Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Lectionary: 241
Lectionary: 241
Thus says the LORD:
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”–
Because of me you bear fruit!
Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”–
Because of me you bear fruit!
Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
Responsorial PsalmPS 81:6C-8A, 8BC-9, 10-11AB, 14 AND 17
R. (see 11 and 9a) I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
An unfamiliar speech I hear:
“I relieved his shoulder of the burden;
his hands were freed from the basket.
In distress you called, and I rescued you.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“Unseen, I answered you in thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, my people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, will you not hear me?”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
I would feed them with the best of wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would fill them.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
An unfamiliar speech I hear:
“I relieved his shoulder of the burden;
his hands were freed from the basket.
In distress you called, and I rescued you.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“Unseen, I answered you in thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, my people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, will you not hear me?”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
I would feed them with the best of wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would fill them.”
R. I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
Verse Before The GospelMT 4:17
Repent, says the
Lord;
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
GospelMK 12:28-34
One of the scribes
came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Friday
(March 13): "You
are not far from the kingdom of God"
Meditation: What is the best and sure way to peace,
happiness, and abundant life? The prophet Hosea addressed this question with
his religious community - the people of Israel. Hosea's people lived in a time
of economic anxiety and fear among the nations. They were tempted to put their
security in their own possessions and in their political alliances with other
nations rather than in God. Hosea called his people to return to God to receive
pardon, healing, and restoration. He reminded them that God would "heal their
faithlessness and love them freely" (Hosea 14:4). God's ways are right and
his wisdom brings strength and blessing to those who obey him.
How does love and obedience to God's law go
together? The Pharisees prided themselves in the knowledge of the law and their
ritual requirements. They made it a life-time practice to study the six hundred
and thirteen precepts of the Old Testament along with the numerous rabbinic
commentaries. They tested Jesus to see if he correctly understood the law as
they did. Jesus startled them with his profound simplicity and mastery of the
law of God and its purpose.
What does God require of us? Simply that we love
as he loves! God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. God
loved us first and our love for him is a response to his exceeding grace and
kindness towards us. The love of God comes first and the love of neighbor is
firmly grounded in the love of God. The more we know of God's love and truth
the more we love what he loves and reject what is hateful and contrary to his
will.
What makes our love for God and his commands
grow in us? Faith in God and hope in his promises strengthen us in the love of
God. They are essential for a good relationship with God, for being united with
him. The more we know of God the more we love him and the more we love him the
greater we believe and hope in his promises. The Lord, through the gift of the
Holy Spirit, gives us a new freedom to love as he loves (Galatians 5:13). Do
you allow anything to keep you from the love of God and the joy of serving
others with a generous heart? Paul the Apostle says: hope does not
disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Romans 5:5). Do you know the
love which conquers all?
"We love you, O our God; and we desire to
love you more and more. Grant to us that we may love you as much as we desire,
and as much as we ought. O dearest friend, who has so loved and saved us, the
thought of whom is so sweet and always growing sweeter, come with Christ and
dwell in our hearts; that you keep a watch over our lips, our steps, our deeds,
and we shall not need to be anxious either for our souls or our bodies. Give us
love, sweetest of all gifts, which knows no enemy. Give us in our hearts pure
love, born of your love to us, that we may love others as you love us. O most
loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom flows all love, let our hearts, frozen
in sin, cold to you and cold to others, be warmed by this divine fire. So help
and bless us in your Son." (Prayer of Anselm, 12th century)
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Discussions With Lawyers |
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March 13, 2015. Friday of the Third Week of Lent
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Mark 12:28-34 One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “the first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is one and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions. Introductory Prayer: Lord, as I prepare during this Lent to celebrate the great mystery of your resurrection, I come before you in prayer so that you can form me and direct me. I long for the sinfulness of my life to be burned away so that I can glorify you with a pure and contrite heart. You know my sinfulness. You know my pride and sensuality. I offer you my prayer today as a small token of my love. My hope is that from the little I am able to love, you will teach me to love with a magnanimous heart. I want to be part of your Kingdom. I do not want to be on the fringes but to plunge myself into the depths of your love. Petition: Lord, teach me to love you with my whole heart, soul and mind and with all my strength. 1. The Proper Hierarchy of Laws: The question concerning the first of the commandments was debated much by the scribes and Pharisees. There is a human desire to know what is first and what is second: to be able to put things in order. We are often attracted to the promise made by this or that guru about the one secret that will make us happy, healthy, or successful in business. So, our natural curiosity is attracted to know what the first commandment is, what we must do above all. We want to say, “Just tell me plain and simple what I must do, and I will do it.” Here Jesus lays out, plain and simple, how we must live our lives: loving God with everything we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Does his command resonate in my heart and actions? 2. Love Goes Beyond Formalism: The scribe comments that these laws are greater than any burnt offering or sacrifice. A sacrifice or burnt offering without love is empty. It is love for God and neighbor that gives all of our sacrifices, trials and good works their value. Love is at the heart of our perfection, and when we are keeping this greatest of the laws – to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – then all of the lesser things in life will fall into place. Does my life give evidence to this hierarchy of values? If not, what specifically do I need to do to bring about the proper order? 3. Longing for the Experience of God’s Love: Jesus congratulates the scribe for his understanding and tells him that he is not far from the Kingdom of God. It gives us occasion to ask ourselves, “How far am I from the Kingdom of God?” This scribe’s knowledge was not merely book knowledge, for it is not in simply knowing a certain number of truths that we obtain the Kingdom of God. Rather it was an intimate knowledge of love – knowing in a practical way how to give one’s heart, soul, mind and strength to God. Is drawing closer to the Kingdom of God my biggest priority? What do I need to do to get or stay on track? Have I humbly, confidently and fervently asked Our Lord for the grace to help me? Do I ponder on and recognize every day God’s loving presence and providence in my life? Do I realize and thank God for his love? Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to keep in mind your commandment of love and to live it with all my strength. I do not want to live my faith with a mere intellectual knowledge of your commandments; I want to live it with a deep intimate knowledge that bears fruits of true holiness. Resolution: Before beginning each activity of the day I will stop and ask myself how I can live it with love. |
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, Mark 12:28-34
Lenten Weekday; Day of Abstinence
(Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 81)
Lenten Weekday; Day of Abstinence
(Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 81)
KEY VERSE: "There is no other commandment greater than these" (v 31).
TO KNOW: The scribes were the learned interpreters of the Law of Moses. They expanded the Law into 613 greater and lesser rules and regulations. One scribe recognized Jesus' skill as a teacher, and asked him which one of the Mosaic Laws was the greatest. Jesus recognized the scribe's sincere search for truth, and summed up the entire Law with two basic decrees that he saw as inseparable. They were the laws upon which all the other commandments were based: to love God with one's entire being, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. The scribe declared that the love of God and love of neighbor was worth more than any religious acts that one could perform. Because the scribe understood this principle, he moved a step closer to God's reign.
TO LOVE: Lord God, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
TO SERVE: Is my love of God demonstrated by the way I love my neighbor? Do I have a healthy self-love?
Friday 13 March 2015
Day of Penance.
Hosea 14:2-10. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice—Ps 80(81):6, 8-11, 14, 17. Mark 12:28-34.
Hosea 14:2-10. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice—Ps 80(81):6, 8-11, 14, 17. Mark 12:28-34.
‘If only my people would
listen to me!’
How many times does God
call us to listen? Listening is a thread in the psalm and the gospel today. The
scribe had listened to the debate and felt Jesus had given a good answer, but
may have been surprised, when in answer to his question, Jesus names two
commandments and links them together as one.
He explains that love for
God cannot be separated from love for one another. He teaches us that we show
our love for God in our practical love for our neighbour. How many times in our
day does our God plead with us? Can we stop, set aside our busyness and hear
those loving words from today’s psalm: ‘You have only to listen, my people,
while I give you warning.’
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Unending Love
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God is love. And we move towards the light to find the love of
God. But is God’s love within us, even in the dark moments? Is the love of God
there, hidden away? Yes, always! The love of God never leaves us. It is always
with us.
March
13
St. Leander of Seville
(c. 550-600)
St. Leander of Seville
(c. 550-600)
The next time you recite the Nicene Creed at Mass, think of
today’s saint. For it was Leander of Seville who, as bishop, introduced the
practice in the sixth century. He saw it as a way to help reinforce the faith
of his people and as an antidote against the heresy of Arianism, which denied
the divinity of Christ. By the end of his life, Leander had helped Christianity
flourish in Spain at a time of political and religious upheaval.
Leander’s
own family was heavily influenced by Arianism, but he himself grew up to be a
fervent Christian. He entered a monastery as a young man and spent three years
in prayer and study. At the end of that tranquil period he was made a bishop.
For the rest of his life he worked strenuously to fight against heresy. The
death of the anti-Christian king in 586 helped Leander’s cause. He and the new
king worked hand in hand to restore orthodoxy and a renewed sense of morality.
Leander succeeded in persuading many Arian bishops to change their loyalties.
Leander
died around 600. In Spain he is honored as a Doctor of the Church.
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 12,28B-34
Lectio:
Friday, March 13, 2015
Lent Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
God, we do not want to die;
we want to live.
We want to be happy
but without paying the price.
We belong to our times,
when sacrifice and suffering are out of fashion.
God, make life worth the pain to be lived,
Give us back the age-old realization
that life means to be born
again and again in pain,
that it may become again
a journey of hope to you,
together with Christ Jesus our Lord.
we want to live.
We want to be happy
but without paying the price.
We belong to our times,
when sacrifice and suffering are out of fashion.
God, make life worth the pain to be lived,
Give us back the age-old realization
that life means to be born
again and again in pain,
that it may become again
a journey of hope to you,
together with Christ Jesus our Lord.
2)
GOSPEL READING - MARK 12, 28-34
One of the scribes who had listened to them debating appreciated
that Jesus had given a good answer and put a further question to him, 'Which is
the first of all the commandments?'
Jesus replied, 'This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our
God is the one, only Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The
second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no
commandment greater than these.'
The scribe said to him, 'Well spoken, Master; what you have said
is true, that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself,
this is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.'
Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, 'You are not far
from the kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared to question him any more.
3)
REFLECTION
• In today’s Gospel (Mk 12, 28b-34), the Scribes and the Doctors
of the Law want to know from Jesus which is the greatest commandment of all.
Even today, many people want to know what is more important in religion. Some
say that it is to be baptized. Others say that it is to go to Mass and to
participate in the Sunday Mass. Others still say: to love our neighbour and to
struggle for a more just world! Others are concerned only of the appearances
and of the tasks in the Church.
• Mark 12, 28: The question of the Doctor of the Law. Some time
before the question of the Scribe, the discussion was with the Sadducees
concerning faith in the resurrection (Mk 12, 23-27). The doctor who had
participated in the debate, was pleased with Jesus’ answer, he perceived in it
his great intelligence and wishes to profit of this occasion to ask a question
to clarify something: “Which is the greatest commandment of all?” At that time;
the Jews had an enormous amount of norms to regulate the observance of the Ten
Commandments of the Law of God. Some said: “All these norms have the same
value, because they all come from God. It is not up to us to introduce any
distinction in the things of God”. Others said: “Some laws are more important
than others, and for this reason, they oblige more!” The Doctor wants to know
what Jesus thinks.
• Mark 12, 29-31: The response of Jesus. Jesus responds quoting
a passage from the Bible to say that the greatest among the commandments is “to
love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with
all our strength!” (Dt 6, 4-5). At the time of Jesus, the pious Jews recited
this phrase three times a day: in the morning, at noon and in the evening. It
was so well known among them just as the Our Father is among us. And Jesus
adds, quoting the Bible again: “The second one is: You shall love your
neighbour as yourself” (Lec 19, 18). There is no other greater commandment than
these two”. A brief but very profound response! It is the summary of everything
that Jesus teaches on God and his life (Mt 7, 12).
• Mark 12, 32-33: The response of the Doctor of the Law. The
doctor agrees with Jesus and concludes: “Well said, to love your neighbour as
yourself, this is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice”.
That is, the commandment of love is more important than the commandments which
concern the worship and sacrifices of the Temple. The Prophets of the Old
Testament already had affirmed this (Ho 6, 6; Ps 40, 6-8; Ps 51, 16-17). Today
we would say that the practice of love is more important than novenas,
promises, sermons and processions.
• Mark 12, 34: The summary of the Kingdom. Jesus confirms the
conclusion of the Doctor and says: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God!”.
In fact, the Kingdom of God consists in the union of two loves: love toward God
and love toward neighbour. Because if God is Father/Mother, we are all brothers
and sisters, and we should show this in practice, living in community. “On
these two commandments, depend all the law and the prophets!” (Mt 22, 40). We,
disciples, should keep this law in our mind, in our intelligence, in our heart,
in our hands and feet, which is the first one, because one cannot reach God
without giving oneself totally to one’s neighbour!.
• Jesus had said to the Doctor of the law: “You are not far from
the Kingdom of God!”(Mk 12, 34). The Doctor was already close, but in order to
be able to enter into the Kingdom he had to still go a step forward. In the Old
Testament the criterion of the love toward neighbour was: “Love the neighbour
as yourself”. In the New Testament Jesus extends the sense of love: “This is my
commandment: love one another as I have loved you! (Jn 15, 12-23). Then the
criterion will be “Love the neighbour as Jesus has loved us”. This is the sure
path to be able to live together in a more just and fraternal way.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Which is the most important thing in religion for you?
• Today, are we closer or farther away from the Kingdom of God
than the Doctor who was praised by Jesus? What do you think?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Among the gods there is none to compare with you,
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
you, God, and none other. (Ps 86,8.10)
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
you, God, and none other. (Ps 86,8.10)
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