NOVEMBER 15, 2012 : THURSDAY OF THE THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 494

Reading 1 Phln 7-20

Beloved:
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,
because the hearts of the holy ones
have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ
to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love,
being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself,
so that he might serve me on your behalf
in my imprisonment for the Gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent,
so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice
or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay.
May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9a, 9bc-10

R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.'
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."

Then he said to his disciples,
"The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.'
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."

www.usccb.org

Meditation:Coming of the Son of man like the lightning flashes

What can lightning tell us about the coming of the Lord and his kingdom? The Jews is Jesus' time were watching in great anticipation for some sign which would indicate when the Messiah would appear to establish the kingdom of God. The Pharisees' question on this matter was intended to test Jesus since they did not accept him as the Messiah. Jesus surprised them with the answer that the kingdom or reign of God was already here! Jesus spoke of the coming of God's kingdom as both a present event and an event which would be manifested at the end of time. The "Day of the Lord" was understood in the Old Testament as the time when God would manifest his glory and power and overthrow the enemies of his people, Israel. The prophet Amos declared that the "Day" also meant judgment for Israel as well as the nations (Amos 5:18-20). The prophet Joel proclaimed that at this "Day" those who truly repented would be saved, while those who remained enemies of the Lord, whether Jew or Gentile, would be punished (see Joel 2).

Why did Jesus associate lightning with the "Day of the Lord"? In the arrid climate of Palestine, storms were infrequent and seasonal. They often appeared suddenly or unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere, covering everthing in thick darkness. With little or no warning lightning filled the sky with its piercing flashes of flaming light. Its power struck terror and awe in those who tried to flee from its presence. Jesus warned the Pharisees that the "Son of man" (a title for the Messiah given in the Book of Daniel 7:13-15) would come in like manner, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, on the clouds of heaven to bring God's judgment on the "Day of the Lord". No special sign will be needed to announce his appearance. Nor will his presence and power be veiled or hidden, but all will recognize him as clearly as the lightning in the sky.

Jesus identified himself with the "Day of the Lord". "Son of man" was understood as a Messianic title for the one who would come not only to establish God's kingdom but who would come as Judge of the living as well as the dead. Jesus points to his second coming when he will return to complete the work of restoration and final judgment. While we do not know the time of his return, we will not mistake it when it happens. It will be apparent to all, both believers and non-believers as well. When the Pharisees asked Jesus what sign would indicate the "Day of the Lord", Jesus replied that only one sign would point to that day and that sign was Jesus himself. Jesus surprised the Jews of his time by announcing that God's kingdom was already present among them in his very person – the Son of God sent from the Father to redeem the world from sin and destruction. In Jesus we see the power and the glory of God's kingdom. His divine power overthrew the powers of darkness and sin. Jesus knew that the only way to victory was through the cross. On that cross he defeated death and canceled the debt of our sins. The victory of his cross opens the way for us to become citizens of God's kingdom. Do you seek the coming of God's kingdom with joyful hope?

"Lord Jesus Christ, may your kingdom come and my your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be the Ruler of my heart and the Master of my life that I may always live in the freedom of your love and truth."

www.dailyscripture.net

The Kingdom Within

Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Father Edward Hopkins, LC  Listen to podcast version here. Luke 17:20-25 Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ´Look, here it is,´ or, ´There it is.´ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to his disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ´Look, there he is,´ or ´Look, here he is.´ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation. Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your presence in my life. You have called me to share in your faith and love. I trust that you will help me grow closer to you. I love you, Lord, here and now. I will live this day in prayer. Petition: Lord, help me to understand your Kingdom better. 1. When? Since the Pharisees had the wrong notion of the Kingdom of God, they could hardly ask the proper questions concerning it. Their expected kingdom was a worldly kingdom that would cast off foreign domination and restore sovereignty to Israel. But Christ’s kingdom is concerned more about the state of the soul and the struggle between good and evil than external nations. The Pharisees’ misperception kept them from recognizing Christ and his kingdom. Thousands of years later we, too, can be susceptible to the errors of the Pharisees. For us, a lack of faith can keep us from seeing that the Kingdom of God comes only when we accept Jesus as king of our souls. Only when we allow him to rule and order our lives does his kingdom come. The “when” is now. Now is the moment for me to encounter Christ and make him my king. 2. Where? Christ’s disciples also struggled to understand the nature of the kingdom. They sought to see “the days of the Son of Man,” a powerful reign where Christ was supreme with the entire world subject to him. Yet, Christ comes first to reign in the heart of each person. In my own heart, do I believe in Christ and accept his will? Do I love him and sacrifice myself in order to respond to his will? Am I building the kingdom from my prayer and life of grace? 3. How? If the kingdom is here and now, then how do we enter? We enter the same way our King enters – through the door of suffering and perseverance. “First he must suffer greatly and be rejected.” Belief is not just a one-time acceptance. Faith must be lived throughout the great and little trials we encounter in life. In this way we make faith and the kingdom more our own. We need to remember that in the end, it is the kingdom -- and the King himself -- who comes to us, like lighting across the sky. Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, help me to understand your kingdom. Build your kingdom within me, in my thoughts and desires. Become my life and my love. Cut away any distance between us. Make my life the light and salt to spread your kingdom effectively to those with whom I cross paths. Resolution: I will dedicate a longer and calmer time to examine my conscience tonight, and look for progress as well as the struggles of the kingdom within me.

www.refnumchristi.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
LUKE 17:20-25
(Philemon 7-20; Psalm 119)
KEY VERSE: "For behold, the kingdom of God is among you" (v 21).
READING: After centuries of domination by foreign powers, Israel realized that only divine intervention could release them from oppression. Israel longed for this great "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:11), and looked forward to the Messiah who would announce the arrival of God's kingdom. Jesus explained that the kingdom was not a geographical orpolitical realm, nor could it be pinpointed in time. The kingdom was already in their midst and, at the same time, yet to come, a mystery for which Christians pray daily in the Lord's Prayer ̶ "Thy Kingdom come." Jesus established God's reign through his words and works, his death and resurrection. It will be fully revealed at his final coming, a daywhich will arrive when least expected.
REFLECTING: What am I doing to bring God's reign to fulfillment?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to live each day for the kingdom.

Optional Memorial of Albert the Great, bishop and doctor of the Church 

Albert was one of the early intellectuals of the Dominican order founded in 1216. He is more traditionally known as Albertus Magnus (Albert the Great). He was born in Swabia within a few years of 1200, the eldest son of a family belonging to the equestrian nobility. He was educated at the University of Padua, already a scientific center, and joined the Dominicans as a young man. After completing his studies he taught theology, going to Paris about 1240, where he took the degree of master in sacred theology. For the next thirty years he led a life as teacher and administrator, and later as bishop of Ratisbon. His printed works fill thirty-eight volumes and cover every field of learning. At Cologne and Paris he had Thomas Aquinas as his pupil, and one of his prophetic missions was to defend some of Thomas's writings against attacks at Paris in 1277. He died in 1280 and was canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1931.

www.daily-word-of-life.com

Reflection Luke 17:20-25

Jesus spoke of the coming of God’s kingdom as both a present event and an event which will be manifested at the end of time. Jesus surprised the Jews of his time by announcing that God’s kingdom was already present among them in his very person—the Son of God sent by the Father to redeem the world from sin and destruction. Jesus promises to bring the kingdom of God to all who recognize in him the power and glory of the Father in heaven. How does the Lord Jesus make his presence and his kingdom known to us today? The Lord Jesus is present in his word, in the ‘breaking of the bread’ when we come to the table of the Lord in the Eucharist, and in his Church—the body of Christ. Jesus reveals himself in countless ways to those who seek him with eyes of faith. Do you seek the coming of God’s kingdom with joyful hope? 

“FREELY, FREELY”

Readings: Philem 7-20; Lk 17:20-25 

Some say that force is all-conquering, but in fact, its victories are short lived. Even to end an evil, force is not advisable, for forcible ways make not an end of evil, but leave hatred and malice behind them. A human being is a free person and hence, every act of submission to an exterior force, rots the person standing; That person is dead before being buried by the legitimate grave diggers. That is why God never forces any of us to do something. He does not force us to serve him; he does not force s even to love him; he wants us to love him and serve him freely, S Paul did the same with Philemon. St Paul would not force him to give up his right over his slave Onesimus who had fled from him seeking refuge in Paul. But Paul sent the slave back to Philemon for he wanted Philemon to release the slave freely out of a motive of Christian love. He wrote: “Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake, I prefer to appeal to you” (Philem 8). Our loving service to God will please him if it is given freely. God knows that whatever needs to be maintained through force, is doomed. Have you seen pebbles in water? Not hammer-strokes, but dance of the water sings the pebbles into perfection.

St Albert the Great

BishopConfessor Doctor of the Church (c.1200-1280) 

Saint of the day November 15

Albertus Magnus, the eminent theologian, philosopher and scientist, was the eldest son of a military officer in Suabia, southern Germany. While a student at Padua he joined the Dominican Order. After completing his studies, he taught theology at various Universities, especially at Cologne and Paris, where he had Thomas Aquinas as a pupil and recognized his genius. St Albert’s lectures were so popular in Paris that, the University halls being unable to hold his listeners, he had to speak in the open market place.

In 1254 Albert was elected Provincial for Germany, but gave up the post after two years to resume his studies. In 1260 he accepted, at the Pope’s command, the bishopric of Regensburg (Ratisbon), but resigned two years later and returned to lecturing and writing. From 1263 to 1264, as legate of Pope Urban IV, he preached the crusade throughout Germany and Bohemia. He was participating in the deliberations of the Council of Lyons in 1274 by order of the Pope, when the news arrived that his intimate friend and former pupil, St Thomas Aquinas, had died on his way to the Council. By then 71, Albert returned to Paris and vindicated the orthodoxy of his renowned disciple, some of whose doctrines had been condemned by the university.

In the field of philosophy and theology he was the forerunner of St Thomas Aquinas in reconciling reason with orthodox faith in the so-called Scholastic system by which our doctrines are scientifically set forth and defended. In the words of Ulric of Strassburg, he was “a man so superior in every science, that he can fittingly be called the wonder and the miracle of our time:’ Indeed, it was by his knowledge and writings on the natural sciences that he exercised the greatest influence, leaving behind a veritable encyclopedia of sagacious observation and descriptions. “The aim of natural science is to investigate the causes which are at work in nature:’ he would say. “There need be no incompatibility between science and the faith.” Furthermore, it was his extraordinary knowledge and proficiency in every branch of medieval learning: astronomy, geography, climatology, physics, chemistry, agricu1ture mineralogy, zoology, physiology and phrenology that earned him the title “Universal Doctor”.

In his personal life Albert remained the humble Dominican, his numerous travels always made on foot. He had a childlike faith in and love of God that expressed itself in an attitude of tenderness towards the poor and unfortunate.

He died at Cologne on 15 November 1280. Beatified by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, Albert was declared Saint and Doctor by Pope Pius XI on 16 December, 1931.

www.spreadjesus.org

Blest are they whose help is the God of Jacob

I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
Paul is expressing the closeness he had developed with a fellow prisoner, Onesimus, a convert. Praying together, and sharing our deepest spiritual thoughts forge a very strong bond among people.

The prayer groups in which I have been involved were places where we could express ourselves in a non-judgemental atmosphere. The sense of coming together with our God as the common element and experiencing his love as a group is amazing. Our hearts truly are one in such a group. The knowledge, strength and wisdom gained from regular meetings enable us to function in the ‘real’ world. We know we are not alone and have people to call on for support and prayer at any time. 

Let us ponder how these prayer moments can enrich our lives.

www.churchresources.info

November 15
Blessed Mary of the Passion
(1839-1904)

Over the years Mary grew to understand how she could best serve God.

Born Helene de Chappotin de Neuville, she came from a distinguished French family in Nantes. In 1860 she entered the Poor Clares, but poor health forced her to leave the following year. In 1864 she joined the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix and took the name Mary of the Passion. From 1865 to 1876 she worked in the Madura missions in India. In 1877 she established the Institute of the Missionaries of Mary, which became the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (F.M.M.) in 1882 when she adopted the Third Order Rule.

Mary was still living when seven members of her community were martyred in the 1900 Boxer Uprising. In addition to caring for people afflicted with leprosy, her sisters have served in education, social service, nursing and catechetics—frequently with F.M.M.’s of other nationalities.

She was beatified in 2002.

Comment:

Exactly what duties did God impose on Mary? Did he reveal to her precisely what work her sisters were to do? In prayer, Mary’s heart was purified, and she conformed even more to God’s ways. Prayer certainly led her to see ways of serving that she had not previously realized.

