Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary:
370
 |
| Murder of Zechariah. |
After the death of Jehoiada,
the princes ofJudah
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came uponJudah
and Jerusalem
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
"God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'?
But they conspired against him,
and at the king's order they stoned him to death
in the court of the LORD's temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge."
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash.
They invadedJudah
and Jerusalem ,
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king ofDamascus
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power,
becauseJudah
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City ofDavid
but not in the tombs of the kings.
the princes of
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
"God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'?
But they conspired against him,
and at the king's order they stoned him to death
in the court of the LORD's temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge."
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash.
They invaded
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king of
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power,
because
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City of
but not in the tombs of the kings.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32,
33-34
R. (29a) For ever I will maintain my
love for my servant.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.
I will make his posterity endure forever
and his throne as the days of heaven."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"If his sons forsake my law
and walk not according to my ordinances,
If they violate my statutes
and keep not my commands."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"I will punish their crime with a rod
and their guilt with stripes.
Yet my mercy I will not take from him,
nor will I belie my faithfulness."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.
I will make his posterity endure forever
and his throne as the days of heaven."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"If his sons forsake my law
and walk not according to my ordinances,
If they violate my statutes
and keep not my commands."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
"I will punish their crime with a rod
and their guilt with stripes.
Yet my mercy I will not take from him,
nor will I belie my faithfulness."
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
Gospel Mt 6:24-34
Jesus said to his disciples:
"No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?'
or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first theKingdom of God
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil."
"No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?'
or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil."
Meditation: “Why are you anxious?”
What does the expression “serving
two masters” and “being anxious” have in common? They both have the same root
problem – being divided within oneself. The root word for “anxiety” literally
means “being of two minds.” An anxious person is often “tossed to and fro” and
paralyzed by fear, indecision, and insecurity. Fear of some bad outcome
cripples those afflicted with anxiety. It’s also the case with someone who
wants to live in two opposing kingdoms – God's kingdom of light, truth, and
goodness or Satan's kingdom of darkness, sin, and deception – following God's
standards and way of happiness or following the world’s standards of success
and happiness. Who is the master in charge of your life? Our “master” is
whatever governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires
of our heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many
different things – the love of money and possessions, the power of position and
prestige, the glamor of wealth and fame, and the driving force of unruly
passions, harmful desires, and addictive cravings. Ultimately the choice of who
is our master boils down to two: God or “mammon”. What is mammon? “Mammon”
stands for “material wealth or possessions” or whatever tends to “control our
appetites and desires.”There is one master alone who has the power to set us free from slavery to sin, fear, pride, and greed, and a host of other hurtful desires. That master is the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save us from all that would keep us bound up in fear and anxiety. Jesus used an illustration from nature – the birds and the flowers – to show how God provides for his creatures in the natural order of his creation. God provides ample food, water, light, and heat to sustain all that lives and breathes. How much more can we, who are created in the very image and likeness of God, expect our heavenly Father and creator to sustain not only our physical bodies, but our mind, heart, and soul as well? God our Father is utterly reliable because it is his nature to love, heal, forgive, and make whole again. Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence to their heavenly Father: Give us this day our daily bread. What is bread, but the very staple of life and symbol of all that we need to live and grow. Anxiety is neither helpful nor necessary. It robs us of faith and confidence in God’s help and it saps our energy for doing good. Jesus admonishes his followers to put away anxiety and preoccupation with material things and instead to seek first the things of God – his kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety robs the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and in his loving care for us. God knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously to those who trust in him. Who is your master – God or mammon?
“Lord Jesus, free me from needless worries and help me to put my trust in you. May my first and only concern be for your glory and your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Help me to live each day and moment with trust and gratitude for your providential care for me.”
www.dailyscripture.net
 Only One Master |
|
Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary
Time
|
|
Matthew 6: 24-34
Jesus said to his disciples: "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ´What will we eat?´ or ´What will we drink?´ or ´What will we wear?´ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the
Introductory Prayer: Lord, as I begin this day, I trust in your unfailing
providence. You are the deepest desire of my heart. In this moment of prayer
I want to please you alone. Even though I might be tired or uninspired, even
though I might only experience dryness, may this be my prayer: I offer you
all I am and all I have.
