Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 440
Lectionary: 440
Brothers and sisters:
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
If anyone supposes he knows something,
he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if one loves God, one is known by him.
So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols:
we know that there is no idol in the world,
and that there is no God but one.
Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth
(there are, to be sure, many "gods" and many "lords"),
yet for us there is
one God, the Father,
from whom all things are and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things are and through whom we exist.
But not all have this knowledge.
There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now
that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols,
their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.
Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction,
the brother for whom Christ died.
When you sin in this way against your brothers
and wound their consciences, weak as they are,
you are sinning against Christ.
Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin,
I will never eat meat again,
so that I may not cause my brother to sin.
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
If anyone supposes he knows something,
he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if one loves God, one is known by him.
So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols:
we know that there is no idol in the world,
and that there is no God but one.
Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth
(there are, to be sure, many "gods" and many "lords"),
yet for us there is
one God, the Father,
from whom all things are and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things are and through whom we exist.
But not all have this knowledge.
There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now
that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols,
their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.
Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction,
the brother for whom Christ died.
When you sin in this way against your brothers
and wound their consciences, weak as they are,
you are sinning against Christ.
Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin,
I will never eat meat again,
so that I may not cause my brother to sin.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 139:1B-3, 13-14AB,
23-24
R. (24b) Guide
me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Probe me, O God, and know my heart;
try me, and know my thoughts;
See if my way is crooked,
and lead me in the way of old.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Probe me, O God, and know my heart;
try me, and know my thoughts;
See if my way is crooked,
and lead me in the way of old.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Alleluia1 JN 4:12
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
If we love one another,
God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another,
God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
"To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."
"To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."
Meditation: "Do good to those who hate you"
What makes Christians different and what makes
Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace -
treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated -
with loving-kindness and mercy. God is good to the unjust as well as the just.
His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and
teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse
us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us,
must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is
easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so.
How much harder when we can expect nothing in return.
Give and forgive - the two wings of prayer
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) describes Jesus double precept to give and forgive as two essential wings of prayer:
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) describes Jesus double precept to give and forgive as two essential wings of prayer:
"Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given you. These are the two wings of prayer on
which it flies to God. Pardon the offender what has been committed, and give to
the person in need"(Sermon 205.3). "Let us graciously and fervently perform these
two types of almsgiving, that is, giving and forgiving, for we in turn pray the
Lord to give us things and not to repay our evil deeds" (Sermon 206.2).
Bless and do not curse
Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil. How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe in and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. That is why Paul the Apostle tells those who know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to "bless and not curse.. nor take revenge.. and to overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:14,17,21). Do you know the power of God's love, mercy, and righteousness (moral goodness) for overcoming evil with good?
Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil. How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe in and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. That is why Paul the Apostle tells those who know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to "bless and not curse.. nor take revenge.. and to overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:14,17,21). Do you know the power of God's love, mercy, and righteousness (moral goodness) for overcoming evil with good?
"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon.
Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart free with your merciful love
that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, nor
make me bitter towards anyone."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The virtue of charity, by Ambrose
of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"Love is commanded when it is said, 'Love your
enemies'” so that the saying which was uttered already before the church may be
fulfilled: 'Set in order love in me' (Song of Solomon 2:4). For love is set in
order when the precepts of love are formed. See how it began from the heights
and cast the law underneath the backs of the Gospel's blessing. The law
commands the revenge of punishment (see
Exodus 21:23-36). The gospel bestows love for hostility,
benevolence for hatred, prayer for curses, help for the persecuted, patience
for the hungry and grace of reward. How much more perfect the athlete who does
not feel injury!" (excerpt
fromEXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.73)
THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 13, LUKE 6:27-38
(1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13; Psalm 139)
(1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13; Psalm 139)
KEY VERSE: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (v. 36).
TO KNOW: Luke's "Sermon on the Plain" is the counterpart to Matthew's "Sermon on the Mount" (Mt 5-7). In Luke, Jesus was preaching on a plain to show his humble bond with his followers. In the midst of a hostile political system, Jesus encouraged his followers to bear persecution and suffering as he did. Typical of Luke's gospel, God's "mercy" is stressed rather than "perfection" as in Matthew (5:48). For Luke, Jesus' disciples were children of a compassionate Father and they should imitate God's mercy. Central to Jesus' teaching was love of neighbor and forgiveness of one's enemies. He spoke out against vindictiveness in retaliation of mistreatment or injury. Jesus' commands are clear: Love! Bless! Give! Forgive! Stop judging! Stop condemning! He encouraged his followers to overcome hatred and oppression just as he did, not through power, but through kindness, forgiveness and love.
TO LOVE: To whom do I need to show mercy today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, for the sake of your sorrowful passion, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Memorial of Saint John
Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church
St. John Chrysostom was one of the most famous orators of his day. Because of his eloquent sermons, he earned the title "Chrysostom" (golden mouthed). John explained the Scriptures with clarity. They were always to the point and sometimes went on for hours. John was made a reluctant bishop of Constantinople in 398, a move that involved him in imperial politics. He criticized the rich for not sharing their wealth; fought to reform the clergy; revised the Greek Liturgy; prevented the sale of ecclesiastical offices (simony); called for fidelity in marriage and encouraged practices of justice and charity. St. John Chrysostom is one of the Greek Fathers of the Church. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 451.
Thursday 13
September 2018
1 Corinthians 8:1-7, 11-13. Psalm 138(139):1-3, 13-14, 23-24.
Luke 6:27-38.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way—Psalm 138(139):1-3,
13-14, 23-24.
‘Someone who loves God is known by God.’
Today’s readings are about love. Paul tells us that if we love
God we are ‘known by God’. The psalm repeats this message with the beautiful
words, ‘You know when I sit and when I rise.’ God watches over every detail of
our lives.
Luke’s message is stronger. Love brings responsibility and
challenges. Jesus says we must be prepared to love even those who hurt or treat
us badly.
When we’re hurt, our natural reaction may be to retaliate. Jesus
asks us to redirect such negative energy into care for our neighbour – as in
martial arts where you absorb the opponent’s energy before deflecting it.
May we learn to love and forgive as Jesus does.
Saint John Chrysostom
Saint of the Day for September 13
(c. 349 – September 14, 407)
 |
| Chrysostemos | Carl Christian Peters |
Saint John Chrysostom’s Story
The ambiguity and intrigue surrounding John, the great preacher
(his name means “golden-mouthed”) from Antioch, are characteristic of the life
of any great man in a capital city. Brought to Constantinople after a dozen
years of priestly service in Syria, John found himself the reluctant victim of
an imperial ruse to make him bishop in the greatest city of the empire.
Ascetic, unimposing but dignified, and troubled by stomach ailments from his
desert days as a monk, John became a bishop under the cloud of imperial
politics.
If his body was weak, his tongue was powerful. The content of
his sermons, his exegesis of Scripture, were never without a point. Sometimes
the point stung the high and mighty. Some sermons lasted up to two hours.
His lifestyle at the imperial court was not appreciated by many
courtiers. He offered a modest table to episcopal sycophants hanging around for
imperial and ecclesiastical favors. John deplored the court protocol that
accorded him precedence before the highest state officials. He would not be a
kept man.
His zeal led him to decisive action. Bishops who bribed their
way into office were deposed. Many of his sermons called for concrete steps to
share wealth with the poor. The rich did not appreciate hearing from John that
private property existed because of Adam’s fall from grace any more than
married men liked to hear that they were bound to marital fidelity just as much
as their wives were. When it came to justice and charity, John acknowledged no
double standards.
Aloof, energetic, outspoken, especially when he became excited
in the pulpit, John was a sure target for criticism and personal trouble. He
was accused of gorging himself secretly on rich wines and fine foods. His
faithfulness as spiritual director to the rich widow, Olympia, provoked much
gossip attempting to prove him a hypocrite where wealth and chastity were
concerned. His actions taken against unworthy bishops in Asia Minor were viewed
by other ecclesiastics as a greedy, uncanonical extension of his authority.
Theophilus, archbishop of Alexandria, and Empress Eudoxia were
determined to discredit John. Theophilus feared the growth in importance of the
Bishop of Constantinople and took occasion to charge John with fostering
heresy. Theophilus and other angered bishops were supported by Eudoxia. The
empress resented his sermons contrasting gospel values with the excesses of
imperial court life. Whether intended or not, sermons mentioning the lurid
Jezebel and impious Herodias were associated with the empress, who finally did
manage to have John exiled. He died in exile in 407.
