Monday
of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 371
Lectionary: 371
Shalmaneser,
king of Assyria, occupied the whole land
and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel
the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and deported the children of Israel to Assyria,
setting them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan,
and the cities of the Medes.
This came about because the children of Israel sinned against the LORD,
their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt,
from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
and because they venerated other gods.
They followed the rites of the nations
whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the children of Israel
and the kings of Israel whom they set up.
And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah
by every prophet and seer,
“Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes,
in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers
and which I sent you by my servants the prophets,”
they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers,
who had not believed in the LORD, their God.
They rejected his statutes,
the covenant which he had made with their fathers,
and the warnings which he had given them, till,
in his great anger against Israel,
the LORD put them away out of his sight.
Only the tribe of Judah was left.
and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel
the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and deported the children of Israel to Assyria,
setting them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan,
and the cities of the Medes.
This came about because the children of Israel sinned against the LORD,
their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt,
from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
and because they venerated other gods.
They followed the rites of the nations
whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the children of Israel
and the kings of Israel whom they set up.
And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah
by every prophet and seer,
“Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes,
in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers
and which I sent you by my servants the prophets,”
they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers,
who had not believed in the LORD, their God.
They rejected his statutes,
the covenant which he had made with their fathers,
and the warnings which he had given them, till,
in his great anger against Israel,
the LORD put them away out of his sight.
Only the tribe of Judah was left.
Responsorial
Psalm PS 60:3, 4-5, 12-13
R.
(7b) Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
O God, you have rejected us and broken our defenses;
you have been angry; rally us!
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
You have rocked the country and split it open;
repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
You have made your people feel hardships;
you have given us stupefying wine.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
Have not you, O God, rejected us,
so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies?
Give us aid against the foe,
for worthless is the help of men.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
O God, you have rejected us and broken our defenses;
you have been angry; rally us!
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
You have rocked the country and split it open;
repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.
You have made your people feel hardships;
you have given us stupefying wine.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
Have not you, O God, rejected us,
so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies?
Give us aid against the foe,
for worthless is the help of men.
R. Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.
Gospel MT 7:1-5
Jesus
said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
Meditation: "First take the log out of your own eye"
How
do you wish to be judged by others? Everybody is a critic, but who wants to be
judged negatively? Judgmentalism is rampant, even among Christians. So how can
we avoid this poisonous sin and not be contaminated by the world's view of who
is good and who is bad? "Thinking the best of other people" is
necessary if we wish to grow in love. And kindliness in judgment is nothing
less that a sacred duty. The Rabbis warned people: "He who judges his
neighbor favorably will be judged favorably by God."
Who
can judge rightly?
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
Why
did Jesus calls his critics hypocrites? Listen to Augustine of Hippo's
explanation of this passage:
"The
word hypocrite is aptly employed here, since the denouncing of evils is best
viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage
in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves
behind a mask, while they portray another's character through the mask. The
word hypocrites in fact signifies pretenders. Hence we ought especially to
avoid that meddlesome class of pretenders who under the pretense of seeking
advice undertake the censure of all kinds of vices. They are often moved by
hatred and malice.
"Rather,
whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to
proceed with godly discernment and caution. First of all, let us consider
whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have never had or whether it is
one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us
remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are
rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not
hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and admonition. In this way,
whether the admonition occasions the amendment or the worsening of the one for
whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves
shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that
we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us
neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves
and induce that person to a similar concern, without asking him to submit to
our correction." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.19.64)
Merciful
healing and removal of sin
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Do
you trust in God's mercy and grace? And do you submit to his truth about what
is right and wrong, good and evil, helpful and harmful for your welfare and the
welfare of your neighbor as well? Ask the Lord to purify your heart with his
loving-kindness and mercy that you may have ample room for charity and
forbearance towards your neighbor.
"O
Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes,
recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise
rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build
rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at
their worst. This we ask for thy name's sake. (Prayer of William Barclay,
20th century)
 Judge Not. 2014-06-23 |
|
Matthew
7:1-5
Jesus
said to his disciples: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as
you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will
be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother´s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your
brother, ´Let me remove that splinter from your eye,´ while the wooden beam
is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother´s
eye."
Introductory
Prayer: I
believe in the power of prayer, Lord. This time spent with you is the most
important time of my day. Let me be confident of your presence and your love,
in order to take full advantage of these privileged moments.
Petition: Lord, help me to rid
myself of judgmental attitudes.
1.
Judge Not: Judging others is a national pastime. It is so easy to pick
out the faults of others -- to see their defects. It can make us feel
superior. Yet, focusing on the faults of others can often distract us from
our own failings. We tend to see in others the very faults of which we
ourselves are guilty. That is why a husband who spends endless hours on
Internet might complain about the amount of time his wife spends at the
shopping mall. What do I complain about the most? Could I be guilty of the
same fault?
2.
Cool Silence: Our Lord doesn´t dissuade us from trying to help others to
improve. In fact, fraternal correction can be a form of charity if -- big if
-- done charitably (see Matthew 18:15). Indeed, instructing the uninformed is
a spiritual work of mercy. Unfortunately, for the sake of being
"cool," we often keep quiet as others wallow in sin. Christ isn´t
inviting us to be indifferent in the face of a loved one´s faults. The
opposite of love is not hatred, but indifference. Am I afraid to guide those
whom the Lord has entrusted to my care? Do I remain quiet in order to
"keep the peace"? On Judgment Day we will have to answer for our
sins of omission (see Luke 19:20-24).
3.
Our Wooden Beam: We are all called to holiness. Life is but a brief opportunity
to grow in holiness before we step into eternity. What we do here dictates
the state of our eternal reward or punishment. That is why we have to be on
guard against growing accustomed to our faults. God doesn´t want us to be
mediocre. He wants us to struggle against our weaknesses. Am I actively
trying to get rid of a vice? The best way to drive out a bad habit is to form
a good habit. Am I eating too much? Then form the habit of smaller desserts.
Am I short-tempered with my spouse? Then do a special act of charity for him
or her each day.
Conversation
with Christ: Life
is short, Lord, and I need to grasp the importance of each day as an
opportunity to grow in holiness. Let me put more effort into criticizing
myself rather than others. Help me to see truthfully where my worst faults
lie.
Resolution: I will say
something nice to the last person I criticized or spoke badly about.
TWELFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME, MONDAY,
JUNE 23, MATTHEW 7:1-5
(2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18; Psalm 60)  KEY VERSE: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged" (v 1). READING: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples that God would judge them in the same way that they judged others. He was not telling them to determine whether an act was right or wrong. They had God's law to help them to decide. Nor was he saying that they should approve the wrongdoing of others. What he did address was their hypocritical and judgmental attitude toward the faults of others while refusing to acknowledge their own defects. Jesus used the analogy of trying to remove a tiny splinter from someone's eye, while ignoring the huge plank lodged in their own. With the help of divine light, they would clearly see their own failings and not be looking to condemn the same or worse fault in someone else. St. John Chrysostom explained: "Jesus was not saying we cannot prevent a sinner from sinning; we have to correct him, indeed, though not as the enemy seeking revenge but, rather, as a doctor applying the cure." REFLECTING: How harshly do I judge? How lavishly do I love? PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to repair someone's reputation that I may have damaged.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
Dependence on God
A proper assessment of our sins should remind us that we are in
need of God’s saving work in every area of our lives. Since we are so
dependent upon God to free us from sin it should not come as a surprise that
we are dependent upon Him to assist us in life’s battles.
Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us
Jesus used very plain language. I know what my reaction is when I judge others. Standing behind someone in the check-out line, I can be scathing in my mind about the contents of their trolley: who am I to judge—they may be having a party. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their treatment of those they considered sinners, but Jesus looked with his heart at the woundedness of the outcast, accepted them as loved by his Father and treated them with compassion. Let us pray for the eyes of Jesus’ heart to see within, to let go of judging another. Seeing with the heart is the most important kind of sight. ‘It is only with the heart we can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye’ (Antoine de Saint Exupéry).
June 23
St. John Fisher (1469-1535)  John Fisher is usually associated with Erasmus, Thomas More and other Renaissance humanists. His life, therefore, did not have the external simplicity found in the lives of some saints. Rather, he was a man of learning, associated with the intellectuals and political leaders of his day. He was interested in the contemporary culture and eventually became chancellor at Cambridge. He had been made a bishop at 35, and one of his interests was raising the standard of preaching in England. Fisher himself was an accomplished preacher and writer. His sermons on the penitential psalms were reprinted seven times before his death. With the coming of Lutheranism, he was drawn into controversy. His eight books against heresy gave him a leading position among European theologians.
In 1521
he was asked to study the question of Henry VIII’s marriage. He incurred
Henry’s anger by defending the validity of the king’s marriage with Catherine
of Aragon and later by rejecting Henry’s claim to be the supreme head of the
Church of England.
In an
attempt to be rid of him, Henry first had him accused of not reporting all
the “revelations” of the nun of Kent, Elizabeth Barton. John was summoned, in
feeble health, to take the oath to the new Act of Succession. He and Thomas
More refused because the Act presumed the legality of Henry’s divorce and his
claim to be head of the English Church. They were sent to the Tower of
London, where Fisher remained 14 months without trial. They were finally
sentenced to life imprisonment and loss of goods.
When
the two were called to further interrogations, they remained silent. Fisher
was tricked, on the supposition he was speaking privately as a priest, and
declared again that the king was not supreme head. The king, further angered
that the pope had made John Fisher a cardinal, had him brought to trial on
the charge of high treason. He was condemned and executed, his body left to
lie all day on the scaffold and his head hung on London Bridge. More was
executed two weeks later.
Comment:
Today many questions are raised about Christians' and priests' active involvement in social issues. John Fisher remained faithful to his calling as a bishop. He strongly upheld the teachings of the Church; the very cause of his martyrdom was his loyalty to Rome. He was involved in the cultural enrichment circles as well as in the political struggles of his time. This involvement caused him to question the moral conduct of the leadership of his country. "The Church has the right, indeed the duty, to proclaim justice on the social, national and international level, and to denounce instances of injustice, when the fundamental rights of man and his very salvation demand it" (Justice in the World, 1971 Synod of Bishops).
Quote:
Erasmus said of John Fisher: "He is the one man at this time who is incomparable for uprightness of life, for learning and for greatness of soul."
LECTIO
DIVINA: MATTHEW 7,1-5
Lectio:
Monday, June 23, 2014
Ordinary Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people, grant us an unfailing respect for your name, and keep us always in your love. 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 7,1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not judge, and you will not
be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get,
and the standard you use will be the standard used for you. Why do you
observe the splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the great log in
your own? And how dare you say to your brother, "Let me take that
splinter out of your eye," when, look, there is a great log in your own?
Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see
clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.'
3)
REFLECTION
• In today’s Gospel we continue to meditate on the Sermon on
the Mountain found in chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel of Matthew. During the
10th and 11th week we have seen chapters 5 and 6. Beginning today, we will
see chapter 7. These three chapters, 5, 6, and 7 offer an idea of how the
catechesis was done in the communities of the converted Jews in the second
half of the first century in Galilee and in Syria. Matthew unites and
organizes the words of Jesus to teach how the new way of living the Law of
God should be.
• After having explained how to re-establish justice (Mt 5, 17
a 6, 18) and how to restore the order of creation (Mt 6, 19-34), Jesus
teaches how the life in community should be (Mt 7, 1-12). At the end he
presents some recommendations and final advice (Mt 7, 13-27). Then follows an
outline of the entire Sermon on the Mountain:
Matthew 5, 1-12: The Beatitudes: solemn openness of the New
Law.
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and light of the world. Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice: relationship with the ancient law. Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new law. Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of the works of piety: alms giving. Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer. Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting. Matthew 6, 19-21: The new relationship to material goods: do not store up. Matthew 6, 22-23: The new relationship to material goods: a correct vision. Matthew 6, 24: The new relationship to material goods: God or money. Matthew 6, 25-34: The new relationship to material goods: trust in Providence Matthew 7, 1-5: The new community life together: do not judge. Matthew 7, 6: The new community life together: do not despise the community Matthew 7, 7-11: The new community life: trust in God produces sharing Matthew 7, 12: The new community life together: the Golden Rule Matthew 7, 13-14: Final recommendations to choose the sure way. Matthew 7, 15-20: Final recommendations, the prophet is known by his fruits. Matthew 7, 21-23: Final recommendations not only speak but also practice. Matthew 7, 24-27: Final recommendations, construct the house on rock
The community lived experience of the Gospel (Mt 7, 1-12) is
the touchstone. It is where the seriousness of the commitment is defined. The
new proposal of life in community embraces diverse aspects: do not observe
the sprinter in your brother’s eye (Mt 7, 1-5), do not throw your pearls in
front of pigs (Mt 7,6), do not be afraid to ask God for things (Mt 7,7-11).
These advices reach their summit in the Golden Rule: Always treat others as
you would like them to treat you (Mt 7, 12). The Gospel of today presents the
first part: Matthew 7, 1-5.
• Matthew 7, 1-2: Do not judge and you will not be judged. The
first condition for a good life together in community is not to judge the
brother or the sister, that is, to eliminate the preconceptions which prevent
a transparent community life. What does this mean concretely? John’s Gospel
gives an example of how Jesus lived in community with the disciples. Jesus
says: “I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know
the master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father” (Jn 15, 15). Jesus is an open book
for his companions. This transparency comes from his total trust in the
brothers and sisters and has its origin in his intimacy with the Father who
gives him the force of opening himself up totally to others. Anyone who lives
in this way with his brothers and sisters accepts others as they are, without
any preconceptions, without previously imposing any conditions, without
judging. Mutual acceptance without any pretension and with total
transparency! This is the ideal of the new community life, which has come
from the Good News which Jesus has brought to us: God is Father and Mother
and, therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. It is a difficult ideal but
a very beautiful and attractive as the other one: “Be perfect as your
Heavenly Father is perfect.
• Matthew 7. 3-5: You observe the splinter in your brother’s
eye and never notice the great log in your own. Immediately Jesus gives an
example: Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye, and never
notice the great log in your own? And how dare you say to your brother, ‘Let
me take that splinter out of your eye, when look, there is a great log in
your own? Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you
will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye”. When
hearing this phrase we usually think of the Pharisees who despised the
people, considering them ignorant and they considered themselves better than
others (cf. Jn 7, 49; 9, 34). In reality, the phrase of Jesus serves for all
of us. For example, today many of us Catholics are less faithful to the
Gospel than the non-Catholics. We observe the splinter in the eye of our
brothers and we do not see the big log of collective powerful pride in our
own eyes. This log causes many persons today to have much difficulty to
believe in the Good News of Jesus.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Do not judge others and eliminate all preconceptions: which
is my personal experience on this point?
• Splinter and log: which is the log in me which makes it
difficult for me to participate in the life of the family and in community?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Your kindnesses to me are countless, Yahweh;
true to your judgements, give me life. (Ps 119,156) |
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