Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 401
Lectionary: 401
The LORD said to
me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD’s command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD’s command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.
Responsorial Psalm DT 32:18-19, 20, 21
R. (see 18a) You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you,
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you,
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
Gospel MT 13:31-35
Jesus proposed a
parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Meditation: What the kingdom of heaven is like
What can mustard seeds and leaven teach us about the kingdom of
God? The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous
birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it produced. God's
kingdom works in a similar fashion. It starts from the smallest beginnings in
the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God's word. And it works
unseen and causes a transformation from within.
Hidden power of transforming seeds and leaven
Leaven is another powerful agent of change. A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough. But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated - the staple of life for humans.
Leaven is another powerful agent of change. A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough. But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated - the staple of life for humans.
God's word has power to transforms us
The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield our lives to Jesus Christ and allow his word to take root in our heart, we are transformed and made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield our lives to Jesus Christ and allow his word to take root in our heart, we are transformed and made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
"Heavenly Father, fill me with your Holy Spirit and
transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for
your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater
glory."
 Quiet but Steady Growth |
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July 28, 2014.Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 13:31-35
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds. "The
Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a
field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the
largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and
dwell in its branches." He spoke to them another parable. "The
Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three
measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened." All these
things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in
parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my
mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come into your presence seeking to know you
better. I believe that you take the lead in seeking me. You want me to find
you. I trust that in your mercy you will bring me to intimacy with you. I
open my heart today to receive your friendship.
Petition: Lord, teach me to long for your Kingdom and your
holiness.
1. Quietly Becoming Strong: The Kingdom of Christ is not a very
visible and flashy organization in the world. It is above all a spiritual
force. It works quietly yet powerfully in the hearts of those who receive it.
By living faith, hope and charity, Christians discover that the generous
response to the voice of Christ in their consciences builds a life that has
strength and substance. Living the Christian faith makes a person strong in
the midst of difficulties and even able to sustain others in their life’s
journey. Am I allowing the Kingdom to grow in my heart in such a way that I
can quietly sustain others by my values and my charity?
2. Hidden Expansion: As we allow Christ to reign in our hearts more each day,
we find that his influence affects not only our internal attitudes but also
the people around us. This world becomes more of a caring, compassionate
place. Truth is sown. People are reminded of God’s presence and love. This
world becomes more a place where others can find God. It is a quiet
transformation of the world, but relentless, like the rising of the dough
through the action of yeast. Am I constant in allowing the values of the
Kingdom to transform the way I deal with others? Do I have confidence in the
transforming power of the Gospel?
3. Revealing Secrets: By speaking in in parables Christ helps us understand
that God’s kingdom is real and accessible. God has a plan to reign in our
hearts, and the fulfillment of this plan is within our reach through his
grace. The secret to fruitfulness in our lives lies in our openness and
cooperation with God’s grace. It is within our grasp if we would exercise our
faith. Christ has come to open our horizons to God’s grace. Are we showing
our thankfulness by doing his will?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe in your kingdom. I
know that it continues to grow by the power of your grace. Help me to work
with confidence today, knowing that by sowing with faith, hope and love, I am
allowing you to do great things in the world around me.
Resolution: Today I will speak of God’s goodness explicitly with
someone whom I meet.
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MONDAY, JULY 28, MATTHEW 13:31-35
(Jeremiah 13:1-11; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21)
(Jeremiah 13:1-11; Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21)
KEY VERSE: "It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants" (v 32).
READING: Through his parables, Jesus revealed the full mysteries of the reign of God that had "lain hidden from the foundation of the world" (Ps 78:2). The parables of the mustard seed and yeast taught his followers about the paradoxical nature of God's reign, which Jesus described as having amazing growth from insignificant beginnings. Though very tiny, the mustard seed grew into a luxuriant plant where birds could find a home in its branches. In like manner, a tiny bit of leaven hidden in an enormous amount of flour (50 lbs) expanded the dough to produce enough bread to feed a hundred people. God's kingdom is a process. Although a Christian's work may seem unimportant, even a small effort moves the kingdom toward its fulfillment.
REFLECTING: Do I encourage the modest efforts of other Christians?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be untiring in my labor for your kingdom.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Quest for Sanctity
Confession is one of the greatest gifts Christ gave to His Church.
The sacrament of penance offers you grace that is incomparable in your quest
for sanctity.
You have forgotten God who gave you
birth
Never forget the God who gave you birth.Today’s readings are a reminder to us that these words are offered to guide us on our way. God called on Jeremiah to convey to the people that they had not listened to him. In this failure they would become good for nothing. The cry of the psalmist is, ‘You have forgotten God who gave you birth.’ Let us pray that we never forget our God. Jesus has shown us the way to avoid this possibility. We need to remember that the smallest seed can grow into the biggest tree of all. The seed of faith, properly nurtured, will grow and grow. How do we nurture this seed? First of all, by listening to God through Jesus, tilling our soil with prayer and praying for the grace to remain faithful to our Creator God.
July
28
St. Leopold Mandic
(1887-1942)
St. Leopold Mandic
(1887-1942)
Western Christians who are working for greater dialogue with
Orthodox Christians may be reaping the fruits of Father Leopold’s prayers.
A native
of Croatia, Leopold joined the Capuchin Franciscans and was ordained several
years later in spite of several health problems. He could not speak loudly
enough to preach publicly. For many years he also suffered from severe
arthritis, poor eyesight and a stomach ailment.
Leopold
taught patrology, the study of the Church Fathers, to the clerics of his
province for several years, but he is best known for his work in the
confessional, where he sometimes spent 13-15 hours a day. Several bishops
sought out his spiritual advice.
Leopold’s
dream was to go to the Orthodox Christians and work for the reunion of Roman
Catholicism and Orthodoxy. His health never permitted it. Leopold often renewed
his vow to go to the Eastern Christians; the cause of unity was constantly in
his prayers.
At a time
when Pope Pius XII said that the greatest sin of our time is "to have lost
all sense of sin," Leopold had a profound sense of sin and an even firmer
sense of God’s grace awaiting human cooperation.
Leopold,
who lived most of his life in Padua, died on July 30, 1942, and was canonized
in 1982.
Comment:
St. Francis advised his followers to "pursue what they must desire above all things, to have the Spirit of the Lord and His holy manner of working" (Rule of 1223, Chapter 10)—words that Leopold lived out. When the Capuchin minister general wrote his friars on the occasion of Leopold’s beatification, he said that this friar’s life showed "the priority of that which is essential."
St. Francis advised his followers to "pursue what they must desire above all things, to have the Spirit of the Lord and His holy manner of working" (Rule of 1223, Chapter 10)—words that Leopold lived out. When the Capuchin minister general wrote his friars on the occasion of Leopold’s beatification, he said that this friar’s life showed "the priority of that which is essential."
Quote:
Leopold used to repeat to himself: “Remember that you have been sent for the salvation of people, not because of your own merits, since it is the Lord Jesus and not you who died for the salvation of souls.... I must cooperate with the divine goodness of our Lord who has deigned to choose me so that by my ministry, the divine promise would be fulfilled: ‘There will be only one flock and one shepherd’” (John 10:16).
Leopold used to repeat to himself: “Remember that you have been sent for the salvation of people, not because of your own merits, since it is the Lord Jesus and not you who died for the salvation of souls.... I must cooperate with the divine goodness of our Lord who has deigned to choose me so that by my ministry, the divine promise would be fulfilled: ‘There will be only one flock and one shepherd’” (John 10:16).
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 13,31-35
Lectio:
Monday, July 28, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father and protector,
without you nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings you have given to the world.
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.
without you nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings you have given to the world.
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 13,31-35
Jesus put another parable before them, 'The kingdom of Heaven is
like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest
of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest of shrubs and becomes
a tree, so that the birds of the air can come and shelter in its branches.'
He told them another parable, 'The kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.'
In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: I will speak to you in parables, unfold what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.
He told them another parable, 'The kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.'
In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: I will speak to you in parables, unfold what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.
3) Reflection
• We are meditating on the Discourse of the Parables, the
objective of which is that of revealing, by means of comparisons, the mystery
of the Kingdom of God present in the life of the people. Today’s Gospel
presents to us two brief parables, the mustard seed and the yeast. In these
Jesus tells two stories taken from daily life, which will serve as terms of
comparison to help the people to discover the mystery of the Kingdom. When
meditating these two stories it is not necessary to try to discover what each
element of the stories want to tell us about the Kingdom. First of all, one
must look at the story itself, as a whole and try to discover which is the
central point around which the story was constructed. This central point will
serve as a means of comparison to reveal the Kingdom of God. Let us try to
discover which is the central point of the two parables.
• Matthew 13,31-32: The parable of the mustard seed. Jesus says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed” and then immediately he tells the story: a mustard seed which is very small is cast into the ground; being very small, it grows and becomes larger than other plants and attracts the birds which come and build their nests on it. Jesus does not explain the story. Here applies what he said on another occasion: “Anyone who has ears to hear, let him hear!” That is, “It is this. You have heard, and so now try to understand!” It is up to us to discover what the story reveals to us about the Kingdom of God present in our life. Thus, by means of this story of the mustard seed, Jesus urges us to have fantasy, because each one of us understands something about the seed. Jesus expects that the persons, all of us, begin to share that which each one has discovered. Now, I share three points that I have discovered on the Kingdom, beginning with this parable: (a) Jesus says: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed”. The Kingdom is not something abstract, it is not an idea. It is a presence in our midst (Lk 17,21). How is this presence? It is like the mustard seed: a very small presence, humble, which can hardly be seen. It is about Jesus, a poor carpenter, who goes through Galilee, speaking about the Kingdom to the people of the towns. The Kingdom of God does not follow the criteria of the great of the world. It has a different way of thinking and of proceeding. (b) The prophecy evokes a prophecy of Ezekiel, in which it is said that God will take a small twig of the cedar and will plant it on the mountain of Israel. This small twig of cedar “will bring forth branches and will bear fruit and will become a magnificent cedar. Under it all the birds will live, every kind of birds will rest under it. All the trees of the forest will know that I am the Lord, who humiliated the tall tree and exalted the low one; I dry the green tree and make the dry tree come to life. I the Lord have spoken and I will do it” (Ez 17,22-23). (c) The mustard seed, even if very small, grows and gives hope. Like the mustard seed, in the same way the Kingdom has an interior force and it grows. How does it grow? It grows through the preaching of Jesus and of the disciples in the towns of Galilee. It grows up until today, through the witness of the community and becomes good news of God which radiates light and attracts persons. The person, who gets close to the community, feels welcomed, accepted, at home, and builds in it her nest, her dwelling. Finally, the parable leaves in the air a question: who are the birds? The question will receive an answer later, in the Gospel. The text suggests that it is a question of the pagans who will be able to enter into the Kingdom (Mt15,21-28).
• Matthew 13,33: The parable of the yeast. The story of the second parable is the following: A woman took a bit of yeast and mixed it with three measures of flour, till it is leavened all through. Once again, Jesus does not explain, he only says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast...” Like in the first parable, it is up to us to discover the significance which this has for us today. The following are some points which I have discovered and which have made me think: (a) What grows is not the yeast, but the dough. (b) It is a question of something of a house, well known to a woman in her house. (c) The yeast is mixed up with the pure dough of flour, and contains something fermented. (d) The objective is to have all the dough fermented, and not only one part. (e) The yeast is not an end in itself but serves to make the dough grow.
• Matthew 13,34-35: Why Jesus speaks in parables. Here, at the end of the Discourse of the Parables, Matthew clarifies the reason which urged Jesus to teach the people using the form of parables. He says that it was in order that the prophecy would be fulfilled which said: "I will open the mouth to use parables; I will proclaim hidden things since the creation of the world”. In reality, the text that has been quoted is not of a prophet, but rather it is a Psalm (Ps 78,2). For the first Christians the whole of the Old Testament was a great prophecy which announced in a veiled way the coming of the Messiah and the fulfilment of the promises of God. In Mark 4,34-34, the reason which urged Jesus to teach the people by means of parables was to adapt the message to the capacity of the people. With these examples taken from the life of the people, Jesus helped the persons to discover the things of God in the life of every day. Life then became transparent. He made them perceive that what was extraordinary in God is hidden in the ordinary and common things of daily life. People understood the things of life. In the parables they received the key to open them and to find in them the signs of God. At the end of the Discourse of the Parables, in Matthew 13,52, as we shall see later, another reason will be explained why Jesus chose to teach with parables.
• Matthew 13,31-32: The parable of the mustard seed. Jesus says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed” and then immediately he tells the story: a mustard seed which is very small is cast into the ground; being very small, it grows and becomes larger than other plants and attracts the birds which come and build their nests on it. Jesus does not explain the story. Here applies what he said on another occasion: “Anyone who has ears to hear, let him hear!” That is, “It is this. You have heard, and so now try to understand!” It is up to us to discover what the story reveals to us about the Kingdom of God present in our life. Thus, by means of this story of the mustard seed, Jesus urges us to have fantasy, because each one of us understands something about the seed. Jesus expects that the persons, all of us, begin to share that which each one has discovered. Now, I share three points that I have discovered on the Kingdom, beginning with this parable: (a) Jesus says: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed”. The Kingdom is not something abstract, it is not an idea. It is a presence in our midst (Lk 17,21). How is this presence? It is like the mustard seed: a very small presence, humble, which can hardly be seen. It is about Jesus, a poor carpenter, who goes through Galilee, speaking about the Kingdom to the people of the towns. The Kingdom of God does not follow the criteria of the great of the world. It has a different way of thinking and of proceeding. (b) The prophecy evokes a prophecy of Ezekiel, in which it is said that God will take a small twig of the cedar and will plant it on the mountain of Israel. This small twig of cedar “will bring forth branches and will bear fruit and will become a magnificent cedar. Under it all the birds will live, every kind of birds will rest under it. All the trees of the forest will know that I am the Lord, who humiliated the tall tree and exalted the low one; I dry the green tree and make the dry tree come to life. I the Lord have spoken and I will do it” (Ez 17,22-23). (c) The mustard seed, even if very small, grows and gives hope. Like the mustard seed, in the same way the Kingdom has an interior force and it grows. How does it grow? It grows through the preaching of Jesus and of the disciples in the towns of Galilee. It grows up until today, through the witness of the community and becomes good news of God which radiates light and attracts persons. The person, who gets close to the community, feels welcomed, accepted, at home, and builds in it her nest, her dwelling. Finally, the parable leaves in the air a question: who are the birds? The question will receive an answer later, in the Gospel. The text suggests that it is a question of the pagans who will be able to enter into the Kingdom (Mt15,21-28).
• Matthew 13,33: The parable of the yeast. The story of the second parable is the following: A woman took a bit of yeast and mixed it with three measures of flour, till it is leavened all through. Once again, Jesus does not explain, he only says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast...” Like in the first parable, it is up to us to discover the significance which this has for us today. The following are some points which I have discovered and which have made me think: (a) What grows is not the yeast, but the dough. (b) It is a question of something of a house, well known to a woman in her house. (c) The yeast is mixed up with the pure dough of flour, and contains something fermented. (d) The objective is to have all the dough fermented, and not only one part. (e) The yeast is not an end in itself but serves to make the dough grow.
• Matthew 13,34-35: Why Jesus speaks in parables. Here, at the end of the Discourse of the Parables, Matthew clarifies the reason which urged Jesus to teach the people using the form of parables. He says that it was in order that the prophecy would be fulfilled which said: "I will open the mouth to use parables; I will proclaim hidden things since the creation of the world”. In reality, the text that has been quoted is not of a prophet, but rather it is a Psalm (Ps 78,2). For the first Christians the whole of the Old Testament was a great prophecy which announced in a veiled way the coming of the Messiah and the fulfilment of the promises of God. In Mark 4,34-34, the reason which urged Jesus to teach the people by means of parables was to adapt the message to the capacity of the people. With these examples taken from the life of the people, Jesus helped the persons to discover the things of God in the life of every day. Life then became transparent. He made them perceive that what was extraordinary in God is hidden in the ordinary and common things of daily life. People understood the things of life. In the parables they received the key to open them and to find in them the signs of God. At the end of the Discourse of the Parables, in Matthew 13,52, as we shall see later, another reason will be explained why Jesus chose to teach with parables.
4) Personal questions
• Which point of these two parables did you like best or which
struck you more? Why?
• Which is the seed that without being aware has grown in you and in your community?
• Which is the seed that without being aware has grown in you and in your community?
5) Concluding Prayer
I will sing of your strength,
in the morning acclaim your faithful love;
you have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge when I was in trouble. (Ps 59,16)
in the morning acclaim your faithful love;
you have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge when I was in trouble. (Ps 59,16)
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