Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 443
Lectionary: 443
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 28:2, 7, 8-9
R. (6) Blessed
be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
AlleluiaJN 3:16
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.
Meditation: "Say the word - be
healed"
Do you approach the Lord Jesus with confident trust
and expectant faith? A Roman centurion boldly sought Jesus with a daring
request. What made him confident that Jesus would receive his request and act
favorably towards him? Like a true soldier, he knew the power of command. And
he saw in Jesus both the power and the mercy of God to heal and restore
life.
In the Roman world the position of a centurion was
very important. He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain
sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army
together. Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be:
"They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can
command, steady in action, and reliable. They ought not to be over-anxious to
rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their
ground, and die at their posts."
Expectant faith and humility draws us close to the
Lord Jesus
The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his Roman companions by seeking help from a Jewish preacher from Galilee, as well as mockery from the Jews who despised the Roman occupation of their land. Nonetheless, this centurion approached Jesus with confidence and humility. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) notes that the centurion regarded himself as unworthy to receive the Lord into his house: "Humility was the door through which the Lord entered to take full possession of one whom he already possessed."
The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his Roman companions by seeking help from a Jewish preacher from Galilee, as well as mockery from the Jews who despised the Roman occupation of their land. Nonetheless, this centurion approached Jesus with confidence and humility. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) notes that the centurion regarded himself as unworthy to receive the Lord into his house: "Humility was the door through which the Lord entered to take full possession of one whom he already possessed."
This centurion was an extraordinary man because he
loved his slave who had become seriously ill and he was ready to do everything
he could to save his life. The centurion was also an extraordinary man of
faith. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal his beloved slave. Jesus
commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his request.
The Lord is merciful and gracious to all who seek him
How do you approach the Lord Jesus - with doubt, fear, and disbelief? Or with trust and confident expectation that he will give you whatever you need to follow and serve him? Surrender your pride and doubts to him and seek him earnestly with humble trust and expectant faith.
How do you approach the Lord Jesus - with doubt, fear, and disbelief? Or with trust and confident expectation that he will give you whatever you need to follow and serve him? Surrender your pride and doubts to him and seek him earnestly with humble trust and expectant faith.
"Lord Jesus you came to set us free from the
tyranny of sinful pride, fear, and rebellion. Take my heart captive to your
merciful love and truth and set me free to love and serve you always with joy
and trust in the power of your saving word. May your love grow in me that I may
always seek to love and serve others generously for their sake just as you have
generously laid down your life for my sake."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The power of Divinity and the grace of
humility, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397
A.D.
"How great is the sign of divine humility, that
the Lord of heaven by no means disdained to visit the centurion’s servant!
Faith is revealed in deeds, but humanity is more active in compassion. Surely
he did not act this way because he could not cure in his absence, but in order
to give you a form of humility for imitation he taught the need to defer to the
small and the great alike. In another place he says to the ruler, 'Go, your son
lives' (John 4:50), that you may know both the power of Divinity and the grace
of humility. In that case he refused to go to the ruler's son, lest he seem to
have had regard for riches. In this case he went himself lest he seem to have
despised the humble rank of the centurion's servant. All of us, slave and free,
are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11)." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
5.84)
MONDAY,
SEPTEMBER 18, LUKE 7:1-10
Weekday
(1 Timothy 2:1-8; Psalm 28)
Weekday
(1 Timothy 2:1-8; Psalm 28)
KEY VERSE: "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith" (v 9).
TO KNOW: A centurion was a high ranking officer in the Roman army who commanded a force of up to 100 men. This centurion stationed in Capernaum was a member of Herod’s peacekeeping force rather than a member of the imperial army. When the officer's servant became ill, he sent the Jewish elders of the synagogue to entreat Jesus to come and heal him. The Jews were grateful to the centurion for having built their synagogue, and they urged Jesus to go and heal the man's servant. But the centurion sent word that he was not worthy to have Jesus enter his home (Jews regarded Gentile homes to be "unclean"). The officer knew how to use authority and he recognized this power in Jesus. He had confidence that Jesus could heal his servant with a word of command. Jesus marveled at the man's faith, which contrasted with the disbelief of his own people. When the Centurion's messengers returned home, they found the centurion's servant healed.
TO LOVE: Do I use the power of intercessory prayer to help others in need?
TO SERVE: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
NOTE: REVISED ROMAN MISSAL
In the Mass, right before receiving Communion, we as Catholics say this: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." It is fitting that we tell Jesus, just as the centurion did, that we really are not worthy of having him abide in our souls. We recognize that Jesus is Lord and that his mighty word dwelling within us will in fact heal us of all unworthiness: “Say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
Monday 18
September 2017
1 Timothy 2:1-8. Psalm 27(28):2,
7-9. Luke 7:1-10.
Blest be
the Lord for he has heard my prayer — Psalm 27(28):2, 7-9.
‘Give the
word and let my servant be cured.’
John, an elderly Jesuit, now in
assisted living, suffers extreme pain constantly. He offers it, as a sharing in
the sufferings of Jesus, for others. He inspires and encourages his retired
companions to pray and offer their sufferings for the ministry of the Society
of Jesus, for the church and for the world.
Jesus, many older people,
experiencing restricted mobility and infirmity from age and illness, can feel useless
and unneeded. Invite them to pray and to offer the frustrations of their
limitations and their pain for the world. So much need and suffering caused by
poverty, war and oppression cry out for help.
People are forgotten in prisons
and helpless before torturers. Unleash this powerhouse of faith and prayer and
let me be part of it.
ST. JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO
On September 18, the Church celebrates the life of St. Joseph of
Cupertino, a mystic who was perhaps most famous for his ability to fly.
His father, a poor carpenter, died before his birth and his mother, who was
unable to pay the debts, lost her home and gave birth to Joseph in a stable at
Cupertino, Italy on June 17, 1603.
Joseph
began having mystical visions when he was seven, and was often so lost to the
world around him that the other children made fun of him giving him the
nickname, "open-mouthed" for his gaping manner.
He
had an irascible temper and read very poorly, giving others the impression that
he was dumb and good for nothing. Aside from that, he was so continually drawn
into ecstasy that it was impossible for him to be attentive to the tasks at
hand. Thus, when he secured a job, he lost it very quickly.
He
finally managed to obtain a post taking care of a stable in a Franciscan
convent near Cupertino. Upon realizing his holiness and aptitude for penance,
humility, and obedience, it was decided that he could begin studying for the
priesthood.
Joseph
was a very poor student, however during his final examination, the examiner
happened to ask him a question on the one topic he knew well. He passed
and was admitted into the priesthood
It
was also soon recognized that though he knew little by way of worldly knowledge
and had little capacity to learn, Joseph was infused with a divine knowledge
that made him capable of solving some of the most intricate theological
quandaries.
For
the last 35 years of his life as a priest he was unable to celebrate Mass in public
because he would often, without being able to help it, be lifted up into the
air when he went into an ecstatic state, which happened at nearly every
Mass. It took only the slightest reference of anything having to do with
God in order for this state to be induced in him.
Despite
being moved from one friary to another, because of the disruption he caused by
his ecstasies and the persecutions he endured from some of his brothers who
were envious of his gifts, he remained profoundly inundated by the joy of
abandoning himself to Divine Providence.
He
died on September 18, 1663 and was canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement
XIII. He is the patron of air travelers and students preparing for exams.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 7,1-10
Lectio Divina:
Monday, September 18, 2017
PRAYER
Holy Father, through Jesus your Son, the Word made flesh for us, send me your Holy Spirit, that my ears may be opened to hear the “letter of love” that you have written to me and enlighten my mind that I may understand it in depth. Make my heart docile that it may receive your will with joy and help me to give witness to it. Amen.
READING
From the Gospel accordino to Luke (7:1-10)
When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
MEDITATION
• Chapter 7 of the gospel of Luke helps us to receive the call addressed to the pagans to adhere to faith in the Lord Jesus. The figure of the centurion becomes the pacesetter for all those who want to abide by the faith of Israel and then encounter and know the face of the Father in Jesus. In the meditation on this Gospel, we are also proposed to open ourselves to faith or to make our confidence in the Word of the Lord more firmly unshaken. Let us try, then, to follow, with our hearts, the paces of this Roman centurion, so that in him we may also be present.
• Perhaps the first aspect that emerges from the reading of the passage is the situation of suffering in which the centurion finds himself. Try to hear more attentively the words that try to give light to this reality. Capernaum, a border city, a city apart, on the margins, a city where the blessings of God seem slow to arrive. The grave illness; the imminent death of a dear person.
• But we soon see that the Lord enters into this situation, coming to share in it, to live in it with his loving presence. The words in italics confirm this truth: “asking him to come”; “and Jesus went with them”; “he was only a short distance.” It is wonderful to see this movement of Jesus who moves near to him who calls him, who searches for him and who asks for salvation. This is how Jesus acts with each one of us.
• But it is also very useful to enter into contact with the figure of the centurion, who is here a bit like our master, our guide on the way of faith.
“When he heard about Jesus”. He received the announcement, he heard the good news and held it in his heart. He did not net it escape and did not close his ears to life. He remembered Jesus and now he goes in search for him.
• “He sent.” Twice does the centurion carry out his action: first sending the elders of the people to Jesus, authoritative figures, then by sending his friends. Luke uses two different verbs and this helps us to understand better that in this man something took place, a state of passage: he became more and more open to the encounter with Jesus. Sending his friends is a bit like going to Jesus himself.
“asking him to come and save.” Two beautiful verbs that explain the whole intensity of his request to Jesus. He wants Jesus to come, to be near, to enter into his poor life, to come and visit his pain. It is a declaration of love, of great faith, because it is as if he was saying: “Without you, I cannot live anymore. Come!” And he does not ask for any mere salvation, a superficial healing, as the particular verb chosen by Luke helps us to understand. In fact, here it is a traverse salvation, one that crosses the entirety of life, of the entire person, and is capable of taking a person beyond, past every obstacle, every difficulty or trial, beyond even death.
• “I am not worthy.” Luke puts these words in the mouth of the centurion twice, and these words help us to understand the great transformation that has taken place within himself. He feels unworthy, incapable, insufficient, as the two different greek terms used here indicate. Perhaps the first conquest on the road of faith with Jesus is exactly this: the discovery of our great need for Him, for his presence and the more certain knowledge that alone we can do nothing because we are poor, we are sinners. However, precisely because of this we are infinitely loved!
• “Say the word.” Here is the great leap, the great transformation in faith. The centurion now believes in a clear, serene and faithful way. While Jesus walked towards him, he was also completing his own interior journey, changing, becoming a new man. First, he welcomed the person of Jesus, then his word. For him it is the Lord as he is, his word is efficacious, true, powerful, able to do what he says. All of his doubts have crumbled; nothing remains but faith, the certain confidence in salvation, in Jesus.
QUESTIONS
• Does my prayer feel like that of the centurion, addressed to Jesus to come and save? Am I also ready to explain to the Lord my uneasiness, my need for him? Am I perhaps ashamed to present to him the sickness, the death that lives in my house, in my life? What do I need in order to fulfill this first step in trust?
• And if I open my heart in prayer, to the invocation, if I invite the Lord to come, what is the profound attitude of my heart? Is there also in me, as in the centurion, the knowledge of being unworthy, of not being sufficient solely of myself, of not being pretentious? Do I know how to place myself before the Lord with that humility that comes from love, from serene trust in Him?
• Is his Word good enough for me? Do I ever listen to it in its entirety with attention, with respect, even though, perhaps, I am not able to fully understand it?
And in this moment, what is the word that I want to hear from the mouth of the Lord for me? What do I want Him to say to me?
• The pagan centurion had such a great faith…and I, who am Christian, what faith do I have? Perhaps it is true that I must pray like this: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
FINAL PRAYER
Your words are a lamp for my steps, Lord!
How can a youth keep his way pure?
By observing your word.
With all my heart I search for you:
do not let me deviate from your commands.
Put again into my heart your promise
that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, Lord:
teach me your decrees.
With my mouth I recount
all of the wisdom from your mouth.
On the way of your teachings is my joy,
more than all other riches.
I want to meditate on your precepts,
to consider your ways.
In your decrees is my delight,
I will not forget your word.
Holy Father, through Jesus your Son, the Word made flesh for us, send me your Holy Spirit, that my ears may be opened to hear the “letter of love” that you have written to me and enlighten my mind that I may understand it in depth. Make my heart docile that it may receive your will with joy and help me to give witness to it. Amen.
READING
From the Gospel accordino to Luke (7:1-10)
When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
MEDITATION
• Chapter 7 of the gospel of Luke helps us to receive the call addressed to the pagans to adhere to faith in the Lord Jesus. The figure of the centurion becomes the pacesetter for all those who want to abide by the faith of Israel and then encounter and know the face of the Father in Jesus. In the meditation on this Gospel, we are also proposed to open ourselves to faith or to make our confidence in the Word of the Lord more firmly unshaken. Let us try, then, to follow, with our hearts, the paces of this Roman centurion, so that in him we may also be present.
• Perhaps the first aspect that emerges from the reading of the passage is the situation of suffering in which the centurion finds himself. Try to hear more attentively the words that try to give light to this reality. Capernaum, a border city, a city apart, on the margins, a city where the blessings of God seem slow to arrive. The grave illness; the imminent death of a dear person.
• But we soon see that the Lord enters into this situation, coming to share in it, to live in it with his loving presence. The words in italics confirm this truth: “asking him to come”; “and Jesus went with them”; “he was only a short distance.” It is wonderful to see this movement of Jesus who moves near to him who calls him, who searches for him and who asks for salvation. This is how Jesus acts with each one of us.
• But it is also very useful to enter into contact with the figure of the centurion, who is here a bit like our master, our guide on the way of faith.
“When he heard about Jesus”. He received the announcement, he heard the good news and held it in his heart. He did not net it escape and did not close his ears to life. He remembered Jesus and now he goes in search for him.
• “He sent.” Twice does the centurion carry out his action: first sending the elders of the people to Jesus, authoritative figures, then by sending his friends. Luke uses two different verbs and this helps us to understand better that in this man something took place, a state of passage: he became more and more open to the encounter with Jesus. Sending his friends is a bit like going to Jesus himself.
“asking him to come and save.” Two beautiful verbs that explain the whole intensity of his request to Jesus. He wants Jesus to come, to be near, to enter into his poor life, to come and visit his pain. It is a declaration of love, of great faith, because it is as if he was saying: “Without you, I cannot live anymore. Come!” And he does not ask for any mere salvation, a superficial healing, as the particular verb chosen by Luke helps us to understand. In fact, here it is a traverse salvation, one that crosses the entirety of life, of the entire person, and is capable of taking a person beyond, past every obstacle, every difficulty or trial, beyond even death.
• “I am not worthy.” Luke puts these words in the mouth of the centurion twice, and these words help us to understand the great transformation that has taken place within himself. He feels unworthy, incapable, insufficient, as the two different greek terms used here indicate. Perhaps the first conquest on the road of faith with Jesus is exactly this: the discovery of our great need for Him, for his presence and the more certain knowledge that alone we can do nothing because we are poor, we are sinners. However, precisely because of this we are infinitely loved!
• “Say the word.” Here is the great leap, the great transformation in faith. The centurion now believes in a clear, serene and faithful way. While Jesus walked towards him, he was also completing his own interior journey, changing, becoming a new man. First, he welcomed the person of Jesus, then his word. For him it is the Lord as he is, his word is efficacious, true, powerful, able to do what he says. All of his doubts have crumbled; nothing remains but faith, the certain confidence in salvation, in Jesus.
QUESTIONS
• Does my prayer feel like that of the centurion, addressed to Jesus to come and save? Am I also ready to explain to the Lord my uneasiness, my need for him? Am I perhaps ashamed to present to him the sickness, the death that lives in my house, in my life? What do I need in order to fulfill this first step in trust?
• And if I open my heart in prayer, to the invocation, if I invite the Lord to come, what is the profound attitude of my heart? Is there also in me, as in the centurion, the knowledge of being unworthy, of not being sufficient solely of myself, of not being pretentious? Do I know how to place myself before the Lord with that humility that comes from love, from serene trust in Him?
• Is his Word good enough for me? Do I ever listen to it in its entirety with attention, with respect, even though, perhaps, I am not able to fully understand it?
And in this moment, what is the word that I want to hear from the mouth of the Lord for me? What do I want Him to say to me?
• The pagan centurion had such a great faith…and I, who am Christian, what faith do I have? Perhaps it is true that I must pray like this: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
FINAL PRAYER
Your words are a lamp for my steps, Lord!
How can a youth keep his way pure?
By observing your word.
With all my heart I search for you:
do not let me deviate from your commands.
Put again into my heart your promise
that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, Lord:
teach me your decrees.
With my mouth I recount
all of the wisdom from your mouth.
On the way of your teachings is my joy,
more than all other riches.
I want to meditate on your precepts,
to consider your ways.
In your decrees is my delight,
I will not forget your word.
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