Petition: Lord, help me to trust more deeply in the loving
providence of our heavenly Father.
1. Why Worry? What can be added to Christ’s beautiful images in the
Gospel, urging us to trust in the loving providence of our heavenly Father?
All that is necessary is to ponder how God feeds the birds of the air and
clothes the lilies of the field and to let the reality of his fatherly care
for these ephemeral creatures sink deeply into our soul. How much more will
he not care for us, the crowning work of his hand, his sons and daughters,
for whom he is willing to send his only begotten Son to die on the Cross?
Christ penetrates to the real cause of our worries and anxieties, our anxious
concern that often overwhelms us in life: we have little faith. Little faith
and even less trust in the goodness of our heavenly Father. Let us thank him
for his patience and allow his fatherly goodness to penetrate to the depths
of our spirit.
2. Stay Focused: Our worries and concerns about the material needs of our
daily life make us lose sight of the one thing that is truly necessary:
striving for holiness, for the establishment of Christ’s kingdom in our own
lives and the lives of those around us. If only we would allow Christ to set
our hearts on fire with the consuming passion of zeal for souls, how our
lives would change! We would become driven by the mission, constantly urged
on by it — and all of our former worries and anxieties would fade into
insignificance. Then we, too, could exclaim with Christ, “I have come to light
a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!” (Luke 12:49)
3. Simplicity of
Heart: One virtue that helps us trust God
more and grow in apostolic zeal is simplicity of heart. When you grow in
simplicity of heart, you will never demand of God that he explain your
vocation or your sufferings. Thanks to simplicity of heart, you will always
see God’s holy will in everything, and everything, even pain, becomes wells
and rivers of peace and joy. Thanks to simplicity of heart, you will be able
to understand people and their misery and give them a helping hand. Thanks to
simplicity of heart, you will never harbor hate, an evil wish, a grudge, or
an evil thought in your heart. Everything brings you to God.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, help me through this prayer to
grow in simplicity of heart, to recognize everything in my life as coming
from your loving hand.
Resolution: I will renew my spirit of faith to see everything that
happens to me today as part of God’s loving providence.
|
For ever I will keep my love for him
Does ‘retail therapy’ ever offer lasting relief to the deep inner hunger? Jesus so wisely told us we cannot serve God and money. Those who hunger after money often suffer discontent in relationships which should be close. Jesus tells us if we set our hearts on the kingdom all else will be given to us. This doesn’t mean we are to be careless or live in ways that take no account of the future, but we have only this day (and hopefully many more) to help build his kingdom of peace and good will to all on earth.
Someone once said, ‘Yesterday is a cancelled cheque; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is ready cash.’ So, where was I most centred this day? On the way, the truth and the light that Jesus shows us, or on the fickle call of self-indulgence?
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
CHRIST
There is only one strong prayer: Christ. There is only one
voice that rises over the face of the earth: the voice of Christ.
- Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa, "Heart of Joy" [Fount Paperbacks, London
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Vibrant
Dialogue
|
|
||
|
Going to adoration gives me an opportunity to
hang out with Jesus. I get to engage in a real and vibrant dialogue that
brings all of me to him. It helps me grow in my understanding of his presence
at every moment of my life.
|
|||
|
|
|||
June 23
St. Joseph Cafasso
(1811-1860)
St. Joseph Cafasso
(1811-1860)
Even as a young man, Joseph loved to
attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his
ordination he was assigned to a seminary in Turin
Joseph
recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition
to his teaching duties, Joseph was an excellent preacher, confessor and retreat
master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners, Joseph helped many of them
die at peace with God.St. John Bosco was one of Joseph’s pupils. Joseph urged John Bosco to establish the Salesians to work with the youth of
Comment:
Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well, St. Francis, Bishop Sheen, Cardinal Bernardin and Blessed Mother Teresa among them.
Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well, St. Francis, Bishop Sheen, Cardinal Bernardin and Blessed Mother Teresa among them.
Quote:
“O admirable heights and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under the little form of bread! Look, brothers, at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves, as well, that you may be exalted by Him. Therefore, hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves so that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally” (Saint Francis, Letter to the Entire Order).
“O admirable heights and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under the little form of bread! Look, brothers, at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves, as well, that you may be exalted by Him. Therefore, hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves so that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally” (Saint Francis, Letter to the Entire Order).
Patron
Saint of:
Prisoners
Prussia
Prisoners
LECTIO: MATTHEW 6,24-34
Lectio:
Saturday, June 23,
2012
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty God,
our hope and our strength,
without you we falter.
Help us to follow Christ
and to live according to your will.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
our hope and our strength,
without you we falter.
Help us to follow Christ
and to live according to your will.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading
Jesus said to his
disciples: 'No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the
first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second.
You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
'That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and what you are to wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body more than clothing!
Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single cubit to your span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of these.
Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith? So do not worry; do not say, "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?" It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.
Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'
'That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and what you are to wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body more than clothing!
Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single cubit to your span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of these.
Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith? So do not worry; do not say, "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?" It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.
Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel helps
us to review the relationships with material goods and presents two themes of
diverse importance: our relationship with money (Mt 6, 24) and our relationship
with Divine Providence (Mt 6, 25-34). The advice given by Jesus gave rise to
several questions of difficult response. For example, how can we understand
today the affirmation: “You cannot serve God and money” (Mt 6, 24)? How can we
understand the recommendation not to worry about food, about drink and about
dress (Mt 6, 25)?
• Matthew 6, 24: You cannot serve God and money. Jesus is very clear in his affirmation: “No one can serve two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and money… Each one has to make his/her own choice. They should ask themselves: “To what do I give the first place in my life: to God or to money?” On this choice will depend the understanding of the advice which follow on Divine Providence (Mt 6, 25-34). It is not a question of a choice made only in one’s head, but rather of a very concrete choice of life that has something to do also with attitudes.
• Matthew 6, 25: Jesus criticises the excessive worry about eating and drinking.This criticism of Jesus, even in our days, causes great fear in people, because the great worry of all parents is how to get food and clothing for their children. The reason for the criticism is that life is worth more than food and the body more than the clothes. In order to clarify or explain his criticism Jesus presents two parables: the birds of the air and the flowers.
• Matthew 6, 26-27: The parable of the birds of the air: life is worth more than food. Jesus orders them to look at the birds. They do not sow, or reap or gather into barns, but they always have something to eat because the Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are?” Jesus criticises the fact that the worry about food occupies the whole horizon of the life of persons, without leaving space to experience and relish gratuity of the fraternity and of the sense of belonging to the Father. This is why the neo-liberal system is criminal because it obliges the great majority of persons to live 24 hours a day, worried about food and clothing, and produces in a rich minority, quite limited one, the anguish of buying and consuming up to the point of not leaving space for nothing else. Jesus says that life is worth more than the goods to be consumed! The neo-liberal system prevents from living the Kingdom.
• Matthew 6, 28-30: the Parable of the lilies in the fields: the body is worth more than clothing. Jesus asks to look at the flowers, the lilies of the fields. How elegant and beautiful God dresses them! “Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith?”Jesus says to look at the things of nature, because seeing the flowers and the field, people will remember the mission which we have: to struggle for the Kingdom and to create a new life living together which can guarantee the food and the clothes for everybody.
• Matthew 6, 31-32: Do not be like the Gentiles. Jesus once again criticises the excessive worry for food, drink and clothing. And he concludes: “The Gentiles are concerned about these things!” There should be a difference in the life of those who have faith in Jesus and those who do not have faith in Jesus. Those who have faith in Jesus share with him the experience of the gratuity of God the Father, Abba. This experience of paternity should revolutionize the life together. It should generate a community life which is fraternal, and the seed of a new society.
• Matthew 6, 33-34: Set your hearts on the Kingdom first. Jesus indicates two criteria: “To seek first theKingdom
of God
• Seek first of all theKingdom
of God kingdom of God Providence Kingdom of God
• A sharp knife in the hands of a child can be a mortal weapon. A sharp knife in the hand of a person hanging on a cord can be an arm which saves. The words of God on Divine Providence are like this. It would not be evangelical to say to a jobless father, who is poor, who has eight children and a sick wife: “Do not worry about food or drink! Because why worry about health and clothes?” (Mt 6, 25-28).We can say this only when we ourselves imitate Jesus, organize ourselves to share, guaranteeing in this way to the brother the possibility to survive. Otherwise, we are like the three friends of Job, that in order to defend God they told lies on human life (Job 13, 7). It would be like “abandoning an orphan and betraying a friend” (Job 7, 27). In the mouth of the system of the rich, these words can be a mortal arm against the poor. In the mouth of the poor they can be a real and concrete outlet for a better life together, more just and more fraternal.
• Matthew 6, 24: You cannot serve God and money. Jesus is very clear in his affirmation: “No one can serve two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and money… Each one has to make his/her own choice. They should ask themselves: “To what do I give the first place in my life: to God or to money?” On this choice will depend the understanding of the advice which follow on Divine Providence (Mt 6, 25-34). It is not a question of a choice made only in one’s head, but rather of a very concrete choice of life that has something to do also with attitudes.
• Matthew 6, 25: Jesus criticises the excessive worry about eating and drinking.This criticism of Jesus, even in our days, causes great fear in people, because the great worry of all parents is how to get food and clothing for their children. The reason for the criticism is that life is worth more than food and the body more than the clothes. In order to clarify or explain his criticism Jesus presents two parables: the birds of the air and the flowers.
• Matthew 6, 26-27: The parable of the birds of the air: life is worth more than food. Jesus orders them to look at the birds. They do not sow, or reap or gather into barns, but they always have something to eat because the Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are?” Jesus criticises the fact that the worry about food occupies the whole horizon of the life of persons, without leaving space to experience and relish gratuity of the fraternity and of the sense of belonging to the Father. This is why the neo-liberal system is criminal because it obliges the great majority of persons to live 24 hours a day, worried about food and clothing, and produces in a rich minority, quite limited one, the anguish of buying and consuming up to the point of not leaving space for nothing else. Jesus says that life is worth more than the goods to be consumed! The neo-liberal system prevents from living the Kingdom.
• Matthew 6, 28-30: the Parable of the lilies in the fields: the body is worth more than clothing. Jesus asks to look at the flowers, the lilies of the fields. How elegant and beautiful God dresses them! “Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith?”Jesus says to look at the things of nature, because seeing the flowers and the field, people will remember the mission which we have: to struggle for the Kingdom and to create a new life living together which can guarantee the food and the clothes for everybody.
• Matthew 6, 31-32: Do not be like the Gentiles. Jesus once again criticises the excessive worry for food, drink and clothing. And he concludes: “The Gentiles are concerned about these things!” There should be a difference in the life of those who have faith in Jesus and those who do not have faith in Jesus. Those who have faith in Jesus share with him the experience of the gratuity of God the Father, Abba. This experience of paternity should revolutionize the life together. It should generate a community life which is fraternal, and the seed of a new society.
• Matthew 6, 33-34: Set your hearts on the Kingdom first. Jesus indicates two criteria: “To seek first the
• Seek first of all the
• A sharp knife in the hands of a child can be a mortal weapon. A sharp knife in the hand of a person hanging on a cord can be an arm which saves. The words of God on Divine Providence are like this. It would not be evangelical to say to a jobless father, who is poor, who has eight children and a sick wife: “Do not worry about food or drink! Because why worry about health and clothes?” (Mt 6, 25-28).We can say this only when we ourselves imitate Jesus, organize ourselves to share, guaranteeing in this way to the brother the possibility to survive. Otherwise, we are like the three friends of Job, that in order to defend God they told lies on human life (Job 13, 7). It would be like “abandoning an orphan and betraying a friend” (Job 7, 27). In the mouth of the system of the rich, these words can be a mortal arm against the poor. In the mouth of the poor they can be a real and concrete outlet for a better life together, more just and more fraternal.
4) Personal questions
• What do I understand
by Divine Providence? Do I trust in Divine Providence?
• We Christians have the mission of giving a concrete expression to what we have within. In which way are we expressing our trust in Divine Providence?
• We Christians have the mission of giving a concrete expression to what we have within. In which way are we expressing our trust in Divine Providence?
5) Concluding Prayer
I observe your
instructions,
I love them dearly.
I observe your precepts, your judgements,
for all my ways are before you. (Ps 119,166-167)
I love them dearly.
I observe your precepts, your judgements,
for all my ways are before you. (Ps 119,166-167)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét