Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 478
Lectionary: 478
Brothers and
sisters:
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5
R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the
Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Gospel LK 13:1-9
Some people told
Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Meditation: "Unless you repent"
: What can a calamity, such as a political blood-bath or a
natural disaster, teach us about God's kingdom and the consequences of bad
choices and sinful actions? Jesus used two such occasions to address the issue
of sin and judgment with his Jewish audience. Pilate, who was the Roman
governor of Jerusalem at the time, ordered his troops to slaughter a group of
Galileans who had come up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice in the Temple. We do
not know what these Galileans did to incite Pilate's wrath, nor why Pilate
chose to attack them in the holiest of places for the Jews, in their temple at
Jerusalem. For the Jews, this was political barbarity and sacrilige at its
worst! The second incident which Jesus addressed was a natural disaster, a
tower in Jerusalem which unexpectedly collasped, killing 18 people. The Jews
often associated such calamities and disasters as a consequence of sin.
Scripture does warn that sin can result in calamity! Though the
righteous fall seven times, and rise again; the wicked are overthrown by
calamity (Proverbs 24:16).
The time for
repentance and forgiveness is right now!
The real danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster or a sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Jesus gives a clear warning - take responsibility for your actions and moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart, mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer which corrupts us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance - asking God for forgiveness and for his healing grace, it leads to a spiritual death which is far worse than physical destruction.
The real danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster or a sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Jesus gives a clear warning - take responsibility for your actions and moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart, mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer which corrupts us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance - asking God for forgiveness and for his healing grace, it leads to a spiritual death which is far worse than physical destruction.
The sign of the
barren fig tree
Jesus' parable of the barren fig trees illustrated his warning about the consequences of allowing sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig tree normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it failed, it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin. The unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the word of God. The prophets depicted the desolation and calamity of Israel, due to her unfaithfulness to God, as a languishing fig tree (see Joel 1:7,12; Habbakuk 3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah likened good and evil rulers and members of Israel with figs that were good for eating and figs that were rotten and useless (Jeremiah 24:2-8). Jesus' parable depicts the patience of God, but it also contains a warning that we should not presume upon patience and mercy. God's judgment will come - sooner or later - in due course.
Jesus' parable of the barren fig trees illustrated his warning about the consequences of allowing sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig tree normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it failed, it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin. The unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's unresponsiveness to the word of God. The prophets depicted the desolation and calamity of Israel, due to her unfaithfulness to God, as a languishing fig tree (see Joel 1:7,12; Habbakuk 3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah likened good and evil rulers and members of Israel with figs that were good for eating and figs that were rotten and useless (Jeremiah 24:2-8). Jesus' parable depicts the patience of God, but it also contains a warning that we should not presume upon patience and mercy. God's judgment will come - sooner or later - in due course.
Why God judges
Why does God judge his people? He judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we might grow in his holiness and righteousness. And he disciplines us for our own good, to inspire a godly fear and reverence for him and his word. God is patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent, there is the consequence that they will lose their soul to hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will happen if those who sin are not warned to repent.
Why does God judge his people? He judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we might grow in his holiness and righteousness. And he disciplines us for our own good, to inspire a godly fear and reverence for him and his word. God is patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent, there is the consequence that they will lose their soul to hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will happen if those who sin are not warned to repent.
Don't tolerate
sin
God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin will result in bad fruit and eventual destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for the Lord's righteousness and holiness?
God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin will result in bad fruit and eventual destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for the Lord's righteousness and holiness?
"Lord Jesus,
increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and holiness. May I
not squander the grace of the present moment to say "yes" to you and
to your will and plan for my life."
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, LUKE 13:1-9
(Ephesians 4:7-16; Psalm 122)
(Ephesians 4:7-16; Psalm 122)
KEY VERSE: "But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did" (v 3).
READING: Jesus cited two tragic events of his day in order to urge people to reform their lives while there was still time. The first case occurred when Pontius Pilate ordered the cold-blooded massacre of some Galileans who were offering sacrifice in the Temple at Passover. The other misfortune was the accidental death of several construction workers when a water tower fell on them. These victims were no more sinful than anyone else, yet they perished, perhaps before they had time to reconcile themselves with God. Jesus then told a parable of God's patience. God gives us every chance to bear good fruit in our lives. But time eventually runs out. Hopefully, we will repent before it is too late.
REFLECTING: Am I able to see the trials in my life as opportunities for growth?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to heed your warning to repent of any sin in my life.
OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Chapter V of the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, issued by the Holy See in December 2001, describes the Church's traditional dedication of Saturday to the Virgin Mary. "Saturdays stand out among those days dedicated to the Virgin Mary. These are designated as memorials of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (218). The chapter also describes the importance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in Catholic devotional life, including the Liturgy, and includes reflections on popular devotions to Mary, her feast days, and the Rosary. See the complete document on the Vatican web site: www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Passionate Love Affair
Christians must realize that the Christian faith is a love affair
between God and man. Not just a simple love affair: It is a passionate love
affair. God so loved man that he became man himself, died on a cross, was
raised from the dead by the Father, ascended into heaven—and all this in order
to bring man back to himself, to that heaven which he had lost through his own
fault. —Catherine de Hueck Doherty
October
25
St. Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão
(1739-1822)
St. Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão
(1739-1822)
God’s plan in a person’s life often takes unexpected turns which
become life-giving through cooperation with God’s grace.
Born in
Guarantingueta near São Paulo (Brazil), Antônio attended the Jesuit seminary in
Belem but later decided to become a Franciscan friar. Invested in 1760, he made
final profession the following year and was ordained in 1762.
In São
Paulo, he served as preacher, confessor and porter. Within a few years he was
appointed confessor to the Recollects of St. Teresa, a group of nuns in that
city. He and Sister Helena Maria of the Holy Spirit founded a new community of
sisters under the patronage of Our Lady of the Conception of Divine Providence.
Sister Helena Maria’s premature death the next year left Father Antônio
responsible for the new congregation, especially for building a convent and church
adequate for their growing numbers.
He served
as novice master for the friars in Macacu and as guardian of St. Francis Friary
in São Paulo. He founded St. Clare Friary in Sorocaba. With the permission of
his provincial and the bishop, he spent his last days at the Recolhimento de
Nossa Senhora da Luz, the convent of the sisters’ congregation he had helped
establish.
He was
beatified in Rome on October 25, 1998, and canonized in 2007.
Comment:
Holy women and men cannot help calling our attention to God, to God’s creation and to all the people whom God loves. The lives of holy people are so oriented toward God that this has become their definition of "normal." Do people see my life or yours as a living sign of God’s steadfast love? What might have to change for that to happen?
Holy women and men cannot help calling our attention to God, to God’s creation and to all the people whom God loves. The lives of holy people are so oriented toward God that this has become their definition of "normal." Do people see my life or yours as a living sign of God’s steadfast love? What might have to change for that to happen?
Quote:
During the beatification homily, Pope John Paul II quoted from the Second Letter to Timothy (4:17), "The Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully," and then said that Antônio "fulfilled his religious consecration by dedicating himself with love and devotion to the afflicted, the suffering and the slaves of his era in Brazil." The pope continued, "His authentically Franciscan faith, evangelically lived and apostolically spent in serving his neighbor, will be an encouragement to imitate this ‘man of peace and charity.’"
During the beatification homily, Pope John Paul II quoted from the Second Letter to Timothy (4:17), "The Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully," and then said that Antônio "fulfilled his religious consecration by dedicating himself with love and devotion to the afflicted, the suffering and the slaves of his era in Brazil." The pope continued, "His authentically Franciscan faith, evangelically lived and apostolically spent in serving his neighbor, will be an encouragement to imitate this ‘man of peace and charity.’"
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 13,1-9
Lectio:
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty and everlasting God,
our source of power and inspiration,
give us strength and joy
in serving you as followers of Christ,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 13,1-9
It was just about this time that some people
arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with
that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 'Do you suppose that these
Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have happened to
them? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish
as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them
all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living
in Jerusalem?
They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you
repent you will all perish as they did.'
He told this parable, 'A man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He
said to his vinedresser, "For three years now I have been coming to look
for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be
taking up the ground?" "Sir," the man replied, "leave it
one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit
next year; if not, then you can cut it down." '
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today gives us information which
is only found in Luke’s Gospel and there are no parallel passages in the other
Gospels. We are meditating on the long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and
which takes almost half of Luke’s Gospel, from chapter 9 to chapter 19 (Lk 9,
51 to 19, 28). In this part Luke places most of the information which he
obtains on the life and teaching of Jesus (Lk 1, 1-4).
• Luke 13, 1: The event which requires an
explanation. “At that time some people arrived and told Jesus about the
Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of the their sacrifices”.
When we read the newspaper or listen to the news on TV, we receive much
information, but we do not always understand all its meaning. We listen to
everything, but we really do not know what to do with so much information and
news. There are terrible news such as the tsunami, terrorism, the wars, hunger,
violence, crime, the attacks, etc. This is how the news of the horrible
massacre which Pilate, the Roman Governor, had ordered with some Samaritan
pilgrims reached Jesus. Such news upset us, throw us off. And one asks: “What
can I do?” To calm down their conscience, many defend themselves and say: “It
is their fault! They do not work! They are lazy people!” At the time of Jesus,
people defended themselves saying: “
• Luke 13, 2-3: Jesus’ response. Jesus has a
different opinion. “Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse sinners than
any others that this should have happened to them? I tell you No, but unless
you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower
at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty
than all the other people living in Jerusalem? I tell you, No, but unless you
repent you will perish as they did. He seeks to invite to conversion and to
change.
• Luke 13, 4-5: Jesus comments another fact.
Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell, killing them all; do you
believe they were more guilty than all the other people in Jerusalem?
It must have been a disaster which was greatly
commented in the city. A thunderstorm knocked down the tower of Siloam killing
eighteen persons who were protecting themselves under it. The normal comment
was “Punishment from God!” Jesus repeats: “I tell you No, but unless you repent
you will perish as they did". They were not converted, they did not
change, and forty years later Jerusalem was destroyed and many people died,
being killed in the Temple like the Samaritans and many people died under the
debri or ruble of the walls of the city. Jesus tried to warn them, but the
request for peace was not accepted: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” (Lk 13, 34). Jesus
teaches to discover the calls of the events of life of every day.
• Luke 13, 6-9: A parable in such a way as to
make people think and discover God’s project. “A man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to
his vinedresser, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on
this fig tree and finding none. Then he said to the vinedresser: Cut it down;
why should it be taking up the ground? Sir, the man replied, leave it one more
year and give me time to dig round it and manure it, it may bear fruit next
year; if not, then you can cut it down”. Many times the vine is used to
indicate God’s affection for his people, or to indicate the lack of
correspondence of the people to God’s love (Is 5, 1-7; 27, 2-5; Jr 2, 21; 8,
13; Ex 19, 10-14; Ho 10, 1-8; Mi 7, 1; Jn 15, 1-6). In the parable, the
landlord of the vine is God, the Father. The vinedresser who intercedes in
behalf of the vine is Jesus. He insists with the Father to extend the space,
the time of conversion.
4) Personal questions
• God’s People, God’s vineyard. I am part of
this vineyard. I apply this parable to myself. What conclusion do I draw?
• What do I do with the news that I receive?
Do I seek to have a critical opinion, or do I continue to have the opinion of
the majority and of mass media, of means of communication?
5) Concluding prayer
Who is like Yahweh our God?
His throne is set on high,
but he stoops to look down on heaven and
earth.
He raises the poor from the dust,
he lifts the needy from the dunghill. (Ps
113,5-7)
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