JUNE 01, 2012 : MEMORIAL OF SAINT JUSTIN, MARTYR

Memorial of Saint Justin, martyr
Lectionary: 351

Reading 1 1 Pt 4:7-13

Beloved:
The end of all things is at hand.
Therefore be serious and sober-minded
so that you will be able to pray.
Above all, let your love for one another be intense,
because love covers a multitude of sins.
Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God's varied grace.
Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God;
whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies,
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you,
as if something strange were happening to you.
But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Gospel Mk 11:11-26

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, "May no one ever eat of your fruit again!"
And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves."

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered."
Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,'
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.'

(www.usccb.org)

Meditation: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations"

Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the Jews. Bad figs or a decaying fig tree was linked with evil deeds and spiritual decay. The unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the word of God. The prophets depicted the languishing fig tree as signifying the desolation and calamity of Israel due to her unfaithfulness to God (see Joel 1:7,12; Habakuk 3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). The history of Israel is one long preparation for the coming of the Promised One. But the promise is unfulfilled in those who reject Jesus through unbelief. (See also Jesus’ parable of the barren fig tree in Luke 13:6-9). Jesus’ cursing of a fig tree is a prophetic action against the faithlessness of those who rejected his message. For faith to be fruitful and productive, it must be nourished with the word of God (2 Tim. 3:16; Col. 3:16)and be rooted in love (Galatians 5:6).

Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was another prophetic action. In this incident we see Jesus' startling and swift action in cleansing the temple of those who were using it to exploit the worshipers of God. The money changers took advantage of the poor and forced them to pay many times more than was right–  in the house of the Lord no less! Their robbery of the poor was not only dishonoring to God but unjust toward their neighbor. In justification for his audacious action Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah (56:7) and Jeremiah (7:11). His act of judgment aims to purify the worship of God's people and to discipline their erring ways.

 After this incident Jesus exhorts his disciples to “have faith in God”. They are to pray with expectant faith  no matter how difficult the situation may be. The phrase “to remove mountains” was a common Jewish expression for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve difficulties was called a “mountain remover”.  If we pray with faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles. If we want God to hear our prayers we must forgive those who wrong us as God has forgiven us. Do you pray with expectant faith?

"Lord Jesus, increase my faith and make my fruitful and effective in serving you. Help me to forgive others just as you have been merciful towards me"

(Don Schwager)

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Look in the Mirror
Let us ask all of the heavenly saints to pray for us that we might acquire the necessary virtues to be the face of God in the midst of our world as they were in theirs.
— from Saint Who?

June 1
St. Justin
(d. 165)

Justin never ended his quest for religious truth even when he converted to Christianity after years of studying various pagan philosophies.

As a young man, he was principally attracted to the school of Plato. However, he found that the Christian religion answered the great questions about life and existence better than the philosophers.
Upon his conversion he continued to wear the philosopher's mantle, and became the first Christian philosopher. He combined the Christian religion with the best elements in Greek philosophy. In his view, philosophy was a pedagogue of Christ, an educator that was to lead one to Christ.
Justin is known as an apologist, one who defends in writing the Christian religion against the attacks and misunderstandings of the pagans. Two of his so-called apologies have come down to us; they are addressed to the Roman emperor and to the Senate.
For his staunch adherence to the Christian religion, Justin was beheaded in Rome in 165.

Comment:

As patron of philosophers, Justin may inspire us to use our natural powers (especially our power to know and understand) in the service of Christ and to build up the Christian life within us. Since we are prone to error, especially in reference to the deep questions concerning life and existence, we should also be willing to correct and check our natural thinking in light of religious truth. Thus we will be able to say with the learned saints of the Church: I believe in order to understand, and I understand in order to believe.

Quote:

"Philosophy is the knowledge of that which exists, and a clear understanding of the truth; and happiness is the reward of such knowledge and understanding" (Justin, Dialogue with Trypho, 3).

(www.americancatholic.org)

LECTIO: MARK 11,11-25

Lectio: 

 Friday, June 1, 2012

 Prayer

Lord, merciful Father, you chose each of your children, that they might become heralds of your love in the world and bring the good fruit of your Presence to all peoples.  May our fruit remain, thanks to our communion with You and with your Son, Jesus; help us to gather this fruit, which is our Friend and Teacher, who enters every day into the holy temple of our lives.  May he renew his covenant with us daily, through faith and prayer full of trusting abandon.  Amen.

Reading

From the gospel according to Mark (11:11-25)

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.  ¹²The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.  ¹³ Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs.  ¹⁴And he said to it in reply, "May no one ever eat of your fruit again!" And his disciples heard it.  ¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves.  ¹⁶ He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.  ¹⁷ Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples'? But you have made it a den of thieves."  ¹⁸ The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.  ¹⁹ When evening came, they left the city.  ²⁰ Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.  ²¹ Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."  ²² Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God.  ²³ Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.  ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.  ²⁵ When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions." 

Meditation

* “Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area”. One of the characteristics of this passage is the continuous movement of Jesus, expressed in the repetition, in the alternation, of the verbs “enter” and “leave” (vv. 11; 12; 15; 19).  In fact, the Lord continuously comes into our life, enters into our space, into our experience, passes, walks among us and with us, but then he goes, he distances himself, he leaves us to search and wait, and he returns again to be found.  He does not disdain to enter the Holy City, into the temple, and thus it is within us, in our heart, offering us his visit of salvation.

* “he was hungry”. The verb we find here, from Mark’s pen, is the same verb used also in Matthew and in Luke in the story of the temptation in the desert (Mt 4:2; Lk 4,:2) and is used to fully express a condition of weakness, of fragility, of need, of tiredness.  Jesus searches for something more than a simple fruit to sate his hunger; he does not ask something of a fig out of season, but asks of his people, asks of us, the good food of love, that which comes prepared to the table of the covenant, from the “yes” pronounced with trust and abandon.

* “Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf”. The figure of the fig tree, which occupies a central place in this passage, is a very strong symbol of Israel, the chosen people; of the temple and cult rendered to God in its entirety; and finally of ourselves, if we want it, of the most profound truth of our heart.

The leaves of the fig refer with clarity to the experience of Adam in the Garden of Eden, of his contact with sin, of his nudity and of his consequential shame.  Jesus, stopping before this fig during his journey toward Jerusalem and setting his eyes on the leaves that hide the lack of fruit, in reality, tears the veil hiding our truth and exposes our heart, not to condemn it, but to save it, to heal it.  The fruit of the fig is indeed sweet; the Lord searches for the sweetness of love to speak to our life.  The barren fig, empty of fruit and life, anticipates, therefore, the temple emptied of sense, profaned and made useless from rapport with God, which is only flight, that is non-encounter.  Like Adam, so Israel, and perhaps thus also us.

* “those selling and buying there”. The scene of the purification of the temple (vv. 15-17), which Mark insterts between the two moments of encounter already anticipated of the curse of the fig tree without fruit, is very strong and animated.  This time, we are called to set our attention on the verbs and terms “drive out,” “overturned,” “did not permit,” selling,” “buying,” “moneychangers,” “vendors,” “thieves,” “carry anything.”  Jesus inaugurates a new economy, in which “you were sold for nothing, and without money you shall be redeemed” (Is 52:3), “He shall…let my exiles go free without price or ransom” (Is 45:13) and “you were ransomed…not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb” (1 Pt 1:18-19).

* “house of prayer”. From the holy temple we are led into the house, the Dwelling of God, where the true sacrifice is prayer, that is, the face-to-face encounter with Him, as children with our Father.  Here nothing is bought, there is no money, but only the gift of the heart that opens itself with full trust to prayer and faith.

* “the fig tree withered to its roots”. In fact, it is these themes that the word of Mark wishes to offer for our meditation, continuing the reading of the passage.  We must leave the temple to enter into the house, we must leave the sale to enter into the gift and trust: the tree without fruit is withered and seems to be in the middle of the road, indicating the new way to go, with the rising of a new morning  (v. 20), a way toward God and towards our brothers and sisters.

* “have faith with no doubt”. With this most beautiful expression, Jesus helps us to enter into the depths of ourselves and to make contact with our heart, in truth.  The Greek text has a stupendous verb, translated here as “doubt” and which wishes to really express an interior split, a division, a battle between two factions.  Jesus thus invites us to place absolute trust in Him and in the Father, in order not to become shattered within.  In a full and complete way we can come near to God, we can be in relationship with Him, without the need of leaves to mask ourselves, without beginning to count our change and calculate the price to pay, without making separations within ourselves, but offering ourselves completely to Him, as we are, that which we are, bringing with us the good and sweet fruit of love.

* “When you stand to pray, forgive”. And it cannot be any other way than this: the end and the new beginning of the way of faith and prayer, in the life of the Christian, is found in relationship with brothers and sisters, in the encounter with them, in the exchange, in the reciprocal giving.  There is no prayer, cult of God, holy temple, sacrifice pleasing to God, there is no fruit or sweetness without love for our brother or sister.  Mark calls it forgiveness, Jesus calls it love, the only fruit capable of satisfying our hunger, of relieving our weariness.

Questions for Reflection

* Meditating on this passage I encountered two strong figures: the fig tree and the temple, both without fruit, without life and love.  I saw Jesus, who with his coming and his strong and sure work, changed this situation, offering a new aspect to life.  Am I able to recognize my need to let myself be reached out to by the Lord, to let myself be touched by Him?  Do I see myself, in certain aspects of myself, of my life, as a barren fig, without fruit or like the temple, a cold place of commerce and calculation?  Do I feel within myself the desire to be able to also give the sweet fruit of love, of friendship, of sharing?  Do I hunger for prayer, for a true relationship with the Father?

* Following Jesus along the way, can I also enter into the new morning of his Law, of his teaching?  Am I able to recognize the cracks that I carry in my heart?  Where do I feel most divided, most insecure, most confused?  Why can I not completely entrust myself to my Father?  Why do I still hobble on two feet, as the prophet Elijah says (cf. I Kings 18:21).  I know that the Lord is God and I now I want to follow Him!  Not alone, but opening my heart to many brothers and sisters, making myself friend and companion on the journey, to share in the joy and in the struggle, the fear and the enthusiasm of the way; I know with certainty that following the Lord I will be happy.  Amen.

Final Prayer

Lord, I want to sing a new song!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

a hymn in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in their maker,

the people of Zion rejoice in their king.

Let them praise his name in festive dance,

make music with tambourine and lyre.

For the LORD takes delight in his people,

honors the poor with victory.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

cry out for joy at their banquet,

With the praise of God in their mouths,

and a two-edged sword in their hands

                                                            (Psalm 149)