state’s got more than it needs.
They won’t miss $5 million. I wasn’t going to commit any crime, risk my life or
risk my reputation for anything less than a million, so a bank robbery wouldn’t
work. A drug deal wouldn’t work. I didn’t know anything except kidnapping that
I’d seen on TV that would provide sufficient reward. (…)
“Do you really understand what you did?”
(…) We took the victims by force. They were completely helpless. That leaves a
victim with poor self-esteem. They might even question God. There are emotional,
financial, spiritual and physical injuries. I put them in a place that endangered
their life. There were a hundred things that could have happened that this really
could have come out far worse.
“Where will you live now?”
My hope is to be able to help my mother and my hope is to reside with her and
take care of her. She is 92 years old.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are there moments in our life when we undergo the Zacchaeus experience and have
tried to climb the “sycamore tree” in order “to see” Jesus? Identify them and relive the
intense feelings and the challenges of these experiences. Personally and as a Church, in
what ways do we participate in the saving mission of Jesus, the Son of Man who comes
to seek and save what was lost?
2. Do we strive “to live” in the fullest sense by following God’s commands? In our
relationship with Jesus, are “tepid, neither hot nor cold”? Are we willing to hear the voice
of the Lord as he stands by the door and knock and are we ready to open the door of our
heart to him?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
at times we feel miserable and sinful, rejected and unloved.
But in your kindness,
you allow us to experience moments of truth and healing light.
We thank you for the Zacchaeus experience within us
of wanting “to see” Jesus.
We therefore climb the “sycamore tree” to have a glimpse of him
who comes to seek the lost.
In our precarious perch on the “sycamore tree” of our lonely life,
we await your saving presence
and your kind invitation to come down and be with you.
As your loving gaze enfolds us
and as we climb down toward your welcoming heart,
we rejoice that God’s love is bigger than our frailties.
Like the radically transformed Zacchaeus,
may we let go of all the burdens of the sinful past.
Fill us with the joy of salvation
as we hear you say:
“Today salvation has come to this house …
For the Son of Man has come
to seek and save what was lost.”
We adore you now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you stand by the door and knock.
Give us the grace to listen to your voice
and to open the door of our heart to you.
Help us to live truly in your merciful love
and follow your life-giving commands.
Make us share in your glorious banquet in heaven.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“He was seeking to see who Jesus was.” (Lk 19:3) // “Behold, I stand at the door
and knock.” (Rv 3:20).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
As a way of participating in the mission of the Son of Man who came to seek and
save what was lost, you may contribute through prayers, material resources and volunteer
services to assist the poor and the needy, the “lost” and the marginalized. // Resolve to
detach your heart from material riches/possessions and seek more and more the true
riches the Lord God offers.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Wants Us to Be Creatively Involved …
In Him We Give Glory to the Thrice Holy God”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 4:1-11 // Lk 19:11-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 19:11-28): “Why did you not put my money in the bank?”
Today’s Gospel parable (Lk 19:11-28) depicts the creative genius of God’s
faithful servants as well as the disappointing cowardice of the feckless. The faithful
servants are industrious and resourceful. Their creative use of the gold coins inspires us
to be pro-active in dealing with the affairs of God’s kingdom. The “hole-in-the-ground”
solution of the “play-it-safe” servant is downright disappointing. He does not dare to
invest his talent, rationalizing that “what little talent I have will never be missed”. But
this is not so.
According to the poet Michel Quoist (cf. “Breath of Life”) and paraphrasing him,
if each note of music were to say “one note does not make a symphony”, there would be
no symphony; if each word were to say “one word does not make a book”, there would
be no book; if each brick were to say “one brick does not make a wall”, there would be
no house; if each seed were to say “one grain does not make a field of corn”, there would
be no harvest; if each one were to say “one act of love cannot save mankind”, there
would never be justice and peace on earth.
Hence, with regards to the kingdom of God, we cannot remain uninvolved or
partially involved; rather, we must be totally involved. Absolute personal commitment is
required for salvation. It is exigent that we fully invest our talents to promote creatively
and energetically the reign of God.
B. First Reading (Rv 4:1-11): “Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is,
and who is to come.”
This happened in 1977 when I was a young Sister assigned in Cebu Island, in the
Philippines. One day, after a hectic morning, I went for an afternoon nap (“siesta”). The
gentle breeze blowing through the window was refreshing and it lulled me into a deep,
peaceful sleep. When I was fully rested, I heard a chorus of virile voices singing an
Alleluia song of exquisite beauty and harmony. I thought I was in heaven, hearing the
choir of angels singing to God their praises. Later on, I got to know that the heavenly
song was being sung by seventy soldiers who were attending a “Cursillo” course at the
nearby parish church.
The reading (Rv 4:1-11) tells us of John’s experience of heaven. He receives a
special vision of the court of heaven where God sits enthroned. The seer speaks of God’s
radiance. His face gleams like precious stones and an emerald rainbow surrounds his
throne. This symbolic language intends to describe the transcendence of God and the
beauty of heaven. John also speaks of “a sea of glass, clear as crystal” to indicate God’s
inaccessible power and infinite majesty. The seer beholds “four living creatures”. They
look like a lion, a bull, a man and an eagle and represent what is most splendid in animate
life: the lion representing nobility, the bull representing strength, the human-like creature
representing wisdom and the eagle representing swiftness. The “four living creatures”
symbolize the whole of creation in which God is constantly present. Moreover, they are
full of eyes to symbolize God’s astounding knowledge and unceasing vigilance over his
creation. They have wings to indicate the swiftness with which God’s will is executed
throughout the universe. Above all, day and night, the “four living creatures” sing
unceasingly: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is and who is to
come.” Cosmic praise is rendered to the all-powerful God, the Lord of creation.
Furthermore, John has a vision of “twenty-four elders” dressed in white and
wearing crowns of gold. They represent the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and
the 12 tribes of the New Israel in the New Testament. The group of “twenty-four elders”
stands for the ideal Church in its entirety and the white robes they wear allude to Christ’s
paschal victory in which they share. The glorification of the Church will be fully realized
in heaven, but it has virtually taken place already in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The
Church must unceasingly join with nature in their praise, worship and glory of God. The
seer then describes the “twenty-four elders” joining in the cosmic and heavenly liturgy.
As the “four living creatures” sing songs of glory and thanksgiving to the one who sits on
the throne, the “twenty-four elders” prostrate and throw their crowns down in front of the
throne, saying: “Our Lord and God! You are worthy to receive glory, honor and power.
For you created all things and by your will they were given existence and life.” The
action symbolizes adoration, homage and submission to the Lord God, the creator of all
things and the Lord of history.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What lesson do I derive from the actions of the faithful servants in the Gospel parable?
What lesson do I glean from the stance of the “hole-in-the-ground” servant?
2. Have you ever experienced a “glimpse of heaven”? How did it affect and move you?
Do you endeavor to unite your daily acts of prayer and charity with the heavenly liturgy?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving God,
we thank you for the creativity and wholehearted dedication
of the enterprising servants.
They teach us to be fruitfully involved
in the affairs of your kingdom.
Deliver us from the twisted logic
of the “hole-in-the-ground” servant.
That we may make a real impact in today’s history,
let us be personally involved in the advent of your kingdom.
Help us to use our talents fully and creatively
in the service of the Gospel.
For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
***
(cf. Rv 4:8, 11)
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, who is and who is to come.
Our Lord and God!
You are worthy to receive glory, honor and power.
For you created all things
and by your will they were given existence and life.”
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter.” (Lk
19:17) // “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty.” (Rv 4:8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
List some talents you have received from the Lord, which you have utilized fully
at the service of the Church and on behalf of the community. List some talents, which
you have failed to use. Beg God’s mercy and pardon for your failure to maximize them.
Resolve to use them for the service of the Gospel. // Be deeply aware of the beauty of
creation and unite yourself with the praise that is rendered to God by all living and
created things. When the “Sanctus” is sung at Mass, be deeply conscious of the cosmic
praise and heavenly worship taking place.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Weeps Over Jerusalem … He Is the
Lamb that Was Slain for Our Saving”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 5:1-10 // Lk 19:41-44
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 19:41-44): “If you only knew what makes for peace.”
Today’s Gospel (Lk 19:41-44) is marked with pathos. Jesus weeps over the city of
Jerusalem. His tears manifest his anguish, frustration and sorrow for an obdurate people
who refuse the saving grace he offers. Unlike the blind man at Jericho and the tax
collector Zacchaeus who were able to experience the gift of “seeing”, the leaders of the
city remain “blind” because they have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They refuse to
acknowledge and “see” in his ministry the evidence of God’s benevolent plan. Jesus
laments the impending destruction of Jerusalem. In rejecting him, the rebellious people
likewise reject the “way” that leads to true peace and salvation. The leaders of Jerusalem
choose instead armed resistance and violence, which would result in the total destruction
of Jerusalem inflicted by the Roman general Titus and his army in 70 A.D.
The pathos in the following poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama is
akin to the anguished emotion of Jesus as he weeps over Jerusalem. Judge Moore was
sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has
been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in
Alabama! The judge's poem sums it up quite well.
America the beautiful,
or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride,
I'm glad they'll never see.
Babies piled in dumpsters,
Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty;
your house is on the sand.
Our children wander aimlessly
poisoned by cocaine
choosing to indulge their lusts,
when God has said abstain
From sea to shining sea,
our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love
and a need to always pray
We've kept God in our temples,
how callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool,
and Heaven is His throne.
We've voted in a government
that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges
who throw reason out the door,
Too soft to place a killer
in a well-deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby
before he leaves the womb.
You think that God's not angry,
that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait
before His judgment comes?
How are we to face our God,
from Whom we cannot hide ?
What then is left for us to do,
but stem this evil tide ?
If we who are His children,
will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face
and mend our evil way:
Then God will hear from Heaven;
and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land
and those who live within....
But, America the Beautiful,
If you don't - then you will see,
A sad but Holy God
withdraw His hand from Thee.
B. First Reading (Rv 5:1-10): “The Lamb that was slain purchased us with his Blood
from every nation.”
The reading (Rv 5:1-10) focuses on the Lamb that was slain to purchase us with
his blood from every nation. In his vision, John sees a scroll in the right hand of the one
who sits on the throne. It is covered with writing on both sides and sealed with seven
seals. The perfectly sealed “scroll” indicates the mysterious will of God regarding all of
human and cosmic history. No one in heaven or on earth or in the entire universe could
open the scroll and execute the divine will. Who is qualified to know and put into
execution God’s plan for history? The seer weeps bitterly at this desperate situation and
his tears evoke the sufferings of those who despair in every time and space.
One of the elders said to John the comforting words: “Don’t cry. Look! The lion
from Judah’s tribe, a great descendant of David, has won the victory, and he can break
the seven seals and open the scroll.” John then beholds a Lamb standing “in the midst of
the throne” and has “seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that
have been sent through the whole earth”. The position being “in the midst of the throne”
symbolizes the Lamb’s close link with God, whose knowledge and power he shares. The
image of “seven horns … seven eyes … seven spirits of God” indicates that the Lamb
holds the fullness of power and insight and that he watches and supervises all that takes
place on earth.
Moreover, the Lamb is surrounded by the “four living creatures” and the “elders”.
The Lamb appears to have been slain, but is living and victorious. The Lamb Victor, who
still carries the marks of its sacrifice, is Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah from the tribe
of Judah and the house of David. The slain Lamb has the authority and the power to open
the “seven-sealed” scroll. Thus the “four living creatures” and the “twenty-four elders”
fall down before the Lamb in an act of adoration. Each with a harp and gold bowls filled
with incense, symbolizing the prayers of God’s people, they sing a new song: “You are
worthy to take the scroll and to break open its seals. For you were killed and by your
sacrificial death you bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation and race.
You have made them a kingdom of priests to serve our God, and they shall rule on
earth.”
What John witnesses is an enthronement ceremony of the Victorious Lamb. By
receiving the scroll of the divine will and by accomplishing God’s saving plan, the Lord
Jesus receives sovereignty over the nations. He has the power to guide the destiny of all
peoples to a glorious end. The whole creation, represented by the “four living creatures”,
and the entire Church, represented by the “twenty-four elders”, extol the dignity of the
Paschal Lamb and celebrate his glory as our Savior in a beautiful liturgy that
encompasses heaven and earth.
The following song is a favorite one in our chapel here in Fresno. I particularly
like it because its melody is simple but beautiful. After having studied the text (Rv 5:110) using various biblical commentaries, the song becomes even more meaningful.
“Worthy Is the Lamb”: A song composed by Ricky Manalo, CSP
Refrain: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive honor and glory.
Worthy are the ones who believe
to receive the goodness of God.
1. Worthy are you, O Paschal Lamb.
Wisdom and strength belong now to you.
You laid down your life and died upon the cross:
we’ve become a people of hope.
2. Worthy are you, O Bread of Life.
Salvation and joy belong now to us.
By conquering death and rising to new life,
we’ve become a people of praise.
3. Worthy are you, O Risen Christ.
Wonders and signs, revealing your might.
Your power and glory shine upon our lives:
we’ve become your light for the world.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we share the anguish of Jesus for those who reject his saving grace? What do we do
to help a secularized world turn to God and be converted to his ways?
2. Do we recognize and avow the radical salvation won for us by the victorious Paschal
Lamb Jesus Christ? Do we let the unique role of Christ Savior shape our life and destiny?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Jesus Savior,
you wept over Jerusalem
for being blind to your gift of peace and salvation.
Give us the grace
to recognize your presence in our midst.
Let us follow your ways
and preserve us from destruction.
You are the Father’s benediction and blessing to us all.
We love you and thank you.
We resolve to follow you and serve you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
(cf. Rv 5:10)
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to break open its seals.
For you were killed
and by your sacrificial death
you bought for God
people from every tribe, language, nation and race.
You have made them a kingdom of priests
to serve our God, and they shall rule on earth.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Jesus saw the city and wept over it.” (Lk 19:41) // “Worthy are you to receive
the scroll and break open its seals.” (Rv 5:9)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Manifest your acceptance of Jesus as Savior by your acts of justice and
compassion on behalf of the poor. // Let every moment and action of your life be an act
of worship and praise to the Lamb who was slain for our saving.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us True Worship … We Are
Commissioned as His Prophets”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 10:8-11 // Lk 19:45-48
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 19:45-48): “You have made it a den of thieves.”
Today’s Gospel (Lk 19:45-48) depicts Jesus driving away those who have made
his house of prayer into a “den of thieves”. The religious practices in the Jerusalem
temple have degenerated into a shameful market trafficking. Legal transactions in the
name of religion, which trample the rights of the poor, are sanctioned and encouraged by
temple authorities within its precincts. Jesus castigates the merchants for profaning the
temple and the religious leaders for degrading the meaning of worship. Indeed, the God
of freedom, who brought Israel from the bondage in Egypt, would not settle for false
worship. Moreover, the passionate character of the liberating God and the integrity of his
covenant love would not tolerate abuse and injustice to the poor, especially when done in
the guise of religion. But God is compassionate, full of mercy and love. Ever faithful and
true, the almighty God does not turn away from his sinful people. He sends his Son Jesus
to renew the broken covenant and to teach them true worship. In a radical manifestation
of divine love, our Savior Jesus Christ offers “true worship” on the cross of salvation.
The following story entitled “A Sunday Stranger”, circulated on the Internet,
gives an idea of what true “worship” entails.
The parking lot filled rapidly on Sunday morning as members of the large church
congregation filed into church. As usually happens in a church that size, each
member had developed a certain comfort zone – a block of space within those
four church walls that became theirs after the second or third sitting. It was as
much a part of their experience as the recliner was to the television at home.
One morning a stranger stood at the edge of the parking lot near a dumpster. As
families parked cars and piled out, they noticed him rummaging through the
trash. “Oh no, I don’t believe it”, whispered a lady to her husband. “That’s all
we need – a bunch of homeless people milling around here.” One worried little
girl tugged on her dad’s sleeve. “But Daddy …” Daddy was busy sizing up the
bearded stranger, whose baggy, outdated trousers and faded flannel shirt had
dusted too many park benches. “Don’t stare at him, honey”, he whispered, and
hurried her inside. Soft music filled the high-ceilinged sanctuary as churchgoers
settled in their usual spots.
The choir sand an opening chorus, “In his presence there is comfort … in his
presence there is peace …” Sunlight flooded the center aisle. The double doors
swung open and the homeless man, sloppy and stooped, headed toward the front.
“Oh no, It’s him!” somebody muttered. “What does he think he’s doing,
anyway?” snapped an incredulous usher. The stranger set his bagful of dumpster
treasures on the very first pew, which had been upholstered in an expensive soft
teal fabric just three months ago. The music stopped. And before anyone had a
chance to react, he ambled up the stairs and stood behind the fine, hand-crafted
podium, where he faced a wide-eyed congregation.
The disheveled stranger spoke haltingly at first, in a low, clear voice.
Unbuttoning and removing his top layer of clothing, he described Jesus, and the
love he has for all people. “Jesus possesses sensitivity and a love that far
surpasses what any of us deserves.” Stepping out of the baggy old trousers, the
stranger went on to describe a forgiveness that is available to each and every one
of us … without strings attached.
“Unconditionally he loves us. Unconditionally he gave his very life for us.
Unconditionally and forever, we can have the peace and assurance that no matter
who we are, where we’ve come from, or how badly we may have mistreated
others or ourselves, there is hope. In Jesus, there is always hope. You see, my
friends, it is never too late to change”, the man continued. “He is the author of
change, and the provider of forgiveness. He came to bring new meaning to life.”
Men and women squirmed as the reality hit them like an electric current. The
stranger tugged at his knotted gray beard, and removed it. “I’m here to tell you
that we are loved with a love far beyond human understanding, a love that
enables us to accept and love others in return.” Then tenderly he added, “Let’s
pray together.” That wise pastor – under the guise of a homeless “nobody” – did
not preach a sermon that day, but every person left with plenty to think about.
B. First Reading (Rv 10:8-11): “I took the small scroll and swallowed it.”
The reading (Rv 10:8-11) depicts the seer John being commissioned as God’s
prophet to the nations. Ezekiel’s prophetic investiture (cf. Ez 2:8-3:3) inspires this
account. John is commanded by a voice from heaven to take from the angel an “open”
scroll. When he takes the little scroll and eats it, it tastes “sweet” as honey in his mouth.
But after he swallows it, it turns “sour” in his stomach. That the scroll is “open”
symbolizes that its message must not be kept secret but be communicated to the intended
recipients. The action of “eating the scroll” indicates that the one being commissioned
needs to assimilate completely and deeply its content or message. That the scroll is both
“sweet and sour” symbolizes the double effect the prophetic message brings: that is, it
announces the glorious victory of the faithful and the painful struggle that precedes it.
The “sweet and sour” taste evokes the Christian paschal experience of beatitude and
glory through suffering and death.
After eating the scroll, the prophet is told: “Once again you must proclaim God’s
message about many nations, races, languages and kings.” The prophecy that John will
proclaim contains judgments against peoples and their leaders. Since the prophetic truth
disturbs and destabilizes, his message is dangerous for political powers and for the
prophet himself. Indeed, the message of the prophet John and the Christian prophetic
community through time and space is challenging, disquieting, transforming and lifegiving.
The following article gives insight into what it means to be God’s prophet in
today’s world (cf. Dashka Slater, “Call for Climate Justice” in Sierra, September/October
2015, p. 26-27).
On June 18, the Vatican released Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the
environment, subtitled “Care for Our Common Home”. Environmentalists hoped
it would build momentum for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in
December, while fossil fuel apologists attacked the pope’s credibility. (Rush
Limbaugh went so far as to call the Pontiff a Marxist.)
But the papal letter’s significance goes far beyond its widely noted alarm about
climate change to ask readers of all faiths to consider their relationship to the
planet as a whole. “We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental
and the other social”, Pope Francis writes, “but rather one complex crisis which
is both social and environmental.”
For environmental justice scholar, Sylvia Hood Washington, who is both Catholic
and African-American, this holistic approach is what makes the encyclical so
revolutionary. “When you have the pope clearly state that the degradation of the
environment and the degradation of human beings is a sin? Praise be to God!”
she says. “It’s a blessing to every human being who has wanted justice and
equity.”
Hood Washington’s environmental ethos has a rigorous academic underpinning,
but she also has a personal stake: Her mother died during an extended heat wave
in Cleveland in 1988, the kind of disaster that will become more lethal as the
planet warms. Heat waves, she points out, are particularly deadly for people with
chronic diseases like the hypertension and diabetes that are epidemic in the black
community.
“The climate of the earth, but also the internal climate of the body, has been
changed by the industrial production of energy”, she says. “What we corrupt on
the earth, we corrupt in ourselves.” (…)
But anyone who reads the encyclical with an open mind will be moved to action.
“It’s a challenging document”, observes Patrick Carolan, executive director of
the Franciscan Action Network. “If you’re reading it, you’re going to feel
uncomfortable. St. Francis of Assisi taught us that you’re never transformed in
your comfort zone. It’s not business as usual – it can’t be.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. How does the episode of the cleansing of the Temple impact us? What are the various
elements and areas in our personal lives that need “cleansing”? What does “worship”
mean to us personally? Do we strive to render God “true worship”?
2. Like the seer John, are we willing to take the “open” scroll, eat it and taste its
sweetness and then feeling its sourness in the stomach, proclaim its prophetic contents to
the nations? Are we willing to be God’s courageous prophets in today’s world?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you cleansed the temple from abusive merchants
and denounced false worship.
Purify us of hypocrisy and self-gain.
Teach us the meaning of true worship.
We can never truly love and praise you
if we continue to neglect the poor and marginal.
Give us the grace to make of our life
a pleasing “offering” to God.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving God,
we thank you our vocation and mission
as your prophets in today’s world.
Help us to relish the sweetness of your word.
Give us the courage to proclaim your saving message to the nations.
Let us live by your Spirit
and rejoice in Christ’s love for us and one another.
You are worthy of honor, glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
week. Please memorize it.
“My house shall be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.” (Lk
19:46) // “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues and kings.”
(Rv10:11)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your acts of charity and animated by the spirit of true worship, contribute to
the cleansing and rebuilding of God’s desecrated “temple” – today’s suffering people
who are victims of crime, violence, oppression, exploitation and injustice. // Make an
effort to study prayerfully the Word of God that you may proclaim God’s saving message
more efficaciously to the people around you.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Affirms the Reality of the
Resurrection … The Prophetic Community Shares in His Paschal
Destiny”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 11:4-12 // Lk 20:27-40
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 20:27-40): “He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
This happened in Veneto, Italy. Sr. Tiziana’s dad died of a massive stroke. Her
mom was disconsolate and was crying her heart out at the funeral. Sr. Tiziana gently
reminded her that the separation is temporary for she would be reunited with him in
heaven. Her mom wailed: “But the Gospel says in the next life we will be like angels. In
heaven, I will no longer be his wife.” Sr. Tiziana later confided: “I did not know what to
say.” Of course, her mom’s fear of cessation of the relationship is unfounded. True love
never ends.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 20:27-30) deals with the resurrection of the dead, a faith
reality that surpasses human understanding. The Sadducees, a group of religious leaders
who deny the existence of resurrected life, are bent on engaging Jesus in a reductio-adabsurdum argument against the later doctrine of bodily resurrection. If there is a
“resurrection” there would be struggles in heaven over marriage partners. Jesus’ first
rebuttal also uses a reductio-ad-absurdum tactic. The Divine Master argues that the next
existence, which has no place for death, makes marriage and remarriage irrelevant. He
reduces to pieces the basic premise of the Sadducees that the life of the age to come is
merely a continuation of this life and therefore needs marriage and human propagation
lest it die out. The second rebuttal of Jesus is derived from the Torah. Since the
Sadducees hold only to the Law of Moses, Jesus utilizes that to bolster his argument
about the resurrected life. When God says: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob” this implies that his relationship with these patriarchs is
everlasting and personal. God does not lose his friends to death. They live on and this is
made possible through the Messiah’s resurrection.
It is through the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, that we are brought to true
and eternal life. Our belief in our resurrection is based on our faith in the resurrected
Christ. Harold Buetow remarks: “Christian belief in immortality is unique and special.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News of fullness of life in this age, and of the
resurrection in the age to come. For us death is a door, not a wall – not a wall that ends
growth and action like the Berlin wall, but a door into a Christmas-tree room full of
surprises. Someone has compared death to standing on the seashore. A ship spreads her
white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the open sea. She fades on the horizon,
and someone says, ‘She’s gone.’ Just at the moment when someone says, ‘She’s gone’,
other voices who are watching at her coming on another shore happily shout, ‘Here she
comes’. Or to use another metaphor, what the caterpillar calls ‘the end’, the butterfly calls
the ‘beginning’.”
B. First Reading (Rv 11:4-12): “These two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the
earth.”
While the scene of the open scroll (Rv 10:8-11) underlines the prophetic mission
of the Church, today’s reading about the “two witnesses” (Rv 11:4-12) delineates the
consequences of this mission for the Church and the world. The seer John tells us that the
witnesses are “two” because in the Jewish tradition, at least two witnesses are needed for
a valid testimony. The reference to the “two witnesses” evokes the role of Moses and
Elijah in salvation history. According to Jewish belief, Moses and Elijah are to return to
preach repentance before the day of the Lord. Moreover, the image of the “two
witnesses” is superimposed on the image of the “olive trees” and “lampstands” depicted
by the prophet Zechariah (cf. Zec 4:3, 11). This symbolic device intends to describe the
role and meaning of Christian witnessing. Indeed, the “two witnesses” which are “the two
olive trees and the two lamps that stand before the Lord of the earth” symbolize the
Church. Nourished by the Spirit and shining like a lamp, the Church bears witness to the
radiance of God.
The “two witnesses” cannot be killed as long as their witnessing is not complete.
In the symbolic city called “Sodom” (a typical example of moral perversion) or “Egypt”
(which represents powers hostile to God’s people, oppressing and reducing them to
slavery), they are killed by the “beast” that comes from the bottomless pit. The “beast”
symbolizes the “anti-Christ” who musters and marshals the enemies of the “two
witnesses”. Their dead bodies lie in the street of that sinful city and denied burial. This
ultimate humiliation indicates the pitch of hatred to which pagans have been incited by
the Christian message. The enemies rejoice that the troublesome Christian witnesses have
been eliminated.
But the faithful witnesses are vindicated. After “three and a half days” of death
and torment, “a life-giving breath comes from God” and raises them up. The enemies
watch in consternation as a loud voice from heaven summons the two prophets: “Come
up here!” As their enemies watch, the faithful witnesses go up into heaven in a cloud.
This beautiful scene of salvation and glorification is meant to encourage the Christians to
remain faithful during times of suffering and persecution. Indeed, the Christian faithful
are called and destined to share in Christ’s paschal destiny of passion, death and
resurrection.
The following modern-day account gives insight into the hardship that Christian
witnessing entails as well as the hope for salvation (cf. Dominican Brother Augustine
Marogi, “Persecuted, but not Abandoned” in Columbia, September 2015, p. 20-23).
Gardeners know that when a plant is uprooted and transplanted, its roots may
have great difficulty receiving the water needed to remain alive. And as the plant
adjusts to new soil, it may suffer “transplant shock” and never recover.
Uprooted human beings can suffer similar consequences as well. Forced to
abandon their homes, refugees often experience their new surroundings as a vast,
dark desert. Distraught and confused, fathers and mothers find themselves unable
to provide loving care and security for their children. Despair becomes a real
temptation. Such is the fate of displaced Christian families living in Iraq today.
After the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, overran the city of Mosul in
northern Iraq and smaller towns in 2014, they gave Christians three options:
convert to Islam, pay jizya (a submission tax) or leave. Otherwise, they would be
slain. With little more than the clothes on their back, nearly all the Christian
families abandoned the cities and villages where their roots could be traced back
thousands of years. They fled into Kurdish areas where many have faced
deplorable living conditions – in tents, partially completed buildings or even out
in the open.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, the Knights of Columbus Christian
Refugee Relief Fund was launched in August 2014. The initiative has helped to
provide shelter and medical care for refugee families in need, mitigating their
sufferings and giving hope amid dire circumstances. (…)
Redemptorist Archbishop Bashar Matti Ward of Erbil affirmed that both the
spiritual and humanitarian support have given hope to his suffering people. “We
remain confident in Christ that there is a future for Iraqi Christians in Iraq.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What is our concept of death and dying? Is this concept illumined by faith in the living
God, in whom all are alive? Do we believe that our future resurrected life will be that of
“a person with a wholly illuminated soul” – where we are closer to being children of God
and able to respond to the divine loving plan for each of us? How authentic is our
liturgical confession: We believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?
How does this eschatological belief affect our daily living here and now?
2. When called to witness our Christian faith in dire circumstances, do we turn to God
and trust in his saving help? Do we take to heart the plight of persecuted Christians?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
you are the God of the living, not of the dead.
In Jesus, your Son and our Savior,
we live and move.
Help us to look forward to the resurrected life,
when all that is best in us will come through
and each of us will become
“a person with a wholly illuminated soul”.
May the Risen Christ whom we celebrate in every Eucharist
bring about more and more
our own resurrection and transformation.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you suffered what the persecuted Christians of today
are suffering.
Give them the grace to be courageous in their witnessing
and grant them the hope of glory.
Let the people of goodwill come to their aid
and may all hatred and violence cease.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Lk 20:38)
// “They went up to heaven in a cloud.” (Rv 11:12)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for widows/widowers who have lost their partners and are grieving for them.
Pray for the grace of a happy death and a deeper experience of trust in Jesus’ almighty
Father, the God of the living. In the month of November, visit a cemetery. Pray for the
repose of the soul of the beloved dead and thank God for being the God of the living, and
not God of the dead. // Do what you can to assist morally, spiritually and materially
today’s persecuted Christians.
*** Text of 33rd Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***
A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle 2***
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 104)
ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 34
MONDAY: THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Father’s Totus Tuus … His
Name Is Written on Their Foreheads”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5 // Lk 21:1-4
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:1-4): “He noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.”
We are almost at the end of the liturgical year. Through the sacred liturgy, the
Church helps us to be thankful for the divine compassion and the providence bestowed on
us every moment of our life. Likewise, the bible readings in these days, especially
today’s Gospel about the widow who gives all (Lk 21:1-4), invite us to respond to God
with a generous and total love. As we are completing the Church’s year of grace 2014, it
is fitting to meditate upon the totus tuus quality of God’s relationship with us, as well as
the totus tuus character of the response he demands from us.
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly comments: “Totus tuus … “totally yours” …
Such total self-giving is characteristic of biblical religion. It is not to be understood as a
purely human initiative. Rather, it is the expected response to the redemptive love of
God. It is he who loves first. Then empowered by that love, we can love God and
neighbor in turn…God’s initial love is always a presupposition. Our lives are, or should
be, one large thank you to a loving God. And the thank you must be expressed
wholeheartedly. The Gospel reading exhibits this theme. The widow who gave her two
small copper coins gave all that she had to live on. This was her version of totus tuus to
God. Because it was that, it was worth much more than the huge donations of the
wealthy … The emphasis is on the completeness of the human gift … Jesus is the
Father’s totus tuus to us. When we respond, it must also be in the once and for all spirit
of totus tuus. In Christianity, God has given his all once and for all. We are asked to
respond in the same way … That is why we say right here and now to God: Totus tuus,
Lord”.
Here is a daily life example of a totus tuus gift to God (cf. Rick Hamline in Daily
Guideposts 2014, p. 60).
In the middle of a busy morning at the office, I’d just finished a long e-mail to a
colleague when the phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number but answered. A
faint voice said, “I’m Bernadette.”
“I’m Rick Hamlin”, I replied, trying to remember if there was a Bernadette in any
story I was working on. “May I help you?”
“I need someone to pray for me”, she said. My friend Mary is very sick from
cancer. They’ve just put her on hospice care. I don’t know what to do …” Her
voice broke.
They knew each other from childhood. They talked on the phone every day. The
cancer had come very quickly. Bernadette was in shock. Each time she visited her
friend she was afraid of dissolving in tears. “If I could just pray with someone”,
she said.
I found myself asking, “Want me to pray with you right now?”
“Yes, please”, she said.
I closed my eyes and lowered my voice, hoping none of my colleagues would
interrupt. I’m not sure what I said, but I trusted that the right words would come.
“Be with Mary and Bernadette”, I ended. “Amen.”
“Amen”, Bernadette said. “Thank you, sir. That was nice of you.”
She hung up, and I returned to work. Maybe Bernadette was supposed to get my
number. Perhaps praying for her was the most important thing I would do all day.
Dear Lord, let me know how to say yes when You call.
B. First Reading (Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5): “His name and his Father’s name are written on
their foreheads.”
The reading (Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5) reminds me of a story I heard, when I was a young
Sister, from Sr. Maria Stella Lilli, an Italian PDDM missionary assigned in the
Philippines in the 1970s and 1980s. It is about a very hardworking Sister. As she toils for
the Lord and his people, she does not even give her body the legitimate rest it needs. Her
reason: “Morir es descanzar” … “To die is to rest.” One day she dies and as she enters
the gate of heaven, she sees a comfortable, oversized reclining chair waiting for her. She
sighs with pleasure as she claims the chair. Reclining on it, she remarks contentedly:
“Finally, here is my merited rest!” But then the big boss Saint Peter comes. He nudges
her good-naturedly and says: “Hey! What are you doing there? Get up! You have
something to do. Here in heaven the virgins follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”
Today’s reading is about John’s vision of the Lamb, the symbol of Jesus Christ,
and his people. The Lamb stands on Mount Zion, the unshakable rock and the mountain
of the Messiah-King, to indicate that he has full and definitive powers. With him are
144,000 people who have the name of the Lamb and of his Father written on their
foreheads. To have God’s name on the forehead signifies belonging and total
consecration to his service. The 144,000 are those who have been sealed by God for
salvation (cf. Rv 7:4). The seer sees them standing before the throne of God singing “a
new song”, which only they could learn. The gathering of the redeemed singing “a new
song” is the antitype to the worship paid to the beast, with its forces of evil. They are
“virginal” and undefiled. They have not prostituted themselves with idolatry. Jewish
prophetic language often speaks of idolatry as sexual immorality. These holy and virginal
people follow the Lamb wherever he goes. This indicates their total participation in
Christ’s paschal destiny of passion, death and glory.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Why is the donation of the poor widow in the Jerusalem temple most valuable and
significant? How does her offering evoke Christ’s total gift of himself? In what does
Christ’s totus tuus to the Father consist? Why is Christ himself the Father’s totus tuus gift
to us? Do we strive to make of our life a totus tuus gift to God?
2. Do you wish to belong to the “144, 000” redeemed and do you intend to follow the
Lamb wherever he goes even to his paschal destiny of “through death to glory”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we thank you for creating us in your image,
for redeeming us in your Son,
and for sanctifying us through the power of your life-giving Spirit.
Jesus Christ is your totus tuus gift to us.
On the cross of sacrifice,
he was the Priest and Victim par excellence.
By his passion and death on the cross,
you revealed your unmitigated love and compassionate care for us.
Dear Lord God,
we love you.
Like the widow who offered her last two coins at the Jerusalem temple,
let us learn to give all and everything – our totus tuus –
and be sustained by faith in your providence.
Bless us, loving God.
Amen.
***
Almighty God,
we gaze at the Paschal Lamb Jesus Christ,
victoriously standing on Mount Zion.
Help us to sing the “new song” of the redeemed.
Grant that we may follow the Lamb wherever he goes
and make us faithful, holy and true.
We give you honor and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“This poor widow put in more than all the rest” (Lk 21:3) // “These are the ones
who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” (Rv 14:4b)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that our response to God’s compassionate love may be total, generous and
wholehearted. By your personal dedication and service to the poor and needy, avow to
God the totus tuus character of your love for him and your neighbors. // Like the
“144,000” redeemed, resolve to follow the Lamb Jesus Christ, especially in the
challenges of daily life.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
TUESDAY: THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Prepares Us for the Last Things … He
Reaps the End Time Harvest”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 14:14-19 // Lk 21:5-11
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:5-11): “There will not be left a stone upon another stone.”
The setting of today’s Gospel (Lk 21:5-11) is the Jerusalem Temple, where Jesus
is teaching the people and proclaiming the Good News. A beautiful refurbishing of the
Temple began about forty-six years before Jesus’ birth by Herod the Great. The Temple,
though not yet complete, is already one of the wonders of the ancient world. Some of the
granite stones in the Temple walls, as big as modern freight cars, are so expertly linked
together without mortar that it is hard to see the joints. The magnificence of the Temple
with its brilliant white marble and gold ornamentation awes the people. Today’s Gospel
passage describes how some people are commenting on the Temple adorned with costly
stones and votive offerings. In the midst of this enthused admiration, Jesus grimly utters a
prophecy on the destruction of the Temple: “All that you see here – the days will come
when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Lk
21:6).
At his last appearance in the Temple, Jesus makes a final statement on its
destruction. Indeed, there is an intimate connection between the destruction of Jerusalem
and the events at the end of the world. The crisis that Jerusalem faces in Jesus’ ministry is
a harbinger of the crisis that Jesus and his message, and above all, his coming as the Son
of Man, will bring to all. Jesus does not give a definite date for the destruction of the
Temple; neither does he give a specific time for the parousia, or his second coming. At
the brink of his paschal sacrifice, Jesus asserts the faith reality that God will triumph over
all the forces of evil. By predicting the destruction of the Temple and by giving warning
signs of cosmic destruction, Jesus prepares his disciples spiritually for what is ahead - for
the “last things”.
Harold Buetow remarks: “So what do we do now about our thoughts on the last
things? For one thing, within ourselves we ought to develop a deeper spirit of
responsibility so that we seek to become dependable rather than dependent, givers rather
than takers, generous rather than addicted to self- interest … Outside ourselves, we are to
be busy with the calamities around us; not just deplore the world’s trouble spots, but to
help their victims.”
The following story is very heartening and encouraging (cf. Tom Price, “The
Other Haiti” in America, October 18, 2010, p. 23-25). It is a modern day example of a
responsible and creative stance in a cataclysmic situation. It inspires hope and teaches us
how to promote the advent of the kingdom of God in the here and now … with toil and
labor!
Try to imagine Haiti, ravaged by a massive earthquake last January, and images
of rubble, masonry at crazy angles and huge homeless camps come to mind. Portau-Prince, the capital, is still dotted with the camps that people spontaneously
formed after the quake and white Land Cruisers of the United Nations and other
relief agencies. While cleanup is underway, collapsed buildings and debris
overwhelm the landscape. In Leogane, west of the capital and close to the center
of the quake, barely a building is left standing. To see how the nation is changing
and to glimpse its future, you have to take a road out of Port-au-Prince.
I recently traveled to Haiti for Catholic Relief Services to document the plight of
rural Haitians. There I observed a number of projects fully or partially funded by
C.R.S. that provide short-term jobs, grant micro-loans to small businesses,
subsidize daily meals for Catholic schoolchildren and help local communities
plant trees and grow food. A small agricultural school teaches men and women
farming techniques to enrich the soil, increase crop yields and channel runoff. I
also saw how the Haitian countryside has been affected by the quake.
In the southern and western departments (or provinces) island life is beginning to
look more normal. The people here are poor, but the buildings are intact. Yet the
quake has brought enormous pressures: Some 110,000 internally displaced
people live in the Sud Department – more than the 80,000 of whom live in the two
largest camps in Port-au-Prince to which the prominent visitors and film crews
come. Many of the displaced people now in Sud lost their homes in the capital
during the quake and have returned to their rural roots in these provincial towns
to stay with family. The two neighboring departments of Grand Anse and Nippes
also “host” displaced Haitians from the capital, almost 200,000 of them. With
their arrival, household sizes in Sud have swelled by an average of five people. In
rural areas like the small coastal town of Carrefour, I met many families who had
left Port-au-Prince.
Meprilant Desire is philosophical when he talks about making ends meet with
extra mouths to feed. “God gave them to us, so we make do. Some days we get
enough, some days we don’t,” he smiles. Desire now supports nine children, four
of his own and five who fled the quake. Recently widowed, he is caring for them
alone. Straight across the dirt road that runs through the town, his neighbor
Frisca Saint Juste, 23, has a similar story. He is sheltering his cousin and his
cousin’s three children, plus his mother and father.
Both Desire and Saint Juste have planted seeds they received as part of a church
distribution at a seed fair. They are both tending strips of peas and corn. The peas
provide vital nitrogen to the soil for the next crop. Saint Juste depends on the
crops he grows behind his small house. His cousin helps out, but it is
backbreaking work, especially with no nearby water source to irrigate the crops.
Saint Juste explains to me how bringing water close to the field, with a community
water pump, for instance, would greatly help him and his neighbors. Desire is a
man with a heavy weight on his shoulders. He is nevertheless optimistic about the
future. He attributes his optimism to the new agricultural venture. “I got seeds at
a seed fair, and I know enough not to eat them but to plant them”, he laughs. “I
am stronger now, I have more energy, and I have the energy to plant more.” He
has ambitions to plant peanuts next.
B. First Reading (Rv 14:14-19): “The time to reap has come because the earth’s
harvest is fully ripe.”
My mom conceived when my dad was sick with tuberculosis. She felt she could
not afford to have another baby and took contraceptive pills. One night she had an awful
dream: two children with long-handled sickles were running after her. She woke up
perspiring and trembling with fear. The following morning she went for confession. The
priest protracted the absolution and asked her to help the baby live. My mother went to a
friend – a nurse – for help. The baby survived. He became a dentist and he cared for my
mom in her old age.
The “sickle”, a farming instrument for reaping, figures prominently in today’s
reading (Rv 14:14-19). John narrates his vision of the harvest at the end time: the first
pair of angels gathers the grain (the just) and a second pair harvests the grapes (the
unjust) that are to be thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath. At the harvest of the
earth, John sees one sitting on the cloud who looks like a human being, “with a gold
crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand”. This represents Jesus Christ who wears
the crown of a conqueror, but the sickle shows that he comes now as a judge. The Lord
Jesus carries out the eschatological harvest and gathers the faithful ones in heaven. The
injunction he receives to gather the harvest comes from the temple to indicate that it is the
Father who is the master of the harvest.
John’s vision continues with a grim description of another angel swinging his
sickle over the earth, cutting the grapes from the vine and throwing them into the wine
press of God’s furious anger. The gathering of “the grapes of wrath” signifies the
execution of God’s punishment. From the time of the post-exilic prophets, God’s
judgment against sinners has been compared to the work of a vintager, crushing grapes
underfoot. Indeed, at the end time, the fate of the “assembly of the just” is assured in
heaven. The wicked and the reprobate have a “bloody” end.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. What message do the tumultuous events in the world, natural and man-made calamities
and the threats of ecological destruction, bring to us? What is our attitude towards the
“last things”?
2. Do we give attention to the reality of the final judgment? Do we wish to join the
“assembly of the just” and escape “the winepress of God’s furious anger”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
your Son Jesus predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple,
the jewel of the city
and the unique center of worship
for the people of the first covenant.
In his prophecy and revelation,
Jesus assures us
that your victorious saving hand is at work.
Although we do not know the hour
and the circumstances of the end time,
nor the specific moment
of the ultimate coming of Jesus in his glory,
we resolve to work perseveringly
in the final realization of his Kingdom.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
***
O loving God,
let us be included in the harvest of you Kingdom
and join the assembly of the just made perfect in heaven.
Deliver us from sin
so as to avoid the wrath of your righteous anger.
You are merciful and just in all your ways.
We adore and glorify you, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone
upon another stone.” (Lk 21:6) // “The time to reap has come.” (Rv 14:15)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the Jewish people and today’s city of Jerusalem in the Holy Land. In the
Eucharistic celebration, proclaim the memorial acclamation with devotion and
conviction. Allow the assurance of Christ’s coming to brighten your life and encourage
you to labor mightily for the Kingdom of God. // Pray for the grace of a happy death and
let everyday of your life be a preparation for the final judgment.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
WEDNESDAY: THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Wants Us to Persevere … His Is the
Song of the Lamb and of Moses”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 15:1-4 // Lk 21:12-19
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:12-19): “You will be hated by all because of my name, but
not a hair on your head will be destroyed.”
The article, “A Tree Grows in Kenya” in Guideposts magazine (January 2004)
deals with the inspiring effort of Wangari Maathai to fight off ecological destruction in
her native land, Kenya. The author, Christopher Davis, narrates the gargantuan feat of
this enterprising woman, whose perseverance epitomizes today’s Gospel exhortation: “By
your perseverance you will secure your lives”.
In 1960 Wangari won a Kennedy scholarship to study in America. She earned a
master’s in biology from University of Pittsburgh, then became the first woman
from Kenya ever to earn a Ph.D. Wangari returned to her county in 1966 and was
shocked by what she found. The forests had been cut down for lumber. Heavy
rains washed most of the good soil away, since there was no longer vegetation to
protect it. Rivers were silt-choked, the soil leached of nutrients. Nothing grew and
nothing bloomed anymore … Worst was what had happened to Kenya’s most
precious resource – people. Men abandoned farms for jobs in overcrowded cities,
leaving wives and children behind. Trees in the countryside were so scarce that
women walked miles to gather a few sticks for a fire – the center of village life.
“There were so many problems,” Wangari says. “I did not know where to start,
except to pray.” Then she remembered what the missionaries said: Every forest
begins with a single seed. She planted a tree. Then another. Then hundreds. In
1977 she founded a group called the Green Belt Movement, which promotes tree
planting in rural areas and trains farmers in eco-friendly farming methods. Since
the group started, it has planted some 20 million trees in Kenya and has changed
the way Kenyans look at their environment.
On October 8, 2004, Wangari Maathai was announced the winner of the 2004
Nobel Peace Prize. The patient perseverance of the tree planter, Wangari, who did not
allow herself to be overwhelmed by a disastrous situation, but exhibited creative and lifegiving attitudes under duress, anticipates the victorious quality of God’s coming at the
end time. Indeed, by living out the spirit of stewardship and care of God’s creation, she
presents to the world of today the patient endurance that leads to life.
The biblical scholar Carroll Stuhlmueller remarks: “Christians must adjust to a
long period of waiting and persecution. In doing so, they are following the sorrowful way
of the cross, taken by Jesus to arrive at glory.” Indeed, the basic tone that permeates the
Gospel passage concerning the Temple destruction and the end time is the absolute
assurance of the Lord’s control of history and his ultimate victory. Despite all the evil
that can be imagined, the hand of God that guides our personal and cosmic destiny will
emerge victorious.
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 21:12-19) concludes beautifully with Jesus’
reassuring words: “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you
will secure your life.” The promise that no harm will come to even one hair of a
Christian disciple is simply a graphic statement depicting the ultimate spiritual protection
of those who endure persecution for the sake of Jesus. After giving this heartwarming
assurance, Christ then exhorted his disciples to manifest the sterling quality of
perseverance – the courageous attitude that will help us participate in the ultimate victory
of God.
B. First Reading (Rv 15:1-4): “They sang the song of Moses and the song of the
Lamb.”
The reading (Rv 15:1-4) tells us that John sees in the sky another mysterious
sight: the seven angels with seven plagues, which signify the final expression of God’s
anger and point to the consummation of history. But before the seven plagues unfold, the
seer beholds a sea of glass mixed with fire, symbolizing God’s transcendence and
holiness. Moreover, he beholds “the victors over the beast” standing beside the sea and
singing the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb”. The “victors over the beast” are
the faithful Christians. Like Moses, they have followed the Lamb across the “Red Sea of
tribulation” into the new “Promised Land” – the heavenly Jerusalem. With harps given by
God, they sing a hymn to the omnipotence and justice of God in salvation history. They
avow that the Lord God Almighty is the absolute Master. The acclaim that all his
interventions are perfect, especially the redemption accomplished by the Lamb and the
consummation of history to be described in the vision of the “seven bowls of plagues”.
They assert that all nations, seeing the marvels of God and his just actions, will come to
worship God.
The following modern day account gives insight into the role of music in giving
worship to God and in building a community of God-worshippers (cf. Rick Hamlin,
Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 69).
“Don’t sing here, Daddy!” my kids would tell me when I was tempted to sing out
loud on the streets or in the car or at the dinner table or in the subway. “Okay,
okay”, I’d say, but that’s the irrepressible power of music.
The other morning I was on the subway heading to work, closing my eyes,
meditating on a passage from the book of Psalms, when, above the rumble of the
train, I heard a woman singing one of my favorite hymns: “Holy, holy, holy,
merciful and mighty, all thy works shall praise thy name from earth and sky and
sea …”
I opened my eyes to see a handsome West Indian woman in a black dress, singing
as she was handing out tracts: “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.”
“I love that hymn”, I told her, “But that’s not the tune I usually sing it to. Do you
know this tune?” I sang it back to her. She hummed along with me. Then I sang
along with her version, the two of us forming an impromptu choir. The train was
coming to my station.
“Amen, brother”, she said as the doors opened. “Amen to you too, sister”, I said,
darting off.
When I got to the office I e-mailed my now-grown sons. “You can be glad you
weren’t with your old man when he burst into song on the subway today. Just to
let you know, I wasn’t alone. Sang ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ with a woman on the
train.” I could picture them rolling their eyes, but just as they’d get the message I
added: “Music is a great way to connect.”
It is. With the best part of yourself, with your neighbors, and with our Creator.
Thank You, Lord, for giving us music to make our spirits sing.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we endeavor to persevere in the love and service of our Lord Jesus? Do we trust
that though we will be hated by all because of his name, “not a hair on our head will be
destroyed”? Do we dedicate ourselves, in toil and labor, to promote the advent of the
kingdom of God? How do we respond to Jesus’ comforting words and vigorous
challenge: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives”?
2. Do we unite our “song of praise” to God with the entire Church and creation as they
sing the “great and marvelous works” the Lord God has done?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving God, victorious over all,
we reverence your name.
Teach us to love and serve you faithfully
and to trust in your protection.
Help us to act responsibly and compassionately.
Let us be creatively involved
in helping our brothers and sisters
overcome the pain and distress of today’s fragmented world.
Help us promote your kingdom of justice, peace and love.
We eagerly await
the glorious advent of your Son Jesus Christ
at the end time.
We give you thanks and praise.
We adore and glorify you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
(Cf. Rv 15: 3-4)
Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (Lk 21:19) // “Great and
wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.” (Rv 15:3)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the Christian disciples may continue to promote God’s kingdom in toil
and labor. Assist the victims of natural and man-made calamities to cope with the pain
and hardship of their situations. // At Mass, do you very best to sing for the Lord and,
united with the whole Church, give God praise and glory. Let the song that you sing be
fully expressed in your daily life of love and service to one another.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
THURSDAY – THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Assures Us that Our Redemption Is
Near … Just and True Are His Ways”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a // Lk 21:20-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:20-28): “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
July 16, 1990: A terrible earthquake jolted the island of Luzon in the Philippines
and wrought havoc and misery. People were entombed alive in the collapsed buildings.
One young man was buried for two weeks in the basement of a ruined hotel in Baguio
City. On the 13th day he lost hope of being rescued and decided to hasten his death. He
started to bang his head viciously against a concrete slab, but a pair of invisible hands
gently restrained him from killing himself. A serene feeling took hold of him and there
was the assurance that redemption was at hand. He relaxed his battered body on the cold
slab. On the 14th day the rescuers found him and were able to break through. He was
liberated from his tomb of death. As he weakly mouthed his words of thanks (“Salamat!
Salamat!”) to the rescuers, his family and friends wept for joy. The young man’s advent
yearning for redemption was fulfilled.
Today’s Gospel (Lk 21:20-28) presents us with apocalyptic images: “There will
be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and waves …”. These images are not meant to
frighten us, but rather, they are an invitation for us to open ourselves to the saving
intervention of Christ and the grace of his kingdom. We have nothing to dread, for in his
final coming Christ will avow his victory and lordship as redeeming Master. We should
look forward with expectation to his message of hope: “Your redemption is near!” In our
preparation for the different “advents” of Christ in our life and history, let us strive to be
blameless in holiness before our God and Father.
B. First Reading (Rv 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a): “Fallen is Babylon the great.”
In today’s reading (Rv 18:1-2, 21-23: 19:1-3, 9a), John describes the fall of
“Babylon”, a codeword for the Roman Empire, as well as the heavenly rejoicing for the
Babylonian defeat. It also gives a glimpse into the wedding feast of the Lamb. Today’s
passage begins with a death sentence pronounced on Babylon: “She has fallen! Great
Babylon has fallen!” This is uttered by a powerful angel whose splendor brightens the
whole world. This elegy is followed by the heaving of a big millstone into the sea. This is
an action symbolizing the destruction of the Roman Empire, which is the seat of sins and
vices of the ancient world. Just as a large stone thrown into the sea would disappear
without a trace, so “Babylon”, that is, Rome, will be annihilated. Rome has used her
commercial-political power to propagate her false standards of life. Rome has spellbound
and misled the world by means of vices and idolatry.
