FIRST READING
Genesis 2:18–24
The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 128:1–2, 3, 4–5, 6 (see 5)
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
SECOND READING
Hebrews 2:9–11
Brothers and sisters:
He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
ALLELUIA
1 John 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Longer Form Mark 10:2–16
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
or:
Shorter Form Mark 10:2–12
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
REFLECTIONS:
What is God's intention for our state in life, whether married or single? Jesus deals with the issue of divorce by taking his hearers back to the beginning of creation and to God's plan for the human race. In Genesis 2:23-24 we see God's intention and ideal that two people who marry should become so indissolubly one that they are one flesh. That ideal is found in the unbreakable union of Adam and Eve. They were created for each other and for no one else. They are the pattern and symbol for all who were to come. Jesus explains that Moses permitted divorce as a concession in view of a lost ideal. Jesus sets the high ideal of
the married state before those who are willing to accept his commands.
Jesus, likewise sets the high ideal for those who freely renounce marriage
for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:11-12). Both marriage
and celibacy are calls from God to live a consecrated life, that is to live as married couples or as singles who belong not to themselves but to God. Our lives are not our own, but they belong to God. He gives the grace and power to those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life. Do you seek the Lord and his grace in your state of life?
Do you seek to help others draw near to the Lord? The parents who brought
their children to Jesus wanted Jesus to lay his hands upon them. They knew
of the healing power, both physical and spiritual, which came from Jesus'
touch. Jesus, in turn, rebuked his disciples for hindering the children
from coming. No doubt the disciples wanted to shield Jesus from the nuisance of noisy children. But Jesus delighted in the children and demonstrated that God's love has ample room for everyone. No one is unimportant to God.
He comes to each person individually that he might touch them with his
healing love and power. May we never hinder our youth from coming to the
Lord to receive his blessing and healing power. And as we grow with age,
may we never lose that child-like simplicity and humility which draws us
into Christ's loving presence. Do you show kindness to the youth you encounter in your neighborhood, home, and church and do you pray for them that they may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your call to holiness extends to all in every state
of life. Sanctify our lives as married couples and as singles that
we may live as men and women who are consecrated to you. Make us leaven in a society that disdains life-long marriage fidelity, chastity, and living single for the Lord".
06 October 2012
06 Oct 2012, Saturday of Week 26; Blessed Marie Rose Durocher
FIRST READING
Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
Job answered the LORD and said:
I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.
Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones. For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. And he had seven sons and three daughters, of whom he called the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch. In all the land no other women were as beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. Then Job died, old and full of years.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm: all things serve you.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may know your decrees.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
ALLELUIA
See Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:17-24
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not
REFLECTIONS:
Do you know and experience in your personal life
the joy of the Lord? The scriptures tell us that "the joy of
the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his
disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones?
Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God himself, and God
alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times, in
success or loss, God always assures us of victory in Jesus Christ. Jesus
assures his disciples that he has all power over evil, including the power
of Satan and the evil spirits or fallen angels who conspire against us.
In fact, that is why Jesus came into the world to overthrow the evil one
(John 12:31). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been given spiritual
authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness and evil (1 John
2:13-14).
Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the
wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God
and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord
of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he
has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and
at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood
and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus' prayer also
contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of
God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Sinful pride
springs from exaggerated self-centeredness. It closes the mind to God's
truth and wisdom for our lives. The angels fell into pride and were cast
out of heaven. The virtue of humility, the only true remedy against false
pride, and which is very different from the feelings of inferiority and
low self-esteem, leads us to a true recognition of who we are in God and
of our dependence on God.
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility.
The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely
without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in one who
is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing the "summum
bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded
with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart
towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root or every sin and evil,
so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It
alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all.
God
opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James
4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us to God and disposes
us to receive God's wisdom. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge
that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven. Do
you seek to be like Jesus Christ in humility and simplicity of heart?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the
perfect revelation of God. One of the greatest truths of the Christian
faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply
limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally.
The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and
other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father. Jesus makes it
possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. Saint Augustine
of Hippo wrote: "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to
love."
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect
love of God a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women,
loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross.
Jesus is the revelation of God a God who loves us completely, unconditionally
and perfectly. Jesus also promises that God the Father will hear our prayers
when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers to pray
with confidence, "Our Father who art in heaven ...give us this day our
daily bread." Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence
in his love and care for you?
