Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 344
Reading
Rely not
on your wealth;
say not: “I have the power.”
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: “Who can prevail against me?”
or, “Who will subdue me for my deeds?”
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?”
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: “Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive.”
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wealth,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
say not: “I have the power.”
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: “Who can prevail against me?”
or, “Who will subdue me for my deeds?”
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?”
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: “Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive.”
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wealth,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
GospelMK 9:41-50
Jesus said
to his disciples:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into theKingdom
of God
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
Meditation: "If your hand or eye causes you
to sin"
Who in their
right mind would want to lose their reward and be deprived of joy in the end?
We have been given the greatest of rewards – God himself who is perfect love
and source of abundant life and unending happiness. Paul the Apostle tells us
that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit" (Romans 5:5). God's love purifies our hearts and compels us to
express kindness and charity towards our neighbor who is created in the image
and likeness of God. We were created in love for love. The charity we show to
our neighbors in their need expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant
goodness and kindness of God towards us. Jesus declared that any kindness shown
and any help given to the people of Christ will not lose its reward. Jesus
never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help. As his
disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is.Gregory of Nyssa (330-395 AD), an early church father wrote: “God never asks his servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes to each person according to his will the ability to do something good. None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said: ‘whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.’” Do you allow the love of Christ to transform your heart that you may treat your neighbor with kindness and mercy?
Was Jesus’ exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-47? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness. Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?
What does Jesus mean when he says "have salt in yourselves" (Mark 9:50)? Salt served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Salt was used as a symbol of fellowship and the sharing of a common meal with one's friends. The near-Eastern expression to betray the salt meant to betray one's Lord or Master or one's friends. Leonardo da Vinci in his painting of the Last Supper depicts Judas in the act of tipping over the salt shaker, thus symbolically indentifying himself as the betrayer of his Master the Lord Jesus.
Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world. As salt purifies, preserves, and produces rich flavor, so the disciple of Christ must be salt in the world of human society to purify, preserve, and bring the flavor of God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and mercy. What did Jesus mean by the expression "salted with fire" and "salt becoming saltless"? Salt in the ancient world was often put in ovens to intensify the heat. When the salt was burned off and no longer useful it was thrown out on the foot path where it would easily get trodden upon (Matthew 5:13). Perhaps Jesus wanted to contrast useful salt and salt which lost its ability to prevent corruption to encourage his disciples to bring the rich flavor of Christ's love, holiness, and righteousness to a world dominated by greed, selfish ambition, and neglect for the weak, poor, and defenseless. Paul the Apostle reminds us that we are called to be "the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ). Do you allow the fragrance of Christ's love and truth to influence others through the witness of your life, speech, and actions?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with the fragrance of your love and truth that I may radiate the joy and peace of the gospel wherever I go and with whomever I meet."
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Price of the Kingdom |
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Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
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Father Edward Hopkins, LC Mark 9:41-50 Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose their reward. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, I believe in your presence in my life. I believe that you consider those around me your children and that you ardently desire to possess them with love for all eternity. I trust that you will help me treat others as your brothers and sisters. I love you now with my prayer. May this prayer increase my desire to honor and serve you with my life. Petition:Jesus, help me to set a good example for others out of love. 1. You Are Priceless: Jesus leaves us with no doubt: We are valuable. We all carry within us a God-given dignity. And this dignity is identified and enhanced when we bear his name. Every human being has an intrinsic dignity because every human being is created in God’s image. But this image of God is perfectly incarnated in Christ, God made man. So a baptized Christian—a Christ bearer—carries a more perfect image: Christ, in whom we are made children of God. It is little wonder, then, that Jesus assures a reward to anyone who serves us for his sake! 2. Every Little One Is Priceless: To carry his image is also a responsibility. We must live up to this dignity and show to others a life worthy of the image we carry within. Others may be “little” due to their age, the newness and immaturity of their Christian life, or even their weakness and struggle. We put a stumbling block in their way, we scandalize them, when our behavior causes them to doubt or become discouraged about living the ideals of faith. A “millstone” suggests that anything would be better for us than this. How damaging then are my bad examples given to “little ones”! Damaging for them and for me! What can I do to avoid such scandal? On the other hand, what a great reward awaits those who do the contrary, giving these little ones good example! If I loved “these little ones” just half as much as Jesus does, would it not be much easier to avoid giving bad example? 3. Better to Lose Anything Else: In today’s world, the value of something is measured in comparison to other items of the same kind: stocks, food, clothes, even music and films are judged against each other. Yet, there are some things that have absolute value: the value of a soul. Nothing compares! Jesus paints this total non-comparison in terms of cutting off whatever becomes an obstacle. You are so valuable that you must be ready to deny, subdue, silence and even sacrifice your own body, or any of its members, rather than risk losing your soul. Do I value my immortal soul, my vocation to eternal life? If so, do I show this by the self-denial I exert in controlling what makes me (and eventually others through me) stumble? How often do I prefer my “things” to the loved ones who depend on my example of Christ? How radical is my faith? Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to understand a little more just how valuable I am to you, how priceless my eternal life is. Make me sensitive to value each and every person in my life. I know you want me to help save them. Never allow me to become a stumbling block for anyone. If I have, may my love and efforts of faith be used by you now to restore what was lost.
Resolution:I will repair a past
act of “scandal” (outburst of anger, foul language, gossip or slander,
dishonesty, etc.) with a period of quality time given to the “little ones” so
as to rebuild the trust and Christ-like behavior they expect from me.
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THURSDAY, MAY 23
Weekday
MARK 9:41-50
(Sirach 5:1-8; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor?" (v 50).
READING Dead Sea easily lost its flavor,
they must be careful not to lose their zeal for God. Jesus warned them that suffering and persecution would refine them like "fire" (v 49).
REFLECTING: Am I careful that my words and actions do not give scandal?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be a good example to everyone in my community.
Weekday
MARK 9:41-50
(Sirach 5:1-8; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor?" (v 50).
REFLECTING: Am I careful that my words and actions do not give scandal?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be a good example to everyone in my community.
Happy
are they who hope in the Lord.
Have salt
in yourselves and be at peace with one another.Salt has a way of making things more palatable, and the way we treat others serves to make life more peaceable. The giving of a cup of water is a simple gesture but it needs to be done with love, for it is possible to give without loving, though impossible to love without giving.
To be at peace with others calls us to be a stepping stone for them, not a stumbling block. A stumbling block constantly criticises, ignores and excludes, tears down ideals or destroys dreams. On the other hand, when we boost someone’s self-confidence or help uncover another’s hidden talents, when we accept where others have rejected another person, then we become a stepping-stone, bringing a little light into the darkness of the world. Lord, grant us compassion for our fellow pilgrims.
LECTIO: MARK 9,41-50
Lectio:
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
Gospel Reading
Jesus said to his
disciples: 'If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to
Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward.
'But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck.
And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that never be put out.
And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into thekingdom
of God
Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.'
'But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck.
And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that never be put out.
And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the
Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.'
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel
narrates some advice from Jesus on the relationship of adults with the little
ones and the excluded. At that time, many persons were excluded and
marginalized. They could not participate. Many of them would lose their faith.
The text on which we are going to meditate now contains strange affirmations
which, if taken literally, cause perplexity in people.
• Mark 9, 41: A glass of water will be rewarded. A phrase from Jesus is inserted here: If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. Two thoughts: 1) “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink”. Jesus is going toJerusalem
• Mark 9, 42: Who is a cause of scandal for these little ones. Scandal, literally, it is a stone along the road, a stone in the shoe; it is that which leads a person away from the right path. To scandalize the little ones is to be the cause why the little ones go away from the right path and lose their faith in God. Any one who does this receives the following sentence: “It would have been better to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck!” Because Jesus identifies himself with the little ones (Mt 23, 40-45). Today, in the whole world, many little ones, many poor people are leaving the traditional churches. Every year, inLatin America ,
approximately three million persons are going to other churches. They cannot
believe what we profess in our church! Why does this happen? Up to what point
are we to be blamed for this? Do we also merit having a millstone round our
neck?
• Mark 9, 43-48: To cut off your hand and your foot and to tear out your eye.Jesus orders the person to cut off the hand, the foot, to tear out the eye, in the case in which they are cause of scandal. And he says: “It is better to enter into life or into the Kingdom with one foot (hand, eye) than to be thrown into hell with two feet, (hands, eyes)”. These phrases are not to be taken literally. They mean that the person has to be rooted in his/her choice of God and of the Gospel.
The expression “hell” where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out”, is an image to indicate the situation of a person who remains without God. “geenna”was the name of a valley nearJerusalem Kingdom of God
• Mark 9, 49-50: Salt and Peace. These two verses help us to understand the severe words on scandal. Jesus says: “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another!” The community, in which the members live in peace with one another, is like a bit of salt which gives flavour to all the meal. To live in peace and fraternally in the community is the salt that gives flavour to the life of the people of the neighbourhood. It is a sign of the Kingdom, a revelation of the Good News of God. Are we salt? The salt which does not give flavour is good for nothing!
• Jesus accepts and defends the life of the little ones. Several times, Jesus insists that little ones should be accepted. “Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me” (Mk 9, 37). Anyone who gives a cup of water to one of these little ones will not lose his reward (Mt 10, 42). He asks not to despise little ones (Mt 18, 10). And at the final judgment the just will be received because they would have given something to eat “to one of these little ones” (Mt 25, 40). If Jesus insists so much on acceptance of the little ones, it is because there are many simple people considered less, who are not accepted! In fact, women and children were not taken into account, did not count (Mt 14 21; 15, 38), they were despised (Mt 18, 10) and reduced to silence (Mt 21, 15-16). Even the Apostles prevented the children from getting close to Jesus (Mt 19, 13-14). In the name of the Law of God, misinterpreted by the religious authority of the time, many good people were excluded. Instead of welcoming the excluded, the law was used to legitimize the exclusion. In the Gospels, the expression “little ones” (in Greek it is said elachisto, mikroi or nepioi), sometimes it indicates “the children”, other times it indicates the sections excluded by society. It is not easy to discern. Sometimes the “little ones” in the Gospel means “the children”. This because the children belonged to the category of the “little ones”, of the excluded. Besides, it is not always easy to discern between what comes from the time of Jesus and that which comes from the time of the communities for which the Gospels were written. And even if things were like this, what is clear is the context of exclusion which reigned at the time and which the first communities kept from Jesus: he places himself on the side of the little ones, of the excluded, and takes up their defence.
• Mark 9, 41: A glass of water will be rewarded. A phrase from Jesus is inserted here: If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. Two thoughts: 1) “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink”. Jesus is going to
• Mark 9, 42: Who is a cause of scandal for these little ones. Scandal, literally, it is a stone along the road, a stone in the shoe; it is that which leads a person away from the right path. To scandalize the little ones is to be the cause why the little ones go away from the right path and lose their faith in God. Any one who does this receives the following sentence: “It would have been better to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck!” Because Jesus identifies himself with the little ones (Mt 23, 40-45). Today, in the whole world, many little ones, many poor people are leaving the traditional churches. Every year, in
• Mark 9, 43-48: To cut off your hand and your foot and to tear out your eye.Jesus orders the person to cut off the hand, the foot, to tear out the eye, in the case in which they are cause of scandal. And he says: “It is better to enter into life or into the Kingdom with one foot (hand, eye) than to be thrown into hell with two feet, (hands, eyes)”. These phrases are not to be taken literally. They mean that the person has to be rooted in his/her choice of God and of the Gospel.
The expression “hell” where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out”, is an image to indicate the situation of a person who remains without God. “geenna”was the name of a valley near
• Mark 9, 49-50: Salt and Peace. These two verses help us to understand the severe words on scandal. Jesus says: “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another!” The community, in which the members live in peace with one another, is like a bit of salt which gives flavour to all the meal. To live in peace and fraternally in the community is the salt that gives flavour to the life of the people of the neighbourhood. It is a sign of the Kingdom, a revelation of the Good News of God. Are we salt? The salt which does not give flavour is good for nothing!
• Jesus accepts and defends the life of the little ones. Several times, Jesus insists that little ones should be accepted. “Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me” (Mk 9, 37). Anyone who gives a cup of water to one of these little ones will not lose his reward (Mt 10, 42). He asks not to despise little ones (Mt 18, 10). And at the final judgment the just will be received because they would have given something to eat “to one of these little ones” (Mt 25, 40). If Jesus insists so much on acceptance of the little ones, it is because there are many simple people considered less, who are not accepted! In fact, women and children were not taken into account, did not count (Mt 14 21; 15, 38), they were despised (Mt 18, 10) and reduced to silence (Mt 21, 15-16). Even the Apostles prevented the children from getting close to Jesus (Mt 19, 13-14). In the name of the Law of God, misinterpreted by the religious authority of the time, many good people were excluded. Instead of welcoming the excluded, the law was used to legitimize the exclusion. In the Gospels, the expression “little ones” (in Greek it is said elachisto, mikroi or nepioi), sometimes it indicates “the children”, other times it indicates the sections excluded by society. It is not easy to discern. Sometimes the “little ones” in the Gospel means “the children”. This because the children belonged to the category of the “little ones”, of the excluded. Besides, it is not always easy to discern between what comes from the time of Jesus and that which comes from the time of the communities for which the Gospels were written. And even if things were like this, what is clear is the context of exclusion which reigned at the time and which the first communities kept from Jesus: he places himself on the side of the little ones, of the excluded, and takes up their defence.
4) Personal questions
• In our society and
in our community, today who are the little one and the excluded? How are they
accepted on our part?
• “A millstone round the neck”. Does my behaviour deserve a millstone or a cord round the neck? And the behaviour of our community, what does it deserve?
• “A millstone round the neck”. Does my behaviour deserve a millstone or a cord round the neck? And the behaviour of our community, what does it deserve?
5) Concluding Prayer
The Lord forgives all
your offences,
cures all your diseases,
he redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness. (Ps 103,3-4)
cures all your diseases,
he redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness. (Ps 103,3-4)
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