Thursday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 215
Lectionary: 215
Beloved, we love
God because
he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 14 AND 15BC, 17
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
GospelLK 4:14-22
Jesus returned to
Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
Meditation: "All wondered at Jesus' gracious words"
What can bring us true freedom and
joy? In Jesus we see the healing power of God's love and mercy in action.
Wherever Jesus went, people gathered to hear him speak about the kingdom of God
and God's promise to bring freedom and healing to those who put their trust in
God. His gracious words brought hope, joy, and favor to those who were ready to
receive him. Jesus began his public ministry in his own land of Galilee where
he was reared. His proclamation of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy of
Isaiah brought wonder to the people. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah
would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those oppressed by
sin and evil (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus awakened their hope in the promises of
God. They, in turn, received his words favorably and wondered what would become
of "Joseph's son". Their hearts were hungry for the word of life and
they looked to Jesus with anticipation and wonder. Do you look to Jesus with
confidence and hope in the fulfillment of all God's promises?
The word "gospel" literally means "good
news". Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of
the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those who suffered from physical, mental,
or spiritual oppression (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus came to set people free, not
only from their infirmities, but from the worst affliction of all – the tyranny
of slavery to sin, Satan, and the fear of losing one's life. God's power alone
can save us from dejection, hopelessness, and emptiness of life. The gospel of
salvation is "good news" for everyone who will receive it. Do you
know the joy and freedom of the gospel?
"Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and
dreams. Through the gift of your Holy Spirit you bring us truth, freedom, and
abundant life. Fill me with the joy of the gospel and inflame my heart with
love and zeal for you and for your kingdom of peace and righteousness".
 The Awesome Presence |
|
Thursday after
Epiphany
|
|
Luke 4:14-22
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of
the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in
their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had
grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath
day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He
unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: "The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad
tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and
recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim
a year acceptable to the Lord." Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back
to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked
intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is
fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed
at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, welcome into the temple of my soul. I
know that you will root up and tear down, heal and sanctify, making there a
holy and righteous place that has always been intended for you. Only you have
the power to unlock the sanctuary of my heart; only you build what will last
forever. I trustfully open my entire self to you now, so that your words can
shape my thoughts, so that your love can penetrate my heart, so that no
disorder of soul may remain in me.
Petition:Lord, grant me a greater reverence for you.
1. He Returned in the Power of the
Spirit: The Spirit appears
in the world to unite heaven’s plan to that of earth, and it does so here
with every move of Christ. Christ’s whole mission is nothing other than the
fulfillment of the passage he reads. Our vocation in life is nothing other
than fulfilling our baptismal commission by the Holy Spirit. Our Lord shows
himself, therefore, to be no one-man show. He, the Son, is sent and works in
communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and from here all his
fruitfulness and power flows. Our mission must truly make us feel “sent.” It
compels us to bear fruit through acts of obedience and love. Heaven seeks to
deliver its plan to me in this prayer. May I be attentive to all that the
Holy Spirit prompts me to do.
2. “He Unrolled the Scroll…. ‘Today This
Passage Is Fulfilled in Your Hearing’”: Man is given a response to the eternal
question found in Revelation 5:2: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and
break its seals?” Contemplate this solemn moment when the Word reveals
himself among men: Many could read from the scroll, but only one was worthy
to unlock its salvific power. Many could recite the texts, but only one could
set them ablaze in their hearts. Many could preach with fascination, but only
one could satisfy their hunger for the fullness of truth. Our words are an
empty breath without Christ’s voice; our labors are to no end, if our actions
are not Christ’s. Only one person by right can change the human heart, and we
in truth can only be apostles when Christ is the one who moves our hand.
3. All Were Amazed at the Words That Came
from His Mouth: The
precise nature of these words is not revealed to us here, as if to mean that
the person of Christ himself is the revelation. Christ, in the totality of
his person, comes to lighten our burdens and lift our spirits in a way no
teaching, no miraculous event, no cure left to itself ever could. Divine
providence has secured for us many goods in life, but all goods fail us if
they do not come with Christ in all the power and intimacy that is
God-among-us.
Conversation with Christ:Lord, I seek to revere you and honor you as
the center of my life. I work now with a holy ambition to ensure your throne
is firmly established in my heart. Teach me to let nothing usurp what belongs
to you in my life. Let me not build a life of empty self-sufficiency, lest I
lose the experiences of your power and grace I could have.
Resolution:I will visit our Lord in the Eucharist today
for the sake of honoring him for his greatness and thanking him for his
active presence in my life.
|
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, LUKE 4:14-22a
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 4:19―5:4; Psalm 72)
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 4:19―5:4; Psalm 72)
KEY VERSE: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor" (v 18).
READING: The synagogue developed as a result of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 587 BCE, and the subsequent Exile in Babylon. With the sacrificial cult no longer possible, the synagogue was necessary for the survival of Judaism. The synagogue service consisted of singing a Psalm, the recitation of the Shema ("Hear!" Dt. 6:4-9), a Jewish expression of faith in the one true God; a reading from the Torah (the law and the Prophets), and the Priestly Blessing (Nm 6:24-36), which was led by the synagogue president. The readings of the entire Pentateuch were covered in a three year cycle, much like our Christian lectionary today. Any well instructed male member of the assembly could be called upon to read and interpret the scriptures. On one occasion, Jesus was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read (Is 61:1-2). The passage spoke of the restoration of Israel through the work of God's anointed one (Messiah in Hebrew, Christos in Greek). Jesus declared that Isaiah's words applied to his own mission to announce a Jubilee year of God's favor, and to bring good news to the poor and afflicted. Although the people were amazed by Jesus' words, many rejected him as they did the prophets before him.
REFLECTING: In what ways have I brought glad tidings to my community?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to bring good news to the needy and oppressed.
Lord, every nation on earth will adore you
‘He has sent me to bring the Good News.’It’s not always easy to stand up in front of the people who have known us all our lives, or who know us best, to make a bold statement. Jesus did this without hesitation and in that moment those who knew him best supported him. Messages of liberation and freedom bring with them a sense of hope and purpose. The central message is that God loves us, God frees us through the gift of Jesus Christ, God brings renewal, life and freedom. In essence, in every action and movement and moment, God is love. God invites us into love. God calls us to live loving lives. We are only asked to live what has been modelled for us from the very centre of God’s being.
January 9
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
Though St. Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop
of Canterbury, England, Pope St. Vitalian accepted the rejection on the
condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian
accepted, but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in
Canterbury.
Born in
Africa, Adrian was serving as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of
Canterbury appointed him abbot of the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul in
Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills, the facility became one of the
most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding
scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and
archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and Latin and spoke Latin as
well as their own native languages.
Adrian
taught at the school for 40 years. He died there, probably in the year 710, and
was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction
was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word
spread, people flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had
it that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits
there.
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 4,14-22A
Lectio:
Thursday, January 9, 2014
1) Opening prayer
God our Father,
through Christ your Son
the hope of eternal life dawned on our world.
Give to us the light of faith
that we may always acknowledge him as our Redeemer
and come to the glory of his kingdom,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
through Christ your Son
the hope of eternal life dawned on our world.
Give to us the light of faith
that we may always acknowledge him as our Redeemer
and come to the glory of his kingdom,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 4,14-22a
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee;
and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their
synagogues and everyone glorified him. He came to Nazareth, where he had been
brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did.
He stood up to read, and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written: The spirit of the
Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the
oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today even while you are listening.'
And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today even while you are listening.'
And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
3) Reflection
• Animated by the Spirit, Jesus returns toward Galilee and
begins to announce the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Being in the community
and teaching in the Synagogues, he reaches Nazareth, where he grew up. He was
returning to the community, where, since he was small, had participated in the
celebration during thirty years. The following Saturday, according to his
custom, he went to the Synagogue to be with the people and to participate in
the celebrations.
• Jesus rises to go to read. He chooses a text from Isaiah which speaks about the poor, of the prisoners, of the blind and the oppressed. The text reflects the situation of the people of Galilee, in the time of Jesus. In the name of God, Jesus takes a stand to defend the life of his people, and with the words of Isaiah, he defines his mission: to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to proclaim freedom to the prisoners, to restore sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. Going back to the ancient tradition of the prophets, he proclaims: “a year of grace of the Lord”. He proclaims a jubilee year. Jesus wants to reconstruct the community, the clan in such a way that once again it may be the expression of their faith in God! And then, if God is Father/Mother of all we should all be brothers and sisters of one another.
• In ancient Israel, the great family, the clan or the community, was the basis of social living together. It was the protection of the families and of the persons, the guarantee of the possession of the land, the principal channel of tradition and of the defence of the people. It was a concrete way of embodying the love of God in the love for neighbour. To defend the clan, the community, was the same as defending the Covenant with God. In Galilee at the time of Jesus, there was a two-fold segregation, that of the politics of Herod Antipas (4 BC to 39 AD) and the segregation of the official religion. And this because of the system of exploitation and of repression of the politics of Herod Antipas supported by the Roman Empire. Many people were homeless, excluded and without work (Lk 14, 21; Mt 20, 3.5-6). The result was that the clan, the community, was weakened. The families and the persons remained without any help, without any defence. And the official religion maintained by the religious authorities of the time, instead of strengthening the community, in a way in which it could receive and accept the excluded, strengthened this segregation even more. The Law of God was used to legitimize the exclusion of many people: women, children, Samaritans, foreigners, lepers, possessed, Publicans, sick, mutilated, paraplegic. It was all the contrary of the Fraternity which God had dreamt for all! And this was the political and economic situation, as well as the religious ideology, everything conspired to weaken the local community more and hinder, in this way, the manifestation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ program, based on the prophecy of Isaiah, offered an alternative.
• After finishing the reading, Jesus updated the text applying it to the life of the people, saying: “Today, this reading, which you have heard with your own ears, has been fulfilled!” His way of joining the Bible with the life of the people, produced a two-fold reaction. Some remained surprised, amazed and admired. Others had a negative reaction. Some were scandalized and wanted to have nothing more to do with him. They said: “Is he not the son of Joseph?” (Lk 4, 22). Why were they scandalized? Because Jesus says to accept and receive the poor, the blind, the oppressed. But they did not accept his proposal. And thus, when he presented his project to accept the excluded, he himself was excluded!
• Jesus rises to go to read. He chooses a text from Isaiah which speaks about the poor, of the prisoners, of the blind and the oppressed. The text reflects the situation of the people of Galilee, in the time of Jesus. In the name of God, Jesus takes a stand to defend the life of his people, and with the words of Isaiah, he defines his mission: to proclaim the Good News to the poor, to proclaim freedom to the prisoners, to restore sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. Going back to the ancient tradition of the prophets, he proclaims: “a year of grace of the Lord”. He proclaims a jubilee year. Jesus wants to reconstruct the community, the clan in such a way that once again it may be the expression of their faith in God! And then, if God is Father/Mother of all we should all be brothers and sisters of one another.
• In ancient Israel, the great family, the clan or the community, was the basis of social living together. It was the protection of the families and of the persons, the guarantee of the possession of the land, the principal channel of tradition and of the defence of the people. It was a concrete way of embodying the love of God in the love for neighbour. To defend the clan, the community, was the same as defending the Covenant with God. In Galilee at the time of Jesus, there was a two-fold segregation, that of the politics of Herod Antipas (4 BC to 39 AD) and the segregation of the official religion. And this because of the system of exploitation and of repression of the politics of Herod Antipas supported by the Roman Empire. Many people were homeless, excluded and without work (Lk 14, 21; Mt 20, 3.5-6). The result was that the clan, the community, was weakened. The families and the persons remained without any help, without any defence. And the official religion maintained by the religious authorities of the time, instead of strengthening the community, in a way in which it could receive and accept the excluded, strengthened this segregation even more. The Law of God was used to legitimize the exclusion of many people: women, children, Samaritans, foreigners, lepers, possessed, Publicans, sick, mutilated, paraplegic. It was all the contrary of the Fraternity which God had dreamt for all! And this was the political and economic situation, as well as the religious ideology, everything conspired to weaken the local community more and hinder, in this way, the manifestation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ program, based on the prophecy of Isaiah, offered an alternative.
• After finishing the reading, Jesus updated the text applying it to the life of the people, saying: “Today, this reading, which you have heard with your own ears, has been fulfilled!” His way of joining the Bible with the life of the people, produced a two-fold reaction. Some remained surprised, amazed and admired. Others had a negative reaction. Some were scandalized and wanted to have nothing more to do with him. They said: “Is he not the son of Joseph?” (Lk 4, 22). Why were they scandalized? Because Jesus says to accept and receive the poor, the blind, the oppressed. But they did not accept his proposal. And thus, when he presented his project to accept the excluded, he himself was excluded!
4) Personal questions
• Jesus joined the faith in God with the social situation of his
people. And I, how do I live my faith in God?
• Where I live, are there any blind, prisoners, oppressed? What do I do?
• Where I live, are there any blind, prisoners, oppressed? What do I do?
5) Concluding prayer
May his name be blessed for ever,
and endure in the sight of the sun.
In him shall be blessed every race in the world,
and all nations call him blessed. (Ps 72,17)
and endure in the sight of the sun.
In him shall be blessed every race in the world,
and all nations call him blessed. (Ps 72,17)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét