Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and
Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 419
Lectionary: 419
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, "Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us?"
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, "Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us?"
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
Responsorial
PsalmDEUTERONOMY 32:18-19, 20,
21
R. (see 18a) You
have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"I will hide my face from them," he said,
"and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!"
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"Since they have provoked me with their 'no-god'
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a 'no-people';
with a foolish nation I will anger them."
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"I will hide my face from them," he said,
"and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!"
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"Since they have provoked me with their 'no-god'
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a 'no-people';
with a foolish nation I will anger them."
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
AlleluiaMT 5:3
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 19:16-22
A young man approached Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus replied, "You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
"Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus replied, "You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
Meditation: "Give - and you will
have treasure in heaven"
Where can you find true peace, security, and
happiness?
A young man who had the best the world could offer - wealth, position, and security - came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money and possessions could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments - but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him from giving himself wholeheartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became dismayed.
A young man who had the best the world could offer - wealth, position, and security - came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money and possessions could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments - but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him from giving himself wholeheartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became dismayed.
What do you treasure the most?
Why did he go away from Jesus with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the greatest treasure we can possibly have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. See Jesus' parable about the treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). Selling all that we have could mean many different things - our friends, our job, our style of life, what we do with our free time.
Why did he go away from Jesus with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the greatest treasure we can possibly have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. See Jesus' parable about the treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). Selling all that we have could mean many different things - our friends, our job, our style of life, what we do with our free time.
Possessiveness and fear robs us of joy and abundant
life
Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive. He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with innumerable spiritual goods - such as long-lasting peace, unspeakable joy, enduring love, abiding relationships and friendship that do not fade or fail - that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions which fail to satisfy us beyond the present moment. God alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true and everlasting joy with Jesus?
Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive. He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with innumerable spiritual goods - such as long-lasting peace, unspeakable joy, enduring love, abiding relationships and friendship that do not fade or fail - that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions which fail to satisfy us beyond the present moment. God alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true and everlasting joy with Jesus?
"Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest
longing in my heart. No other treasure can compare with you. Keep me free from
all discontentment, possessiveness, greed and selfishness, that I may have joy
in knowing that you alone are my true Treasure and my Portion."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Seek the life that endures, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you
would enter life, keep the commandments.' He did not say 'If you would have
life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us
first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its
quality - and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to
end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be
loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved.
Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you
never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In
this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing,
working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard
work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life
that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die?
Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a
person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek
eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God
forever." (excerpt from Sermon
84,1)
MONDAY, AUGUST 20, MATTHEW 19:16-22
(Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32)
(Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32)
KEY VERSE: "Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" (v. 21).
TO KNOW: On his journey toward his destiny in Jerusalem, Jesus' left Galilee and went south to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he cured many. A young man approached him and asked what he might do to inherit eternal life. The man was thinking in terms of keeping rules and regulations. So Jesus tried to correct his view. He told him that righteousness flows from a personal relationship with God. It is lived out by obeying the commandments, which reflect divine goodness. The man remarked that he had observed the entire law, yet still felt there was something more that he could do. Jesus told him that if he wished to be 'perfect' (In Greek, teleios means 'reaching a goal'), he should share his wealth with the poor and commit himself totally to God's service. The young man went away sad because he was unable to relinquish his many possessions. Obeying God's commands is a step on the road to perfection, but following Jesus demands total commitment of one's life.
TO LOVE: Do I use my gifts for the sake of God's kingdom?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to let go of anything that stands in the way of following you
Memorial of Saint Bernard, abbot
and doctor of the Church
In the year 1111, at the age of 20, Bernard left his home to join a monastic community. His five brothers, two uncles and some 30 young friends followed him into the monastery. A Benedictine, Bernard founded and led the monastery at Clairvaux, as abbot. His ability as arbitrator and counselor became widely known, and the valley was soon renamed Clairvaux, the valley of light. Bernard attended the Second Lateran Council, fought the heresy Albigensianism, and helped end the schism of the Anti-Pope Anacletus II. Rome prevailed on Bernard to preach the Second Crusade throughout Europe. His eloquence was so overwhelming that a great army was assembled and the success of the crusade seemed assured, but the project ended as a complete failure. Bernard felt responsible in some, which possibly hastened his death in 1153. He was the first Cistercian monk placed on the calendar of saints. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius VIII.
NOTE: Albigensianism was a Christian heresy prevalent in Western Europe, particularly in southern France and northern Italy, during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Albigenses followed the Manichaean sect, which sought purification from bodily and material things in its attempt to solve the problem of evil. They asserted the co-existence of two ultimate principles, a good deity (the God of the New Testament) who created Spirit and Light, and a bad deity (the God of the Old Testament) who created Matter and Darkness. Accordingly, they condemned marriage and the procreation of children as demonic. Yet concubinage and desertion of husband or wife was tolerated.
Monday 20 August
2018
St Bernard.
Ezekiel 24:15-24. Deuteronomy 32:18-21.
Matthew 19:16-22.
You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Deuteronomy 32:18-21.
‘You will learn that I am the Lord.’
We don’t know what happened to the young
man, but we do know that he walked away burdened by what he was asked to do. He
was wealthy and he was asked to sell what he owned and give the proceeds to the
poor.
We all carry around with us lots of
things. They might be physical things like possessions, or they might be
emotive things like unrealistic expectations, attitudes, prejudices, sorrows,
hurts. And these become the ‘treasured’ baggage of our lives.
Today, Jesus provides us with an invitation:
‘if you want to be free to be a follower of mine, then give all these
things away!’ Is this happy or sad news for us?
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Saint of the Day for August 20
(1090 – August 20, 1153)
 |
| Stained glass representing St. Bernard of Clairvaux | photo by Jastrow (2006) |
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux’s Story
Man
of the century! Woman of the century! You see such terms applied to so many
today—“golfer of the century,” “composer of the century,” “right tackle of the
century”—that the line no longer has any punch. But Western Europe’s “man of
the twelfth century,” without doubt or controversy, had to be Bernard of
Clairvaux. Adviser of popes, preacher of the Second Crusade, defender of the
faith, healer of a schism, reformer of a monastic Order, Scripture scholar,
theologian, and eloquent preacher: any one of these titles would distinguish an
ordinary man. Yet Bernard was all of these—and he still retained a burning
desire to return to the hidden monastic life of his younger days.
In
the year 1111, at the age of 20, Bernard left his home to join the monastic
community of Citeaux. His five brothers, two uncles, and some 30 young friends
followed him into the monastery. Within four years, a dying community had
recovered enough vitality to establish a new house in the nearby valley of
Wormwoods, with Bernard as abbot. The zealous young man was quite demanding,
though more on himself than others. A slight breakdown of health taught him to
be more patient and understanding. The valley was soon renamed Clairvaux, the
valley of light.
His
ability as arbitrator and counselor became widely known. More and more he was
lured away from the monastery to settle long-standing disputes. On several of
these occasions, he apparently stepped on some sensitive toes in Rome. Bernard
was completely dedicated to the primacy of the Roman See. But to a letter of
warning from Rome, he replied that the good fathers in Rome had enough to do to
keep the Church in one piece. If any matters arose that warranted their
interest, he would be the first to let them know.
Shortly
thereafter it was Bernard who intervened in a full-blown schism and settled it
in favor of the Roman pontiff against the antipope.
The
Holy See prevailed on Bernard to preach the Second Crusade throughout Europe.
His eloquence was so overwhelming that a great army was assembled and the
success of the crusade seemed assured. The ideals of the men and their leaders,
however, were not those of Abbot Bernard, and the project ended as a complete
military and moral disaster.
Bernard
felt responsible in some way for the degenerative effects of the crusade. This
heavy burden possibly hastened his death, which came August 20, 1153.
Reflection
Bernard’s
life in the Church was more active than we can imagine possible today. His
efforts produced far-reaching results. But he knew that they would have availed
little without the many hours of prayer and contemplation that brought him
strength and heavenly direction. His life was characterized by a deep devotion to
the Blessed Mother. His sermons and books about Mary are still the standard of
Marian theology.
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW
19,16-22
Lectio Divina:
Monday, August 20, 2018
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
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.
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
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 19,16-22
A man came to Jesus and asked, 'Master,
what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'Why do
you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish
to enter into life, keep the commandments.' He said, 'Which ones?' Jesus
replied, 'These: You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall
not steal. You shall not give false witness. Honour your father and your
mother. You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' The young man said to him,
'I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?' Jesus said, 'If you wish to
be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today speaks to us about a
young man who asks Jesus which is the way to eternal life. Jesus indicates to
him the way of poverty. The young man does not accept the proposal of Jesus
because he is very rich. A rich person is protected by the security of the
riches which he possesses. He has difficulty to open the hand of his security.
Attached to the advantages of his goods, he lives concerned to defend his own
interests. A poor person does not have this concern. But there are some poor
people who have the mentality of the rich. Many times, the desire for riches
creates in them a great dependence and renders the poor, slaves of consumerism,
because they seek riches everywhere. They no longer have time to dedicate
themselves to the service of neighbour.
• Matthew 19, 16-19: The commandments and eternal life. A person approaches Jesus and asks him: “Master, what good deed should I do to possess eternal life?” Some manuscripts say that it was a young man. Jesus responds abruptly: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good!” Then he responds to the question and says: “If you wish to enter into life keep the commandments”. The young rich man reacts and asks: “Which commandments?” Jesus very kindly enumerates the commandments which the young man already knew: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honour father and mother, love your neighbour as yourself”. The response of Jesus is very significant. The young man had asked what to do to obtain eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus recalls only the commandments which refer to respect for the life close to others! He does not mention the first three commandments which define the relationship with God. According to Jesus, we will be well with God only if we are well with our neighbour. It is not worth it to deceive oneself. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
In Mark, the question of the young man is different: “Good Master what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers: “Why do you call me good? No one is good, but God alone.” (Mk 10, 17-18). Jesus deviates the attention from himself toward God, because what is important is to do God’s will, to reveal the project of the Father.
• Matthew 19, 20: What does it serve to observe the commandments? The young man responds: “I have always observed all these things. What more do I need to do?” What follows is strange. The young man wanted to know the way which leads to eternal life. Now, the way of eternal life was and continues to be: to do God’s will, expressed in the commandments. In other words, the young man observed the commandments without knowing for what purpose. If he had known it he would not have asked the question. It is like for many Catholics who do not know why they are Catholics. “I was born a Catholic and this is why I am Catholic!” It is as if was a custom!
• Matthew 19, 21-22: The proposal of Jesus and the response of the young man. Jesus answers: “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; then come follow me”. But on hearing these words the young man went away very sad because he was very rich. The observance of the commandments is only the first degree of a stairway that goes beyond, much farther and much higher. Jesus asks more! The observance of the commandments prepares the persons to be able to reach the point of giving oneself completely to the neighbour. Mark says that Jesus looked at the young man with love (Mk 10, 21). Jesus asks for very much, but he asks for it with much love. The young man did not accept the proposal of Jesus and goes away, “because he was very rich”.
• Jesus and the option for the poor. A two-fold slavery marked the situation of the people at the time of Jesus: the slavery of the politics of Herod, supported by the Roman Empire and maintained by a whole system which was well organized for exploitation and repression, and the slavery of the official religion, maintained by the religious authority of the time. For this reason the clan, the families, the community, were disintegrating and the majority of the people were excluded, marginalized, homeless, without either a religion or a society. So, for this reason, there were diverse movements which, like Jesus, tried to build up life in the communities: Essens, Pharisees and later on, the Zelots. But in the community of Jesus, there was something new which made it different from the other groups. There was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated. The word “Pharisee” meant “separated”. This was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated from the impure people. Some Pharisees considered the people, ignorant and damned (Jn 7, 49), in sin (Jn 9, 34). They could learn nothing from the people (Jn 9,34). On the contrary, Jesus and his community lived in the midst of persons who were excluded, considered impure; tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, lepers (Ml 2, 16; 1, 41; Lk 7, 37). Jesus recognizes the richness and the values which the poor possess (Mt 11, 25-26; Lk 2 1, 1-4). He proclaims them blessed, because the Kingdom is theirs, of the poor (Lk 6, 20; Mt 5, 3). He defines his mission in this way: “To announce the Good News to the poor” (Lk 4, 18). He himself lives poorly. He possesses nothing for himself, not even a stone where to recline his head (Lk 9, 58). And to anyone who wants to follow him, who wants to live like him, he orders that he choose either God or money! (Mt 6, 24). He orders to choose the poor, as he proposed it to the rich young man! (Mk 10, 21). This different way of accepting the poor and of living with them is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
• Matthew 19, 16-19: The commandments and eternal life. A person approaches Jesus and asks him: “Master, what good deed should I do to possess eternal life?” Some manuscripts say that it was a young man. Jesus responds abruptly: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good!” Then he responds to the question and says: “If you wish to enter into life keep the commandments”. The young rich man reacts and asks: “Which commandments?” Jesus very kindly enumerates the commandments which the young man already knew: “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honour father and mother, love your neighbour as yourself”. The response of Jesus is very significant. The young man had asked what to do to obtain eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus recalls only the commandments which refer to respect for the life close to others! He does not mention the first three commandments which define the relationship with God. According to Jesus, we will be well with God only if we are well with our neighbour. It is not worth it to deceive oneself. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
In Mark, the question of the young man is different: “Good Master what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers: “Why do you call me good? No one is good, but God alone.” (Mk 10, 17-18). Jesus deviates the attention from himself toward God, because what is important is to do God’s will, to reveal the project of the Father.
• Matthew 19, 20: What does it serve to observe the commandments? The young man responds: “I have always observed all these things. What more do I need to do?” What follows is strange. The young man wanted to know the way which leads to eternal life. Now, the way of eternal life was and continues to be: to do God’s will, expressed in the commandments. In other words, the young man observed the commandments without knowing for what purpose. If he had known it he would not have asked the question. It is like for many Catholics who do not know why they are Catholics. “I was born a Catholic and this is why I am Catholic!” It is as if was a custom!
• Matthew 19, 21-22: The proposal of Jesus and the response of the young man. Jesus answers: “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; then come follow me”. But on hearing these words the young man went away very sad because he was very rich. The observance of the commandments is only the first degree of a stairway that goes beyond, much farther and much higher. Jesus asks more! The observance of the commandments prepares the persons to be able to reach the point of giving oneself completely to the neighbour. Mark says that Jesus looked at the young man with love (Mk 10, 21). Jesus asks for very much, but he asks for it with much love. The young man did not accept the proposal of Jesus and goes away, “because he was very rich”.
• Jesus and the option for the poor. A two-fold slavery marked the situation of the people at the time of Jesus: the slavery of the politics of Herod, supported by the Roman Empire and maintained by a whole system which was well organized for exploitation and repression, and the slavery of the official religion, maintained by the religious authority of the time. For this reason the clan, the families, the community, were disintegrating and the majority of the people were excluded, marginalized, homeless, without either a religion or a society. So, for this reason, there were diverse movements which, like Jesus, tried to build up life in the communities: Essens, Pharisees and later on, the Zelots. But in the community of Jesus, there was something new which made it different from the other groups. There was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated. The word “Pharisee” meant “separated”. This was the attitude concerning the poor and the excluded. The communities of the Pharisees lived separated from the impure people. Some Pharisees considered the people, ignorant and damned (Jn 7, 49), in sin (Jn 9, 34). They could learn nothing from the people (Jn 9,34). On the contrary, Jesus and his community lived in the midst of persons who were excluded, considered impure; tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, lepers (Ml 2, 16; 1, 41; Lk 7, 37). Jesus recognizes the richness and the values which the poor possess (Mt 11, 25-26; Lk 2 1, 1-4). He proclaims them blessed, because the Kingdom is theirs, of the poor (Lk 6, 20; Mt 5, 3). He defines his mission in this way: “To announce the Good News to the poor” (Lk 4, 18). He himself lives poorly. He possesses nothing for himself, not even a stone where to recline his head (Lk 9, 58). And to anyone who wants to follow him, who wants to live like him, he orders that he choose either God or money! (Mt 6, 24). He orders to choose the poor, as he proposed it to the rich young man! (Mk 10, 21). This different way of accepting the poor and of living with them is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
4) Personal questions
• Can a person who lives concerned about
his wealth or with acquiring the goods which the propaganda of consumerism
offers, free himself from all this in order to follow Jesus and live in peace
in a Christian community? Is this possible? What do you think?
• What does it mean for us today: “Go, sell all you possess and give it to the poor?” Is it possible to do this concretely? Do you know anybody who has succeeded to do this for the Kingdom?
• What does it mean for us today: “Go, sell all you possess and give it to the poor?” Is it possible to do this concretely? Do you know anybody who has succeeded to do this for the Kingdom?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name. (Ps 23,1-3)
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name. (Ps 23,1-3)
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