"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and
give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense
of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in
fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of
Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
Job answered the LORD and said:
I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.
Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones. For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. And he had seven sons and three daughters, of whom he called the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch. In all the land no other women were as beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. Then Job died, old and full of years.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm: all things serve you.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may know your decrees.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
ALLELUIA
See Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:17-24
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not
REFLECTIONS:
Do you know and experience in your personal life
the joy of the Lord? The scriptures tell us that "the joy of
the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his
disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones?
Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God himself, and God
alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times, in
success or loss, God always assures us of victory in Jesus Christ. Jesus
assures his disciples that he has all power over evil, including the power
of Satan and the evil spirits or fallen angels who conspire against us.
In fact, that is why Jesus came into the world to overthrow the evil one
(John 12:31). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been given spiritual
authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness and evil (1 John
2:13-14).
Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the
wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God
and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord
of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he
has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and
at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood
and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus' prayer also
contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of
God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Sinful pride
springs from exaggerated self-centeredness. It closes the mind to God's
truth and wisdom for our lives. The angels fell into pride and were cast
out of heaven. The virtue of humility, the only true remedy against false
pride, and which is very different from the feelings of inferiority and
low self-esteem, leads us to a true recognition of who we are in God and
of our dependence on God.
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility.
The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely
without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in one who
is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing the "summum
bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded
with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart
towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root or every sin and evil,
so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It
alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all.
God
opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James
4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us to God and disposes
us to receive God's wisdom. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge
that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven. Do
you seek to be like Jesus Christ in humility and simplicity of heart?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the
perfect revelation of God. One of the greatest truths of the Christian
faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply
limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally.
The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and
other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father. Jesus makes it
possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. Saint Augustine
of Hippo wrote: "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to
love."
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect
love of God a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women,
loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross.
Jesus is the revelation of God a God who loves us completely, unconditionally
and perfectly. Jesus also promises that God the Father will hear our prayers
when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers to pray
with confidence, "Our Father who art in heaven ...give us this day our
daily bread." Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence
in his love and care for you?
"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and
give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense
of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in
fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of
Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
05 October 2012
05 Oct 2012, Friday of Week 26; St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
FIRST READING
Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered.
Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great!
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
ALLELUIA
Psalm 95:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:13-16
Jesus said to them,
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
REFLECTIONS:
If Jesus were to visit your community today, what
would he say? Would he issue a warning like the one he gave to Chorazin
and Bethsaida? And how would you respond? Wherever Jesus went he did mighty
works to show the people how much God had for them. Chorazin and Bethsaida
had been blessed with the visitation of God. They heard the good news and
experienced the wonderful works which Jesus did for them. Why was Jesus
upset with these communities? The word woe is also translated as
alas.
It is as much as an expression of sorrowful pity as it is of anger. Why
does Jesus lament and issue a stern warning? The people who heard the gospel
here very likely responded with indifference. Jesus upbraids them for doing
nothing! Repentance demands change a change of heart and way of life.
God's word is life-giving and it saves us from destruction the destruction
of soul as well as body. Jesus' anger is directed toward sin and everything
which hinders us from doing the will of God and receiving his blessing.
In love he calls us to walk in his way of truth and freedom, grace and
mercy, justice and holiness. Do you receive his word with faith and submission
or with doubt and indifference?
"Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to
gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love.
Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from
receiving your word with trust and humble submission."
Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered.
Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great!
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
ALLELUIA
Psalm 95:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:13-16
Jesus said to them,
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
REFLECTIONS:
If Jesus were to visit your community today, what
would he say? Would he issue a warning like the one he gave to Chorazin
and Bethsaida? And how would you respond? Wherever Jesus went he did mighty
works to show the people how much God had for them. Chorazin and Bethsaida
had been blessed with the visitation of God. They heard the good news and
experienced the wonderful works which Jesus did for them. Why was Jesus
upset with these communities? The word woe is also translated as
alas.
It is as much as an expression of sorrowful pity as it is of anger. Why
does Jesus lament and issue a stern warning? The people who heard the gospel
here very likely responded with indifference. Jesus upbraids them for doing
nothing! Repentance demands change a change of heart and way of life.
God's word is life-giving and it saves us from destruction the destruction
of soul as well as body. Jesus' anger is directed toward sin and everything
which hinders us from doing the will of God and receiving his blessing.
In love he calls us to walk in his way of truth and freedom, grace and
mercy, justice and holiness. Do you receive his word with faith and submission
or with doubt and indifference?
"Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to
gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love.
Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from
receiving your word with trust and humble submission."
04 October 2012
04 Oct 2012, Thursday of Week 26; St. Francis of Assisi
FIRST READING
Job 19:21-27
Job said:
Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me?
Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek. Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
ALLELUIA
Mark 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:1-12
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
REFLECTIONS:
What kind of harvest does the Lord want us to reap
today? When Jesus commissioned seventy of his disciples to go on mission,
he gave them a vision of a great harvest for the kingdom of God. Jesus
frequently used the image of a harvest to convey the coming of Gods reign
on earth. The harvest is the fruition of labor and growth beginning with
the sowing of seeds, then growth, and finally fruit for the harvest. In
like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and
women who hear his word and who accept it with trust and obedience. The
harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the people of Israel, but all the
peoples (or nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that
"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be "lambs in
the midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves
and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers
to the second coming of Christ when all will be united under the Lordship
of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of
God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must
expect opposition and persecution from those who who would oppose the gospel.
Jesus came as our sacrificial lamb to atone for the sin of the world. We,
in turn, must be willing to sacrifice our lives in humble service of our
Lord and Master.
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the
ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times.
Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people
through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for
the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus times
seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus
commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task: to speak in his name and to
act with his power. Jesus gave them instructions for how they were to carry
out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full
of charity and peace, and simplicity. They must give their full attention
to the proclamation of Gods kingdom and not be diverted by other lesser
things. They must travel light only take what was essential and
leave behind whatever would distract them in order to concentrate on
the task of speaking the word of the God. They must do their work, not
for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others,
without expecting reward or payment. Poverty of spirit frees us from
greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for Gods
provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not
on themselves.
Jesus ends his instructions with a warning: If people reject Gods invitation
and refuse his word, then they bring condemnation on themselves. When God
gives us his word there comes with it the great responsibility to respond.
Indifference will not do. We are either for or against God in how we respond
to his word. God gives us his word that we may have abundant life in him.
He wills to work through and in each of us for his glory. God shares his
word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and simply to others.
Do you witness the truth and joy of the gospel by word and example to those
around you?
Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the gospel transform my life that
I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth
and your light wherever I go.
Job 19:21-27
Job said:
Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me?
Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek. Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
ALLELUIA
Mark 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 10:1-12
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
REFLECTIONS:
What kind of harvest does the Lord want us to reap
today? When Jesus commissioned seventy of his disciples to go on mission,
he gave them a vision of a great harvest for the kingdom of God. Jesus
frequently used the image of a harvest to convey the coming of Gods reign
on earth. The harvest is the fruition of labor and growth beginning with
the sowing of seeds, then growth, and finally fruit for the harvest. In
like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and
women who hear his word and who accept it with trust and obedience. The
harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the people of Israel, but all the
peoples (or nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that
"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be "lambs in
the midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves
and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers
to the second coming of Christ when all will be united under the Lordship
of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of
God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must
expect opposition and persecution from those who who would oppose the gospel.
Jesus came as our sacrificial lamb to atone for the sin of the world. We,
in turn, must be willing to sacrifice our lives in humble service of our
Lord and Master.
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the
ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times.
Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people
through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for
the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus times
seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus
commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task: to speak in his name and to
act with his power. Jesus gave them instructions for how they were to carry
out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full
of charity and peace, and simplicity. They must give their full attention
to the proclamation of Gods kingdom and not be diverted by other lesser
things. They must travel light only take what was essential and
leave behind whatever would distract them in order to concentrate on
the task of speaking the word of the God. They must do their work, not
for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others,
without expecting reward or payment. Poverty of spirit frees us from
greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for Gods
provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not
on themselves.
Jesus ends his instructions with a warning: If people reject Gods invitation
and refuse his word, then they bring condemnation on themselves. When God
gives us his word there comes with it the great responsibility to respond.
Indifference will not do. We are either for or against God in how we respond
to his word. God gives us his word that we may have abundant life in him.
He wills to work through and in each of us for his glory. God shares his
word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and simply to others.
Do you witness the truth and joy of the gospel by word and example to those
around you?
Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the gospel transform my life that
I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth
and your light wherever I go.
03 October 2012
03 Oct 2012, Wednesday of Week 26; Blessed Bartolo Longo
FIRST READING
Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Job answered his friends and said:
I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God? Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed?
