Voices ever ancient, ever new. Transfiguration 2013 (evening).

In commenting on Daniel 7:9 from today’s Mass Readings, Origen of Alexandria writes:

“Next they come to Libnah, which means “whitewashing.” I know that in some respects whitewashing has a pejorative connotation, as when we speak of a “whitewashed wall” and “whitewashed tombs.” But this whitewashing is that concerning which the prophet says, “You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” And again Isaiah says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will whiten them like snow and will make them white like wool.” Again in the psalm, “They were whitened with snow in Zalmon.” And the hair of the Ancient of Days is said to be dazzling, white, that is, white like wool. So then, this whitewashing must be understood to come from the radiance of the true light and to descend from the brightness of heavenly visions. (Homilies on Numbers, 27.12).”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Transfiguration 2013

In commenting on Luke 9:32 on this Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Saint Ambrose of Milan writes:

”Peter saw this grace, and so did those who were with him, although they were heavy with sleep. The incomprehensible magnificence of the Godhead overwhelms the perceptions of our body. If the sharpness of bodily vision cannot bear the ray of the sun directly into watching eyes, how may the corruption of human members endure the glory of God? The garment of the body, purer and finer after the removal of the materiality of vices, is made for the resurrection. Perhaps they were so heavy with sleep that they saw the radiance of the resurrection after their rest. Keeping vigil, they saw his majesty, because no one sees the glory of Christ unless he is vigilant (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7).”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Monday-Week18-2013

In commenting on Matthew 14:17 from today’s Readings, Saint Hilary of Poitiers writes:

“But was Jesus unaware there was nothing to give? Did he not know the disciples possessed a limited amount of food? He could read their minds, so he knew. We are invited to explain things by reasoning according to types. It was not yet granted to the apostles to make and administer heavenly bread for the food of eternal life. Yet their response reflected an ordered reasoning about types: they had only five loaves and two fish. This means that up to then they depended on five loaves — that is, the five books of the law. And two fish nourished them — that is, the preaching of the prophets and of John. For in the works of the law there was life just as there is life from bread, but the preaching of John and the prophets restored hope to human life by virtue of water. Therefore the apostles offered these things first, because that was the level of their understanding at the time. From these modest beginnings the preaching of the gospel has proceeded from them, from these same apostles, until it has grown into an immense power. (On Matthew, 14).”

Sunday-Week18-2013. Words of THE WORD

ANTIPHON (click for full Psalm)

O God, come to my assistance;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
You are my rescuer, my help;
O Lord, do not delay. (Psalm 70: 2, 6).

COLLECT

Draw near to Your servants, O Lord,
and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness,
that, for those who glory in
You as their Creator and guide,
You may restore what You have created
and keep safe what You have restored.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Psalm 90: 1).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all Readings for this Sunday)

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.” (Luke 11:13-15).”

REFLECTION

Two imperatives – or if you prefer, commands – frame Jesus’ response to the plea seeking His resolution of a nasty family dispute over inheritance (sound familiar?): ὁράω (horao) and φυλάσσω (phulasso). ὁράω (horao, ‘see so as to discern’) and φυλάσσω (phulasso, ‘guarding in such a way that one is saved’) are verbs that denote necessary actions for anyone responding to Jesus’ call to be His disciple. Even before considering ‘what needs to be seen’ and ‘what needs to be guarded against’ it is imperative for a disciple of Jesus to know what is involved in ‘seeing’ and ‘guarding’ as a disciple.

There are a number of Greek verbs that are translated into English “to see” and the Sacred Scriptures employ a variety of these verbs throughout both Testaments. When it comes to “seeing” as expressed by the verb ὁράω (horao, translated here from the NABRE as “take care”), this is a deliberate action, often involving related actions of gazing, staring, and beholding. ὁράω (horao) is not an involuntary, momentary or mindless sight of a given reality. ὁράω (horao) involves a choice whereby one rivets attention on another person, place or object. While not excluding per se the eye itself and the various processes that occur when light falls upon cones and rods in the retina, ὁράω (horao) is more about intellectual and spiritual insight. Such intellectual or spiritual ‘seeing’ thus moves the beholder to knowing – and since the ‘seeing’ or ‘beholding’ is intense, one comes to knowledge that gets to the core of the person, place or object that is beheld. ὁράω (horao) is “to see” the essence of another person, place or object and consequently “know” (or “experience”) the other with more than just a superficial, passing glance. It is in this context that ὁράω (horao) can describe the act of discerning the true nature of another person, place or object in the created order. Recall Genesis 3 and the allure of the fruit: in terms of a passing glance, ‘the fruit looks good.’ To see beyond the surface, more than human biology and the physics of light are required. “Seeing” in the sense of ὁράω (horao) requires (especially in the case of discipleship) “listening and receiving the revelation of the Other.” This act informs ὁράω (horao) and properly directs the discerning process.

φυλάσσω (phulasso) - the other important verb in this Sunday’s reflection - translated here from the NABRE as “to guard,” also expresses a person’s attitude or disposition ‘to keep and to observe all that has been asked’ such as a Covenant or Divine Law. When used in situations to express ‘protecting life or possession,’ φυλάσσω (phulasso) also embodies elements of ‘being alert,’ ‘being vigilant’ and ‘being attentive.’ These important ‘mental’ aspects of “to guard / to protect” can be defensive (‘guarding against an enemy’) or offensive (‘protecting/treasuring the good I/others possess’). Yet in both cases, φυλάσσω (phulasso) is devoid of passivity. Whether the action is protecting or observing, one consciously chooses the action and keeps alert while observing all that has been asked or while protecting the goods in one’s possession.

Both verbs, ὁράω (horao) and φυλάσσω (phulasso), describe vital dimensions of activity pertinent to being Jesus’ disciple. Gazing that is informed by Divine Revelation to know a course of action and to then observe and protect the good entrusted to one are applicable across the spectrum of living Jesus’ life. In this Sunday’s Word, Jesus specifically applies these imperative actions to greed. As one of the capital sins (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, sin and capital sins), greed (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2535-2540) is the disordered attachment to anyone or anything. It is a block to authentic relational living with God, others, the true self and all creation. Greed is a desire that, while originally grounded in the natural instinct for what is necessary to survive, becomes disordered by an appetite to either attach oneself exclusively to an item(s) of the created order or to allow – consciously or unconsciously – the hunger for ‘more’ to grow insatiably. Greed ‘says’ to the human condition that this item or that item will bring complete happiness. Greed ‘says’ you NEED and MUST HAVE this item or that item to be fully alive and complete as a person. When that voice is heard as opposed to the Word of Revelation informing our vision, distorted sight is not the only problem a person faces. Fixation and an insatiable desire for ‘more’ drive life to the point that one locks on a particular item or the path to acquire ‘more beyond what is needed for living.’ Life is skewed dangerously and one is unable to be like Mary who chooses the better part to sit at the feet of Jesus. Greed further distorts life by making elements of the created order ends in themselves, ‘mini-gods’ that become an ‘all-or-nothing’ – ‘make it or break it’ in living life.

Seeing the created order properly and not permitting it to control our lives is the caution Jesus sounds. He does so because, in the words of Saint Augustine, “O Lord our God, You have made us for Yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in You,” true joy and peace in life lies in attachment to the God and Father of us all, not what He has created.

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Sunday-Week18-2013.

In commenting on the sin of greed from today’s Mass Readings, Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes:

“But if any one, yearning for greater possessions, and letting his desire become as boundless as a sea, has an insatiable greed for the streams of gain flowing in from every side, let him treat his disease by looking at the real sea. For as the sea does not exceed its boundary with the innumerable streams of water flowing into it, but remains at the same volume just as though it were receiving no new water from streams, in the same way human nature too, restricted by specific limits in the enjoyment of what comes to it, cannot enlarge its appetite to match the extent of its acquisitions; while the intake is endless, the capacity for enjoyment is kept within its set limit.(Homilies on Ecclesiastes, 289).”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saturday-Week 17-2013

In commenting on Matthew 14:4 from today’s Mass Readings, Peter Chrysologus writes:

“John aroused Herod by his moral admonitions, not by any formal accusation. He wanted to correct, not to suppress. Herod, however, preferred to suppress rather than be reconciled. To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent of wrongdoing becomes hateful. Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral; holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those who are unjust. The Evangelist indicates this when he says, “John said to him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip.’” This is where John runs into trouble. He who admonishes those who are evil gives offense. He who repudiates wrongdoers runs into trouble. John was saying what was proper of the law, what was proper of justice, what was proper of salvation and what was proper certainly not of hatred but of love. And look at the reward he received from the ungodly for his loving concern (Sermons, 127).”

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful, Ordinary Time 2013, Week 18.

The Word of God leads us to offer these prayers in the Spirit to our Loving Father.

1. For the Church, the Body of Christ, “to guard against all greed.” That disciples of Jesus seek to be rich in only “what matters to God.” We pray …

2. For citizens of the world to put to death all ‘immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, lying and the greed that is idolatry.’ Let freedom from these addictions enable generous and loving service to all people in need. We pray …

3. For our parish and all Christians families to welcome the Word of God and become communities formed with docile hearts to do only Our Father’s will. We pray …

4. For all preparing to begin another year of learning. May all reap a bounteous harvest of Truth that serves the needs of all particularly those who have no opportunities for school. We pray …

5. For all the sick (especially …) [PAUSE]
May all who have died (especially …) live eternally with You: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We pray …

Father of all goodness,
be close to us and
hear the prayers of all who praise You.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Friday-Week17-2013.

In commenting on Matthew 13:53 from today’s Mass Readings, Origen of Alexandria writes:

“We must therefore inquire whether by the expression “his own country” is meant Nazareth or Bethlehem. It might have been Nazareth, because of the saying “he shall be called a Nazarene.” Or it might have been Bethlehem, since he was born there. Furthermore, I wonder whether the Evangelists could have said “coming to Bethlehem” or “coming to Nazareth.” They have not done so but have named it more simply “his country.” This is because of something being declared in a mystic sense in the passage about his country — namely, the whole of Judea — in which he was dishonored. This is according to the saying “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country.” Jesus Christ was considered “a stumbling block to the Jews,” among whom he is persecuted even until now. But he was proclaimed among the Gentiles and believed in everywhere — for his word has run over the whole world. In his own country Jesus had no honor, but among those who were “strangers from the covenants,” the Gentiles, he is held in honor. But the Evangelists have not recorded what things he taught and spoke in their synagogue. All we know is that they were so great and of such a nature that all were astonished. Probably the things spoken were too elevated to be written down. Only let us note that he taught in their synagogue, not separating from it or disregarding it. (Commentary on Matthew, 10).”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Thursday, Week 17, 2013

In commenting on Matthew 13:51 from today’s Readings, Saint Hilary of Poitiers writes:

“He spoke not to the crowds but to the disciples, and he gave fitting witness to those who understood the parables. He compared them with a householder, for they understood the teaching of his storeroom of things new and old. He referred to them as scribes because of their knowledge, for they understood the new and old things — that is, in the Gospels and in the law. He brought forth both of these on behalf of the same householder and from the same storeroom (On Matthew, 14).”

Today is the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, and an excerpt of his writings is presented in today’s selection from the: Liturgy of the Hours: Office of Readings

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013, Week 17

ANTIPHON (click for full Psalm)

God is in His holy place, God Who unites those who dwell in His house; He Himself give might and strength to His people (Psalm 68: 6-7, 36).

COLLECT

O God,
protector of those who hope in You,
without Whom nothing has firm foundation,
nothing is holy,
bestow in abundance your mercy upon us and grant that,
with You as our ruler and guide,
we may use the good things that pass in such a way as
to hold fast even now to those that ever endure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me. (Psalm 138:3).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all Readings for this Sunday)

Jesus was praying in a certain place,
and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread and
forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.” (Luke 11:1-4).”

REFLECTION

“Matters which are so immense and so beyond humanity, so surpassing and exceeding our perishable nature that they are impossible for those of a rational and mortal class to comprehend, have, in the vast and immeasurable grace which is poured from God toward humanity, become, by the will of God, comprehensible through Jesus Christ, the minister of boundless grace to us, and through the collaborating Spirit.” This is how Origen of Alexandria – also known as Origen Adamantius, thus the original ‘man of steel’ – begins his treatise On Prayer (third century) that involves a constant reference to and commentary upon The Lord’s Prayer.

Rembrandt’s Face of Jesus

Known for his prayerful and insightful commentaries on Sacred Scripture, Origen most probably would have composed this translation of the sacred prayer as the basis for his work:

“Father, let your name be hallowed,
let your Kingdom come.
Give us our supersubstantial (or superessential) bread daily.
And release us from our sins, as we ourselves release all indebted to us.
And do not bring us into testing.”

As Origen begins his commentary on The Lord’s Prayer, he is intrigued by the question posed by one of the disciples: “teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” Jesus’ disciple would certainly know about prayer from the Synagogue experience. Psalms as well as the ritual prayers chanted on various festivals together with domestic feasts such as Passover gave Jewish people of Jesus’ day familiarity with prayer. The disciple then who asks about being schooled in Jesus’ way of prayer recognizes that there is something different about the way Jesus Himself prays. Origen notes: “Since the discussion of prayer is such a task that the illumination of the Father is needed, as well as the teaching of the firstborn Word and the inner working of the Spirit, so that it is possible to think and to speak worthily on such a topic, as a man (for of myself I do not claim capacity for prayer) I am entreating the Spirit before I begin to discuss prayer, so that a discourse which is full and spiritual might be granted to us, and that the prayers which are recorded in the Gospels may be clarified.” For Origen, a fundamental difference that marks the uniqueness of The Lord’s Prayer is its grounding in the life of the Divine Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This Prayer is about communion flowing from a graced relationship providing the one who prays all that is needed for the relationship.

The Evangelist Luke’s recording of this ‘short prayer’ with its powerful imperative petitions does offer much for Christian living. We can begin to be schooled in the ways of prayer by voicing these words of Jesus slowly, giving time to reflect on the words we are using. The Catechism of the Catholic Church offers an in-depth commentary on The Lord’s Prayer as well. We call upon the Holy Spirit this day, for ‘we know not how to pray’ and ask for the grace to pray as Jesus did and be drawn into the depths of the Father’s love.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful, Ordinary Time 2013, Week 17.

Jesus taught us how to pray. Grateful for the gift of prayer rooted in Baptism sealed in Confirmation and nourished in the Most Holy Eucharist, we lift our voices in petition to Our Father.

1. Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name.’” For more intense living of the First Commandment to put no one or no thing before our loving Father. We pray …

2. Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Your kingdom come.’” For the Kingdom, as preached and lived by Jesus, to be the basis for justice, peace and truth in all nations throughout the world. We pray …

3. Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Give us each day our daily bread.’” For renewed reverence for Jesus, the Bread of Life. For intensified work that all may have daily bread and safe drinking water. We pray …

4. Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us’” For our parish to be a community of reconciliation and healing. For each of us to be instruments of forgiveness. We pray …

5. Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ‘do not subject us to the final test.’” May all the sick (especially …) be strengthen to carry the Cross … [PAUSE]

May all who have died (especially …) live eternally with You: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We pray …

God our Father,
from whom all good things come,
grant that we, who call on you in our need,
may at your prompting discern what is right,
and by your guidance do it.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013, Week 15

ANTIPHON (click for full Psalm)

See, I have God for my help.
The Lord sustains my soul.
I will sacrifice to You with willing heart,
and praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. (Psalm 54:6, 8).

COLLECT

Show favor, O Lord, to your servants
and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace,
that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,
they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord. (Psalm 15:1).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all Readings for this Sunday)

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are
anxious (μεριμνᾷς) and worried (θορυβάζῃ)
about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her (Luke 10:38-42).”

REFLECTION

There will be some throat clearing as we hear the Gospel episode proclaimed this Sunday. There may even be a gaze or two by a family member to another; or a friend to another recalling a time when help was needed in the kitchen and none came – OR – if help came, it did so with an ‘attitude.’ Many who have taken on the herculean task of preparing a meal without any help from those who will sit around the table and inhale the goodies might be put-off by Jesus’ response to Martha. As my Mom said from time to time: ‘the food won’t cook itself and the dishes certainly won’t clean themselves. A little help, please…’ The issue, at least for now, is further muddied in view of the reading from Genesis that paints a different picture of service. Abraham and Sarah can’t seem to be excited enough about offering hospitality to the mysterious visitors who show up outside the tent.

(As a short aside, this episode from Genesis sparked the fifteenth-century Russian iconographer Andrei Rublev to write his famous Icon of the Most Holy Trinity. The original icon is displayed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. A good reflection on the Icon is provided by folks at Saint George Orthodox Cathedral.)

Some of the Fathers of the Church pick up this tension. For example, in his Conferences, Saint John Cassian reflects: “To cling always to God and to the things of God – this must be our major effort, this must be the road that the heart follows unswervingly. Any diversion, however impressive, must be regarded as secondary, low-grade and certainly dangerous. Martha and Mary provide a most beautiful scriptural paradigm of this outlook and of this mode of activity. In looking after the Lord and his disciples, Martha did a very holy service. Mary, however, was intent on the spiritual teaching of Jesus, and she stayed by his feet, which she kissed and anointed with the oil of her good faith. In saying “Mary chose the good portion,” He was saying nothing about Martha, and in no way was he giving the appearance of criticizing her. Still, by praising Mary he was saying that the other was a step below her. Again, by saying “it will not be taken away from her,” he was showing that Martha’s role could be taken away from her, since the service of the body can only last as long as the human being is there, whereas the zeal of Mary can never end (Conferences, 1.8).” Like Saint John Cassian, many of the Church Fathers note as praiseworthy Mary’s place and choice while acknowledging Martha’s good service.

What is noteworthy is that when Jesus acknowledges the primacy of Mary’s choice, He sees anxiety and worry in Martha’s life. μεριμνάω (merimnao) is the Greek word translated here at anxious. The word itself in Greek means does mean “to be anxious” as well as, interestingly, “to care for [another].” In other words, μεριμνάω (merimnao) is another one of those Greek verbs that demands a most careful balance: while ‘caring for another’ is often necessary and good, one crosses a line when caring becomes about “me” and not the other. Once that happens, care is no longer service as it morphs into a type of fear that threatens one’s self-defined worldview.

Jesus notes that Martha is not only anxious, she is worried, (θορυβάζῃ). θορυβέω (thorubeo), translated here as “worried,” means ‘trouble or disturbance … often caused by distraction.’ Ancient Greek usage of θορυβέω (thorubeo) notes that ‘great noise-making,’ ‘making an uproar’ and ‘clamoring’ is often associated with θορυβέω (thorubeo).

Throughout His ministry, Jesus certainly called His followers to service, a service that genuinely cares for the other. For the Christian, the ‘fine line’ in serving or caring for the needs of the other is to do so in the Name of Jesus Christ, not in the name of self. The work rendered is creative not because of power emanated from self, but because of Who planted the Gifts that enable the work to be done. As “the work of human hands” is necessary in this world, the efforts to care, to serve and to work models the Lord and Creator of all Whose singular intent in bringing Creation into existence is that humanity experience the loving communion of the Divine Persons.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful, Ordinary Time 2013, Week 16.

To God our Father, Who abundantly provides for our needs, we pray:

1. Jesus declares: “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” For all baptized into the Body of Christ | to chose only and always the “better part” – that is, life and companionship with Jesus. | We pray

2. “He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.” For citizens of this nation and all countries to desire and to work for authentic justice – that is, | life lived in harmony with the Divine Law of mercy that reverences all human life. | For greater love and mercy within our families and lives, we pray

3. May our parish model the energetic hospitality of Abraham and Sarah | by providing the Word of God and the Bread of Eternal life to all as Food that refreshes now and into eternity. | For continued blessings on our parish food pantry, Saint Martha Cupboard, and all who work to eradicate hunger and thirst in the world. | We pray

4. For all travellers – and especially those journeying to World Youth Day. | For all weighed-down by the burdens, anxieties and worries of life. | We pray

5. As “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life” | heal and refresh the sick, especially … |
Receive into the eternal Kingdom all who have died, especially ... We pray

Almighty Father,
pour out more fully upon us
the grace of Your Holy Spirit, and grant that,
walking in the vocation You have planted within us,
we may bear witness to Your truth before all peoples.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Sunday. Ordinary Time, Week 15

ANTIPHON (click for full Psalm)

As for me, in justice I shall behold Your face;
I shall be filled with the vision of Your glory.
Your praise, O God, like Your name,
reaches to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is filled with saving justice.  (Cf. Psalm 17:15).

COLLECT

O God,
Who show the light of your truth to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary
to the name of Christ and
to strive after all that does it honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live. (Psalm 69:33).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all Readings for this Sunday)

“ ... The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:35-36).”

REFLECTION

And now for something completely different; well, maybe not ‘completely different.’ Fret not, Sousa’s Liberty Bell will not start nor will you see a squashing Monty Python foot on your screen. But there is a facet of this Sunday’s Gospel that is worth considering from a different perspective.

No doubt many in Church this Sunday will be quite familiar with the Parable popularly known as the “Good Samaritan.” The Parable is synonymous with the moral imperative of assisting those in any need whatsoever. Enshrined for the ages as the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, these actions are not optional for the Christian, or any person for that matter. It is a message that is sounded loud and clear in this Parable. Parables, though, are quite rich in meaning when it comes to the reality of the Kingdom of God (click to read an earlier post on Parables) and as powerful as apparent lessons are from the Text, there is always more.

The rich meaning that Parables embody was not lost on the Fathers of the Church. In probing the salvific meaning of the Sacred Text the use of the Spiritual Senses of Scripture enabled them to see deep connections between Text and life (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 115-119). Among the many who offered commentary on this Sunday’s Parable, Saint Ambrose of Milan presents some interesting insights worth pondering.

In his Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, Ambrose comments on the two coins given by the Samaritan to the Innkeeper: “What are those two coins, unless perhaps the two Testaments that contain revealed within them the image of the eternal King, at the price of whose wounds we are healed. Precious blood redeemed us, that we may avoid the sores of final death (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7.80).” For Ambrose, Jesus acts as Samaritan who picks up the one who fell among robbers, robbers being the Evil One and his minions. As humans, we sadly choose erroneous and dangerous paths to travel (even in Jesus’ day, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was hazardous. The road itself was narrow: on one-side thieves and bandits hid in rock crevices waiting to pounce on unsuspecting travelers. As for the other side of this narrow road, one could easily slip off the road and plunge hundreds of feet into a valley of jagged rocks.) Despite our poor choices, the Samaritan (Jesus) rescues us, brings us to the Inn (Church) and pays the price for our healing (His life-giving death and resurrection). Jesus further equips us with the two coins of Scripture’s Testaments: the Old and the New, given to form humanity to choose always life’s proper road and to assist one another along the way because of our relationship to the One God and Father of us all.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful, Ordinary Time 2013, Week 15.

To God our Father, we pray in the grace of the Holy Spirit as Jesus our Lord taught us.

1. The Word is “very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” For receptivity to and welcome of God’s life-giving Word in heart, mind and spirit. For all who teach, preach and live God’s holy Word. We pray …

2. “To you, O LORD, [we pray] for the time of your favor. In your great kindness answer [us] with your constant help” for peace in our world especially in Egypt, Syria and all places of conflict. For harmony within our families and lives, we pray …

3. Jesus Christ “is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He Himself might be preeminent.” For our parish to live only the life of Jesus Christ and to witness to His “peace by the blood of His cross.” We pray …

4. For courage ‘to treat all we meet with mercy’ and for strength to imitate the Good Samaritan to “go and do likewise.” We pray …

5. As “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life” [PAUSE] heal the sick, especially … [PAUSE]

Receive into the eternal Kingdom all who have died, especially ... We pray …


God our Father,
direct and ground our lives in Your Truth.
May our lives mirror Your mercy, justice and peace to all.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013, week 14

ANTIPHON (click for full Psalm)

Your merciful love, O God
we have received in the midst of Your temple.
Your praise, O God, like Your name,
reaches to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is filled with saving justice.  (Cf. Psalm 48:10-11).

COLLECT

O God,
Who in the abasement of your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill your faithful with holy joy,
for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. (Psalm 66:1).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all Readings for this Sunday)

“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 (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, hē basileia tou Theou) 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 (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, hē basileia tou Theou)is at hand.” (Luke 10:8-11).”

REFLECTION

What is the “Kingdom of God (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, hē basileia tou Theou)?” Where is the “Kingdom of God?” Is the “Kingdom of God” just another word or synonym in the Gospels for Heaven? “The Kingdom of God” sparks many questions and rightly so. When searching the Gospels for “Kingdom of God” or “Kingdom of Heaven (which appears more often in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew),” one is amazed by the numerous references. Throughout the centuries, believers have pondered the meaning and implications of “the Kingdom of God” and scholars certainly have grappled with the phrase and filled library shelves with volumes of thought-provoking commentaries.

What can and must we do with the reality of “the Kingdom” in our day? In 1975, Pope Paul VI penned the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (On Evangelizing in our Day). Early in the Exhortation, the Bishop of Rome states: “As an evangelizer, Christ first of all proclaims a kingdom, the kingdom of God; and this is so important that, by comparison, everything else becomes “the rest,” which is “given in addition.” Only the kingdom therefore is absolute and it makes everything else relative. The Lord will delight in describing in many ways the happiness of belonging to this kingdom (a paradoxical happiness which is made up of things that the world rejects), the demands of the kingdom and its Magna Charta, the heralds of the kingdom, its mysteries, its children, the vigilance and fidelity demanded of whoever awaits its definitive coming (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 8).” Clearly, Pope Paul VI sees “the Kingdom of God” has the central experience of Jesus’ Public Ministry; so central that everything in His ministry is grounded in “the Kingdom.” Similarly, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 541 through 556) examines the manifold depth of “the Kingdom” in Jesus’ Public Ministry. Based on these texts as well as other Catechetical Documents, the Roman Missal and the Sacred Scriptures, I have compiled a working description (note: not a definition) of “the Kingdom of God” that has been helpful to undergraduates, deacon candidates, seminarians and believers. There is certainly much room for discussion and I invite readers of this blog to further this discussion and description.

1. ‘The “Kingdom of God” is God the Father doing a definitive intervention.’ The Kingdom is not necessarily or strictly a specific place, although ‘place’ will be a dimension of the Kingdom as a way of living. The Kingdom is a way of living, an ongoing activity initiated by God the Father in loving concern for beings that have been created in His image and likeness. We have become addicted to sin in such a way that we cannot break free from its grip by our own power. We have come to enjoy sin too much. Sin’s tentacles have woven deeply into our lives that often we cannot see or think clearly. We may from time-to-time have great desires to rid ourselves of sin, desires that are marvelous but desires that do not contain within themselves the power to effect what is desired. More often than not, however, sin has dulled our senses to Divine Love. Sin has numbed us into complacency and entitlement to the point that we even approach the things of God and Church from a selfish point of view with no regard to the life of faith as engagement with the Divine Persons who call me as an individual and as a community to ongoing conversion manifesting charity and service to the Body of Christ. So powerless over sin, so addicted to the false self we have become that an intervention is needed: the “Kingdom of God.”

2. This intervention is a work of power, a power that transforms and surpasses the power of Creation. God the Father’s work is quintessentially a work of restoration, not annihilation. Ask anyone in construction and he or she will tell you that it is often easier to raze a building and start over than to renovate or restore. Renovating an existing structure that does not have a level, plumb or square line in it makes restoration tedious and time consuming, not to mention the ‘surprises’ lurking behind old plaster and lathe. Yet ask any restorer when the project is complete and most likely she or he will tell you that in spite of its challenges and frustrations, it was and continues to be a labor of love. Such is the Kingdom. Neither Creation nor humanity is destroyed. The Creator does not raze the created order and begin anew. Even though humanity makes continuous choices reinforcing the addiction to sin, the Father – with eyes of loves – gazes upon each human person in such a way that each of us are declared “precious.” So precious are we in the sight of God the Father, that none of us are disposable, expendable or useless. Each of us has a particular vocation in the Father’s plan of salvation and our very being is so precious to the Father that the loving, transforming power of His Kingdom calls us from the addiction to our false selves to our true selves as icons of the Father’s love.

3. This transforming power becomes a way of living, hence not a specific ‘place’ that one can absolutely pinpoint. You cannot use Google Maps or a GPS device to find the Kingdom. The Kingdom is God the Father’s way of living. It is a way of living that is the Son, Jesus. He lives each moment of His life attentive to His Father’s word and will. Spending nights in communion with His Father, Jesus teaches with His life that Kingdom living is living joined, connected, related – whatever words you wish to use – to God the Father. As a way of living, the Kingdom is a radical embrace of the First Commandment: no one nor no thing nor anything we deem important comes before the Father or interferes with our relationship with Him. Kingdom living is life that provides the essentials to a sister or brother in need (Matthew 25) and celebrates, praise and thanks the Father for all that He is doing in life (cf. Luke 1, the Magnificat). It is in this sense that one can speak of the Kingdom as ‘a place.’ Wherever one is when living as the Father commands, there is the Kingdom.

4. The Kingdom, as a way of living, has been prepared by the prophets of Old. Many of the prophets called Israel to authentic worship, a message that is still quite valid despite present, misguided and weak arguments that attempt – erroneously – at a division between religion and spirituality. For the prophets, the spiritual relationship formed by the covenant necessarily bound one (religion) freely to observe and practice a continuous, ongoing change-of-heart. The prophets knew that the ‘energy’ required to live justly as a covenant person did not come from within a person by himself or herself. Such living depended upon the mercy of God celebrated and experienced in authentic worship. Such worship then propelled one to be an instrument of charitable service in the world acting, not on one’s own initiative and power, in the name of God.

5. The Kingdom, as a way of living, is now definitely revealed and embodied in Jesus. Here, all ambiguity concerning the Kingdom is erased. The Kingdom is essentially a Person, the Person Jesus: “only He can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 426).” The Incarnation makes the Kingdom a reality in the created order to effect the Father’s loving transformation of everything, most especially the human heart. Responding and living the love revealed to us in Christ Jesus is the essential work and live of the “Kingdom of God.”

Is there more to be said about the Kingdom? Certainly – but more importantly the Kingdom is not intended for study but for living. While some of these reflections may give us some insight, such insight is always directed to worshipping God the Father and serving one another in the name of Jesus Christ.

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013, Week 13.

ANTIPHON

All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy! (Psalm 47 :2)

COLLECT

O God,
Who through the grace of adoption
chose us to be children of light,
grant, we pray,
that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error
but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

You are my inheritance, O Lord. (Psalm 16: 5).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all readings)

R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
 say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.”
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence because
you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. (Psalm 16).”

REFLECTION

God’s holy word is always effective. The Letter to the Hebrews boldly announces: “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).” While this is always the case, sometimes there are those gifted moments when the Word of God and the grace of the Holy Spirit bless one with a ‘wow moment’ – an occasion of new insight and new connection or connections.

For example, this Sunday our Churches will chant Psalm 16: “You are my inheritance, O Lord.” As is the usual case with translations of God’s Word, we naturally understand the words, connotatively or denotatively, from the context of our present day life. From time to time, as often happens on this blog, when a given word or phrase is examined in its original usage, context and meaning it offers another insight useful for and ordered to salvation. As the Psalm is chanted this Sunday, what meaning will you and others give to inheritance? Perhaps you may recall a gift received after a loved one died. Perhaps you may recall the toil and drudgery involved in settling an estate in order to receive the inheritance. Perhaps you may recall how matters surrounding inheritance changed life and relationships, often not for the better.

In a ‘hair-scratching’ sort of way, the biblical word inheritance translates the Hebrew word חֵקֶל (cheleq). חֵקֶל (cheleq) emerges from a family of Hebrew words that mean ‘allotment,’ ‘share or distribution of goods due a person’ and ‘to smooth.’

‘To smooth’ – what possible connection exists between inheritance and smooth? In the biblical world of the Psalms, people played games of chance then just as we do now. The prize, often termed an ‘allotment’ or a ‘lot,’ could be the result of rolling a rock (the forerunner of the present dice) whose surface had been smoothed. The rock would be smoothed to have various sides (not just 9 as in our present-day ‘cubed’ dice) and engraved with various letters, Greek letters as was the custom in the days of Jesus’ ministry. The valued ‘lots’ were rocks that were ultra smooth to roll easily and hopefully provide a person with an allotment when the rock (lot) rested and people could ‘read’ the winning letter on the top facet.

So how might this background assist each of us today in responding to the Lord’s work of salvation within each of us? Psalm 16, in proclaiming the Lord as inheritance is, in essence, proclaiming the Lord as ‘the Smoother, the One Who does the smoothing of the rough edges of our lives.’ What happens with rough and jagged edges? Things get caught on them. If a surface is smoothed and polished, other things have a hard time clinging to that surface. Thus when life becomes smoother through the Lord’s grace, the jagged edges of our lives gradually diminish and sin has no place to hook onto and burrow into our lives. Recall other biblical images: the Suffering Servant who is a polished arrow, hidden in the quiver; the highway that Isaiah proclaims will smooth the rugged land and so make for the coming of God in our midst.

The Inheritance we sing today is an allotment – a gift given to us. Beyond a quantifiable ‘thing’ given, the gift we receive is the continuous work of the Holy Spirit smoothing each to have a surface that faces life and is able to repel sin by saying no to its deception.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful (click here)

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful. Ordinary Time, Week 13.

Father in heaven, You are our inheritance. Your Spirit-inspired Word moves us to voice these petitions to You in the Name of Your beloved Son, Jesus.

1. Father, You are our inheritance. [PAUSE] Elisha and all the prophets proclaimed Your life-giving word. [PAUSE] For Pope Francis, Archbishop Charles and all who proclaim and teach the inheritance of Your sacred Word; [PAUSE] as well as for docile and receptive hearts to the Word of God in all people, we pray …

2. Father, You are our inheritance. [PAUSE] Saint Paul reminded us that we were “called for freedom” and cautioned not to misuse this gift. [PAUSE] Teach us in this and all countries to grasp freedom’s true meaning and to always exercise it wisely as an inherited gift from You. We pray …

3. Father, You are our inheritance. [PAUSE] Your Son proclaimed and did the work of Your Kingdom as a way of life. [PAUSE] We pray for our parish to seek only and to live only the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. We pray …

4. Father, You are our inheritance. [PAUSE] The gift of Your inheritance is lived in peoples of cultures throughout the world. [PAUSE] For an approach to immigration that reverences the dignity of all human beings created in Your image and likeness, we pray …

5. Father, You are our inheritance. [PAUSE] For the all sick to know that each is precious in the Lord’s eyes, especially … [PAUSE]
Receive into the eternal inheritance of Heaven all who have died, especially ... We pray …

God our Father,
Who gave one origin to all peoples and
willed to gather from them one family for Yourself,
fill all hearts, we pray,
with the fire of Your love and kindle in them a desire
for the advancement of their neighbor, that,
through the good things which You richly bestow upon all,
each human person may be brought to perfection,
every division may be removed, and
equity and justice may be established in human society.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013. Week 12

ANTIPHON

The Lord is the strength of His people,
a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.
Save Your people, Lord, and bless Your heritage,
and govern them for ever (Psalm 28 :8-9).

COLLECT

Grant, O Lord,
that we may always revere and love
Your holy Name
for You never deprive of Your guidance
those you set firm on the foundation of your love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God. (Psalm 63: 2).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all readings)

“Once when Jesus was praying in solitude (προσευχόμενον, proseuchomenon),
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist;
others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them
and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it (Luke 9:18-24).”

REFLECTION

“Once when Jesus was praying (προσευχόμενον, proseuchomenon) in solitude (κατὰ μόνας, kata monas) …” The experience of prayer certainly holds a treasured place in any discussion of the spiritual life. As the ‘lights of the spiritual life’ come on and the heart becomes more excited about the Divine realities, prayer is one of those activities that ignites a ravenous appetite for discussion and study. ‘Am I praying correctly?’ is a question that is commonly posed by women and men seeking a mature spiritual life. While the question itself ‘Am I praying correctly?’ is born from a genuine desire to make one’s spiritual life a vital dimension of life, it is helpful to begin with Jesus’ experience of prayer as presented in the Gospels. After all, the ponderous question “Who you say that I am?” as well as His teaching about the Cross are grounded this Sunday in the ‘praying Jesus.’

προεὐχομαι (proeuchomai) is the Greek verb that translates into English as “to pray.” Not surprisingly, there are a handful of verbs in Greek that generically are rendered into English as “to pray.” A number of the verbs and related nouns are influenced naturally throughout time by a variety of factors and linguistic scholars note that it is difficult to draw absolute lines of demarcation among the various words. That said, it is important to note that the ancient words that form a ‘family of prayer words’ do have shades of meaning that are certainly worth exploring.

Generally speaking, the various ancient words that form a foundation for the verb “to pray” or the noun “prayer” appear to share a common element of ‘voicing a desiring, wish or some type of petition.’ What is unique about προεὐχομαι (proeuchomai) is that the voicing is clearly directed to God. Other verbs appear to suggest prayer as a ‘throwing it out there’ as if one did not know who or what to contact. ‘Praying,’ therefore, involved not only one’s wish or desire but equally a wish that someone or something, both unknown to the one praying, will respond! Jesus’ manner of prayer is quite different.

The Gospel use of προεὐχομαι (proeuchomai) to express the many facets of prayer is grounded in the Jewish experience of prayer. While there are a couple of words that historically ground the activity of prayer throughout the Old Testament, 1 point is noteworthy. Even when the words come to include the voicing of desires and petition, Jewish prayer is first and foremost a conscious awareness not only that prayer is definitely directed to God, but directed to God Who is One! The words offered to God, the petitions voiced, the sacrificed rendered, the silence accepted – all of this is done in the context of the God Who is One! Thus while I may ask for this or that, while I may have the Temple priest offer a particular sacrifice, while I may sit silently for a period of time, all is ‘colored,’ all is affected and effected by the reality that God is One! As I ask for a particular reality, implicitly I need to ask: ‘is this about the Oneness of God, or is it selfishly idolatrous?’ Is the sacrifice being offered because God is worthy of all, or are there other motives (e.g. bartering with God, feeling good about myself because I offered sacrifice)?

From this emerges a second point essential to prayer among the Israelites of Jesus’ day. “I” pray to God Who is One conscious that “I” am part of a community and as such prayer always involves my fellow Israelites. In other words, ‘saying MY prayers’ would be a phrase foreign to any Israelite of Jesus day and foreign to Jesus Himself. Notice the beginning of this Sunday’s proclamation: “Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with Him,” Jesus’ communing with His Father is an act of solitude, not individualistic privacy. Communing with God the Father is an act that is not about me, myself and I. Even as an individual is drawn into the life and love of the Divine Persons, it is not to the exclusion of others who are part of the Body as well.

The blessing of prayer that comes with discipleship in Jesus is a gift of the Holy Spirit that is a marvelous, splendid gift. Each disciple ‘knows’ God the Father is the One to Whom all prayer is addressed. No wonder St Teresa of Avila had ‘difficulty’ voicing the “Lord’s Prayer.” As soon as she mentioned “Our Father,” she was caught up in Divine Love, knowing the One love of God the Father. Jesus invites us to ask in prayer for all that we need. Each disciple voices those needs and sits silently all the while growing in what it means to live in union with the Oneness of God our Father and the Body of His Son energized by the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful (click here)

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful: Ordinary Time 12

Father of all graciousness, You sent Your Son Jesus to make all things new through His unique and all-embracing sacrifice. May the Gift of the Holy Spirit continue to awaken and to enlighten us with strength so that each of us may “pick up the Cross and follow” Your Son, Jesus.

1. Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Inspire Your Church, heavenly Father, to live the Cross of Jesus. May the Holy Spirit’s power keep Pope Francis and Archbishop Charles strong in proclaiming and living the selfless love Jesus manifested throughout His life especially in His suffering, passion and death. We pray …

2. Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Inspire all citizens of the world, heavenly Father, to model human living on the selflessness of Jesus “Who came to serve rather than be served.” May governments both home and abroad work to reverence religious liberty as a common good at the heart of all culture. We pray …

3. Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Inspire with the creative wind of the Holy Spirit, heavenly Father, all dimensions of parish life that we may become a “fountain to purify from sin” all who are in need of experiencing freedom from sin’s addiction as sons and daughters in the Son of God. We pray …

4. Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Inspire each of us as believers, heavenly Father, to acknowledge that we thirst for You more than for life itself. Remove the drowsiness and sleepiness that grips our spiritual lives and awaken us to the new life of union with your Son, Jesus. We pray …

5. Jesus asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Inspire all the sick and all who suffering any way, heavenly Father, to find comfort in Jesus Your Son, especially … [PAUSE] Raise up to Eternal Life all who have died, especially ... We pray …

God our Father,
Who willed that Your Only Begotten Son
should undergo the Cross to save the human race,
grant, we pray, that we,
who have known His mystery on earth,
may merit the grace of His redemption in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Daytime Prayer, Friday

PSALM 22 (click for full Psalm)

We saw Him despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with infirmity.

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for complete chapter)

But 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. (Romans 3:21-22).”

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
at noon, when darkness covered all the earth,
You mounted the wood of the Cross
as the innocent victim for our redemption.
May Your Light be always with us
to guide us to eternal life in that Kingdom
where You live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday. Ordinary Time 2013. Week 11.

ANTIPHON

O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to You; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Savior (Psalm 27 :7-9)

COLLECT

O God,
strength of those who hope in You,
graciously hear our pleas,
and, since without you mortal frailty can do nothing,
grant us always the help of your grace,
that in following your commands
we may please you by our resolve and our deeds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (click for full Psalm)

Lord, forgive the wrong I have done. (Psalm 32: 5).

SCRIPTURE EXCERPT (click for all readings)

“Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith (ἡ πίστις σου, he pistis sou)
has saved (σέσωκέν, sesoken) you;
go in peace (εἰς εἰρήνην eis eirenen) (Luke 7:44-50).”

REFLECTION

One might contend that Jesus’ declaration to the woman: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” summarizes the words and deeds of His Public Ministry. Jesus proclaims and does the work of His Father’s Kingdom in such a way that the listener is offered a connection with Jesus that heals the brokenness of humanity and fills life with the creative love of the Father’s peace. All of this is grounded in and sparked by “faith (πίστις, pistis).”

For many, ‘faith’ is a vague dimension of living with Jesus. On one hand, many say that ‘faith’ has something to do with mystery and not being able to understand various elements of Christian teaching. On the other hand, some might echo a catechism definition: “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed. As personal adherence to God and assent to his truth, Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what he says. It would be futile and false to place such faith in a creature (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150).” Yet when faced with ‘unpacking’ the definition, a good number remain clueless.

Living in a Jewish milieu of the first century, Jesus’ followers would certainly have known the necessity of faith in terms of Covenant living. אָמַן (aman) is one of the rich Hebrew words that translate into English as faith. Grounded in the experience of parenthood (an appropriate connection for today – Fathers’ Day), אָמַן (aman) expresses ‘a connection between persons, originally a parent and child, that provides for all the essentials of life (especially food) so that one may be ‘built up’ and grow strong while connected to the other.’ In this vein, אָמַן (aman) was also used to express the relationship between a mother and her nursing child. In both cases, the ‘provider’ knows what s/he must do for the other: give the necessities for life to another. The ‘recipient’ comes to know the ‘provider’ as the source of life and trusts that s/he will give all that is vital for living and growing. For the Israelites, this tender imagery expressed the relationship between God and themselves.

The connection or relationship had another dimension: bonding or adherence. For the one who receives life’s necessities from ‘the provider,’ explicit in that experience is that one receives from no one else. Dependent as one is on the provider, that dependency forms exclusivity. One does not take from the provider while looking around at the same time for a ‘better’ or ‘tastier offer.’ No matter how good something looks, no matter how pleasing something sounds, אָמַן (aman) fosters the life connection to one and only one. This is the lesson of the Garden. So long as humanity listened to the Creator and only the Creator, life flourished. When humanity opened the door to dialogue with another, the fundamental relationship of life was dealt a severe blow to human nature.

It is no wonder then that Jesus calls forth אָמַן (aman) in the people He meets and continues to meet. All of humanity’s ills then and now are rooted in a divided existence that seeks a false autonomy that makes idols of everything thus enslaving our lives in and to sin. אָמַן (aman) – the connection of life to and with Jesus offers true freedom and health of body, mind and soul that each may live in peace.

Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful (click here)