Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary:
367
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a
whirlwind,
he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here;
the LORD has sent me on to theJordan
"As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you," Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together.
Fifty of the guild prophets followed and
when the two stopped at theJordan
they stood facing them at a distance.
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
and struck the water, which divided,
and both crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,
"Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you."
Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit."
"You have asked something that is not easy," Elijah replied.
"Still, if you see me taken up from you,
your wish will be granted; otherwise not."
As they walked on conversing,
a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
"My father! my father!Israel
But when he could no longer see him,
Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.
Then he picked up Elijah's mantle that had fallen from him,
and went back and stood at the bank of theJordan
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
"Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?"
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.
he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here;
the LORD has sent me on to the
"As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you," Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together.
Fifty of the guild prophets followed and
when the two stopped at the
they stood facing them at a distance.
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
and struck the water, which divided,
and both crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,
"Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you."
Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit."
"You have asked something that is not easy," Elijah replied.
"Still, if you see me taken up from you,
your wish will be granted; otherwise not."
As they walked on conversing,
a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
"My father! my father!
But when he could no longer see him,
Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.
Then he picked up Elijah's mantle that had fallen from him,
and went back and stood at the bank of the
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
"Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?"
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:20, 21, 24
R. (25) Let your hearts take comfort,
all who hope in the Lord.
How great is the goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men;
You screen them within your abode
from the strife of tongues.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
How great is the goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men;
You screen them within your abode
from the strife of tongues.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
Meditation: “When you pray, fast, and give alms”
Why did Jesus single out prayer,
fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as
the cardinal works of the religious life. These were seen as the key signs of a
pious person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus
pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To
draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you?
Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory –
the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety
is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion
to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a
gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God
with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2).What is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life and happiness, truth and beauty, love and joy.
“Lord Jesus, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love for you. Take from me all lukewarmness in meditating on your word, and dullness in prayer. Give me fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace. Fill my heart with compassion for others, especially those in need, that I may respond with generosity.”
 The Danger of Vanity |
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Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary
Time
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Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you with a living faith. Though I am
so inclined to sin and weakness, I trust in your mercy. I want to show my
love for you in this meditation. I long for my recompense to come only from
you, not from people’s applause.
Petition: Lord, help me to act with greater purity of intention in
my life.
1. Who Do You Seek to
Please: In today’s Gospel reading, Christ
presents a difficult challenge and, at the same time, a great consolation.
His teaching can be summed up with a simple phrase: In everything we do, act
always before God alone. At the end of our life, all that will remain is what
we have done for God and our brothers and sisters. Everything else, all of
our vanities, our desires to be esteemed, loved or taken into account will
vanish on the last day, like fog disappears under the rays of the sun. The
challenge is clear: to act before God with absolute purity of intention. But
where is the consolation? Our heavenly Father “sees in secret.” What might
never be perceived or recognized or appreciated by the world will one day be
rewarded in heaven.
2. Between You and
God: Mother Theresa echoes the Gospel
teaching in a brief poem entitled “It’s Between You and God.”
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight. Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you have anyway. Why? Because in the final analysis, all of this is between you and God…. It was never between you and them anyway.
3. Our Everlasting
Reward: Christ declares three times that
hypocrites who act before others have already received their reward. One day
each of us will stand alone before Christ. Our eternal destiny will depend
upon the outcome of that moment. May we not discover to our chagrin that our
hands are empty because we have secretly acted to win the applause of men.
Rather, may we perform our good deeds in secret, not letting our left hand
know what our right is doing. Then our heavenly Father, “who sees what is
hidden” will repay us.
Conversation with
Christ: Thank you, Lord, for always seeing
what is hidden, for always being ready to reward what is done for you. Your
words and the example of holy men and women inspire me on this point. I wish
to live facing you and eternity and to give up all my vain ambitions and
worries about what others think of my actions.
Resolution: I will renew my purity of intention in the different
activities of the day, doing them out of love for Christ and to help
establish his Kingdom.
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Let your hearts take comfort, all who
hope in the Lord
How tempting it is to be admired or envied for our virtue. The desire to be famous or well-liked is seen in the glut of reality TV shows of recent years. Here we are ‘entertained’ by those trying to lose weight, get married, swap husbands or wives, cook fabulously, live on a desert island or travel breathlessly around the world.
This contemporary desire for validation and adulation—to live in the spotlight—is reflected in Christ’s words of caution. To make a spectacle of religious practice, like the hypocrites, in order to make ourselves look good misses the point. God’s sees what is done in secret, and that’s what matters.
Lord, look into my heart and grant that I may pray without need of an audience and give to others inconspicuously, without desire for reward.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
SUFFERING
When Christ was in pain we were in pain. All creatures of God's creation that can suffer pain suffered with him. The sky and the earth failed at the time of Christ's dying because he too was part of nature.
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Julian of Norwich
www.churchresources.info
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
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Love
Letters from God
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One way to think of Scripture is as a
collection of love letters from God, the story of God’s relationship with
humanity throughout history.
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St. Vincent Kaun
Feastday: June 20
Died: 1626
Martyr of
www.catholic.org
ST. ALBAN
St. Alban was the first Christian martyr in Britain
Although he was not a man of faith, St. Alban
was very hospitable and compassionate. As a soldier, he sheltered a persecuted
priest, Amphibalus, during a time when Christians were being put to death
in Britain
Alban soon converted to Christianity.
In an effort to help the priest escape, he
switched clothes with him. But Alban was caught and ordered to renounce his
faith. St. Alban refused to worship idols, and when asked to state his name,
answered “My name is Alban, and I worship the only true and living God, who
created all things.
For his refusal to deny his beliefs, he was to
be tortured and beheaded. The person first selected to execute Alban heard his
testimony and converted on the spot. After refusing to kill Alban, he was
executed as well.
A number of other conversions are claimed to
have happened thanks to the witness of St. Alban’s martyrdom, specifically on
behalf of spectators of his execution.
Finally, when the priest learned that Alban was
arrested in his place, he turned himself in, hoping to save Alban’s life. But
that wasn’t the case. The priest was killed as well.
St. Alban’s Cathedral now stands near the
execution site. The town where he was born was also renamed after him.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
LECTIO: MATTHEW 6,1-6.16-18
Lectio:
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty God,
our hope and our strength,
without you we falter.
Help us to follow Christ
and to live according to your will.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
our hope and our strength,
without you we falter.
Help us to follow Christ
and to live according to your will.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be careful not
to parade your uprightness in public to attract attention; otherwise you will
lose all reward from your Father in heaven.
So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win human admiration. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
'And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
'When you are fasting, do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they go about looking unsightly to let people know they are fasting. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put scent on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win human admiration. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
'And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
'When you are fasting, do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they go about looking unsightly to let people know they are fasting. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put scent on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel of today continues the meditation
on the Sermon on the Mountain. In the previous days we have reflected at length
on the message of chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel. In today’s Gospel and the
following days we meditate on the message of chapter 6 of this Gospel. The
sequence of chapters 5 and 6 can help us to understand it. The passages in
italics indicate the text of today’s Gospel. The following is the schema:
Matthew 5, 1-12: The Beatitudes: solemn opening of the New Law
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and Light of the world
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice; relationship with the ancient law
Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new Law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of piety: alms
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting
Matthew 6, 19-21: New relationship to material goods: do not accumulate
Matthew 6, 22-23: New relationship to material goods: correct vision
Matthew 6, 24: New relationship to material goods: God and money
Matthew 6, 25-34: New relationship to material goods: abandonment in Providence.
Today’s Gospel treats three themes: alms giving (6, 1-4), prayer (6, 5-6) and fasting (6, 16-18). These are three works of piety of the Jews.
• Matthew 6,1: Be careful not to parade your uprightness to attract attention. Jesus criticises those who do the good works to be seen by men (Mt 6,1). Jesus asks to build up interior security not in what we do for God, but in what God does for us. From the advise that he gives there results a new type of relationship with God: “Your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you” (Mt 6,4). "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6, 8). "If you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive your failings” (Mt 6, 14). It is a new way which opens itself now to have access to the Heart of God our Father. Jesus does not allow that the practice of justice and of piety be used as a means for self promotion before God and before the community (Mt 6, 2.5.16).
• Matthew 6, 2-4: How to practice almsgiving. To give alms is a way of sharing, very recommended by the first Christians (Ac 2, 44-45; 4, 32-35). The person who practices alms giving and sharing to promote herself before others merits to be excluded from the community, as it happened to Ananias and Saphira (Ac 5, 1-11). Today, in society as well as in the Church, there are persons who make great publicity of the good that they do to others. Jesus asks the contrary: to do good in such a way that the left hand does not know what the right hand does. It is the total detachment and the total gift in total gratuity of the love which believes in God the Father and imitates all that he does.
• Matthew 6, 5-6: How to practice prayer. Prayer places the person in direct relationship with God. Some Pharisees transformed prayer into an occasion to show themselves before others. At that time, when the trumpet sounded in the three moments of prayer, morning, noon and evening, they should stop in the place where they were to pray. There were people who sought to be in the corners in public places, in such a way that everybody would see that they were praying. Well then, such an attitude perverts our relationship with God. This is false and has no sense. This is why, Jesus says that it is better to close up oneself in our room to pray in secret, maintaining the authenticity of the relationship. God sees you even in secret, and he always listens to you. It is a question of a personal prayer, not of a community prayer.
• Matthew 6, 16-18: How to practice fasting. At that time the practice of fasting was accompanied by some very visible external gestures: not to wash one’s face, not to comb one’s hair, use sober dresses. These were visible signs of fasting. Jesus criticises this form of fasting and orders to do the contrary, and thus others cannot become aware that you are fasting: bathe, use perfume, and comb your hair well. In this way, only your Father who sees in secret knows that you are fasting and he will reward you.
Matthew 5, 1-12: The Beatitudes: solemn opening of the New Law
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and Light of the world
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice; relationship with the ancient law
Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new Law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of piety: alms
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting
Matthew 6, 19-21: New relationship to material goods: do not accumulate
Matthew 6, 22-23: New relationship to material goods: correct vision
Matthew 6, 24: New relationship to material goods: God and money
Matthew 6, 25-34: New relationship to material goods: abandonment in Providence.
Today’s Gospel treats three themes: alms giving (6, 1-4), prayer (6, 5-6) and fasting (6, 16-18). These are three works of piety of the Jews.
• Matthew 6,1: Be careful not to parade your uprightness to attract attention. Jesus criticises those who do the good works to be seen by men (Mt 6,1). Jesus asks to build up interior security not in what we do for God, but in what God does for us. From the advise that he gives there results a new type of relationship with God: “Your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you” (Mt 6,4). "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6, 8). "If you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive your failings” (Mt 6, 14). It is a new way which opens itself now to have access to the Heart of God our Father. Jesus does not allow that the practice of justice and of piety be used as a means for self promotion before God and before the community (Mt 6, 2.5.16).
• Matthew 6, 2-4: How to practice almsgiving. To give alms is a way of sharing, very recommended by the first Christians (Ac 2, 44-45; 4, 32-35). The person who practices alms giving and sharing to promote herself before others merits to be excluded from the community, as it happened to Ananias and Saphira (Ac 5, 1-11). Today, in society as well as in the Church, there are persons who make great publicity of the good that they do to others. Jesus asks the contrary: to do good in such a way that the left hand does not know what the right hand does. It is the total detachment and the total gift in total gratuity of the love which believes in God the Father and imitates all that he does.
• Matthew 6, 5-6: How to practice prayer. Prayer places the person in direct relationship with God. Some Pharisees transformed prayer into an occasion to show themselves before others. At that time, when the trumpet sounded in the three moments of prayer, morning, noon and evening, they should stop in the place where they were to pray. There were people who sought to be in the corners in public places, in such a way that everybody would see that they were praying. Well then, such an attitude perverts our relationship with God. This is false and has no sense. This is why, Jesus says that it is better to close up oneself in our room to pray in secret, maintaining the authenticity of the relationship. God sees you even in secret, and he always listens to you. It is a question of a personal prayer, not of a community prayer.
• Matthew 6, 16-18: How to practice fasting. At that time the practice of fasting was accompanied by some very visible external gestures: not to wash one’s face, not to comb one’s hair, use sober dresses. These were visible signs of fasting. Jesus criticises this form of fasting and orders to do the contrary, and thus others cannot become aware that you are fasting: bathe, use perfume, and comb your hair well. In this way, only your Father who sees in secret knows that you are fasting and he will reward you.
4) Personal questions
• When you pray, how do you live your
relationship with God?
• How do you live your relationship with others in the family and in community?
• How do you live your relationship with others in the family and in community?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh, what quantities of good things you
have in store
for those who fear you,
and bestow on those who make you their refuge,
for all humanity to see. (Ps 31,19)
for those who fear you,
and bestow on those who make you their refuge,
for all humanity to see. (Ps 31,19)
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