07-10-2012 : TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDNARY TIME

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 140

Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24

The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.

So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

R. (cf. 5) May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them 'brothers.'

Gospel Mk 10:2-16

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?"
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?"
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery."

And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
"Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

Or Mk 10:2-12

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?"
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?"
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery."

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Scripture Study

October 7, 2012
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we celebrate the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings are largely about commitment. The first reading and the first part of the Gospel deal with the ideal of lifetime commitment in marriage. The second reading and the last part of the Gospel deal with the commitment of Christ to His followers and their (and our) commitment to Him. Throughout history Christianity has seen marriage as an image of the relationship between Jesus and the Church. Jesus here upholds the ideal in marriage. Unfortunately we as humans often fall short of that ideal. The readings call on me to ask myself: How have I fallen short in my commitment to Jesus and to my fellow Christians, especially the little ones in faith and the children in my life? What can I do to correct my shortcomings and strengthen my commitment?

NOTES on First Reading:

* 2:18 Traditional translation of "Help mate" is a corruption of the archaic "help meet" or fitting helper.

* 2:19-20 Naming the creatures expresses God given mastery over them. They are for him.

* 2:21-24 Woman is fashioned not out of the earth but out of the man's own self, his very being. Deep sleep is from God that he may not see the glory of God at work in the act of creation.

* 2:24 One body Hebrew had no word for body; what they said here was "one flesh". The sacred writer stresses that conjugal union is good and is willed by God. This is in contrast to many pagan cults of the time that saw everything physical as made by a god in opposition to the one who made the spiritual reality. The Jewish tradition insists on a single creator of all things and that the creation was good when initially created.

NOTES on Second Reading:

*2:8 The realized eschatology sees Jesus as reigning already.

* 2:10 The concept is that God is the Creator in Whom all that He has made finds its purpose. This is also found in 1Cor 8:6; Rom 11:36. The phrase, "..in bringing".. probably was meant to apply to God although some read it as applying to Jesus. Jesus as leader is one of the major themes of Hebrews. He leads the people of God on the journey to the place of rest, the heavenly sanctuary, and they arrive by following His footsteps as their forerunner (Heb 4:11; 6:20). The expression, "to make perfect", appears nine times in Hebrews, three of which refer to Jesus (Heb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28). The expression is used in the Septuagint in connection with priestly consecration translating the Hebrew expression, " to fill [the hands]" (Exodus 29:9, 29, 33, 35; Lev 16:32; 21:10; Num 3:3). The idea of perfection has ritual elements associated with the consecration of priests. Jesus' priestly consecration involved obedience learned through suffering (5:8-10).

* 2:11 Jesus is the one who consecrates. The Greek term for "consecrate" is like the term for "to make perfect", a ritual term (Exod 28:41; 29:33). Jesus' being perfected as High Priest enables Him to perfect His people. The terms consecrate and make perfect are used together in 10:4; 11:40; and 12:23. In Jesus' priestly perfection and consecration His followers are also perfected and consecrated.

NOTES on Gospel:

* 10:2-12 Jesus interprets the law on divorce as having been given only for a time because His people were not ready for anything more perfect. He says that God intended marriage to create a permanent bond. Ideal marriage is not simply coexistence but being truly united in every way.

* 10:4 This rule is found in Deut 24:1.

* 10:5 See Mal 2:16.

* 10:9 This indicates a permanent bond. The word, translated as "human being" here is "man" in the Greek. It does not refer to a third party or a judge but in the ancient world of the middle east this would have meant the husband.

* 10:12 This situation was possible in Roman law if the woman was powerful enough. It was not likely in Jewish areas but there are a few cases among the Jews were it does seem to have happened although it was far from common.

* 10:13-16 This is more about the kingdom than it is about children. Typical writings of that time presented children as examples of unreasonable behavior or as objects to be trained. The people of that time did not view children as persons, at least not in their law or customary thought. Here and in 9:33-37, children are taken seriously as persons and enjoy a relationship with Jesus and a place in the kingdom.

* 10:14 This verse indicates the acceptance of children among the people of God - those gathered around Jesus.

* 10:15 We must depend on Jesus as a child depends upon his parents. Children are symbols of powerlessness. We too are powerless and must count on the grace of Christ.

* 10:16 Placing hands upon them was a traditional gesture of blessing. See Gen 48:14.

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Meditation: "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder"

What is God's intention for our state in life, whether married or single? Jesus deals with the issue of divorce by taking his hearers back to the beginning of creation and to God's plan for the human race. In Genesis 2:23-24 we see God's intention and ideal that two people who marry should become so indissolubly one that they are one flesh. That ideal is found in the unbreakable union of Adam and Eve. They were created for each other and for no one else. They are the pattern and symbol for all who were to come. Jesus explains that Moses permitted divorce as a concession in view of a lost ideal. Jesus sets the high ideal of the married state before those who are willing to accept his commands. Jesus, likewise sets the high ideal for those who freely renounce marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:11-12). Both marriage and celibacy are calls from God to live a consecrated life, that is to live as married couples or as singles who belong not to themselves but to God. Our lives are not our own, but they belong to God. He gives the grace and power to those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life. Do you seek the Lord and his grace in your state of life?

Do you seek to help others draw near to the Lord? The parents who brought their children to Jesus wanted Jesus to lay his hands upon them. They knew of the healing power, both physical and spiritual, which came from Jesus' touch.  Jesus, in turn, rebuked his disciples for hindering the children from coming. No doubt the disciples wanted to shield Jesus from the nuisance of noisy children. But Jesus delighted in the children and demonstrated that God's love has ample room for everyone. No one is unimportant to God. He comes to each person individually that he might touch them with his healing love and power. May we never hinder our youth from coming to the Lord to receive his blessing and healing power. And as we grow with age, may we never lose that child-like simplicity and humility which draws us into Christ's loving presence. Do you show kindness to the youth you encounter in your neighborhood, home, and church and do you pray for them that they may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your call to holiness extends to all in every state of life. Sanctify our lives – as married couples and as singles – that we may live as men and women who are consecrated to you. Make us leaven in a society that disdains life-long marriage fidelity, chastity, and living single for the Lord".

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27TH SUNDAY HOMILY YEAR B OCTOBER 7, 2012 

 READINGS:

First Reading: GEN. 2:18-24;

 Second Reading: HEB. 2: 9-11

 Gospel: MARK 10: 2-16 [2-12]

 ANECDOTE:

 1: The grim picture presented by divorce statistics. We are told that during the last three years the divorce rate in the U.S has gone above 43%, although it is still less than that in Russia (65%), Sweden (63%), U.K (49%) and Australia (49%). In 1998 there were 19.4 million divorced adults in the U.S.A. Each year 2.5 million more couples get divorced. A greater number of divorces occur within the Christian churches than in marriages made outside the church. An ABC broadcast reports that the divorce rate in the "Bible Belt" is 50% higher than in other areas of the country. This affects the lives of one million new children every year, 84% of whom live in single parent homes. Statistics for the U.S. predict the possibility of 40% to 50% of marriages ending in divorce if current trends continue. People between the ages of 25 and 39 account for 60% of all divorces. More people are in their 2nd marriage than 1st (www. dicorcenter.com). With divorce being so common today, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce.

 2: DIVORCE A CURSE ON CHILDREN:

 Today, divorce is at an all-time high, and there are more lives shattered by it than can ever be documented or calculated. There is hardly a child or a family in the advanced countries that hasn't been touched by the pain of divorce in one way or another. Judith S. Wallerstein, Sandra Blakeslee, & Julia M. Lewis state in their book: The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: a 25 Year Landmark Study: "... children of divorce have a very hard time growing up. They never recover from their parents’ breakups and have difficulty forming their own adult relationships." In How Now Shall We Live? Chuck Colson (A Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973 and later, after his release from prison, a noted Evangelical Christian leader and cultural commentator), notes some disturbing realities that plague children who grow up without a father:

 a) Children of single-parent families are five times more likely to be poor because half the single mothers in the United States live below the poverty line.

 b) Children of divorced parents suffer intense grief and other metal problems requiring psychological help.

 c) Children from disrupted families have more academic and behavioral problems at school and are nearly twice as likely to drop out of high school.

 d) Girls in single-parent homes are at a much greater risk for being sexually precocious, and are more likely to have a child out of wedlock.

 e) Crime and substance abuse are strongly linked to fatherless households.

 f) Statistics show that 60 percent of rapists grew up in fatherless homes, as did 72 percent of adolescent murderers, and 70 percent of all long-term prison inmates. In fact, most of the social problems disrupting American life today can be traced to divorce. Today’s gospel contains Jesus’ clear teaching on marriage and divorce. Introduction: Today’s scripture readings are about the bond of love that marriage creates between a man and a woman, a bond that God wishes to be permanent. They challenge the spouses to practice the fidelity of their ever-faithful God. The first reading, from Genesis, explains God’s original plan concerning sex and marriage. It teaches us that God made man and woman for each other. Hence, in marriage, they are no longer two but one, united by an unbreakable bond. The reading also describes the institution of marriage and shows that monogamy was God's intention from the very beginning. The responsorial psalm expands the marital theme of the first reading and the gospel to include the children born of the union. Since the children enrich the lives of their parents, the psalmist prays: “May you see your children’s children.” The second reading, from Hebrews, reminds us that Jesus became one of us, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. As one of us, he “tasted death for everyone.” He was not only the Sacrifice, but also the High Priest. We are now his brothers and sisters, bonded with him, and through him bonded with God. Thus, Christ became the brother and savior of all people – the good and the bad, the divorced, gays, lesbians -- everyone. Jesus’ prohibition of divorce can be a source of suffering for those who face difficult married lives. Paul suggests that we have to accept that pain as Jesus did, as the suffering we should endure on the way to glory. Today’s gospel gives Christ’s explicit teaching on marriage and divorce, the divine origin of marriage, the sacredness of family life and the indissolubility of marriage. These are difficult messages to preach in a society that embraces co-habitation and ignores both the escalating divorce statistics and divorce’s dangerous consequences. The Gospel teaches that family life is sacred, that husband and wife are partners with equal rights and that the destruction of the family by divorce will result in the destruction of society.

 THE FIRST READING:

 GENESIS 2: 18-24:

 The creation story in chapter two of Genesis shows that the ancient Israelites knew the importance of man and woman being joined one to another. The woman is made of the rib of man, and, hence, she is “bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh.” Figuratively, “bone” stands for strength and “flesh” stands for weakness. Woman’s origin makes her one with man. They are bonded in God’s deliberate creation of them. The clearest expression of this bonding is in the marriage of a man and woman, and their co-creation, with God, of a new family unit. Woman is found to be a “suitable partner” for man. That is why, God says, “a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife” with the result that, “the two of them become one flesh.” The Genesis text attributes two essential qualities to marriage: unity (the two shall become one) and complementarity or mutual interdependence. The theme of marital bonding, which is essential for human fulfillment and happiness in marriage and families, appears in both the first reading and today’s gospel, and explains Jesus’ teaching on marriage and divorce. Divorce reveals an absence of marital bonding.

 THE SECOND READING

 (HEBREWS 2: 9-11):

 The Letter to the Hebrews is a sermon which explains the meaning of the early Christian confession that Christ died for us and our sins. It presents Christ as the great High Priest who has willingly offered himself on our behalf. He is both the perfect Sacrifice and the Priest who offers it. Today’s passage from Hebrews says that, by the grace of God, Jesus tasted death for us all, that he was our leader on the way to salvation and that we are now his brothers and sisters. Christ was thus “perfect” for fulfilling the task of bringing us into a new relationship with God, in which we may now approach God with confidence and even boldness. Christ became the brother and savior of all people – the good and the bad, the divorced, gays, lesbians – everyone. Jesus’ prohibition of divorce can be a source of suffering for those who experience difficult married lives. But Paul suggests that we have to accept pain the way Jesus did, as the suffering we should endure on the way to glory.

 Gospel

 MARK 10: 2-16 [2-12]

 “Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' He answered them, 'What did Moses command you?' They said, 'Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.' But Jesus said to them, 'For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, "God made them male and female." "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.' “And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.' “And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, 'Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them."

 SCRIPTURE LESSONS:

 The first reading from Genesis explains God’s original plan concerning sex and marriage. It teaches us that God made man and woman for each other. Hence, in marriage, they are no longer two but one, united by an unbreakable bond. The reading also describes the institution of marriage and shows that monogamy was God's intention from the very beginning. The responsorial psalm expands the marital theme of the first reading and the gospel to include the children born of the union. Since the children enrich the lives of their parents, the psalmist prays: “May you see your children’s children.” The second reading, from Hebrews, reminds us that Jesus became one of us, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. As one of us, he “tasted death for everyone.” He was not only the sacrifice, but also the high priest. We are now his brothers and sisters, bonded with him, and through him bonded with God. Thus, Christ became the brother and savior of all people – the good and the bad, the divorced, gays, lesbians -- everyone. Jesus’ prohibition of divorce can be a source of suffering for those who face difficult married lives. Paul suggests that we have to accept pain as Jesus did, as the suffering we should endure on the way to glory. Today’s gospel gives Christ’s explicit teaching on marriage and divorce, the divine origin of marriage, the sacredness of family life and the indissolubility of marriage. These are difficult messages to preach in a society that embraces co-habitation and ignores both the escalating divorce statistics and the dangerous consequences of divorce. The Gospel teaches that family life is sacred, that husband and wife are partners with equal rights and that the destruction of the family by divorce will result in the destruction of society.

 THE CONTEXT:

 King Herod had married his brother's wife, Herodias, violating the Mosaic Law. John the Baptist showed courage in condemning the king in public and lost his head for it. In today’s gospel the Pharisees were setting a trap for Jesus, asking whether he agreed with his cousin John on the non-legitimacy of divorce. They were trying to trick him, to see if he would criticize the Mosaic tradition and alienate the people. But Jesus used the occasion to declare unequivocally that the bond of marriage comes from God, not man, and that it is permanent and indissoluble: “What God has joined, man must not separate”.

 High ideal and low practice: The Jews had a high ideal of marriage and their rabbis taught: “the very altar sheds tears when a man divorces the wife of his youth.” But their practice was far from that ideal, and divorce was common and easy. The wife was considered to be a husband's property with no legal rights whatsoever. The husband could draft a certificate of divorce which stated: "She is not my wife and I am not her husband." He would give this paper to his wife and tell her to leave. They were then legally divorced. There were two interpretations prevalent in Jewish theological schools concerning the Mosaic Law on divorce by which Moses allowed divorce when the husband found “some indecency” in his wife. "When a man, after marrying a woman and having relations with her, is later displeased with her because he finds in her something indecent, he writes out a bill of divorce and hands it to her, thus dismissing her from his house” (Deuteronomy 24:1). The Shammai School interpreted “indecency” as adultery, while the Hillel School interpreted it as anything which the husband did not like in his wife’s word, behavior, actions, or even her appearance.

 JESUS’ STAND:

 Jesus did not claim to introduce a new teaching. He reminded the Jews that his doctrine went back to the original intention of God. Citing the book of Genesis, Jesus proved that God made us male and female and commanded that "the two shall become one flesh." He then drew the conclusion that “they are no longer two, but one body” – partners with equal rights. He declared that no man was allowed to separate what God had joined together (Mt 19:6). In contrast with the prevailing culture, Jesus presents man and woman as having equal rights and their marriage as essentially a permanent relationship. ("In creating men 'male and female,' God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity" C.C.C-2334). These words might have reminded the Pharisees of Yahweh’s warning given through his last prophet: “I hate divorce” (Malachi 2:16). Jesus also explains that Moses' permission for divorce was only a temporary concession to control the growing rate of divorce even in his time, by introducing a law governing divorce. Jesus adds that it was because of the hard-heartedness of the Jewish men that Moses allowed such a concession. By negating an interpretation of Dt. 24:1-6 that allowed easy divorce, Jesus says, in effect, that where such a possibility of injustice and inequality exists in marriage, there can be no true marriage according to the intent of Genesis. According to the Mosaic sanction, men were allowed to divorce their wives, but wives were not able to divorce their husbands. By denying the man’s right to divorce, Jesus places the husband and wife on an equal footing in marriage and teaches that no Mosaic regulation dealing with a temporary situation can alter the permanency and unity of marriage which God intended.

 THE CATHOLIC TEACHING:

 Today’s reading from Mark’s Gospel, taken with Mt. 5:31-32; Mt. 19:3-9; Luke. 16:18; and 1 Cor 7:10-11, is the main source from which the Catholic Church derives Jesus’ teaching on the sacramental nature of marriage and its indissolubility. Christian marriage involves both a sacred and legal contract between a man and woman and at the same time is rooted in a special covenant with the Lord. That is why Jesus states that a valid marriage is permanent. Hence, the Church has always firmly taught that a sacramental marriage between Christians, in which there has been true matrimonial consent and consummation, is absolutely indissoluble, except by the death of one of the spouses. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the Church’s teaching: “Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death...... Divorce is immoral also because it introduces disorder into the family and into society. This disorder brings grave harm to the deserted spouse, to children traumatized by the separation of their parents and often torn between them, and because of its contagious effect which makes it truly a plague on society” (CCC nos. 2384, 2385).

 STABILITY IN MARRIAGE:

 Of course, it is not always easy for the two partners in a marriage to get along with each other. The husband and wife bring to the marriage their strengths and weaknesses, loves and hates, hurts and wounds, hopes and fears. Hence, the first requisite for a lasting marriage is that the spouses learn to accept each other as they are: two imperfect and vulnerable human beings. They are God’s gift to each other: “I will make a suitable partner for him.” They must learn that healing the wounds of family life is as necessary as healing the wounds in the body. In Familiaris Consortio (n. 17), Pope John Paul II encourages families with the following plea: "Family, become what you are!” This echoes the Second Vatican Council, which calls the family, "the intimate community of life and love in which the partners are nourished spiritually and physically, accept one another as they are, and adjust to each other, deriving strength through prayer, the Word of God, the sacrament plus guidance and counseling...” When the marriage relationship breaks down and reconciliation is not possible, the Church recognizes the right of the couple to separate and live apart permanently. If divorced Catholics then enter into a civil marriage, they are allowed to receive Eucharistic Communion only if they refrain from sexual relations.

 LIFE MESSAGES:

 1) The spouses need to work hard to create a good marriage: It demands that they should become the right person for each another. It means a union based on committed, sharing and forgiving, sacrificial agape-love. It requires a lot of mutual adjustments, generosity and good will to forgive and ask for forgiveness, sincere cooperation in training children and raising them as practicing Catholic Christians, and daily strength from God obtained by personal and family prayers and punctual participation in the parish liturgy.

 2) We need to reach out with Christian sympathy to the divorced and problem families. There must be compassion, and a challenge to sin no more. Those who are divorced must be taught that God has not abandoned them. The parish community needs to accept them with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. It is the duty of the Christian community to love and support them. We must reach out to those who have been hurt by bad marriages. We may not realize the depth of their pain, but we must be aware of our own frailty. Those who are divorced and remarried must not be excluded from our community. While the Church cannot sanction remarriage unless the previous marriage was declared annulled by the diocesan marriage tribunal, we must make it clear that the church is not issuing a condemnation. “They should be encouraged to listen to the Word of God, to attend the Sacrifice of the Mass, to persevere in prayer, to contribute to works of charity and to community efforts for justice, to bring up their children in the Christian faith, to cultivate the spirit and practice of penance and thus implore, day by day, God's grace” (CCC 1651). The National Catechetical Directory for Catholics of the United States says: “Divorced persons and their children should be welcomed by the parish community and made to feel truly a part of parish life. Catechesis of the Church’s teaching on the consequences of remarriage after divorce is not only necessary, but will be supportive for the divorced” (No. 131).

 3) We need to be aware of the dangers of cohabitation. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, the rates of depression are three times higher for cohabiting couples than they are for married couples. Cohabiting men and women reported significantly more alcohol problems than married or single men and women. Cohabiting unions have more disagreements, fight more often and report lower levels of happiness than their married counterparts. Male aggression is twice as common among cohabiting couples as it is among married partners. Hence, parents must make sure that children understand that cohabitation is morally evil and not an innocent option for fun.

 4) The spouses need to work hard to create a good marriage: It demands that they should become the right person for each another. It means a union based on committed, sharing and forgiving, sacrificial agape-love. It requires a lot of mutual adjustments, generosity and good will to forgive and ask for forgiveness, sincere cooperation in training children and raising them as practising Catholic Christians, and daily strength from God obtained by personal and family prayers and punctual participation in the parish liturgy. 2) We need to reach out with Christian sympathy to the divorced and problem families. The parish community needs to accept them with respect, compassion, sensitivity, love and support, sharing the depth of their pain from a failed marriage. The Church cannot sanction remarriage unless the previous marriage was declared annulled by the diocesan marriage tribunal. “They should be encouraged to listen to the Word of God, to attend the Sacrifice of the Mass, to persevere in prayer, to bring up their children in the Christian faith…….…” (CCC1651).

HOMILY:

“Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' "

Jesus is completing his ministry, going to Jerusalem for the last time: he will soon enter the city in triumph, on Palm Sunday, a few days before his Passion and his Resurrection. It is at this time that some Pharisees approach Jesus in order to put him to the test. And, under the influence of the spirit of temptation, they find nothing more insidious than this question concerning divorce. #Indeed, Jesus, through his Passion - which is ceaselessly before his eyes, especially now that the ultimate battle is so near - will confirm his covenant with his Church, and, through her, with all of humanity. Jesus is the Spouse of the Church ever since his Incarnation, and through his Passion and his Resurrection, he will seal in his Blood this eternal Covenant into which he entered through his perfect and continual accomplishment of his Father's Will. #So, by asking the Lord this question, the Pharisees place before him the temptation of divorce; but he, faithful to the Will of his Father, had already decided to answer, as always, for the good of his Bride, the Church: " Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14:36)

“He answered them, 'What did Moses command you?' They said, 'Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.' But Jesus said to them, 'For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, "God made them male and female." "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.' "

 By his Passion, Jesus will unite all men through faith in the purifying virtue of his precious Blood, shed for the sins of all men and women throughout history. The Passion of Jesus is the means of unity and communion; the Lord himself expressed this when he was about to be arrested like a criminal: "That they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John 17:21) This was Jesus' prayer on the eve of his Passion; there is no doubt that he was thinking of the words he had spoken a little earlier: "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder."

 Unity among men is realized in the Passion of the Lord; the union of man and woman in marriage cannot escape this dimension common to all: this union must pass through suffering and pain. If a union between a man and a woman is to last until death, as the Lord wants it to, then this union will undergo trials, but trials that, like the Passion of the Lord, will lead to the Resurrection, already in this life.

 For marriage is a sacrament, a very great sacrament, the sacrament that is certainly the closest to the Eucharist: these two sacraments are indeed real signs of the union of Christ and all humanity. So while marriage may have some difficult phases, there is no lack of help from God for the spouses, especially the powerful and effective aid of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

“And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, 'Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them."

 Jesus loves children very much. Are they not the living expression of the union of the spouses who gave life to them? Let us be like them, let their simplicity and their littleness be an example to us. May Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus intercede for us in order that the Lord might grant us littleness of the soul, just as children have littleness of the body! May the Most Blessed Virgin Mary help us to receive communion worthily on this day! May She pray for us in order that our union with Christ in the Eucharist might be the leaven that makes the union of all the men and women of the entire world grow ceaselessly!

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Our Lady of the Rosary

October 7 

I t was on 7 October 1571 that the great naval battle of Lepanto was fought against the invading Turks. The victory of Europe in this famous battle saved Christian civilization. It was to gratefully commemorate Mary’s role in this victory that Pope St Pius V instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory on this date. Later popes, in keeping with the fact that the victory was basically the fruit of the rosary, termed it the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The origin of the Rosary itself dates to a revelation in a vision by Our Lady herself to St Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, in the 13th century. The Rosary devotion as such, however, was popularized by a Dominican preacher, Alan de la Roche (d.1475) and his confreres, in northern France and Flanders, whence it spread to the rest of Europe. Pope Leo X accorded the Rosary official approbation in 1520 and went on to declare October the month of the Holy Rosary. The feast was permanently placed on the liturgical calendar of the Universal Church in 1716 when Prince Eugene won another important victory over the same enemy in Hungary and rightly so, for the 15 mysteries (now 20) of the rosary are virtually a summary of the Church’s liturgical year, presenting as they do Christian truth comprehensively and graphically.

The term “rosary” comes from the Latin rosarium that alternately implies a rose garden, a bed of roses, a garland of flowers, and a collection of nice quotes. The roots of the Christian rosary lie in an ancient daily prayer devotion of reciting 150 times the Our Father, later simplified to the Hail Mary 150 times, the largely illiterate Christians of the Middle-Ages using strings of beads to keep count. The Rosary as we use it today is a simplified version of the Dominican Rosary which consisted of 15 decades of the Hail Mary to the accompaniment of a meditation on 15 mysteries pertaining to the life, suffering, death and glorification of Jesus and of Mary based on scripture. These mysteries fall into three divisions, called “chaplets”, of 5 mysteries each, viz., the “Joyful Mysteries” the annunciation of Christ’s incarnation to Mary (Lk 1:26-38), her visit to her cousin Elizabeth (Lk 1:39- 56), the birth of Jesus (Lk 2:6-7), his presentation in the temple (Lk 2:22-38), his being found in the temple (Lk 2:41-52); the “Sorrowful Mysteries” which constitute a single great mystery, viz., the passion of Christ the agony of Christ in the garden (Mt 26:36-46), his scourging (Mt 27:26), his crowning with thorns (Mt 27:28-3]), the carrying of the cross (Jn 19:16-1 7), the crucifixion and death of Christ (Jn 19:18-30); the “Glorious Mysteries” the resurrection of Jesus (Mt 28:1-11), his ascension into heaven (Lk 24:50-52), his sending of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Acts 2:1-4), the assumption of Mary into heaven and her coronation as Queen of heaven and earth. The last two, of course, are derived not from scripture but from the prayer life of Christians and help sharpen our appreciation of prayer as a means of meditation. That Mary is “assumed” means that she is the disciple most “awake”, and thus the most suitable to hear us express ourselves in prayer. With her as listener, we develop the art of praising the Triune God to a “third person”. The “coronation” signifies Mary’s traditional queenly role whereby she carries our prayers to Jesus, her Lord and King and ours, absorbing them into her own and leaving aside whatever may be unworthy. The rosary thus possesses great power to enlighten and sanctify those who pray it, and, according to Pope Pius XII, has a special efficacy of intercession.

Pope John Paul II, through his Apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae of 16 October 2002, has added a set of five new mysteries to the rosary, viz., the “Luminous Mysteries”: The Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan (Mt 3:1-17), his self- manifestation at the wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-12), Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom with a call to conversion (Mk 1:14- 15), his Transfiguration (Lk 9:28-35) and the institution of the Eucharist as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery (in 13:1-15).

The rosary is a perfect form of prayerful tribute to the Trinity, commencing as it does with the recitation of the Apostles’ Creed, followed by the Our Father, the Hail Mary thrice and the Doxology. Each decade of the Hail Mary is then preceded by the Our Father and concludes with the Doxology, thus highlighting the significance of the Lord’s Prayer, which remains the key prayer of the rosary. The Doxology is then followed by Mary’s own prayer given at Fatima in 1917: “0 my Jesus, forgive us our sins! Save us from the fires of hell! Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who most need your mercy!” Each set of 5 decades, however, concludes with the recitation of the “Hail Holy Queen!”, thus acknowledging Mary’s ongoing role in our salvation as only next to that of Jesus.

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May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives. 

Today’s readings invite us to celebrate the joys of relationships in all the seasons of our lives—the gift of mutuality, the creation of new life, and the simple faith that children bring. Images of fruitful vines and olive shoots suggest how much God yearns for our relationships to be life-giving and for our families to be places where each individual can grow into the person that they are meant to become.

Jesus entered into life fully and understood all the challenges of the human condition. Am I aware of the needs and suffering of all God’s children in our world? Do I have the simplicity of faith that will enable me to enter into the kingdom of heaven? 

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY

PARENTS AND TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER

I dreamed I stood in a studio

And watched two sculptors there,

The clay they used was a young child's mind

And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher; the tools being used

Were books and music and art,

One a parent with a guiding hand

And a gentle, loving heart.

Day after day the teacher toiled

With touch that was deft and sure,

While the parent labored just as hard

And polished and smoothed it o'er.

When at last their task was done

They were proud of what they had wrought,

For the things they had molded into the child

Could neither be sold nor bought.

And both agreed they would have failed

If they had worked alone;

For behind the parents stood the school

And behind the teacher, the home.

 

From A Canopy of Stars: Some Reflections for the Journey by Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ [David Lovell Publishing 2003]

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MINUTE MEDITATIONS

Living Examples       

Because we have had our own share of pain, we gain credibility with those who still suffer. We offer hope in a way that those whose lives have been untouched by pain cannot. We become living examples that heartache, broken relationships, physical pain, and grief are not insurmountable with the help of God.

— from Fools, Liars, Cheaters, and Other Bible Heroes

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October 7
Our Lady of the Rosary

Pope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716.

The development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to this devotion.

Comment:

The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.

The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.

Quote:

“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).

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LECTIO: 27TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, October 7, 2012 - 18

Concerning divorce and children
Equality of wife and husband 
Mark 10:1-16

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection. 
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

In the text of today’s liturgy, Jesus gives advice concerning the relationship between wife and husband and between mothers and children. In those days, many people were excluded and marginalized. For instance, in the relationship between husband and wife, male domination prevailed. The wife could not take part, did not have equal rights with the husband. In their relationship with the children, the “little” ones, there was a “scandal” that was the cause of the loss of faith in many of them (Mark 9:42). In the relationship between husband and wife, Jesus commanded the greatest equality. In the relationship between mothers and children, he commanded the greatest warmth and tenderness.

b) A division of the text as an aid to reading:

Mark 10:1: Geographical information;
Mark 10:2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce;
Mark 10:3-9: Discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning divorce;
Mark 10:10-12: Conversation between Jesus and the disciples concerning divorce;
Mark 10:13-16: Jesus commands warmth and tenderness between mothers and children.

c) The Text:

1 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. 2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." 5 But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one.' So they are no longer two but one. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." 
10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." 
13 And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.(Picture) 14 But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) What was the point that you liked best and which most drew your attention?
b) How does the wife’s position appear in the text?
c) How did Jesus wish the relationship between husband and wife to be?
d) What concerned the mothers who brought their children to Jesus?
e) What was Jesus’ reaction?
f) What practical teaching can we draw from the children?

5. A key to the reading

for those who wish to go deeper into the theme. 

a) Comment

Mark 10:1: Geographical information
The author of Mark’s Gospel makes a habit of placing detailed events or brief geographical information within the narrative. For those who listened to a long narrative without a book in hand, such geographical information helped the understanding of the reading. These are like reference points that maintain the continuity of the narrative. Frequently in Mark, we find information such as “Jesus was teaching” (Mark 1:22.39; 2:2.13; 4:1; 6:2.6:34).

Mark 10:1-2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce
The question is crafty. It puts Jesus to the test: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” This shows that Jesus held a different opinion contrary to that of the Pharisees of whom this question was never asked. They do not ask whether it is lawful for the wife to divorce her husband. This never crossed their minds. This is a clear sign of strong male domination and of marginalisation of the wife in the social life of the times.

Mark 10:3-9: Jesus’ reply: a man cannot divorce his wife
Instead of replying, Jesus asks: “What did Moses command you?” The Law allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to put the wife away (Dt 24:1). This permission shows the domination of the male. The husband could divorce his wife but the wife did not have the same right. Jesus explains that Moses acted thus because of the hardness of heart of the people, however, God’s intention was different when he created human beings. Jesus goes back to the Creator’s intention (Gn 21:27 e Gn 2:24) and he denies the husband the right to divorce his wife. He establishes on earth the right of the husband towards his wife and orders the greatest equality.

Mark 10:10-12: Equality between husband and wife
When they go home, the disciples ask him again concerning this matter of divorce. Jesus draws conclusions and reaffirms equality of rights and duties between husband and wife. Matthew’s Gospel (cf. Mt 19:10-12) gives an explanation of a question put by the disciples concerning this theme. They say: “If this is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry”. They prefer not to get married rather than get married without the privilege of dominating the wife. Jesus goes deeper into the matter. He presents three cases when a person may not get married: (1) impotence, (2) castration and (3) for the sake of the Kingdom. However, not getting married because one does not wish to lose dominion on the wife, is inadmissible in the new Law of love! Both marriage and celibacy have to be at the service of the Kingdom and not at the service of selfish interests. Neither can be reason for keeping male domination of the husband over the wife. Jesus presents a new type of relation between the two. It is not lawful in marriage for a man to dominate the wife or vice versa.

Mark 10:13: The disciples prevent the mothers to draw near with their children
Some people brought their children so that Jesus may caress them. The disciples tried to prevent this. Why would they want to prevent this? The text does not tell us. According to ritual customs of the time, small children with their mothers, lived in an almost permanent state of legal impurity. Jesus would become impure if he touched them. Probably the disciples prevent Jesus from touching them so as not to become impure.

Mark 10:14-16: Jesus reprehends the disciples and welcomes the children
Jesus’ reaction teaches the opposite: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them!” He embraces the children, welcomes them and places his hand over them. When it a question of welcoming someone and promoting fraternity, Jesus is not worried about the laws of purity, he is not afraid of transgressing. His gesture teaches us: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it!” What does this sentence mean? 1) A child receives everything from his father. He does not merit that which he receives, as long as he lives in this gratuitous love. 2) Fathers receive children as gifts from God and treat them with care. Fathers are not concerned with holding dominion over their children, but with loving them and educating them so as to fulfil themselves!

b) Added information for a better understanding of the text

• Jesus welcomes and defends the life of the little ones

On several occasions, Jesus insists on the welcome due to little ones, to children. “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me” (Mark 9:37). If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward (Matthew 10:42). He asked that no one despise the little ones (Matthew 18:10). At the last judgement the just will be welcomed for having given food “to one of the least of these brothers of mine” (Matthew 25:40).
In the Gospels the expression “little ones” (in Greek elachistoi, mikroi or nepioi). Sometimes means “children”, sometimes those excluded from society. It is not easy to differentiate. Sometimes that which is “little” is the “child” and no one else. The child belongs to a category of “little”, of excluded. Having said this, it is not easy to discern that which originates from the time of Jesus and that which originates from the communities when the Gospels were written. Taking this into consideration, we can arrive at the context of exclusion that flourished at that time and the picture that existed of Jesus in the first communities: Jesus takes the side of the little ones, of the excluded, and takes on their defence. It is impressive when we look at all that Jesus did in defence of the life of children, of the little ones. 

To welcome and not to scandalise. This is one of Jesus’ hardest words against those who give scandal to little ones, that is, those who are the reason for them not to believe in God. For these, it would be better if a millstone were hung around their necks and that they throw themselves to the bottom of the sea (Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2; Matthew 18:6).

To welcome and to touch. The mothers with their children in their arms drew near to Jesus to ask for a blessing. The apostles told them to go elsewhere. To touch means to contract impurity. Jesus is not troubled as they are. He corrects the disciples and welcomes the mothers and their children. He touches them and embraces them. “Let the little children alone and let them come to me; do not stop them!” (Mark 10:13-16; Matthew 19: 13-15).

To identify oneself with the little ones. Jesus identifies with the children. Whoever welcomes a child, “welcomes me” (Mark 9:37). “In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

To become a child once more. Jesus asks that the disciples become children again and accept the kingdom like a child. Failing that, it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:15; Matthew 18:3; Luke 9:46-48). Let the child be the teacher of the adult This was not usual. We are used to the opposite.

To defend the right of those who cry. When Jesus entered the temple and upset the tables of the money changers, it was the children who cried. “Hosanna to the son of David” (Matthew 21:15).Jesus was criticised by the chief priests and the scribes, but he defended them and in their defence he quotes Scripture (Mt 21:16).

To be thankful for the Kingdom present in children. Great is Jesus’ joy when he hears that children, the little ones, have understood the things of the Kingdom proclaimed to the peoples. “ I thank you Father!” (Mt 11:25-26) Jesus recognises that the little ones understand better the things of the Kingdom than the doctors. 

To welcome and to care for. Many are the children He welcomes, cares for or resurrects: the twelve year old daughter of Jairus (Mk 5:41-42), the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mk 7:29-30), the son of the widow of Naim (Lk 7:14-15) the young epileptic (Mk 9:25-26), the son of the Centurion (Lk 7:9-10), the son of the public administrator (Jn 4:50), the young lad with five loaves and two fishes (Jn 6:9).

• The context of our text in Mark’s Gospel

Our text (Mk 10:1-16) is part of a long instruction given by Jesus to his disciples (Mk 8:27 to 10:45). At the beginning of this instruction, Mark places the healing of the anonymous blind man of Bethsaida in Galilee (Mk 8:22-26); at the end, the healing of the blind Bartimaeus of Jerico in Judea (Mk 10:46-52). The two healings are symbolical of that which will take place between Jesus and his disciples. The disciples too were blind since “they had eyes that do not see” (Mk 8:18). They had to regain their sight; they had to let go of ideology that prevented them from seeing clearly; they had to accept Jesus as He was and not as they wanted him to be. This long instruction aims at curing the blindness of the disciples. It is like a brief guide, a kind of catechism, using Jesus’ own words. The following sequence shows the scheme of the instruction:

The healing of a blind man 8:22-26
1st proclamation 8:27-38
Teaching the disciples concerning the Servant Messiah 9:1-29
2nd proclamation 9:30-37
Teaching the disciples concerning conversion 9:38 to 10:31
3rd proclamation 10:32-45
Healing of Bartimaeus the blind man 10:46-52

As we can see, the teaching consists of three proclamations of the Passion Mk 8:27-38; 9:30-37; 10:32-45. Between the first and second proclamation we have a series of teachings to help us understand that Jesus is the Servant Messiah (Mk 9:1-29). Between the second and third proclamations we have a series of teachings that clarify the kind of conversions required at various levels of life in order to accept Jesus as the Servant Messiah (Mk 9:38 to 10:31). The background of the teachings is the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. From the beginning to the end of this long instruction, Mark says that Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem (Mk 8:27; 9:30.33; 10:1.17.32), where he will meet the cross. 

Each of the three proclamations concerning the Passion is accompanied by gestures and words of incomprehension on the part of the disciples (Mk 8:32; 9:32-34; 10:32-37), and by directives from Jesus, which comment on the lack of comprehension of the disciples and teaches them how they must behave (Mk 8:34-38; 9:35-37; 10:35-45). A full understanding of Jesus’ teaching is not achieved only through theoretical instruction, without any practical compromise, walking with him on the journey of Service, from Galilee to Jerusalem. Those who wish to uphold Peter’s idea, that of a glorious Messiah without the cross (Mk 8:32-33), they will understand nothing, much less will they have the authentic attitude of willing disciples. They will go on being blind, seeing people as trees (Mk 8:24). Without the cross it is not possible to understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus. The journey of the teaching is a journey of surrender, of abandonment, of service, of availability and acceptance of the conflict, knowing that there will be a resurrection. The cross is not a casual incident, up to a certain point on the journey. It is an organised world coming from selfishness. Only love and service can be crucified! Whoever makes of his life a service for others, inconveniences those who snatch the privileges, and suffers.

6. Psalm 23 (23)

The Lord is my Shepherd, climbing Calvary

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

-Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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