Monday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 212
Lectionary: 212
Beloved:
We receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit whom he gave us.
Beloved, do not trust every spirit
but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh
belongs to God,
and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus
does not belong to God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist
who, as you heard, is to come,
but in fact is already in the world.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
They belong to the world;
accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,
and the world listens to them.
We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,
while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.
This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
We receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit whom he gave us.
Beloved, do not trust every spirit
but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh
belongs to God,
and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus
does not belong to God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist
who, as you heard, is to come,
but in fact is already in the world.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
They belong to the world;
accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,
and the world listens to them.
We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,
while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.
This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
Responsorial Psalm PS 2:7BC-8, 10-12A
R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an
inheritance.
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.”
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.”
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
GospelMT 4:12-17, 23-25
When Jesus heard
that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Meditation: “The
people who sat in darkness have seen a great light”
Do you know the joy and freedom of the gospel?
John the Baptist’s enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be
silenced. As soon as John had finished his testimony Jesus began his in
Galilee. Galilee was at the crossroads of the world and much traffic passed
through this little region. It had been assigned to the tribes of Asher,
Naptali and Zebulum when the Israelites first came into the land (see Joshua
9). For a long time it had been under Gentile occupation. Isaiah foretold (see
Isaiah 9) that the good news of salvationwould be
proclaimed in this land and reach to the Gentiles. Jesus begins the
proclamation of the gospel here to fulfill the word of God. The Old Testament
prophets spoke of God’s promise to send a Redeemer who would establish God’s
rule. That time is now fulfilled in Jesus.
Jesus
takes up John’s message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the
good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers?
It is the good news of peace(restoration of relationship with God),
of hope (the hope of resurrection and heaven), of truth (God's
word is true and reliable), of promise (he rewards those who
seek him), of immortality(God gives everlasting life), and the good
news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as
sons and daughters of God). The gospel is the power and wisdom of God: power to
change and transform our lives and wisdom to show us how to live as sons and
daughters of our Father in heaven. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord
makes it possible for us to receive his word with faith and to act upon it with
trust.
In
announcing the good news, Jesus made two demands: repent and believe! Repentance
requires a life-change and a transformation of heart and mind. The Holy Spirit
gives us a repentant heart, a true sorrow and hatred for sin and its
consequences, and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Holy Spirit
gives us grace to see our sin for what it is – rebellion and a rejection of the
love of God. God’s grace helps us to turn away from all that would keep
us from his love. Faith or belief is an entirely free gift which
God makes to us. Believing is only possible by grace and the help of the Holy
Spirit who moves the heart and converts it to God. The Holy Spirit opens
the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for us to accept and believe the truth.
To believe is to take Jesus at his word, to believe that God loved us so much
that he sent his only begotten Son to redeem us from the slavery of sin and
death. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back
to himself. Do you know the love of God that surpasses all else and that impels
us to give him our all? God wants to change our way of thinking and transform
our lives by the power of his word.
"Lord
Jesus, your ways are life and light! Let your word penetrate my heart and
transform my mind that I may see your power and glory. Help me to choose your
ways and to do what is pleasing to you".
 The Passing of the Torch |
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Monday After
Epiphany
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Matthew 4: 12-17; 23-25
When Jesus heard that John had been
arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in
Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulon and Naphtali, that what had
been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulon and
land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the
Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those
dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” From that time
on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at
hand.” He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness
among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him
all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were
possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from
Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan
followed him.
Introductory Prayer: My heavenly Father, you made me out of your
infinite love. Even though I have failed to love you as a good child should,
still you send me gift upon gift. You sent your Son to redeem me and to make
me one with you, in and through your Son. You and your only beloved Son sent
your Spirit of love and truth, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in me. Thank you for
bringing me into the intimacy of your Triune love. In return, I offer you my
own heart and my desire to respond generously to whatever you ask of me.
Petition:Jesus, help me to open my heart to you.
1. The True Light Is Here:John the Baptist did all that the Father had
asked. Through it all he remained humble. The people thought he was the
Christ; however, he would not allow the winds of pride to extinguish the
light of truth, so he proclaimed that he was not the Christ. The world
rewarded John the Baptist with silence and death. On the contrary, what
treasure did God bestow upon him for his fidelity? Acclaim – “Welcome my good
and faithful servant” – and eternal life. John was merely the voice calling
people to repent and convert. Now the Word himself proclaims these words.
John was a voice in the wilderness. Now the Word who is light and life itself
enters the public scene. May the light of truth open our hearts to the true
and everlasting Kingdom. Am I able to distinguish between what is gold in
God’s eyes and what glistens so attractively yet is merely “fool’s gold”? Is
this capacity consistent with what I preach by my word and example?
2. Jesus Preaches with More Than
Words: Our Lord Jesus went
about doing only good: healing the sick, comforting the lonely, forgiving
sinners, and preaching the Gospel. Our faith tells us this, and we can
visualize it as we read the Gospel. But do we really encounter our Lord like
those who crossed his path 2,000 years ago? I can answer this question by
looking at my life: Do I live more and more like Christ, or not? Do I
appreciate and thank Christ for all the good he has done in my life? Do I
want with all of my heart to be with Christ forever, on earth and in heaven?
Where my heart is, there is my treasure. Like Christ, I am called to preach
with more than words.
3. People Respond to the Truth: A disciple of Christ can never be
discouraged, because people do respond to the truth, to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. We see this throughout the Gospels and throughout the history of the
Church. When our efforts to evangelize seem to fall on hard ground, we need
to examine how we will react. Christ commanded us to preach his gospel in
word and deed. He demanded that we produce fruit. Christ also said we would
do greater things than he did. We also know that Christ has defeated sin and
death. Knowing all this, how can we be discouraged by the lack of fruit in
our efforts to evangelize? We do the work, and Christ takes care of the rest.
It’s that simple.
Conversation with Christ:Lord, you came to save sinners; enter into
my life anew on this new day. Remove all fear that I have of you, Lord Jesus.
Teach me that you are a God of compassion and that you are meek and humble of
heart.
Resolution:I will develop a simple plan to help my
parish in its efforts to evangelize.
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MONDAY,
JANUARY 6, MATTHEW 4:12-17, 23-25
Christmas Weekday
MATTHEW 4:12-17, 23-25
(1 John 3:22―4:6; Psalm 2)
Christmas Weekday
MATTHEW 4:12-17, 23-25
(1 John 3:22―4:6; Psalm 2)
KEY VERSE: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (v 17).
READING: After Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew from Nazareth in the region of Zebulun, and moved north to Capernaum in the region of Naphtali. Matthew saw this move as fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy to the northern territories of Zebulun and Napthali, which were the first to be devastated at the time of the Assyrian conquest (733-32 BCE). This "land of the Gentiles" (v 15) had been in darkness, but would now see a "great light" (Is 8:23-9:1). Matthew observed that Jesus' fame "spread throughout all Syria" (v 24). Matthew may have written his gospel from Antioch in Syria, so this note would have been important to his readers. Through Jesus' words and works, the restoration of all of God's people had begun. As he went about healing and teaching the people, Jesus continued the proclamation of John the Baptist: "Repent! God's kingdom has arrived!" Whoever heard his call for conversion were invited to change their lives by turning away from sin (Hebrew, shub), and turning toward God.
REFLECTING: How can I bring the light of Christ to others today?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to turn from the darkness of sin toward your healing light.
Optional Memorial of André Besette, religious
André Bessette (1845-1937), born near Quebec, entered the Congregation of the Holy Cross as a Brother. Because of his poor health, he was made a Sacristan, laundry worker and doorkeeper at Notre Dame College, Montreal. Andre had a special devotion of St. Joseph, and a ministry to the sick who flocked to his cell for healing. Working at a Boy's School in Montreal he collected nickels and dimes and after forty years decided he had enough to build a chapel to Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary. He was able to see it completed before he expired at age ninety. After his death, the shrine grew into the great basilica known as St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal where he is buried. At his canonization in October 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said that St. André "lived the beatitude of the pure of heart."
André Bessette (1845-1937), born near Quebec, entered the Congregation of the Holy Cross as a Brother. Because of his poor health, he was made a Sacristan, laundry worker and doorkeeper at Notre Dame College, Montreal. Andre had a special devotion of St. Joseph, and a ministry to the sick who flocked to his cell for healing. Working at a Boy's School in Montreal he collected nickels and dimes and after forty years decided he had enough to build a chapel to Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary. He was able to see it completed before he expired at age ninety. After his death, the shrine grew into the great basilica known as St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal where he is buried. At his canonization in October 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said that St. André "lived the beatitude of the pure of heart."
I will give you all the nations for your heritage
Jesus
the Christ has come in the flesh.
Loving
God, we have celebrated the birth of Jesus and his revelation to the nations.
We ask for grace to be faithful to your Spirit, by believing in Jesus and
living in sincere love. Your Son accepted our full humanity and gave himself
whole-heartedly to your will, preaching the Good News of your kingdom. He is
the bearer of your graciousness, bringing healing and wholeness, light and joy.
Today, our world still lives in much darkness. May we be true disciples of
Jesus. May we learn from him how to follow your will and bring your kingdom to
those in need.
January 6
St. André Bessette
(1845-1937)
St. André Bessette
(1845-1937)
Brother André expressed a saint’s faith by a lifelong devotion to
St. Joseph.
Sickness
and weakness dogged André from birth. He was the eighth of 12 children born to
a French Canadian couple near Montreal. Adopted at 12, when both parents had
died, he became a farmhand. Various trades followed: shoemaker, baker,
blacksmith—all failures. He was a factory worker in the United States during
the boom times of the Civil War.
At 25, he
applied for entrance into the Congregation of the Holy Cross. After a year’s
novitiate, he was not admitted because of his weak health. But with an
extension and the urging of Bishop Bourget (see Marie-Rose Durocher, October
6), he was finally received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre
Dame College in Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker
and messenger. “When I joined this community, the superiors showed me the door,
and I remained 40 years,” he said.
In his
little room near the door, he spent much of the night on his knees. On his
windowsill, facing Mount Royal, was a small statue of St. Joseph, to whom he
had been devoted since childhood. When asked about it he said, “Some day, St.
Joseph is going to be honored in a very special way on Mount Royal!”
When he
heard someone was ill, he visited to bring cheer and to pray with the sick
person. He would rub the sick person lightly with oil taken from a lamp burning
in the college chapel. Word of healing powers began to spread.
When an
epidemic broke out at a nearby college, André volunteered to nurse. Not one
person died. The trickle of sick people to his door became a flood. His
superiors were uneasy; diocesan authorities were suspicious; doctors called him
a quack. “I do not cure,” he said again and again. “St. Joseph cures.” In the
end he needed four secretaries to handle the 80,000 letters he received each
year.
For many
years the Holy Cross authorities had tried to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother
André and others climbed the steep hill and planted medals of St. Joseph.
Suddenly, the owners yielded. André collected 200 dollars to build a small
chapel and began receiving visitors there—smiling through long hours of listening,
applying St. Joseph’s oil. Some were cured, some not. The pile of crutches,
canes and braces grew.
The
chapel also grew. By 1931 there were gleaming walls, but money ran out. “Put a
statue of St. Joseph in the middle. If he wants a roof over his head, he’ll get
it.” The magnificent Oratory on Mount Royal took 50 years to build. The sickly
boy who could not hold a job died at 92.
He is
buried at the Oratory. He was beatified in 1982 and canonized in 2010. At his
canonization in October 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said that St. Andre "lived
the beatitude of the pure of heart."
Comment:
Rubbing ailing limbs with oil or a medal? Planting a medal to buy land? Isn’t this superstition? Aren’t we long past that?
Rubbing ailing limbs with oil or a medal? Planting a medal to buy land? Isn’t this superstition? Aren’t we long past that?
Superstitious people
rely only on the “magic” of a word or action. Brother André’s oil and medals
were authentic sacramentals of a simple, total faith in the Father who lets his
saints help him bless his children.
Quote:
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures,” said St. André Bessette.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures,” said St. André Bessette.
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 4,12-17.23-25
Lectio:
Monday, January 6, 2014
Christmas Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord, let the light of your glory shine within
us,
and lead us through the darkness of this world
to the radiant joy of our eternal home.
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 - Matthew 4,12-17.23-25
Hearing that John had been arrested he
withdrew to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum,
beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfil
what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way
of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in
darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow
dark as death a light has dawned.
From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation
with the message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.'
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in
their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds
of disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread throughout Syria, and those
who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another,
the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured
them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem,
Judaea and Transjordan.
3) Reflection
• A brief information on the objective of the
Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of Matthew was written during the second half of
the first century in order to encourage the small and fragile community of the
converted Jews who lived in the region of Galilee and Syria. They suffered
persecution and threats on the part of the Jewish brothers because they had
accepted Jesus as the Messiah and for having received the Pagans. In order to
strengthen them in their faith, the Gospel of Matthew insists in saying that
Jesus is really the Messiah and that the salvation which Jesus comes to bring
is not only for the Jews, but for all of humanity. At the beginning of his
Gospel, in the genealogy, Matthew already indicates this universal vocation of
Jesus, because being “son of Abraham” (Mt 1, 1.17) he will be a source of
blessings for all the nations of the world” (cfr. Gen 12, 3). In the visit of
the Magi, who came from the East, he suggests once again that the salvation is
addressed to the Pagans (Mt 2, 1-12). In the text of today’s Gospel, he shows
that the light which shines in the Galilee of the Gentiles” shines also outside
the frontiers of Israel, in the Decapolis and beyond the Jordan (Mt 4, 12-25).
Further on, in the Sermon on the Mountain, Jesus will say that the vocation of
the Christian community is that of being “salt of the earth and light of the
world” (Mt 5, 13-14) and he asks to love the enemies (Mt 5, 43-48). Jesus is
the servant of God who announces the rights of the nations (Mt 12, 18). Helped
by the Canaanite woman, Jesus himself overcomes the barriers of races (Mt 15,
21-28). He also overcomes the laws of purity which prevented the Gospel to be
opened to the Pagans (Mt 15, 1-20). And finally, when Jesus sends his disciples
to all Nations, the universality of salvation is even clearer (Mt 28, 19-20).
In the same way, the communities are called to open themselves to all, without
excluding anyone, because all are called to live as sons and daughters of God.
• Today’s Gospel describes how this universal
mission is an initiative. The news of the imprisonment of John the Baptist
impels Jesus to begin his preaching. John had said: “Repent, because the
Kingdom of God is at hand!” (Mt 4, 17). This was the reason why he was imprisoned
by Herod. When Jesus knew that John had been imprisoned, he returned to Galilee
proclaiming the same message: “Repent, because the Kingdom of God is at hand!”
(Mt 4, 17). In other words, from the beginning, the preaching of the Gospel had
risks, but Jesus did not allow himself to be frightened. In this way, Matthew
encourages the communities which were running the same risks of persecution. He
quotes the text of Isaiah: “The people who lived in darkness have seen a great
light!” Like Jesus, the communities are also called to be “the light of
nations!”
• Jesus began the announcement of the Good
News going through the whole of Galilee. He does not stop, waiting for the
people to arrive, but he goes toward the people. He himself participates in the
meetings, in the Synagogues, to announce his message. The people bring the
sick, the possessed, and Jesus accepts all, and cures them. This service to the
sick forms part of the Good News and reveals to the people the presence of the
Kingdom.
• Thus, the fame of Jesus is diffused in all
the region, goes beyond the frontier of Galilee, penetrates Judah, and reaches
Jerusalem, goes beyond the Jordan and reaches Syria and the Decapolis. In this
region there are also some communities for whom Matthew was writing his Gospel.
Now they know that, in spite of all the difficulties and the risks, there is
already the light which shines in the darkness.
4) Personal questions
• Some times, are you also light for others?
• Today, many close themselves up in the
Catholic Religion. How can we live today the universality of salvation?
5) Concluding prayer
I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh:
He said to me, "You are my son,
today have I fathered you." (Ps 2,7)
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