Tuesday of the Fifteenth
Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 390
Lectionary: 390
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| EX 2:1-15A |
A certain man of the house of Levi
married a Levite woman,
who conceived and bore a son.
Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.
When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket,
daubed it with bitumen and pitch,
and putting the child in it,
placed it among the reeds on the river bank.
His sister stationed herself at a distance
to find out what would happen to him.
Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe,
while her maids walked along the river bank.
Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it.
On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying!
She was moved with pity for him and said,
“It is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter,
“Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women
to nurse the child for you?”
“Yes, do so,” she answered.
So the maiden went and called the child’s own mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her,
“Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you.”
The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.
When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter,
who adopted him as her son and called him Moses;
for she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
On one occasion, after Moses had grown up,
when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor,
he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen.
Looking about and seeing no one,
he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting!
So he asked the culprit,
“Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?”
But the culprit replied,
“Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us?
Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?”
Then Moses became afraid and thought,
“The affair must certainly be known.”
Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put Moses to death.
But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian.
who conceived and bore a son.
Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.
When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket,
daubed it with bitumen and pitch,
and putting the child in it,
placed it among the reeds on the river bank.
His sister stationed herself at a distance
to find out what would happen to him.
Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe,
while her maids walked along the river bank.
Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it.
On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying!
She was moved with pity for him and said,
“It is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter,
“Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women
to nurse the child for you?”
“Yes, do so,” she answered.
So the maiden went and called the child’s own mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her,
“Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you.”
The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.
When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter,
who adopted him as her son and called him Moses;
for she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
On one occasion, after Moses had grown up,
when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor,
he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen.
Looking about and seeing no one,
he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting!
So he asked the culprit,
“Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?”
But the culprit replied,
“Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us?
Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?”
Then Moses became afraid and thought,
“The affair must certainly be known.”
Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put Moses to death.
But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian.
Responsorial PsalmPS 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34
R. (see 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am sunk in the abysmal swamp
where there is no foothold;
I have reached the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me;
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am sunk in the abysmal swamp
where there is no foothold;
I have reached the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me;
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
GospelMT 11:20-24
Jesus began to
reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:
Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:
Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Meditation: "Will
you be exalted to heaven?"
Why does Jesus lament and issue a stern warning? The people who heard the gospel here very likely responded with indifference. Jesus upbraids them for doing nothing! Repentance demands change – a change of heart and way of life. God's word is life-giving and it saves us from destruction – the destruction of heart, mind, and soul as well as body. Jesus' anger is directed toward sin and everything which hinders us from doing the will of God. In love he calls us to walk in his way of truth and freedom, grace and loving-kindness, justice and holiness. Do you receive his word with faith and obedience or with doubt and indifference?
"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give us a sense of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may do everything in fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
www.dailyscripture.net
 Harsh or Rash Judgment? |
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Tuesday of the
Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
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Father Shawn Aaron, LC
Matthew 11: 20-24
Jesus began to
reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they
had not repented. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if
the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would
long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as
for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down
to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had
been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it
will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for
you."
Introductory Prayer: God our Father, you are my shelter against the burning heat of
the day and the storms of life. I know and I believe that I can count on your
help when I stumble, that you will catch me when I fall and guide my steps
firmly in faith toward the promise of eternal life.
Petition: Jesus, help me to seek you with a sincere
heart.
1. Blessings
and Responsibility: Much
will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be
demanded of the person entrusted with more (cf. Luke 12:48). With every
blessing comes a degree of responsibility. The mighty deeds worked in these
towns were not seen by everyone in Israel, let alone the world. Therefore,
those who do see them have a greater responsibility than those who do not.
Jesus reproaches them so as to awaken them from their stupor. Since the
miracles have not moved them to a deeper faith, then perhaps the reminder
that they will one day be answerable to God might. Do I need a similar fear
of punishment to drive me from my sins, or am I more focused on pleasing God
in the details of my life?
2. The Goal is
Repentance: The goal of all of
Jesus´ signs is to bring about a change of heart. Even in the Old Testament,
the signs and wonders worked by Yahweh were intended to elicit a response of
faith and trust from Israel. The danger for Israel, as for Jesus´ listeners
and for us, is to become accustomed to these signs and to demand more signs,
thus losing sight of their purpose – a redirection of our life from
self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness. Like Herod, we want to be dazzled
by Jesus´ miracles, but we do not want to change our lives. Jesus never works
a miracle in order to impress, but only to convert a heart back to God or to
bring it into deeper union with God.
3. Reward or
Punishment: We can learn a great
deal from this strong phrase: Firstly, that we will be judged for our actions
and our omissions; secondly, that judgment from God has varying degrees.
Since God sees and knows perfectly, the judgment will be objective; those who
knew less will be judged less strictly. In other words, Sodom, Tyre and Sidon
will indeed be judged, but according to natural law and not according to
Christian faith, which they did not have access to at the time. Finally, but
not exhaustively, we can deduce that there will be different gradations in
heaven and hell according to how well our actions corresponded to what we
knew to be true and good. This knowledge should stimulate us to be more
generous with God and more centered on things that are above. Our Lord will
handsomely reward our smallest good deed.
Conversation with
Christ: Dear Lord, open my eyes to the constant
workings of your grace in my life. Never allow me to become complacent or to
undervalue the tremendous gift of faith in my life. Thank you for reminding
me of the importance of my daily decisions. Mother Most Pure, make my heart
only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will read nos. 1783-1785 from the Catechism of the
Catholic Church.
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TUESDAY, JULY 16
MATTHEW 11:20-24
(Exodus 2:1-15a; Psalm 69)
KEY VERSE: "Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented" (v 20).
READING: The miracles that Jesus worked in Chorazin and Bethsaida were manifestations of God's power (Greek, dunamis). These "mighty deeds" were meant to turn the people away from their sins and point them toward salvation; nevertheless, many people refused to repent (Hebrew, t�shuvah). Jesus grimly reminded the crowds who gathered to hear his message that the pagan cites of Tyre and Sidon were denounced by the prophets for their wickedness (Joel 4:4-7). Jesus then reproached Capernaum, the center of his own ministry. If such miracles had been worked in Sodom, the people would have repented and that corrupt city would still be standing (Gn 19:1-29). Jesus lamented that the people of Sodom would be judged less severely than his own people because he was in their midst. Yet they closed their eyes and ears to his message.
REFLECTING: What do I need to do to change my life?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to see the miracles that you work in my life.
Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
According to the most ancient Carmelite chronicles, the Order had its origins with the disciples of the prophet Elijah who lived in a cave on Mount Carmel. In the 12th century, many pilgrims from Europe thatfollowed the Crusaders came to join them. A rule was established and the Order began to spread to Europe. Amid the many persecutions raised against the Order of Mount Carmel, St. Simon Stock, General of the Order, turned with confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer on July 16, 1251, she appeared before him and presented him with the brown scapular, a loose sleeveless garment reaching from the shoulders to the knees. He was given the assurance of her heavenly protection from eternal death for all who died wearing it. Devotion spread quickly throughout the Christian world. At Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin chose to make her last apparition on July 16th, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. And at Fatima on October 13, 1917, it was Our Lady of Mount Carmel that appeared when she said farewell to the three children. Throughout the ages, the Queen of Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of her cherished children on earth. The Carmelite Scapular is a sign that has been approved by the Church for over seven centuries. It is not a magical charm to protect us, nor an automatic guarantee of salvation. It stands for the decision to follow Jesus like Mary; to be open to God and to his will; to be guided by faith, hope, and love; to pray at all times; and to discover God present in all that happens around us
www.daily-word-of-life.com
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live
Turn to the Lord in your need.
Dear Lord, what are you saying to us in today's readings? Moses' story seems to be illustrating the old saying, 'Heaven helps those who help themselves', because his mother didn’t just sit back and pray for his safety but took steps to save him as well.
The psalmist weeps and sinks in the mire but decides not to let go but to please God by praising God in song. God will chastise those who have seen his deeds of power but have not followed him and repented.
Lord, what do we learn from all this? It seems that the best thing we can do is take heed of your help and power, to praise, love and trust you and then, together with you, get on with living our lives.
www.churchresources.info
July 16
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah
(northern Israel) in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady.
By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In
1726 it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as
specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted
devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.
St. Teresa of Avila (October 15) called Carmel “the Order of the
Virgin.” St. John of the Cross (December 14) credited Mary with saving him from
drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel and helping him escape from prison.
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (October 1) believed that Mary cured her from
illness. On her First Communion, she dedicated her life to Mary. During the
last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary.
There is a tradition (which may not be historical) that Mary
appeared to St. Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a
scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified
version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls
the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular
reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in
a splendid way.
Comment:
The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word “sister” is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.
The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word “sister” is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.
Quote:
“The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church has approved within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the dispositions and understanding of the faithful, ensure that while the mother is honored, the Son through whom all things have their being (cf. Colossians 1:15–16) and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell (cf. Colossians 1:19) is rightly known, loved and glorified and his commandments are observed” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 66).
“The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church has approved within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the dispositions and understanding of the faithful, ensure that while the mother is honored, the Son through whom all things have their being (cf. Colossians 1:15–16) and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell (cf. Colossians 1:19) is rightly known, loved and glorified and his commandments are observed” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 66).
Patron Saint of:
Chile
www.americancatholic.orgChile
LECTIO: THE B.V. MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL - JOHN 19,25-27
Lectio:
Tuesday, July
16, 2013
Woman, this is your
son!
Behold this is your mother!
Behold this is your mother!
1. Let us recollect ourselves in prayer - Statio
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill our minds with your light so that we can understand the true sense of your
Word.
Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in our hearts the fire of your love to inflame our faith.
Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in our hearts the fire of your love to inflame our faith.
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill our being with your force to strengthen what is weak in us, in our service
to God.
Come, Holy Spirit, with the gift of prudence to control our enthusiasm which prevents us from loving God and our neighbour.
Come, Holy Spirit, with the gift of prudence to control our enthusiasm which prevents us from loving God and our neighbour.
2. Prayerful Reading
of the Word – Lectio
From the Gospel
according to John 19, 25-27
Near the cross of
Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and
Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near
her, Jesus said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' Then to the disciple
he said, 'This is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into
his home.
3. Ponder the Word -
Meditatio
3.1. To understand the
Reading
- With your spirit go
up to Calvary up to the Cross of Jesus and try to understand what is happening.
- From the passage that you have read, ask yourself what has struck you the most and why.
- Which are the sentiments that this brief passage has aroused in you?
- From the passage that you have read, ask yourself what has struck you the most and why.
- Which are the sentiments that this brief passage has aroused in you?
3.2. Key for the
Reading
Jesus holds his own
destiny in His hand
We are in the middle
of chapter 19 of John’s Gospel which begins with the scourging, the crowing of
Jesus with a crown of thorns, the presentation of Jesus by Pilate to the
crowds: “Behold the man” (Jn 19, 5), the condemnation to the death on the
cross, the Way of the Cross and the crucifixion. In the account of the passion
according to John, Jesus has the control in His hand of His life and of
everything which is taking place around Him. And for this reason, for example,
we find phrases such as: “Jesus then came out wearing the crown of thorns and a
purple robe” (v. 5), or the words said to Pilate: “You would have no power over
me at all if it had not been given you from above.” (v. 11).
The text presented in
the daily Liturgy also shows that Jesus not only has control over everything
which is happening to Him but also on what is taking place around Him. What the
Evangelist describes is very important: “Jesus then, seeing his mother and the
disciple whom he loved, said…” (v. 26). The words of Jesus in their simplicity
are words of revelation, words with which He wants to express His will: “Behold
your son” (v. 26), “Behold your mother” (v. 27). These words of Jesus recall to
mind the words of Pilate with which he presented the person of Jesus to the
crowds: “Behold the man” (v. 5). Jesus from his throne, the Cross, with His
words not only pronounces his will, but also that it is truly his love for us
and which is the fruit of this love. He is the Lamb of God, the Shepherd who
gives his life in order to gather all in one only flock, in the Church.
Near the Cross
In this passage we
also find a very important word which is repeated twice when the Evangelist
speaks about the Mother of Jesus and of the disciple whom He loved. The
Evangelist says that the mother of Jesus was “near the Cross” (v. 25) and the
disciple whom He loves was “standing near her” (v. 26). This important detail
has a very deep Biblical significance. Only the fourth Evangelist says that the
Mother of Jesus was near the cross. The other Evangelists do not specify this.
Luke says that “All his friends stood at a distance; so also did the women who
had accompanied Him from Galilee and saw all this happen” (Lk 23, 49). Matthew
has written: “And many women were there, watching from a distance; the same
women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. Among them were
Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of
Zebedee’s sons.” (Mt 27, 55-56). Mark says that “There were also some women,
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary who was the
mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome. They used to follow him and
look after him when he was in Galilee. And many other women were there who had
come up to Jerusalem with him.” (Mk 15, 40-41). Therefore, only John stresses
that the Mother of Jesus was present, not following him from a distance, but
was near the cross together with the other women. Standing up, like a strong
woman who has continued to believe, to hope and to have trust in God, even in
that most difficult moment. The Mother of Jesus is present in the important
moment in which “Everything is fulfilled” (v. 30) in Jesus’ mission. Besides,
the Evangelist stresses the presence of the Mother of Jesus from the beginning
of his mission, in the wedding at Cana, where John uses almost the same
expression: “The Mother of Jesus was there”. (Jn 2, 1).
The Woman and the
Disciple
In the wedding at Cana
and on the Cross, Jesus shows his glory and his Mother is present in an active
way. In the wedding in Cana it is made evident, in a symbolical way, that which
took place on the cross. During the feast of the wedding Jesus changed the
water contained in six jars (Jn 2, 6). Number six symbolizes imperfection. The
perfect number is seven. For this reason Jesus responds to his Mother: “My hour
has not yet come” (Jn 2, 4). The hour in which Jesus has renewed everything,
has been the hour of the cross. The Disciples asked him: “Lord, has the time
come for you to restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1, 6). On the cross, with
the water and blood, Jesus gives birth to the Church and at the same time the
Church becomes His spouse. It is the beginning of the new time. Both at the
wedding in Cana and at the foot of the cross, Jesus does not call his mother
with her proper name, but calls her with the beautiful title of “Woman” (Jn 2,
19, 26). On the cross He is not speaking with His Mother moved only by a
natural sentiment, of a son toward his mother. The title of “Woman” is an
evidence that in that moment Jesus was opening his Mother’s heart to the
spiritual maternity of his disciples, represented in the person of the disciple
whom He loved who is always near Jesus, the Disciple who at the Last Supper
reclined his head on Jesus’ chest (Jn 13, 23-26), the Disciple who understood
the mystery of Jesus and always remains faithful to his Master up to the time
of His crucifixion, and later on was the first disciple to believe that Christ
is risen in seeing the empty tomb and the linen cloths on the ground (Jn 20,
4-8), while Mary of Magdala believed that they had taken away the body of Jesus
(Jn 20, 2). Then, Jesus’ beloved Disciple is the one who believes and remains
faithful to His Master in all the trials of his life. The Disciple whom Jesus
loved has no name, because he represents you and me, and all those who are his
true disciples. The woman becomes the mother of the Disciple. The woman is
never called by the Evangelist by her proper name, she is not only the Mother
of Jesus, but she is also the Church. John, the Evangelist likes to call the
Church “woman” or “lady”. This title is found in the Second Letter of John (2
Jn 1, 5) and in the Apocalypses: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman,
robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve
stars. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of
childbirth”. (Apoc 12, 1-2). Therefore, the woman is the image of the Mother
Church which is in labour to generate new sons for God.
The Mother of Jesus is the perfect image of the Church, spouse of Christ who is in labour to generate new children for her spouse Jesus.
The Mother of Jesus is the perfect image of the Church, spouse of Christ who is in labour to generate new children for her spouse Jesus.
The Disciples takes
the woman to his house
If Jesus has left in
the hands of the Woman (His Mother and the Church) his Disciples represented in
the person of the beloved Disciple, in the same way, He has left in the hands
of his disciples, the Woman (His Mother and the Church). The Evangelist says
that Jesus had just seen the Disciple whom he loved next to His Mother he told
him: “Behold your mother!” (v. 27).
The Evangelist
continues: “And from that hour the Disciple took her into his home.” (v. 27).
That means that the Disciple took the woman as a very dear and valuable person.
This, again reminds us all that John says in his letter when he calls himself
the Elder who loves the Lady in truth (2 Jn 1) who prays for her (2 Jn, 5) so
that he takes care of her and defends her against the Antichrist, that is all
those who do not know Christ and seek to trouble the children of the Church,
the Disciples of Jesus (2 Jn 7, 10).
The words of verse 27
“And from that hour he took her into his home”, reminds us what we also find in
the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew. The Evangelist opens his account
telling about the vision of the angel which Joseph, the spouse of Mary, had in
his dream. In this vision the angel tells Joseph: “”Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is
in her by the Holy Spirit”. (Mt 1, 20). Matthew begins his Gospel with
entrusting Mary and Jesus to Joseph, while John concludes his account with
Jesus entrusting His Mother and the Church in the hands of his beloved
Disciple!
3.3. Questions to
orientate the meditation and the putting it into practice.
- What has struck you
most in this passage and in the reflection?
- On the Cross Jesus has given us everything: His life and His Mother. And you, are you ready to sacrifice something for the Lord? Are you capable to renounce your possessions, your likes, desires, etc., to serve God and to help your neighbour?
- “From that hour the disciple took her to his home”. Do you believe that the families today continue to follow the example of the disciple whom Jesus loved? What meaning do these words have for your Christian life?
- On the Cross Jesus has given us everything: His life and His Mother. And you, are you ready to sacrifice something for the Lord? Are you capable to renounce your possessions, your likes, desires, etc., to serve God and to help your neighbour?
- “From that hour the disciple took her to his home”. Do you believe that the families today continue to follow the example of the disciple whom Jesus loved? What meaning do these words have for your Christian life?
4. Oratio
Canticle of the
Blessed Virgin: Luke 1, 46-55
My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones
and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant,
mindful of his faithful love
-according to the promise he made to our ancestors --
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones
and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant,
mindful of his faithful love
-according to the promise he made to our ancestors --
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
5. Contemplatio
Let us adore together
the goodness of God who has given us Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as our Mother,
and let us repeat in silence:
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
world without end. Amen
www.ocarm.orgAs it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
world without end. Amen
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