The vision of the fall of Babylon is followed by the roar of a large crowd of
people in heaven saying: “Alleluia! Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God, for
true and just are his judgments.” Their song celebrates God’s justice as manifested by the
punishment of Babylon. God punishes Babylon/Rome for killing his servants. The Lord
God avenges the blood of the martyrs.
What follows is a glimpse of the wedding feast of the Lamb. The bride of the
Lamb, the Church, is the antitype of the prostitute Babylon. The bride has been given a
clean shining linen robe to wear, symbol of the good deeds of God’s people. The
righteous are to share in the salvation of the Lamb at that great wedding banquet in
heaven. The wedding of the Lamb symbolizes the joyful, intimate and glorious union of
Christ with the community of the elect. Indeed, as the angel says: “Blessed are those who
have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”
The victorious note of the wedding of the Lamb becomes more vivid against the
backdrop of the apocalyptic destruction suffered by the “prostitute” Babylon and her
lamentation. The following modern day article gives insight into the meaning of an
apocalyptic destruction (cf. “Fighters Struggle to Contain California Blazes” in The
Week, September 25, 2015, p. 5).
Wildfires swept through drought-parched Northern and Central California this
week, destroying more than 1,000 homes and businesses and charring the
landscape for hundreds of square miles. As many as 30,000 firefighters struggled
to contain the infernos, which claimed at least one life and forced thousands to
flee their homes, some with only 30 minutes warning. The Valley fire – which
struck Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties and was at one point destroying 2,000
acres an hour – reduced to ashes the entire village of Middletown, where some of
the 1,300 inhabitants had to drive through walls of flames and explosions to
escape. “I felt it was the End Times”, said resident Janis Irvin. (…) Summer after
summer, Western wildfires produce apocalyptic images and “tear-jerking”
anecdotes of residents who have lost their homes.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. How do we respond to Christ’s message of hope: “Your redemption is near”? Do we
allow its liberating promise to penetrate our lives so that we look critically at our present
time, discern what really matters, and engage in our daily work with courage and joy? Do
the convulsions of today’s distressed world lead us to dismay and fear; or do we consider
them as a prelude to the redemptive final consummation of the salvation worked by
Christ, the Son of Man, on the cross?
2. Do we have reverential fear for the justice of our loving and merciful God? Do we seek
to walk on the right path and follow his righteous ways? Do we look forward to share in
the wedding of the Lamb?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father,
you are the wellspring of hope.
Make us realize that the convulsions of your beloved creation
are a prelude to the Son of Man’s final coming.
In the midst of the travails and miseries of today’s world,
help us to trust in his Message:
“Your redemption is at hand.”
We praise and bless you, now and forever.
Amen.
***
(Cf. Rv 19:1-7)
Alleluia, alleluia!
Salvation, glory and power to our God;
his judgments are honest and true.
Alleluia, alleluia! Sing praise to our God, all you his servants: all who worship
him, reverently great and small.
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord, our all-powerful God is King:
let us rejoice, sing praise and give him glory.
Alleluia, alleluia!
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Your redemption is at hand.” (Lk 21:28) //“Blessed are those who have been
called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” (Rv 19:9a)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When the world events as presented by today’s mass media daunt you, trust in the
Lord’s assurance that our redemption is at hand. Fast from the excessive use of digital
media as a way of preparation for his advent. // In your daily life as Christian disciples,
clothe ourselves with compassion, mercy, kindness and gentleness that you may be ready
to join in “the wedding of the Lamb”.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
FRIDAY – THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Words Will Not Pass Away … The
Martyrs Give Witness to Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 20:1-4, 11-21:2 // Lk 21:29-33
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:29-33): “When you see these things happening, know that
the Kingdom of God is near.”
In today’s Gospel (Lk 21:29-33), Jesus underlines that the signs of the arrival or
“advent” of God’s kingdom are as obvious as the change of season. Jesus remarks that
“the fig tree and all the other trees” – when their buds open – they indicate that summer is
near. The trees seem “dead” during winter, but with the annual return of sap through the
bare spiky twigs, the trees burst with new life. Just as the blossoming trees in spring
indicate that summer is coming, so also the occurrences of messianic “signs” and
apocalyptic convulsions point to the coming of the kingdom. One “sign” is the imminent
destruction of the Jerusalem temple. The Parable of the Fig Tree emphasizes the certainty
of the fulfillment of salvation history. It is ongoing, but it will be completed. The
“blossoming” of the tress likewise evokes the future destiny of the Church: only after the
faith community has withered the storms of winter and experienced the agony of
“paschal” death will the kingdom be near. The final words of Jesus are powerful:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” The words of
Jesus endure because of his absolute authority. As the Son of God, he is not just a
foreteller of the course of history, but its origin, meaning, purpose and goal.
Like the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, the 9/11 tragedy is an apocalyptic
“sign” – not of total destruction – but of the power of life. The faith, love, prayers and
heroism that emerge from the rubble and ashes of 9/11 show that evil does not have the
final word. The Lord Jesus has the ultimate say for “heaven and earth will pass away, but
his words will not pass away”. We believe that in the midst of tragic events the kingdom
of God is near at hand and that God is in control. Here is a faith testimony about the 9/11
event (cf. Brigitte Weeks in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 279).
The elevator stopped at the twenty-second floor and I got off, just as I did every
weekday. “Hey”, Elizabeth said, “I heard there’s been a plane crash somewhere
downtown.” We had no information and no idea of the enormity of what was
happening on that September day in 2001.
We all crowded together with questions that had no answers. There was a
portable TV in the conference room, so we strained to make sense of the blurry
images of what was happening only a mile and a half from our office. We were
transfixed and horrified. As the truth of the disaster became clearer, those with
family and friends in the financial district tried to make contact. We held hands
with those who could get no response, while the sounds of police cars and fire
trucks became one high-pitched wail.
As information trickled in, we began to feel panicked, helpless, unable to function.
I felt a kind of unimaginably heavy responsibility because I was the boss. “Let’s
go to my apartment”, I said. It was within walking distance, and we could stay
together and find out more what was happening. Ten of us came together and
prayed. Some prayers were simple: “Help us.” Others were the same prayer that
was being said all over the city: “I am safe. Are you safe? I love you.”
As we prayed for all those who would never say those words, and for those whose
lives were forever changed, we were grateful for the hands we held and the
comfort we share.
Lord, comfort those who will never forget, and bring Your peace to the nations
of the world.
B. First Reading (Rv 20:1-4, 11-21:2): “The dead were judged according to their
deeds. I saw a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.”
The reading (Rv 20:1-4, 11-21:2) presents John’s vision of the spiritual warfare,
the final judgment and the new heaven and the new earth. John sees an angel from
heaven throwing the dragon (that is, the Devil or Satan) into the abyss, locking over it
and sealing it so that he could not deceive the nations until the “thousand years” are
completed. The time indication “thousand years” is not a chronological fact but a
theological statement about the salvation already inaugurated in the “present” by Jesus
the Messiah, the victor and restorer of Paradise. Likewise, John sees the vision of those
who have been executed because they have given witness to Jesus and the word of God.
The reference to the fact that they come to life and reign with Christ for a “thousand
years” means that the faithful ones already share in Christ’s glory and resurrection.
Revelation 20:7-10 describes the total defeat of Satan. Set loose from prison after the
“thousand years” are over, he marshals the evil forces to fight against God’s people. But
fire comes down from heaven and destroys them. Thrown into the “lake of fire and
sulfur”, the Devil, together with the beast and the false prophet, will languish there day
and night, forever and ever. The Book of Revelation assures the faithful that though the
spiritual warfare may be ongoing and of long-duration, God is in complete control. The
almighty Lord is utterly victorious over evil.
John then gives a description of the resurrection of the dead and the final
judgment. The image of God sitting on the throne symbolizes God’s absolute dominion;
nothing can thwart his will. All are to be judged according to what they have done.
Whoever does not have his name written in the book of the living is thrown into the lake
of fire. The “lake of fire” is the “second death” and those who undergo this death must
abandon hope of a new resurrection. The wicked suffer eternal punishment.
Finally, the seer gives a very beautiful description of the new heaven and the new
earth that is the destiny of the faithful ones. The first creation has disappeared and there is
a new creation that befits redeemed humanity. The brutal forces of evil and death are no
more. John describes the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. God dwells in the
Holy City Jerusalem and the intimate nuptial relationship between God and his people is
fully and perfectly established. The intimacy that the first man enjoyed in Paradise and
that Israel experienced in the desert and the temple is now granted to all members of the
People of God.
The following account helps us to appreciate the faithful witness of the martyrs
(cf. “The pro-consular Acts of the martyrdom of Saint Cyprian, bishop” in the Liturgy of
the Hours, Office of the Readings of September 16). Saint Cyprian, decapitated on
September 14, 258, is the patron of North Africa and Algeria. Indeed, we believe that for
the martyrs it is the fulfillment of God’s promise that “he will wipe away all tears from
their eyes … there will be no more grief or crying or pain … the old things have
disappeared”.
Then governor Galerius Maximus read the sentence from the tablet: “It is decided
that Thascius Cyprian should die by the sword.” Cyprian responded: “Thanks be
to God!”
After the sentence was passed, a crowd of his fellow Christians said: “We should
be killed with him!” There arose an uproar among the Christians, and a great
mob followed him. Cyprian was then brought out to the grounds of the Villa Sexti,
where, taking off his outer cloak and kneeling on the ground, he fell before the
Lord in prayer. He removed his dalmatic and gave it to the deacons, and then
stood erect while waiting for the executioner. When the executioner arrived,
Cyprian told his friends to give the man twenty-five gold pieces. Cloths and
napkins were being spread out in front of him by the brethren. Then the blessed
Cyprian covered his eyes with his own hands, but when he was unable to tie the
ends of the linen himself, the priest Julian and the sub-deacon Julian fastened
them for him.
In this way the blessed Cyprian suffered, and his body was laid out at a nearby
place to satisfy the curiosity of the pagans. During the night, Cyprian’s body was
triumphantly borne away in procession of Christians who, praying and bearing
tapers and torches, carried the body to the cemetery of the governor Macrobius
Candidianus which lies on the Mappalian Way near the fish ponds. Not many
days later the governor Galerius Maximus died.
The most blessed martyr Cyprian suffered on the fourteenth of September under
the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, in the reign of our true Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom belong honor and glory for ever. Amen.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Do we believe in the saving power of Jesus who said, “Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away”? How do we collaborate with Jesus in bringing
salvation history to completion?
2. Do we trust that in God who is on our side we are victors in the spiritual warfare
against evil? Do we submit ourselves to God’s reign and do we look forward to the final
judgment and “the new city Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven, from God”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the Lord of history.
You are its origin, purpose, meaning and goal.
You bring the divine saving plan to completion.
Your word of love and Gospel of salvation will endure.
Help us to cooperate with you
in bringing forth the advent of God’s kingdom.
We trust in you who said,
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
Loving Father,
you have absolute domain over all.
Through the death and rising of your Son Jesus Christ,
death and evil are vanquished.
Be with us at the last judgment.
Let us rejoice in the vision of the Holy City, the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Lk 21:33)
// “I saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” (Rv
21:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In the midst of today’s culture of death, renew your trust in God, the Lord of
history. In your daily life, make choices that will promote the saving design of God. // By
spiritual and material support, assist the Christians persecuted for their faith. Spend some
quiet moments before the Blessed Sacrament and pray over the “last things”.
*** %%% *** %%% *** %%% ***
SATURDAY – THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Exhorts Us to Be Vigilant … He Is
Coming Soon!”
BIBLE READINGS
Rv 22:1-7 // Lk 21:34-36
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:34-36): “Be vigilant that you may have the strength to
escape the tribulations that are imminent.”
I had filed my application for a religious visa at the U.S. Embassy in Manila,
Philippines, and was scheduled for an interview on September 3, 2002. At 4:30 A.M. I
was on my way to Manila from our convent in Antipolo City. At 6:30 A.M. I was at the
gate of the Embassy patiently waiting for what I thought was an 8:30 A.M. interview. I
finally realized that I belonged to a group of about 50 applicants whose papers began to
be processed at 8:30 A.M. There were several groups ahead of us and other groups
waiting behind us. At 10:00 A.M. we were ushered into a big room where American
consuls were interviewing the applicants. It was a lengthy period of waiting. We had to
stay awake, alert, and ready to be called at any time. I could not afford to doze off or take
a break for fear that I would miss my opportunity for the interview. At 2:30 P.M. my
name was called. After a three-minute interview my visa was approved. I went home
happy and relieved. My patient waiting and vigilant expectation paid off.
The Gospel (Lk 21:34-36) proclaimed today – the end of the liturgical year challenges us to prepare for the Lord with vigilance and renewed watchfulness. Jesus
instructs his disciples how to live until the closing of the age: “Stay awake … Do not
become drowsy … Be vigilant at all times … Pray that you may have the strength to stand
before the Son of Man!” The followers of Christ are watchful to receive the Lord’s daily
visitation and ready to welcome him at his glorious return in the end time. Creative and
forceful vigilance is a vital characteristic of Christian discipleship. It enables us to be
ready for the unforeseen but sure advent of the Lord.
B. First Reading (Rv 22:1-7): “Night will be no more for the Lord God will give them
light.”
The liturgical readings from the Book of Revelation conclude with John’s vision
of Eden regained. Today’s reading (Rv 22:1-7), which we proclaim on the last day of the
liturgical year, summarizes the promises of God to the elect. These promises are
definitively fulfilled in the new city Jerusalem. John depicts an image of blessedness and
immortality for those who dwell in the holy city Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God.
The unique source of life is God and the Lamb. The river of life-giving water, sparkling
like a crystal, flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. On each side of the river is
the tree of life which bears fruit twelve times a year. Its leaves are for the healing of the
nations, in the sense that those who share in God’s new world are never to undergo
suffering, sickness and death. Nothing accursed will be found anymore: nothing will
prove an occasion of sin and no one will incur God’s anger because of sin.
In the new city Jerusalem, the liturgical ministry is brought to perfection. God is
the object of worship and adoration of his servants. The heavenly liturgical service is a
font of joy and a great privilege that the communion of saints enjoy. They will see God
face and his name will be written on their foreheads. “To see God face to face” is a
privilege denied to Moses because it is unattainable in this world. But the devout have
always aspired to the vision of God and this holy aspiration is finally fulfilled in the
eschatological era.
John asserts that in the heavenly Jerusalem night will be no more, nor will there
be any need of light from lamp or sun. The Lord God will be their light in the sense that
they will have deeper insight. They will relish the radiance of divine love revealed. With
God, the saints will live and reign forever.
Finally, in John’s angelic vision is a challenge to heed God’s revelation: “These
words are true and can be trusted.” Jesus asserts: “I am coming soon! Happy are those
who obey the prophetic words of this book.” The nearness of the Lord’s coming evokes
faithfulness to his word. The advent of the Lord inaugurates a city full of light and life.
What a beautiful “new heaven and new earth” to which we are heading!
I was enrolled at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in St. Anselm University in
Rome in the 1980s. One of my most beloved professors was the Benedictine monk, Fr.
Salvatore Marsili. In the summer of 1983 we celebrated the golden anniversary of his
priestly ordination. The students gathered together in the church of St. Anselm for a
beautiful Eucharistic celebration. What impressed me was the final song that we sung:
Lucien Deiss’ “Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!” It was full summer, but we were singing a
typically Advent song. Verse 4 of the song was evocative: “Yes, I come very soon! Amen!
Come, O Lord Jesus!” One day the next autumn, after finishing our class, I was standing
by the enclosed monastery garden. I saw Fr. Marsili walking by the corridor with a
painful gait. I greeted him and asked. “How are you, Father?” He responded, “Male,
male!” (“I don’t feel well!”) Our beloved Fr. Marsili died a few weeks later. His
“Maranatha” invocation had been heard. The Lord Jesus came to bring him to the
heavenly Jerusalem where the liturgical ministry, to which his whole monastic life was
devoted, is made perfect.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the
MEDITATIO
1. Are we intent on living righteously in constant readiness for the coming of the Son of
Man? What does our renewed vigilance for the Lord’s coming consist in?
2. Do we long for the new city Jerusalem? How do the beautiful images of living water,
abundant fruit, throne of grace, unending light, etc. affect us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you want us to be vigilant at all times
that we may be ready for the day of your coming
and may have strength to escape the imminent tribulations.
Give us the grace to make you the center of our life
so that your final advent may be for us a day of salvation.
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(A prayer composed by Lucien Deiss)
We pray to you, Lord Jesus, Son of David,
radiant morning star,
to come and dispel the gloomy night.
Refresh us with your life-giving water.
Your whole Church cries out with one voice:
“Come, Lord Jesus, come.”
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION
CONTEMPLATIO
OF
THE
WORD:
A
Pastoral
Tool
for
the
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the
day. Please memorize it.
“Be vigilant at all times and pray.” (Lk 21:36) // “Behold, I am coming soon!”
(Rv 22:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
With fraternal solicitude seek to alleviate the various forms of poverty and
injustice in our local and world community, e.g. the tragedy of hunger, the plight of the
homeless, the loneliness of the elderly, the persecution of Christians, the terror of war and
ecological destruction, etc. // Let your heart and mind be filled with the beautiful images
of John’s vision in Revelation 22 and let these images generate goodness, kindness and
compassionate acts of mercy and love.
*** Text of 34th Week in Ordinary Time ends here. ***