Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 364
Lectionary: 364
Brothers and
sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
And all this is from God,
who has reconciled us to himself through Christ
and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting their trespasses against them
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
And all this is from God,
who has reconciled us to himself through Christ
and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting their trespasses against them
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
So we are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Responsorial PsalmPS 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Alleluia PS 119:36A, 29B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees,
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees,
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 5:33-37
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”
Meditation: Let what you say be simply Yes or No
How forceful are honest words! (Job 6:25) Jesus addressed the issue of
honesty and truthfulness in one's conduct and speech. What does it mean to be
true to one's word? To be true to oneself and to others requires character.
Unfortunately many people today miserably fail here. No wonder we don’t trust
many in positions of leadership and influence. God is the source of all truth
and there is nothing false or deceitful in him. His word is truth and his law
is truth. His truth liberates us from illusion, deceit, and hypocrisy.
Jesus told his disciples that the truth will make you free (John
8:32).
Why is it so hard to be true and to speak the truth? Truth
demands commitment - that we live our lives according to it and be faithful
witnesses of the truth. Jesus teaches his disciples the unconditional love of
truth. He speaks against bearing false witness and all forms of untruthfulness
and swearing unnecessary oaths to God. A disciple's word should be capable of
being trusted without verbal rituals to give it validity. Christ's disciple
must speak truthfully without "stretching" the truth by adding to it
or by compromising the truth by speaking untruth or by leaving out what is
necessary to convey what is truthful.
Thomas Aquinas said: People could not live with one
another if there were not mutual confidence that they were being truthful to
one another... (In justice) as a matter of honor, one person owes it to another
to manifest the truth. Are you true to God, to yourself, and to
others? And do you allow God's word of truth to penetrate your mind and heart
and to form your conscience?
"Set a watch, Lord, upon my tongue, that I may never speak
the cruel word which is not true; or being true, is not the whole truth; or
being wholly true, is merciless; for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord."
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, LUKE 2:41-51
Weekday
(2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Psalm 103)
Weekday
(2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Psalm 103)
KEY VERSE: "His mother meanwhile kept all these things in her heart" (v 51).
TO READ: The angel Gabriel told Mary that she was to conceive and bear the Son of God. Mary's "blessedness" as the Mother of God came from her willingness to submit to God's will. Throughout her life she was continually challenged by her son who was "a sign of contradiction" (Lk 2:34). When Jesus' gifts of teaching and healing were revealed, many opposed him and finally killed him. As Mary stood at the foot of the cross, did she remember the angel's promise that her son's "kingdom would last forever"? Did she recall the words of Simeon that "a sword" would pierce her heart? Though Mary's life was full of perplexities, she never lost faith in God or her son. Full of grace and full of sorrow, Mary's answer to God was the same as her son’s response -- always "Yes."
TO REFLECT: Am I able to say "Yes" to God as Mary did?
TO RESPOND: Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for the healing of our broken hearts.
Optional Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of
the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues, and, above all, her love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all people.The fact that her heart is immaculate, that is sinless, means that she is the only fully human person who is able to really love God in the way that he should be loved. Traditionally, her heart is depicted pierced with seven wounds or swords, in homage to the seven sorrows of Mary: 1. The prophecy of Simeon that a sword shall pierce her heart (Luke II: 34-35); 2. The flight into Egypt; 3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple; 4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross; 5. The Crucifixion; 6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross; 7. The burial of Jesus. Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is for St. Louis de Montfort the perfect manner of renewing one's baptismal promises. His spirituality has been espoused by millions, especially Pope John Paul II, who consecrated not only himself but every place he has visited when he was Pope.
Optional Memorial of Anthony of Padua, priest
and doctor of the Church
Anthony's wealthy family wanted him to be a great nobleman, but for the sake of Christ he became a poor Franciscan priest. When the remains of St. Bernard and his companions, the first Franciscan martyrs, were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was moved to leave his order, enter the Friars Minor, and go to Morocco to evangelize. He was shipwrecked at Sicily, and he joined some other brothers who were going to Portiuncula. Anthony lived in a cave at San Paolo leaving only to attend Mass and sweep the nearby monastery. One day when a scheduled speaker failed to appear, the brothers pressed him into speaking. Anthony impressed them so much that he was thereafter constantly traveling, evangelizing, preaching, and teaching theology throughout Italy and France. One of the most beloved of saints, his images and statues are found everywhere. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946.
Saturday 13 June 2015
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
ST ANTHONY OF PADUA. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. The Lord is kind and merciful—Ps
102(103):1-4, 4-8, 11-12. Matthew 5:33-37.
The love of God overwhelms
us.
There is a theme of
forgiveness and reconciliation in today’s readings. Paul reminds us that we
have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation and he asks us to
practise this in our everyday lives.
The psalm is one of my
favourites, and it is worth reading all the verses. How can we not be
overwhelmed by a God who casts our faults ‘as far as east is from west’?
Jesus was clear and open in
his teaching. He called his disciples—and calls us too—to be authentic, to say yes
if we mean yes and no if we mean no. Let us look into our hearts today and seek
opportunities to forgive those who have hurt us rather than wait for them to
say sorry. May we be inspired by our amazing God who loves us despite our
failings.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
On Bended Knee
|
Christ willingly suffered death in order that he might take hold
of the keys to death and life. Now every knee will bow to his name, which in
the power of the Spirit is exalted above every other name. And every tongue
will profess—with the Holy Spirit—that Jesus Christ is Lord.
June
13
St. Anthony of Padua
(1195-1231)
St. Anthony of Padua
(1195-1231)
The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule
of Anthony’s life. Over and over again God called him to something new in his
plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to
serve his Lord Jesus more completely.
His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later, when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.
So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.
The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.
Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ's divinity and of the sacraments..
After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, he made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began wrtiting sermon notes to help other preachers.
His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later, when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.
So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.
The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.
Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ's divinity and of the sacraments..
After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, he made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began wrtiting sermon notes to help other preachers.
Comment:
Anthony should be the patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints, he is a perfect example of turning one's life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as God pleased—and what God pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God.
Anthony should be the patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints, he is a perfect example of turning one's life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as God pleased—and what God pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God.
Quote:
In his sermon notes, Anthony writes: "The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."
In his sermon notes, Anthony writes: "The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."
Patron Saint of:
Lost items
Poor
Travelers
Lost items
Poor
Travelers
DIVINA LECTIO:
SACRED HEART OF MARY
Lectio:
Saturday, June 13, 2015
1.
OPENING PRAYER
O God, who has prepared a worthy dwelling place of the Holy
Spirit in the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her intercession grant
that we, your faithful, to be a living temple of your glory. We ask this,
through Christ our Lord ...
2.
READING
Luke 2:41-51
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
3.
MEDITATION
* "Every year the feast of Passover." These words help us to better define the
spiritual context in which the passage takes place and thus become, for us, the
gateway to enter the mystery of his encounter with the Lord and His work of
grace and mercy on us.
Together with Mary and Joseph, with Jesus, we too can live the
gift of a new Passover, a "crossing" an excess, a spiritual movement
that takes us "beyond". The passage is clear and strong, according to
intuit what the Virgin Mary in this experience with his Son Jesus. Is the step from
the street to the heart of the dispersion to interiority, from anguish to
peace.
All that remains is to make our journey that we go down the
street and join the feast, the feast of pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem
for the celebration of Passover.
* "Their way" This is only the first of a series of verbs of motion, which
follow one another along the verses of this passage. Maybe it can help record
an 'attention, "they went", "return to the path",
"group" (from the Latin cum-ire, "walking together");
"journey"; "back"; "went down with them ""
arrive ".
In parallel with this great physical movement, there is also a
deep spiritual movement characterized by the verb "look", expressed
also over, "they began to look for" "returned in search of
him," "looking for you anxiously";" why you sought
me? ".
This tells us that the journey, the true path that the Lord's
word calls us, not a physical journey, but spiritual search is a journey of
Jesus, of His Presence in our lives. And 'this is the direction in which we
move, together with Mary and Joseph.
* "They began to look for him" here we can identify the core of the
text, its fundamental message, it is important that we open ourselves to a
deeper understanding of this reality. Also because Luke uses two different
verbs to express the "search", the first toanazitéo vv.
44 and 45, indicating an accurate, repeated, careful, as some of those who
browse, from bottom to top and second tozite vv. 48 and 49, which
indicates the search for something that is lost and you want to find. Jesus is
the object of all this movement and deep inner being, is the object of desire,
the longing of the heart ...
* "Distressed" It 'great to see how Mary opens her heart to Jesus,
telling him everything she saw, what she felt within herself. She is not afraid
to tell the truth to his Son, to tell him the feelings and experiences that
they felt in deep. But what is this anguish, this pain that you saw in Mary and
Joseph in search of Jesus, who went missing?
* "Kept all these sayings in her heart" Maria does not understand the words of
Jesus, the mystery of his life and his mission and for this silent, accepts,
makes space, keep in the heart. This is the true path of growth in faith and
relationship with the Lord.
Once again, Luke gives us a very beautiful and meaningful word,
a compound of the verb "keep" - dia - Tiree, which means literally
"keeping through". That is the spiritual operation that Mary carry
within herself and that give us as a precious gift, a legacy for our good
relationship with the Lord, so that it can take us into a journey deep,
deep, that does not stop at the surface, or half, which is not coming back, but
it goes deep down. Mary takes us by the hand and guides us through all our
heart, all her feelings, her experiences. And there, in the secrecy of
ourselves, in our hearts, we can learn to find the Lord Jesus, that perhaps we
had lost.
4.
SOME QUESTIONS
* The Word of the Lord, in its simplicity, is also very clear,
very direct. An invitation to leave, to take part in the feast of Passover, is
also directed to me. Do I decide to get up and get moving, to face the stretch
of the road that Lord puts in front of me? And again, do I agree to join the
feast of those who have decided in their hearts on pilgrimage?
* do I feel like my experience of seeking the Lord? Or it does
not seem important? Do I miss it? do I think I can do myself? In my life, do I
ever realize that in my life be lost to the Lord? Have left him or forgotten.
* Anxiety, spoken of Mary, has ever been my journey of
companion, sad presence of the day, or longer in my life? Maybe, thanks to this
passage, I discover that, the anxiety is caused by the absence of the Lord, the
loss of God, does this passage helps me, gives me a light, a key for my life?
* The path of the heart, which Mary traces so clearly before me
now, do I seem to be viable? Do I want to engage in this challenge, with
myself, with my surroundings, perhaps even with those who live closest to me? I
am willing to choose to get a little 'deeper, to learn how to "keep
through", to go deep, with all my being? For me, the Lord and the
relationship with him are so important, so involved? And He is the precious
friend, the dearest Presence to which I want to open wide my heart? ...
5.
CLOSING PRAYER
and as she worshiped the LORD, she said:
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.
There is no Holy One like the LORD;
there in no Rock like our God.
"Speak boastfully no longer,
nor let arrogance issue from your mouths.
For an all-knowing God is the LORD,
a God who judges deeds.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.
He raises the needy from the dust;
from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.
He gives to the vower his vow,
and blesses the sleep of the just.
"For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,
and he has set the world upon them.
1 Samuel 2, 1-8
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.
There is no Holy One like the LORD;
there in no Rock like our God.
"Speak boastfully no longer,
nor let arrogance issue from your mouths.
For an all-knowing God is the LORD,
a God who judges deeds.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.
He raises the needy from the dust;
from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.
He gives to the vower his vow,
and blesses the sleep of the just.
"For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,
and he has set the world upon them.
1 Samuel 2, 1-8
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