Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Lectionary: 449
Lectionary: 449
In the first year
of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
‘All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
‘All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.
Responsorial PsalmPS 126:1B-2AB, 2CD-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
GospelLK 8:16-18
Jesus said to the
crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
Meditation: "Every secret shall
come to light"
What does the image of light and a lamp tell us about God's
kingdom? Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do
today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling.
The Jews also understood "light" as an expression of the inner
beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In
his light we see light (
Psalm 36:9). His word is a
lamp that guides our steps (Psalm
119:105). God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also
fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp
to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love.
Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually,
so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and
enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission
is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the
truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him – abundance of wisdom, guidance, peace, and blessing. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
"Lord Jesus, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and deed."
www.dailyscripture.net
 A Just Settlement |
|
Memorial of Saint
Pius of Pietrelcina, priest
|
|
Luke 8: 16-18
Jesus said to the crowd: "No one who
lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he
places it on a lamp stand so that those who enter may see the light. For
there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that
will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone
who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems
to have will be taken away."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you dwell in brightness, truth and love. Nothing makes
sense without your love. Without you, Lord, insipidity invades people, things
and events. I believe that you are my refuge and the source of my happiness
now and forever. I am convinced that your promises will be fulfilled sooner
or later; this is why I prefer a single day in your courts than a thousand
elsewhere.
Petition: Lord, enlighten my mind and heart to follow
your path that leads to the endless day.
1. Torch Bearers: There are advantages to carrying a torch in
the dark. This common knowledge informed our Lord’s address and helped him
propose it to his listeners. At night, a torchbearer sheds light so that all
who are with him can walk confidently, without stumbling along a dark path.
Time is not wasted stepping insecurely and hesitantly; rather, the whole group
walks purposefully and goes quickly where it needs and wants to be. When a
group has a torchbearer, all in it are relieved, including the torchbearer
himself. This is the value of my faith to a highly secularized society. Do I
nurture an appreciation for the gift of faith that I have received from God?
Am I afraid to allow its light to shine?
2. Wisdom at its Best: Jesus affirms, “For there is nothing hidden
that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and
come to light.” When I am not praised and recognized by others, I might feel
sad or forgotten. This is when I need to shine a lot of light to get out of
that black hole. Do my good works seem to go unperceived? The Lord himself
will expose them on the judgment day. The more they are hidden from others
now, the more merits I will gain before God. All secrets will be cracked open
in the future. My duty is not to crack them open now, but to keep them hidden
and to be a torchbearer for the journey to that place of eternal reward.
3. A Rewarded Success: “To anyone who has, more will be given, and
from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
Here Jesus plumbs deeper into what we have already reflected on. “To
anyone who has” obviously refers to the torchbearer who has successfully led
his band of friends. He will be entrusted with more responsibility, or simply
respected by the others. “…And from the one who has not”: The
torchbearer who can’t keep his flame alive will be ousted. He will be taken
away. Do I staunchly live the fire of the faith, or do I hesitate in
witnessing to his love?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to be a wise torchbearer. Do
not allow laziness and presumption to distract me from the basic task of
keeping my lamp filled with oil at all times. Lord, give me a robust faith!
Resolution: In my conversations today, I will bear
witness to the light by avoiding all slanderous talk, and I will elevate the
topics of conversation by talking about things that could inspire others to
praise God.
|
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
KEY VERSE: "For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light" (v 17).
READING: A lamp was the only source of illumination in the dark windowless houses of Jesus' day. This clay vessel was filled with oil and placed on a stand where it burned night and day. Jesus used this ordinary household object to illustrate the radiance that should occur naturally in the life of every Christian. Through their words and deeds, others would be enlightened by God's truth. Even the deep mysteries of Christ's revelation would come to light. Those who proclaimed God's word would find that the more Christ was shared, the brighter their own spiritual illumination would become. Whoever failed to persevere in responding to God's word discovered that whatever enlightenment he or she had obtained would fade and grow dim.
REFLECTING: Do my words and actions help to dispel the darkness in the world?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to share your light with others.
Memorial
www.daily-word-of-life.com
The Lord has done marvels for us
Isaiah told us to let our light shine always.
If I believe that Jesus is truly the way, the truth and the life, what does my attitude say to this world? Is my lamp on the lampstand or hidden under the bed? How well do I heed all God is trying to say to me? Actions speak louder than words, and, as St Francis said, ‘Preach the Gospel always: if necessary use words’.
Often our simplest actions show Jesus’ message to the world—a friendly smile, a touch on the shoulder, reaching for high items in a supermarket for someone who is too short, sitting with the housebound and sharing their stories.
It can be as simple as listening without impatience to something we have heard a hundred times. Lord, help me to be a source of your light.
www.churchresources.info
September 23
St. Padre Pio da Pietrelcina
(1887-1968)
In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Blessed
John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the
45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000
people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby
streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and
charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's
teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the
power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such
suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity."
Many
people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on
their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was
still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for
a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her
life-threatening disease.
Born
Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy.
Twice (1898-1903 and 1910-17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide
the family income.
At the
age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was
ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to
have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in
San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari on the Adriatic.
On
September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had
a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands,
feet and side.
Life became
more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity
seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of
the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass
publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which
were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other
writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924.
Padre Pio
rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people
soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded
church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless
the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions.
In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to
take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said
that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.
Padre Pio
saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was
built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in 1940; a committee began to
collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building the hospital was a technical
wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the
building supplies. This "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" has
350 beds.
A number
of people have reported cures they believe were received through the
intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified;
several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio
sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters.
One of
Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated
prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies
about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged
to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was
beatified in 1999.
Comment:
At Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Blessed John Paul II referred to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) and said: “The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burden are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.”
At Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Blessed John Paul II referred to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) and said: “The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burden are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.”
Quote:
"The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (saying of Padre Pio).
www.americancatholic.org"The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (saying of Padre Pio).
LECTIO: LUKE
8,16-18
Lectio:
Monday, September 23, 2013
ORDINARY TIME
1) Opening prayer
Father,
guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
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.
guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 8,16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it
with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, it is put on a lamp-stand so that
people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will
be made clear, nothing secret but it will be made known and brought to light.
So take care how you listen; anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.’
So take care how you listen; anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.’
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents three brief phrases pronounced by
Jesus. They are phrases scattered in different places which Luke collected here
after the parable of the seed (Lk 8, 4-8) and of his explanation to the
disciples (Lk 8, 9-15). This literary context, in which Luke places the three
phrases, helps us to understand how he wants people to understand these phrases
of Jesus.
• Luke 8, 16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what he is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “But are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a Biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the Book of the Bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8, 9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12, 4-26; Rom 12, 3-8).
• Luke 8, 17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “·There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8, 9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should diffuse them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8, 18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that he presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the colour of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
• Luke 8, 16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what he is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “But are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a Biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the Book of the Bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8, 9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12, 4-26; Rom 12, 3-8).
• Luke 8, 17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “·There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8, 9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should diffuse them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8, 18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that he presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the colour of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
4) Personal questions
• Have you had any experience of preconceptions which have
prevented you from perceiving and appreciating in their just value, the good
things that persons have?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
5) Concluding Prayer
How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts. (Ps 119,1-2)
www.ocarm.orgwho walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts. (Ps 119,1-2)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét