Thursday of the Second Week in Lent
Lectionary:
233
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3,
4 And 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in
the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Gospel Lk 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said,
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'"
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said,
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Meditation: "Lazarus was carried
by the angels to Abraham's bosom"
What sustains you when trials and
affliction come your way? Jeremiah tells us that whoever relies on God will not
be disappointed or be in want when everything around them dries up or
disappears. God will not only be their consolation, but their inexhaustible
source of joy as well. Jesus' parable about the afflictions of the poor man
Lazarus brings home a similar point. In this story Jesus paints a dramatic
scene of contrasts – riches and poverty, heaven and hell, compassion and
indifference, inclusion and exclusion. We also see an abrupt and dramatic
reversal of fortune. Lazarus was not only poor, but sick and unable to lift
himself. He was “laid” at the gates of the rich man’s house. The dogs
which licked his sores probably also stole the little bread he got for himself.
Dogs in the ancient world symbolized contempt. Enduring the torment of these
savage dogs only added to the poor man’s miseries and sufferings. The rich man
treated the beggar with contempt and indifference, until he found his fortunes
reversed at the end of his life! In God's economy, those who hold on
possessively to what they have, lose it all in the end, while those who share
generously receive back many times more than they gave way.
The name Lazarus means God is my help. Despite a life
of misfortune and suffering, Lazarus did not lose hope in God. His eyes were
set on a treasure stored up for him in heaven. The rich man, however, could not
see beyond his material wealth and possessions. He not only had every thing he
needed, he selfishly spent all he had on himself. He was too absorbed in what
he possessed to notice the needs of those around him. He lost sight of God
and the treasure of heaven because he was preoccupied with seeking
happiness in material things. He served wealth rather than God. In the end the
rich man became a beggar! Do you know the joy and freedom of possessing God as your
true and lasting treasure? Those who put their hope and security in heaven will
not be disappointed (see Hebrews 6:19)?
"Lord
Jesus, you are my joy and my treasure. Make me rich in the things of heaven and
give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others the
spiritual and material treasures you have given to me."
(Don Schwager)
All three readings today contrast the wicked with the one who delights in God, the rich man with the poor. Reflecting these ideas back to ourselves and our world, we are drawn to the differences between wealth and poverty all around us. We cannot in honesty equate wealth with evil, or poverty with virtue, but conscience increasingly reminds us of our duty to share our excess with those who have little.
Those of us who have visited the poor in our own cities and in the slums of developing countries must have been touched by their acceptance, their simple generosity, their unencumbered joy of life. Their simple trust is ‘like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream and has nothing to fear’. We, who worry over losing our investments, have much to learn from the poor.
(Daily Prayer Online)
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Filling the Void
When we are empty, God invites us
to turn to the one food none of us can live without: the Eucharist. This is the
divine food that nourishes our souls. It’s the one meal we should never skip.
And there’s no need for moderation: Jesus is there for the taking.
— from Weightless
March 8
St. John
(1495-1550)
(1495-1550)
Having given up active Christian
belief while a soldier, John was 40 before the depth of his sinfulness began to
dawn on him. He decided to give the rest of his life to God’s service, and
headed at once for Africa , where he hoped to
free captive Christians and, possibly, be martyred.
He was
soon advised that his desire for martyrdom was not spiritually well based, and
returned to Committed to a mental hospital for these actions, John was visited by Blessed John, who advised him to be more actively involved in tending to the needs of others rather than in enduring personal hardships. John gained peace of heart, and shortly after left the hospital to begin work among the poor.
He established a house where he wisely tended to the needs of the sick poor, at first doing his own begging. But excited by the saint’s great work and inspired by his devotion, many people began to back him up with money and provisions. Among them were the archbishop and marquis of Tarifa.
Behind John’s outward acts of total concern and love for Christ’s sick poor was a deep interior prayer life which was reflected in his spirit of humility. These qualities attracted helpers who, 20 years after John’s death, formed the Brothers Hospitallers, now a worldwide religious order.
John became ill after 10 years of service but tried to disguise his ill health. He began to put the hospital’s administrative work into order and appointed a leader for his helpers. He died under the care of a spiritual friend and admirer, Lady Ana Ossorio.
Comment:
The utter humility of John of God, which led to a totally selfless dedication to others, is most impressive. Here is a man who realized his nothingness in the face of God. The Lord blessed him with the gifts of prudence, patience, courage, enthusiasm and the ability to influence and inspire others. He saw that in his early life he had turned away from the Lord, and, moved to receive his mercy, John began his new commitment to love others in openness to God’s love.
The utter humility of John of God, which led to a totally selfless dedication to others, is most impressive. Here is a man who realized his nothingness in the face of God. The Lord blessed him with the gifts of prudence, patience, courage, enthusiasm and the ability to influence and inspire others. He saw that in his early life he had turned away from the Lord, and, moved to receive his mercy, John began his new commitment to love others in openness to God’s love.
Quote:
The archbishop called John of God to him in response to a complaint that he was keeping tramps and immoral women in his hospital. In submission John fell on his knees and said: “The Son of Man came for sinners, and we are bound to seek their conversion. I am unfaithful to my vocation because I neglect this, but I confess that I know of no bad person in my hospital except myself alone, who am indeed unworthy to eat the bread of the poor.” The archbishop could only trust in John’s sincerity and humility, and dismissed him with deep respect.
The archbishop called John of God to him in response to a complaint that he was keeping tramps and immoral women in his hospital. In submission John fell on his knees and said: “The Son of Man came for sinners, and we are bound to seek their conversion. I am unfaithful to my vocation because I neglect this, but I confess that I know of no bad person in my hospital except myself alone, who am indeed unworthy to eat the bread of the poor.” The archbishop could only trust in John’s sincerity and humility, and dismissed him with deep respect.
Patron Saint of:
Booksellers
Firefighters
Heart patients
Hospitals
Nurses
Printers
Sick
Booksellers
Firefighters
Heart patients
Hospitals
Nurses
Printers
Sick
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét