Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 120
Lectionary: 120
In those days, the
princes said to the king:
“Jeremiah ought to be put to death;
he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,
and all the people, by speaking such things to them;
he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
but in their ruin.”
King Zedekiah answered: “He is in your power”;
for the king could do nothing with them.
And so they took Jeremiah
and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah,
which was in the quarters of the guard,
letting him down with ropes.
There was no water in the cistern, only mud,
and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
Ebed-melech, a court official,
went there from the palace and said to him:
“My lord king,
these men have been at fault
in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah,
casting him into the cistern.
He will die of famine on the spot,
for there is no more food in the city.”
Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite
to take three men along with him,
and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before
he should die.
“Jeremiah ought to be put to death;
he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,
and all the people, by speaking such things to them;
he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
but in their ruin.”
King Zedekiah answered: “He is in your power”;
for the king could do nothing with them.
And so they took Jeremiah
and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah,
which was in the quarters of the guard,
letting him down with ropes.
There was no water in the cistern, only mud,
and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
Ebed-melech, a court official,
went there from the palace and said to him:
“My lord king,
these men have been at fault
in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah,
casting him into the cistern.
He will die of famine on the spot,
for there is no more food in the city.”
Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite
to take three men along with him,
and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before
he should die.
Responsorial PsalmPS 40:2, 3, 4, 18
R. (14b) Lord, come to my aid!
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
The LORD heard my cry.
He drew me out of the pit of destruction,
out of the mud of the swamp;
he set my feet upon a crag;
he made firm my steps.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and trust in the LORD.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
Though I am afflicted and poor,
yet the LORD thinks of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, hold not back!
R. Lord, come to my aid!
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
The LORD heard my cry.
He drew me out of the pit of destruction,
out of the mud of the swamp;
he set my feet upon a crag;
he made firm my steps.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and trust in the LORD.
R. Lord, come to my aid!
Though I am afflicted and poor,
yet the LORD thinks of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, hold not back!
R. Lord, come to my aid!
Reading 2HEB 12:1-4
Brothers and
sisters:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
he endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
he endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
GospelLK 12:49-53
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Scripture Study
August 18, 2013
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The readings on this Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time deal with the meaning of truth and our ability to tolerate it. Jeremiah was condemned for telling the people the mind of God. They wanted him to prophecy good news but God gave him only bad news to pass on to the people. They did not want to hear it. Jesus tells us that He too has news which is good in itself but it, like Him, will be rejected and opposed by some. We should not be surprised to find that Jesus' message sometimes causes division rather than unity. As His messengers we may receive the same hearing that Jeremiah got. In these circumstances we are to be inspired to courage by the witnesses of the second reading as well as by the example of Jesus. In what ways has discipleship brought peace into your life and in what ways has it brought divisiveness?
First Reading: Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8-10
4 "This man ( Jeremiah) ought to be put to death," the princes said to the king; "he demoralizes the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such things to them; he is not interested in the welfare of our people, but in their ruin." 5 King Zedekiah answered: "He is in your power"; for the king could do nothing with them. 6 And so they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, which was in the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
7 Now Ebed-melech, a Cushite, a courtier in the king's palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. The king happened just then to be at the Gate of Benjamin, 8 and Ebed-melech went there from the palace and said to him, 9 "My lord king, these men have been at fault in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, casting him into the cistern. He will die of famine on the spot, for there is no more food in the city." 10 Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite to take three men along with him, and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he should die.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 38:4 This new imprisonment of Jeremiah resembles the incidents of 37:11-21 and may be two accounts of the same events. The charge against Jeremiah literally means " He weakens the hands of the warriors."
* 38:5 Here the king states his own criticism of the situation. The real power is with the officials and not with the king.
* 38:6 The object of their actions is to bring about Jeremiah's death without bloodshed. This forms a parallel with Joseph in Gen 37:18-24.
* 38:7-13 Jeremiah is saved by the sympathy of an Ethiopian courtier named Ebed-melech who evidently held a position of considerable authority at court.
Second Reading: Hebrews 12: 1-4
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us 2 while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. 3 Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 12:1 These witnesses to the life of faith surround us and provide constant encouragement to carry on.
* 12:2 We should be inspired to live the Christian life not only by the Old Testament men and women of faith (Hebrews 11:1-40) but above all by Jesus Himself. As the architect of Christian faith, Jesus endured the cross before receiving the glory of his triumph.
* 12:3-4 Reflection on Jesus' sufferings should give His followers courage to continue the struggle, if necessary, even to the shedding of their own blood.
Gospel Reading: Luke 12: 49-53
49 "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
NOTES on Gospel:
* 12:49-53 Using a flashback to 3:16, Luke gives a rationale for opposition to Jesus and His followers.
* 12:49 Fire carries with it the sense of purification. The nature of Jesus' message is to purify those who hear it and to cause them to recognize the difference between the dross and the gold in their lives. His message will meet with acceptance or rejection and will be a source of conflict and dissension even within families. This is partly an echo of John the Baptist's preaching in Luke 3:7-9.
* 12:50 Baptism here is not to be taken as the sacramental Baptism of the Christian Church but as a metaphor for an overwhelming catastrophe. Jesus follows the path laid out for Him by the Father and obediently endures all that comes His way.
* 12:53 Mica 7:6 may be the background for this verse. Bearing in mind the prophecy of Luke 2:34-35, Jesus is telling us that we must not seek peace at any cost. The compromising of the gospel is an unacceptable cost. The other message is that we must seek our own peace in Jesus Himself and not in our relationships with others. These very conditions of stress require application of the Lucan themes of forgiveness and reconciliation (9:51-56), and love of enemies (6:27-36).
Meditation: "I came to cast fire upon the earth"
Do you
want to be on fire for God? Jesus shocked his disciples when he declared that
he would cast fire and cause division rather than peace upon the earth.
What kind of fire did Jesus have in mind? Fire in biblical times was associated
with God and with his action in the world and in the lives of his people. God
sometimes manifested his presence by use of fire, such as the burning bush
which was not consumed when God spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2). The image of fire
was also used to symbolize God's glory (Ezekiel 1:4, 13), his protective
presence (2 Kings 6:17), his holiness (Deuteronomy 4:24), righteous judgment
(Zechariah 13:9), and his wrath against sin (Isaiah 66:15-16). It is also used
of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11 and Acts 2:3). God's fire both purifies
and cleanses, and it inspires a reverent fear of God and of his word in us.
Jesus
regarded the coming of the kingdom of God as a time of judgment. His word of
judgment was meant to help people take seriously the consequences of their
choices – either for or against God. Our response to the judgments of God has
serious repercussions, both for the present and the future. Jesus states that
even family loyalties would be challenged on the basis of whether people
accepted the kingdom of God or not. The essence of Christianity is loyalty to
Jesus Christ, a loyalty that takes precedence over every other relationship.
When Jesus spoke about division he likely had in mind the prophecy of Micah: a
man's enemies are the men of his own household (Micah 7:6). The love
of God compels us to choose who will be first in our lives. To place any
relationship (or anything else) above God is a form of idolatry. Jesus
challenges his disciples to examine who they love first and foremost. A true
disciple loves God above all else and is willing to forsake all for Jesus
Christ. Jesus insists that his disciples give him the loyalty which is only due
to God, a loyalty which is higher than spouse or kin. It is possible that
family and friends can become our enemies, if the thought of them keeps us from
doing what we know God wants us to do. Does the love of Jesus Christ compel you
to put God first in all you do (2 Corinthians 5:14)?
"Lord,
may your love consume me and transform my life that I may truly desire nothing
more than life with you. Make me strong in love and fidelity that nothing
may hinder me from doing your will."
Inquisition of the
In-Laws
|
Twentieth Sunday in
Ordinary Time
|
Father Jason Brooks,
LC
Luke 12: 49-53
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have
come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There
is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until
it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the
earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five
will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be
divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her
daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her
daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
Introductory Prayer: I believe in you my God. You called me into
existence from nothingness and carefully watch over me. You have even
numbered the hairs of my head. I trust in your infinite goodness, and I
abandon into your loving hands my fears, my hopes, my needs, my desires, everything.
I love you Lord, and I wish to love you with all my mind, heart, soul and
strength.
Petition: Jesus, use me to set the earth ablaze with
your love.
1. Set the Earth on Fire: When Jesus talks about setting the earth on
fire, he is referring to the fire of his love. You could even say that he is
thinking about the Holy Spirit. When you read these words of Scripture and
listen to them with the ear of your heart, you cannot help but be impressed
with the passion of Christ’s love, the desire he has to possess our hearts
and be united to each and every one of us. Notice that he does not have a
narrow focus when it comes to sharing his gift of love. He came to give his
life as a ransom for us men and for our salvation. He shed his blood for all
so that sins would be forgiven.
2. Jesus Is Dying to Die for Us: Jesus knows that he is going to die for our
sins on the altar of the cross. He knows he is going to shed his blood for us
and be plunged into the depths of the dead in order to restore life to the
righteous and to open the gates of heaven to all those who believe in him. He
knows that his death and resurrection will bring salvation and eternal life
to the whole world. He cannot wait to bring about this miraculous
reconciliation between the human race and his heavenly Father. He yearns and
is anxious to fulfill his mission as savior of souls and glorifier of the
Father.
3. Jesus Can Be a Source of Division: What Jesus is driving at here is that his
message and mission are more important than any family tie. Sometimes our
relationship with Jesus will be disquieting for our family members,
especially if they are living in sin or being especially selfish or unjust in
any way. Moreover, when children get married or answer their call to
religious life, parents and in-laws can become envious of the new spouse or
angry at the religious community. But Christ wishes us to answer his call,
which he has prepared for us from all eternity. It’s good to keep in mind
that when we opt for the path Our Lord has in mind for us, we’re choosing a
good, not the division that may result for a time from that choice. We need
to rely on Christ’s grace to maintain kindness, humility and joy at all times
with everyone. These are sure signs of being blessed by God.
Petition: Jesus, set my heart on fire with love for
you. You have given me everything that I have. Everything I have is yours.
Take it and use it for the glory of your name, the salvation of souls, and
the establishment of your Kingdom.
Resolution: I will reach out and invite somebody back to
Church this week.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
LUKE 12:49-53
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
LUKE 12:49-53
(Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 12:1-4)
KEY VERSE: "There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!" (v 49).
READING: As Jesus journeyed toward Jerusalem, he was consumed with a passion to redeem humanity from its sins. He was in anguish until it could be accomplished. John the Baptist had foretold that Jesus would baptize with the purifying fire of the Spirit (Lk 3:16). This "baptism of fire" would be set ablaze on the cross at Calvary when Jesus was plunged into his death and resurrection. His proclamation of the kingdom was a refining fire that required total commitment from his disciples -- no one could remain neutral (Rv 3:15-16). Like the prophet Jeremiah, Jesus was prepared to face the consequences as he spoke God's truth to those who refused to hear it (Jer 38:4-10). His' message was a two-edged sword (Hb4:12), which would cause dissension even among members of the same family who were either for or against him (Lk 2:34). This dissension was described by the prophet Micah who said that a person's enemies might be those of his or her own household (Micah 7:6).
REFLECTING: Do I share my faith with my family even when I might face rejection?
PRAYING: Holy Spirit, help me to live my baptismal call in everything I do.
Lord, come to our aid!
Today’s gospel is a story of division, of one against another. Where is the gospel of peace and love? It is no secret that the church isn’t always the bearer of the Good News. The church finds itself facing its own day of judgement as the Royal Commission unfolds and the voice of the angry and wounded confronts it. It can seem to many that the church has only left great distress in its wake.
However, the Letter to the Hebrews tells another story. There is a ‘great cloud’ of witnesses to the Good News. May we be counted among this great cloud of witnesses to love and mercy and compassion and justice. In the ordinariness of our lives, let us never grow tired of being signs of Good News.
August 18
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
(1562-1641)
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
(1562-1641)
Jane
Frances was wife, mother, nun and founder of a religious community. Her mother
died when Jane was 18 months old, and her father, head of parliament at Dijon,
France, became the main influence on her education. She developed into a woman
of beauty and refinement, lively and cheerful in temperament. At 21 she married
Baron de Chantal, by whom she had six children, three of whom died in infancy.
At her castle she restored the custom of daily Mass, and was seriously engaged
in various charitable works.
Jane's
husband was killed after seven years of marriage, and she sank into deep
dejection for four months at her family home. Her father-in-law threatened to
disinherit her children if she did not return to his home. He was then 75,
vain, fierce and extravagant. Jane Frances managed to remain cheerful in spite
of him and his insolent housekeeper.
When she
was 32, she met St. Francis de Sales (October 24), who became her spiritual
director, softening some of the severities imposed by her former director. She
wanted to become a nun but he persuaded her to defer this decision. She took a
vow to remain unmarried and to obey her director.
After
three years Francis told her of his plan to found an institute of women which
would be a haven for those whose health, age or other considerations barred
them from entering the already established communities. There would be no
cloister, and they would be free to undertake spiritual and corporal works of
mercy. They were primarily intended to exemplify the virtues of Mary at the
Visitation (hence their name, the Visitation nuns): humility and meekness.
The usual
opposition to women in active ministry arose and Francis de Sales was obliged
to make it a cloistered community following the Rule of St. Augustine. Francis
wrote his famous Treatise on the Love of God for them. The
congregation (three women) began when Jane Frances was 45. She underwent great
sufferings: Francis de Sales died; her son was killed; a plague ravaged France;
her daughter-in-law and son-in-law died. She encouraged the local authorities
to make great efforts for the victims of the plague and she put all her
convent’s resources at the disposal of the sick.
During a
part of her religious life, she had to undergo great trials of the
spirit—interior anguish, darkness and spiritual dryness. She died while on a
visitation of convents of the community.
Comment:
It may strike some as unusual that a saint should be subject to spiritual dryness, darkness, interior anguish. We tend to think that such things are the usual condition of “ordinary” sinful people. Some of our lack of spiritual liveliness may indeed be our fault. But the life of faith is still one that is lived in trust, and sometimes the darkness is so great that trust is pressed to its limit.
It may strike some as unusual that a saint should be subject to spiritual dryness, darkness, interior anguish. We tend to think that such things are the usual condition of “ordinary” sinful people. Some of our lack of spiritual liveliness may indeed be our fault. But the life of faith is still one that is lived in trust, and sometimes the darkness is so great that trust is pressed to its limit.
Quote:
St. Vincent de Paul (September 27) said of Jane Frances: “She was full of faith, yet all her life had been tormented by thoughts against it. While apparently enjoying the peace and easiness of mind of souls who have reached a high state of virtue, she suffered such interior trials that she often told me her mind was so filled with all sorts of temptations and abominations that she had to strive not to look within herself...But for all that suffering her face never lost its serenity, nor did she once relax in the fidelity God asked of her. And so I regard her as one of the holiest souls I have ever met on this earth” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints).
St. Vincent de Paul (September 27) said of Jane Frances: “She was full of faith, yet all her life had been tormented by thoughts against it. While apparently enjoying the peace and easiness of mind of souls who have reached a high state of virtue, she suffered such interior trials that she often told me her mind was so filled with all sorts of temptations and abominations that she had to strive not to look within herself...But for all that suffering her face never lost its serenity, nor did she once relax in the fidelity God asked of her. And so I regard her as one of the holiest souls I have ever met on this earth” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints).
LECTIO: 20TH
SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio:
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Attentive to the events.
Jesus teaches to read the signs of the times
Luke 12, 49-59
Jesus teaches to read the signs of the times
Luke 12, 49-59
Opening prayer
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
1. LECTIO
a) The text:
49 'I
have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
50 There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under
until it is completed! 51 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on
earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on, a household of
five will be divided: three against two and two against three; 53 father
opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother,
mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-law.' 54 He said
again to the crowds, 'When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at
once that rain is coming, and so it does. 55 And when the wind is from the
south you say it's going to be hot, and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to
interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to
interpret these times? 57 'Why not judge for yourselves what is upright? 58 For
example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to
settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge
hand you over to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison. 59 I
tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.'
b) A
moment of silence:
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
2. MEDITATIO
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Some
questions:
- I
have come to bring fire to the earth: Fire presupposes a vehemence of
sentiment and a centre of life because where there is light, heat, force,
movement, there is life. And not a life which is stagnant, but a life which is
continuously nourished. Does the fire of the life of God burn in me?
- Why
not judge for yourselves what is upright? The invitation to discern
personally is even more urgent in a world in which opinions run after each
other and form a “mass”… How much do I allow myself to be conditioned by the
judgements and criteria chosen by others?