Quote:

Mary once said, "I wish I had two lives: one with which I could always pray, the other, with which to perform all the duties God imposes on me."

November 15
St. Albert the Great*
(1206-1280)

Albert the Great was a 13th-century German Dominican who influenced decisively the Church's stance toward Aristotelian philosophy brought to Europe by the spread of Islam.

Students of philosophy know him as the master of Thomas Aquinas. Albert’s attempt to understand Aristotle’s writings established the climate in which Thomas Aquinas developed his synthesis of Greek wisdom and Christian theology. But Albert deserves recognition on his own merits as a curious, honest and diligent scholar.

He was the eldest son of a powerful and wealthy German lord of military rank. He was educated in the liberal arts. Despite fierce family opposition, he entered the Dominican novitiate.

His boundless interests prompted him to write a compendium of all knowledge: natural science, logic, rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy, ethics, economics, politics and metaphysics. His explanation of learning took 20 years to complete. "Our intention," he said, "is to make all the aforesaid parts of knowledge intelligible to the Latins."

He achieved his goal while serving as an educator at Paris and Cologne, as Dominican provincial and even as bishop of Regensburg for a short time. He defended the mendicant orders and preached the Crusade in Germany and Bohemia.

Albert, a Doctor of the Church, is the patron of scientists and philosophers.

Comment:

An information glut faces us Christians today in all branches of learning. One needs only to read current Catholic periodicals to experience the varied reactions to the findings of the social sciences, for example, in regard to Christian institutions, Christian life-styles and Christian theology. Ultimately, in canonizing Albert, the Church seems to point to his openness to truth, wherever it may be found, as his claim to holiness. His characteristic curiosity prompted Albert to mine deeply for wisdom within a philosophy his Church warmed to with great difficulty.

Quote:

"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; and that is vanity, disgraceful too. Others again desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it; and that is charity. Others, again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; and that is prudence. Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use" (St. Bernard,Sermon on the Canticle of Canticles).

Patron Saint of:

Medical technicians
Philosophers
Scientists

*Albertus Magnus, O.P. (1193/1206 – November 15, 1280), also known as Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne.

www.americancatholic.org

COMMEMORATION OF ALL CARMELITE SOULS (M)

Liturgy: Thursday, November 15, 2012 

by Fr. Emiel Abalahin, O.Carm.

The homes of most people do not consist of a mere wooden frame or a cement foundation; rather, they are constructed from a great variety of materials, and more often than not, the result of the participation of more than one or two people.  So, too, the Order of Carmel continues to grow and develop today because of the presence and contributions of all those who built upon its spiritual foundations, and not just its great saints. 

On this commemoration of All Carmelite Souls, we call to mind all of these people and their part in the heritage that has been handed down to us.  These brothers and sisters of ours may not have been famous spiritual writers nor renowned for extraordinary experiences of prayer, but they made their mark on the Order and on each of us through their own efforts to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ in service to the Order and to the Church.  Whether as priests or brothers, nuns or sisters, consecrated lay or third order members, they brought the spirit of Carmel to their daily lives and to all those around them.  Others were not official members of the Order, but through their generosity of time, talent and support, encouraged us Carmelites to an ever-deeper fidelity to our vocation.

But this day is not simply a day for remembering.  It is also a day in which the Order prays especially for these souls in an act of faith that trusts in the mercy and promises of Jesus Christ himself, “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) who assures us that the will of the Father is that he should not lose anything of what he gave him, but that he should raise it on the last day (John 6:39).  Through our prayer, united to the intercession of Mary, we ask God to look upon our sisters and brothers in His infinite and great mercy (cf. Isaiah 55:7-11), and call them home.  At the same time, our supplications are also for our departed Carmelites, encouraging them to move toward God with great trust that what they believed in, experienced and lived for during their earthly lives will now come to be fully realized in the eternal Divine embrace.

For us, too, who remain in this earthly existence, this day serves as an important reminder that this terrestrial life is merely a passing moment, a brief sojourn towards a more vibrant and permanent reality.  This commemoration, therefore, is an invitation to prioritize our lives in such a way that reflects this future hope, letting go of all that makes us waste our time and efforts and prevents us from striving toward the goal of eternal life in God.  These faithfully departed souls for whom we pray help us to understand that we are not alone on this pilgrimage because they have also traveled this same path to eternity.