He removes the mountains before they know it; he overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble. He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars.
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south; He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning.
Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him; Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him! Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Daily I call upon you, O LORD; to you I stretch out my hands. Will you work wonders for the dead? Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Do they declare your mercy in the grave, your faithfulness among those who have perished? Are your wonders made known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
But I, O LORD, cry out to you; with my morning prayer I wait upon you. Why, O LORD, do you reject me; why hide from me your face?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
ALLELUIA
Philippians 3:8-9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 9:57-62
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
REFLECTIONS:
Are you ready to follow the Lord wherever he may
lead you? With the call the Lord gives the grace to respond and the strength
to follow all the way to the end. Why does Jesus issue a challenge with
the call? Jesus was utterly honest in telling people what it would cost
to follow him. When a would-be disciple approached Jesus and said he was
ready to follow, Jesus told him it would require sacrifice the sacrifice
of certain creaturely comforts. Jesus appealed to this man's heart and
told him to detach himself from whatever might hold him back. Spiritual
detachment is a necessary step for following the Lord. It frees us to give
ourselves without reserve to the Lord and his service. While many of us
may not need to give up the comfort of our own home and bed to follow Jesus,
we, nonetheless, must be willing to part with anything that might stand
in the way of doing God's will. Another would-be disciple said he would
follow as soon as he had buried his father. What he meant by this expression
was that he felt the need to return to his home to take care of his father
through old age until he died. The third had no obligation to return home,
but simply wanted to go back and say good-bye. Jesus surprised these would-be
disciples with the stark truth that nothing should hinder us from following
the Lord. Was Jesus being harsh and rude to his would-be followers? Not
really. We are free to decide whether we will take the path which Jesus
offers. But if we choose to go, then the Lord wants us to count the cost
and choose for it freely.
What does the story of a plowman have to do with the journey? A plowman
who looked back while plowing his field caused the line or furrow he cut
into the soil to become crooked. One crooked line easily leads to another
until the whole field is a mess. The plowman had to look straight ahead
in order to keep the plow from going off course. Likewise, if we look back
on what we have freely left behind to follow the Lord whether that be
some distraction, attachment, or sinful habit which leads us away from
doing God's will our path will likely diverge and we'll miss what God
has for us. The gospel does not record the response from these three would-be
disciples. We are only left with the question which Jesus intends for us
as well. Are you ready to take the path Jesus offers? His grace is
sufficient and his love is strong. There is nothing greater we can do with
our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the
universe. We cannot outgive God in generosity. Jesus promises that those
who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will
receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew
19:29). The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of lasting peace, unending joy,
surpassing love, enduring friendship, and abundant life. Is there anything
holding you back from pursuing the Lord and his will for you life?
"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding,
and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess you have given
me. I surrender it all to you to be disposed of according to your will.
Give me only your love and your grace with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more." (Prayer of Ignatius Loyola, 1491-1556)
Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Job answered his friends and said:
I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God? Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed?
He removes the mountains before they know it; he overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble. He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars.
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south; He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning.
Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him; Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him! Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Daily I call upon you, O LORD; to you I stretch out my hands. Will you work wonders for the dead? Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Do they declare your mercy in the grave, your faithfulness among those who have perished? Are your wonders made known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
But I, O LORD, cry out to you; with my morning prayer I wait upon you. Why, O LORD, do you reject me; why hide from me your face?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
ALLELUIA
Philippians 3:8-9
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 9:57-62
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
REFLECTIONS:
Are you ready to follow the Lord wherever he may
lead you? With the call the Lord gives the grace to respond and the strength
to follow all the way to the end. Why does Jesus issue a challenge with
the call? Jesus was utterly honest in telling people what it would cost
to follow him. When a would-be disciple approached Jesus and said he was
ready to follow, Jesus told him it would require sacrifice the sacrifice
of certain creaturely comforts. Jesus appealed to this man's heart and
told him to detach himself from whatever might hold him back. Spiritual
detachment is a necessary step for following the Lord. It frees us to give
ourselves without reserve to the Lord and his service. While many of us
may not need to give up the comfort of our own home and bed to follow Jesus,
we, nonetheless, must be willing to part with anything that might stand
in the way of doing God's will. Another would-be disciple said he would
follow as soon as he had buried his father. What he meant by this expression
was that he felt the need to return to his home to take care of his father
through old age until he died. The third had no obligation to return home,
but simply wanted to go back and say good-bye. Jesus surprised these would-be
disciples with the stark truth that nothing should hinder us from following
the Lord. Was Jesus being harsh and rude to his would-be followers? Not
really. We are free to decide whether we will take the path which Jesus
offers. But if we choose to go, then the Lord wants us to count the cost
and choose for it freely.
