Memorial of Saint Monica
Lectionary: 426
Lectionary: 426
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 139:1-3, 4-6
R.(1) You
have searched me and you know me, Lord.
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. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
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. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
AlleluiaHEB 4:12
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 23:23-26
Jesus said:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean."
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Monica, please go here.
Meditation: Do not neglect
justice, mercy and faith
Do
you allow any blind-spots to blur your vision of God's kingdom and his ways?
Jesus went to the heart of the matter when he called the religious leaders of
his day blindPharisees and hypocrites! A hypocrite is
an actor or imposter who says one thing but does the opposite or who puts on an
outward appearance of doing good while inwardly clinging to wrong attitudes,
selfish desires and ambitions, or bad intentions. Many scribes and Pharisees
had made it a regular practice to publicly put on a good show of outward zeal
and piety with the intention of winning greater honors, privileges, and favors
among the people. Jesus had a very good reason for severely rebuking the
scribes and Pharisees, the religious teachers and leaders, for misleading
people and neglecting the heart and essence of God's law - love of God and love
of neighbor
What
forms our outward practices and habits?
The scribes in particular devoted their whole lives to the study of God's law contained in the five books of Moses (Torah). As the religious experts of their day, they took great pride in their knowledge and outward observance of the commandments and precepts of the law of Moses. They further divided the 613 precepts of the Law of Moses into thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for much else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! Jesus chastised them for neglecting the more important matters of religion, such as justice and the love of God. In their misguided zeal they had lost sight of God and of his purpose for the law.
The scribes in particular devoted their whole lives to the study of God's law contained in the five books of Moses (Torah). As the religious experts of their day, they took great pride in their knowledge and outward observance of the commandments and precepts of the law of Moses. They further divided the 613 precepts of the Law of Moses into thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for much else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! Jesus chastised them for neglecting the more important matters of religion, such as justice and the love of God. In their misguided zeal they had lost sight of God and of his purpose for the law.
God's
law of love reveals what is truly important and necessary
Jesus used the example of tithing to show how far they had missed the mark. God had commanded a tithe of the first fruits of one's labor as an expression of thanksgiving and honor for his providential care for his people (Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30). The scribes, however, went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things (such as tiny plants) with great mathematical accuracy. They were very attentive to minute matters of little importance, but they neglected to care for the needy and the weak. Jesus admonished them because their hearts were not right. They were filled with pride and contempt for others who were not like themselves. They put unnecessary burdens on others while neglecting to show charity, especially to the weak and the poor.
Jesus used the example of tithing to show how far they had missed the mark. God had commanded a tithe of the first fruits of one's labor as an expression of thanksgiving and honor for his providential care for his people (Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30). The scribes, however, went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things (such as tiny plants) with great mathematical accuracy. They were very attentive to minute matters of little importance, but they neglected to care for the needy and the weak. Jesus admonished them because their hearts were not right. They were filled with pride and contempt for others who were not like themselves. They put unnecessary burdens on others while neglecting to show charity, especially to the weak and the poor.
The
scribes and Pharisees meticulously went through the outward observance of their
religious duties and practices while forgetting the realities of God's
intention and purpose for the law - his love and righteousness (justice and
goodness). Jesus used a humorous example to show how out of proportion matters
had gotten with them. Gnats were considered the smallest of insects and camels
were considered the largest of animals in Palestine. Both were considered
ritually impure. The scribes went to great lengths to avoid contact with gnats,
even to the point of straining the wine cup with a fine cloth lest they
accidentally swallowed a gnat. The stark contrast must have drawn chuckles as
well as groans.
God's
love shapes our minds and transforms our hearts and actions
What was the point of Jesus' humorous and important lesson? The essence of God's commandments is rooted in love – love of God and love of neighbor, righteousness (justice and goodness), and mercy. God is love and everything he does, including his justice and goodness, flows from his love for us. True love is costly and sacrificial - it both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Do you allow the love of God to shape and transform the way you live your daily life - including the way you think of others, speak of them, and treat them?
What was the point of Jesus' humorous and important lesson? The essence of God's commandments is rooted in love – love of God and love of neighbor, righteousness (justice and goodness), and mercy. God is love and everything he does, including his justice and goodness, flows from his love for us. True love is costly and sacrificial - it both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Do you allow the love of God to shape and transform the way you live your daily life - including the way you think of others, speak of them, and treat them?
"Lord
Jesus, fill me with your love and mercy that I may always think, speak, and
treat others with fairness, loving-kindness, patience, and goodness."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Neglecting Weighty Matters of Love and
Justice, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"Not
only among the Jews but among ourselves as well, we find people sinning in
these ways. They are swallowing camels. People of this type frequently show off
their religion even in the smallest of things. They are rightly called
hypocrites for wanting to exploit their religiosity before men but being
unwilling to undertake that very faith which God himself has justified.
Therefore the imitators of the scribes and Pharisees must be dislodged and sent
away from us, lest a woe touches us in the same way it touches them. The
scribes could be described as those who valued nothing found in the Scriptures
except its plain sense interpreted legalistically. Meanwhile they condemn those
who look into the very depths of God himself. Mint and dill and cummin are only
spices for food but are not themselves substantial food. What substantive food
would mean in conversion would be that which is necessary for the justification
of our souls - faith and love - unlike these legalisms, which are more like
condiments and flavorings. It is as if a meal might be thought to consist more
of condiments and flavorings than the food itself. The seriousness of judgment
is neglected while great attention is given to minor matters. Spiritual
exercises which in and of themselves are hardly justice are spoken of as
justice and compassion and faith. It is lacking in justice to treat these small
parts as the whole. When we do not offer to God the observance of all that is
necessary for worship, we fail altogether." (excerpt from COMMENTARY
ON MATTHEW 19-20)
Tuesday 27 August 2019
St Monica
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. Psalm 138(139):1-3, 4-6. Matthew
23:23-26.
You have searched me and you know me, Lord – Psalm 138(139):1-3,
4-6.
‘You have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice
and mercy and faith.’
This gospel is part of a long indictment of hypocritical
behaviour. When we have pondered the hatefulness of what Jesus charges the
Scribes and Pharisees with, it is embarrassing to realise he might turn his
accusations against us. He denounces two forms of insincerity. The Pharisees do
little things to escape from doing big things. They are scrupulous in observing
minor points of law: they think nothing of offending God in serious matters. We
may find ourselves among those, for example, who are never impolite but often
unkind.
Jesus accuses the Pharisees of keeping rules without thought of
the values that the rules protect or enforce. We can make our own list of laws
that we might keep to the letter but practise without the spirit. Today we have
an opportunity to start again from Jesus’ reminder that what matters is
‘justice and mercy and faith’.
Saint Monica
Saint of the Day for August 27
(c. 330 – 387)
 |
| Detail | Stained glass window in the Church of Saint James the Greater in Bouxwiller | photo by GFreihalter |
Saint Monica’s Story
The circumstances of Saint Monica’s life could have made her a
nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law, and a despairing parent, yet she did
not give way to any of these temptations. Although she was a Christian, her
parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, who lived in her hometown
of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a
violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous
mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of
her charity and piety, but always respected her. Monica’s prayers and example
finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in
371, one year after his baptism.
Monica had at least three children who survived infancy. The
oldest, Augustine, is the most famous. At the time of his father’s death,
Augustine was 17 and a rhetoric student in Carthage. Monica was distressed to
learn that her son had accepted the Manichean heresy—”all flesh is evil”—and
was living an immoral life. For a while, she refused to let him eat or sleep in
her house. Then one night she had a vision that assured her Augustine would
return to the faith. From that time on, she stayed close to her son, praying
and fasting for him. In fact she often stayed much closer than Augustine
wanted.
When he was 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach
rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he told his mother that
he was going to the dock to say goodbye to a friend. Instead he set sail for
Rome. Monica was heartbroken when she learned of Augustine’s trick, but she
still followed him. She arrived in Rome only to find that he had left for
Milan. Although travel was difficult, Monica pursued him to Milan.
In Milan, Augustine came under the influence of the bishop,
Saint Ambrose, who also became Monica’s spiritual director. She accepted his
advice in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had
become second nature to her. Monica became a leader of the devout women in
Milan as she had been in Tagaste.
She continued her prayers for Augustine during his years of
instruction. At Easter 387, Saint Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his
friends. Soon after, his party left for Africa. Although no one else was aware
of it, Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, “Son, nothing
in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for
me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now
fulfilled.” She became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days
before her death.
Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of Saint
Augustine, especially his Confessions.
Reflection
Today, with Google searches, online shopping, text messages,
tweets, and instant credit, we have little patience for things that take time.
Likewise, we want instant answers to our prayers. Monica is a model of
patience. Her long years of prayer, coupled with a strong, well-disciplined
character, finally led to the conversion of her hot-tempered husband, her
cantankerous mother-in-law and her brilliant but wayward son, Augustine.
Saint Monica is the Patron Saint of:
Alcoholics
Conversion
Married Women
Mothers
Conversion
Married Women
Mothers
Lectio Divina: Matthew 23:23-26
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
help us to seek the values
that will bring us enduring joy in this changing world.
In our desire for what You promise
make us one in mind and heart.
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.
help us to seek the values
that will bring us enduring joy in this changing world.
In our desire for what You promise
make us one in mind and heart.
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 23:23-26
Jesus said: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you
hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the
weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you
should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out
the gnat and swallow the camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you
hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full
of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the
cup, so that the outside also may be clean."
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents two other times when this expression
is used: “Alas for you...” Jesus speaks against the religious leaders of His
time. The two uses today denounce the lack of coherence between word and
attitude, between exterior and interior. Today we continue our reflection which
we began yesterday.
• Matthew 23:23-24: The fifth “Alas for you...” is against those who insist on observance and forget mercy. “You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and fidelity.” This fifth “Alas for you...” of Jesus is against the religious leaders of that time and can be repeated against many religious of the following century even up to our time. Many times, in the name of Jesus, we insist on details and forget mercy. For example, Jansenism reduces lived faith to something arid, insisting on the observance and penance which led people away from the way of love. The Carmelite Saint Therese of Lisieux grew in the Jansenist environment which marked France at the end of the XIX century. Beginning from a personal painful experience, she learned how to reclaim the gratuitous of love of God, a force which should animate the observance of the norms from within, because, without love, the observance makes an idol of God.
• Matthew 23:25-26: The sixth “Alas for you...” is against those who clean things on the outside and are dirty inside. “You clean the outside of the cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus criticizes those who observe the letter of the law and transgress the spirit of the law. He says, "You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, ‘You shall not kill, and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.’ But I say to you anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court. Anyone who calls his brother ‘fool’ will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him ‘traitor’ will answer for it in hell fire. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ but I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:21-22, 27-28). It is not enough to observe the letter of the Law. It is not sufficient not to kill, not to rob, not to commit adultery, not to swear in order to be faithful to what God asks of us. The one who observes fully the law of God is the one who, besides observing the letter, goes deeply to the root and pulls out from within “the desires of extortion and intemperance” which may lead to murder, theft, and adultery. The fullness of the law is realized in the practice of love.
• Matthew 23:23-24: The fifth “Alas for you...” is against those who insist on observance and forget mercy. “You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and fidelity.” This fifth “Alas for you...” of Jesus is against the religious leaders of that time and can be repeated against many religious of the following century even up to our time. Many times, in the name of Jesus, we insist on details and forget mercy. For example, Jansenism reduces lived faith to something arid, insisting on the observance and penance which led people away from the way of love. The Carmelite Saint Therese of Lisieux grew in the Jansenist environment which marked France at the end of the XIX century. Beginning from a personal painful experience, she learned how to reclaim the gratuitous of love of God, a force which should animate the observance of the norms from within, because, without love, the observance makes an idol of God.
• Matthew 23:25-26: The sixth “Alas for you...” is against those who clean things on the outside and are dirty inside. “You clean the outside of the cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus criticizes those who observe the letter of the law and transgress the spirit of the law. He says, "You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, ‘You shall not kill, and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.’ But I say to you anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court. Anyone who calls his brother ‘fool’ will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him ‘traitor’ will answer for it in hell fire. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ but I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:21-22, 27-28). It is not enough to observe the letter of the Law. It is not sufficient not to kill, not to rob, not to commit adultery, not to swear in order to be faithful to what God asks of us. The one who observes fully the law of God is the one who, besides observing the letter, goes deeply to the root and pulls out from within “the desires of extortion and intemperance” which may lead to murder, theft, and adultery. The fullness of the law is realized in the practice of love.
4) Personal questions
• There are two declarations of “Alas for you...”, two reasons
to receive criticism from Jesus. Which of these two applies to me?
• Observance and gratuity: Which of these applies to me?
• Do these admonitions paint for me a bigger picture of not only avoiding sin, but of internal purification and a life of virtue?
• Observance and gratuity: Which of these applies to me?
• Do these admonitions paint for me a bigger picture of not only avoiding sin, but of internal purification and a life of virtue?
5) Concluding Prayer
Proclaim God’s salvation day after day,
declare His glory among the nations,
His marvels to every people! (Ps 96:2-3)
declare His glory among the nations,
His marvels to every people! (Ps 96:2-3)
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