Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 346
Lectionary: 346
Beloved:
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
Responsorial Psalm PS 141:1-2, 3 AND 8
R. (2a) Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
Gospel MK
10:13-16
People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
Meditation: "Receive the kingdom of God like a
child"
Do you seek to help others draw near to the Lord Jesus? The
parents who brought their children to Jesus wanted Jesus to lay his hands upon
them. They knew of the healing power, both physical and spiritual, which came
from Jesus' touch. Jesus, in turn, rebuked his disciples for hindering the
children from coming. No doubt the disciples wanted to shield Jesus from the
nuisance of noisy children. But Jesus delighted in the children and
demonstrated that God's love has ample room for everyone. No one is unimportant
to God. He comes to each person individually that he might touch them with his
healing love and power. Do you show kindness, interest, and care for the youth
you encounter in your neighborhood, home, and church? And do you pray for young
people that they may come to know the love of Jesus Christ and grow in wisdom and
maturity as his disciples?
Why does Jesus say that we must receive the kingdom of
God like a child (Mark 10:15)? In the ancient world children were at
the bottom of the social ladder. They had no rights or privileges of their own
and they had no means or resources to care for themselves. They were totally
dependent on their parents for everything they needed. Scripture teaches us
that we are totally dependent on God as our eternal Father and Provider. We owe
our very existence to him because he is the Creator, Author, and Sustainer of
life. We could not find our way to God if he did not first seek us out and draw
us to himself. That is why the Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son, the
Lord Jesus, to show us the way to the Father.
The Lord Jesus came to set us free from slavery to sin, Satan,
and death, and to adopt us as children of God – his beloved sons and daughters.
Jesus taught his disciples to not only honor and respect God as our eternal
Father, but to trust in him with great confidence for everything we need – just
as children naturally trust in their parents for all that they need. God gives
generously to those who put their trust in him, who approach him with
child-like simplicity and humility, and with expectant faith that he will treat
them as a loving and merciful Father rather than a cold and stern judge or
tyrant. Do you trust your heavenly Father to give you what you need to live as
his son or daughter?
Our great privilege and responsibility is to live as true and
faithful sons and daughters of God and as loyal citizens and ambassadors of his
heavenly kingdom. And our chief responsibility is to pass on the faith, wisdom,
and gifts which we have received from God to our young people and to those who
do not yet know God that they may find true joy and everlasting life in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready and eager to pass on your faith and experience
of God's action in your life to others, especially to the young who need
guidance, encouragement, and the godly example and witness of those who have
discovered the true source of happiness in knowing, loving, and serving God?
"Lord Jesus, may we never hinder our youth from coming to
you to receive your blessing, help, and abundant life. Make our youth strong in
faith, hope, and love that they may find true joy and fulfillment in following
you as their Lord and Savior. And as we grow with age, may we never lose that
child-like simplicity and humility which draws us ever deeper into your loving
presence."
 Children of the Kingdom |
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Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary
Time
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Father Edward Hopkins, LC
Mark 10:13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he
might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw
this, he became indignant and said to them, "Let the little children
come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of
God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as
a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms,
laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I
believe in your love and care for me and for my family. I believe that you
call me to help protect, guide and inspire innocence and holiness in others.
I trust that you will show me how to do this better. I love you, Lord, for
the purity of your love, and I wish to love you with the fullness and
innocence of my baptismal faith.
Petition: Lord Jesus,
restore my innocence so I can draw nearer to you.
1. Two Visions: Again
the poor disciples seem to miss the point, so Jesus sternly speaks to them:
“Do not stop them!” Today many of us also fail to understand, and by our lack
of understanding we prevent children from coming to Jesus. We think there are
so many important activities for them to do—they need to keep up with the
other kids, they need to compete, they need to do what they want—and the
world heartily agrees. “Let the little children come to ‘me,’” it says with
the raspy voice of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Only Jesus has the courage to
insist, “Bring them to me, now.” Why is Jesus so anxious to touch, bless,
teach and receive these children? Might it be that this is the critical age
for them to know and love him as a friend? Do I do enough to let this happen,
or do the customs of the world dwarf my efforts? To whom should my efforts
belong?
2. “To Such as These” We all
struggle to “enter the Kingdom” every day. We tend to be impatient to grow up
and be independent. But then, as adults, we wish we had the innocence and
simple lives of children, so better to love God. What has become of our
innocence? We now know good and evil, and evil makes its presence felt, like
the ring carried by Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Is innocence worth
preserving? Is it possible to recover? Our Lord suggests “yes” to both
questions. If I desire to fight for the Kingdom, my battle should start by
defending innocence, the only door to the Kingdom. Do I fight for it at home,
in the media, on the Internet, at school, in the neighborhood, at work?
3. Receiving the Kingdom: “Whoever
does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child” applies to me each day
of my life. Now, the grace of baptism does not disappear. It is renewed each
time I pray, each time I offer God my life and day, and each time I
prayerfully listen to his Word speak to me. So also, each time I gaze upon
Jesus through the eyes of Mary with a rosary in hand, and each time I thank
God for his many blessings. The more I experience Christ in the sacraments of
the Eucharist and reconciliation, the more powerfully he renews this grace of
receiving the Kingdom. The one common condition—that I trust like a little
child—is the act of faith through which I enter in contact with the King.
Innocence can be recovered and restored, but not without a childlike faith.
How deliberately do I exercise this rejuvenating faith? Do I desire that
Jesus take me up in his arms, lay his hands on me, and bless me each day?
Conversation with Christ: Dear
Lord, renew my relationship with you. Make it as simple and sincere as that
of a child. Renew my innocence as I strive to love you without pride or
vanity. Increase my faith, as total and pure as when I was a child, so that I
can live my baptism to the full.
Resolution: I will
commit to fight for innocence in a more practical way: control the use of
Internet or TV at home, get my children involved in a faith/virtue program,
pray with them at night, take my family to confession, study Blessed Pope
John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, find a chastity program for
young adolescents, etc.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 1, MARK 10:13-16
(James 5:13-20; Psalm 141)
(James 5:13-20; Psalm 141)
KEY VERSE: "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (v 14).
READING: Jesus told his disciples that they must serve the simple and lowly ones of the Christian community (Mk 9:36-37). He warned them that grave punishment awaited those that gave scandal to these "little ones" (v 41-50). When some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them, his disciples rebuked the parents for being a nuisance. Jesus was indignant at their insensitive behavior. He told his followers that it was only the childlike who were worthy to enter God's reign. He wanted to encourage his followers to be receptive to the powerless, rather than seeking power for themselves. Just as children are dependent on their parents to provide for their needs, Jesus’ disciples must humbly relying upon God with trust and love. These were the attributes they needed if they desired to enter God's reign.
REFLECTING: Are there hurting children in my life who need my loving embrace?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, bless me as your little child.
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
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Following His Lead
Whatever plans you have for me, Father, may I always be open to
whatever your will is for my life and be able to accept the grace to follow
wherever you lead me. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
March
1
St. David of Wales
(d. 589?)
St. David of Wales
(d. 589?)
David is the patron saint of Wales and perhaps the most famous of
British saints. Ironically, we have little reliable information about him.
It is
known that he became a priest, engaged in missionary work and founded many
monasteries, including his principal abbey in southwestern Wales. Many stories
and legends sprang up about David and his Welsh monks. Their austerity was
extreme. They worked in silence without the help of animals to till the soil.
Their food was limited to bread, vegetables and water.
In about
the year 550, David attended a synod where his eloquence impressed his fellow
monks to such a degree that he was elected primate of the region. The episcopal
see was moved to Mynyw, where he had his monastery (now called St. David's). He
ruled his diocese until he had reached a very old age. His last words to his
monks and subjects were: "Be joyful, brothers and sisters. Keep your
faith, and do the little things that you have seen and heard with me."
St. David
is pictured standing on a mound with a dove on his shoulder. The legend is that
once while he was preaching a dove descended to his shoulder and the earth rose
to lift him high above the people so that he could be heard. Over 50 churches
in South Wales were dedicated to him in pre-Reformation days.
Comment:
Were we restricted to hard manual labor and a diet of bread, vegetables and water, most of us would find little reason to rejoice. Yet joy is what David urged on his brothers as he lay dying. Perhaps he could say that to them—and to us—because he lived in and nurtured a constant awareness of God’s nearness. For, as someone once said, “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.” May his intercession bless us with the same awareness!
Were we restricted to hard manual labor and a diet of bread, vegetables and water, most of us would find little reason to rejoice. Yet joy is what David urged on his brothers as he lay dying. Perhaps he could say that to them—and to us—because he lived in and nurtured a constant awareness of God’s nearness. For, as someone once said, “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.” May his intercession bless us with the same awareness!
Patron Saint of:
Poets
Wales
Poets
Wales
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 10,13-16
Lectio:
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Ordinary Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Father,
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MARK 10,13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch
them. The disciples scolded them, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and
said to them, 'Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is
to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. In truth I tell you, anyone
who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter
it.' Then he embraced them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
3)
REFLECTION
• The Gospel of two days ago indicated the advice of Jesus
concerning the relationship of the adults with little ones and with the
excluded (Mk 9, 41-50). Yesterday’s Gospel indicated the advice on the
relationship between man and woman, husband and wife (Mk 10, 1-12). Today’s
Gospel indicates the advice on the relationship between parents and sons. Jesus
asked for the greatest acceptance for the little ones and the excluded. In the
relationship man-woman, he asked for the greatest equality. Now, with the sons
and their mother, he asks for the greatest tenderness.
• Mark 10, 13-16: Receive the Kingdom like a child.
People brought little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples
wanted to prevent this. Why? The text does not say it. Perhaps because
according to the ritual norms of the time, the small children with their
mothers lived almost constantly the legal impurity. To touch them meant to
become impure! If they touched Jesus, he would become impure! But Jesus does
not feel uncomfortable with this ritual norm of legal purity. He corrects the
disciples and welcomes the mothers with the children. He touches them,
embraces them saying: “Let the little children come to me, do not stop them:
for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs”. And he
comments: “In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the Kingdom
of God like a little child will never enter it”. And then Jesus
embraces the children and blesses them, and laid his hands on them. What does
this phrase mean? (a) The children receive everything from their parents. They
cannot merit what they receive, but live from gratuitous love. (b) The parents
receive the children as a gift from God and take care of them with the greatest
possible love. The concern of the parents is not to dominate the children, but
to love them, educate them in a way in which they can grow and be fulfilled!
• A sign of the Kingdom: To welcome the little ones and
the excluded. There are many signs of the acting presence of the
Kingdom in the life and the activity of Jesus. One of these is the way of
welcoming, of accepting the little ones and the children:
a) To welcome them and not scandalize them. One of the hardest words of Jesus was against
those who cause scandal to the little ones, that is, who are the reason so that
the little ones no longer believe in God. For them it is better to have a
millstone hung round their neck and be thrown into the sea (Mk 9, 42; Lk 17, 2;
Mt 18, 6).
b) To identify oneself with the little ones. Jesus embraces the
little ones and identifies himself with them. Anyone who receives a child,
“receives me” (Mk 9, 37). “And as long as you did this to one of the least of
these brothers of mine, you did it to me”. (Mt 25, 40).
c) To become like children. Jesus asks the disciples to become like
children and to accept the Kingdom as they do. Otherwise it is not possible to
enter into the Kingdom (Mk 10, 15; Mt 18, 3; Lk 9, 46-48). He makes the
children teachers of adults! And that is not normal. Generally, we do the
contrary.
d) To defend the right that children have to shout and yell. When Jesus, entering into the Temple, turned
over the tables of the money changers, the children were those who shouted the
most: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Mt 21, 15). Criticized by the high
priests and by the Scribes, Jesus defends them and in defending them he recalls
the Scriptures (Mt 21, 16).
e) To be pleasing for the Kingdom present in little children. Jesus’ joy is great, when he perceives
that the children, the little ones, understand the things of the Kingdom which
he announced to the people“. “I bless you, Father!” (Mt 11,
25-26). Jesus recognizes that the little ones understand the things of the
Kingdom better than the doctors!
f) To welcome, accept and take care. Many are the little children and the
young whom Jesus accepts, takes care of and raises from the death: the daughter
of Jairus, she was 12 years old (Mk 5, 41-42), the daughter of the Canaanite
woman (Mk 7, 29-30), the son of the widow of Nain (Lk 7, 14-15), the epileptic
boy (Mk 9, 25-26), the son of the Centurion (Lk 7, 9-10), the son of the public
officer (Jn 4, 50), the boy with the five loaves of bread and two fish (Jn 6,
9).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• In our society and in our community, who are the little ones
and the excluded? How do we welcome and accept them?
• In my life, what have I learnt from children concerning the
Kingdom of God?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Yahweh, I am calling, hurry to me,
listen to my voice when I call to you.
May my prayer be like incense in your presence,
my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice. (Ps 141,1-2)
listen to my voice when I call to you.
May my prayer be like incense in your presence,
my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice. (Ps 141,1-2)