What does the story of a plowman have to do with the journey? A plowman
who looked back while plowing his field caused the line or furrow he cut
into the soil to become crooked. One crooked line easily leads to another
until the whole field is a mess. The plowman had to look straight ahead
in order to keep the plow from going off course. Likewise, if we look back
on what we have freely left behind to follow the Lord whether that be
some distraction, attachment, or sinful habit which leads us away from
doing God's will our path will likely diverge and we'll miss what God
has for us. The gospel does not record the response from these three would-be
disciples. We are only left with the question which Jesus intends for us
as well. Are you ready to take the path Jesus offers? His grace is
sufficient and his love is strong. There is nothing greater we can do with
our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the
universe. We cannot outgive God in generosity. Jesus promises that those
who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will
receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew
19:29). The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of lasting peace, unending joy,
surpassing love, enduring friendship, and abundant life. Is there anything
holding you back from pursuing the Lord and his will for you life?
"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding,
and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess you have given
me. I surrender it all to you to be disposed of according to your will.
Give me only your love and your grace with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more." (Prayer of Ignatius Loyola, 1491-1556)
02 October 2012
02 Oct 2012, The Guardian Angels
FIRST READING
Exodus 23:20-23
Thus says the LORD:
“See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
“My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4ab, 4c-6, 10-11
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler, from the destroying pestilence. With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
His faithfulness is a buckler and a shield. You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day; Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the devastating plague at noon.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
ALLELUIA
Psalm 103:21
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
REFLECTIONS:
Why does Jesus warn his disciples to "not despise
the little ones?" God dwells with the lowly and regards them with compassion.
His angels watch over them as guardians. "For he will give his angels
charge of you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11). God has
not left us alone in our struggle "to refuse evil and to choose good"
(Isaiah 7:15). The angels are his "ministering spirits sent forth to
serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation" (Hebrews
1:14). Scripture is full of examples of how the angels serve as messengers
and protectors. When Peter was chained in prison and kept under guard,
an angel woke him in middle of the night, released his chains, and brought
him safely out of prison, past several guards and through locked gates.
When Peter realized he wasn't dreaming, he exclaimed: "Now I am sure that
the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me" (Acts 12:11). When Daniel was
thrown into a den of hungry lions, an angel protected him from harm (Daniel
6:22).
John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), an early church father and renowned preacher,
compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the
frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great (329-379
AD) said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd
leading him to life." Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in
the wilderness and during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).
The angels will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce,
to serve at his judgment (Matthew 25:31). The angels show us that this
universe which God created is not just materialistic. The fallen angels
(Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelations 12:9), described in Scripture as evil
spirits or devils (Mark 5:13; Matthew 25:41), seek our destruction (see
1 Peter 5:8). If they cannot persuade us to disown our faith and loyalty
to Christ, they will attempt to divert us from doing the will of God by
distracting us with good things that weigh us down or make us indifferent
towards the things of God. God gives us the help of his angelic hosts and
he gives us spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate
of righteousness (see Ephesians 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his
lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with the angelic
choirs of heaven in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord for
his guidance and protection?
"Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength. May I always know your
guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting me from all that
is evil. Give me strength of will and courage to refuse what is evil and
to choose what is good."
Exodus 23:20-23
Thus says the LORD:
“See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
“My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4ab, 4c-6, 10-11
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler, from the destroying pestilence. With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
His faithfulness is a buckler and a shield. You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day; Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the devastating plague at noon.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.
R. The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
ALLELUIA
Psalm 103:21
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
REFLECTIONS:
Why does Jesus warn his disciples to "not despise
the little ones?" God dwells with the lowly and regards them with compassion.
His angels watch over them as guardians. "For he will give his angels
charge of you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11). God has
not left us alone in our struggle "to refuse evil and to choose good"
(Isaiah 7:15). The angels are his "ministering spirits sent forth to
serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation" (Hebrews
1:14). Scripture is full of examples of how the angels serve as messengers
and protectors. When Peter was chained in prison and kept under guard,
an angel woke him in middle of the night, released his chains, and brought
him safely out of prison, past several guards and through locked gates.
When Peter realized he wasn't dreaming, he exclaimed: "Now I am sure that
the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me" (Acts 12:11). When Daniel was
thrown into a den of hungry lions, an angel protected him from harm (Daniel
6:22).
John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), an early church father and renowned preacher,
compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the
frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great (329-379
AD) said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd
leading him to life." Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in
the wilderness and during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).
The angels will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce,
to serve at his judgment (Matthew 25:31). The angels show us that this
universe which God created is not just materialistic. The fallen angels
(Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelations 12:9), described in Scripture as evil
spirits or devils (Mark 5:13; Matthew 25:41), seek our destruction (see
1 Peter 5:8). If they cannot persuade us to disown our faith and loyalty
to Christ, they will attempt to divert us from doing the will of God by
distracting us with good things that weigh us down or make us indifferent
towards the things of God. God gives us the help of his angelic hosts and
he gives us spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate
of righteousness (see Ephesians 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his
lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with the angelic
choirs of heaven in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord for
his guidance and protection?
"Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength. May I always know your
guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting me from all that
is evil. Give me strength of will and courage to refuse what is evil and
to choose what is good."
01 October 2012
01 Oct 2012, Monday of Week 26; St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
FIRST READING
Job 1:6-22
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming the earth and patrolling it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?” But Satan answered the LORD and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand upon his person.” So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them, and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid. They put the herdsmen to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another came and said, “Lightning has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, seized the camels, carried them off, and put those tending them to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!”
In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come; your eyes behold what is right. Though you test my heart, searching it in the night, though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
ALLELUIA
Mark 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 9:46-50
An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”
Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
REFLECTIONS:
Are you surprised to see the disciples of Jesus arguing
about who is the greatest among them? Don't we do the same thing? The appetite
for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn't cherish the
ambition to be "somebody" whom others admire rather than a "nobody"?
Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. "You
have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and
honor" (Psalm 8:5). Jesus made a dramatic gesture by placing a child
next to himself to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the
kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness?
Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of
their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung" and at the service
of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants.
What is the significance of Jesus' gesture? Jesus elevated a little child
in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position
of honor at his right side. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest
of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the greatest in God's kingdom?
The one who is humble and lowly of heart who instead of asserting their
rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking
the lowly position of a servant or child.
Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve
(Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostles states that Jesus "emptied himself
and took the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7). Jesus lowered
himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took
on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine
nature. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James
4:6). If we want to be filled with God's life and power, then we need to
empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way pride, envy, self-seeking
glory, vanity, and possessiveness. God wants empty vessels so he can fill
them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready
to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?
"Lord Jesus, your grace knows no bounds. You give freely to the
humble of heart and you grant us freedom to love and serve others selflessly.
May my love for you express itself in an eagerness to do good for others."
Job 1:6-22
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming the earth and patrolling it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?” But Satan answered the LORD and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand upon his person.” So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them, and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid. They put the herdsmen to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another came and said, “Lightning has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, seized the camels, carried them off, and put those tending them to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!”
In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come; your eyes behold what is right. Though you test my heart, searching it in the night, though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
ALLELUIA
Mark 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 9:46-50
An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”
Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
REFLECTIONS:
Are you surprised to see the disciples of Jesus arguing
about who is the greatest among them? Don't we do the same thing? The appetite
for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn't cherish the
ambition to be "somebody" whom others admire rather than a "nobody"?
Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. "You
have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and
honor" (Psalm 8:5). Jesus made a dramatic gesture by placing a child
next to himself to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the
kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness?
Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of
their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung" and at the service
of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants.
What is the significance of Jesus' gesture? Jesus elevated a little child
in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position
of honor at his right side. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest
of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the greatest in God's kingdom?
The one who is humble and lowly of heart who instead of asserting their
rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking
the lowly position of a servant or child.
Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve
(Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostles states that Jesus "emptied himself
and took the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7). Jesus lowered
himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took
on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine
nature. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James
4:6). If we want to be filled with God's life and power, then we need to
empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way pride, envy, self-seeking
glory, vanity, and possessiveness. God wants empty vessels so he can fill
them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready
to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?
"Lord Jesus, your grace knows no bounds. You give freely to the
humble of heart and you grant us freedom to love and serve others selflessly.
May my love for you express itself in an eagerness to do good for others."
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