Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
Lectionary: 454
Lectionary: 454
Rejoice, O young
man, while you are young
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart,
the vision of your eyes;
Yet understand that as regards all this
God will bring you to judgment.
Ward off grief from your heart
and put away trouble from your presence,
though the dawn of youth is fleeting.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened,
and the light, and the moon, and the stars,
while the clouds return after the rain;
When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
And the grinders are idle because they are few,
and they who look through the windows grow blind;
When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one waits for the chirp of a bird,
but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
And one fears heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because man goes to his lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the broken pulley falls into the well,
And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart,
the vision of your eyes;
Yet understand that as regards all this
God will bring you to judgment.
Ward off grief from your heart
and put away trouble from your presence,
though the dawn of youth is fleeting.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened,
and the light, and the moon, and the stars,
while the clouds return after the rain;
When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
And the grinders are idle because they are few,
and they who look through the windows grow blind;
When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one waits for the chirp of a bird,
but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
And one fears heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because man goes to his lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the broken pulley falls into the well,
And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our
refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
While they were all
amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
Meditation: "They were astonished at the
majesty of God"
Do you know the majesty of God? When we ascribe
majesty to someone or something we acknowledge greatness in that person or
thing and voice our respect for it. The miracles of Jesus revealed the awesome
power and majesty of God and his favor and blessing (grace) - especially
towards the lowly and humble of heart.
God's way to victory and glory is through the
cross
But with the miracles Jesus also gave a prophetic warning: There can be no share in God's glory without the cross. Jesus prophesied concerning his own betrayal and crucifixion - but it did not make any sense to the disciples because it did not fit their understanding of the Messiah who was supposed to come and free his people from tyranny and oppression. Little did they know that the way to victory over sin and death would be through the cross and resurrection of Christ.
But with the miracles Jesus also gave a prophetic warning: There can be no share in God's glory without the cross. Jesus prophesied concerning his own betrayal and crucifixion - but it did not make any sense to the disciples because it did not fit their understanding of the Messiah who was supposed to come and free his people from tyranny and oppression. Little did they know that the way to victory over sin and death would be through the cross and resurrection of Christ.
Our fear of suffering betrays our lack of hope
in Christ's victory
When the disciples heard Jesus' prediction of suffering and betrayal they were afraid to ask further questions. Like a person who might receive bad news from the doctor about some tumor or disease that could destroy them and then refuse to ask any further questions, the disciples of Jesus didn't want to know any more about the consequences of possible suffering, defeat, and death on a cross. They couldn't understand how the cross could bring victory and lead to new life and freedom in Christ.
When the disciples heard Jesus' prediction of suffering and betrayal they were afraid to ask further questions. Like a person who might receive bad news from the doctor about some tumor or disease that could destroy them and then refuse to ask any further questions, the disciples of Jesus didn't want to know any more about the consequences of possible suffering, defeat, and death on a cross. They couldn't understand how the cross could bring victory and lead to new life and freedom in Christ.
How often do we reject what we do not wish to
see? We have heard God's word and we know the consequences of accepting it or
rejecting it. But do we give it our full allegiance and mold our lives
according to it? Ask the Lord Jesus to show you his majesty and glory that you
may grow in reverence of him and in godly fear (reverence) of his word.
"Lord Jesus, by your cross you have
redeemed the world and revealed your glory and triumph over sin and death. May
I never fail to see your glory and victory in the cross. Help me to conform my
life to your will and to follow in your way of love and holiness."
 The Gift of Faith |
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September
27, 2014. Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
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Luke
9:43b-45
While
they were all amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples,
"Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed
over to men." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was
hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid
to ask him about this saying.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, you
are the author of life and the giver of all that is good. You are the Prince
of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the cure itself. I need you,
and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself to you entirely, knowing
you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you for giving me your very
self.
Petition: Lord Jesus, strengthen my weak
faith and guide me along your paths.
1.
Blind Faith in Science: There are so many everyday, day-to-day things
that we take for granted. We have a certain “blind faith” in them: the
electricity in our room, the engineering feat of the skyscraper we work in,
etc. It just comes naturally to us. We don’t put much thought into
them. We trust that they will continue to work. Unfortunately, when our
“faith” crosses the line of empirical knowledge – like electricity and
engineering – into the realm of the spiritual, we can find obstacles to our
believing.
2.
Supernatural Faith: Understanding of what Our Lord states about his
passion and death in today’s Scriptures can only be obtained through a
“supernatural faith.” This faith is a gift we must seek from God in all
humility, so that it will shed light on the whole of our lives. It will bring
a knowledge greater than just a purely human one. Trusting in Jesus, let us
ask him for this faith.
3.
Afraid to Ask: The disciples in today’s Gospel passage were afraid to
question Jesus. Questioning something we do not understand is not necessarily
bad; it is quite normal and reveals a childlike attitude. Christ always has
an answer to our questions – an intelligible answer – even though our mind
may not fully grasp its breadth. In fact, Christ does not want us to accept
his teaching and values in a passive way. He wants us to accept freely, not
so much because we understand fully, but rather because we trust and love the
God who reveals himself to us.
Conversation
with Christ: Lord
Jesus, it is so easy for me to look at life from a purely human standpoint.
Grant me the eyes of faith to see all things from your viewpoint. May my
faith enlighten my path all the days of my life.
Resolution: In my prayer today I will beg, in
all humility, for the gift of faith in Jesus Christ.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, LUKE 9:43b-45
(Ecclesiastes 11:9--12:8; Psalm 90)
(Ecclesiastes 11:9--12:8; Psalm 90)
KEY VERSE: "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men" (v 44).
READING: The people were amazed by the power of God at work in Jesus. In the midst of this adulation, Jesus told his disciples that he was the suffering "Son of Man" (v 44), his most characteristic way of speaking of himself. In saying this, he identified himself with the figure in the book of Daniel, which speaks of one like a 'son of man' coming on the clouds from heaven (Dn 7:13-14). When Jesus used the term, he was referring not only to himself, but also to all those who believed in him. As “the son of man” (Hebrew, ben Adam) Jesus is the new and true son of Adam. Where Adam failed and led the entire human race into captivity to sin and death, Jesus brought life and freedom. Like the people of Israel who opposed the "beast-like" kingdoms of the world, Jesus triumphed over his enemies. In Luke's gospel, this was Jesus' second prediction of his passion (see 9:22), yet his disciples still failed to understand his meaning.
REFLECTING: Do I pay attention to what Jesus is telling me?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be faithful to you in adversity and in victory.
Memorial of Vincent de Paul, priest
Vincent de Paul was born in 1581 in southwest France to a peasant family. Vincent was a highly intelligent youth. He spent four years with the Franciscan friars getting an education. He began divinity studies in 1596 at the University of Toulouse and was ordained at age 20. Vincent was taken captive by Turkish pirates to Tunis, and sold into slavery. He was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity. Returning to France, he served as parish priest near Paris where he started organizations to help the poor, nurse the sick, and to find jobs for the unemployed. With Louise de Marillac, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. Vincent de Paul always worked for the poor, the enslaved and the abandoned, He died in 1660 at Paris, France. His body is incorrupt.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge
Everyone was full of admiration for all he said and did.Jesus chose this time, in the midst of all the euphoria, to gently caution his apostles that there was to come a time when he would be hated and hunted down, for exactly the same reason. However, for the apostles, as it can be with us, it was hard to comprehend. Omnipotent and all-loving Father, you know how easily we can vacillate with every change of mind. May we always acknowledge you and believe in you. May your right hand hold us fast and raise us up on the last day.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
Equal Assets
When it comes to the divine presence, water and fire do not cancel
each other out but work together to nurture virtue and goodness.
September
27
St. Vincent de Paul
(1580?-1660)
St. Vincent de Paul
(1580?-1660)
The deathbed confession of a dying servant opened Vincent's eyes
to the crying spiritual needs of the peasantry of France. This seems to have
been a crucial moment in the life of the man from a small farm in Gascony,
France, who had become a priest with little more ambition than to have a comfortable
life.
It was
the Countess de Gondi (whose servant he had helped) who persuaded her husband
to endow and support a group of able and zealous missionaries who would work
among poor tenant farmers and country people in general. Vincent was too
humble to accept leadership at first, but after working for some time in Paris
among imprisoned galley-slaves, he returned to be the leader of what is now
known as the Congregation of the Mission, or the Vincentians. These priests,
with vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and stability, were to devote
themselves entirely to the people in smaller towns and villages.
Later,
Vincent established confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical
relief of the poor and sick of each parish. From these, with the help of St. Louise
de Marillac, came the Daughters of Charity, "whose convent is the
sickroom, whose chapel is the parish church, whose cloister is the streets of
the city." He organized the rich women of Paris to collect funds for his
missionary projects, founded several hospitals, collected relief funds for the
victims of war and ransomed over 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa. He was
zealous in conducting retreats for clergy at a time when there was great
laxity, abuse and ignorance among them. He was a pioneer in clerical training
and was instrumental in establishing seminaries.
Most
remarkably, Vincent was by temperament a very irascible person—even his friends
admitted it. He said that except for the grace of God he would have been
"hard and repulsive, rough and cross." But he became a tender and
affectionate man, very sensitive to the needs of others.
Pope Leo
XIII made him the patron of all charitable societies. Outstanding among these,
of course, is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded in 1833 by his admirer
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (September 7).
Comment:
The Church is for all God's children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God's children are forced to live.
The Church is for all God's children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God's children are forced to live.
Quote:
"Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires" (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters).
"Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires" (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters).
Patron Saint of:
Charities
Charities
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 9,43B-45
Lectio:
Saturday, September 27, 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 9,43b-45
Everyone was awestruck by the greatness of God. But while
everyone was full of admiration for all he did, he said to his disciples, ‘For
your part, you must have these words constantly in mind: The Son of man is
going to be delivered into the power of men.’
But they did not understand what he said; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
But they did not understand what he said; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents the second announcement of the
Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The disciples do not understand the
words about the cross, because they are neither capable to understand a Messiah
who becomes the servant of his brothers. They continue to dream about a
glorious Messiah.
• Luke 9, 43b-44: The contrast. “Everyone was full of admiration for all he did”. Jesus said to his disciples “For your part you must have these words constantly in mind: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the power of men”. The contrast is very big. On one side, the vibration and admiration of the people for everything that Jesus said and did. Jesus seems to correspond to all that people dream, believe and expect. On the other side, the affirmation of Jesus that he will be put to death and delivered in the hands of men, that is, the opinion of the authority on Jesus is totally contrary to the opinion of the people.
• Luke 9, 45: The announcement of the Cross. “But they did not understand what he said; for them it was so mysterious, that they did not understand the sense and were afraid to ask questions concerning this argument”. The disciples listened to him but they did not understand the words about the cross. But even in this way, they do not ask for any clarification. They are afraid to show their ignorance!
• The title Son of Man. This name appears quite frequently in the Gospels: 12 times in John, 13 in Mark, 28 in Luke, 30 in Matthew. In all, it appears 83 times in the four Gospels. This is the name which pleased Jesus the most. This title comes from the Old Testament. In the Book of Ezekiel, is indicated the very human condition of the prophet (Ez 3, 1.4.10. 17; 4, 1 etc.). In the Book of Daniel, the same title appears in the apocalyptic vision (Dn 7, 1-28), in which Daniel describes the empires of the Babylonians, of the Medes, of the Persians and of the Greeks. In the vision of the prophet, these four empires have the appearance of “monstrous animals” (cf. Dn 7, 3-8). They are animal empires which are brutal, inhuman, which persecute, dehumanize and kill (Dn 7, 21.25). In the vision of the prophet, after the anti-human kingdoms, the Kingdom of God appears which has the appearance, not of an animal, but rather of a human person, Son of Man. That is, a Kingdom with the appearance of people, a human kingdom, which promotes life, it humanizes (Dn 7, 13-14). In the prophecy of Daniel the Son of Man represents, not an individual, but rather, as he himself says, the “people of the Saints of the Most High” (Dn 7, 27; cf. Dn 7, 18). It is the People of God who do not allow themselves to be dehumanized nor deceived or manipulated by the dominating ideology of the animal empires. The Mission of the Son of Man, that is, of the People of God, consists in realizing the Kingdom of God like a human kingdom. That is, a Kingdom which promotes life, which humanizes persons.
Presenting himself as Son of Man to the disciples, Jesus makes his own this mission which is the mission of all the People of God. It is as if he would say to them and to all of us: “Come with me! This mission is not only mine, but it belongs to all of us! Let us go together to carry out the mission which God has entrusted to us, and thus realize the human and humanizing Kingdom which he dreamt!” And he did this during all his life, especially during the last three years. Pope Leo the Great said: “Jesus was so human, but so human, like only God can be human”. The more human he was, the more divine he was. The more he is “Son of Man” the more he is “Son of God!” Everything which dehumanizes persons draws away from God. That was condemned by God, who has placed the good of the human person above all the laws, above the Sabbath or Saturday (Mk 2, 27). At the moment when he was condemned to death by the religious tribunal of the Synedrium, Jesus assumes this title. When he was asked if he was “the Son of God” (Mk 14, 61), he answered that he is the “Son of Man”: “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty” (Mk 14, 62). Because of this affirmation he was declared, by the authority, guilty deserving death. He himself knew it because he had said: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10, 45).
• Luke 9, 43b-44: The contrast. “Everyone was full of admiration for all he did”. Jesus said to his disciples “For your part you must have these words constantly in mind: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the power of men”. The contrast is very big. On one side, the vibration and admiration of the people for everything that Jesus said and did. Jesus seems to correspond to all that people dream, believe and expect. On the other side, the affirmation of Jesus that he will be put to death and delivered in the hands of men, that is, the opinion of the authority on Jesus is totally contrary to the opinion of the people.
• Luke 9, 45: The announcement of the Cross. “But they did not understand what he said; for them it was so mysterious, that they did not understand the sense and were afraid to ask questions concerning this argument”. The disciples listened to him but they did not understand the words about the cross. But even in this way, they do not ask for any clarification. They are afraid to show their ignorance!
• The title Son of Man. This name appears quite frequently in the Gospels: 12 times in John, 13 in Mark, 28 in Luke, 30 in Matthew. In all, it appears 83 times in the four Gospels. This is the name which pleased Jesus the most. This title comes from the Old Testament. In the Book of Ezekiel, is indicated the very human condition of the prophet (Ez 3, 1.4.10. 17; 4, 1 etc.). In the Book of Daniel, the same title appears in the apocalyptic vision (Dn 7, 1-28), in which Daniel describes the empires of the Babylonians, of the Medes, of the Persians and of the Greeks. In the vision of the prophet, these four empires have the appearance of “monstrous animals” (cf. Dn 7, 3-8). They are animal empires which are brutal, inhuman, which persecute, dehumanize and kill (Dn 7, 21.25). In the vision of the prophet, after the anti-human kingdoms, the Kingdom of God appears which has the appearance, not of an animal, but rather of a human person, Son of Man. That is, a Kingdom with the appearance of people, a human kingdom, which promotes life, it humanizes (Dn 7, 13-14). In the prophecy of Daniel the Son of Man represents, not an individual, but rather, as he himself says, the “people of the Saints of the Most High” (Dn 7, 27; cf. Dn 7, 18). It is the People of God who do not allow themselves to be dehumanized nor deceived or manipulated by the dominating ideology of the animal empires. The Mission of the Son of Man, that is, of the People of God, consists in realizing the Kingdom of God like a human kingdom. That is, a Kingdom which promotes life, which humanizes persons.
Presenting himself as Son of Man to the disciples, Jesus makes his own this mission which is the mission of all the People of God. It is as if he would say to them and to all of us: “Come with me! This mission is not only mine, but it belongs to all of us! Let us go together to carry out the mission which God has entrusted to us, and thus realize the human and humanizing Kingdom which he dreamt!” And he did this during all his life, especially during the last three years. Pope Leo the Great said: “Jesus was so human, but so human, like only God can be human”. The more human he was, the more divine he was. The more he is “Son of Man” the more he is “Son of God!” Everything which dehumanizes persons draws away from God. That was condemned by God, who has placed the good of the human person above all the laws, above the Sabbath or Saturday (Mk 2, 27). At the moment when he was condemned to death by the religious tribunal of the Synedrium, Jesus assumes this title. When he was asked if he was “the Son of God” (Mk 14, 61), he answered that he is the “Son of Man”: “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty” (Mk 14, 62). Because of this affirmation he was declared, by the authority, guilty deserving death. He himself knew it because he had said: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10, 45).
4) Personal questions
• How do you combine in your life, suffering and faith in God?
• In the time of Jesus there was contrast: people thought and expected or hoped in a certain way; the religious authority thought and expected or hoped in a different way. Today, this same contrast exists.
• In the time of Jesus there was contrast: people thought and expected or hoped in a certain way; the religious authority thought and expected or hoped in a different way. Today, this same contrast exists.
5) Concluding Prayer
For ever, Yahweh,
your word is planted firm in heaven.
Your constancy endures from age to age;
you established the earth and it stands firm. (Ps 119,89-90)
your word is planted firm in heaven.
Your constancy endures from age to age;
you established the earth and it stands firm. (Ps 119,89-90)
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