Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Lectionary:
297
While Apollos was in Corinth ,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down toEphesus
He said to them,
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
They answered him,
"We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
He said, "How were you baptized?"
They replied, "With the baptism of John."
Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus."
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about theKingdom of God
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to
He said to them,
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
They answered him,
"We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
He said, "How were you baptized?"
They replied, "With the baptism of John."
Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus."
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the
Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd,
6-7ab
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the
earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel Jn 16:29-33
The disciples said to Jesus,
"Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God."
Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world."
"Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God."
Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world."
Meditation: "Be
of good cheer, I have overcome the world"
How did Jesus
convince his disciples that he was the eternal Son of God? Jesus could read
their hearts like an open book. He answered their questions before they could
even speak them out. And he showed them the glory of God. For a Christian,
believing in God cannot be separated from believing in the One he sent into the
world, his "beloved Son", in whom the Father is "well
pleased" (Matthew 17:5). We can believe in Jesus and in the words he
speaks because he is himself God, the Word made flesh (John 1:14). Since he
"has seen the Father," and is "one with the Father," Jesus
is the only one who knows the Father as he truly is and can reveal him to us.
Our faith is "certain" because it is founded on the very Word of God
who cannot lie. Faith is already the beginning of eternal life. Basil the Great
says: "When we contemplate the blessings of faith even now, as if gazing
at a reflection in a mirror, it is as if we already possessed the wonderful
things which our faith assures us we shall enjoy one day." Do you nourish and strengthen your faith with
the word of God?
In spite of
their belief, Jesus warned his disciples that their faith would be put to the
test and that they would fail. Jesus spoke plainly about the tragedy of
betrayal and the triumph of the cross. Jesus knew the hearts of his disciples
better than they knew. He knew they would desert him in his hour of trial. Such
knowledge could have easily led to bitterness and rejection. Jesus met the
injury of betrayal and disloyalty with supreme love and trust in his disciples.
He loved his disciples to the very end even when they left him alone to die on
the cross. He knew that the cross would not bring defeat but victory over sin
and death. Jesus speaks the same word to us
today. "My love for you is
unconditional and I will never abandon you." While we cannot avoid all
pain and suffering in this life, Jesus, nonetheless assures us that he will
guide us safely through any difficulty or trial we may have to undergo for his
sake. Jesus calls each of us to take courage, because he has overcome the
world. The Holy Spirit gives us a living hope in the power of the resurrection
and a confident trust in God's abiding presence. Nothing can overcome this
faith and hope in Christ's victory – no trial, suffering, temptation, or
testing. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength and courage we need to overcome
adversity and to persevere in faith. Do you believe that nothing can separate
you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:38-39)?
"Lord Jesus, help me to trust in your
saving power, especially when I meet adversities and trials. Give me your peace
when I am troubled and let me know the joy of your victory over sin and
death."
(Don Schwager)
Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth
In our
doubt, let us look to the risen Jesus for peace.He has come, conquered the world, and returned to the Father. He assures us: ‘I will not leave you orphans. I will come back to you and your hearts will rejoice.’ In times of uncertainty we may feel abandoned. The light of Jesus’ presence may not be as bright as it once was.
Let us draw comfort from the words of Jesus we hear today from
Lord, Jesus, I pray for a deepening of your peace in them and in myself.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
This gospel is interesting because of what it doesn't say. The real story is often behind the text. Jesus is tired and hot. It's midday. The well is the place where the women go very early to get the water for the household for the day.
Carrying water is heavy work. The cool of dawn is the only time to do it. So why is she there at the hottest time of the day? And why is this lady so shocked that Jesus speaks to her, let alone asks for a drink?
She's there because that's the only time she can go without being picked on. She is an outcast. Firstly, she's a Samaritan, and Jews and Samaritans are enemies, so anyone Jewish would treat her with contempt. Secondly she has broken the law. She has left her first husband and has been with a number of men since. She is living outside the law. She is suffering because she is not accepted by the others. She is an outcast.
When Jesus speaks to her she is shocked. Men do not speak to women in this society, especially Samaritan women. Jesus is quite clearly a Jew. Jesus asks her for a favout.
This short encounter changes the woman's life forever. She is given courage. She speaks to the other people in the town about this stranger who knew everything about her, who spoke gently with her, who offered her a new way of living. This new beginning happens when she least expects it - and we can do this to others as well. By saying 'hello' to people when we pass them in the corridor, or by befriending a new student to school, we can give them a new beginning which could shape their life. The chance to change direction happened to this woman because she was able to reflect with honesty on her situation; she is able to see her faults, and is willing to take the risk and change her attitude.
We are all deeply hurt at times. We have all experienced times when we are shunned by others. We all have our secret insecurities or failings that we try to hide from this world. Constantly we are frightened to take a risk because we might get picked on, or we might fail. But the truth is you must fail to truly succeed.
The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is found in John's Gospel. chapter 4.
From A Canopy of Stars: Some Reflections for the Journey by Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ [David Lovell Publishing 2003]
(Daily Prayer
Online)
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Oh My
God
|
|
||
|
The Creator of all creation is totally perfect
and totally holy. Taking His name in vain doesn’t make God any less holy, but
it does make His nameless holy in the eyes of the world.
|
|||
|
|
|||
St. Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
(d. 1915-1928)
Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, S.J.,
Cristóbal and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic
government in Mexico
All of
these martyrs except three were diocesan priests. David, Manuel and These martyrs did not die as a single group but in eight Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.
Comment:
Every martyr realizes how to avoid execution but refuses to pay the high price of doing so. A clear conscience was more valuable than a long life. We may be tempted to compromise our faith while telling ourselves that we are simply being realistic, dealing with situations as we find them. Is survival really the ultimate value? Do our concrete, daily choices reflect our deepest values, the ones that allow us to “tick” the way we do? Anyone can imagine situations in which being a follower of Jesus is easier than the present situation. Saints remind us that our daily choices, especially in adverse circumstances, form the pattern of our lives.
Every martyr realizes how to avoid execution but refuses to pay the high price of doing so. A clear conscience was more valuable than a long life. We may be tempted to compromise our faith while telling ourselves that we are simply being realistic, dealing with situations as we find them. Is survival really the ultimate value? Do our concrete, daily choices reflect our deepest values, the ones that allow us to “tick” the way we do? Anyone can imagine situations in which being a follower of Jesus is easier than the present situation. Saints remind us that our daily choices, especially in adverse circumstances, form the pattern of our lives.
Quote:
During his homily at the canonization Mass on May 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II addressed the Mexican men, women and children present in Rome and said: “After the harsh trials that the Church endured in Mexico during those turbulent years, today Mexican Christians, encouraged by the witness of these witnesses to the faith, can live in peace and harmony, contributing the wealth of gospel values to society. The Church grows and advances, since she is the crucible in which many priestly and religious vocations are born, where families are formed according to God's plan, and where young people, a substantial part of the Mexican population, can grow with the hope of a better future. May the shining example of Cristóbal Magallanes and his companion martyrs help you to make a renewed commitment of fidelity to God, which can continue to transform Mexican society so that justice, fraternity and harmony will prevail among all.”
During his homily at the canonization Mass on May 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II addressed the Mexican men, women and children present in Rome and said: “After the harsh trials that the Church endured in Mexico during those turbulent years, today Mexican Christians, encouraged by the witness of these witnesses to the faith, can live in peace and harmony, contributing the wealth of gospel values to society. The Church grows and advances, since she is the crucible in which many priestly and religious vocations are born, where families are formed according to God's plan, and where young people, a substantial part of the Mexican population, can grow with the hope of a better future. May the shining example of Cristóbal Magallanes and his companion martyrs help you to make a renewed commitment of fidelity to God, which can continue to transform Mexican society so that justice, fraternity and harmony will prevail among all.”
LECTIO:
JOHN 16,29-33
Lectio:
Monday, May 21, 2012
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
when your Son Jesus had to pass through trials,
he knew that you were with him
and he committed himself into your hands.
In this way he brought peace to people.
As people baptized into his name,
let your Spirit help us to be brave
when suffering and difficulties come our way,
that, like your Son and with him,
we may overcome evil in ourselves
and in the world.
May our pains give birth
to love and peace and hope for others.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
when your Son Jesus had to pass through trials,
he knew that you were with him
and he committed himself into your hands.
In this way he brought peace to people.
As people baptized into his name,
let your Spirit help us to be brave
when suffering and difficulties come our way,
that, like your Son and with him,
we may overcome evil in ourselves
and in the world.
May our pains give birth
to love and peace and hope for others.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading
The disciples of Jesus said, 'Now you are
speaking plainly and not using veiled language. Now we see that you know
everything and need not wait for questions to be put into words; because of
this we believe that you came from God.' Jesus answered them: Do you believe at
last? Listen; the time will come -- indeed it has come already -- when you are
going to be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone. And yet I
am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that
you may find peace in me. In the world you will have hardship, but be
courageous: I have conquered the world.
3) Reflection
• The context of today’s Gospel continues to
be the environment of the Last Supper, an environment of fraternity and of
farewell, of sadness and of expectation, in which is mirrored the situation of
the communities of Asia Minor at the end of the first century. In order to be
able to understand the Gospels well, we can never forget that they give the words
of Jesus not as if they had been registered in a CD to transmit them literally.
The Gospels are pastoral writings which seek to embody and update the words of
Jesus in the new situations in which the communities find themselves in the
second half of the first century in Galilee (Matthew), in Greece (Luke), in Italy
(Mark) and in Asia Minor (John). In the Gospel
of John, the words and the questions of the disciples are not only those of the
disciples, in fact, they reveal the questions and problems of the communities.
They are the mirror in which the communities of that time as well as those of
today are recognized with their sadness and their anguishes, with their joys
and their hopes. And they find light and strength in the answers of Jesus.
• John 16, 29-30: Now, you are speaking plainly. Jesus had told his disciples: The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and you have believed that I come from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world to go to the Father (Jn 16, 29-30). Listening to this affirmation of Jesus, the disciples answered: “Now you are speaking plainly and not using veiled language. Now we see that you know everything and need not wait for questions to be put into words. Because of this we believe that you came from God”. The disciples think that they have understood everything. Yes, truly they got a true light to clarify their problems. But it was still a very dim light. They got the seed, but at that moment, not knowing the tree. The light or the seed was the fundamental intuition of faith according to which Jesus is for us the revelation of God, who is Father: “Now we believe that you came from God.“ But this was only the beginning, the seed. Jesus himself was and continues to be the great parable or the revelation of God for us. God reaches us and reveals himself to us. But God does not enter into any schema. He exceeds all, goes beyond our schema and gives us the unexpected surprise which, sometimes, is very painful.
• John 16, 31-32: You are leaving me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. Jesus asks: Do you believe at last? He knows his disciples. He knows that there is still much lacking for the understanding of the mystery of God and of the Good News of God. He knows that in spite of the good will and in spite of the light that they have just received in that moment, they still have to face the unexpected and painful surprise of the Passion and Death of Jesus. The small light that they got is not sufficient to overcome the darkness of the crisis: Behold, the time will come, indeed it has come already, when you are going to be scattered , each one going his own way and leaving me alone; and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. This is the source of certitude of Jesus and through Jesus, this is and will be the source of certitude for all of us: The Father is with me! When Moses was sent to liberate the people from the oppression of the Egyptians, this being his mission, he received this certainty: “”Go! I am with you” /Ex 3, 12). The certainty of the liberating presence of God is expressed in the name that God assumes at the moment of the beginning of the Exodus and of the liberation of his people: JHWH, God with us: This is the name for all time (Ex 3, 15). A Name which is present more than six thousand times only in the New Testament.
• John 16, 33: Courage, I have conquered the world! And now we have the last phrase pronounced by Jesus who anticipates the victory and which will be a source of peace and of strength for the disciples of that time, as well as for all of us, up until now: I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have hardship, but be courageous, I have conquered the world”. With his sacrifice out of love, Jesus conquers the world and Satan. His disciples are called to participate in the struggle and the victory. To feel the courage which he gives is already to overcome the battle”. (L.A.
• John 16, 29-30: Now, you are speaking plainly. Jesus had told his disciples: The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and you have believed that I come from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world to go to the Father (Jn 16, 29-30). Listening to this affirmation of Jesus, the disciples answered: “Now you are speaking plainly and not using veiled language. Now we see that you know everything and need not wait for questions to be put into words. Because of this we believe that you came from God”. The disciples think that they have understood everything. Yes, truly they got a true light to clarify their problems. But it was still a very dim light. They got the seed, but at that moment, not knowing the tree. The light or the seed was the fundamental intuition of faith according to which Jesus is for us the revelation of God, who is Father: “Now we believe that you came from God.“ But this was only the beginning, the seed. Jesus himself was and continues to be the great parable or the revelation of God for us. God reaches us and reveals himself to us. But God does not enter into any schema. He exceeds all, goes beyond our schema and gives us the unexpected surprise which, sometimes, is very painful.
• John 16, 31-32: You are leaving me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. Jesus asks: Do you believe at last? He knows his disciples. He knows that there is still much lacking for the understanding of the mystery of God and of the Good News of God. He knows that in spite of the good will and in spite of the light that they have just received in that moment, they still have to face the unexpected and painful surprise of the Passion and Death of Jesus. The small light that they got is not sufficient to overcome the darkness of the crisis: Behold, the time will come, indeed it has come already, when you are going to be scattered , each one going his own way and leaving me alone; and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. This is the source of certitude of Jesus and through Jesus, this is and will be the source of certitude for all of us: The Father is with me! When Moses was sent to liberate the people from the oppression of the Egyptians, this being his mission, he received this certainty: “”Go! I am with you” /Ex 3, 12). The certainty of the liberating presence of God is expressed in the name that God assumes at the moment of the beginning of the Exodus and of the liberation of his people: JHWH, God with us: This is the name for all time (Ex 3, 15). A Name which is present more than six thousand times only in the New Testament.
• John 16, 33: Courage, I have conquered the world! And now we have the last phrase pronounced by Jesus who anticipates the victory and which will be a source of peace and of strength for the disciples of that time, as well as for all of us, up until now: I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have hardship, but be courageous, I have conquered the world”. With his sacrifice out of love, Jesus conquers the world and Satan. His disciples are called to participate in the struggle and the victory. To feel the courage which he gives is already to overcome the battle”. (
4) For Personal Confrontation
• A small light helped the disciples to take a
step farther, but it did not light the whole journey. Have you had a similar
experience in your life?
• Courage, I have conquered the world! Has this phrase of Jesus helped you some times in your life?
• Courage, I have conquered the world! Has this phrase of Jesus helped you some times in your life?
5) Concluding Prayer
Protect me, O God, in you is my refuge.
To Yahweh I say, 'You are my Lord, my happiness is in none
My birthright, my cup is Yahweh;
you, you alone, hold my lot secure. (Ps 16,1-2,5)
(www.ocarm.org)To Yahweh I say, 'You are my Lord, my happiness is in none
My birthright, my cup is Yahweh;
you, you alone, hold my lot secure. (Ps 16,1-2,5)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét