Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 449
Lectionary: 449
Refuse no one the
good on which he has a claim
when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor,
against one who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man
and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,
but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.
when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor,
against one who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man
and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,
but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.
Responsorial Psalm PS 15:2-3A, 3-BC-4AB, 5
R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain,
O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Gospel LK 8:16-18
Jesus said to the
crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
Meditation: "Every secret shall come to light"
What does the image of light and a lamp tell us about God's
kingdom? Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do
today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling.
The Jews also understood "light" as an expression of the inner
beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In his light we see light (
Psalm 36:9). His word is a lamp that guides our steps(Psalm
119:105).
God's light frees us from the blindness of sin so we can walk in
in truth and goodness
God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the Gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.
God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the Gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.
Live in the light of God's truth, beauty, and goodness
Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him - abundance of wisdom, guidance, peace, and blessing. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him - abundance of wisdom, guidance, peace, and blessing. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
"Lord Jesus, you guide me by the light of your saving
truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the
blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand
your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and
deed."
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, LUKE 8:16-18
LUKE 8:16-18
(Proverbs 3:27-34; Psalm 15)
LUKE 8:16-18
(Proverbs 3:27-34; Psalm 15)
KEY VERSE: "For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light" (v 17).
READING: A lamp was the only source of illumination in the dark windowless houses of Jesus' day. This clay vessel was filled with oil and placed on a stand where it burned night and day. Jesus used this ordinary household object to illustrate the radiance that should occur naturally in the life of every Christian. Through their words and deeds, others would be enlightened by God's truth. Even the deep mysteries of Christ's revelation would come to light. Those who proclaimed God's word would find that the more Christ was shared, the brighter their own spiritual illumination would become. If they failed to persevere in responding to God's word, they would discover that whatever enlightenment they had obtained would fade and grow dim.
REFLECTING: Do what I say and do help to dispel the darkness in the world?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to share your light with others.
Whoever does justice shall live on the Lord’s holy mountain
Jesus, I believe that we are all equal before you. We are all your children and all have an equal chance at the fullness of life. Save us from the illusion that our poor selves cannot be transformed, and save us from the illusion that we have worked any such transformation by ourselves. May we be among ‘those who have’—those who have a true knowledge and love of you, a true knowledge of what we are to you, a true possession of the ‘more’, that we can give back to you.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Leaving Sin Behind
We don’t have to scrub off our sin so God can love us. Instead,
when we allow God’s healing love to touch us, we want to leave sin behind.
Growth starts in love, not in guilt.
September
22
St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions
(1600?-1637)
St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions
(1600?-1637)
Lawrence (Lorenzo) was born in Manila of a Chinese father and a
Filipino mother, both Christians. Thus he learned Chinese and Tagalog from them
and Spanish from the Dominicans whom he served as altar boy and sacristan. He
became a professional calligrapher, transcribing documents in beautiful
penmanship. He was a full member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary under
Dominican auspices. He married and had two sons and a daughter.
His life
took an abrupt turn when he was accused of murder. Nothing further is known
except the statement of two Dominicans that "he was sought by the
authorities on account of a homicide to which he was present or which was
attributed to him."
At that
time three Dominican priests, Antonio Gonzalez, Guillermo Courtet and Miguel de
Aozaraza, were about to sail to Japan in spite of a violent persecution there.
With them was a Japanese priest, Vicente Shiwozuka de la Cruz, and a layman
named Lazaro, a leper. Lorenzo, having taken asylum with them, was allowed to accompany
them. But only when they were at sea did he learn that they were going to
Japan.
They
landed at Okinawa. Lorenzo could have gone on to Formosa, but, he reported,
"I decided to stay with the Fathers, because the Spaniards would hang me
there." In Japan they were soon found out, arrested and taken to Nagasaki.
The site of wholesale bloodshed when the atomic bomb was dropped had known
tragedy before. The 50,000 Catholics who once lived there were dispersed or
killed by persecution.
They were
subjected to an unspeakable kind of torture: After huge quantities of water
were forced down their throats, they were made to lie down. Long boards were
placed on their stomachs and guards then stepped on the ends of the boards,
forcing the water to spurt violently from mouth, nose and ears.
The
superior, Antonio, died after some days. Both the Japanese priest and Lazaro
broke under torture, which included the insertion of bamboo needles under their
fingernails. But both were brought back to courage by their companions.
In
Lorenzo's moment of crisis, he asked the interpreter, "I would like to
know if, by apostatizing, they will spare my life." The interpreter was
noncommittal, but Lorenzo, in the ensuing hours, felt his faith grow strong. He
became bold, even audacious, with his interrogators.
The five
were put to death by being hanged upside down in pits. Boards fitted with
semicircular holes were fitted around their waists and stones put on top to
increase the pressure. They were tightly bound, to slow circulation and prevent
a speedy death. They were allowed to hang for three days. By that time Lorenzo
and Lazaro were dead. The three Dominican priests, still alive, were beheaded.
In 1987,
Blessed John Paul II canonized these six and 10 others, Asians and Europeans,
men and women, who spread the faith in the Philippines, Formosa and Japan.
Lorenzo Ruiz is the first canonized Filipino martyr.
Comment:
We ordinary Christians of today—how would we stand up in the circumstances these martyrs faced? We sympathize with the two who temporarily denied the faith. We understand Lorenzo's terrible moment of temptation. But we see also the courage—unexplainable in human terms—which surged from their store of faith. Martyrdom, like ordinary life, is a miracle of grace.
We ordinary Christians of today—how would we stand up in the circumstances these martyrs faced? We sympathize with the two who temporarily denied the faith. We understand Lorenzo's terrible moment of temptation. But we see also the courage—unexplainable in human terms—which surged from their store of faith. Martyrdom, like ordinary life, is a miracle of grace.
Quote:
When government officials asked, "If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?," Lorenzo responded: "That I will never do, because I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please."
When government officials asked, "If we grant you life, will you renounce your faith?," Lorenzo responded: "That I will never do, because I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please."
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 8,16-18
Lectio:
Monday, September 22, 2014
ORDINARY TIME
1) Opening prayer
Father,
guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
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.
guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
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 - Luke 8,16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it
with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, it is put on a lamp-stand so that
people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will
be made clear, nothing secret but it will be made known and brought to light.
So take care how you listen; anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.’
So take care how you listen; anyone who has, will be given more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.’
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents three brief phrases pronounced by
Jesus. They are phrases scattered in different places which Luke collected here
after the parable of the seed (Lk 8, 4-8) and of his explanation to the disciples
(Lk 8, 9-15). This literary context, in which Luke places the three phrases,
helps us to understand how he wants people to understand these phrases of
Jesus.
• Luke 8, 16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what he is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “But are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a Biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the Book of the Bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8, 9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12, 4-26; Rom 12, 3-8).
• Luke 8, 17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “·There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8, 9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should diffuse them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8, 18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that he presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the colour of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
• Luke 8, 16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what he is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “But are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a Biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the Book of the Bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8, 9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12, 4-26; Rom 12, 3-8).
• Luke 8, 17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “·There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8, 9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should diffuse them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8, 18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that he presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the colour of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
4) Personal questions
• Have you had any experience of preconceptions which have
prevented you from perceiving and appreciating in their just value, the good
things that persons have?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
5) Concluding Prayer
How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts. (Ps 119,1-2)
who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts. (Ps 119,1-2)
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