Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
Lectionary: 453
Lectionary: 453
In the second year
of King Darius,
on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,
the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
Tell this to the governor of Judah,
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak,
and to the remnant of the people:
Who is left among you
that saw this house in its former glory?
And how do you see it now?
Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?
But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD,
and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak,
And take courage, all you people of the land,
says the LORD, and work!
For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts.
This is the pact that I made with you
when you came out of Egypt,
And my spirit continues in your midst;
do not fear!
For thus says the LORD of hosts:
One moment yet, a little while,
and I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will come in,
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the LORD of hosts.
Mine is the silver and mine the gold,
says the LORD of hosts.
Greater will be the future glory of this house
than the former, says the LORD of hosts;
And in this place I will give you peace,
says the LORD of hosts!
on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,
the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
Tell this to the governor of Judah,
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak,
and to the remnant of the people:
Who is left among you
that saw this house in its former glory?
And how do you see it now?
Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?
But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD,
and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak,
And take courage, all you people of the land,
says the LORD, and work!
For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts.
This is the pact that I made with you
when you came out of Egypt,
And my spirit continues in your midst;
do not fear!
For thus says the LORD of hosts:
One moment yet, a little while,
and I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will come in,
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the LORD of hosts.
Mine is the silver and mine the gold,
says the LORD of hosts.
Greater will be the future glory of this house
than the former, says the LORD of hosts;
And in this place I will give you peace,
says the LORD of hosts!
R. (5) Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and
my God.
Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight
against a faithless people;
from the deceitful and impious man rescue me.
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
For you, O God, are my strength.
Why do you keep me so far away?
Why must I go about in mourning,
with the enemy oppressing me?
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place.
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight
against a faithless people;
from the deceitful and impious man rescue me.
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
For you, O God, are my strength.
Why do you keep me so far away?
Why must I go about in mourning,
with the enemy oppressing me?
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place.
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Once when Jesus was
praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Meditation: "Who do
you say that Jesus is?"
Who
is Jesus for you – and what difference does he make in your
life? Many in Israel recognized Jesus as a mighty man of God, even comparing
him with the greatest of the prophets. Peter, always quick to respond whenever
Jesus spoke, professed that Jesus was truly the "Christ of God". No
mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Through the
"eyes of faith" Peter discovered who Jesus truly was. Peter
recognized that Jesus was much more than a great teacher, prophet, and miracle
worker. Peter was the first apostle to publicly declare that Jesus was
the Anointed One consecrated by the Father and sent into the
world to redeem a fallen human race enslaved to sin and cut off from eternal
life with God (Luke 9:20, Acts 2:14-36). The word for "Christ" in
Greek is a translation of the Hebrew word for "Messiah" – both
words literally mean the Anointed One.
Why did
Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son
of God? They were, afterall, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone.
Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would
accomplish it. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early chuch father,
explains the reason for this silence:
There were things yet unfulfilled which must also be included in
their preaching about him. They must also proclaim the cross, the passion, and
the death in the flesh. They must preach the resurrection of the dead, that
great and truly glorious sign by which testimony is borne him that the Emmanuel
is truly God and by nature the Son of God the Father. He utterly abolished
death and wiped out destruction. He robbed hell, and overthrew the tyranny of
the enemy. He took away the sin of the world, opened the gates above to the
dwellers upon earth, and united earth to heaven. These things proved him to be,
as I said, in truth God. He commanded them, therefore, to guard the mystery by
a seasonable silence until the whole plan of the dispensation should arrive at
a suitable conclusion. (Commentary
on Luke, Homily 49)
Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary
for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God's work of redemption might
be accomplished. How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How
different are God's thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8).
Through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross Jesus broke the powers
of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of
sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the
deceiver of humankind.
If we
want to share in the victory of the Lord Jesus, then we must also take up our
cross and follow where he leads us. What is the "cross" that you and
I must take up each day? When my will crosses with God's will, then his will
must be done. To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the
cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection. The
Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strenth we need to live as sons and
daughters of God. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the
Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and thepower to live the
gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the
joy, truth, and freedom of the gospel. Who do you say that Jesus is?
"Lord
Jesus, I believe and I profess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living
God. Take my life, my will, and all that I have, that I may be wholly yours now
and forever."
 The Mistaken Messiah |
|
Memorial of Saint
Vincent de Paul, priest
|
|
Father Barry O’Toole, LC
Luke 9:18-22
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and
the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that
I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still
others, ´One of the ancient prophets has arisen.´" Then he said to them,
"But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The
Messiah of God." But he gave them strict orders and charged them not to
say this to anyone. He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be
rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and
on the third day be raised."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are the author of life and the giver of all that is
good. You are the Prince of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the
cure itself. I need you, and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself
to you entirely, knowing you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you
for giving me your very self.
Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the courage to bear
witness to you as the Messiah.
1. “According to the Latest Poll…” Frequently we hear in the news opinion polls
concerning certain topics, people or events. There is nothing novel about
that. But when Christ himself polls popular opinion by asking, “Who do the
crowds say that I am?”, he isn’t interested in his public rating. If this
were his motive he would have become very discouraged, because the public
opinion was so far from the truth. “What do you mean, John the Baptist?” ––
there is quite a difference between the bridegroom and the best man at the
wedding feast. Other’s opinions stray even farther. What matters in life is
not what others think or say about us. The only opinion that matters is
God’s: what he thinks about us and what we do. Lord, not everyone knows you.
We live in a generation that seeks more signs. Send us your gift of faith so
that we might truly believe and thus be saved.
2. Personal Convictions: Jesus had three short years to shed his
blood for our redemption and found his Church. In founding the Church he had
to transform some rough fishermen. He had to bring them to believe firmly his
divinity and mission so that they would continue the work of salvation after
his death. Jesus had just spent some time in prayer, and he knew from where
the transformation would come. Just how much had his disciples managed to
open their hearts to the Father’s work? “Who do you say that I am?” Peter
rises to the occasion. He couldn’t have said it more concisely and exactly:
“The Messiah of God.” How about me? Who is Jesus for me? Is he truly my
Messiah and Redeemer? Do I preach this truth to others by the way I live and
the words I speak? I want to be a more ardent apostle of your Kingdom, Lord.
Give me convincing words and actions so that others might come to recognize
you as the Messiah of God.
3. The Pharisees Got It Wrong: So that there would be no mistake as to the
meaning of Peter’s confession of faith, Jesus decided to define the term.
‘Messiah’ means… “the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the
elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third
day be raised." The Pharisees misunderstood the figure of the Messiah.
They thought the Messiah would deliver them from Roman occupation. They had
not understood that slavery to Rome was nothing in comparison to the slavery
to sin and to the “prince of this world.” If we are to conquer sin and Satan
today, there is only one way: the cross. Jesus is the savior of the world.
Through his passion and death he has become the solution to all of our
problems. This is why he tells us: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine,
let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me” (Luke
9:23).
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I fear that cross with every fiber of
my being, but let your will –– and not mine –– be done. I know that if you
are with me, everything will work out in the end. I want to be a better
apostle of your kingdom.
Resolution: Despite the opposition I may encounter, I
will try to make every encounter with others today an occasion to share my
faith with them and bring them closer to God.
|
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
LUKE 9:18-22
(Haggai 2:1-9; Psalm 43)
LUKE 9:18-22
(Haggai 2:1-9; Psalm 43)
KEY VERSE: "But who do you say that I am?" (v 20).
READING: Jesus wanted his disciples to understand his role and mission, so he took them to the pagan territory of Caesarea Philippi in northern Israel near Banias, where there was the Cave of Pan honoring the Roman god Faunus, half goat, half man. There may also have been a temple built by Herod to honor the Emperor Augustus. At that place, Jesus was praying (a typical theme in Luke), and then he asked his disciples who the people believed him to be. They answered that some thought he was John the Baptist raised from the dead, others said that Elijah had returned, still others believed that he was one of the prophets who had arisen. Then Jesus asked them who they personally believed him to be. Peter, speaking for the Twelve, declared that Jesus was the "Messiah of God" (v 20). Jesus warned them not to reveal his identity as many expected the Messiah to be a political leader who would liberate Israel from Roman oppression. Jesus taught them the true meaning of what it meant to be the Messiah. He must suffer and die, but he would be raised from the dead.
REFLECTING: Reflect on who Jesus is in your life.
PRAYING: Pray the Jesus' prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner
Memorial of Vincent de Paul, priest
Vincent de Paul was born to a poor peasant family in 1581 in southwest France. Vincent was a highly intelligent youth. He spent four years with the Franciscan friars getting an education. He began divinity studies in 1596 at the University of Toulouse and was ordained at age 20. Vincent was taken captive by Turkish pirates to Tunis, and sold into slavery. He was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity. Returning to France, he served as parish priest near Paris where he started organizations to help the poor, nurse the sick, and find jobs for the unemployed. He founded the Congregation of the Missions (Vicentians / Lazarists) in 1625. With Louise de Marillac, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. Vincent de Paul always worked for the poor, the enslaved and the abandoned. He died in 1660 at Paris, France at the age of eighty. His heart is incorrupt, and is displayed in a reliquary in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity in Paris. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, a charitable organization dedicated to the service of the poor, was established by French students in 1833. The Society is today present in 132 countries
Hope in God, I will praise him, my
saviour and my God.
Peter recognised who Jesus was, but what he could not see was how Jesus must suffer and through that suffering reach his glory. We are more fortunate than Peter: we know the resurrection and we know what went before it.
We are called to be like Jesus. Let us pray for the grace to recognise who Jesus is and for the strength to follow him. Before he came to his glory, he had to suffer, and it is along this path, the path of suffering and resurrection, that God calls us all.
Jesus is the Son of God: we can place our hope and confidence in him during our times of trials. And as he rose and conquered all for us, so we too shall surely rise.
September 27
St. Vincent de Paul
(1580?-1660)
St. Vincent de Paul
(1580?-1660)
The deathbed confession of a dying servant opened Vincent's eyes
to the crying spiritual needs of the peasantry of France. This seems to have
been a crucial moment in the life of the man from a small farm in Gascony,
France, who had become a priest with little more ambition than to have a
comfortable life.
It was
the Countess de Gondi (whose servant he had helped) who persuaded her husband
to endow and support a group of able and zealous missionaries who would work
among poor tenant farmers and country people in general. Vincent was too
humble to accept leadership at first, but after working for some time in Paris
among imprisoned galley-slaves, he returned to be the leader of what is now
known as the Congregation of the Mission, or the Vincentians. These priests,
with vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and stability, were to devote
themselves entirely to the people in smaller towns and villages.
Later,
Vincent established confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical
relief of the poor and sick of each parish. From these, with the help of St.
Louise de Marillac, came the Daughters of Charity, "whose convent is the
sickroom, whose chapel is the parish church, whose cloister is the streets of
the city." He organized the rich women of Paris to collect funds for his
missionary projects, founded several hospitals, collected relief funds for the
victims of war and ransomed over 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa. He was
zealous in conducting retreats for clergy at a time when there was great
laxity, abuse and ignorance among them. He was a pioneer in clerical training
and was instrumental in establishing seminaries.
Most
remarkably, Vincent was by temperament a very irascible person—even his friends
admitted it. He said that except for the grace of God he would have been
"hard and repulsive, rough and cross." But he became a tender and
affectionate man, very sensitive to the needs of others.