- Make
an effort to settle with him on the way… You are walking to go to the
tribunal because you think you are right, but the opponent also has the same
certainty. How do I feel before the one whom I feel is hostile toward me? Do I
feel sure of myself to the point of going to the tribunal or rather do I try to
agree with my opponent on the way?
b)
Detailed Analysis of the Text:
v. 49. I have
come to bring fire to the earth; and how I wish it were blazing already! The fire which is not
extinguished comes from Heaven, it is the fire of the Spirit which makes of all
things that exist, the luminous and warm expression of the divine Presence
among us. The Baptism of love. The light is born, the bread is born, the water
is born, God is born! The Cross, a new Bethlehem, House of the perfect Bread, a
new Emmaus, the hostel of the broken Bread, a new Bethany, House of the
perfumed Bread offered to men forever.
v. 50. There
is a baptism I must still receive; and what constraint I am under until it is
completed! Anguish,
the symptom of those fears which from within get hold of one and disfigure,
distort and leave without breath, Jesus also experienced this. What can one do
against anguish? Nothing can be done but only wait so that what is good is
fulfilled and that the fears be involved in the event itself. Anguish clasps
tightly and can demolish every possibility of interior movement. The anguish of
the one who trusts and accepts life, even if it clasps the person tightly in a
terrible vice like grip, does not demolish, but rather fortifies in so far as
it renders the waiting free or devoid of illusions and of easy hopes.
v, 51. Do you
suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather
division. Man
seeks peace. But what peace? The peace of “do not disturb me”, the peace of
“let us not make problems”, the peace of “everything is fine”, a superficial
peace. This peace is the earthly peace. Jesus has come to bring us the true
peace, the fullness of the gifts of God. This peace then, is no longer called
peace, but in so far as it is against the apparent peace, it is called, in the
eyes of man “division” It can well be said that the peace of Christ elects or
chooses and in so far as it elects, it distinguishes, like a magnet which in a
magnetic field attracts to itself what is of the same “nature”, but it does not
attract anything which is not of a similar nature.
vv.
52-53. For
from now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two
against three; father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter,
daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to
mother-in-law. Everything
which divides does not come from God, because in God there is unity. But in His
name it is possible even to go beyond the natural commandment. Honour
your father and mother, says
the ancient law. And the new law which is that of love without limit even goes
to say: He who loves father and mother more
than Me is not worthy of me. Division
is this case can be understood as the priority of love, a hierarchy of values.
To God, the source of life corresponds the first place. To the father and the
mother who have accepted, welcomed life, the second place… such an order is in
the logical nature of that order. It is not an honour to the father and the
mother to disobey God or to love Christ less. Because the love for father and
mother is a love of response, the love of God is generating love.
vv.
54-55. He said
again to the crowds, “When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once
that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you
say it is going to be hot, and it is. Before reproaching the crowds,
Jesus appreciates the good that they are capable of doing. If a cloud comes
from the west, it is rain that comes. And man has this certainty as a result
that he has been observing the natural phenomena up to the point of formulating
laws. If the wind comes from the south, it will be hot. Confirmed and reflected
upon, regulates the consequences for us.
v. 56. Hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do
not know how to interpret these times? Why not use the same criteria
for the events of the present moment? History speaks for itself. Why not
evaluate it on the basis of experience? The logic which binds premises and
consequences is the same one on human events and on supernatural ones. The
world of relationships, the world of religious convictions, the world of human
expectations… everything is subject to the same law. Then, if Christ has been
expected for centuries as the fulfilment of the promises of God, and if this
Jesus of Nazareth fulfils the works of faith with the finger of God, why doubt
that the Kingdom of God has arrived? This is hypocrisy. It is not to want to
admit God’s fidelity and to insist and persist to wait for the fulfilment of
what we have seen.
v. 57. Why not judge for yourselves
what is upright? What is
upright can always be judged. It does not serve to wait for the judgement of
others. And just the same, we are always bound to the thought and the words of
others, to what happens and to what is projected, to perspectives of success
and to thousands of hesitations. To trust one’s correct judgement is wise!.
v. 58. When
you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on
the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the
officer and the officer have you thrown into prison. The wisdom and the judgement of
Jesus are directed toward something truly useful. Do not expect to receive
justice, because no one is just to the point of being able to avoid being
condemned to prison. We are all sinners! And therefore, instead to appealing to
a false justice, that for which you consider yourself worthy to be absolved,
better appeal to harmony. Try to reach an agreement so as not to be led before
the judge. You judge the facts and conclude that it is always better not to
feel oneself free from guilt. Saint Paul says it: Neither
do I judge myself… my
judge is the Lord. Yes He…
v. 59. I tell
you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny. Who has no debts? Why do we
want to live our life in a court to constantly decide who is guilty and who is
innocent? Would it not be better to live simply, in agreement and harmony with
everyone, since all seek to want what is good and all have fragility and
weakness as the coin with which to pay?
