Reading 1
Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8
I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life
on the paths of truth and righteousness.
I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people
who had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria.
On our festival of Pentecost, the feast of Weeks,
a fine dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat.
The table was set for me,
and when many different dishes were placed before me,
I said to my son Tobiah: “My son,
go out and try to find a poor man
from among our kinsmen exiled here in Nineveh.
If he is a sincere worshiper of God, bring him back with you,
so that he can share this meal with me.
Indeed, son, I shall wait for you to come back.”
Tobiah went out to look for some poor kinsman of ours.
When he returned he exclaimed, “Father!”
I said to him, “What is it, son?”
He answered, “Father, one of our people has been murdered!
His body lies in the market place where he was just strangled!”
I sprang to my feet, leaving the dinner untouched;
and I carried the dead man from the street
and put him in one of the rooms,
so that I might bury him after sunset.
Returning to my own quarters, I washed myself
and ate my food in sorrow.
I was reminded of the oracle
pronounced by the prophet Amos against Bethel:
“All your festivals shall be turned into mourning,
and all your songs into lamentation.”
And I wept.
Then at sunset I went out, dug a grave, and buried him.
The neighbors mocked me, saying to one another:
“He is still not afraid!
Once before he was hunted down for execution
because of this very thing;
yet now that he has scarcely escaped,
here he is again burying the dead!”
Ps 112:1b-2, 3b-4, 5-6
Responsorial PsalmR. (1b)
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just man shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mk 12:1-12
Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes,
and the elders in parables.
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants
to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard.
But they seized him, beat him,
and sent him away empty-handed.
Again he sent them another servant.
And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully.
He sent yet another whom they killed.
So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed.
He had one other to send, a beloved son.
He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
So they seized him and killed him,
and threw him out of the vineyard.
What then will the owner of the vineyard do?
He will come, put the tenants to death,
and give the vineyard to others.
Have you not read this Scripture passage:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?”
They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd,
for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them.
So they left him and went away.
Meditation: Tobit 1:3; 2:1-8
“I, Tobit, have walked … on the paths of truth and righteousness.” (Tobit 1:3)
So begins the story of a decent man who suffers for doing the right thing. In tomorrow’s reading, his situation will only get worse. And after that … well, if you want the happy ending, you’ll have to read it on your own. That’s because, starting on Wednesday, the rest of the Tobit readings are displaced by those for Lent. But Lent may be just the time to get to read this story, with its themes of almsgiving, personal prayer, faithfulness in suffering, and the hidden presence of God in everyday life.
Tobit is actually two stories in one—a tale of two Jewish families in the eighth century b.c., both victims of ethnic cleansing by the Assyrian Empire. Tobit, his wife, Anna, and their son, Tobias, are among the Israelites deported to Nineveh. Tobit’s relative, Raguel, with his wife, Edna, and daughter, Sarah, have ended up three hundred miles away, in Ecbatana. Both families are faith-ful observers of the Mosaic Law, but, assailed by sufferings that make no sense to them, they wonder: Where are the rewards of their devotion?
Tobit’s family is battered by job loss, persecution, and blindness.
Raguel’s family suffers because of Sarah, who is an innocent lightning rod for calamity. Through it all, how-ever, these ordinary people keep trusting, praying, and doing the right thing. And God breaks into their lives in an extraordinary way.
How the two stories come together as God comes to the rescue—through a journey, a fish, and the longest angelic appearance in the Bible—is an uplifting read, with more than a few invitations to laughter. But in a simple way, it touches on a profound truth.
Commenting on that truth, St. Edith Stein wrote: “I have an ever deeper and firmer belief that nothing is merely an accident when seen in the light of God—that my whole life, down to the smallest details, has been marked out for me in the plan of divine Providence and has a completely coherent meaning in God’s all-seeing eyes.”
And Tobit and company say: “Amen!”
“Father, I believe you are at work in many more ways than I can see right now. Help me to trust you in difficult situations. Thank you, Lord, for being so near. I praise you for your goodness!”
07 March 2011
05 March 2011
06 Mar 2011, March 6, 2011 Sunday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Dt 11:18, 26-28, 32
Moses told the people,
“Take these words of mine into your heart and soul.
Bind them at your wrist as a sign,
and let them be a pendant on your forehead.
“I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse:
a blessing for obeying the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today;
a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today,
to follow other gods, whom you have not known.”
Ps 31:2-3, 3-4, 17, 25
Responsorial Psalm R. (3b)
Lord, be my rock of safety.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me,
incline your ear to me,
make haste to deliver me!
R. Lord, be my rock of safety.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Lord, be my rock of safety.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
all you who hope in the LORD.
R. Lord, be my rock of safety.
Reading 2
Rom 3:21-25, 28
Brothers and sisters,
Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
though testified to by the law and the prophets,
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction;
all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as an expiation,
through faith, by his blood.
For we consider that a person is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.
Gospel
Mt 7:21-27
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Meditation: Matthew 7:21-27
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7:24)
This wonderful saying from Jesus is more than just a protection plan. He doesn’t want just to shield us in times of crisis. He wants to bless us every day—and he knows that his blessings will flow as we build our lives on his word.
So what kind of blessings can we expect? One is the knowledge of his unconditional love for us. Who are we that God would love us? We sin against him time and time again, but he never abandons us. His love doesn’t dry up when we fall into sin. In fact, it burns all the brighter as he waits eagerly for us to turn back to him.
Another blessing is forgiveness. As far as the east is from the west— that’s how far God throws our sins (Psalm 103:12). And that depth of forgiveness cleanses our consciences from all guilt and shame. It empowers us to love people, even our enemies, because we know how much God loves us. His forgiveness makes us into a source of strength to those in need and a beacon showing others the way back to him.
Another blessing is God’s mercy. Deeper than forgiveness for each individual sin, his mercy has to do with his compassion for us, his steadfastness and faithfulness toward us. It’s his entire disposition every time he looks at us—always wanting the best for us, always wanting to lift us up and draw us closer to his heart.
These are just a few of the blessings that we experience when we build our spiritual house on Christ and his word. Given the readings, today is a very good day to thank the Lord for laying such a strong foundation for you—and to tell him that you want to follow him with all your heart. So give him your life today, and watch as the blessings flow!
“Yes, Lord, I want to listen to you and obey your word. Come and be my rock and my foundation.”
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28,32; Psalm 31:2-4,17,25; Romans 3:21-25,28; Matthew 7:21-27)
1. In the first reading, Moses offers the people a choice of a blessing or a curse – “a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord … a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27). How would you describe the blessings and curses that come from obeying and disobeying God’s commandments?
2. The responsorial psalm is an uplifting psalm that uses many terms to describe the Lord, for example, he is our rock of safety, our refuge, our deliverer, our stronghold, our rock, our fortress, and our hope. What do these terms mean to you? Which ones has the Lord actually demonstrated in your life?
3. St. Paul tells us in the second reading that “a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). However James tells us that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). How would you reconcile these two Scripture passages? What are the things in your life that tend to weaken your faith? What are the things in your life that strengthen your faith? How can you decrease the former, while increasing the latter?
4. In the Gospel, Jesus says that “everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.” Why is this so?
5. The meditation lists the blessings we receive from the Lord when we listen to and obey his word including his unconditional love, his forgiveness, and his mercy. In what ways have you experienced these blessings? What are the obstacles in your life that keep you from experiencing them more deeply? What steps can you take to overcome them?
6. Take some time now to pray for the grace to listen better to the Lord’s words and to obey them more faithfully. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.
05 Mar 2011, Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Sir 51:12 cd-20
I thank the LORD and I praise him;
I bless the name of the LORD.
When I was young and innocent,
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer
I prayed for her before the temple,
and I will seek her until the end,
and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.
My heart delighted in her,
My feet kept to the level path
because from earliest youth I was familiar with her.
In the short time I paid heed,
I met with great instruction.
Since in this way I have profited,
I will give my teacher grateful praise.
I became resolutely devoted to her—
the good I persistently strove for.
My soul was tormented in seeking her,
My hand opened her gate
and I came to know her secrets.
I directed my soul to her,
and in cleanness I attained to her.
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Responsorial Psalm R. (9ab)
The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Gospel
Mk 11:27-33
Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Meditation: Mark 11:27-33
“We do not know.” (Mark 11:33)
Here’s a saying you’ll often hear in self-help groups: “It’s none of my business what other people think of me.” It’s certainly the case that some people are so affected by others’ opinions that they are afraid to change. They are stuck in the “paralysis of analysis,” examining their every move, trying to figure out what people might say about it. It would be so much better if they would just listen to their own hearts instead.
The high priests, scribes, and elders whom Jesus questions here seem to suffer from this kind of fear. They’re afraid to answer him only because of how the people around them will react. If they answer one way, Jesus will criticize them. If they answer another way, the people will criticize them. We know what they really think—because they eventually bring Jesus to trial on trumped-up charges. However, instead of con-fronting Jesus directly, they won’t even take a position! They’re con-tent to wait for another opportunity to trip him up. Who knows? Maybe if they had just said what they were thinking, things would have turned out differently.
Unlike these religious leaders, we’ve accepted Jesus’ divinity. But we may still be tempted to act as they did and submit to the court of public opinion. When someone challenges you on your faith, how do you react? Do you state your position calmly and confidently? Or do you agonize over how that person will react, and end up saying nothing? Even with the best of intentions, we can sometimes let fear get the better of us—especially when we’re faced with someone who passionately dis-agrees with us.
It’s likely that sooner or later, you’ll run into someone who will question your belief in Christ and your witness to his name. When that happens, don’t cave in! Don’t worry too much about what to say or how to say it. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you (Luke 12:11-12). Your logic may not convince them, but the light of Christ’s love shining through you just might. Speak the truth with charity and simplicity, and you may just turn an enemy into a friend!
“Lord, teach me how to use the authority you’ve given me to proclaim your truth in love and humility. May I never be afraid to share about your teaching and about how you’ve changed my life.”
04 Mar 2011, Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Sir 44:1, 9-13
Now will I praise those godly men,
our ancestors, each in his own time.
But of others there is no memory,
for when they ceased, they ceased.
And they are as though they had not lived,
they and their children after them.
Yet these also were godly men
whose virtues have not been forgotten;
Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants;
Through God’s covenant with them their family endures,
their posterity, for their sake.
And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out.
Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b Responsorial Psalm R. (see 4a)
The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mk 11:11-26
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.
They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”
The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.
Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.”
Meditation: Mark 11:11-26
“May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” (Mark 11:14)
What a dramatic display Jesus made! First, he curses a fig tree, and it withers. Then he interrupts the ordinary business of the Temple, overthrowing tables and releasing doves back into the wild. Something new, something decisive was coming, and Jesus seemed eager to usher it in.
Jesus’ words to the fig tree may seem strange at first, especially since Mark tells us “it was not the time for figs” (Mark 11:13). But it’s helpful to know that in Jesus’ day, the fig tree was a well-established metaphor for God’s people—a people who had been commanded to produce the fruit of their covenant with God. We can think, too, of the parable in Luke 13:6-9, where a landowner is frustrated at his unproductive fig tree, but the gardener persuades him to give it a bit more time. Will this tree ever bear fruit?
Well, the time had come for Israel to be judged for its failure to practice justice, to share salvation with the world, and to listen to God’s final Messenger, his only Son.
By clearing out the Temple as he did, Jesus showed that this central symbol of the Jewish nation was about to be overthrown. The “thieves” or revolutionaries who thought violence could drive out their enemies were to become victims of violence themselves. Jesus, meanwhile, would decisively defeat the true enemies of Israel and of humankind: sin and death.
The time has come for us as well. Lent is approaching fast, a season that calls for decisive action. No more hedging bets. No more sitting on the fence. Are we for Jesus or against him? If there are ungodly habits or attachments in our lives, they need to wither away. Now.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Remember that whenever God calls you, he also strengthens you. Jesus’ journey to Calvary may have been a lonely one, but our journey through Lent is not. Christ is with us every step of the way.
“Jesus, thank you for overthrowing my enemies. Open my eyes to the ways in which you want to purify me this Lent. Help me to take hold of your love so it can transform me.”
03 March 2011
03 March 2011, Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Sir 42:15-25
Now will I recall God’s works;
what I have seen, I will describe.
At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising sun is clear to all,
so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;
Yet even God’s holy ones must fail
in recounting the wonders of the LORD,
Though God has given these, his hosts, the strength
to stand firm before his glory.
He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart;
their innermost being he understands.
The Most High possesses all knowledge,
and sees from of old the things that are to come:
He makes known the past and the future,
and reveals the deepest secrets.
No understanding does he lack;
no single thing escapes him.
Perennial is his almighty wisdom;
he is from all eternity one and the same,
With nothing added, nothing taken away;
no need of a counselor for him!
How beautiful are all his works!
even to the spark and fleeting vision!
The universe lives and abides forever;
to meet each need, each creature is preserved.
All of them differ, one from another,
yet none of them has he made in vain,
For each in turn, as it comes, is good;
can one ever see enough of their splendor?
Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Responsorial PsalmR. (6a)
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
For upright is the word of the LORD
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all who dwell in the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Gospel
Mk 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
Meditation: Mark 10:46-52
“What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51)
Bartimaeus must have been surprised to hear Jesus ask such a straightforward and generous question. But it didn’t take him long to reply: “Master, I want to see” (Mark 10:51).
How would you respond to this question? Would you ask for a mil-lion dollars? Would you look away and mumble something about not deserving anything? Or would you tell him that you want to be more like him?
Your answer doesn’t have to be hypothetical! It sounds outlandish, but it’s true: Every day Jesus asks this question of all of us. He is never too busy to hear our needs and requests. No petition is too small. And when we hesitate to ask him, the saints and angels gather around, urging us: “Get up! He is calling you!” (Mark 10:49).
Throughout its pages, Scripture encourages us to bring our needs to the Lord. Jesus himself gave us the “Our Father,” telling us to ask for our daily bread. He also promised that if we ask for anything in his name he would do it (John 14:13,14). He reminds us that if a parent knows how to give good gifts to their children, “How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) Repeatedly, we see God drive this point home: Ask in Jesus’ name. Ask with the right motives. Ask in faith. I will give it to you, even the impossible.
As you faithfully petition God and await his answer, something else happens: You are entering into a deeper relationship with him. You are building faith. You are growing closer to him because you are opening the lines of communication. You are learning trust and perseverance because you may not see an immediate answer. And you are discovering how deeply he is committed to you and how much he wants to shape your heart to be like his.
So take heart and don’t delay. Jesus is waiting for your response. Ask him to do something for you today. Even better, pray for his kingdom to come more fully in your heart and in your environment. Let him teach you how to pray. Let him show you that he hears and answers every prayer.
“O Lord, I have only barely begun to see you! Teach me how to ask you in faith.”
Sir 42:15-25
Now will I recall God’s works;
what I have seen, I will describe.
At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising sun is clear to all,
so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;
Yet even God’s holy ones must fail
in recounting the wonders of the LORD,
Though God has given these, his hosts, the strength
to stand firm before his glory.
He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart;
their innermost being he understands.
The Most High possesses all knowledge,
and sees from of old the things that are to come:
He makes known the past and the future,
and reveals the deepest secrets.
No understanding does he lack;
no single thing escapes him.
Perennial is his almighty wisdom;
he is from all eternity one and the same,
With nothing added, nothing taken away;
no need of a counselor for him!
How beautiful are all his works!
even to the spark and fleeting vision!
The universe lives and abides forever;
to meet each need, each creature is preserved.
All of them differ, one from another,
yet none of them has he made in vain,
For each in turn, as it comes, is good;
can one ever see enough of their splendor?
Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Responsorial PsalmR. (6a)
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
For upright is the word of the LORD
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all who dwell in the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Gospel
Mk 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
Meditation: Mark 10:46-52
“What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51)
Bartimaeus must have been surprised to hear Jesus ask such a straightforward and generous question. But it didn’t take him long to reply: “Master, I want to see” (Mark 10:51).
How would you respond to this question? Would you ask for a mil-lion dollars? Would you look away and mumble something about not deserving anything? Or would you tell him that you want to be more like him?
Your answer doesn’t have to be hypothetical! It sounds outlandish, but it’s true: Every day Jesus asks this question of all of us. He is never too busy to hear our needs and requests. No petition is too small. And when we hesitate to ask him, the saints and angels gather around, urging us: “Get up! He is calling you!” (Mark 10:49).
Throughout its pages, Scripture encourages us to bring our needs to the Lord. Jesus himself gave us the “Our Father,” telling us to ask for our daily bread. He also promised that if we ask for anything in his name he would do it (John 14:13,14). He reminds us that if a parent knows how to give good gifts to their children, “How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) Repeatedly, we see God drive this point home: Ask in Jesus’ name. Ask with the right motives. Ask in faith. I will give it to you, even the impossible.
As you faithfully petition God and await his answer, something else happens: You are entering into a deeper relationship with him. You are building faith. You are growing closer to him because you are opening the lines of communication. You are learning trust and perseverance because you may not see an immediate answer. And you are discovering how deeply he is committed to you and how much he wants to shape your heart to be like his.
So take heart and don’t delay. Jesus is waiting for your response. Ask him to do something for you today. Even better, pray for his kingdom to come more fully in your heart and in your environment. Let him teach you how to pray. Let him show you that he hears and answers every prayer.
“O Lord, I have only barely begun to see you! Teach me how to ask you in faith.”
02 March 2011
02 March 2011, Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17
Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
look upon us, show us the light of your mercies,
and put all the nations in dread of you!
Thus they will know, as we know,
that there is no God but you, O Lord.
Give new signs and work new wonders.
Gather all the tribes of Jacob,
that they may inherit the land as of old,
Show mercy to the people called by your name;
Israel, whom you named your firstborn.
Take pity on your holy city,
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty,
your temple with your glory.
Give evidence of your deeds of old;
fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name,
Reward those who have hoped in you,
and let your prophets be proved true.
Hear the prayer of your servants,
for you are ever gracious to your people;
and lead us in the way of justice.
Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth
that you are the eternal God.
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
Responsorial PsalmR. (Sirach 36:1b)
Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Gospel
Mk 10:32-45
The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to Jesus and said to him,
‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him,
“Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, ‘We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Meditation: Mark 10:32-45
“Can you drink the cup?” (Mark 10:38)
We’ve all read fairy tales about a baker or a woodsman who was granted three wishes and squandered all three of them. And we’ve all thought: “My first wish would be to have an unlimited number of wishes!” This is the mentality that lies behind James’ and John’s request: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (Mark 10:35). It’s as if they were treating Jesus like an appliance existing only to do their bidding. When Jesus challenged them, they quickly claimed to be willing to pay the price for the honor they sought. But they had no idea what “drinking the cup” entailed.
How easy it can be to approach Jesus in the Eucharist in the same way —with a wish list of sins we want forgiven and favors we want granted, but with little sense of being connected to him. Such an approach may appear to honor him, but it falls short. Perhaps a better question to ask is: How does Jesus approach me at Mass?
“The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). At Mass, Jesus is the victim whose body is broken for us. He is the Servant who stoops down and washes our feet. He is the Lover whose relentless gaze exposes the deepest needs of our hearts and stands ready to fill them. He is the Shepherd who invites us to take up our cross and follow him on the road of trust and obedience.
Instead of coming to Mass just with a list of petitions, try this approach. Offer to Jesus everything you have: the work you did last week, your talents, and your accomplishments, along with your needs and requests. Come to him the way he comes to you —as one who gives instead of one who receives. Then sit quietly after Communion, resting in his presence and his grace. Just like Jesus, you will be lifted up by your Father in heaven.
“Jesus, help me to empty myself and admit my need for your unconditional love. My greatest desire is to be a fellow servant with you in the household of faith.”
Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17
Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
look upon us, show us the light of your mercies,
and put all the nations in dread of you!
Thus they will know, as we know,
that there is no God but you, O Lord.
Give new signs and work new wonders.
Gather all the tribes of Jacob,
that they may inherit the land as of old,
Show mercy to the people called by your name;
Israel, whom you named your firstborn.
Take pity on your holy city,
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty,
your temple with your glory.
Give evidence of your deeds of old;
fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name,
Reward those who have hoped in you,
and let your prophets be proved true.
Hear the prayer of your servants,
for you are ever gracious to your people;
and lead us in the way of justice.
Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth
that you are the eternal God.
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
Responsorial PsalmR. (Sirach 36:1b)
Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Gospel
Mk 10:32-45
The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to Jesus and said to him,
‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him,
“Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, ‘We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Meditation: Mark 10:32-45
“Can you drink the cup?” (Mark 10:38)
We’ve all read fairy tales about a baker or a woodsman who was granted three wishes and squandered all three of them. And we’ve all thought: “My first wish would be to have an unlimited number of wishes!” This is the mentality that lies behind James’ and John’s request: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (Mark 10:35). It’s as if they were treating Jesus like an appliance existing only to do their bidding. When Jesus challenged them, they quickly claimed to be willing to pay the price for the honor they sought. But they had no idea what “drinking the cup” entailed.
How easy it can be to approach Jesus in the Eucharist in the same way —with a wish list of sins we want forgiven and favors we want granted, but with little sense of being connected to him. Such an approach may appear to honor him, but it falls short. Perhaps a better question to ask is: How does Jesus approach me at Mass?
“The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). At Mass, Jesus is the victim whose body is broken for us. He is the Servant who stoops down and washes our feet. He is the Lover whose relentless gaze exposes the deepest needs of our hearts and stands ready to fill them. He is the Shepherd who invites us to take up our cross and follow him on the road of trust and obedience.
Instead of coming to Mass just with a list of petitions, try this approach. Offer to Jesus everything you have: the work you did last week, your talents, and your accomplishments, along with your needs and requests. Come to him the way he comes to you —as one who gives instead of one who receives. Then sit quietly after Communion, resting in his presence and his grace. Just like Jesus, you will be lifted up by your Father in heaven.
“Jesus, help me to empty myself and admit my need for your unconditional love. My greatest desire is to be a fellow servant with you in the household of faith.”
01 March 2011
01 Mar 2011, Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Sir 35:1-12
To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.
Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23
Responsorial PsalmR. (23b)
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Gospel
Mk 10:28-31
Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Meditation: 1 Sirach 35:1-12
“The just man’s sacrifice is most pleasing.” (Sirach 35:6)
Say the word sacrifice today, and people immediately think about “doing without” something. If you were to say it to a Jew in Old Testament times, he would probably think about the animals offered up in the Temple, as required by the Law. Somehow, “sacrifice” and “as required” go together in our minds.
But in God’s mind, a sacrifice is meant to be a gift. It’s meant to be something offered freely, generously, even spontaneously. It could be a traditional sacrifice like alms or a fast. Or it could be words of kindness and praise or a gracious smile offered in a tense situation.
In his Letter to the Philippians, Paul thanks the believers in Philippi for their donations to help the struggling church in Jerusalem: They are “a fragrant offering,” he writes, “an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). The Philippians didn’t have to reach out to help these people whom they had never met. Paul never demanded it of them. The leaders in Jerusalem didn’t try to pull rank and say they deserved the help of other churches because they were the “mother church.” Rather, the people were moved by the needs of their brothers and sisters, and they gladly gave what they could.
This is what makes our sacrifices “most pleasing” to the Lord (Sirach 35:6). No matter how large or small the offering, whether it is a sacrifice of money, time, or something else, the real issue is whether we are giving from our hearts. Whenever we sacrifice in a spirit of love and generosity, we open the door for the Holy Spirit to fill our offering with divine grace and his power. Just as our gifts of bread and wine are transformed on the altar at every Mass, so too can our gifts of love become gifts of grace to the people around us.
Isn’t it amazing? Our simple gifts—both to God and to the people around us—can become instruments of conversion, healing, and transformation. All because we are giving with loving, grateful hearts. So don’t discount the opportunities to be generous when they present themselves to you. You never know what good can come from them!
“God, you are so good and generous! Stir my heart today so that I can offer sacrifices of praise and love to you and my loved ones.”
Sir 35:1-12
To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.
Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23
Responsorial PsalmR. (23b)
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Gospel
Mk 10:28-31
Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Meditation: 1 Sirach 35:1-12
“The just man’s sacrifice is most pleasing.” (Sirach 35:6)
Say the word sacrifice today, and people immediately think about “doing without” something. If you were to say it to a Jew in Old Testament times, he would probably think about the animals offered up in the Temple, as required by the Law. Somehow, “sacrifice” and “as required” go together in our minds.
But in God’s mind, a sacrifice is meant to be a gift. It’s meant to be something offered freely, generously, even spontaneously. It could be a traditional sacrifice like alms or a fast. Or it could be words of kindness and praise or a gracious smile offered in a tense situation.
In his Letter to the Philippians, Paul thanks the believers in Philippi for their donations to help the struggling church in Jerusalem: They are “a fragrant offering,” he writes, “an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). The Philippians didn’t have to reach out to help these people whom they had never met. Paul never demanded it of them. The leaders in Jerusalem didn’t try to pull rank and say they deserved the help of other churches because they were the “mother church.” Rather, the people were moved by the needs of their brothers and sisters, and they gladly gave what they could.
This is what makes our sacrifices “most pleasing” to the Lord (Sirach 35:6). No matter how large or small the offering, whether it is a sacrifice of money, time, or something else, the real issue is whether we are giving from our hearts. Whenever we sacrifice in a spirit of love and generosity, we open the door for the Holy Spirit to fill our offering with divine grace and his power. Just as our gifts of bread and wine are transformed on the altar at every Mass, so too can our gifts of love become gifts of grace to the people around us.
Isn’t it amazing? Our simple gifts—both to God and to the people around us—can become instruments of conversion, healing, and transformation. All because we are giving with loving, grateful hearts. So don’t discount the opportunities to be generous when they present themselves to you. You never know what good can come from them!
“God, you are so good and generous! Stir my heart today so that I can offer sacrifices of praise and love to you and my loved ones.”
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