Pope Leo
XIII made him the patron of all charitable societies. Outstanding among these,
of course, is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded in 1833 by his
admirer Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (September 7).
Comment:
The Church is for all God's children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God's children are forced to live.
The Church is for all God's children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God's children are forced to live.
Quote:
"Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires" (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters).
"Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires" (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters).
Patron Saint of:
Charities
Charities
LECTIO: LUKE
9,18-22
Lectio:
Friday, September 27, 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 9,18-22
Now it happened that Jesus was praying alone, and his disciples
came to him and he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’
And they answered, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others Elijah; others again one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’
‘But you,’ he said to them, ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God,’ he said.
But he gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone. He said, ‘The Son of man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
And they answered, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others Elijah; others again one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’
‘But you,’ he said to them, ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God,’ he said.
But he gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone. He said, ‘The Son of man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today follows the same theme as that of Yesterday:
the opinion of the people on Jesus. Yesterday, beginning with Herod, today it
is Jesus who asks what do people think, the public opinion and the Apostles
respond giving the same opinion which was given yesterday. Immediately follows
the first announcement of the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus.
• Luke 9, 18: The question of Jesus after his prayer. “One day, while Jesus was praying alone, his disciples came to him and he put this question to them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” In Luke’s Gospel, on several important and decisive occasions, Jesus is presented in prayer: in his Baptism when he assumes his mission (Lk 3, 21); in the 40 days in the desert, when, he overcame the temptations presented by the devil Lk 4, 1-13); the night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6, 12); in the Transfiguration, when, with Moses and Elijah he spoke about his passion in Jerusalem (Lc 9, 29); in the Garden when he suffers his agony (Lk 22, 39-46); on the Cross, when he asks pardon for the soldier (Lk 23, 34) and when he commits his spirit to God (Lk 23, 46).
• Luke 9, 19: The opinion of the people on Jesus. “They answered: “For some John the Baptist; others Elijah, but others think that you are one of the ancient prophets who has risen from the dead”. Like Herod, many thought that John the Baptist had risen in Jesus. It was a common belief that the prophet Elijah had to return (Mt 17, 10-13; Mk 9, 11-12; Ml 3, 23-24; Eclo 48, 10). And all nourished the hope of the coming of the Prophet promised by Moses (Dt 18,15). This was an insufficient response.
• Luke 9, 20: The question of Jesus to the disciples. After having heard the opinion of others, Jesus asks: “And you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Messiah of God!” Peter recognizes that Jesus is the one whom the people are waiting for and that he comes to fulfil the promise. Luke omits the reaction of Peter who tries to dissuade Jesus to follow the way of the cross and omits also the harsh criticism of Jesus to Peter (Mk 8, 32-33; Mt 16, 22-23).
• Luke 9, 21: The prohibition to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah of God. “Then Jesus gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone”. It was forbidden to them to reveal to the people that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Why does Jesus prohibit this? At that time, as we have already seen, everybody was expecting the coming of the Messiah, but, each one in his own way: some expected a king, others a priest, others a doctor, a warrior, a judge or a prophet! Nobody seemed to expect the Messiah Servant, announced by Isaiah (Is 42, 1-9). Anyone who insists in maintaining Peter’s idea, that is, of a glorious Messiah, without the cross, understands nothing and will never be able to assume the attitude of a true disciple. He will continue to be blind, exchanging people for trees (cf. Mk 8, 24). Because without the cross it is impossible to understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus. Because of this, Jesus insists again on the Cross and makes the second announcement of his passion, death and resurrection.
• Luke 9, 22: The second announcement of the Passion. And Jesus adds: “The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and Scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day”. The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical instruction, but through practical commitment, walking together with him along the road of service, from Galilee up to Jerusalem. The road of the following is the road of the gift of self, of abandonment, of service, of availability, of acceptance of conflict, knowing that there will be a resurrection. The cross is not an accident on the way; it forms part of our way. This because in the organized world starting from egoism, love and service can exist only if they are crucified! Anyone who makes of his life a service to others disturbs those who live attached to privileges, and suffers.
• Luke 9, 18: The question of Jesus after his prayer. “One day, while Jesus was praying alone, his disciples came to him and he put this question to them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” In Luke’s Gospel, on several important and decisive occasions, Jesus is presented in prayer: in his Baptism when he assumes his mission (Lk 3, 21); in the 40 days in the desert, when, he overcame the temptations presented by the devil Lk 4, 1-13); the night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6, 12); in the Transfiguration, when, with Moses and Elijah he spoke about his passion in Jerusalem (Lc 9, 29); in the Garden when he suffers his agony (Lk 22, 39-46); on the Cross, when he asks pardon for the soldier (Lk 23, 34) and when he commits his spirit to God (Lk 23, 46).
• Luke 9, 19: The opinion of the people on Jesus. “They answered: “For some John the Baptist; others Elijah, but others think that you are one of the ancient prophets who has risen from the dead”. Like Herod, many thought that John the Baptist had risen in Jesus. It was a common belief that the prophet Elijah had to return (Mt 17, 10-13; Mk 9, 11-12; Ml 3, 23-24; Eclo 48, 10). And all nourished the hope of the coming of the Prophet promised by Moses (Dt 18,15). This was an insufficient response.
• Luke 9, 20: The question of Jesus to the disciples. After having heard the opinion of others, Jesus asks: “And you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Messiah of God!” Peter recognizes that Jesus is the one whom the people are waiting for and that he comes to fulfil the promise. Luke omits the reaction of Peter who tries to dissuade Jesus to follow the way of the cross and omits also the harsh criticism of Jesus to Peter (Mk 8, 32-33; Mt 16, 22-23).
• Luke 9, 21: The prohibition to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah of God. “Then Jesus gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone”. It was forbidden to them to reveal to the people that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Why does Jesus prohibit this? At that time, as we have already seen, everybody was expecting the coming of the Messiah, but, each one in his own way: some expected a king, others a priest, others a doctor, a warrior, a judge or a prophet! Nobody seemed to expect the Messiah Servant, announced by Isaiah (Is 42, 1-9). Anyone who insists in maintaining Peter’s idea, that is, of a glorious Messiah, without the cross, understands nothing and will never be able to assume the attitude of a true disciple. He will continue to be blind, exchanging people for trees (cf. Mk 8, 24). Because without the cross it is impossible to understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus. Because of this, Jesus insists again on the Cross and makes the second announcement of his passion, death and resurrection.
• Luke 9, 22: The second announcement of the Passion. And Jesus adds: “The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and Scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day”. The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical instruction, but through practical commitment, walking together with him along the road of service, from Galilee up to Jerusalem. The road of the following is the road of the gift of self, of abandonment, of service, of availability, of acceptance of conflict, knowing that there will be a resurrection. The cross is not an accident on the way; it forms part of our way. This because in the organized world starting from egoism, love and service can exist only if they are crucified! Anyone who makes of his life a service to others disturbs those who live attached to privileges, and suffers.
4) Personal questions
• We all believe in Jesus. But there are some who understand him
in one way and others in another way. Today, which is the more common Jesus in
the way of thinking of people?
• How does propaganda interfere in my way of seeing Jesus? What do I do so as not to allow myself to be drawn by the propaganda? What prevents us today from recognizing and assuming the project of Jesus?
• How does propaganda interfere in my way of seeing Jesus? What do I do so as not to allow myself to be drawn by the propaganda? What prevents us today from recognizing and assuming the project of Jesus?
5) Concluding Prayer
Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,
who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,
my faithful love, my bastion, my citadel, my Saviour;
I shelter behind him. (Ps 144,1-2)
who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,
my faithful love, my bastion, my citadel, my Saviour;
I shelter behind him. (Ps 144,1-2)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét