Monday
of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 371
Lectionary: 371
Shalmaneser,
king of Assyria, occupied the whole land
and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel
the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and deported the children of Israel to Assyria,
setting them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan,
and the cities of the Medes.
This came about because the children of Israel sinned against the LORD,
their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt,
from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
and because they venerated other gods.
They followed the rites of the nations
whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the children of Israel
and the kings of Israel whom they set up.
And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah
by every prophet and seer,
“Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes,
in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers
and which I sent you by my servants the prophets,”
they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers,
who had not believed in the LORD, their God.
They rejected his statutes,
the covenant which he had made with their fathers,
and the warnings which he had given them, till,
in his great anger against Israel,
the LORD put them away out of his sight.
Only the tribe of Judah was left.
and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel
the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and deported the children of Israel to Assyria,
setting them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan,
and the cities of the Medes.
This came about because the children of Israel sinned against the LORD,
their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt,
from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
and because they venerated other gods.
They followed the rites of the nations
whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the children of Israel
and the kings of Israel whom they set up.
And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah
by every prophet and seer,
“Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes,
in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers
and which I sent you by my servants the prophets,”
they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers,
who had not believed in the LORD, their God.
They rejected his statutes,
the covenant which he had made with their fathers,
and the warnings which he had given them, till,
in his great anger against Israel,
the LORD put them away out of his sight.
Only the tribe of Judah was left.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 60:3, 4-5, 12-13
R. (7b) Help
us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
O God, you have rejected us and broken our defenses;
you have been angry; rally us!
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
You have rocked the country and split it open;
repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
You have made your people feel hardships;
you have given us stupefying wine.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
Have not you, O God, rejected us,
so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies?
Give us aid against the foe,
for worthless is the help of men.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
O God, you have rejected us and broken our defenses;
you have been angry; rally us!
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
You have rocked the country and split it open;
repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
You have made your people feel hardships;
you have given us stupefying wine.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
Have not you, O God, rejected us,
so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies?
Give us aid against the foe,
for worthless is the help of men.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
AlleluiaHEB 4:12
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 7:1-5
Jesus
said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
Meditation: "First take the log out of your own
eye"
How do you wish to be judged by others? Everybody is a
critic, but who wants to be judged negatively? Judgmentalism is rampant, even
among Christians. So how can we avoid this poisonous sin and not be
contaminated by the world's view of who is good and who is bad? "Thinking
the best of other people" is necessary if we wish to grow in love. And
kindliness in judgment is nothing less that a sacred duty. The Rabbis warned
people: "He who judges his neighbor favorably will be judged favorably by
God."
Who can judge rightly?
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
Why did Jesus calls his critics hypocrites? Listen to
Augustine of Hippo's (354-430 A.D) explanation of this passage:
"The word hypocrite is aptly employed
here, since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright
persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators,
masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray
another's character through the mask. The word hypocrites in fact signifies
pretenders. Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of
pretenders who under the pretense of seeking advice undertake the censure of
all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice.
"Rather, whenever necessity compels one to
reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and
caution. First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we
ourselves have never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if
we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could
have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our
common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of
correction and admonition. In this way, whether the admonition occasions the
amendment or the worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it (for
the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through
singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same
fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke
that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a
similar concern, without asking him to submit to our correction." (excerpt
fromSERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.19.64)
Merciful healing and removal of sin
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Do you trust in God's mercy and grace? And do you
submit to his truth about what is right and wrong, good and evil, helpful and
harmful for your welfare and the welfare of your neighbor as well? Ask the Lord
to purify your heart with his loving-kindness and mercy that you may have ample
room for charity and forbearance towards your neighbor.
"O Father, give us the humility which realizes
its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice,
accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to
sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to
think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for thy
name's sake. (Prayer of William Barclay, 20th century)
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Judge from justice, forgive from grace,
by Ephrem the Syrian, 306-373 A.D.
"Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may
not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall
you be judged (Matthew 7:2). This is like the phrase 'Forgive, and it will be
forgiven you.' For once someone has judged in accordance with justice, he
should forgive in accordance with grace, so that when he himself is judged in
accordance with justice, he may be worthy of forgiveness through grace.
Alternatively, it was on account of the judges, those who seek vengeance for
themselves, that he said, 'Do not condemn.' That is, do not seek vengeance for
yourselves. Or, do not judge, from appearances and opinion and then condemn,
but admonish and advise." (excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 6.18B)
MONDAY, JUNE 20, MATTHEW 7:1-5
Weekday
Weekday
(2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18; Psalm 60)
KEY VERSE: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged" (v 1).
TO KNOW: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples that God would judge them in the same way that they judged others. He was not telling them to determine whether an act was right or wrong. They had God's law to help them to decide. Nor was he saying that they should approve the wrongdoing of others. What he did address was their hypocritical and judgmental attitude toward the faults of others while refusing to acknowledge their own defects. Jesus used the analogy of trying to remove a tiny splinter from someone's eye, while ignoring the huge plank lodged in their own. With the help of divine light, they would clearly see their own failings and not be looking to condemn the same or worse fault in someone else. St. John Chrysostom explained: "Jesus was not saying we cannot prevent a sinner from sinning; we have to correct him, indeed, though not as the enemy seeking revenge but, rather, as a doctor applying the cure."
TO LOVE: How harshly do I judge others? How lavishly do I love them?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to repair someone's reputation that I may have damaged.
SUMMER
The summer solstice marks the first day of the season of summer (on June 20th or 21st). In the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year is when the Sun is farthest north. The declination of the Sun on the (northern) summer solstice is known as the tropic of cancer. In the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged. The solstice is an astronomical event, caused by Earth’s tilt on its axis, and its motion in orbit around the sun. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, since the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a maximum for the year.
Monday 20 April, 2016
Mon 20th. 2 Kings 17:5-8,
13-15, 18. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us—Ps 59(60):3-5,
12-13. Matthew 7:1-5.
Modern
culture encourages us to be very critical of others.
We are
pressured to expect to have and to everything we desire. We are often critical
in order to avoid acknowledging our own perceived failings, imperfections and
humanness. Fooled into believing that we can only feel good about our own
lives, values, desires and attitudes if we use them as the benchmark for all
that is right and good, we elevate ourselves at others’ expense.
The readings
remind us of the call to God’s way of faithfulness and right living. We
recognise that God continues to call us into a loving relationship, in spite of
who we are. We all fall short and could be judged harshly – yet God loves. Who
are we then, to treat others differently? When we turn to God, we see our own
faults and failings and in turn have a greater compassion for others.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Surrounded By Love
|
I believe in God, patient, welcoming, good like a summer’s night.
I believe in Mary, my mother, who loves me and who will never leave me on my
own.
June 20
St. Paulinus of Nola
(354?-431)
St. Paulinus of Nola
(354?-431)
Anyone
who is praised in the letters of six or seven saints undoubtedly must be of
extraordinary character. Such a person was Paulinus of Nola, correspondent and
friend of Augustine, Jerome, Melania, Martin, Gregory the Great, and
Ambrose.
Born
near Bordeaux, he was the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul, who had extensive
property in both Gaul and Italy. Paulinus became a distinguished lawyer,
holding several public offices in the Roman Empire. With his Spanish wife,
Therasia, he retired at an early age to a life of cultured leisure.
The
two were baptized by the saintly bishop of Bordeaux and moved to Therasia’s
estate in Spain. After many childless years, they had a son who died a week
after birth. This occasioned their beginning a life of great austerity and
charity, giving away most of their Spanish property. Possibly as a result of
this great example, Paulinus was rather unexpectedly ordained a priest at
Christmas by the bishop of Barcelona.
He
and his wife then moved to Nola, near Naples. He had a great love for St. Felix
of Nola, and spent much effort in promoting devotion to this saint. Paulinus
gave away most of his remaining property (to the consternation of his
relatives) and continued his work for the poor. Supporting a host of
debtors, the homeless and other needy people, he lived a monastic
life in another part of his home. By popular demand he was made bishop of Nola
and guided that diocese for 21 years.
His
last years were saddened by the invasion of the Huns. Among his few writings is
the earliest extant Christian wedding song.
Comment:
Many of us are tempted to "retire" early in life, after an initial burst of energy. Devotion to Christ and his work is waiting to be done all around us. Paulinus's life had scarcely begun when he thought it was over, as he took his ease on that estate in Spain. "Man proposes, but God disposes."
Many of us are tempted to "retire" early in life, after an initial burst of energy. Devotion to Christ and his work is waiting to be done all around us. Paulinus's life had scarcely begun when he thought it was over, as he took his ease on that estate in Spain. "Man proposes, but God disposes."
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 7,1-5
Lectio
Divina:
Monday,
June 20, 2016
Ordinary
Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 7,1-5
Jesus
said to his disciples: 'Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the
judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the standard you use
will be the standard used for you. Why do you observe the splinter in your
brother's eye and never notice the great log in your own? And how dare you say
to your brother, "Let me take that splinter out of your eye," when,
look, there is a great log in your own? Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own
eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of
your brother's eye.'
3)
REFLECTION
• In
today’s Gospel we continue to meditate on the Sermon on the Mountain found in
chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel of Matthew. During the 10th and 11th week we have
seen chapters 5 and 6. Beginning today, we will see chapter 7. These three
chapters, 5, 6, and 7 offer an idea of how the catechesis was done in the
communities of the converted Jews in the second half of the first century in
Galilee and in Syria. Matthew unites and organizes the words of Jesus to teach
how the new way of living the Law of God should be.
•
After having explained how to re-establish justice (Mt 5, 17 a 6, 18) and how
to restore the order of creation (Mt 6, 19-34), Jesus teaches how the life in
community should be (Mt 7, 1-12). At the end he presents some recommendations
and final advice (Mt 7, 13-27). Then follows an outline of the entire Sermon on
the Mountain:
Matthew
5, 1-12: The Beatitudes: solemn openness of the New Law.
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and light of the world.
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice: relationship with the ancient law. Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of the works of piety: alms giving.
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer.
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting.
Matthew 6, 19-21: The new relationship to material goods: do not store up.
Matthew 6, 22-23: The new relationship to material goods: a correct vision.
Matthew 6, 24: The new relationship to material goods: God or money.
Matthew 6, 25-34: The new relationship to material goods: trust in Providence
Matthew 7, 1-5: The new community life together: do not judge.
Matthew 7, 6: The new community life together: do not despise the community
Matthew 7, 7-11: The new community life: trust in God produces sharing
Matthew 7, 12: The new community life together: the Golden Rule
Matthew 7, 13-14: Final recommendations to choose the sure way.
Matthew 7, 15-20: Final recommendations, the prophet is known by his fruits.
Matthew 7, 21-23: Final recommendations not only speak but also practice.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Final recommendations, construct the house on rock
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and light of the world.
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice: relationship with the ancient law. Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of the works of piety: alms giving.
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer.
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting.
Matthew 6, 19-21: The new relationship to material goods: do not store up.
Matthew 6, 22-23: The new relationship to material goods: a correct vision.
Matthew 6, 24: The new relationship to material goods: God or money.
Matthew 6, 25-34: The new relationship to material goods: trust in Providence
Matthew 7, 1-5: The new community life together: do not judge.
Matthew 7, 6: The new community life together: do not despise the community
Matthew 7, 7-11: The new community life: trust in God produces sharing
Matthew 7, 12: The new community life together: the Golden Rule
Matthew 7, 13-14: Final recommendations to choose the sure way.
Matthew 7, 15-20: Final recommendations, the prophet is known by his fruits.
Matthew 7, 21-23: Final recommendations not only speak but also practice.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Final recommendations, construct the house on rock
The
community lived experience of the Gospel (Mt 7, 1-12) is the touchstone. It is
where the seriousness of the commitment is defined. The new proposal of life in
community embraces diverse aspects: do not observe the sprinter in your
brother’s eye (Mt 7, 1-5), do not throw your pearls in front of pigs (Mt 7,6),
do not be afraid to ask God for things (Mt 7,7-11). These advices reach their
summit in the Golden Rule: Always treat others as you would like them to treat
you (Mt 7, 12). The Gospel of today presents the first part: Matthew 7, 1-5.
•
Matthew 7, 1-2: Do not judge and you will not be judged. The first condition
for a good life together in community is not to judge the brother or the
sister, that is, to eliminate the preconceptions which prevent a transparent
community life. What does this mean concretely? John’s Gospel gives an example
of how Jesus lived in community with the disciples. Jesus says: “I shall no
longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s
business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I
have learnt from my Father” (Jn 15, 15). Jesus is an open book for his
companions. This transparency comes from his total trust in the brothers and
sisters and has its origin in his intimacy with the Father who gives him the
force of opening himself up totally to others. Anyone who lives in this way
with his brothers and sisters accepts others as they are, without any
preconceptions, without previously imposing any conditions, without judging.
Mutual acceptance without any pretension and with total transparency! This is
the ideal of the new community life, which has come from the Good News which
Jesus has brought to us: God is Father and Mother and, therefore, we are all
brothers and sisters. It is a difficult ideal but a very beautiful and
attractive as the other one: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
•
Matthew 7. 3-5: You observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice
the great log in your own. Immediately Jesus gives an example: Why do you
observe the splinter in your brother’s eye, and never notice the great log in
your own? And how dare you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that splinter out
of your eye, when look, there is a great log in your own? Hypocrite! Take the
log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the
splinter out of your brother’s eye”. When hearing this phrase we usually think
of the Pharisees who despised the people, considering them ignorant and they
considered themselves better than others (cf. Jn 7, 49; 9, 34). In reality, the
phrase of Jesus serves for all of us. For example, today many of us Catholics
are less faithful to the Gospel than the non-Catholics. We observe the splinter
in the eye of our brothers and we do not see the big log of collective powerful
pride in our own eyes. This log causes many persons today to have much
difficulty to believe in the Good News of Jesus.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Do
not judge others and eliminate all preconceptions: which is my personal
experience on this point?
•
Splinter and log: which is the log in me which makes it difficult for me to
participate in the life of the family and in community?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Your
kindnesses to me are countless, Yahweh;
true to your judgements,
give me life. (Ps 119,156)
true to your judgements,
give me life. (Ps 119,156)
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