So let us remember and pray for our Carmelite dearly departed in a special way today, giving thanks for all that they have done, and praying that they may enjoy their eternal rest.  In doing so, we continue to participate in the building up of the household of God, this house of many mansions (John 12:4), of which our brothers and sisters, and we ourselves, are invited to one day claim as our eternal home.  

---

Gathered together by the same love for Christ and homage toward his greatly loved Mother, the members of the Family of Carmel continue to love one another fraternally, whether they are committed in the struggle for Christ on this earth, or after this long earthly pilgrimage, they wait for the glorious vision of the Lord. This is why the whole Order, united in prayer, recommends to the mercy of God the deceased brothers and sisters so that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, pledge of sure hope and of joy, he may accept them among the glorious choirs of Saints.

LECTIO: LUKE 17,20-25

 

Lectio: 

 Thursday, November 15, 2012  

Ordinary Time

1) Opening prayer

God of power and mercy,
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel reading - Luke 17,20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus gave them this answer, 'The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, "Look, it is here! Look, it is there!" For look, the kingdom of God is among you.'
He said to the disciples, 'A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of man and will not see it.
They will say to you, "Look, it is there!" or, "Look, it is here!" Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of man when his Day comes. But first he is destined to suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.

3) Reflection

• Today’s Gospel gives us the discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees on the coming of the Kingdom. The Gospel today and that of the following days deal with the coming of the end of time.
• Luke 17, 20-21: The Kingdom is among you. “Asked when the Kingdom of God was to come?” Jesus answered: “The coming of the Kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, ‘Look, it is here! Look, it is there! For look, the Kingdom of God is among you!” The Pharisees thought that the Kingdom could come only after people would have reached the perfect observance of the Law of God. For them, the coming of the Kingdom would be the reward of God for the good behaviour of people, and the Messiah would have come in a very solemn way as a king, received by his people. Jesus says the contrary. The coming of the Kingdom cannot be observed as the coming of an earthly king is observed. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God has already come! It is already among us, independently of our effort or merit. Jesus sees things in a different way. He has another way of reading life. He prefers the Samaritan who lives with gratitude to the nine who think that they merit the good that they receive from God (Lk 17, 17-19).
• Luke 17, 22-24: The signs to recognize the coming of the Son of Man. “A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look it is there! or Look, it is here!’ Make no move, do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightening flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his Day comes”. In this affirmation of Jesus there are elements that are taken from the apocalyptic vision of history, quite common in the first centuries and after Jesus. The apocalyptic vision of history has the following characteristic: in the time of great persecutions and of oppression, the poor have the impression that God loses control of history. They feel lost, without a horizon and without any hope of liberation. In those moments of apparent absence of God, prophecy assumes the form of apocalypse. The apocalyptic, seek to enlighten the desperate situation with the light of faith to help the people not to lose hope and to continue to have courage on the way. To show that God does not lose control of history, they describe the different stages of the realization of the project of God through history. Begun in a determinate significant moment in the past, this project of God advances, stage after stage, through the situations lived by the poor, until the final victory is obtained at the end of history. In this way, the apocalyptic place the present moment like a stage which has already been foreseen in the overall project of God. Generally, the last stage, before the coming of the end is represented like a moment of suffering and of crisis, of which many have tried to profit to deceive people saying: “They will tell you: Look it is here, or look it is there; do not move, do not follow them. Because like lightening flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of man when his Day comes”. Having the eyes of faith which Jesus communicates, the poor can perceive that the Kingdom is already among them (Lk 17, 21), like lightening, without any doubt. The coming of the Kingdom brings with it its own evidence and does not depend on the forecast or prediction of others.
• Luke 17, 25: By the Cross up to the Glory. “But first he is destined to suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation”. Always the same warning: the Cross, scandal for the Jews and foolishness for the Greek, but for us the expression of the wisdom and the power of God (1Co 1, 18.23). The path toward the glory passes through the Cross. The life of Jesus is our canon, it is the canonical norm for all of us.

4) Personal questions

• Jesus said: “The Kingdom is in your midst!” Have you already found some sign of the Kingdom in your life, in the life of your nation or in the life of your community?
• The cross in our life. Suffering. How do you consider or see suffering? What do you do about it?

5) Concluding prayer

He keeps faith for ever,
gives justice to the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry;
Yahweh sets prisoners free. (Ps 146,6-7)

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