c)
Reflection:
If we
too could bring fire to the earth of our heart! A fire capable of extending
itself without causing a great fire, but creating cordial bonds of union and a
lively exchange… The one who plays with fire will certainly have his hands
burnt, but what a great benefit for all. Fire divides, it creates circles of
encounter and barriers of inaccessible passages. Like in all divine things we
find ourselves in at a crossroads section: with Christ or against Him. Yes,
because we must never forget that He is a sign of contradiction for all times,
a stumbling stone for those who look to the top expecting miracles and
prodigies and a corner stone for the one who looks at His tired hands and
grasps tightly the hands of a carpenter trying to construct the house of hope ,
the Church. A time of grace: How not recognize it? If you go by a lighted fire,
you feel the heat. Christ is the lighted fire or flame! If you cross a torrent
flowing with water, on a suffocating hot day of summer, you feel the freshness
and feel attracted by the movement of the water which comes toward you to
quench your thirst and to give you moments of relief. And Christ is the water
which gushes out for eternal life! If at night you listen to the silence, you
cannot but feel anxious waiting for the light of the new day which will rise.
And Christ is the Sun who rises! It is the word which at night is silence and
in the East it becomes a syllable of a new dialogue. Why not become aware that
it is just that all hostility falls and walk with anyone recognizing him as a
brother? If you consider him an enemy, you are going to seek justice… If you
consider him as a brother, the thought comes to your mind to take care of him
and to walk together a part of the road, to share with him your anguishes and
your anxieties, and to listen to him about his difficulties. Why do you want at
all costs to pay your debt up to the last penny?
3.
ORATIO
Psalm
32
How
blessed are those whose offence is forgiven,
whose sin blotted out.
How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbours no deceit.
whose sin blotted out.
How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbours no deceit.
I said
not a word,
but my bones wasted away from groaning all the day;
day and night your hand lay heavy upon me;
my heart grew parched as stubble in summer drought.
but my bones wasted away from groaning all the day;
day and night your hand lay heavy upon me;
my heart grew parched as stubble in summer drought.
I made
my sin known to you,
did not conceal my guilt.
I said, 'I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.'
And you, for your part,
took away my guilt,
forgave my sin.
did not conceal my guilt.
I said, 'I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.'
And you, for your part,
took away my guilt,
forgave my sin.
That is
why each of your faithful ones
prays to you in time of distress.
Even if great floods overflow,
they will never reach your faithful.
prays to you in time of distress.
Even if great floods overflow,
they will never reach your faithful.
You are
a refuge for me,
you guard me in trouble,
with songs of deliverance you surround me.
you guard me in trouble,
with songs of deliverance you surround me.
I shall
instruct you
and teach you the way to go;
I shall not take my eyes off you.
and teach you the way to go;
I shall not take my eyes off you.
Be not
like a horse or a mule;
that does not understand bridle or bit;
if you advance to master them,
there is no means of bringing them near.
that does not understand bridle or bit;
if you advance to master them,
there is no means of bringing them near.
Countless
troubles are in store for the wicked,
but one who trusts in Yahweh
is enfolded in his faithful love.
but one who trusts in Yahweh
is enfolded in his faithful love.
Rejoice
in Yahweh,
exult all you upright,
shout for joy,
you honest of heart.
exult all you upright,
shout for joy,
you honest of heart.
4.
CONTEMPLATIO
Lord,
you who search into my heart and make of my fears the paths to create the
newness of gifts, enter into my anguishes. There where I lose my hope and where
the tremor devours me, there where every spark of grace burns my securities and
makes of me a pile of ashes, there enkindle anew the fire of your love. Give a
look or gaze capable of penetrating reality and of fixing it on your gaze which
waits for me beyond the veil of all appearances. Do not allow that I be driven
away from my desire of communion. And also there where in your name I would
find opposition, resistance, adversity, may be able to enter into the anguish
of division to maintain alive the flame of the encounter with you!
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