Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lectionary: 170
Lectionary: 170
Moses said to the people:
"You are a people sacred to the LORD, your God;
he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth
to be a people peculiarly his own.
It was not because you are the largest of all nations
that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you,
for you are really the smallest of all nations.
It was because the LORD loved you
and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,
that he brought you out with his strong hand
from the place of slavery,
and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Understand, then, that the LORD, your God, is God indeed,
the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant
down to the thousandth generation
toward those who love him and keep his commandments,
but who repays with destruction a person who hates him;
he does not dally with such a one,
but makes them personally pay for it.
You shall therefore carefully observe the commandments,
the statutes and the decrees that I enjoin on you today."
"You are a people sacred to the LORD, your God;
he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth
to be a people peculiarly his own.
It was not because you are the largest of all nations
that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you,
for you are really the smallest of all nations.
It was because the LORD loved you
and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,
that he brought you out with his strong hand
from the place of slavery,
and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Understand, then, that the LORD, your God, is God indeed,
the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant
down to the thousandth generation
toward those who love him and keep his commandments,
but who repays with destruction a person who hates him;
he does not dally with such a one,
but makes them personally pay for it.
You shall therefore carefully observe the commandments,
the statutes and the decrees that I enjoin on you today."
Responsorial Psalm PS 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10
R/ (cf. 17) The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those
who fear him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and forget not all his benefits.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and forget not all his benefits.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R/ The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Reading 21 JN
4:7-16
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him.
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him.
Gospel MT
11:25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Meditation: "Heavenly things revealed to infants"
: Do you want to know the mind and heart of God? Jesus thanks the
Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the wisdom and knowledge of
God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it
tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is
both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything
and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for
all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians
3:14-15).
Pride - the root of sin
Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Certainly intellectual pride, coldness of heart, and stubbornness of will shut out God and his kingdom. Pride is the root of all vice and the strongest influence propelling us to sin. It first vanquishes the heart, making it cold and indifferent towards God. It also closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. What is pride? It is the inordinate love of oneself at the expense of others and the exaggerated estimation of one's own knowledge and importance.
Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God? Certainly intellectual pride, coldness of heart, and stubbornness of will shut out God and his kingdom. Pride is the root of all vice and the strongest influence propelling us to sin. It first vanquishes the heart, making it cold and indifferent towards God. It also closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. What is pride? It is the inordinate love of oneself at the expense of others and the exaggerated estimation of one's own knowledge and importance.
Simplicity of heart
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "infants" in the sense that they see purely and simply without any pretense or falsehood. They instinctlively recognize their utter dependence and reliance on those who are stronger, wiser, and more capable of giving them what they need to live and grow. Those who are truly simple of heart seek the one thing alone that can sustain us in good times and hard times and in very circumstance of life - the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself.
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "infants" in the sense that they see purely and simply without any pretense or falsehood. They instinctlively recognize their utter dependence and reliance on those who are stronger, wiser, and more capable of giving them what they need to live and grow. Those who are truly simple of heart seek the one thing alone that can sustain us in good times and hard times and in very circumstance of life - the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself.
Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of
virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards truth and grace - the
favor and help freely given by one who is all-giving, gracious, and kind
towards us. Just as pride is the root or every sin and evil, so humility is the
only soil in which the grace and favor of God can take root. It alone takes the
right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all - all the good that
he wishes to do for us for our own benefit and welfare. God opposes the
proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6). Only
the humble in heart can receive the wisdom which comes from God and and the
understanding of God's perfect goodness and plan for our lives. Do you trust in
God with your whole heart and submit to his wisdom and plan for your life?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make - he is
the perfect revelation of God because he has been with the Father before all
creation and time existed. He and the Father are united in an inseparable bond
of love and unity. That is why Jesus alone can truly reveal the fulness of
God's mind and heart and purpose for our lives. One of the greatest truths of
God's revelation and our Christian faith is that we can know the one true and
living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing some things
about God and his nature, but we can know God personally because God desires to
be closely united with each one of us in a bond of love through his Son, Jesus
Christ.. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism
and all other religions, is the personal knowledge of God as our Father
- the one, true and eternal Father who knew us before we were knitted
in our mother's womb. Jesus makes it possible for each one of us to have a
personal direct relationship and experiential knowledge of God as our loving
and gracious Father.
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the
perfect love of God - a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and
women, loving them to the point of sacrificing his only begotten Son who freely
gave up his life for our sake on the cross. Paul the Apostle tells us that
Jesus is the image of God ( ). He is the perfect revelation of God - a God who
loves us totally, unconditionally, and without reservation. What can separate
us from the love of God? Only our own stubborn pride, willfulness, and
rebellious attitude towards God and his will for our lives.
Jesus makes an incredible promise to those who acknowledge him
as their Lord and Savior. If we pray in his name - the name Jesus means God
saves - then the Father in heaven will hear us as if his only begotten
Son was speaking to him directly. That is the unity, blessing, and promise he
wishes for each one of us. And that is why we have the confidence and boldness
to pray as Jesus taught his disciples, Our Father who art in heaven...
give us this day our daily bread, and deliver us from temptation. Do
you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his perfect love
and care for you?
The sweet yoke of Jesus
What does the yoke of Jesus refer to in the Gospel (Matthew 11:29)? The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, the yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well. We are commanded to put on the "sweet yoke of Jesus" and to live the "heavenly way of life and happiness".
What does the yoke of Jesus refer to in the Gospel (Matthew 11:29)? The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, the yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well. We are commanded to put on the "sweet yoke of Jesus" and to live the "heavenly way of life and happiness".
Jesus also says his "burden is light". There's a story
of a man who once met a boy carrying a smaller crippled lad on his back.
"That's a heavy load you are carrying there," exclaimed the man.
"He ain't heavy; he's my brother!" responded the boy. No burden is
too heavy when it's given in love and carried in love. Jesus offers us a new
kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. In his kingdom sins are not only
forgiven but removed, and eternal life is poured out for all its citizens. This
is not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one.
The weight of glory and yoke of freedom
The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life, liberates us from the burden of guilt and from the oppression of sin and hurtful desires. Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us - and give us a weight of love and glory in exchange. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a burden of glory and yoke of freedom from sin. The yoke which Jesus invites us to embrace is his way of grace and freedom from the power of sin. Do you trust in God's love and submit to his will and plan for your life?
The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life, liberates us from the burden of guilt and from the oppression of sin and hurtful desires. Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us - and give us a weight of love and glory in exchange. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a burden of glory and yoke of freedom from sin. The yoke which Jesus invites us to embrace is his way of grace and freedom from the power of sin. Do you trust in God's love and submit to his will and plan for your life?
"Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and
purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your
all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would
hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission."
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“YES” 2014-06-27 |
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Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus said
in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for
although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have
revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious
will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the
Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone
to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. "Come to me, all you who labor and
are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your
selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I ask you for the grace during this
meditation to say “yes” to you at each moment of my life. What a beautiful
program—that every day I renew my unconditional “yes” to you. This acceptance
must be based in faith and trust. I believe in you because you are truth
itself and are faithful to your promises. You never abandon me or let me
down. I want this moment of prayer to be an expression of my love for you,
seeking to console you instead of being consoled.
Petition: Lord, grant that I may be generous with God and others.
1. Short and
Sweet: When we confront the daily struggles and
trials, we tend to get confused because we keep turning the problems around
and around until they become such a tangled mess that they really begin to
drag us down. Something similar can happen in our spiritual lives too. We
begin to juggle around a lot of ideas and good desires and proposals but
never really get anywhere because we lack clarity and direction. All we
really need is just one idea and one word; “yes”. It’s a word which is easy
to say, but at times difficult to fulfill. It needs to be part of our daily
vocabulary to say yes to God and to our brothers and sisters. Jesus says to
us, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of
heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden light."
2. Learn from
Christ: Our Lord Christ Jesus
is the one from whom we learn what it means to say “yes.” He said “yes” at
the moment of his incarnation and birth. He said “yes” during those 30 silent
years in Nazareth. He said “yes” at the moments of his passion, death and
resurrection, and he continues to say “yes” in the Eucharist. All over the
world he is present, giving himself to us once again through this wonderful
sacrament.
3. Sacred Heart of
Jesus: A heart that always says “yes” is a
heart that loves. Christ’s heart is a heart that loves all of us with a love
that is infinite. The Sacred Heart of Jesus seeks to show mankind that his
love reaches even to all those who say “no” to his will. His heart invites
all of them back into his flock. We need never despair. All we have to do is
turn back to him, convert. He is waiting for us with open arms.
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I know that you always said “yes” to the
will of the Father. I ask you to grant me the same willingness to do your
most holy will at each moment of my life.
Resolution: I will pray an Our Father for peace in the world.
SOLEMNITY
OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, FRIDAY, JUNE 27, MATTHEW 11:25-30
(Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Psalm 103; 1 John 4:7-16)  KEY VERSE: "No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him" (v 27). READING: Jesus grieved over the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Although they were "the wise and the learned" (v 25), they persisted in their unbelief and were indifferent to the miracles he wrought. With gratitude that came from the depths of his heart, Jesus praised God for having revealed the mysteries of the kingdom to simple people who accepted his teaching with childlike faith. Their attitude of receptivity and obedience to God's will was the key to entering God's reign (Mt 18:3). Jesus demonstrated this in his own relationship with his Father. The Father handed over everything to the Son who received it with a grateful, humble heart. In turn, the Son shared his knowledge of God with those whose hearts were open and prepared to receive it. REFLECTING: Is my heart open to God's offer of love? PRAYING: Sacred heart of Jesus, make my heart like unto yours.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
God is Love
The good that God wills to us is not simply something He has but
rather who He is—Himself. God is the unifying, binding force whose will is to
join us to Himself in the greatest possible intimacy.
For the glory of your name, O
Lord, deliver us
‘Build your house upon a rock!’ it went. ‘Make a good foundation on a solid spot. Storms may come and go, but the peace of God you will always know!’ How true this is. What wisdom it has offered for life. How important to have a strong relationship with a loving God to ground myself in all the blessings and challenges that life entails. Jesus encourages us not only to hear his message but to build our lives on solid foundations—a prayer life of listening for God and choosing to live in a loving and compassionate way. In our busy lives it can be all too easy to run out of time for prayer and reflection. It is up to us to prioritise time to nurture our relationship with God, so that it will be the strong foundation upon which our lives and actions can be built. www.pray.com.au June 27 St. Cyril of Alexandria (376?-444) 
Saints are not born with halos around their heads. Cyril,
recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop
of Alexandria, Egypt, with impulsive, often violent, actions. He pillaged and
closed the churches of the Novatian heretics (who required those who denied
the faith to be rebaptized), participated in the deposing of St. John
Chrysostom (September 13) and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews
from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians.
Cyril’s
importance for theology and Church history lies in his championing the cause
of orthodoxy against the heresy of Nestorius, who taught that in Christ there
were two persons, one human and one divine.
The
controversy centered around the two natures in Christ. Nestorius would not
agree to the title “God-bearer” for Mary (January 1). He preferred
“Christ-bearer,” saying there are two distinct persons in Christ (divine and
human) joined only by a moral union. He said Mary was not the mother of God
but only of the man Christ, whose humanity was only a temple of God.
Nestorianism implied that the humanity of Christ was a mere disguise.
Presiding
as the pope’s representative at the Council of Ephesus (431), Cyril condemned
Nestorianism and proclaimed Mary truly the “God-bearer” (the mother of the
one Person who is truly God and truly human). In the confusion that followed,
Cyril was deposed and imprisoned for three months, after which he was
welcomed back to Alexandria as a second Athanasius (the champion against
Arianism).
Besides
needing to soften some of his opposition to those who had sided with
Nestorius, Cyril had difficulties with some of his own allies, who thought he
had gone too far, sacrificing not only language but orthodoxy. Until his
death, his policy of moderation kept his extreme partisans under control. On
his deathbed, despite pressure, he refused to condemn the teacher of
Nestorius.
Comment:
Lives of the saints are valuable not only for the virtue they reveal but also for the less admirable qualities that also appear. Holiness is a gift of God to us as human beings. Life is a process. We respond to God's gift, but sometimes with a lot of zigzagging. If Cyril had been more patient and diplomatic, the Nestorian Church might not have risen and maintained power so long. But even saints must grow out of immaturity, narrowness and selfishness. It is because they—and we—do grow, that we are truly saints, persons who live the life of God.
Quote:
www.americancatholic.orgCyril's theme: "Only if it is one and the same Christ who is consubstantial with the Father and with men can he save us, for the meeting ground between God and man is the flesh of Christ. Only if this is God's own flesh can man come into contact with Christ's divinity through his humanity. Because of our kinship with the Word made flesh we are sons of God. The Eucharist consummates our kinship with the word, our communion with the Father, our sharing in the divine nature—there is very real contact between our body and that of the Word" (New Catholic Encyclopedia).
LECTIO
DIVINA: THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS (A)
Lectio:
Friday, June 27, 2014
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Holy God,
we often turn our hearts into houses of pride and greed rather than into homes of love and goodness where you can feel at home. Destroy the temple of sin in us, drive out all evil from our hearts and make us living stones of a community in which can live and reign your Son Jesus Christ, our living Lord for ever and ever.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 11,25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord
of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the
clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what
it pleased you to do.
Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'
3)
REFLECTION
• Today we celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In the Gospel we will listen to the invitation of Jesus: “Learn from me
for I am meek and humble of heart”. The Gospel shows the tenderness
with which Jesus welcomes, accepts the little ones. He wanted the poor to
find rest and peace in him.
• The context of chapters 11 and 12 of Matthew. In
this context is stressed and made evident the fact that the poor are the only
ones to understand and to accept the wisdom of the Kingdom. Many people did
not understand this preference of Jesus for the poor and the excluded.
a) John the Baptist, who looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past, had doubts (Mt 11, 1-15) b) The people, who looked at Jesus with a purpose of their own interests, were not capable to understand him (Mt 11, 16-19). c) The great cities around the lake, which listened to Jesus’ preaching and saw the miracles, did not want to open themselves to his message (Mt 11, 20-24). d) The wise and the Doctors, who judged everything according to their own science, were not capable to understand the preaching of Jesus (Mt 11, 25). e) Not even his relatives understood him (Mt 12, 46-50). f) Only the little ones understood him and accepted the Good News of the Kingdom (Mt 11, 25-30). g) The others want sacrifice, but Jesus wants mercy (Mt 12, 1-8). h) The reaction against Jesus impels the Pharisees to want to kill him (Mt 12, 9-14). i) They said that Jesus was Beelzebul (Mt 12, 22-32). j) But Jesus did not draw back. He continues to assume the mission of Servant, as described in the prophecies (Mt 12, 15-21). This is why he was persecuted and condemned to death.
• Matthew 11, 25-26: Only the little ones understand
and accept the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus addresses a prayer to
the Father: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding
these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children.
Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do!” The wise, the
doctors of that time, had created a series of laws which they imposed upon
the people in the name of God. They thought that God demanded this observance
from the people. But the Law of love, brought by Jesus, said the contrary.
What is important is not what we do for God, but rather what God, in his
great love, does for us! People understood the words of Jesus and were filled
with joy. The wise thought that Jesus was not right. They could not
understand this teaching which modified the relationship of the people of
God.
• Matthew 11, 27: The origin of the New Law: The Son
knows the Father. Jesus, the Son, knows the Father. He knows what
the Father wanted when, centuries before, he gave the Law to Moses. What the
Father wants to tell us, he handed it to Jesus, and Jesus revealed it to the
little ones, because they opened themselves to his message. Today, also,
Jesus continues to teach many things to the poor and to the little ones. The
wise and the intelligent do well if they become pupils of the little ones!
• Matthew 11, 28-30: “Come to me all you
who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”. Jesus invites
all those who are tired to find rest in him. These are the people who are
tired under the weight of the impositions and the observances which the law
of purity demanded. And he says: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart”. Many times this phrase has been manipulated to ask
people to submit themselves, to be passive. What Jesus wants to say is the
contrary. He asks people to leave aside the professors of religion of that
time, to rest and to begin to learn from him, from Jesus, who is “gentle and
humble of heart”. Jesus does not do like the Scribes who pride themselves of
their own science, but he is like the people who live humiliated and
exploited. Jesus, the new teacher, knows from experience what happens in the
heart of the people and how much the people suffer.
• The invitation of divine wisdom to all those who seek it. Jesus invites all those who are oppressed under the weight of the observance of the law to find rest in him, because he is gentle and humble of heart, capable of relieving and consoling the people who suffer, who feel tired and depressed (Mt 11, 25-30). In this invitation resound the beautiful words of Isaiah who consoled the people who lived in exile (Is 55, 1-3). This invitation is bound to divine wisdom, which invites persons to the encounter with her (Ws 24, 19), saying: “her ways are filled with delight; her paths all lead to contentment” (Pr 3, 17). And he adds: “Wisdom brings up her own children and cares for those who seek her. Whoever loves her, loves life, those who seek her early will be filled with joy” (Si 4, 11-12). This invitation reveals a very important characteristic of the feminine face of God: tenderness and acceptance which consoles, which gives life to persons and leads them to feel well. Jesus is defence, the protection and the maternal womb which the Father offers to people who are tired (cfr. Is 66, 10-13).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• What produces tension in you and what gives you peace? For
you, to live in community, is it a source of tension or of peace?
• How can these words of Jesus help our community to be a
place of rest for our life?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Yahweh is tenderness and pity,
www.ocarm.orgslow to anger and rich in faithful love; his indignation does not last for ever, nor his resentment remain for all time. (Ps 103,8-9) |
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