Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary:
474
Brothers and sisters:
You were at that time without Christ,
alienated from the community ofIsrael
and strangers to the covenants of promise,
without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the Blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, he made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his Flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one Body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
You were at that time without Christ,
alienated from the community of
and strangers to the covenants of promise,
without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the Blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, he made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his Flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one Body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9ab-10, 11-12,
13-14
R. (see 9) The Lord speaks of peace to his
people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD--for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD--for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Gospel Lk 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants."
"Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants."
Meditation: "Blessed are they who open at once
when he knocks"
Are you ever caught off guard
when someone shows up unexpectely to get something from you or to see how you
are doing? The Boy Scouts have as their motto, Be Prepared! Jesus'
master-servant parables seem to extol the virtue of preparedness. But there is
something deeper and even more important behind it. There is an element of
surprise in the story of the master returning home at a late hour after
attending a marriage feast. Will the master catch his servant sleeping rather
than keeping watchful guard? And what about the reward promised for those who
faithfully perform their duty, day in and day out, no matter what the
circumstances? The image Jesus uses here is a great wedding feast in
which the master honors his guests by seating them himself and personally waiting
on them. What a great reversal – the master becomes a servant to show his
respect and honor for his beloved guests!This parable contains a lesson in faithfulness and a warning against sloth.Why is faithfulness so important to God? For one, it's the foundation for any lasting and meaningful relationship. Faithfulness or fidelity allows us to persevere in living out an unswerving commitment. The Lord is committed to us in a bond of unbreakable love and fidelity. That is what covenant means – keeping one's word, promise, and commitment no matter how tough or difficult it gets. Faithfulness is a key character trait of God and one that he expects of us. Fortunately God gives the grace and strength to be faithful. He also rewards faithfulness. Why is fidelity, commitment, and faithfulness so difficult today? Many today in western society extol freedom over fidelity and don't want to be bound to an unknown or uncertain future. It's regarded as inconvenient and a burden to the pursuit of the individual's interests. We badly need to recover this virtue, not only for our own sake, but for the sake of future generations as well. If we want to pass on the faith then we need to first be faithful models for our young people.
Faithfulness demands consistency, a determination to stay the course and see the task to its completion. Cal Ripken, an American baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, is a sports hero and a legend to many simply because he always showed up for the game and gave his best. He didn't miss one game in 16 years of playing baseball! That's a total of 2,632 consecutive games. Only one other baseball player in history has come close to that record. In 1983 he hurt his hand sliding on artificial turf and was unable to grip the bat at first; he somehow gritted his teeth and got five hits that night, two of them home runs.
God loves faithfulness. That is why we can always expect God to give us what he promises. In turn, God expects us to be faithful to him and to one another. How can we grow in faithfulness? God's grace shows us the way. When we are faithful in the little tasks and promises we make, we learn to be faithful in the bigger and more important responsibilities and tasks entrusted to us. Our reward is the Lord Jesus himself who shares with us his joy and friendship – "well done good and faithful servant ..enter into the joy of your Master" (Matthew 25:21).
"Lord Jesus, you are faithful even when I fail. Help me to persevere in faithfulness and not shrink back in the face of challenges or difficulties. May I never forget your presence with me and may I always be ready to receive you when you call me to your home."
www.dailyscripture.net
 Spiritual Readiness |
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Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
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Father Steven Reilly, LC Listen to podcast version here. Jesus said to his disciples: "Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master´s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants." Introductory Prayer: Lord, you watch my every action, know my every thought, and guide my every path. I love and trust in your will. Thank you for this time of prayer. From it may I receive the spiritual energy I need to keep my eyes firmly planted on you today and to remain confident that you are always at my side. Petition: Lord, help me always to be alert to the needs of others. 1. Watch and Pray: Being blindsided is no fun. Those unexpected surprises are particularly annoying when we feel someone should have warned us. “Please make sure you tell me about this next time” is a familiar refrain. When it comes to the questions about the afterlife, if we are blindsided we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Christ has given us more than adequate warning. Neither death nor his coming in glory to judge humanity should catch us off guard. The key to preparedness lies in his admonition to his disciples: “Watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41). 2. Master or Servant: Imagine Jesus’ joy in welcoming one of his “good and faithful servants” into heaven. He said that he will sit us down and serve us dinner. That beautiful image reminds us that the hard work of being faithful will not lack its reward. More than anything, it points to Jesus’ gratitude: the Master becomes the servant for his loyal disciples. After all that the Lord has done for us, what else would we rather do than to give Christ the joy of our faithfulness? 3. The Long Haul: Jesus talks about the master of the house possibly arriving at the “second or third watch of the night.” Being faithful isn’t a fling or a flash in the pan. We know that there will be “ups and downs,” moments of two steps forward and one back. Through it all we are called to persevere. Going the distance is not easy, but how beautiful it is! Pope John Paul the II gave us an indelible example of perseverance. When we heard that he had passed away, all of us felt sadness until we considered the joy of imagining the embrace between him and the Lord he loved so much. May our own example bear witness to our desire to persevere — to stick with the commitment of fidelity until the Lord calls us home. Conversation with Christ: Whether life is long or short, Lord, I have to be ready for whatever your providence brings. I want to persevere, but so often my love is undermined by my fears and frailty. Give me the strength I need. Resolution: I will review my life choices to make sure that I am persevering in all that I have promised Christ. |
TUESDAY,
OCTOBER 23
LUKE 12:35-38
(Ephesians 2:12-22; Psalm 85)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival" (v 37).
READING
REFLECTING: Am I a good steward of the time, treasure and talents the Lord has given me?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be a faithful and trustworthy servant.
LUKE 12:35-38
(Ephesians 2:12-22; Psalm 85)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival" (v 37).
REFLECTING: Am I a good steward of the time, treasure and talents the Lord has given me?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be a faithful and trustworthy servant.
Optional Memorial
of John of Capistrano, priest
John was born atCapistrano ,
Italy Naples Naples appointed him governor
of Perugia Italy , Germany ,
Bohemia , Austria ,
Hungary , Poland , and Russia Constantinople
to the Muslim Turks, John was commissioned by Pope Callistus II at age 70 to
lead a Crusade against them. He marched off at the head of 70,000 Christian
soldiers. He won the great battle of Belgrade
www.daily-word-of-life.comJohn was born at
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Jesus warns us to be prepared for the unexpected.
How best to do this? Life is so fleeting. This year seems to have already vanished into the mist and there seems barely any time between one Christmas and the next. No one knows when Jesus will come as the Divine Thief, so we would do well to remain steadfast in hope and be faithful to the small things.
The fruits of the Spirit, given freely to those who pray for them, are for living out in our relationships with others. We are called always to be more prepared to serve than to be served. Lord, I pray to be generous, caring and authentic, if I am to be leaven in the world. Grant that I may be unafraid when disaster strikes, knowing deeply that you hold me in the palm of your hand.
www.churchresources.info
October 23
St. Hilarion
(c. 291-371)
Despite his best efforts to live in prayer and solitude, today’s
saint found it difficult to achieve his deepest desire. People were naturally
drawn to Hilarion as a source of spiritual wisdom and peace. He had reached
such fame by the time of his death that his body had to be secretly removed so
that a shrine would not be built in his honor. Instead, he was buried in his
home village.
St.
Hilarion the Great, as he is sometimes called, was born in As his fame grew, a small group of disciples wanted to follow Hilarion. He began a series of journeys to find a place where he could live away from the world. He finally settled on
Hilarion is celebrated as the founder of monasticism in
October 23
(1386-1456)
It has been said the Christian saints
are the world’s greatest optimists. Not blind to the existence and consequences
of evil, they base their confidence on the power of Christ’s redemption. The
power of conversion through Christ extends not only to sinful people but also
to calamitous events.
Imagine
being born in the 14th century. One-third of the population and nearly 40
percent of the clergy were wiped out by the bubonic plague. The Western Schism
split the Church with two or three claimants to the Holy See at one time. John Capistrano was born in 1386. His education was thorough. His talents and success were great. When he was 26 he was made governor of
His preaching attracted great throngs at a time of religious apathy and confusion. He and 12 Franciscan brethren were received in the countries of central
The Franciscan Order itself was in turmoil over the interpretation and observance of the Rule of St. Francis. Through John’s tireless efforts and his expertise in law, the heretical Fraticelli were suppressed and the "Spirituals" were freed from interference in their stricter observance.
He helped bring about a reunion with the Greek and
When the Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, he was commissioned to preach a crusade for the defense of
Comment:
John Hofer, a biographer of John Capistrano, recalls aBrussels
John Hofer, a biographer of John Capistrano, recalls a
Quote:
On the saint's tomb in the Austrian town of Villach, the governor had this message inscribed: "This tomb holds John, by birth of Capistrano, a man worthy of all praise, defender and promoter of the faith, guardian of the Church, zealous protector of his Order, an ornament to all the world, lover of truth and religious justice, mirror of life, surest guide in doctrine; praised by countless tongues, he reigns blessed in heaven." That is a fitting epitaph for a real and successful optimist.
On the saint's tomb in the Austrian town of Villach, the governor had this message inscribed: "This tomb holds John, by birth of Capistrano, a man worthy of all praise, defender and promoter of the faith, guardian of the Church, zealous protector of his Order, an ornament to all the world, lover of truth and religious justice, mirror of life, surest guide in doctrine; praised by countless tongues, he reigns blessed in heaven." That is a fitting epitaph for a real and successful optimist.
Patron
Saint of:
Judges
Judges
LECTIO: LUKE 12,35-38
Lectio:
Tuesday, October 23,
2012
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty and
everlasting God,
our source of power
and inspiration,
give us strength and
joy
in serving you as
followers of Christ,
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: 'See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit. Be like
people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open
the door as soon as he comes and knocks.
Blessed those servants
whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you, he will do up
his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them.
It may be in the
second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those servants if
he finds them ready.
3) Reflection
• By means of the
parable the gospel today exhorts us to be vigilant.
• Luke 12, 35:
Exhortation to be vigilant, watchful. "Be ready and have your belts done
up and your lamps lit”. To gird oneself meant to take a cloth or a cord and put
it around the robe. To be girded meant to be ready, prepared for immediate
action. Before the flight from Egypt, at the moment of celebrating the
Passover, the Israelites had to gird themselves, that is be prepared, ready to
be able to leave immediately (EX 12,11). When someone goes to work, to fight or
to execute a task he girds himself (Ct 3, 8). In the letter of Paul to the
Ephesians he describes the armour of God and he says that your waist must be
girded with the waist of truth (Ep 6, 14). The lamps should be lit, because to
watch is the task to be carried out during the day as well as during the night.
Without light one cannot go in the darkness of the night.
• Luke 12, 36: A
parable. In order to explain what it means to be girded,
Jesus tells a brief parable. “Be like people waiting for their master to return
from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks”.
The task of waiting for the arrival of the master demands constant and
permanent vigilance, especially during the night, because one does not know at
what time the master will return. The employee has to be always attentive and
vigilant.
• Luke 12, 37: Promise
of happiness. “Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he
comes; In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and
wait on them”. Here in this promise of happiness, things turn up side down; the
master becomes the employee and begins to serve the employee who becomes the
master. At the Last Supper Jesus recalls that even though he is Lord and
Master, he becomes the servant of all (Jn 13, 4-17).The happiness promised has
something to do with the future, with happiness at the end of time, and opposed
to what Jesus promised in the other parable when he said: “Which of you, with a
servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the
fields, come and have your meal at once? Would he be not more likely to say,
‘Get my supper ready; fasten your belt and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You yourself can eat and drink afterwards? Must he be grateful to the servant
for doing what he was told? So with you, when you have done all you have been
told to do, say, ‘we are useless servants; we have done no more than our duty”
(Lk 17, 7-10).
• Luke 12, 38: He
repeats the promise of happ8iness. “And if he comes at midnight, or at dawn,
and finds those servants ready, blessed are they!” He repeats the promise of
happiness which requires total vigilance. The master could return at midnight,
at three o’clock in the morning, or at any other moment. The employee must be
girded, ready to be able to do his work immediately.
4) Personal questions
• We are employees of
God. We should be girded, ready, attentive and vigilant twenty-four hours a
day. Do you succeed to do this? How do you do it?
• The promise of
future happiness is the opposite of the present. What does this reveal to us of
the goodness of God for us, for me?
5) Concluding prayer
I am listening. What
is God's message?
Yahweh's message is
peace for his people.
His saving help is
near for those who fear him,
his glory will dwell
in our land. (Ps 85,8-9)
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