Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 336
Lectionary: 336
When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth,
and how no desire that his heart conceived
was ever anything but evil,
he regretted that he had made man on the earth,
and his heart was grieved.
So the LORD said:
“I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created,
and not only the men,
but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air,
for I am sorry that I made them.”
But Noah found favor with the LORD.
Then the LORD said to Noah:
“Go into the ark, you and all your household,
for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.
Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs,
a male and its mate;
and of the unclean animals, one pair,
a male and its mate;
likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs,
a male and a female,
and of all the unclean birds, one pair,
a male and a female.
Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth.
Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth
for forty days and forty nights,
and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth
every moving creature that I have made.”
Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him.
As soon as the seven days were over,
the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
and how no desire that his heart conceived
was ever anything but evil,
he regretted that he had made man on the earth,
and his heart was grieved.
So the LORD said:
“I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created,
and not only the men,
but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air,
for I am sorry that I made them.”
But Noah found favor with the LORD.
Then the LORD said to Noah:
“Go into the ark, you and all your household,
for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.
Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs,
a male and its mate;
and of the unclean animals, one pair,
a male and its mate;
likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs,
a male and a female,
and of all the unclean birds, one pair,
a male and a female.
Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth.
Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth
for forty days and forty nights,
and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth
every moving creature that I have made.”
Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him.
As soon as the seven days were over,
the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 29:1A AND 2, 3AC-4, 3B
AND 9C-10
R. (11b) The
Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
AlleluiaJN 14:23
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Meditation: "Beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod"
Do
you allow anxiety or fear to keep you from trusting in God's provision for your
life? The apostles worried because they forgot to bring bread for their
journey. And that was right after Jesus miraculously fed a group of five thousand
people (Mark 6:41-44, Matthew 14:17-21), and then on another occasion four
thousand people (Mark 8:1-10, Matthew 15:34-38)! How easy it is to forget what
God has already done for us and to doubt what he promises to do for us in the
future as well. Scripture tells us that "perfect love casts out fear"
(1 John 4:18). Ask the Lord Jesus to fill your heart with his love and to
increase your faith in his provident care for you.
Beware
the "leaven" which corrupts mind, body, and soul
Jesus cautioned the disciples to beware of bread that corrupts, such as the "leaven of the Pharisees." When leaven ferments a lump of wet dough, it transforms the dough and changes it into life-enriching bread when heated. Left-over dough which had been leavened (but not baked) would rot and become putrified. For the Jew leaven was a sign or symbol of evil influence. It signified anything which rots and corrupts, not just physically but spiritually and morally as well.
Jesus cautioned the disciples to beware of bread that corrupts, such as the "leaven of the Pharisees." When leaven ferments a lump of wet dough, it transforms the dough and changes it into life-enriching bread when heated. Left-over dough which had been leavened (but not baked) would rot and become putrified. For the Jew leaven was a sign or symbol of evil influence. It signified anything which rots and corrupts, not just physically but spiritually and morally as well.
Jesus
warned his disciples to avoid the way of the Pharisees and Sadducees who sought
their own counsels rather than the mind of God. They were blinded by their own
arrogance and were unable to recognize the truth and wisdom which Jesus spoke
in the name of his Father in heaven. What kind of leaven (spiritual, moral,
intellectual) do you allow to influence your way of thinking and living? Jesus
sharply contrasts the bread and leaven which produces life, especially the
abundant life which God offers through Jesus, the true bread of heaven, with
the bread and leaven which rots and corrupts mind, body, and soul.
Let
God's word nourish and strengthen you in faith, hope, and love
As the disciples continued to worry about their lack of physical bread for the journey, Jesus reminded them of his miraculous provision of bread in the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand. He then upbraided them for their lack of trust in God. Aren't we like the apostles? We too easily get preoccupied with the problems, needs, and worries of the present moment, and we forget the most important reality of all - God's abiding presence with us!
As the disciples continued to worry about their lack of physical bread for the journey, Jesus reminded them of his miraculous provision of bread in the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand. He then upbraided them for their lack of trust in God. Aren't we like the apostles? We too easily get preoccupied with the problems, needs, and worries of the present moment, and we forget the most important reality of all - God's abiding presence with us!
When
the people of Israel wandered in the desert homeless and helpless for forty
years, God was with them every step of the way. And he provided for them
shelter, food, water, and provision, as long as they trusted in him. Each day
he gave them just what they needed. Jesus teaches us to trust in God's abiding
presence with us and in his promise to provide us what we need each and every
day to live as his sons and daughters. Do you pray with joyful confidence,
"Father, give us this day our daily bread"?
"Lord
Jesus, you alone are the true bread of life which sustains us each and every
day. Give me joy and strength to serve you always and help me to turn away from
the leaven of sin and worldliness which brings corruption and death."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Heed the truth of the Gospel, by
Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"The
apostles are ordered to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees. They are warned not to be involved in the disputes of the Jews. The
works of the law are now to be viewed in the light of faith. They are
forewarned that they, into whose time and age the truth had appeared incarnate,
should judge nothing except which lies within the position of hope in likeness
of the truth that is revealed. They are warned against allowing the doctrine of
the Pharisees, who are unaware of Christ, to corrupt the effectiveness of the
truth of the gospel." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW
16.3)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, MARK 8:14-21
Weekday
(Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10; Psalm 29)
Weekday
(Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10; Psalm 29)
KEY VERSE: "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod" (v 15).
TO KNOW: Jesus and his disciples journeyed by boat to Bethsaida. On the way, the disciples realized that they had forgotten to bring enough provisions. Jesus used this as an opportunity to warn them about the corrupting influence of Herod and the Pharisees. Since yeast, or leaven, induced fermentation in bread dough, it was an apt symbol of the insidious consequence of those who opposed Jesus. The disciples failed to understand Jesus, and he castigated them for being blind and deaf to his words and deeds. Did they not just witness the extraordinary multiplication of loaves? (Mk 6:34-44; 8:1-9). The religious leaders had missed the meaning of the miracle. Did his disciples miss it too?
TO LOVE: Do I influence others for good or evil?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to understand your words and deeds.
Tuesday 19 February 2019
Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10. Psalm 28(29):1-4, 9-10. Mark 8:14-21.
The Lord will bless his people with peace – Psalm 28(29):1-4,
9-10.
‘Are your hearts hardened?’
The disciples struggled to accept Jesus’ demonstration of the
abundance that was always available to them. St Ignatius reminded his friends
to constantly be aware of their human gifts, using them in loving service of
God. Jesus wants us to understand the life we can draw upon through faith in
his presence.
Each day we are bombarded with many enticing ideas and confusing
information. Our egos are lured into the lands of status and wealth. Our hearts
are hardened away from the loving care of family and friends. We so easily risk
becoming blind and deaf to the love of Jesus. Today’s Gospel calls us to
remember our blessings, and to re-direct our energies back into his enfolding
love.
Saint Conrad of Piacenza
Saint of the Day for February 19
(c. 1290 – February 19, 1351)
 |
| Saint Conrad Confalonieri | Giovanni Lanfranco |
Saint Conrad of Piacenza’s Story
Born of a noble family in northern Italy, Conrad as a young man
married Euphrosyne, daughter of a nobleman.
One day while hunting he ordered attendants to set fire to some
brush in order to flush out the game. The fire spread to nearby fields and to a
large forest. Conrad fled. An innocent peasant was imprisoned, tortured to
confess, and condemned to death. Conrad confessed his guilt, saved the man’s
life, and paid for the damaged property.
Soon after this event, Conrad and his wife agreed to separate:
she to a Poor Clare monastery and he to a group of hermits following the Third
Order Rule. His reputation for holiness, however, spread quickly. Since his
many visitors destroyed his solitude, Conrad went to a more remote spot in
Sicily where he lived 36 years as a hermit, praying for himself and for the
rest of the world.
Prayer and penance were his answer to the temptations that beset
him. Conrad died kneeling before a crucifix. He was canonized in 1625.
Reflection
Francis of Assisi was drawn both to contemplation and to a life
of preaching; periods of intense prayer nourished his preaching. Some of his
early followers, however, felt called to a life of greater contemplation, and
he accepted that. Though Conrad of Piacenza is not the norm in the Church, he
and other contemplatives remind us of the greatness of God and of the joys of
heaven.
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 8:14-21
Lectio Divina:
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
when we do not see clearly in life,
when suffering comes our way,
we tend to blame You or people.
Help us to realize clearly
how much of the evil around us
comes from within ourselves:
from our greed for riches and power,
from our self-complacency and selfishness.
Speak to us Your word of forgiveness
and change us from a silent majority of evil
into solidarity of love,
by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.
2) GOSPEL READING - MARK 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only
one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard
against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They
concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he
became aware of this he said to them, "Why do you conclude that it is
because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your
hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you
not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many
wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered Him,
"Twelve." "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered Him,
"Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
3) REFLECTION
Yesterday’s Gospel spoke of the misunderstanding between Jesus
and the Pharisees. Today’s Gospel speaks of the misunderstanding between Jesus
and the disciples and shows that the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod
(religion and government), had taken possession of the mentality of the
disciples to the point of hindering them from listening to the Good News.
Mark 8: 14-16: Attention to the yeast of the Pharisees and of
Herod. Jesus warns the disciples to look out for the yeast of the Pharisees and
the yeast of Herod. But they do not understand the words of Jesus. They think
that He is speaking like that because they forgot to buy bread. Jesus says one
thing and they understood another. This clash was the result of the insidious
influence of the yeast of the Pharisees on the mentality and on the life of the
disciples.
Mark 8: 17-18a: Jesus’ question. In the face of this almost
total lack of perception in the disciples, Jesus rapidly asks them a series of
questions, without waiting for an answer. They are hard questions which express
very serious things and reveal the total lack of understanding on the part of
the disciples. Even if it seems unbelievable, the disciples reach the point in
which there is no difference between them and the enemies of Jesus. First,
Jesus had become sad seeing the hardness of heart of the Pharisees and of the
Herodians (Mk 3: 5). Now, the disciples themselves have hardened their hearts
(Mk 8: 17). First, those outside (Mk 4:11) do not understand the parables
because they have eyes and do not see, listen but do not understand (Mk 4:12).
Now, the disciples themselves understand nothing, because they have eyes and do
not see, listen, but do not understand (Mk 8:18). Besides, the image of the
hardened heart evoked the hardness of heart of the people of the Old Testament
who always drifted away from the path. It also evoked the hardened heart of
Pharaoh who oppressed and persecuted the people (Ex 4: 21; 7: 13; 8: 11, 15,
28; 9: 7 ). The expression “they have eyes and do not see, listen but do not
understand” evoked not only the people without faith criticized by Isaiah (Is
6: 9-10), but also the adorers of false gods, of whom the psalm says, “They
have eyes and see nothing, have ears and hear nothing” (Ps 115: 5-6).
Mark 8: 18b-21: The two questions regarding the bread. The two
final questions refer to the multiplication of the loaves: How many baskets did
they gather the first time? Twelve! And the second time? Seven! Like the
Pharisees, the disciples also, though they had collaborated actively in the
multiplication of the loaves, did not succeed in understanding the meaning.
Jesus ends by saying, “Do you still not understand?” The way in which Jesus
asks these questions, one after the other, almost without waiting for an
answer, seems to cut the conversation. It reveals a very big clash. What is the
cause of this clash?
The cause of the clash between Jesus and the disciples. The
cause of the clash between Jesus and the disciples was not due to ill will on
their part. The disciples were not like the Pharisees. The Pharisees did not
understand, but in them there was malice. They used religion to criticize and
to condemn Jesus (Mk 2: 7,16,18,24; 3: 5, 22-30). The disciples were good
people. Theirs was not ill will, because even if they were victims of the yeast
of the Pharisees and of the Herodians , they were not interested in defending
the system of the Pharisees and the Herodians against Jesus. Then, what was the
cause? The cause of the clash between Jesus and the disciples had something to
do with the Messianic hope. Firstly, among the Jews there was an enormous
variety of Messianic expectations. Second, the diverse interpretations of the
prophecies: there were people who expected a Messiah King (cf. Mk 15: 9, 32);
others, a Messiah Saint or Priest (cf. Mk1:24); others, a Messiah subversive
Warrior (cf. Lk 23:5; Mk 15: 6; 13: 6-8); others, a Messiah Doctor (cf. Jn 4:
25; Mk 1: 22-27); still others, a Messiah Judge (cf. Lk 3: 5-9; Mk 1:8);
others, a Messiah Prophet (6: 4, 14, 65). It seems that nobody expected a
Messiah Servant, announced by the Prophet Isaiah (Is 42: 1; 49: 3; 52: 13).
They did not consider the messianic hope as a service of the people of God to
humanity. Each group, according to their own interests and according to their
social class, awaited the Messiah, but wanted to reduce Him to their own hope.
This is why the title Messiah, according to the person or social position,
could mean very different things. There was a great confusion of ideas! And
precisely in this attitude of Servant is found the key which turns on a light
in the disciples’ darkness and helps them toward conversion. It is only in
accepting the Messiah as the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, that they will be
capable of opening their eyes and understanding the Mystery of God in Jesus.
4) FOR PERSONAL CONFRONTATION
What is for us today the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod?
What does it mean today for me to have a hardened heart?
The yeast of Herod and the Pharisees prevents the disciples from
understanding the Good News. Perhaps, today the propaganda of television
prevents us from understanding the Good News of Jesus?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
I need only say, “I am slipping,”
for Your faithful love, Yahweh, to support me;
however great the anxiety of my heart,
Your consolations soothe me. (Ps 94:18-19)
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