FEBRUARY 09, 2014 : FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME year A

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 73

Reading 1IS 58:7-10

Thus says the LORD:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

Responsorial Psalm PS 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R/ (4a) The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
R/ The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
R/ The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
His justice shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R/ The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R/ Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 COR 2:1-5

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.

Gospel MT 5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

February 9, 2014 Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

This weekend, the readings call us to consider the meaning of our Christian call and the way in which we live it out from day to day. Isaiah reminds Israel of the real meaning of the religious rituals and of the need to live that meaning out in concern for justice, and care for the poor, the sick and the oppressed. Paul reminds us that our faith rests on the power and grace of God and not on the eloquence of our preachers and the logic of our instruction. It is the Crucified and Risen One Who is the foundation of our faith and not earthly wisdom. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that our faith must be seen, by others. We are meant to influence the world around us, not to be influenced by it.

First Reading: Isaiah 58: 7-10

7 Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.

8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10 If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday;

NOTES on First Reading:

* 58:7 The Lectionary adds,"Thus says the LORD," to the beginning of the reading to indicate who is speaking. These are the acts mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46 upon which depends the eschatological judgment of the nations.

* 58:8-14 This section is really a series of promises of salvation and deliverance which are tied into the previous section by the use of key words such as: call out (vv. 1, 5, 9), oppressed (vv. 6, 9), bread (vv. 7, 10), afflicted (3, 7, 10), pleasure (vv. 2, 3, 13) and day (vv. 3, 5, 13). In summary, when lowliness, humility and righteousness unite a community of men and women, God's glorious presence shall rest upon them.

* 58:10-11 When the rich, by fasting, become poor in spirit, and the poor impart their attitude of humble waiting upon God to the rich, then God will answer with "glory", "light", and "springs of water".

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, 4 and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

NOTES on Second Reading:

* 2:1 The mystery of God is His plan for the salvation of His people which, from 1 Cor 18-25; 2:2,8-10, clearly involves Jesus and the cross. Instead of mystery, many other good manuscripts read "testimony" (see 1 Cor 1:6).

* 2:3 Paul reflects the weakness of the crucified Jesus in his own bearing (see 2 Cor 10-13). Reverential fear which is based on a sense of God's transcendence is reflected in fear and much trembling. This reverence permeates Paul's existence and preaching. Paul uses the same expression in his advice to the Philippians to work out their salvation with "fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12), because the same God is at work in them Whose exalting power was at work in the emptying, humiliation, and obedience of Jesus to death on the cross (Phil 2:6-11).

* 2:4 Whichever of the various readings for this verse is accepted, the point is the same. Simply stated, the inefficacy of human wisdom for salvation is contrasted with the power of the cross of Jesus.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5: 13-16

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

NOTES on Gospel:

* 5:13-16 In this section of the sermon Jesus emphasizes the personal involvement of the disciples by constant use of the pronouns "you" and "your." Salt and light are common ancient images.

* 5:13 Some consider this to refer to the salt that came from the Dead Sea which was often an unstable combination of salts. This salt was quite capable of deteriorating and going bad. Others take this to refer to even pure salt which could not loose its flavor but could become ritually unclean and thus be unusable and be thrown out. Jesus compares a disciple who looses his passion for following the Master with salt that has gone bad. Salt which acts as both a spice and a preservative was also an image of a good teacher who enhanced and preserved the student's life by his teaching.

* 5:15-16 The good deeds of the disciples are to influence the world. The followers of Jesus can no more escape notice than a city set on a mountain. If they fail to perform these good works, the disciples of Jesus are as useless as a lamp whose light is concealed.

* 5:16 The good deeds done by the disciples are not to lead to arrogance but to the conversion of many.

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

Meditation: "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world"

What can salt and light have to teach us about God and his reign on earth? Jesus used ordinary images, such as salt and light, to convey extraordinary truths about the kingdom of God. Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world.  People traded with it, like we trade with gold and stock.  Salt also served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration.  Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling.  Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world.  As salt purifies, preserves, and penetrates, so the disciple must be as salt in the world of human society to purify, preserve, and penetrate that society for the kingdom of God and of his righteousness and peace.

Jesus also used the image of light and a lamp to further his illustration. Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling.   The Jews also understood “light” as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God.  In his light we see light ( Psalm 36:9).  His word is a lamp that guides our steps (Psalm 119:105). God’s grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace.  Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God’s kingdom.  In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.

Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are.  And how tempting to hide them form others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all.  There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God’s light and who seek this truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God’s light?

“Lord, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and deed”.

www.dailyscripture.net

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, MATTHEW 5:13-16
(Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

KEY VERSE: “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world" (v 13, 14).
READING: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spelled out what it meant to be a living sign of God's reign. In order to influence the world for good, a disciple must be like "salt" that caused others to thirst for God. In the ancient world salt was highly valued, so much so that it was often used as currency ("salary"). Salt was also used to preserve food from corruption, and to give it flavor. Jesus compared those who no longer savored God's truth with the process of cooking. In Palestine, salt was laid at the base of the oven in order to retain the heat. After a certain length of time the salt lost its power to heat and it was removed and thrown out on the ground. Jesus' disciples could offer an important ingredient that added zest to peoples’ lives and help to preserve them from evil. Jesus also commanded his followers to do what he did, to give light to the world (Jn 8:12). The houses in Palestine were very dark with only a small window to give light. A lamp was placed on a lampstand so that it would provide illumination for the whole household. Jesus’ disciples should be beacons of light to those who lost their way. But if we are to be light we must be willing to be used up like the oil in the lamp. Like John the Baptist, we must decrease so that Christ's light will increase (Jn 3:30). When others see this light they will give glory to God alone.
REFLECTING: How can I be "salt" and "light" to my community?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to live in such a way that others can "taste and see how good the Lord is" (Ps 34:9).

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Sincerity

As Christians, one of our most needed characteristics is sincerity. In all that we say and do, we must consistently portray the goodness of Christ. May our sincerity be a reflection of the nature of Christ for all the world to see.

— from Lily of the Mohawks

 A light rises in the darkness for the upright

Who am I that my light should burn brightly?
Who are we that we should not? We are children of God. As a baptised people it is our basic calling to share the love of God in the world. From Isaiah to Corinthians to Matthew, the call is to give to those around us - give materially, give the Gospel message, give God’s love and light. This is sometimes a bigger ask than we are prepared for. As we approach the season of Lent, it is an appropriate time to begin to reflect upon how each of us might live our baptism more fully, and what this might look like, so that the world will be filled with the light of God.

www.pray.com.au

February 9
St. Jerome Emiliani
(1481?-1537)

A careless and irreligious soldier for the city-state of Venice, Jerome was captured in a skirmish at an outpost town and chained in a dungeon. In prison Jerome had a lot of time to think, and he gradually learned how to pray. When he escaped, he returned to Venice where he took charge of the education of his nephews—and began his own studies for the priesthood.

In the years after his ordination, events again called Jerome to a decision and a new lifestyle. Plague and famine swept northern Italy. Jerome began caring for the sick and feeding the hungry at his own expense. While serving the sick and the poor, he soon resolved to devote himself and his property solely to others, particularly to abandoned children. He founded three orphanages, a shelter for penitent prostitutes and a hospital.

Around 1532 Jerome and two other priests established a congregation, the Clerks Regular of Somasca, dedicated to the care of orphans and the education of youth. Jerome died in 1537 from a disease he caught while tending the sick. He was canonized in 1767. In 1928 Pius Xl named him the patron of orphans and abandoned children.

Comment:

Very often in our lives it seems to take some kind of “imprisonment” to free us from the shackles of our self-centeredness. When we’re “caught” in some situation we don’t want to be in, we finally come to know the liberating power of Another. Only then can we become another for “the imprisoned” and “the orphaned” all around us.

Quote:

“‘The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God gives a home to the forsaken; he leads forth prisoners to prosperity; only rebels remain in the parched land’ (Psalm 68).... We should not forget the growing number of persons who are often abandoned by their families and by the community: the old, orphans, the sick and all kinds of people who are rejected…. We must be prepared to take on new functions and new duties in every sector of human activity and especially in the sector of world society, if justice is really to be put into practice. Our action is to be directed above all at those men and nations which, because of various forms of oppression and because of the present character of our society, are silent, indeed voiceless, victims of injustice” (Justice in the World, 1971 World Synod of Bishops).

Patron Saint of:

Orphans, abandoned children

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: 5TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (A)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, February 9, 2014  

Salt of the earth and light of the world
Listen to the Word of Jesus,
beginning with today’s experience
Matthew 5, 13-16

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) Key for the reading of both parables:

If you have a change to read Matthew  5, 1-12 which meditated on the eight Beatitudes. The Beautitudes constitute the beginning of the Sermon on the Mountain and describe the eight doors of entry into the Kingdom of God, by a life in community (Mt 5, 1-12). This Sunday we meditate the continuation (Mt 5, 13-16) which presents two well known parables, of the light and of the salt, with which Jesus describes the mission of the community. The community has to be salt of the earth and light of the world. Salt does not exist for itself, but to give flavour to food. Light does not exist in itself, but to illuminate the road. We, our community, do not exist for ourselves, but for others and for God.
Almost always when Jesus wants to communicate an important message, he has recourse to a parable or to a comparison, taken from daily life. In general, he does not explain the parable, because it is a question of things that we all know from experience. A parable is a provocation, Jesus provokes the audience to use its own personal experience to understand the message which he wants to communicate. In the case of the Gospel of this Sunday, Jesus wants that each one of us analyzes the experience that he has of salt and light to understand the mission that is ours as Christians. In this world, is there someone, perhaps, who does not know what salt is or what light is? Jesus begins with two very common and universal things to communicate his message.

b) A division of the text to help in the reading:

Matthew 5, 13: The Parable of the salt
Matthew 5, 14-15: The Parable of the light
Matthew 5, 16: Application of the parable of the light.

c) The text:

13 'You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet. 14 'You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

i) Which is the part of the text which struck you most? Why?
ii) In the first place, before trying to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words about the salt, try to reflect within yourself on the experience that you have of the salt in your life and try to discover this: “According to me, salt, for what is it good?
iii) Starting then from this personal experience concerning the salt, try to discover the meaning of Jesus’ words for your life and for the life of the community, of the Church. Am I being salt? Is our community being salt? Is the Church being salt?
iv) For you, what meaning does light have in your life? Which is your experience concerning light?
v) Which is the meaning of the parable of the light starting from the application which Jesus himself makes in the parable?

5. For those who desire to deepen more on this theme

a) Context of the discourse of Jesus:

Literary contest. The four verses of the Gospel of this Sunday (Mt 5, 13-16) are found among the eight Beatitudes (Mt 5, 1-12) and the explanation of how the Law transmitted by Moses is to be understood (Mt 5, 17-19). Then follows the new reading which Jesus makes of the commandments of the Law of God (Mt 5,20-48). Jesus asks to consider the purpose of the Law which according to him is contained in the words: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5, 48). Jesus asks us to imitate God! At the origin of this new teaching of Jesus is found the new experience which he has of God the Father. Observing the Law in this way, we will be Salt of the earth and Light of the world.

Historical Context. Many converted Jews continued to be faithful in the observance of the law, just as they had done during their childhood. But now, having accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and, at the same time, being faithful to the teaching received from their parents and the Rabbi, they were cutting themselves out from their Hebrew past, they were expelled from the Synagogues, from the ancient teachers and even from their parents (Mt 10, 21-22). And in their own Christian community, they heard the converted pagans say that the Law of Moses had been surpassed and that it was not necessary to observe it. They were between two fires. On one side, the ancient teachers and companions, excommunicated them. On the other side, the new companions criticized them. All this caused tension and uncertainty in them. The openness of some criticized the closeness of others and vice-versa. This conflict brought about a crisis which led them to close up in their own position. Some wanted to go ahead, others wanted to place the light under the table. And many asked themselves: “But definitively, which is our mission?” The parables of the salt and the light help us to reflect on the mission.

b) Commentary on the text:

Matthew 5, 13: The parable of the salt
Using images of daily life, with simple and direct words, Jesus makes known which is the mission and the reason of being of the Community: to be salt! In that time, because of the great heat, people and animals needed to eat much salt. The salt was delivered in great blocks by the suppliers and these blocks were placed in the public square to be consumed by the people. The salt which remained fell on the ground, was no longer good for anything and it was stepped on by everyone. Jesus recalls this usage to clarify the mission which the disciples have to carry out. Without salt nobody could live, but what remained of the salt was good for nothing.

Matthew 5, 14-16: The Parable of the Light
The comparison is obvious. Nobody lights a candle to place it under the bushel. A city on a mountain top cannot remain hidden. The community must be light, has to illuminate. It must not be afraid to show the good that it does. It does not do it to make it seen, but what it does can and should be seen. Salt does not exist for itself. Light does not exist for itself. This is the way a community should be: it cannot close itself in self.

c) To broaden the vision on the Beatitudes:

I. The parables in the context of the community of that time

Among the converted Jews there were two tendencies. Some thought that it was no longer necessary to observe the Laws of the Old Testament, because we have been saved by faith in Jesus and not by the observance of the Law (Rom 3, 21-26). Others thought that they, being Jews, had to continue to observe the laws of the Old Testament (Ac 15, 1-2). In each one of these two tendencies there were some more radical groups. Before this conflict, Matthew seeks a balance to unite both extremes. The community has to be a space where this balance can be reached and where it can be lived. The community has to be the centre of irradiation of this lived experience and show everyone the true meaning and the objective of the Law of God. The communities cannot go against the Law, nor can they close themselves up in themselves in the observance of the law. Like Jesus, they have to take a step ahead and show in practice the objective which the law wants to attain, that is the perfect practice of love. Living in this way they will be: “Salt of the Earth and Light of the World”.

II. The various tendencies in the communities of the first Christians

* The Pharisees did not recognize the Messiah in Jesus and accepted only the Old Testament. In the communities there were persons who sympathized with the mentality of the Pharisees (Ac 15, 5).
* Some converted Jews accepted Jesus as Messiah, but did not accept the freedom of Spirit with which the communities lived in the presence of the risen Jesus (Ac 15, 1).
* Others, whether converted Jews or Pagans, thought that with Jesus the end of the Old Testament had been attained and that, therefore, it was not necessary to maintain and to read the books of the Old Testament. From now on, only Jesus and the life in the Spirit! James criticizes this tendency (Ac 15,21).
* There were Christians who lived fully their life in community in the freedom of the Spirit that they no longer considered neither the life of Jesus nor the Old Testament. They wanted only the Christ of the Spirit! They said: “Jesus is cursed!” (I co 12,3).
* The great concern in the Gospel of Matthew is that of showing that these three unities: (1) the Old Testament, (2) Jesus of Nazareth and (3) the life in the Spirit, cannot be separated. The three form part of the same and unique project of God and communicate to us the central certainty of faith: the God of Abraham and of Sarah is present in the community thanks to the faith in Jesus of Nazareth.

6. Prayer: Psalm 27

Yahweh is my light

Yahweh is my light and my salvation,
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread?
When the wicked advance against me to eat me up,
they, my opponents, my enemies,
are the ones who stumble and fall.

Though an army pitch camp against me,
my heart will not fear,
though war break out against me,
my trust will never be shaken.

One thing I ask of Yahweh,
one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple.

For he hides me away under his roof on the day of evil,
he folds me in the recesses of his tent,
sets me high on a rock.
Now my head is held high above the enemies who surround me;
in his tent I will offer sacrifices of acclaim.
I will sing, I will make music for Yahweh.

Yahweh, hear my voice as I cry,
pity me, answer me!
Of you my heart has said, 'Seek his face!'
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside your servant in anger,
without you I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me, God, my Saviour.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
Yahweh will gather me up.

Yahweh, teach me your way,
lead me on the path of integrity because of my enemies;
do not abandon me to the will of my foes
false witnesses have risen against me,
and are breathing out violence.

This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh,
in the land of the living.
Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong,
let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

www.ocarm.org