Saturday of the First Week of Advent
Lectionary: 180
Lectionary: 180
Thus says the Lord
GOD,
the Holy One of Israel:
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep;
He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.
He will give rain for the seed
that you sow in the ground,
And the wheat that the soil produces
will be rich and abundant.
On that day your flock will be given pasture
and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;
The oxen and the asses that till the ground
will eat silage tossed to them
with shovel and pitchfork.
Upon every high mountain and lofty hill
there will be streams of running water.
On the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall,
The light of the moon will be like that of the sun
and the light of the sun will be seven times greater
like the light of seven days.
On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,
he will heal the bruises left by his blows.
the Holy One of Israel:
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep;
He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.
He will give rain for the seed
that you sow in the ground,
And the wheat that the soil produces
will be rich and abundant.
On that day your flock will be given pasture
and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;
The oxen and the asses that till the ground
will eat silage tossed to them
with shovel and pitchfork.
Upon every high mountain and lofty hill
there will be streams of running water.
On the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall,
The light of the moon will be like that of the sun
and the light of the sun will be seven times greater
like the light of seven days.
On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,
he will heal the bruises left by his blows.
Responsorial Psalm PS 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (see Isaiah
30:18d) Blessed are all who wait
for the Lord.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Great is our LORD and mighty in power:
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Great is our LORD and mighty in power:
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Alleluia IS 33:22
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King;
he it is who will save us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King;
he it is who will save us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 9:35-10:1, 5A, 6-8
Jesus went around
to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Meditation: "The kingdom of heaven is
at hand"
Who doesn't want a life of good health, peace,
and well-being? Isaiah foretold that God's kingdom would overcome
sorrow and adversity and bring true peace and prosperity to God's people. Jesus
understood his mission to bring the kingdom in all its fulness to us. The core
of the Gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom or reign of God is imminent!
The kingdom of God is imminent
What is the kingdom of God? It's the power of God at work in that society of men and women who trust in God and who honor him as their King and Lord. In the Lord's prayer we dare to ask God to reign fully in our lives and in our world: "May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 5:10 ). Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only spiritually, but physically as well. Do you believe in the power of God's kingdom for your life? Let his word transform your mind and heart that he may reign supreme in every area of your life.
What is the kingdom of God? It's the power of God at work in that society of men and women who trust in God and who honor him as their King and Lord. In the Lord's prayer we dare to ask God to reign fully in our lives and in our world: "May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 5:10 ). Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only spiritually, but physically as well. Do you believe in the power of God's kingdom for your life? Let his word transform your mind and heart that he may reign supreme in every area of your life.
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the
works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the
weary and oppressed. Jesus said to his disciples: Freely you have
received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). What they had
received from Jesus (all free of charge) they must now pass on to others
without expecting any kind of payment or reward. They must show by their
attitude that their first interest is God, not material gain.
The kingdom of heaven comes to those who receive
Christ with faith
Jesus' words are just as relevant today. The kingdom of heaven is available to those who are ready to receive it. We cannot buy heaven; but if we accept the love and mercy of Jesus we already possess heaven in our hearts! The Lord brings his kingdom or heavenly reign to those who receive him with faith and obedience. When the Lord returns in his glory he will fully restore his kingdom of everlasting peace and justice. Do you pray and watch with confident hope for God's kingdom to come in all its fullness?
Jesus' words are just as relevant today. The kingdom of heaven is available to those who are ready to receive it. We cannot buy heaven; but if we accept the love and mercy of Jesus we already possess heaven in our hearts! The Lord brings his kingdom or heavenly reign to those who receive him with faith and obedience. When the Lord returns in his glory he will fully restore his kingdom of everlasting peace and justice. Do you pray and watch with confident hope for God's kingdom to come in all its fullness?
"Lord Jesus, rouse my spirit from
complacency and stir my faith to see you act today. Give me boldness to live
and proclaim the message of the kingdom of heaven and to be a prophetic sign of
that kingdom to this generation."
 Power in Weakness |
|
December 6, 2014.
Saturday of the First Week of Advent
|
|
Matthew
9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8
Jesus went around to
all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the
Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Introductory
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe in
you, the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord Jesus, I trust in your goodness and
tender concern for my good and the good of every single person on this earth.
Lord Jesus, I love you and wish to cooperate more fully with you. I am such a
poor weak instrument, but I know that you can do anything through those who
trust in you.
Petition: Help me Lord, to know the mysteries of your Sacred
Heart and to respond with love.
1. The Heart of
Christ: “His heart was moved with
pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a
shepherd.” Jesus is our creator and our redeemer. He knows that what we seek
is his friendship, whether we realize it or not. He knows that only he can
satisfy our innermost desires. We need to be moved with compassion at the
thought of Jesus’ pain, wounded by so many souls who refuse to turn to him,
our only source of light, life and happiness. Do I ever consider how Jesus’
heart needs to be consoled because of the indifference and rejection of so
many souls whom he loves infinitely?
2. Pray to the
Lord of the Harvest: “The harvest
is abundant but the laborers are few.” There are so many souls in need of
healing and so few to help Our Lord with building his Kingdom and saving
souls. “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers to the harvest.”
Christ is calling us to help him in this mission. We cannot be indifferent to
the cries of our brothers and sisters who do not know the truth and who have
not experienced God’s awesome love. We must be convinced that Jesus is the
only answer for their yearnings. Do I pray often to the Lord of the harvest?
Do I realize that I am also called to be a laborer in the Lord’s harvest?
3. Go to the Lost
Sheep of the House of Israel: Jesus
sends us out although we feel weak and helpless. Can we “heal the sick, raise
the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons?” Isn’t there someone else,
Lord? No. Christ calls us for the same reason he called the first apostles,
namely because he chooses the weak to show that he is in charge. “Apart from
the vine you can do nothing” (cf. John 15:5). But united to him, we will bear
much fruit. Trust in him especially when we feel our own weakness and
incapability. For, as the apostle St Paul, reminds us, “There is nothing I
cannot do in him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), and
“It is when I am weak that I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Conversation with
Christ: Oh Lord Jesus, I want to
respond to the longings of your heart. You have loved us to the point of
dying on the cross for us, and we repay you so poorly. You deserve our
grateful, loyal love, but so often we abandon you. I want to console your
Sacred Heart by helping to bring many souls back into your friendship. I want
to be part of the solution and not part of the problem; however, I do not
feel worthy or up to the task of being your apostle. Help me to cooperate
with you. Help me to soothe your longing to heal us and care for us. Here I
am Lord, to do your loving will.
Resolution: I will go before the Blessed Sacrament today,
intensifying my union and friendship with my Risen Lord, and ask him to send
more holy, priestly vocations for his Church.
By Father John
Doyle, LC
|
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, ADVENT WEEKDAY, MATTHEW
9:35--10:1, 5a, 6-8
(Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26; Psalm 147)
(Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26; Psalm 147)
KEY VERSE: "As you go, make this proclamation: `The kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (10:7).
READING: Through Jesus’ teaching and healing, he proclaimed that the kingdom of God had arrived. Jesus was moved with compassion because the people were like "sheep without a shepherd" (Mt 9:36). He asked his disciples to pray that the "master of the harvest" (v 38) would send out more laborers to care for God's people. The Divine Shepherd (Jesus) and Harvest-master (God) needed human cooperation to achieve this purpose. Jesus chose twelve men who would share his authority and mission and serve as apostles. The Greek word apostolos means "one sent forth with a message." Jesus sent his apostles forth to announce his gospel to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (10:6). The miracles that accompanied their proclamation were signs of God's reign. The gift that they received was not to be kept to themselves, but was to be freely shared with others.
REFLECTING: In what ways do I share the Lord's gospel with others?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, I pray that I will be generous in answering your call.
Optional Memorial of Nicholas, bishop
Nicholas was Bishop of Myra, Lycia (modern Turkey). He was generous to the poor, and a special protector of the innocent and wronged. Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as guardian and helper of those in need. One story tells of three young women who wished to marry, but their father was poor and they had no dowry. Hearing of their plight, Nicholas went to their house by night and threw three bags of gold through the open window, possibly saving the girls from a life of destitution. The bags of gold are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. These stories led to his patronage of children in general, and his becoming known as Santa Claus. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving in much of Europe.
Saturday 6 December 2014
St Nicholas. Isaiah
30:19-21, 23-26. Happy are all who long for the coming of the Lord—Ps
146(147):1-6. Matthew 9:35 – 10:1, 6-8.
Each Advent, we are invited
to long for the coming of the Lord.
Loving God, we thank you
for the promises you have made to our family down through the ages. Our world
yearns for peace—there are so many individuals and nations who suffer through
violence and injustice, famine and drought, so many homeless and dispossessed
people.
We believe that, in the
coming of Jesus, your promises began to come true. When he sent out the
disciples, he began a mission that continues to this day. Renew in us the
spirit of discipleship, so that, like Jesus, our hearts may go out to those who
are in need. May they recognise your coming to meet them in us. May our words
and actions help them recognise you, the gracious God of us all.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Window into Heaven
|
Oh Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, give me greater faith
that it is truly your Body and Blood that I receive. Where I lack faith,
increase my belief in your real presence. Amen. I believe in you.
December
6
St. Nicholas
(d. 350?)
St. Nicholas
(d. 350?)
The absence of the “hard facts” of history is not necessarily an
obstacle to the popularity of saints, as the devotion to St. Nicholas shows.
Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that after
the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists. And
yet, historically, we can pinpoint only the fact that Nicholas was the
fourth-century bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor.
As with
many of the saints, however, we are able to capture the relationship which
Nicholas had with God through the admiration which Christians have had for
him—an admiration expressed in the colorful stories which have been told and
retold through the centuries.
Perhaps
the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who
was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age.
Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag
of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus
enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular
legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint’s feast. In the
English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue,
Santa Claus—further expanding the example of generosity portrayed by this holy
bishop.
Comment:
The critical eye of modern history makes us take a deeper look at the legends surrounding St. Nicholas. But perhaps we can utilize the lesson taught by his legendary charity, look deeper at our approach to material goods in the Christmas season and seek ways to extend our sharing to those in real need.
The critical eye of modern history makes us take a deeper look at the legends surrounding St. Nicholas. But perhaps we can utilize the lesson taught by his legendary charity, look deeper at our approach to material goods in the Christmas season and seek ways to extend our sharing to those in real need.
Quote:
“In order to be able to consult more suitably the welfare of the faithful according to the condition of each one, a bishop should strive to become duly acquainted with their needs in the social circumstances in which they live.... He should manifest his concern for all, no matter what their age, condition, or nationality, be they natives, strangers, or foreigners” (Vatican II, Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 16).
“In order to be able to consult more suitably the welfare of the faithful according to the condition of each one, a bishop should strive to become duly acquainted with their needs in the social circumstances in which they live.... He should manifest his concern for all, no matter what their age, condition, or nationality, be they natives, strangers, or foreigners” (Vatican II, Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 16).
Patron Saint of:
Bakers
Brewers
Brides
Children
Greece
Grooms
Merchants
Pawnbrokers
Russia
Travelers
Bakers
Brewers
Brides
Children
Greece
Grooms
Merchants
Pawnbrokers
Russia
Travelers
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 9,35 - 10,1.5-8
Lectio:
Saturday, December 6, 2014
1st Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
God of mercy and compassion,
in your Son Jesus Christ
you have revealed yourself
as a God of people.
Turn our empty hearts to you,
give us eyes to see the depth of our poverty
and our inability to build a better world
with our own resources,
and then come and build it with us
through your Son and our Saviour
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God of mercy and compassion,
in your Son Jesus Christ
you have revealed yourself
as a God of people.
Turn our empty hearts to you,
give us eyes to see the depth of our poverty
and our inability to build a better world
with our own resources,
and then come and build it with us
through your Son and our Saviour
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
2) Gospel reading - Matthew 9,35 - 10,1.5-8
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.'
He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: 'Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.'
He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: 'Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today has two parts: (a) A brief summary of the apostolic activity of Jesus (Mt 9, 35-38) and (b) The beginning of the “Sermon of the Mission” (Mt 10, 1.5-8). The Gospel of today’s Liturgy omits the names of the Apostles which are found in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 10, 2-4).
• Matthew 9, 35: Summary of the apostolic activity of Jesus. “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illness”. Matthew describes in a few words the central pints of the missionary activity of Jesus: (a) to travel through all the towns and villages. Jesus does not wait for people to come to him, but he goes out to look for the people travelling himself through the towns and villages. (b) To teach in the Synagogues, that is in the communities. Jesus goes to the place where the people are gathered together around the faith in God. And it is there that He proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom, that is, the Good News of God. Jesus does not teach doctrine as if the Good News were a new catechism, but in everything he says and does, there emerges something of the great Good News which dwells within Him, that is, God, the Kingdom of God. (c) He cures all kinds of diseases and illness. That which poor people experienced most was illness, all kinds of diseases, and what distinguishes the activity of Jesus is the consolation given to the people, whom he relieves from pain.
• Matthew 9, 36: The compassion of Jesus before the situation of the people”. “And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd”. Jesus accepts persons as they are before him: sick, exhausted, tired. He behaves like the Servant of Isaiah, whose central message consists in “consoling the people” (cf. Is 40, 1). The attitude of Jesus toward the people was like the attitude of the Servant whose mission was very definite: “He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street; he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick”. (Is 42, 2-3). Like the Servant Jesus also feels sorry seeing the situation of the people who were “tired, exhausted, and dejected like sheep without a shepherd”. He begins to be a shepherd, identifying himself with the Servant who said: “The Lord has given me a tongue of a beginner, that I may know how to raise those who are discouraged” (Is 49, 4a). Like the Servant, Jesus becomes the disciple of the Father and of the people and says: “Every morning my ear is attentive so as to listen to the beginners” (Is 49, 4b). And from the contact with the Father, Jesus receives the consolation to communicate it to the poor.
• Matthew 9, 37-38: Jesus involves the disciples in the mission. Before the immensity of the missionary activity, the first thing that Jesus asks to the disciples is to pray: “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few! So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest”. Prayer is the first form of commitment of the disciples for the mission. Because if one believes in the importance of the mission that one has to carry out, everything possible is done so that it will not die with us, but rather that it continues in others through us and after us.
• Matthew 10, 1: Jesus gave the disciples the power to cure and to cast out devils. “He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness”. The second thing that Jesus asks the disciples is not that they do not begin to teach doctrine and laws, but rather that they help the people to overcome fear of the unclean spirits and to help them in the struggle against illness. Today, what frighten people most are certain missionaries who threaten them with the punishment of God and with the danger of devils. Jesus does the contrary. “If it is through the finger of God that I drive devils out, then the Kingdom of God has indeed caught you unawares”. (Lk 11, 20). It is sad to say it, but today there are some persons who need the devils in order to be able to drive them out and gain some money. It would be worthwhile for them to read what Jesus says against the Pharisees and the doctors of the Law (Mt 23).
• Matthew 10, 5-6: Go first to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Jesus sends out the Twelve with these recommendations: “Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. At the beginning, the mission of Jesus was directed to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. Who where these lost sheep of the House of Israel? Were they, perhaps, the persons who were excluded, for example, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the unclean, who were considered lost and condemned by the religious authority of the time? Were they those of the directing class, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the elders and the priests who considered themselves the faithful people of Israel? Or were they the crowds, tired and exhausted, as sheep without a shepherd? Probably, here in the context of the Gospel of Matthew, it is a question of these poor and abandoned people who are accepted by Jesus (Mt 9, 36-37). Jesus wanted the disciples to participate together with him in this mission with these persons. But in the measure in which he takes care of these persons, Jesus himself extends the horizon. In the contact with the Canaanite woman, a lost sheep of another race and another religion, who wishes to be heard, Jesus repeats to his disciples: “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Mt 15, 24). It is before the insistence of the mother who does not cease to intercede for her daughter that Jesus defends himself saying: “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs” (Mt 15, 26). But the reaction of the mother does away with the defence of Jesus: “Ah, yes, Lord, but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters’ table” (Mt 15, 27). And in fact, there were many scraps! Twelve baskets full of pieces of bread which were left over after the multiplication of the loaves for the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Mt 14, 20). The answer of the woman does away with the argument of Jesus. He takes care of the woman: Jesus listens to the woman: “Woman, you have great faith: Let your desire be granted". “And from that moment her daughter was well again” (Mt 15, 28). Through the continuous attention given to the lost sheep of Israel, Jesus discovers that in the whole world there are lost sheep who want to eat the scraps or crumbs.
• Matthew 10, 7-8: Summary of the activity of Jesus. “Go, instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge”. How can the closeness of the Kingdom be revealed? The response is simple and concrete: curing the sick, raising the dead, cleaning the lepers, driving out devils and serving gratuitously, without enriching oneself from the service given to the people. Where this takes place, the Kingdom is revealed.
• The Gospel today has two parts: (a) A brief summary of the apostolic activity of Jesus (Mt 9, 35-38) and (b) The beginning of the “Sermon of the Mission” (Mt 10, 1.5-8). The Gospel of today’s Liturgy omits the names of the Apostles which are found in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 10, 2-4).
• Matthew 9, 35: Summary of the apostolic activity of Jesus. “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illness”. Matthew describes in a few words the central pints of the missionary activity of Jesus: (a) to travel through all the towns and villages. Jesus does not wait for people to come to him, but he goes out to look for the people travelling himself through the towns and villages. (b) To teach in the Synagogues, that is in the communities. Jesus goes to the place where the people are gathered together around the faith in God. And it is there that He proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom, that is, the Good News of God. Jesus does not teach doctrine as if the Good News were a new catechism, but in everything he says and does, there emerges something of the great Good News which dwells within Him, that is, God, the Kingdom of God. (c) He cures all kinds of diseases and illness. That which poor people experienced most was illness, all kinds of diseases, and what distinguishes the activity of Jesus is the consolation given to the people, whom he relieves from pain.
• Matthew 9, 36: The compassion of Jesus before the situation of the people”. “And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd”. Jesus accepts persons as they are before him: sick, exhausted, tired. He behaves like the Servant of Isaiah, whose central message consists in “consoling the people” (cf. Is 40, 1). The attitude of Jesus toward the people was like the attitude of the Servant whose mission was very definite: “He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street; he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick”. (Is 42, 2-3). Like the Servant Jesus also feels sorry seeing the situation of the people who were “tired, exhausted, and dejected like sheep without a shepherd”. He begins to be a shepherd, identifying himself with the Servant who said: “The Lord has given me a tongue of a beginner, that I may know how to raise those who are discouraged” (Is 49, 4a). Like the Servant, Jesus becomes the disciple of the Father and of the people and says: “Every morning my ear is attentive so as to listen to the beginners” (Is 49, 4b). And from the contact with the Father, Jesus receives the consolation to communicate it to the poor.
• Matthew 9, 37-38: Jesus involves the disciples in the mission. Before the immensity of the missionary activity, the first thing that Jesus asks to the disciples is to pray: “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few! So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest”. Prayer is the first form of commitment of the disciples for the mission. Because if one believes in the importance of the mission that one has to carry out, everything possible is done so that it will not die with us, but rather that it continues in others through us and after us.
• Matthew 10, 1: Jesus gave the disciples the power to cure and to cast out devils. “He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness”. The second thing that Jesus asks the disciples is not that they do not begin to teach doctrine and laws, but rather that they help the people to overcome fear of the unclean spirits and to help them in the struggle against illness. Today, what frighten people most are certain missionaries who threaten them with the punishment of God and with the danger of devils. Jesus does the contrary. “If it is through the finger of God that I drive devils out, then the Kingdom of God has indeed caught you unawares”. (Lk 11, 20). It is sad to say it, but today there are some persons who need the devils in order to be able to drive them out and gain some money. It would be worthwhile for them to read what Jesus says against the Pharisees and the doctors of the Law (Mt 23).
• Matthew 10, 5-6: Go first to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Jesus sends out the Twelve with these recommendations: “Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. At the beginning, the mission of Jesus was directed to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. Who where these lost sheep of the House of Israel? Were they, perhaps, the persons who were excluded, for example, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the unclean, who were considered lost and condemned by the religious authority of the time? Were they those of the directing class, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the elders and the priests who considered themselves the faithful people of Israel? Or were they the crowds, tired and exhausted, as sheep without a shepherd? Probably, here in the context of the Gospel of Matthew, it is a question of these poor and abandoned people who are accepted by Jesus (Mt 9, 36-37). Jesus wanted the disciples to participate together with him in this mission with these persons. But in the measure in which he takes care of these persons, Jesus himself extends the horizon. In the contact with the Canaanite woman, a lost sheep of another race and another religion, who wishes to be heard, Jesus repeats to his disciples: “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Mt 15, 24). It is before the insistence of the mother who does not cease to intercede for her daughter that Jesus defends himself saying: “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs” (Mt 15, 26). But the reaction of the mother does away with the defence of Jesus: “Ah, yes, Lord, but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters’ table” (Mt 15, 27). And in fact, there were many scraps! Twelve baskets full of pieces of bread which were left over after the multiplication of the loaves for the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Mt 14, 20). The answer of the woman does away with the argument of Jesus. He takes care of the woman: Jesus listens to the woman: “Woman, you have great faith: Let your desire be granted". “And from that moment her daughter was well again” (Mt 15, 28). Through the continuous attention given to the lost sheep of Israel, Jesus discovers that in the whole world there are lost sheep who want to eat the scraps or crumbs.
• Matthew 10, 7-8: Summary of the activity of Jesus. “Go, instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge”. How can the closeness of the Kingdom be revealed? The response is simple and concrete: curing the sick, raising the dead, cleaning the lepers, driving out devils and serving gratuitously, without enriching oneself from the service given to the people. Where this takes place, the Kingdom is revealed.
4) Personal questions
• We all receive the same mission given by Jesus to the disciples. Are you conscious, aware of this mission? How do you live your mission?
• In your life, have you had any contact with the lost sheep, with people who are tired and exhausted? What lesson did you draw out of this?
• We all receive the same mission given by Jesus to the disciples. Are you conscious, aware of this mission? How do you live your mission?
• In your life, have you had any contact with the lost sheep, with people who are tired and exhausted? What lesson did you draw out of this?
5) Concluding prayer
The Lord heals the broken-hearted
and binds up their wounds;
he counts out the number of the stars,
and gives each one of them a name. (Sal 147,3-4)
The Lord heals the broken-hearted
and binds up their wounds;
he counts out the number of the stars,
and gives each one of them a name. (Sal 147,3-4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét