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.
ALLELUIA LK
4:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL LK
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: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me"
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 heaven 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 of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to bring us the kingdom of
heaven?
"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".
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY, LUKE
4:14-22a
(1 John 4:19―5:4; Psalm 72)
(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, just 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.
Thursday 8 January 2015
1 John 4:19 – 5:4. Lord,
every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 71(72):1-2, 14-15, 17. Luke 4:14-22.
‘The Spirit of the Lord has
been given to me.’
Jesus spent forty days in
the wilderness after his baptism by John, forty days to spend alone in prayer,
a time when his resolve was tested.
Returning to Galilee, he
sensed the power of the Holy Spirit and entered the synagogue in Nazareth.
There he read aloud the text that foretold his own role: ‘He has sent me to
bring the good news to the poor, to set the downtrodden free.’
John’s letter continues
this theme: ‘We are to love, then, because he loved us first.’ If we are to
carry on the work of Jesus through our love for others, we need times for
contemplation, especially in our ‘wilderness’ hours. We pray that we can sense
the presence of the Holy Spirit directing our actions.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Count Your Blessings
|
Writing a gratitude list leads to a sense of being cared for. When
we list what we have to be grateful for—beginning with the things we take for
granted—we get a sense of God’s goodness operating in our lives.
January
8
St. Angela of Foligno
(1248-1309)
St. Angela of Foligno
(1248-1309)
Some saints show marks of holiness very early. Not Angela! Born of
a leading family in Foligno, Italy, she became immersed in the quest for wealth
and social position. As a wife and mother, she continued this life of
distraction.
Around
the age of 40 she recognized the emptiness of her life and sought God’s help in
the Sacrament of Penance. Her Franciscan confessor helped Angela to seek God’s
pardon for her previous life and to dedicate herself to prayer and the works of
charity.
Shortly
after her conversion, her husband and children died. Selling most of her
possessions, she entered the Secular Franciscan Order. She was alternately
absorbed by meditating on the crucified Christ and by serving the poor of
Foligno as a nurse and beggar for their needs. Other women joined her in a
religious community.
At her
confessor’s advice, Angela wrote her Book of Visions and Instructions.
In it she recalls some of the temptations she suffered after her conversion;
she also expresses her thanks to God for the Incarnation of Jesus. This book
and her life earned for Angela the title "Teacher of Theologians."
She was beatified in 1693, and canonized in 2013.
Comment:
People who live in the United States today can understand St. Angela’s temptation to increase her sense of self-worth by accumulating money, fame or power. Striving to possess more and more, she became more and more self-centered. When she realized she was priceless because she was created and loved by God, she became very penitential and very charitable to the poor. What had seemed foolish early in her life now became very important. The path of self-emptying she followed is the path all holy men and women must follow.
People who live in the United States today can understand St. Angela’s temptation to increase her sense of self-worth by accumulating money, fame or power. Striving to possess more and more, she became more and more self-centered. When she realized she was priceless because she was created and loved by God, she became very penitential and very charitable to the poor. What had seemed foolish early in her life now became very important. The path of self-emptying she followed is the path all holy men and women must follow.
Quote:
Pope John Paul II wrote: “Christ the Redeemer of the World is the one who penetrated in a unique, unrepeatable way into the mystery of the human person and entered our ‘hearts.’ Rightly therefore does the Second Vatican Council teach: ‘The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of the human person take on light.... Christ the New Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals human beings to themselves and brings to light their most high calling’” (Redemptor Hominis, 8).
Pope John Paul II wrote: “Christ the Redeemer of the World is the one who penetrated in a unique, unrepeatable way into the mystery of the human person and entered our ‘hearts.’ Rightly therefore does the Second Vatican Council teach: ‘The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of the human person take on light.... Christ the New Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals human beings to themselves and brings to light their most high calling’” (Redemptor Hominis, 8).
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 4,14-22A
Lectio:
Thursday, January 8, 2015
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)
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