Tuesday of the
Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 378
Lectionary: 378
 |
| GN 19:15-29 |
As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “On your
way!
Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here,
or you will be swept away in the punishment of Sodom.”
When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD’s mercy,
seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters
and led them to safety outside the city.
As soon as they had been brought outside, he was told:
“Flee for your life!
Don’t look back or stop anywhere on the Plain.
Get off to the hills at once, or you will be swept away.”
“Oh, no, my lord!” Lot replied,
“You have already thought enough of your servant
to do me the great kindness of intervening to save my life.
But I cannot flee to the hills to keep the disaster from overtaking me,
and so I shall die.
Look, this town ahead is near enough to escape to.
It’s only a small place.
Let me flee there–it’s a small place, is it not?–
that my life may be saved.”
“Well, then,” he replied,
“I will also grant you the favor you now ask.
I will not overthrow the town you speak of.
Hurry, escape there!
I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”
That is why the town is called Zoar.
The sun was just rising over the earth as Lot arrived in Zoar;
at the same time the LORD rained down sulphurous fire
upon Sodom and Gomorrah
from the LORD out of heaven.
He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain,
together with the inhabitants of the cities
and the produce of the soil.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Early the next morning Abraham went to the place
where he had stood in the LORD’s presence.
As he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah
and the whole region of the Plain,
he saw dense smoke over the land rising like fumes from a furnace.
Thus it came to pass: when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain,
he was mindful of Abraham by sending Lot away from the upheaval
by which God overthrew the cities where Lot had been living.
Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here,
or you will be swept away in the punishment of Sodom.”
When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD’s mercy,
seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters
and led them to safety outside the city.
As soon as they had been brought outside, he was told:
“Flee for your life!
Don’t look back or stop anywhere on the Plain.
Get off to the hills at once, or you will be swept away.”
“Oh, no, my lord!” Lot replied,
“You have already thought enough of your servant
to do me the great kindness of intervening to save my life.
But I cannot flee to the hills to keep the disaster from overtaking me,
and so I shall die.
Look, this town ahead is near enough to escape to.
It’s only a small place.
Let me flee there–it’s a small place, is it not?–
that my life may be saved.”
“Well, then,” he replied,
“I will also grant you the favor you now ask.
I will not overthrow the town you speak of.
Hurry, escape there!
I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”
That is why the town is called Zoar.
The sun was just rising over the earth as Lot arrived in Zoar;
at the same time the LORD rained down sulphurous fire
upon Sodom and Gomorrah
from the LORD out of heaven.
He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain,
together with the inhabitants of the cities
and the produce of the soil.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Early the next morning Abraham went to the place
where he had stood in the LORD’s presence.
As he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah
and the whole region of the Plain,
he saw dense smoke over the land rising like fumes from a furnace.
Thus it came to pass: when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain,
he was mindful of Abraham by sending Lot away from the upheaval
by which God overthrew the cities where Lot had been living.
Responsorial PsalmPS 26:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
R. (3a) O
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Search me, O LORD, and try me;
test my soul and my heart.
For your mercy is before my eyes,
and I walk in your truth.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Gather not my soul with those of sinners,
nor with men of blood my life.
On their hands are crimes,
and their right hands are full of bribes.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
But I walk in integrity;
redeem me, and have mercy on me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Search me, O LORD, and try me;
test my soul and my heart.
For your mercy is before my eyes,
and I walk in your truth.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Gather not my soul with those of sinners,
nor with men of blood my life.
On their hands are crimes,
and their right hands are full of bribes.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
But I walk in integrity;
redeem me, and have mercy on me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
GospelMT 8:23-27
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Meditation: "Why are you afraid, O men of
little faith?"
What
is stronger than fear, even the fear of death? Scripture gives an answer: “There is no fear in love,
but perfect love casts out fear” (1
John 4:18). The Wisdom of Solomon tells us that “love is stronger than death” (Song of Songs 8:6). Jesus'
sleeping presence on the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his
disciples. They feared for their lives even though their Lord and Master was
with them in the boat. They were asleep to Christ while he was present to them
in their hour of need. The Lord is ever present to us. And in our time of
testing he asks the same question: Why
are you afraid? Have you no faith? Do
you recognize the Lord’s presence with you, especially when you meet the storms
of adversity, sorrow, or temptation? Whenever we encounter trouble, the Lord is
there with the same reassuring message: “It
is I, do not be afraid”."Lord Jesus, may I always recognize your abiding presence with me. And in times of trouble or fear may I find courage and strength to respond as you would. Help me to rely upon you in all circumstances and to trust in your help both in adversity and in temptation".
www.dailyscripture.net
 Letting Jesus Sleep |
|
Tuesday of the
Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
|
|
Matthew 8:23-27
As Jesus got into
the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great
that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they
went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?"
Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.
They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds
and the sea obey him?"
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I come to you in
this meditation ready to do whatever it is you ask. Left to myself I often
take the easy and convenient path, yet I know the way of a Christian is
through the narrow gate. In you I find the reason to abandon the easy path
for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready to learn the meaning of your
command: “Follow me.”
Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of a mature faith.
1. God’s Silence,
Man’s Faith: We can imagine
ourselves in the place of the apostles, in this poor boat tossed by the
turbulent waves. The situation instantly speaks to our worst of fears; yet
Jesus sleeps. Our temptation is to wake him…and too many souls do so through
complaining incessantly, despairing attitudes, withdrawing from prayer, or
unloading anger on others. When in a moment of trial we find life is no
longer under our complete control, the option of meltdown is always at hand.
But we mustn’t take that route; instead we must contemplate the power that
emanates from the sleeping Christ. Trials are intended by God to draw us
closer to him and increase our dependence on him. We have to live from faith;
otherwise all that reigns is fear, insecurity and bitterness. The “Silence of
Christ” is powerful. To pass over its meaning lightly is to abandon some of
the deepest lessons of Christ’s heart. The “Silence of Christ” must teach us.
2. The “Silence of
Christ” Speaks to Our Faith: What is Christ’s sleep like? As a young mother, Mary watched
Jesus sleep many times. Archbishop Martinez writes:
“Jesus was exceedingly beautiful when he spoke the words of eternal life, accomplished wonders, looked with love, pardoned with mercy and caressed with tenderness. But I would like to have seen him while he was sleeping because I could have contemplated him to my heart’s content, without the fascination of his gaze distracting me, without the perfection of his beauty and the glory of his splendor dazzling my eyes and enrapturing my soul. The beauty of Jesus awake is far too great for my smallness. Who could support it? I felt it more suited to me veiled by sleep, as the glory of the sun is more adapted to my eyes when I look at it through a translucent lens” (When Jesus Sleeps, p.15). May I trust the power of Christ just as much when he chooses not to act as when he does.
3. God’s Eternal
Pedagogy: Water, a boat, the
apostles and Christ… this scene repeats itself over and over again in the
Gospel. Water is a symbol of the experiences of life taken on a human level;
the boat is the experience of faith on a supernatural level -- it is our life
with Christ. Christ’s message is that we can never let our experiences of
life overwhelm our experience of faith. We have to live not from the surface
level of impressions of the moment, but from the deep channel of faith that
reveals the action of God, the wisdom of his Providence and the ultimate
destiny of eternity. Faith is what reveals Christ’s presence in our boat;
faith is what makes us believe that every wave and wind gust are blessed
invitations to confide in the One who rules all. Faith is what permits God to
console our hearts, calm our fears and preserve our joy in the midst of
problems and difficulties that may take months or years to run their course.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, I know belief
makes me vulnerable. But I know that I will not know your love if I do not
believe that you can make me happier than I can be by myself. If I do not
face the enemies of my soul and my mission and abandon myself to your grace,
I will not know your victory.
Resolution: Today I will take a problem and, with
complete trust and confidence in him, leave it totally in God’s hands.
|
TUESDAY, JULY 2
MATTHEW 8:23-27
MATTHEW 8:23-27
(Genesis 19:15-29; Psalm 26)
KEY VERSE: "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" (v 26).
READING: Jesus warned his disciples of the perilous road that lay ahead for those who chose to follow him (Mt 7:14). In this nature miracle, Jesus showed them who was in control in all the circumstances they would face. As he and his disciples crossed Lake Galilee, Jesus fell asleep in the boat. Suddenly, a fierce storm threatened to capsize their small craft. The frightened disciples cried out in alarm, "Lord, save us!" (v 25). With an authoritative command, Jesus revealed himself as Lord and Savior. He was master over the winds and waves as well as all the terrors that engulfed the human heart. Although the disciples marveled at Jesus' power, they did not yet fully comprehend "what sort of man" (v 27) he truly was.
REFLECTING: How can I help others understand Jesus' power in times of trial?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to have faith in you during the storms that threaten me.
O Lord, your kindness is before my eyes
He was asleep ...We have all experienced storms in our lives, times when we have been beset by fear, worry, anger or despair. We too may have felt that God was asleep. St Teresa of Avila wrote: 'I would often recall how when a storm arose the Lord used to command the winds to be still, and I would say to myself, What have I been thinking of? What am I afraid of? If this Lord is powerful, as I see he is and know he is, what harm can they do to me? I lost all the fears which until then had been wont to trouble me' (Life, 25).
Jesus wants to do this for us as well. By trusting him we can be secure in all circumstances, knowing that God will use even the storms in our lives for our good.
July
2
St. Oliver Plunkett
(1629-1681)
St. Oliver Plunkett
(1629-1681)
The name of today's saint is especially familiar to the Irish and
the English—and with good reason. The English martyred Oliver Plunkett for
defending the faith in his native Ireland during a period of severe
persecution.
Born in County Meath in 1629, he studied for the priesthood in
Rome and was ordained there in 1654. After some years of teaching and service
to the poor of Rome he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. Four
years later, in 1673, a new wave of anti-Catholic persecution began, forcing
Archbishop Plunkett to do his pastoral work in secrecy and disguise and to live
in hiding. Meanwhile, many of his priests were sent into exile; schools were
closed; Church services had to be held in secret and convents and seminaries
were suppressed. As archbishop, he was viewed as ultimately responsible for any
rebellion or political activity among his parishioners.
Archbishop Plunkett was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle
in 1679, but his trial was moved to London. After deliberating for 15 minutes,
a jury found him guilty of fomenting revolt. He was hanged, drawn and quartered
in July 1681.
Pope Paul VI canonized Oliver Plunkett in 1975.
LECTIO: MATTHEW 8,23-27
Lectio:
Tuesday, July 2,
2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
you call your childrento
walk in the light of Christ.
Free us from darkness
and keep us in the radiance of your truth.
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.
you call your childrento
walk in the light of Christ.
Free us from darkness
and keep us in the radiance of your truth.
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 -
Matthew 8,23-27
Then Jesus got into
the boat followed by his disciples. Suddenly a storm broke over the lake, so
violent that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But he was asleep.
So they went to him and woke him saying, 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' And he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith?' And then he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
They were astounded and said, 'Whatever kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?'
So they went to him and woke him saying, 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' And he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith?' And then he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
They were astounded and said, 'Whatever kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?'
3) Reflection
• Matthew writes for
the converted Jews of the years 70’s who felt lost like a boat in the middle of
a stormy sea, without the hope of being able to get to the desired port.
Jesus seems to be asleep in the boat, and it seems to them that no divine power
will come to save them from the persecution. In the face of this
desperate and anguished situation, Matthew puts together several episodes of
the life of Jesus to help the community discover, in the midst of an apparent
absence, the welcoming and powerful presence of Jesus the conqueror who
dominates the sea (Mt 8, 23-27), who conquers and casts away the power of evil
(Mt 9, 28-34) and who has the power to forgive sins (Mt 9, 1-8). In other
words, Matthew wants to communicate hope and to suggest that the communities
have no reason to fear. This is the reason for the narration of the storm
calmed by Jesus in today’s Gospel.
• Matthew 8, 23: The starting point: to enter into the boat. Matthew follows the Gospel of Mark, but makes it shorter and inserts it in the new outline which he has adopted. In Mark, the day had been very heavy because of the work that they had done. Having finished the discourse of the parables (Mk 4, 3-34), the disciples take Jesus into the boat and he was so tired that he fell asleep on a cushion (Mk 4, 38). Matthew’s text is very brief. It only says that Jesus went into the boat and that the disciples accompanied him. Jesus is the Master, the disciples follow the Master.
• Matthew 8, 24-25: The desperate situation: “We are lost!” The Lake of Galilee is close to high mountains. Sometimes, between the cracks of the rocks, the wind blows strongly on the lake causing a sudden storm. Strong wind, agitated sea, the boat full of water! The disciples were experienced fishermen. If they thought that they were about to sink, it meant that the situation was truly dangerous! But Jesus is not aware, and continues to sleep. They cried out: “Save us, Lord, we are lost!” In Matthew the profound sleep of Jesus is not only a sign of tiredness. It is also the expression of the calm trust of Jesus in God. The contrast between the attitude of Jesus and that of the disciples is enormous!
• Matthew 8, 26: The reaction of Jesus: Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith!” Jesus wakes up, not because of the waves, but because of the desperate cry of the disciples. And he turns to them saying: “Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith!” Then he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea, because there was no danger. It is like when one arrives to a friend’s house, and the dog, at the side of his master, barks very much. But one should not be afraid, because the master is present and controls the situation. The episode of the storm calmed by Jesus evokes the episode, when people, without fear, passed across the water of the sea (Ex 14, 22). Jesus recreates this episode. He recalls the Prophet Isaiah who said to the people: “If you have to go across the water, I will be with you!” (Is 43, 2). The episode of the calmed storm recalls and fulfils the prophecy announced in the Psalm 107:
Those who ploughed the waves in the sea on the ships, plying their trade on the great ocean.
they have seen the
works of the Lord, his wonders in the deep.
By his word he raised a storm-wind lashing up towering waves.
Up to the sky then down to the depths; their stomachs were turned to water.
They staggered and reeled like drunkards, and all their skill went under.
They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight.
He reduced the storm to a calm, and all the waters subsided.
He brought them overjoyed at the stillness, to the port where they were bound (Ps 107, 23-30)
By his word he raised a storm-wind lashing up towering waves.
Up to the sky then down to the depths; their stomachs were turned to water.
They staggered and reeled like drunkards, and all their skill went under.
They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight.
He reduced the storm to a calm, and all the waters subsided.
He brought them overjoyed at the stillness, to the port where they were bound (Ps 107, 23-30)
• Matthew 8, 27: The fear of the disciples: “Who is this man?” Jesus asks: “Why are you so frightened?” The disciples do not know what to answer. Astounded, they ask themselves: “Whatever kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” In spite of the long time that they had lived with Jesus, they still do not know who he is. Jesus seems to be a foreigner for them! Who is this man?
• Who is this man? Who is Jesus for us, for me? This should be the question which urges us to continue to read the Gospel, every day, with the desire always to know better the significance and the importance of the person of Jesus for our life. From this question comes Christology. It does not come from elevated theological considerations, but from the desire of the first Christians always to find new names and titles to express what Jesus meant for them. There are tens of names, titles and attributes, from that of carpenter to Son of God, which Jesus expresses: Messiah, Christ, Lord, Beloved Son, Holy One of God, Nazarene, Son of Man, Spouse, Son of God, Son of the Most High God, Carpenter, Son of Mary, Prophet, Master, Son of David, Rabboni, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Son, Shepherd, Bread of Life, Resurrection, Light of the world, Way, Truth, Life, King of the Jews, King of Israel, etc. Every name, every image, is an effort to express what Jesus means for them. But a name, no matter how beautiful it is, never succeeds to reveal the mystery of a person, and much less of the person of Jesus. Jesus does not enter into any of these names, in no outline, in no title. He exceeds everything, he is the greatest! He cannot be put into a frame. Love takes up all this, not the mind! Starting from this experience of a love which is alive, the names, the titles and the images receive their full significance. Definitively, who is Jesus for me, for us?
4) Personal questions
• Which was the
agitated sea at the time of Jesus? Which was the agitated sea at the time
when Matthew wrote his Gospel? Today, which is the agitated sea for
us? Have you ever been on the point of drowning in the agitated waters of
the sea of your life? What saved you?
• Who is Jesus for me? Which is the name of Jesus which expresses my faith and my love better?
5) Concluding Prayer
Each age will praise
your deeds to the next,
proclaiming your mighty works.
Your renown is the splendour of your glory,
I will ponder the story of your wonders. (Ps 145,4-5)
proclaiming your mighty works.
Your renown is the splendour of your glory,
I will ponder the story of your wonders. (Ps 145,4-5)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét