Friday
of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 315
Lectionary: 315
Brothers
and sisters:
Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry
as he is mediator of a better covenant,
enacted on better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless,
no place would have been sought for a second one.
But he finds fault with them and says:
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of
Israel and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the day I took them by the hand to lead
them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they did not stand by my covenant
and I ignored them, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
and I will write them upon their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying,
“Know the Lord,”
for all shall know me, from least to greatest.
For I will forgive their evildoing
and remember their sins no more.
When he speaks of a “new” covenant,
he declares the first one obsolete.
And what has become obsolete
and has grown old is close to disappearing.
Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry
as he is mediator of a better covenant,
enacted on better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless,
no place would have been sought for a second one.
But he finds fault with them and says:
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of
Israel and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the day I took them by the hand to lead
them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they did not stand by my covenant
and I ignored them, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
and I will write them upon their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying,
“Know the Lord,”
for all shall know me, from least to greatest.
For I will forgive their evildoing
and remember their sins no more.
When he speaks of a “new” covenant,
he declares the first one obsolete.
And what has become obsolete
and has grown old is close to disappearing.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 85:8 AND 10, 11-12,
13-14
R.
(11a) Kindness and truth shall meet.
Show us, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
Show us, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. Kindness and truth shall meet.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 3:13-19
Jesus
went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Meditation: "Jesus
appointed twelve to be with him"
What is God's call
on your life? When Jesus embarked on his mission he chose twelve men for the
task of preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick in the power of that
kingdom. In the choice of the twelve, we see a characteristic feature of God's work:
Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, who had no
wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary
things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted
ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He
chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of
becoming under his direction and power.When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not shrug back because we think that we have little or nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you make your life an offering to the Lord and allow him to use you as he sees fit?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with gratitude and generosity for all you have done for me. Take my life and all that I have as an offering of love for you, who are my All."
 Christ Chooses Me |
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January
23, 2015. Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
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Mark
3:13-19
He
went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.
He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out
demons: (he appointed the Twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of
Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is,
sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son
of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed
him.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I
believe that through baptism you have invited me to share in your friendship.
I trust in your Church, Lord. You have given us this institution as the guide
to help us in our salvation. I love you, Lord, because you have loved me
first. I love you, Lord, for calling me to be your friend and apostle. I may
be a mere sinner, but with you, Lord, I believe that I can do great
things.
Petition: Lord, help me to collaborate in your
work of salvation.
1.
Christ Summoned Those Whom He Wanted: Christ has chosen to need our
assistance. He wants our help with the great work of the New Evangelization.
As great and powerful as Christ is, he has willed that man collaborate with
him in his plan of salvation. He wants to involve others in helping people to
come to know, love and serve him. He makes use of man’s free and responsible
collaboration in order to carry out his plans. Therefore, even though man is
a creature of very limited possibilities, he can achieve truly unimaginable
things when he lives and works for God.
2.
He Calls Me by Name: Christ
does not haphazardly choose me to collaborate with him in the New
Evangelization. He knows me. He knows me better than I know myself, and out
of love he invites me to be with him. When he calls me by name, he reaches
into the depths of my heart and soul. He delves into the depths of who I am,
and he identifies with me. When he calls me by name, he calls me out of love;
“he calls me to share in his own divine life” (Lumen Gentium, 2). He calls me
by name because he knows how great the gift is that he wishes to share with
me.
3.
He Gives Me a Mission: “He
sent them to preach and to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14-15). Christ doesn’t
call me just to enjoy the present life. He has created me for a purpose. He
has given me a specific vocation that only I can fulfill. I am irreplaceable;
there will never be another me. The opportunity that I have to share in this
friendship with Our Lord is an invitation to do something with him and for
him. Christ’s love for me invites and beckons me to collaborate with him. Who
can resist an invitation to collaborate with someone so great, and with an
offer so challenging and yet so fulfilling?
Conversation
with Christ: Lord,
you have wished for me to enter your friendship. You have called me by name
to be your friend. You have invited me to help you in the New Evangelization.
I want to help you and do my part. Give me the strength to be close to you
and to collaborate with you in this great undertaking.
Resolution: I will bring up the faith in a
conversation with someone.
By
Father Robert DeCesare, LC
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, MARK
3:13-19
(Hebrews 8:6-13; Psalm 85)
(Hebrews 8:6-13; Psalm 85)
KEY VERSE: "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach" (v 14).
TO KNOW: In Scripture, the mountain was a special place of God's revelation (Ex 19:3; 1 Kgs 19:8-12; Mk 9:2). Jesus went up the mountain to summon those with whom he would share his ministry. His co-workers would be "sent forth" (the meaning of the word "apostle") to preach with the power and authority of Jesus' name. These men were eye-witnesses to the life, death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 4:33). In the first covenant, there were twelve tribes that formed the foundation for the people of God (Gn 49). In the new covenant, there would be twelve apostles who would be signs of the newly restored twelve tribes of Israel. Peter was always first in the list. He was the foundation "rock" (Greek, Petros) upon which the Church would be built (Mt 16:18).
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, thank you for calling me to your service.
TO SERVE: How have I been asked to serve the Lord?
Optional Memorial of Vincent, deacon and
martyr
Vincent is the earliest Spanish martyr whose name is known to us. He was a deacon who was apprehended during a persecution by the governor of Spain, Dacian. It is said that when he was brought to trial along with his bishop Valerius, and, since he had a speech impediment, Vincent spoke for both. His fearless manner so angered the governor that Vincent was tortured and killed, though his aged bishop was only exiled. Vincent was submitted to the fiercest of tortures. His flesh was torn by iron hooks; he was placed on a red hot gridiron and roasted; he was thrown into a dungeon strewn with broken pottery—yet he still survived. At last his friends were allowed to visit him. They prepared a bed for him, and as they laid him on it he died.
Optional Memorial of Marianne Cope, virgin
Marianne
Cope was born on January 23, 1838, in Darmstadt, Germany. In 1862, she entered
the Sisters of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York, after having postponed her
entrance nine years in order to fulfill family obligations. She was
instrumental in the founding of several schools and hospitals for immigrants.
In 1883, she led a group of sisters to the Hawaiian Islands to care for the
poor, especially those suffering from leprosy. In 1888 she went to Kalaupapa,
Moloka‘i, where she set up a home for girls with leprosy. After the death of
Saint Damien de Veuster, she also took over the home he built for boys. She
died on August 9, 1918.
Friday 23 January 2015
Day of penance.
Hebrews 8:6-13. Kindness and truth shall meet—Ps 84(85):8, 10-14. Mark 3:13-19.
Hebrews 8:6-13. Kindness and truth shall meet—Ps 84(85):8, 10-14. Mark 3:13-19.
Jesus summoned those he
wanted and so they came to him.
Jesus believed in ordinary
people. He appealed to their strengths and enabled them to grow into who they
could be. They were drawn, not driven, to follow, and given freedom to choose.
Until Jesus called the Twelve, they had been living under a Law of rules, but
Jesus spoke to their hearts. Indeed, where else would they go, for he had the
words of eternal life?
By our baptism, we too are
chosen, and this means we have a responsibility to his vision, which demands
motivation, dedication and service of others. We may not be perfect, and may
have doubts, but Jesus can write the law of love on our hearts. We may not be
able to do everything, but we can do something.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Sanctifying Grace
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The more I am filled with grace, the more merit my prayers,
virtuous actions, and sufferings will have when I offer them to God. The more
grace I am infused with, the higher the wattage on the lamp of my soul. This is
because grace is what makes us more like God, more united to Him.
January
23
St. Marianne Cope
(1838-1918)
St. Marianne Cope
(1838-1918)
Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that
disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother
Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of
its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her
lifetime (1898).
Mother
Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005,
beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and
love” to the world, said Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the
Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the
beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work
of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy,
he said, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan,
she became their mother.”
On
January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of
Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later
the Cope family emigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York.
Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the
Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After
profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption
parish school.
Marianne
held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress
of her congregation. A natural leader, three different times she was superior
of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, where she learned much that would be
useful during her years in Hawaii.
Elected
provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two
years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the
Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50
religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the
request was put to the Syracuse sisters, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On
October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where
they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the
island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.
In 1888,
Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected
women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send
women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother
Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that St. Damien de
Veuster [May 10, d. 1889] had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne
changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride and fun to the
colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her
approach.
Awarded
the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a
poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully.
Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work
on Molokai.
Mother
Marianne died on August 9, 1918 and was beatified in 2005 and canonized seven
years later.
Comment:
The government authorities were reluctant to allow Mother Marianne to be a mother on Molokai. Thirty years of dedication proved their fears unfounded. God grants gifts regardless of human short-sightedness and allows those gifts to flower for the sake of the kingdom.
The government authorities were reluctant to allow Mother Marianne to be a mother on Molokai. Thirty years of dedication proved their fears unfounded. God grants gifts regardless of human short-sightedness and allows those gifts to flower for the sake of the kingdom.
Quote:
Soon after Mother Marianne died, Mrs. John F. Bowler wrote in the Honolulu Advertiser, “Seldom has the opportunity come to a woman to devote every hour of 30 years to the mothering of people isolated by law from the rest of the world. She risked her own life in all that time, faced everything with unflinching courage and smiled sweetly through it all.”
Soon after Mother Marianne died, Mrs. John F. Bowler wrote in the Honolulu Advertiser, “Seldom has the opportunity come to a woman to devote every hour of 30 years to the mothering of people isolated by law from the rest of the world. She risked her own life in all that time, faced everything with unflinching courage and smiled sweetly through it all.”
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 3,13-19
Lectio:
Friday, January 23, 2015
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty God,
ruler of all things in heaven and on earth,
listen favourably to the prayer of your people,
and grant us your peace in our day.
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.
Almighty God,
ruler of all things in heaven and on earth,
listen favourably to the prayer of your people,
and grant us your peace in our day.
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 - Mark 3,13-19
Jesus went up onto the mountain and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve, Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or 'Sons of Thunder'; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today describes the acceptance and mission of the twelve apostles. Jesus begins with two disciples to whom he adds other two (Mk 1, 16-20). Gradually, the number increased. Luke tells us that he called the 72 disciples so as to go on mission with him (Lk 10, 1).
• Mark 3, 13-15: The call for a two-fold mission. Jesus calls whom he wants and they go with him, they follow him. Then, “He appointed Twelve, to be his companions and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils”. Jesus calls them for a double purpose, for a two-fold mission: (a) To be with Him, that is, to form the community of which He, Jesus, is the centre. (b) To pray and to have power to drive out devils, that is, to announce the Good News and to fight against the power of evil that ruins the life of people and alienates persons. Mark says that Jesus went up to the mountain and while he was there, he called the disciples. The call means climbing up. In the Bible to climb up the mountain recalls the mountain that Moses climbed and had the encounter with God (Ex 24, 12). Luke says that Jesus went up to the mountain, prayed all night and, the following day, he called the disciples. He prayed to God so as to know whom to choose (Lk 6, 12-13). After having called them, Jesus makes the election official and creates a more stable group of twelve persons in order to give more consistency to the mission; and also to signify the continuity of God’s project. The twelve Apostles of the New Testament are the successors of the twelve Tribes of Israel.
• Thus, the first community of the New Testament comes into being, is born, a model community, which gradually grows around Jesus during the three years of his public activity. At the beginning they are only four (Mk 1, 16-20). Shortly afterwards the community increases in the measure in which the mission is developing, extending in the towns and villages of Galilee. There is a time in which they do not even have the time to eat or to rest (Mk 3, 2). This is why Jesus was concerned about giving the disciples some rest (Mk 6, 31) and to increase the number of missionaries (Lk 10, 1). In this way, Jesus tries to maintain the two-fold objective of the call: to be with Him and to go on mission. The community which is formed in this way around Jesus has three characteristics which belong to his nature: it is a forming, missionary community, and is inserted among the poor of Galilee.
• Mark 3, 16-19: The list of names of the twelve apostles. Immediately after, Mark gives the names of the twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name of Peter; James and John the sons of Zebedee, to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him. The majority of these names come from the Old Testament. For example, Simon is the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gn 29, 33). James is the same as Jacob (Gn 25, 26). Judas is the name of the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Matthew also bore the name of Levi (Mk 2, 14), who was the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Of the twelve Apostles, seven have a name that comes from the time of the Patriarchs. Two have the name of Simon; two are called James; Two Judas; one Levi. There is only one who has a Greek name: Philip. It would be like in a family where all have names of ancient times and only one has a modern name. This reveals the desire that people have to remake history, from the beginning! It is worth while to think about the names which we give our children today. Like them, each one of us is called by God by our name.
Jesus went up onto the mountain and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve, Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or 'Sons of Thunder'; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today describes the acceptance and mission of the twelve apostles. Jesus begins with two disciples to whom he adds other two (Mk 1, 16-20). Gradually, the number increased. Luke tells us that he called the 72 disciples so as to go on mission with him (Lk 10, 1).
• Mark 3, 13-15: The call for a two-fold mission. Jesus calls whom he wants and they go with him, they follow him. Then, “He appointed Twelve, to be his companions and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils”. Jesus calls them for a double purpose, for a two-fold mission: (a) To be with Him, that is, to form the community of which He, Jesus, is the centre. (b) To pray and to have power to drive out devils, that is, to announce the Good News and to fight against the power of evil that ruins the life of people and alienates persons. Mark says that Jesus went up to the mountain and while he was there, he called the disciples. The call means climbing up. In the Bible to climb up the mountain recalls the mountain that Moses climbed and had the encounter with God (Ex 24, 12). Luke says that Jesus went up to the mountain, prayed all night and, the following day, he called the disciples. He prayed to God so as to know whom to choose (Lk 6, 12-13). After having called them, Jesus makes the election official and creates a more stable group of twelve persons in order to give more consistency to the mission; and also to signify the continuity of God’s project. The twelve Apostles of the New Testament are the successors of the twelve Tribes of Israel.
• Thus, the first community of the New Testament comes into being, is born, a model community, which gradually grows around Jesus during the three years of his public activity. At the beginning they are only four (Mk 1, 16-20). Shortly afterwards the community increases in the measure in which the mission is developing, extending in the towns and villages of Galilee. There is a time in which they do not even have the time to eat or to rest (Mk 3, 2). This is why Jesus was concerned about giving the disciples some rest (Mk 6, 31) and to increase the number of missionaries (Lk 10, 1). In this way, Jesus tries to maintain the two-fold objective of the call: to be with Him and to go on mission. The community which is formed in this way around Jesus has three characteristics which belong to his nature: it is a forming, missionary community, and is inserted among the poor of Galilee.
• Mark 3, 16-19: The list of names of the twelve apostles. Immediately after, Mark gives the names of the twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name of Peter; James and John the sons of Zebedee, to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him. The majority of these names come from the Old Testament. For example, Simon is the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gn 29, 33). James is the same as Jacob (Gn 25, 26). Judas is the name of the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Matthew also bore the name of Levi (Mk 2, 14), who was the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Of the twelve Apostles, seven have a name that comes from the time of the Patriarchs. Two have the name of Simon; two are called James; Two Judas; one Levi. There is only one who has a Greek name: Philip. It would be like in a family where all have names of ancient times and only one has a modern name. This reveals the desire that people have to remake history, from the beginning! It is worth while to think about the names which we give our children today. Like them, each one of us is called by God by our name.
4) Personal questions
• To be with Jesus and to go on Mission is the two-fold purpose of the Christian community. How do you assume this commitment in the community to which you belong?
• Jesus called the twelve disciples by their name. You, I, we, all of us exist because God calls us by our name. Think about this!
• To be with Jesus and to go on Mission is the two-fold purpose of the Christian community. How do you assume this commitment in the community to which you belong?
• Jesus called the twelve disciples by their name. You, I, we, all of us exist because God calls us by our name. Think about this!
5) Concluding prayer
Show us, Lord, your faithful love,
grant us your saving help.
His saving help is near for those who fear him,
his glory will dwell in our land. (Ps 85,7.9)
Show us, Lord, your faithful love,
grant us your saving help.
His saving help is near for those who fear him,
his glory will dwell in our land. (Ps 85,7.9)
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