Wednesday
of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 439
Lectionary: 439
Brothers
and sisters:
In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
So this is what I think best because of the present distress:
that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation.
Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.
If you marry, however, you do not sin,
nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries;
but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life,
and I would like to spare you that.
I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
So this is what I think best because of the present distress:
that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation.
Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.
If you marry, however, you do not sin,
nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries;
but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life,
and I would like to spare you that.
I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 45:11-12, 14-15,
16-17
R.
(11) Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord, and you must worship him.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters;
her raiment is threaded with spun gold.
In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king;
behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
The place of your fathers your sons shall have;
you shall make them princes through all the land.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord, and you must worship him.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters;
her raiment is threaded with spun gold.
In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king;
behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
The place of your fathers your sons shall have;
you shall make them princes through all the land.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
AlleluiaLK 6:23AB
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Rejoice and leap for joy!
Your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and leap for joy!
Your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 6:20-26
Raising
his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”
Meditation: "Blessed are you poor -
yours is the kingdom of God"
When you encounter misfortune, grief, or tragic loss,
how do you respond? With fear or faith? With passive resignation or with patient
hope and trust in God? We know from experience that no one can escape all of
the inevitable trials of life - pain, suffering, sickness, and death. When
Jesus began to teach his disciples he gave them a "way of happiness"
that transcends every difficulty and trouble that can weigh us down with grief
and despair. Jesus began his sermon on the mount by addressing the issue of
where true happiness can be found. The word beatitudeliterally
means happiness or blessedness. Jesus' way of
happiness, however, demands a transformation from within - a conversion of
heart and mind which can only come about through the gift and working of the
Holy Spirit.
True happiness can only be fulfilled in God
How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and oppression.
How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and oppression.
The beatitudes strengthen us in virtue and excellence
Ambrose (339-397 A.D), an early church father and bishop of Milan, links the beatitudes with the four cardinal virtues which strengthen us in living a life of moral excellence. He writes: "Let us see how St. Luke encompassed the eight blessings in the four. We know that there are four cardinal virtues: temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. One who is poor in spirit is not greedy. One who weeps is not proud but is submissive and tranquil. One who mourns is humble. One who is just does not deny what he knows is given jointly to all for us. One who is merciful gives away his own goods. One who bestows his own goods does not seek another's, nor does he contrive a trap for his neighbor. These virtues are interwoven and interlinked, so that one who has one may be seen to have several, and a single virtue befits the saints. Where virtue abounds, the reward too abounds... Thus temperance has purity of heart and spirit, justice has compassion, patience has peace, and endurance has gentleness." (EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.62–63, 68).
No one can live without joy
God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said: "No person can live without joy. That is why someone deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures." Do you know the joy and happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?
Ambrose (339-397 A.D), an early church father and bishop of Milan, links the beatitudes with the four cardinal virtues which strengthen us in living a life of moral excellence. He writes: "Let us see how St. Luke encompassed the eight blessings in the four. We know that there are four cardinal virtues: temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. One who is poor in spirit is not greedy. One who weeps is not proud but is submissive and tranquil. One who mourns is humble. One who is just does not deny what he knows is given jointly to all for us. One who is merciful gives away his own goods. One who bestows his own goods does not seek another's, nor does he contrive a trap for his neighbor. These virtues are interwoven and interlinked, so that one who has one may be seen to have several, and a single virtue befits the saints. Where virtue abounds, the reward too abounds... Thus temperance has purity of heart and spirit, justice has compassion, patience has peace, and endurance has gentleness." (EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.62–63, 68).
No one can live without joy
God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said: "No person can live without joy. That is why someone deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures." Do you know the joy and happiness of hungering and thirsting for God alone?
"Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for you and show
me the way that leads to everlasting happiness and peace. May I desire you
above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus, though rich, became poor for us,
by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"'Blessed,' it says, 'are the poor.' Not all the
poor are blessed, for poverty is neutral. The poor can be either good or evil,
unless, perhaps, the blessed pauper is to be understood as he whom the prophet
described, saying, 'A righteous poor man is better than a rich liar' (Proverbs 19:22).
Blessed is the poor man who cried and whom the Lord heard (Psalm 34:6). Blessed
is the man poor in offense. Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the
poor man in whom the prince of this world (John
14:30) finds nothing. Blessed is the poor
man who is like that poor Man who, although he was rich, became poor for our
sake (2 Corinthians 8:9). Matthew fully revealed this when he said, 'Blessed
are the poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3). One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted
in the mind of his own flesh. This beatitude is first, when I have laid aside
every sin, and I have taken off all malice, and I am content with simplicity,
destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what
good does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?" (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
5.53-54)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7,
LUKE 6:20-26
Weekday
(1 Corinthians 7:25-31; Psalm 45)
Weekday
(1 Corinthians 7:25-31; Psalm 45)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours" (v 20).
TO KNOW: Luke's Gospel has a special concern for the "anawim," the poor and lowly of society who the world rejected but Jesus welcomed into God's reign. Unlike Matthew who recorded Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," Luke has Jesus' "Sermon on the Plain," in which he addressed the poor who were following him as disciples. Luke also emphasized the persecutions that beset the disciples who were closely united to Jesus' own experience of suffering and rejection. Luke contrasted the blessings that came from being a disciple, and added condemnations of those who were not living a prophetic life-style. This series of "woes," or lamentations, show God's displeasure with people who were blind to the true values of the kingdom.
TO LOVE: How can I bring the Lord's consolation to those who are suffering?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to see my blessings in the midst of my difficulties.
Wednesday 7 September 2016
Wed 7th. 1 Corinthians 7:25-31. Listen to
me, daughter; see and bend your ear—Ps 44(45):11-12, 14-17. Luke 6:20‑26.
'Blessed are you who are poor'
We have a pretty good life, really. Well,
some of us do.
We lack no food, no drink, we are free to go as we please; we have friends, the lucky ones among us have true ones, and companionship, health, wealth and some even have love. It's easy, though, to become complacent in our comfort, to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
The problem with comfort is that it will never be fulfilling; the wealthiest man will still seek more, the gregarious will always crave more social interaction and the successful will always reach out for more.
Jesus challenges us to focus on what we have and rejoice, not give into woe for what we lack, or rather for what we imagine we lack.
See, the poor and hungry's craving for food and shelter is justified. Is mine?
We lack no food, no drink, we are free to go as we please; we have friends, the lucky ones among us have true ones, and companionship, health, wealth and some even have love. It's easy, though, to become complacent in our comfort, to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
The problem with comfort is that it will never be fulfilling; the wealthiest man will still seek more, the gregarious will always crave more social interaction and the successful will always reach out for more.
Jesus challenges us to focus on what we have and rejoice, not give into woe for what we lack, or rather for what we imagine we lack.
See, the poor and hungry's craving for food and shelter is justified. Is mine?
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
I Thirst
|
Teresa recognized that “I thirst” also signified the longing for
love Jesus felt in his final moments, and that Christ in the distressing
disguise of the world’s poor thirsted not only for material necessities, but
even more so for kindness, love, and compassion.
September
7
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
(1813-1853)
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
(1813-1853)
A man
convinced of the inestimable worth of each human being, Frédéric served the
poor of Paris well and drew others into serving the poor of the world. Through
the St. Vincent de Paul Society, his work continues to the present day.
Frédéric was
the fifth of Jean and Marie Ozanam’s 14 children, one of only three to reach
adulthood. As a teenager he began having doubts about his religion. Reading and
prayer did not seem to help, but long walking discussions with Father Noirot of
the Lyons College clarified matters a great deal.
Frédéric wanted
to study literature, although his father, a doctor, wanted him to become a
lawyer. Frédéric yielded to his father’s wishes and in 1831 arrived in
Paris to study law at the University of the Sorbonne. When certain professors
there mocked Catholic teachings in their lectures, Frédéric defended the
Church.
A
discussion club which Frédéric organized sparked the turning point in his
life. In this club Catholics, atheists and agnostics debated the issues of the
day. Once, after Frédéric spoke about Christianity’s role in civilization,
a club member said: "Let us be frank, Mr. Ozanam; let us also be very
particular. What do you do besides talk to prove the faith you claim is in
you?"
Frédéric was
stung by the question. He soon decided that his words needed a grounding in
action. He and a friend began visiting Paris tenements and offering assistance
as best they could. Soon a group dedicated to helping individuals in need under
the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul formed around Frédéric.
Feeling
that the Catholic faith needed an excellent speaker to explain its
teachings, Frédéric convinced the Archbishop of Paris to appoint Father
Lacordaire, the greatest preacher then in France, to preach a Lenten series in
Notre Dame Cathedral. It was well attended and became an annual tradition in
Paris.
After Frédéric
earned his law degree at the Sorbonne, he taught law at the University of
Lyons. He also earned a doctorate in literature. Soon after marrying Amelie
Soulacroix on June 23, 1841, he returned to the Sorbonne to teach literature. A
well-respected lecturer, Frédéric worked to bring out the best in each
student. Meanwhile, the St. Vincent de Paul Society was growing throughout
Europe. Paris alone counted 25 conferences.
In
1846, Frédéric, Amelie and their daughter Marie went to Italy; there he
hoped to restore his poor health. They returned the next year. The revolution
of 1848 left many Parisians in need of the services of the St. Vincent de Paul
conferences. The unemployed numbered 275,000. The government
asked Frédéric and his co-workers to supervise the government aid to the
poor. Vincentians throughout Europe came to the aid of Paris.
Frédéric then
started a newspaper, The New Era, dedicated to securing justice for
the poor and the working classes. Fellow Catholics were often unhappy with
what Frédéric wrote. Referring to the poor man as "the nation’s
priest," Frédéric said that the hunger and sweat of the poor formed a
sacrifice that could redeem the people’s humanity
In
1852 poor health again forced Frédéric to return to Italy with his wife
and daughter. He died on September 8, 1853. In his sermon at Frédéric’s
funeral, Lacordaire described his friend as "one of those privileged
creatures who came direct from the hand of God in whom God joins tenderness to
genius in order to enkindle the world."
Frédéric was
beatified in 1997. Since Frédéric wrote an excellent book entitledFranciscan
Poets of the Thirteenth Century and since Frederick’s sense of the
dignity of each poor person was so close to the thinking of St. Francis, it
seemed appropriate to include him among Franciscan "greats."
Comment:
Frédéric Ozanam always respected poor while offering whatever service he could. Each man, woman and child was too precious for that. Serving the poor taught Frédéric something about God that he could not have learned elsewhere.
Frédéric Ozanam always respected poor while offering whatever service he could. Each man, woman and child was too precious for that. Serving the poor taught Frédéric something about God that he could not have learned elsewhere.
Quote:
In his homily at the beatification Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint John Paul II mentioned that before World War II he belonged to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He noted that Frédéric Ozanam "observed the real situation of the poor and sought to be more and more effective in helping them in their human development. He understood that charity must lead to efforts to remedy injustice. Charity and justice go together."
In his homily at the beatification Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint John Paul II mentioned that before World War II he belonged to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He noted that Frédéric Ozanam "observed the real situation of the poor and sought to be more and more effective in helping them in their human development. He understood that charity must lead to efforts to remedy injustice. Charity and justice go together."
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 6,20-26
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father,
you redeem us
and make us your children in Christ.
Look upon us,
give us true freedom
and bring us to the inheritance you promised.
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.
you redeem us
and make us your children in Christ.
Look upon us,
give us true freedom
and bring us to the inheritance you promised.
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 - Luke 6,20-26
Then fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said: How blessed are you who
are poor: the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of man.
Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, look!-your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing now: you shall mourn and weep.
‘Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of man.
Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, look!-your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing now: you shall mourn and weep.
‘Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents four blessings and four curses in Luke’s Gospel.
There is a progressive revelation in the way in which Luke presents the
teaching of Jesus. Up to 6, 16, he says many times, that Jesus taught the
people, but he did not describe the content of the teaching (Lk 4, 15.31-32.44;
5, 1.3.15.17; 6, 6). Now, after having said that Jesus sees the crowd desirous
to hear the Word of God, Luke presents the first great discourse which begins
with the exclamation: “Blessed are you who are poor!” And “Alas for you, rich!”
and then takes up all the rest of the chapter (Lk 6, 12-49). Some call this
Discourse the “Discourse of the Plain” because, according to Luke, Jesus came
down from the mountain and stopped in a place which was plain and there he
pronounced his discourse. In Matthew’s Gospel, this same discourse is given on
the mountain (Mt 5, 1) and is called “The Sermon on the Mountain”. In Matthew,
in this discourse there are eight Beatitudes, which trace a program of life for
the Christian communities of Jewish origin. In Luke, the sermon is shorter and more
radical. It contains only four Beatitudes and four curses, directed to the
Hellenistic communities, formed by rich and poor. This discourse of Jesus will
be meditated on in the daily Gospel of the next days.
• Luke 6, 20: Blessed are you, poor! Looking at the disciples, Jesus declares: “Blessed are you who are poor, the Kingdom of Heaven is yours!” This declaration identifies the social category of the disciples. They are poor! And Jesus promises to them: “The Kingdom is yours!” It is not a promise made for the future. The verb is in the present. The Kingdom belongs to them already. They are blessed now. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus makes explicit the sense of this and says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit!” (Mt 5, 3). They are the poor who have the Spirit of Jesus; because there are some poor who have the mentality of the rich. The disciples of Jesus are poor and have the mentality of the poor. Like Jesus, they do not want to accumulate, but they assume their poverty and with him, they struggle for a more just life together, where there will be fraternity and sharing of goods, without any discrimination.
• Luke 6, 21-22: Blessed are you, who now hunger and weep. In the second and third Beatitude, Jesus says: “Blessed are who are hungry now, because you shall have your full! Blessed are you, who are weeping now, you shall laugh!” One part of the phrase is in the present and the other in the future. What we live and suffer now is not definitive; what is definitive is the Kingdom of God which we are constructing with the force of the Spirit of Jesus. To construct the Kingdom presupposes pain, suffering and persecution, but something is certain: the Kingdom will be attained, and you will have your fill and you will laugh!”
• Luke 6, 23: Blessed are you when people hate you...! The 4thBeatitude refers to the future: “Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out on account of the Son of Man!” Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, look, your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way your ancestors treated the prophets!” With these words of Jesus, Luke encourages the communities of his time, because they were persecuted. Suffering is not death rattle, but the pain of birth pangs. It is a source of hope! Persecution was a sign that the future that had been announced by Jesus was arriving, being reached. The communities were following the right path.
• Luke 6, 24-25: Alas for you who are rich! Alas for you who now have your fill and who laugh! After the four Beatitudes in favour of the poor and of the excluded, follow four threats or curses against the rich and those for whom everything goes well and are praised by everybody. The four threats have the same identical literary form as the four Beatitudes. The first one is expressed in the present. The second and the third one have a part in the present and another part in the future. And the fourth one refers completely to the future. These threats are found only in Luke’s Gospel and not in that of Matthew. Luke is more radical in denouncing injustices.
Before Jesus, on the plains there are no rich people. There are only sick and poor people, who have come from all parts (Lk 6, 17-19). But Jesus says: “Alas for you the rich!” And this because Luke, in transmitting these words of Jesus, is thinking more of the communities of his time. In those communities there are rich and poor people, and there is discrimination of the poor on the part of the rich, the same discrimination which marked the structure of the Roman Empire (cf. Jm 5, 1-6; Rv 3, 17-19). Jesus criticizes the rich very hard and directly: You rich have already received consolation! You are already filled, but you are still hungry! Now you are laughing, but you will be afflicted and will weep! This is a sign that for Jesus poverty is not something fatal, nor the fruit of prejudices, but it is the fruit of unjust enrichment on the part of others.
• Luke 6, 26: Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you, because this was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets! This fourth threat refers to the sons of those who in the past praised the false prophets; because some authority of the Jews used its prestige and authority to criticize Jesus.
4) Personal questions
• Do we look at life and at persons with the same look of Jesus? What do you
think in your heart: is a poor and hungry person truly happy? The stories which
we see on Television and the propaganda of the market, what ideal of happiness
do they present?
• In saying: “Blessed are the poor”, did Jesus want to say that the poor have to continue to be poor?
• In saying: “Blessed are the poor”, did Jesus want to say that the poor have to continue to be poor?
5) Concluding Prayer
Upright in all that he does,
Yahweh acts only in faithful love.
He is close to all who call upon him,
all who call on him from the heart. (Ps 145,17-18)
Yahweh acts only in faithful love.
He is close to all who call upon him,
all who call on him from the heart. (Ps 145,17-18)
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