Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 478
Lectionary: 478
Brothers and
sisters:
Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has freed you from the law of sin and death.
For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do,
this God has done:
by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh
and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
For those who live according to the flesh
are concerned with the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the spirit
with the things of the spirit.
The concern of the flesh is death,
but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.
For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God;
it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it;
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has freed you from the law of sin and death.
For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do,
this God has done:
by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh
and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
For those who live according to the flesh
are concerned with the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the spirit
with the things of the spirit.
The concern of the flesh is death,
but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.
For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God;
it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it;
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Responsorial PsalmPS 24:1B-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see
your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
GospelLK 13:1-9
Some people told
Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Meditation: "Unless
you repent"
What can
a calamity, such as a political blood-bath or a natural disaster, teach us
about God's kingdom and the consequences of bad choices and sinful actions?
Jesus used two such occasions to address the issue of sin and judgment with his
Jewish audience. Pilate, who was the Roman governor of Jerusalem at the time,
ordered his troops to slaughter a group of Galileans who had come up to
Jerusalem to offer sacrifice in the Temple. We do not know what these Galileans
did to incite Pilate's wrath, nor why Pilate chose to attack them in the
holiest of places for the Jews, in their temple at Jerusalem. For the Jews,
this was political barbarity and sacrilige at its worst! The second incident
which Jesus addressed was a natural disaster, a tower in Jerusalem which
unexpectely collasped, killing 18 people. The Jews often associated such
calamities and disasters as a consequence of sin. Scripture does warn that sin
can result in calamity! Though the righteous fall seven times, and rise
again; the wicked are overthrown by calamity (Proverbs 24:16).
The real
danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster or a
sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare
ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us
that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous
alike. Jesus gives a clear warning – take responsibility for your actions and
moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart,
mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer which corrupts
us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance – asking God for
forgiveness and for his healing grace, it leads to a spiritual death which is
far worse than physical destruction.
Jesus'
parable of the barren fig trees illustrated his warning about the consequences
of allowing sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees
were a common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig
tree normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it
failed, it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig
tree and its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of
spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin. The unfruitful
fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the word of
God. The prophets depicted the desolation and calamity of Israel, due to her
unfaithfulness to God, as a languishing fig tree (see Joel 1:7,12; Habakuk
3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah likened good and evil rulers and members of
Israel with figs that were good for eating and figs that were rotten and
useless (Jeremiah 24:2-8). Jesus' parable depicts the patience of God, but it
also contains a warning that we should not presume upon patience and mercy.
God's judgment will come – sooner or later – in due course.
Why does
God judge his people? He judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we
might grow in his holiness and righteousness. And he disciplines us for our own
good, to inspire a godly fear and reverence for him and his word. God is
patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and
refuse to repent, there is the consequence that they will lose their soul to
hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are
revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah
26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will
happen if those who sin are not warned to repent.
God, in
his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must
not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no
time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the
Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times.
Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin will result in bad fruit
and eventual destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace and time to
turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we
may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for
the Lord's righteousness and holiness?
"Lord
Jesus, increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and
holiness. May I not squander the grace of the present moment to say
"yes" to you and to your will and plan for my life."
 The Fig That Was Almost Toast! |
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Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth
Week in Ordinary Time
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Luke 13:1-9
At that time some people who were present
there told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the
blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, "Do you think that
because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than
all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you
will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when
the tower at Siloam fell on them -- do you think they were more guilty than
everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do
not repent, you will all perish as they did!" And he told them this
parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his
orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to
the gardener, ´For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig
tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?´ He
said to him in reply, ´Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall
cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the
future. If not you can cut it down.´"
Introductory Prayer: Lord, who am I that you spend time listening
to me in my prayer? Who am I that you speak with me? You have given humanity
such dignity by assuming our nature and giving me personally so many gifts.
Time and time again you have been patient with me and received me back into
your embrace when I have strayed from you. Thank you for your kindness to me.
I hope to receive it always in the future and especially at the hour of my
death. Your kindness and patience are a manifestation of your love for me. I
want to return that love, because the only fitting response to love is love.
Petition: Lord, help me to be as patient with others
as you are with me.
1. The Fig-less Fig: The owner of the fig tree in the
parable, which many spiritual authors see as an image of God the Father,
comes for three years in search of fruit. How often our Heavenly Father comes
in search of fruit on the fig tree of our lives. And what does he find? He
has given us the “soil” and so many elements that are conducive to being
fruitful. He has made known his desire for us to bear fruit, and his Son has
explained to us how the fruit is to be produced. There are no excuses. Let’s
take notice of the lesson of the parable: When the Father comes to us looking
for fruits, it is because it is the time for fruit. What will we say to the
Father if he has given us ten, twenty, forty, sixty years to bear fruit but
finds none? It’s not just about looking nice, as a fig does. It’s about
bearing fruit – fruit that will last – according to the Father’s plan.
2. The Fig That Was Almost Toast: There is an American idiom referring to
something that is destroyed and no longer what it was: “It’s toast!” The fig
tree in the parable was in danger of becoming “toast.” “Cut it down” was the
order given by the owner. “Why should it exhaust the soil?” What a terrible
accusation! It was useless and only sapping nutrients from the soil for no
purpose. When we apply this parable to our own lives, it is ghastly to think
that our life, or the lives of others, might be just as useless. Cut it down.
Take it away. It serves no purpose. The judgment is just. But it was a
judgment that was soon to be lifted, both in the case of the fig tree and in
the application to our own lives. Am I sufficiently grateful for God’s
continual mercy towards me and others?
3. Leave It… Thanks to the gardener in the parable, the fig
lives and is not cut down. The axe does not bite into the trunk of the fig,
wrenching from it the beauty of its leaves and meandering branches. In our
case, Jesus Christ the Good Gardener steps in and asks the owner, the
Heavenly Father, to “leave it;” he, the Good Gardener, will take care of
things. And how he does it! The Gardener himself is cut down in a bloody way
and crucified. We who indeed should justly be cut down are saved, while the
axe is put to the trunk of His body. All for love of us! Archbishop Luis
Martinez has a beautiful image in his book, The Secrets of the Interior Life
where he speaks of suffering as a manifestation of love: “It is said that the
myrrh tree allows its perfume to escape only when it is bruised.” The perfume
“flows drop by drop through the lacerations of the bark that enfold them.”
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, how patient the Father is
with me! Thank you for coming to save me, for laying your life down for me,
for suffering what I should endure because of my self-centeredness and
sinfulness. But with you, there is hope.
Resolution: I will exercise patience today with everyone
I meet, thinking of the patience that God has had with me.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, LUKE 13:1-9
(Romans 8:1-11; Psalm 24)
(Romans 8:1-11; Psalm 24)
KEY VERSE: "But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did" (v 3).
READING: Jesus cited two tragic events of his day in order to urge people to reform their lives while there was still time. The first case occurred when Pontius Pilate ordered the cold-blooded massacre of some Galileans who were offering sacrifice in the Temple at Passover. The other misfortune was the accidental death of several construction workers when a water tower fell on them. These victims were no more sinful than anyone else, yet they perished, perhaps before they had time to reconcile themselves with God. Jesus then told a parable of God's patience. God gives us every chance to bear good fruit in our lives. But time eventually runs out. Hopefully, we will repent before it is too late.
REFLECTING: Am I able to see the trials in my life as opportunities for growth?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to heed your warning to repent of any sin in my life.
Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Chapter V of the Directory on Popular Piety and the
Liturgy, issued by the Holy See in December 2001, describes the Church's
traditional dedication of Saturday to the Virgin Mary. "Saturdays stand
out among those days dedicated to the Virgin Mary. These are designated as
memorials of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (218). The chapter also describes
the importance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in Catholic devotional life,
including the Liturgy, and includes reflections on popular devotions to Mary,
her feast days, and the Rosary. See the complete document on Vatican web site (www.vatican.va) Directory
on Popular Piety and the Liturgy.
Lord, this is the people that longs
to see your face.
Paul writes to the Roman community about living life through the
Spirit.What we focus on in our life grows. Let us focus on love, compassion and justice - those things that our God desires -then they will grow in our life! Furthermore, when our focus is on love, compassion and justice, we will experience fullness of life and peace. Today’s psalm celebrates the blessings of a life lived in and for God. It is not a life without difficulty or pain: the difference is God’s steadfast presence with us. In our God we will find comfort, we will be restored. Let our prayer today be one of gratitude. We name the blessings in our life and reflect on God’s active presence there.
October 17
Blessed Contardo Ferrini
(1859-1902)
Blessed Contardo Ferrini
(1859-1902)
Contardo Ferrini was the son of a teacher who went on to become a
learned man himself, one acquainted with some dozen languages. Today he is
known as the patron of universities.
Born in
Milan, he received a doctorate in law in Italy and then earned a scholarship
that enabled him to study Roman-Byzantine law in Berlin. As a renowned legal
expert, he taught in various schools of higher education until he joined the
faculty of the University of Pavia, where he was considered an outstanding
authority on Roman law.
Contardo
was learned about the faith he lived and loved. "Our life," he said,
"must reach out toward the Infinite, and from that source we must draw
whatever we can expect of merit and dignity." As a scholar he studied the
ancient biblical languages and read the Scriptures in them. His speeches and
papers show his understanding of the relationship of faith and science. He
attended daily Mass and became a lay Franciscan, faithfully observing the Third
Order rule of life. He also served through membership in the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul.
His death
in 1902 at the age of 43 occasioned letters from his fellow professors that
praised him as a saint; the people of Suna, where he lived, insisted that he be
declared a saint. Pope Pius XII beatified Contardo in 1947.
Comment:
Thanks to people like Contardo, our Church long ago laid to rest the idea that science and faith are incompatible. We thank God for the many ways science has made our lives better. All that remains to us is to help ensure that the rest of the world, especially impoverished nations, gets to enjoy the fruits of scientific advance.
Thanks to people like Contardo, our Church long ago laid to rest the idea that science and faith are incompatible. We thank God for the many ways science has made our lives better. All that remains to us is to help ensure that the rest of the world, especially impoverished nations, gets to enjoy the fruits of scientific advance.
Patron Saint of:
Universities
Universities
LECTIO: LUKE
13,1-9
Lectio:
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty and everlasting God,
our source of power and inspiration,
give us strength and joy
in serving you as followers of Christ,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 13,1-9
It was just about this time that some people
arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with
that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 'Do you suppose that these
Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have happened to
them? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish
as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them
all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living
in Jerusalem?
They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you
repent you will all perish as they did.'
He told this parable, 'A man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He
said to his vinedresser, "For three years now I have been coming to look
for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be
taking up the ground?" "Sir," the man replied, "leave it
one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit
next year; if not, then you can cut it down." '
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today gives us information which
is only found in Luke’s Gospel and there are no parallel passages in the other
Gospels. We are meditating on the long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and
which takes almost half of Luke’s Gospel, from chapter 9 to chapter 19 (Lk 9,
51 to 19, 28). In this part Luke places most of the information which he
obtains on the life and teaching of Jesus (Lk 1, 1-4).
• Luke 13, 1: The event which requires an
explanation. “At that time some people arrived and told Jesus about the
Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of the their sacrifices”.
When we read the newspaper or listen to the news on TV, we receive much
information, but we do not always understand all its meaning. We listen to
everything, but we really do not know what to do with so much information and
news. There are terrible news such as the tsunami, terrorism, the wars, hunger,
violence, crime, the attacks, etc. This is how the news of the horrible
massacre which Pilate, the Roman Governor, had ordered with some Samaritan
pilgrims reached Jesus. Such news upset us, throw us off. And one asks: “What
can I do?” To calm down their conscience, many defend themselves and say: “It
is their fault! They do not work! They are lazy people!” At the time of Jesus,
people defended themselves saying: “
• Luke 13, 2-3: Jesus’ response. Jesus has a
different opinion. “Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse sinners than
any others that this should have happened to them? I tell you No, but unless
you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower
at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty
than all the other people living in Jerusalem? I tell you, No, but unless you
repent you will perish as they did. He seeks to invite to conversion and to
change.
• Luke 13, 4-5: Jesus comments another fact.
Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell, killing them all; do you
believe they were more guilty than all the other people in Jerusalem?
It must have been a disaster which was greatly
commented in the city. A thunderstorm knocked down the tower of Siloam killing
eighteen persons who were protecting themselves under it. The normal comment
was “Punishment from God!” Jesus repeats: “I tell you No, but unless you repent
you will perish as they did". They were not converted, they did not
change, and forty years later Jerusalem was destroyed and many people died,
being killed in the Temple like the Samaritans and many people died under the
debri or ruble of the walls of the city. Jesus tried to warn them, but the
request for peace was not accepted: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” (Lk 13, 34). Jesus
teaches to discover the calls of the events of life of every day.
• Luke 13, 6-9: A parable in such a way as to
make people think and discover God’s project. “A man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to
his vinedresser, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on
this fig tree and finding none. Then he said to the vinedresser: Cut it down;
why should it be taking up the ground? Sir, the man replied, leave it one more
year and give me time to dig round it and manure it, it may bear fruit next year;
if not, then you can cut it down”. Many times the vine is used to indicate
God’s affection for his people, or to indicate the lack of correspondence of
the people to God’s love (Is 5, 1-7; 27, 2-5; Jr 2, 21; 8, 13; Ex 19, 10-14; Ho
10, 1-8; Mi 7, 1; Jn 15, 1-6). In the parable, the landlord of the vine is God,
the Father. The vinedresser who intercedes in behalf of the vine is Jesus. He
insists with the Father to extend the space, the time of conversion.
4) Personal questions
• God’s People, God’s vineyard. I am part of
this vineyard. I apply this parable to myself. What conclusion do I draw?
• What do I do with the news that I receive?
Do I seek to have a critical opinion, or do I continue to have the opinion of
the majority and of mass media, of means of communication?
5) Concluding prayer
Who is like Yahweh our God?
His throne is set on high,
but he stoops to look down on heaven and
earth.
He raises the poor from the dust,
he lifts the needy from the dunghill. (Ps
113,5-7)
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