Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week I
Color: Green
Saints:
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Daily Readings
- First
1And Josue gathered
together all the tribes of Israel in Sichem, and called for the ancients, and
the princes, and the judges, and the masters: and they stood in the sight of
the Lord:
2And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange gods.
15But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve, whether the gods which your fathers served inMesopotamia , or the gods of the Amorrhites, in
whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
16And the people answered, and said: God forbid we should leave the Lord, and serve strange gods.
17The Lord our God he brought us and our fathers out of theland of Egypt
18And he hath cast out all the nations, the Amorrhite the inhabitant of the land into which we are come. Therefore we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.
2And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river, Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange gods.
15But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve, whether the gods which your fathers served in
16And the people answered, and said: God forbid we should leave the Lord, and serve strange gods.
17The Lord our God he brought us and our fathers out of the
18And he hath cast out all the nations, the Amorrhite the inhabitant of the land into which we are come. Therefore we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.
- Psalm:
Psalms 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
2I will bless the Lord at
all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.
3In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.
16The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears unto their prayers.
17But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
18The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.
19The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.
20Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.
21The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken.
3In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.
16The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears unto their prayers.
17But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
18The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.
19The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.
20Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.
21The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken.
- Second
21Being subject one to
another, in the fear of Christ.
22Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:
23Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body.
24Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.
25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it:
26That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life:
27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any; such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.
28So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself.
29For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ doth the church:
30Because we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.
32This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the church.
22Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:
23Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body.
24Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.
25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it:
26That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life:
27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any; such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.
28So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself.
29For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ doth the church:
30Because we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.
32This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the church.
- Gospel:
John 6:60-69
60These things he said,
teaching in the synagogue,
in Capharnaum.
61Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it?
62But Jesus, knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
63If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
64It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.
65But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.
66And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.
67After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.
68Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?
69And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
61Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it?
62But Jesus, knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
63If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
64It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.
65But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.
66And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.
67After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.
68Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?
69And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Meditation: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have
the words of everlasting life"
When you encounter the
difficult sayings of Jesus, how do you respond? With disbelief, indifference,
or with a desire that seeks understanding? Jesus claimed to have full
revelation of God and he backed this claim with many remarkable works of
healing and miracles, including the miraculous feeding of five thousand people
at one time. That is why many thousands sought Jesus out and were attracted to
his teaching. He offered them something both tangible and irresistible –
visible signs of God's mercy, kindness, and favor. Many stumbled, however, when
Jesus made claims which only God could possibly make. Jesus' discourse on "eating his flesh and drinking
his blood" (see John
6:51-59) – which pointed to the Last Supper and to the unique bread of the
Eucharist or Table of the Lord – caused offence to many of his followers. Jesus
claimed to be the bread of heaven, the very life of God given to us as
spiritual food to sustain us on our journey to the promised land of heaven.Jesus did not leave any middle ground for his hearers. They must either accept his word as divine or reject it as the claim of an imposter. Even the apostles admitted that this was a "hard saying". This expression meant that it was not just hard to understand, but hard to accept. Jesus pressed the issue with his beloved disciples because he wanted to test their faith, trust, and loyalty. Jesus promised his disciples nothing less than the full blessing of eternal life and union with God. Jesus assures his disciples that it is his heavenly Father who invites and who gives the grace to follow even in the "hard sayings". Jesus knew that some would not only reject him and his word, but would do so with great opposition, hatred and violence, even betraying him to his enemies.
It takes faith and trust to believe in Jesus and to accept his words. Real faith, however, is neither blind trust nor ignorant belief. Augustine of Hippo (see shortbiography) once said: "I believe, in order to understand; and I understand, the better to believe." Faith and reason go together, because faith seeks understanding of God's truth and revelation. That is why God gives us the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is our instructor and daily tutor in the wisdom and knowledge of God. Paul the Apostle teaches us to pray for understanding that God "may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened" (Ephesians 1:17-18).
Faith is a personal response to God's revelation of himself to us. Jesus both reveals who God is and offers us a personal relationship with God as our heavenly Father. Peter’s profession of faith was based on the personal relationship he had with Jesus. He not only believed that Jesus had the divine authority to speak on behalf of God, and the power to perform signs and miracles in the name of God. Peter grasped, through the eyes of faith, that Jesus truly was the Messiah, the Holy One of God. Through the gift of faith Peter came to understand that Jesus was both God and man, sent into the world by the Father who loved the world so much that he gave us his only Son (John 3:16). Peter believed in the words which Jesus spoke, because he accepted Jesus as the Son of God and savior of the world.
Faith is an entirely free gift of God which enables us to respond to God's word with trust because God is true and utterly reliable. Faith is the key to understanding and experiencing God at work in our daily personal lives. Do you believe, as Peter did, that Jesus can change your life because he has the words of everlasting life? Ask the Lord Jesus to increase your faith and understanding of his word that you may grow in the knowledge of his love and plan for your life.
"Lord Jesus, you have the words of everlasting life. Strengthen my faith and help me to cast aside all doubt, fear, and indifference to your word that I may obey it with trust and joy. May there be nothing in my life which separates me from your love and truth."
Scripture Study
August 26, 2012 Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary
Time
This week we celebrate the Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time. The
first reading leads us to consider the matter of choice. In a very real sense
the choice for God must be made every day and often several times a day in
various ways. Few of us actually choose against God but I am prodded by the
reading to consider in what ways do I (perhaps subtly) avoid making a choice
for God? The second reading emphasizes the unity that must exist in the body of
Christ and the intimate relationship between Jesus and His followers. I must
ask myself to what extent have I been faithful to that unity and how well have
I lived out the love that such an intimate relationship with the Savior calls
for? After reading from the "Bread of Life Discourse" in Chapter 6 of
John's Gospel for the last four weekends, we hear the conclusion of that speech
today. The Gospel reading leads me to ask myself, Am I among those who walk
away or do I, like Peter and the Twelve, believe that Jesus "has the words
of eternal life?" If I do believe, then How well do I express the love
embodied by that belief to the world around me?
NOTES on First Reading
*
24:1 The wording is almost exactly the same as 23:2. The presence of the ark is
implied but not mentioned explicitly (See also 8:33).
*
24:2-4 This is a summary of the events of Gen 5-6 without any mention of the
Joseph stories.
*
24:5-6 The language in this second Deuteronomic summary of this chapter is
similar to 1 Sam 12:8.
*
24:7 The shift from direct speech by Yahweh to third person narrative occurs in
both the Masoretic Text (Jewish Bible text) and the Septuagint (ancient Greek
translation of the Old Testament) although in the former it occurs in this
verse only while in the later it continues through verse 13. The redactional
(editing) history is quite complicated and can not be unraveled with certainty
at this time. An analogous point of view shift occurs in 1 Sam 12:11.
The summary of the Exodus events given here appears to be an independent biblical tradition. This is highlighted by usage of the unique word, "darkness" and the unusual formulation, "he brought the sea upon them."
The summary of the Exodus events given here appears to be an independent biblical tradition. This is highlighted by usage of the unique word, "darkness" and the unusual formulation, "he brought the sea upon them."
*
24:9-10 Here too, the basic story line is familiar but the details are
different from other biblical accounts indicating that independent traditions
are being used. Nowhere else is there a reference to a battle with Balak (Deut
3:9; Judges 11:25). The third person reference to Israel Israel
*
24:15 A choice between Yahweh and other gods is also found in 1 Kgs 18:21 but
that choice follows an action of Yahweh in contrast to silence by Baal.
Elsewhere, false gods are chosen (Judg 10:14; Isa 41:24).
* 24:17-18 This affirmation expresses the
essence of Israel
NOTES on
Second Reading
* 5:21-6:9
Household codes of conduct are found in the New Testament in the
Deutero-Pauline (written so as to appear to be from Paul and somewhat in the
style of Paul but probably not actually written by Paul) epistles and in 1 Peter.
They were adapted from Greco-Roman popular philosophy by New Testament authors
to assist in the moral instruction of Christians. They depict the Christian
household as a hierarchically ordered social unit, probably as a response to
accusations that Christianity undermined the fabric of society and spread
discord within families.
Typically, the
New Testament writers accepted the basic social order adhered to in the common
Greco-Roman codes of conduct but they ascribed specifically Christian motivations
as the basis for the imperatives expressed in the codes.
In spite of
the arguments presented for and against these "code of conduct"
sections by those seeking to justify their personal desires and those seeking
to use scripture to dominate others, the main point of these "code of
conduct" sections whenever they appear in the New Testament is that
Christians have a responsibility to behave lovingly toward others. Thus they
are to treat one another with care and reverence. We must not miss this main
message because it is expressed in the language expressing the social structure
of the first century. The basic Christian way of life has not changed even
though we would certainly phrase it differently today.
* 5:22 Paul
here follows one of the common literary conventions of the day. It was a common
practice of that time for morality writers to list the duties and
responsibilities of various members of a society or of a family. A similar
listing of household duties is found in Col
* As in
Colossians 3:18 the Greek word used here for submit is "hupotasso," a
Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military
fashion under the command of a leader." In non-military use, it came to
mean "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming
responsibility, and carrying a burden". Paul previously mentioned this
injunction is based in #Eph 3:18. Similar views are found in #1Peter 3:1-7.
* 5:25-30 This
rather extensive instruction given to husbands concerning their treatment of
their wives is a unique contribution by this author and is very unusual in the
literature of family relationships in the ancient world. The author's primary
concern is to comment on the relationship between the Christian community and Christ.
Christ's love for His body, the church, is the model for a husband's love for
his wife. The relationship between a husband and wife is to reflect the
closeness between Christ and His Church.
* 5:31 This
verse quotes Gen 2:24 and continues with an interpretation.
* 5:32 The
idea here is that the true meaning of scripture passages are often not found in
the original setting but hidden for a later time or for the end of days. Here,
the author holds that the true meaning of Gen 2:24 is found in the union of
Christ and His Church. This is expressed in the household by the union of
husband and wife.
NOTES on Gospel:
* 6:60 Something
about Jesus was seen as being particularly scandalous. The communal concern in
the previous section, Jesus' claim to give His flesh as the bread of life, and
the fact that the disciples are being addressed all suggest that the
eucharistic discourse is the source of the division.
* 6:61-62 Using a
common rabbinical technique, Jesus replies by contrasting a "lessor
thing" which scandalizes the audience with a greater truth. This inclines
us to think that the whole earlier discourse is the object of these comments.
In this type of comparison it is characteristic of these "lessor
things" that they can be understood as images used within Judaism.
Combining wisdom language and speculation about heavenly manna makes the
earlier part of the discourse intelligible. The "greater thing" that
remains to be seen is the Son of Man ascending back to His heavenly glory
(1:51; 3:13).
* 6:63 The first
half of this verse points back to the contrast between what comes from the
flesh and what comes from the Spirit in 3:6. Only the person "born of the
Spirit" will be able to accept the truth of Jesus' words.
The second half
of this verse points back to the life-giving power of Jesus' words which had
been the subject of the previous discourse.
* 6:64-65 These
verses seem to relativize the disruption caused by disbelief among Jesus' own
disciples by repeating the notion that faith is only possible for the person
drawn to Jesus by the Father (5:38; 6:37; 8:25,46-47; 10:25-26).
* 6:66 A large
group of disciples depart almost as if to illustrate Jesus' words. This verse
ends the section and introduces the new section about the confession of Peter.
* 6:67-69 This
section is the last of the traditional material that has been taken over into
the narrative. In the Synoptic parallel, Peter's confession served to show that
the disciples had begun to perceive Jesus as the Messiah. In John, these Christological
titles have been ascribed to Him from the beginning. Here Peter's confession
serves to echo Jesus' own words in 6:63b. This is the first explicit reference
to "the Twelve" in John. The narrator seems to presume that the
reader already knows who that group is, that Jesus chose them and that Peter
served as their spokesman.
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The One and
Only
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Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Many of Jesus´ disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." Introductory Prayer: I believe in you my God. You called me into existence from nothingness and carefully watch over me. You have even numbered the hairs of my head. I trust in your infinite goodness and I abandon my fears, my hopes, my needs, my desires, everything into your loving hands. I love you Lord, and wish to love you with all my mind, heart, soul and strength. Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to make you the center of my life. 1. “Does This Shock You?” Jesus never painted the picture of a rosy, comfortable life for his disciples – one that fit into their scheme of things. Rather he challenged them to new heights that demanded a paradigm shift. We don’t have to search hard or look far to find groups that demand that the Church change its teaching, which they characterize as “too hard” or “old fashioned.” But Christ’s Mystical Body remains faithful in fearlessly proclaiming truth. Christ also asks me today, “Does this shock you? Do you also want to leave?” He asks me to humbly submit to the Church’s teachings. He challenges me to heroically give witness to my faith in my state in life, even if it will result in ridicule or rejection from my colleagues or friends. He lovingly exhorts me not to return to a life of sin. He invites me to carry my cross daily by denying my pride and self-love to follow him. 2. “No One Can Come to Me…” Using the words of St Peter we ask, “Then who can be saved?” (Luke 18:26). Jesus tells us that God the Father has prepared the hearts of men to receive his Son. God has set a time and place for everyone. When and how he calls is as mysterious as his infinite love for us. Yet, for better or for worse, through good times or bad, in sickness and in health, our acceptance of the Son of God must be constant, persevering and faithful. If God the Father enables me to believe in and proclaim Jesus Christ as the Messiah, to believe in his presence in the Eucharist, to trust in his forgiveness in confession, then what more do I need? 3. “Master, to Whom Shall We Go?” Only truth is able to quench the thirst of our intellect. Only the Source of Life and Goodness is able to satisfy the continuous desire of our will. Only the sacrificial Lamb of God, who shed his blood to save us, is able to liberate me from the chains of sin. Only love is able to conquer my heart and fill it with unending joy. To whom could we possibly turn? To what creature, idea, or worldly treasure could we long for in the face of eternal life? Peter’s question is really an affirmation in disguise: You are the “One and Only;” there is no other, no equal. It is not a mindless remark or a default logical conclusion. Rather it emerges from positively recognizing Christ as the bearer of eternal life. Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to humbly accept the Gospel and the faith to embrace it with love, especially when it is humanly tough to accept. Let me join in the response: “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69). Resolution: Through my words and deeds, I will resonate my faith to all those I come in contact with today. |
Taste
and see the goodness of the Lord
My son will soon marry the woman he loves. They visited us last weekend and showered us so easily with their love. Love is easy when it is mutual and unchallenged. It sits there on the surface of a relationship like a bubble of joy, gently seeping its goodness out to the world.
But there are other forms of love too—the love of the anguished parent, the love of the woman whose husband is slowly succumbing to dementia. This love flows from a well deep within, one that has filled slowly and surely over years of gentle devotion. Through faith and prayer the well has been filled with the spirit, ‘the spirit that gives life’. We pray that all marriages are blessed with love that is easy and love that endures.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Love as He Loves
Now that I
experience Jesus’s presence in my life, I want to live not only for him but in
him. Living in him gives me a share in his wisdom, love, and power—to know as
he knows, to love as he loves, to give my life to and for the kingdom of God
— from Catholic and Confident
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| St.Jeanne Elizabeth des Bichier Des Anges. |
ST. JEANNE ELIZABETH
St. Jeanne was
born July 1773 at La Blanc, France and died August 26, 1838. She
was canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII.
Born to nobility
and educated in a convent school, Jeanne Elizabeth witnessed closely and was
personally affected by the events of the French Revolutionwhich shook France
Upon the death
of her father, she moved to La Guimetiere with her mother, and in 1796,
realizing that she needed to do something to defend the Church and keep the
faith alive amidst the attacks of the revolutionaries, she decided to begin a ministry of teaching and serving the poor.
She gathered
groups of faithful in the town – which was at this point without a priest or
community of religious – and organized meetings of prayer, studying
of the Scriptures, and singing hymns.
She entered a
Carmelite convent upon her mother’s death in 1804, and later the Society
of Providence, with
the advice of Saint Andrew Fournet, an underground priest who was forced to
remain clandestine because he refused to make a pledge of allegiance to the
government of the new republic.
He realized that
she was the one God had called to lead a community of women he had gathered,
and she cofounded the Daughters of the Cross with him
in 1807 to care for the sick and poor, and to teach the faith.
By the time of
her death in 1838, the community had more than 60 houses all over France
St. Zephyrinus
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| St.Zephyrinus, Pope. |
Feastday: August 26
Died: 202
Died: 202
Zephyrinus, Pope +
Pope from 199-217. According to theLiber Pontificalis , he was a Roman by birth. His reign,
as succcssor to St. Victor I
(r. 189-199), was dominated by the troubles caused by several heretical groups
and the severepersecution of
the Church launched by Emperor Septimius Severus (r. 193-211) around 202. The antipope Hippolytus
criticized his vacillation in dealing with the Monarchian heretics. According
to tradition, Zephyrinus was martyred. His cult was suppressed in 1969. Feast
day: formerly August 26.
St. Teresa of
Jesus Jornet Ibars
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| St.Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars. |
Feastday: August 26
Died: 1897
Foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Born in Catalonia , Spain ,
she overcame many difficulties in her youth and eventually became a teacher at Lerida . Desirous to enter
the religious life, she failed to win entry into the convent at the advice of
her spiritual director, decided to launch her own congregation. On January 27,
1872, at Barbastro , Spain
BL. JACQUES RETOURET,
PRIEST AND MARTYR (M)
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| Bl.Jacques Retouret. |
Liturgy:
Sunday, August 26, 2012 (All day)
Bl. Jacques Retouret
was born at Limoges in France
The French Revolution did not spare him. Like the majority of his fellow clergy, Jacques refused to accept the civil law, unilaterally introduced by the state, which decreed, among other things, the election of bishops and parish priests by the people, only afterwards to be approved by the hierarchy and the pope. In addition to this refusal, Jacques was accused of siding with a group of political emigres who had invaded the country against the revolutionaries. He was arrested and condemned, together with many other priests and religious, and sentenced to exile in French Guinea in
Jacques died at Madame Isle, some miles distant from Rochefort, on 26th August 1794 at the age of 48 years. He was beatified, together with 63 other priests and religious, as martyrs for the faith, on 1st October 1995 by Pope John Paul II.
LECTIO: 21ST SUNDAY
OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, August 26,
2012
The disciples' heart
tested by the Word of the Lord.
The challenge: to keep faith in the Father and the Son
or to side with the evil one.
John 6: 60-69
The challenge: to keep faith in the Father and the Son
or to side with the evil one.
John 6: 60-69
1.
Opening prayer
Lord, your Word is sweet, it is like a honeycomb, it is not hard nor is it bitter. It may burn like fire, it may be like the hammer that breaks rock, it may be the sharp sword that pierces and separates the soul… but, Lord, your Word is sweet! Grant that I may listen to it that it may be gentle music, a song and an echo to my ears, my memory and my intellect. I offer my whole being to you and ask you to grant that I may listen faithfully, sincerely, strongly. Lord. grant that I may keep my ears and heart fixed on your lips, your voice, so that not one word may be in vain. Pour forth your Holy Spirit to be like living water watering my field so that it may bear fruit, thirty, sixty and a hundredfold. Lord, draw me, grant that I may come to you, because, you know… where shall I go, to whom on this earth if not to you?
Lord, your Word is sweet, it is like a honeycomb, it is not hard nor is it bitter. It may burn like fire, it may be like the hammer that breaks rock, it may be the sharp sword that pierces and separates the soul… but, Lord, your Word is sweet! Grant that I may listen to it that it may be gentle music, a song and an echo to my ears, my memory and my intellect. I offer my whole being to you and ask you to grant that I may listen faithfully, sincerely, strongly. Lord. grant that I may keep my ears and heart fixed on your lips, your voice, so that not one word may be in vain. Pour forth your Holy Spirit to be like living water watering my field so that it may bear fruit, thirty, sixty and a hundredfold. Lord, draw me, grant that I may come to you, because, you know… where shall I go, to whom on this earth if not to you?
2. Reading
a) Placing the passage
in its proper context:
These are the
concluding verses of the great chapter six of John's Gospel, where the
Evangelist presents his "Eucharistic theology". This conclusion is
the climax of the chapter, because the Word leads us deeper into and towards
the centre of things; from the crowd at the start of the chapter, to the Jews
who discuss with Jesus in the synagogue in Capernaum, to the disciples, to the
twelve, even to Peter, the only one who stands for each one of us, alone, face
to face with the Lord Jesus. Here we hear the reply to Jesus' teaching, to the
Word sown abundantly in the heart of his listeners. Here we verify whether the
soil of the heart produces thorns and weeds or green shoots that produce ears
and finally good corn in the ears.
b) An aid to the reading of the passage:
b) An aid to the reading of the passage:
v. 60: Some disciples
condemn the Word of the Lord and thus also Jesus himself who is the Word of
God. God is not seen as a good Father who speaks to his children, but as a hard
master (Mt 25: 24), with whom it is not possible to enter into dialogue.
vv. 61-65: Jesus unveils the incredulity and hardness of heart of his disciples and reveals his mysteries of salvation: his ascension into heaven, the gift of the Holy Spirit and our participation in the divine life. But these mysteries can only be understood and accepted by the wisdom of a docile heart, capable of listening, and not by means of physical intelligence.
v. 66: This verse reveals the first great betrayal by many disciples who have failed to understand the true teaching of Jesus. Instead of turning their gaze on the Master, they turn their backs on him and thus interrupt communion and no longer walk with him.
vv. 67-69: Jesus now addresses himself to the twelve, his most intimate friends, and places before them a final and absolute choice, whether to stay with him or go away. Peter answers on behalf of all and proclaims the faith of the Church in Jesus as Son of God and in his Word, which is the true source of life.
vv. 61-65: Jesus unveils the incredulity and hardness of heart of his disciples and reveals his mysteries of salvation: his ascension into heaven, the gift of the Holy Spirit and our participation in the divine life. But these mysteries can only be understood and accepted by the wisdom of a docile heart, capable of listening, and not by means of physical intelligence.
v. 66: This verse reveals the first great betrayal by many disciples who have failed to understand the true teaching of Jesus. Instead of turning their gaze on the Master, they turn their backs on him and thus interrupt communion and no longer walk with him.
vv. 67-69: Jesus now addresses himself to the twelve, his most intimate friends, and places before them a final and absolute choice, whether to stay with him or go away. Peter answers on behalf of all and proclaims the faith of the Church in Jesus as Son of God and in his Word, which is the true source of life.
c) The text:
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offence at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
3. A moment of silent prayer
I have received the Gift, the grace, I have listened to the Word of the Lord, now I do not wish to murmur (v. 61), I do not wish to be scandalised (v. 61), nor do I wish to be confused by incredulity (v. 64). I do not wish to betray my Master (v. 64), I do not wish to withdraw and not walk with him any longer (v. 66)… I wish to remain with the Lord at all times! In the silence of my heart, I repeat endlessly to him: "Lord to whom shall I go if not to you??!". Behold, Lord, I come…
4. A few questions
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offence at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
3. A moment of silent prayer
I have received the Gift, the grace, I have listened to the Word of the Lord, now I do not wish to murmur (v. 61), I do not wish to be scandalised (v. 61), nor do I wish to be confused by incredulity (v. 64). I do not wish to betray my Master (v. 64), I do not wish to withdraw and not walk with him any longer (v. 66)… I wish to remain with the Lord at all times! In the silence of my heart, I repeat endlessly to him: "Lord to whom shall I go if not to you??!". Behold, Lord, I come…
4. A few questions
to open my heart and
plough my interior soil with a plough capable of pulling up the roots of
hardness and incredulity.
a) What kind of disciple am I? Am I really willing every day to learn at theschool of Jesus
b) "This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?" Is it really the Word of the Lord that is hard or is it my heart that wants only to close itself and no longer listen?
c) "Jesus knowing in himself…". He knows my heart and knows what is in each person (Jn 1: 48; 2; 25; 4: 29; 10: 15). How do I react to his gaze, to his voice that calls my name, to his coming into my life, to his constant knocking (Ap 3: 20)? What choices do I make?
d) "It is the Spirit that gives life". However, do I allow myself to be led like Mary (Lk 1: 38) and Simeon (Lk 2: 27), do I allow the Lord to take me where he wills, where he waits for me, or do I always want to decide for myself the direction of my life?
e) Do I answer Jesus' personal invitation "Come to me! Come and follow me!" every day, every moment, in the most diverse situations of my life, in various circumstances, in the presence of others? To whom do I go? Where do I turn to? Whose footsteps am I following?
a) What kind of disciple am I? Am I really willing every day to learn at the
b) "This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?" Is it really the Word of the Lord that is hard or is it my heart that wants only to close itself and no longer listen?
c) "Jesus knowing in himself…". He knows my heart and knows what is in each person (Jn 1: 48; 2; 25; 4: 29; 10: 15). How do I react to his gaze, to his voice that calls my name, to his coming into my life, to his constant knocking (Ap 3: 20)? What choices do I make?
d) "It is the Spirit that gives life". However, do I allow myself to be led like Mary (Lk 1: 38) and Simeon (Lk 2: 27), do I allow the Lord to take me where he wills, where he waits for me, or do I always want to decide for myself the direction of my life?
e) Do I answer Jesus' personal invitation "Come to me! Come and follow me!" every day, every moment, in the most diverse situations of my life, in various circumstances, in the presence of others? To whom do I go? Where do I turn to? Whose footsteps am I following?
5.
A key to the reading
I ask the Scriptures to be my guide, to enlighten each step, each movement, because I wish to go to Jesus. I ask the verbs he uses, the expressions he repeats, the silence of the unsaid words, to reveal to me the way… to find him and not someone else.
I ask the Scriptures to be my guide, to enlighten each step, each movement, because I wish to go to Jesus. I ask the verbs he uses, the expressions he repeats, the silence of the unsaid words, to reveal to me the way… to find him and not someone else.
• The Word of the Lord and the love relationship
with it
In this passage, John
presents to me the Word of the Lord as meeting point, the holy place for an
appointment with Him. I realise that this is the place of my decision, of ever
deeper separations in my heart and in my conscience. I realise also that the
Word is a Person, it is the Lord himself, present before me, given to me, open
to me. The whole of the Bible, page after page, is an invitation, sweet yet at
the same time strong, to meet the Word, to get to know the Promised one, the
Bride who is really the Word that comes from the kiss of love, from the mouth
of the Lord. The meeting accorded is not superficial, empty, nor is it fleeting
or sporadic, but intense, full, constant, uninterrupted, because it is like the
meeting between the bride and groom. Thus does the Lord love me and give
himself to me. It is, therefore, important to listen carefully and lovingly so
that not one word may be in vain (1 Sam 3: 19); it is important to listen with
the heart, with the soul (Ps 94: 8; Bar 2: 31); it is important to obey in
practice for a lifetime (Mt 7: 24-27; Ja 1: 22-25); it is important to make a
true and final decision that will choose the Word of the Lord even to making it
my sister (Pr 7: 1-4) or my bride to be taken into my home (Wis 8: 2).
• Murmuring is closing one's heart
• Murmuring is closing one's heart
The theme of
murmuring, of rebelling, shakes me up and creates a crisis in me; when I read
the Bible, even when I just recall it, I realise that murmuring against the
Lord and his actions in our lives is the most terrible and destructive thing
that could possibly live in my heart, because it takes me away from Him, it
separates me strongly and makes me blind, deaf and insensitive. It makes me say
that He does not exist while all the time He is very near; that He hates me
when He loves me with an eternal and faithful love (Dt 1: 27)! It is the
greatest and most profound foolishness! In Exodus, Numbers and the Psalms, I
come across a people of God that weeps, complains, gets angry, murmurs, closes
itself, rebels, turns away (Es 16: 7ff; Num 14: 2; 17, 20ff; Ps 105: 25)); a
hopeless, lifeless people. I understand that this kind of situation comes about
when there is no longer dialogue with the Lord, when the contract with Him is
broken, when, instead of listening to Him and asking questions of Him, there is
only murmuring, a kind of continuous droning in the soul, in the mind, that
makes me say: "Can God supply food in the dessert?" (Ps 77: 19). If I
murmur against my Father, if I stop believing in his Love for me, in his
tenderness, that He showers me with every good thing, I am lifeless, I am
without nourishment for the every-day journey. Or if I get angry, if I become
jealous because He is good and gives His love to all, without reserve, and I
act like the Pharisees (Lk 15: 2; 19: 7), then I am entirely alone and besides
no longer being His child I am no longer even brother or sister of anyone. In
fact, there is a close relationship between murmuring against God and murmuring
against brothers and sisters (Phil 2: 14; 1 Pt 4: 9). I learn all this when I
follow the trail of this word…
• The Gift of the Son of man: the Holy Spirit
• The Gift of the Son of man: the Holy Spirit
It seems that I see a
road full of light, traced by the Lord Jesus and almost hidden in these verses
that are so compact and overflowing in spiritual richness. The starting point
lies in a true and deep listening to his Words and in welcoming them. From here
we pass on to the purification of the heart, which from a heart of stone, hard
and closed, becomes, through the tenderness of the Father, a heart of flesh,
soft, a heart that He can hurt, mould, take into His hands and hold tight, as a
gift. Yes, all this is accomplished by the Words of Jesus when they come to me
and enter into me. It is only thus that I can continue on my journey, overcoming
murmurings and scandal, until I am able to see Jesus with new eyes, eyes
renewed by the Word, eyes that do not rest on superficial things, on the
hardness of the rind, but eyes that learn, every day a little more, to go
beyond and to look on high. "Then what if you were to see the Son of man
ascending where he was before?" (v. 62). This is the welcoming of the
Spirit, gift of the Risen One, gift of the One who ascended at the right hand
of the Father, gift from on high, perfect gift (Ja 1: 17). He had said:
"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me" (Jn
12: 32) and He draws me with the Spirit, He makes me His own with the Spirit,
He sends me in the Spirit (Jn 20: 21s), He strengthens me thanks to the Spirit
(Acts 1: 8). If I take a long look at the pages of the Gospels, I can see how
the Spirit of the Lord is the strength that dwells in each person, each
reality, because He is the eternal love of the Father, the very life of God in
us. I pay attention and dwell on the verbs and the expressions used, on the
words that follow and enlighten each other, enriching each other. I feel that I
am really immersed in living Waters that gush and gurgle, I feel that I receive
a new baptism and I thank the Lord with my whole heart. "He will baptise
you in the Holy Spirit and fire" (Mt 3: 11), so cries John and, as I read,
this Word comes true in me, inside me, in my whole being. I feel the Spirit
speaking in me (Mt 10: 20); who, with His power, drives away from me the spirit
of evil (Mt 12: 28); who fills me, as He did Jesus (Lk 4:1), John the Baptist
(Lk 1: 15), the Virgin Mary (Lk 1: 28. 35), Elisabeth (Lk 1: 41), Zachary (Lk
1: 67), Simeon (Lk 2: 26), the disciples (Acts 2: 4), Peter (Acts 4: 8) and so
many others. I feel and meet the Spirit who teaches me what to say (Lk 12: 10);
who really gives new birth to me so that I may never die (Jn 3: 5); who teaches
me all things and reminds me of all that Jesus said (Jn 14: 26); who guides me
towards truth (Jn 16: 13); who gives me strength to witness to the Lord Jesus
(Acts 1: 8), to His love for me and for everyone.
• The struggle of faith: in the Father or in the evil one?
• The struggle of faith: in the Father or in the evil one?
This passage of John's
Gospel challenges us to a great struggle, a hand-to-hand fight between the
spirit and the flesh, between the wisdom of God and human reason, between Jesus
and the world. I can see that Job was right when he said that human life on
earth is a time of temptation and a struggle (Job 7: 1), because I too
experience the evil one who tries to discourage me by creating doubts
concerning the divine promises and urging me to turn away from Jesus. He would
like to send me away, tries by every means to harden my heart, to close me, to
break my faith, my love. I hear him roaming around like a roaring lion seeking whom
to devour (1 Pt 5: 8), like a tempter, a creator of divisions, an accuser, like
a scoffer mocking and repeating all the time: "Where is the promise of his
coming?" (2 Pt 3: 3f). I know that it is only with the arms of faith that
I can win (Eph 6: 10-20; 2 Cor 10: 3-5), only in the strength that comes to me
from the Words of my Father; hence I choose them, love them, study them,
scrutinise them, learn them by heart, repeat them and say: "Even if a
whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I
will still trust in God!" (Ps 26: 3).
• Profession of faith in Jesus, Son of God
• Profession of faith in Jesus, Son of God
The appearance of
Simon Peter at the end of this passage is like a pearl set on a precious jewel,
because it is he who proclaims truth, light and salvation through his
profession of faith. I gather other passages from the Gospels, other
professions of faith that help my incredulity, because I too wish to believe
and then know, I too wish to believe and be firm (Is 7: 9): Mt 16: 16; Mk 8:
29; Lk 9: 20; Jn 11: 27).
6.
A moment of silent prayer: Psalm 18
A hymn of praise to the Word of the Lord,
who gives wisdom and joy to the heart
A hymn of praise to the Word of the Lord,
who gives wisdom and joy to the heart
The law of the Lord is
perfect,
reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
But who can discern his errors?
Clear thou me from hidden faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
But who can discern his errors?
Clear thou me from hidden faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.
Ref. Lord, you have the words of eternal life!
7. Closing prayer
Lord, thank you for
your words that have re-awakened in me spirit and life; thank you because you
speak and creation goes on, you overwhelm me, you still print your image in me,
your unique likeness. Thank you because, lovingly and patiently, you wait for
me even when I murmur, when I allow myself to be scandalised, when I fall into
incredulity or when I turn my back to you. Forgive me, Lord, for all these
faults and continue to heal me, to make me strong and happy in following you,
you alone! Lord, you ascended to where you were before, but you are still with
us and do not cease to draw each one of us to you. Draw me, Lord, and I shall
run, because I have truly believed and known that you are the Holy One of God!
But, please Lord, when I run to you, let me not run alone, let me be always
open to the companionship of my brothers and sisters; and together with them I
shall find you and shall be your disciple all the days of my life. Amen.
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