Reflection
John Chrysostom’s preaching, by word and example, exemplifies
the role of the prophet to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the
comfortable. For his honesty and courage, he paid the price of a turbulent
ministry as bishop, personal vilification, and exile.
Saint John Chrysostom is the Patron Saint of:
Orators
Preachers
Speakers
Preachers
Speakers
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 6:27-38
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, September 13, 2018
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 6,27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for
those who treat you badly.
To anyone who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek as well; to anyone who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from someone who takes it.
Treat others as you would like people to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get money back, what credit can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount.
Instead, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ‘Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.’
To anyone who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek as well; to anyone who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from someone who takes it.
Treat others as you would like people to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get money back, what credit can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount.
Instead, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ‘Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.’
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel we have the second
part of the “Discourse of the Plain”. In the first part (Lk 6, 20-26), Jesus
addresses himself to the disciples (Lk 6, 20). In the second part (Lk 6,
27-49), he addresses himself “to you who listen to me”, that is, the great
crowds of poor and sick people, who had come form all parts (Lk 6, 17-19).
• Luke 6, 27-30: Love the enemies! The words that Jesus addresses to these people are demanding and difficult: to love the enemies, not to curse them, to present the other cheek to anyone who slaps you on one cheek, and do not protest or complain when somebody takes what is ours. Taken literally, these phrases seem to favour the rich who rob. But not even Jesus observes them literally. When the soldier struck him on the face, he did not offer the other cheek but rather reacted firmly: “If there is some offence in what I said, point it out, but if not why do you strike me?” (Jn 18, 22-23). Then, how are these words to be understood? The following verses help us to understand what Jesus wants to teach us.
• Luke 6, 31-36: The Golden Rule! to imitate God. Two phrases of Jesus help us to understand what he wants to teach. The first phrase is the so called Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would like people to treat you!” (Lk 6, 31). The second phrase is: “Be merciful as your Father in Heaven is merciful!” (Lk 6, 36). These two phrases indicate that Jesus does not want simply to change the situation, because nothing would change. He wants to change the system. The novelty which he wants to construct comes from the new experience of God the Father, full of tenderness who accepts all! The words of threat against the rich cannot be the occasion of revenge on the part of the poor! Jesus demands the contrary attitude: “Love your enemies!” Love cannot depend on what I receive from others. True love should want the good of others, independently of what he or she does for me. Love should be creative, because that is how God’s love is for us: “Be merciful, as your Heavenly Father is merciful!” Matthew says the same thing with other words: “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Mt 5, 48). Never will anyone be able to say: Today I have been perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect! I have been merciful as the Father in Heaven is merciful”. We will always be below the measure which Jesus has placed before us.
In Luke’s Gospel, the Golden Rule says: “Treat others as you would like people to treat you!” (Lk 6, 31). Matthew, in his Gospel, gives a different formulation: “Treat others as you would like others to treat you” And he adds: “That is the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 7, 12). Practically, all religions in the whole world have the same Golden Rule with a diverse formulation. This is a sign that a universal intuition or desire is expressed which comes from the bottom of the human heart.
• Luke 6, 37-38: “Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and there will be gifts for you; a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you”. These are four advices: two in a negative form, do not judge and do not condemn; and two in positive form: to forgive and to give an abundant measure. When it says: “there will be gifts for you”, Jesus refers to the treatment which God wants to have with us. But when our way of treating others is mean, God cannot use with us the abundant and overflowing measure that he would want to use.
Celebrate the visit of God. The Discourse of the Plains or the Sermon on the Mountain, from the beginning, leads the listeners to make a choice, to opt, in favour of the poor. In the Old Testament, several times, God placed people before this same choice, blessing or curse. People were given the freedom to choose: “Today I call heaven and earth to witness against you: I am offering you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live” (Dt 30,19).It is not God who condemns, but the people themselves according to the choice that they make between life and death, good or evil. These moments of choosing are moments of the visit of God to his people (Gn 21, 1; 50, 24-25); Ex 3, 16; 32, 34; Jr 20, 10; Ps 65, 10; Ps 80, 15; Ps 106, 4). Luke is the only Evangelist who uses this image of the visit of God (Lk 1, 68. 78; 7, 16; 19, 44; Ac 15, 16). For Luke it is the visit of God which places people before the choice between blessing or curse: “Blessed are you who are poor” and “Alas for you, the rich!” But people do not recognize the visit of God (Lk 19,44).
• Luke 6, 27-30: Love the enemies! The words that Jesus addresses to these people are demanding and difficult: to love the enemies, not to curse them, to present the other cheek to anyone who slaps you on one cheek, and do not protest or complain when somebody takes what is ours. Taken literally, these phrases seem to favour the rich who rob. But not even Jesus observes them literally. When the soldier struck him on the face, he did not offer the other cheek but rather reacted firmly: “If there is some offence in what I said, point it out, but if not why do you strike me?” (Jn 18, 22-23). Then, how are these words to be understood? The following verses help us to understand what Jesus wants to teach us.
• Luke 6, 31-36: The Golden Rule! to imitate God. Two phrases of Jesus help us to understand what he wants to teach. The first phrase is the so called Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would like people to treat you!” (Lk 6, 31). The second phrase is: “Be merciful as your Father in Heaven is merciful!” (Lk 6, 36). These two phrases indicate that Jesus does not want simply to change the situation, because nothing would change. He wants to change the system. The novelty which he wants to construct comes from the new experience of God the Father, full of tenderness who accepts all! The words of threat against the rich cannot be the occasion of revenge on the part of the poor! Jesus demands the contrary attitude: “Love your enemies!” Love cannot depend on what I receive from others. True love should want the good of others, independently of what he or she does for me. Love should be creative, because that is how God’s love is for us: “Be merciful, as your Heavenly Father is merciful!” Matthew says the same thing with other words: “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Mt 5, 48). Never will anyone be able to say: Today I have been perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect! I have been merciful as the Father in Heaven is merciful”. We will always be below the measure which Jesus has placed before us.
In Luke’s Gospel, the Golden Rule says: “Treat others as you would like people to treat you!” (Lk 6, 31). Matthew, in his Gospel, gives a different formulation: “Treat others as you would like others to treat you” And he adds: “That is the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 7, 12). Practically, all religions in the whole world have the same Golden Rule with a diverse formulation. This is a sign that a universal intuition or desire is expressed which comes from the bottom of the human heart.
• Luke 6, 37-38: “Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and there will be gifts for you; a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you”. These are four advices: two in a negative form, do not judge and do not condemn; and two in positive form: to forgive and to give an abundant measure. When it says: “there will be gifts for you”, Jesus refers to the treatment which God wants to have with us. But when our way of treating others is mean, God cannot use with us the abundant and overflowing measure that he would want to use.
Celebrate the visit of God. The Discourse of the Plains or the Sermon on the Mountain, from the beginning, leads the listeners to make a choice, to opt, in favour of the poor. In the Old Testament, several times, God placed people before this same choice, blessing or curse. People were given the freedom to choose: “Today I call heaven and earth to witness against you: I am offering you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live” (Dt 30,19).It is not God who condemns, but the people themselves according to the choice that they make between life and death, good or evil. These moments of choosing are moments of the visit of God to his people (Gn 21, 1; 50, 24-25); Ex 3, 16; 32, 34; Jr 20, 10; Ps 65, 10; Ps 80, 15; Ps 106, 4). Luke is the only Evangelist who uses this image of the visit of God (Lk 1, 68. 78; 7, 16; 19, 44; Ac 15, 16). For Luke it is the visit of God which places people before the choice between blessing or curse: “Blessed are you who are poor” and “Alas for you, the rich!” But people do not recognize the visit of God (Lk 19,44).
4) Personal questions
• Do we look at life and at persons with
the same look of Jesus?
• What does it mean today “be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful”?
• What does it mean today “be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful”?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh, you examine me and know me,
you know when I sit,
when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct. (Ps 139,1-3)
you know when I sit,
when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct. (Ps 139,1-3)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét