Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 371
Lectionary: 371
The LORD said to
Abram:
“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.
“I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.”
Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him.
Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Abram took his wife, Sarai, his brother’s son Lot,
all the possessions that they had accumulated,
and the persons they had acquired in Haran,
and they set out for the land of Canaan.
When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land
as far as the sacred place at Shechem,
by the terebinth of Moreh.
(The Canaanites were then in the land.)
The LORD appeared to Abram and said,
“To your descendants I will give this land.”
So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel,
pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east.
He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name.
Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.
“I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.”
Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him.
Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Abram took his wife, Sarai, his brother’s son Lot,
all the possessions that they had accumulated,
and the persons they had acquired in Haran,
and they set out for the land of Canaan.
When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land
as far as the sacred place at Shechem,
by the terebinth of Moreh.
(The Canaanites were then in the land.)
The LORD appeared to Abram and said,
“To your descendants I will give this land.”
So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel,
pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east.
He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name.
Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
Responsorial PsalmPS 33:12-13, 18-19, 20 AND 22
R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be
his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
AlleluiaHEB 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 7:1-5
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
Meditation: "First take the log out of your
own eye"
How do you wish to be judged by others? Everybody is a critic,
but who wants to be judged negatively? Judgmentalism is rampant, even among
Christians. So how can we avoid this poisonous sin and not be contaminated by
the world's view of who is good and who is bad? "Thinking the best of
other people" is necessary if we wish to grow in love. And kindliness in
judgment is nothing less that a sacred duty. The Rabbis warned people: "He
who judges his neighbor favorably will be judged favorably by God."
Who can judge rightly?
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually "off the mark" because we can't see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don't have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people. It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.
Why did Jesus calls his critics hypocrites? Listen to Augustine
of Hippo's (354-430 A.D) explanation of this passage:
"The word hypocrite is aptly employed here, since the
denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of
goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators,
masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray
another's character through the mask. The word hypocrites in fact signifies
pretenders. Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of
pretenders who under the pretense of seeking advice undertake the censure of
all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice.
"Rather, whenever necessity compels one to reprove or
rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution. First
of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have
never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never
had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But
if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in
order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and
admonition. In this way, whether the admonition occasions the amendment or the
worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot
be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if
on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are
about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us
bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a similar concern, without
asking him to submit to our correction." (excerpt from SERMON ON
THE MOUNT 2.19.64)
Merciful healing and removal of sin
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner. The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves. Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.
Do you trust in God's mercy and grace? And do you submit to his
truth about what is right and wrong, good and evil, helpful and harmful for
your welfare and the welfare of your neighbor as well? Ask the Lord to purify
your heart with his loving-kindness and mercy that you may have ample room for
charity and forbearance towards your neighbor.
"O Father, give us the humility which realizes its
ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts
rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather
than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at
their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for thy name's sake. (Prayer
of William Barclay, 20th century)
MONDAY, JUNE 22, MATTHEW 7:1-5
Weekday
(Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33)
Weekday
(Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged" (v 1).
TO KNOW: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples that God would judge them in the same way that they judged others. He was not telling them to determine whether an act was right or wrong. They had God's law to help them to decide. Nor was he saying that they should approve the wrongdoing of others. What he did address was their hypocritical and judgmental attitude toward the faults of others while refusing to acknowledge their own defects. Jesus used the analogy of trying to remove a tiny splinter from someone's eye, while ignoring the huge plank lodged in their own. With the help of divine light, they would clearly see their own failings and not be looking to condemn the same or worse fault in someone else. St. John Chrysostom explained: "Jesus was not saying we cannot prevent a sinner from sinning; we have to correct him, indeed, though not as the enemy seeking revenge but, rather, as a doctor applying the cure."
TO LOVE: How harshly do I judge? How lavishly do I love?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to repair someone's reputation that I may have damaged.
Optional Memorial of Paulinus of Nola, bishop
Paulinus of Nola was a friend of Saint Augustine, and was mentioned for his holiness by at least six of his contemporary saints. A distinguished lawyer, he held several public offices in the Empire, then retired from public work with his wife, Therasia, first to Bordeaux, where they were baptized, and then to Therasia's estate in Spain. After the death of their only son at the age of only a few weeks, the couple decided to spend the rest of their lives devoted to God. They moved to Nola, gave away most of their estates and dedicated themselves to increasing their holiness and helping the poor. Paulinus was chosen bishop of Nola by popular demand, and governed the diocese for more than 21 years while living in his own home as a monk. His writings contain one of the earliest examples of a Christian wedding song.
Optional Memorial of John Fisher, bishop and
martyr
John Fisher studied theology at Cambridge University and gained a reputation for his teaching abilities and became Chancellor of Cambridge. He was made Bishop of Rochester at age 35, and worked to raise the standard of preaching. When in 1527 he was asked to study the problem of Henry VIII's marriage, he became the target of Henry's wrath by defending the validity of the marriage and rejecting Henry's claim to be head of the Church in England. John Fisher spent 14 months in prison without trial before execution for treason. He was martyred in 1535 on Tower Hill, London, England; buried in the churchyard of All Hallows, without rites or a shroud. His head was exhibited on London Bridge for two weeks as an example, then thrown into the River Thames. He was canonized in 1935 by Pope Pius XI.
Optional Memorial of Thomas More, martyr
Thomas
More studied at London and Oxford. A lawyer, he was twice married, father of
one son and three daughters, and a devoted family man. A friend of King Henry
VIII, Thomas was made Lord Chancellor of England, a position of power second
only to the king. He opposed the king on the matter of royal divorce, and
refused to swear the Oath of Supremacy which declared the king the head of the
Church in England. He resigned the Chancellorship, and was imprisoned in the
Tower of London. He was beheaded in 1535 for his refusal to bend his religious
beliefs to the king's political needs. Thomas More's head was kept in the Roper
Vault, Saint Dunstan's church, Canterbury, England, and his body at Saint Peter
ad Vincula, Tower of London, England. He was canonized in 1935 by Pope Pius XI.
Monday 22 June 2015
MON 22ND.
Genesis 12:1-9. Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own—Ps 32(33):12-13, 18-20, 22. Matthew 7:1-5.
Genesis 12:1-9. Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own—Ps 32(33):12-13, 18-20, 22. Matthew 7:1-5.
Bear the burden of another’s failings; then you will
be fulfilling the law of Christ.
Jesus
condemns those who judge, for in making judgements we cut ourselves off from
God and God’s love and block the channel of God’s peace. When we can accept
ourselves as we are, knowing that is how God loves us, we see that we are
walking on the road of the pilgrim church, sharing with all, picking up the
stragglers or being picked up, camping on the road, stopping with one who is
overcome by grief.
This is
a journey of love and empathy, with Jesus and his mother leading us in love and
peace. And when we come to the end, may we be pleasing in his eyes and our
journey be fruitful in his love.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Mud On Our Shoes
|
Again and again Pope Francis reminds us that we’re to go out to
meet people where they are, not wait for them to come to church. And we can’t
wait at the top while people struggle on the way up. We need to join them on
the journey. We need to bring Christ to them on the way.
June
22
St. Thomas More
(1478-1535)
St. Thomas More
(1478-1535)
His belief that no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of
Christ cost Thomas More his life.
Beheaded
on Tower Hill, London, on July 6, 1535, he steadfastly refused to approve Henry
VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England.
Described
as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent lawyer,
gentleman, father of four children and chancellor of England. An intensely
spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon
in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head
of the Church in England, breaking with Rome and denying the pope as head.
More was
committed to the Tower of London to await trial for treason: not swearing to
the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. Upon conviction, More declared
he had all the councils of Christendom and not just the council of one realm to
support him in the decision of his conscience.
Story:
When the executioner offered to blindfold him, More said that he
would do this himself. But after he had stretched his head over the low
block—it was merely a log of wood—he made a signal to the man to wait a moment.
Then he made his last joke: His beard was lying on the block and he would like
to remove it. At least that had committed no treason. The heavy axe went slowly
up, hung a moment in the air and fell.
Comment:
Four hundred years later in 1935, Thomas More was canonized a saint of God. Few saints are more relevant to our time. In the year 2000 in fact, Saint John Paul II named him patron of political leaders. The supreme diplomat and counselor, he did not compromise his own moral values in order to please the king, knowing that true allegiance to authority is not blind acceptance of everything that authority wants. King Henry himself realized this and tried desperately to win his chancellor to his side because he knew More was a man whose approval counted, a man whose personal integrity no one questioned. But when Thomas resigned as chancellor, unable to approve the two matters that meant most to Henry, the king had to get rid of Thomas More.
Four hundred years later in 1935, Thomas More was canonized a saint of God. Few saints are more relevant to our time. In the year 2000 in fact, Saint John Paul II named him patron of political leaders. The supreme diplomat and counselor, he did not compromise his own moral values in order to please the king, knowing that true allegiance to authority is not blind acceptance of everything that authority wants. King Henry himself realized this and tried desperately to win his chancellor to his side because he knew More was a man whose approval counted, a man whose personal integrity no one questioned. But when Thomas resigned as chancellor, unable to approve the two matters that meant most to Henry, the king had to get rid of Thomas More.
Patron Saint of:
Attorneys
Civil servants
Court clerks
Lawyers
Politicians, public servants
Attorneys
Civil servants
Court clerks
Lawyers
Politicians, public servants
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 7,1-5
Lectio:
Monday, June 22, 2015
Ordinary Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
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.
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
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 - MATTHEW 7,1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not judge, and you will not be
judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and
the standard you use will be the standard used for you. Why do you observe the
splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the great log in your own? And
how dare you say to your brother, "Let me take that splinter out of your
eye," when, look, there is a great log in your own? Hypocrite! Take the
log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the
splinter out of your brother's eye.'
3)
REFLECTION
• In today’s Gospel we continue to meditate on the Sermon on the
Mountain found in chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel of Matthew. During the 10th and
11th week we have seen chapters 5 and 6. Beginning today, we will see chapter
7. These three chapters, 5, 6, and 7 offer an idea of how the catechesis was
done in the communities of the converted Jews in the second half of the first
century in Galilee and in Syria. Matthew unites and organizes the words of
Jesus to teach how the new way of living the Law of God should be.
• After having explained how to re-establish justice (Mt 5, 17 a
6, 18) and how to restore the order of creation (Mt 6, 19-34), Jesus teaches
how the life in community should be (Mt 7, 1-12). At the end he presents some
recommendations and final advice (Mt 7, 13-27). Then follows an outline of the
entire Sermon on the Mountain:
Matthew 5, 1-12: The Beatitudes: solemn openness of the New Law.
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and light of the world.
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice: relationship with the ancient law. Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of the works of piety: alms giving.
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer.
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting.
Matthew 6, 19-21: The new relationship to material goods: do not store up.
Matthew 6, 22-23: The new relationship to material goods: a correct vision.
Matthew 6, 24: The new relationship to material goods: God or money.
Matthew 6, 25-34: The new relationship to material goods: trust in Providence
Matthew 7, 1-5: The new community life together: do not judge.
Matthew 7, 6: The new community life together: do not despise the community
Matthew 7, 7-11: The new community life: trust in God produces sharing
Matthew 7, 12: The new community life together: the Golden Rule
Matthew 7, 13-14: Final recommendations to choose the sure way.
Matthew 7, 15-20: Final recommendations, the prophet is known by his fruits.
Matthew 7, 21-23: Final recommendations not only speak but also practice.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Final recommendations, construct the house on rock
Matthew 5, 13-16: The new presence in the world: Salt of the earth and light of the world.
Matthew 5, 17-19: The new practice of justice: relationship with the ancient law. Matthew 5, 20-48: The new practice of justice: observing the new law.
Matthew 6, 1-4: The new practice of the works of piety: alms giving.
Matthew 6, 5-15: The new practice of the works of piety: prayer.
Matthew 6, 16-18: The new practice of the works of piety: fasting.
Matthew 6, 19-21: The new relationship to material goods: do not store up.
Matthew 6, 22-23: The new relationship to material goods: a correct vision.
Matthew 6, 24: The new relationship to material goods: God or money.
Matthew 6, 25-34: The new relationship to material goods: trust in Providence
Matthew 7, 1-5: The new community life together: do not judge.
Matthew 7, 6: The new community life together: do not despise the community
Matthew 7, 7-11: The new community life: trust in God produces sharing
Matthew 7, 12: The new community life together: the Golden Rule
Matthew 7, 13-14: Final recommendations to choose the sure way.
Matthew 7, 15-20: Final recommendations, the prophet is known by his fruits.
Matthew 7, 21-23: Final recommendations not only speak but also practice.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Final recommendations, construct the house on rock
The community lived experience of the Gospel (Mt 7, 1-12) is the
touchstone. It is where the seriousness of the commitment is defined. The new
proposal of life in community embraces diverse aspects: do not observe the
sprinter in your brother’s eye (Mt 7, 1-5), do not throw your pearls in front
of pigs (Mt 7,6), do not be afraid to ask God for things (Mt 7,7-11). These
advices reach their summit in the Golden Rule: Always treat others as you would
like them to treat you (Mt 7, 12). The Gospel of today presents the first part:
Matthew 7, 1-5.
• Matthew 7, 1-2: Do not judge and you will not be judged. The
first condition for a good life together in community is not to judge the
brother or the sister, that is, to eliminate the preconceptions which prevent a
transparent community life. What does this mean concretely? John’s Gospel gives
an example of how Jesus lived in community with the disciples. Jesus says: “I
shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s
business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I
have learnt from my Father” (Jn 15, 15). Jesus is an open book for his
companions. This transparency comes from his total trust in the brothers and
sisters and has its origin in his intimacy with the Father who gives him the
force of opening himself up totally to others. Anyone who lives in this way
with his brothers and sisters accepts others as they are, without any
preconceptions, without previously imposing any conditions, without judging.
Mutual acceptance without any pretension and with total transparency! This is
the ideal of the new community life, which has come from the Good News which
Jesus has brought to us: God is Father and Mother and, therefore, we are all
brothers and sisters. It is a difficult ideal but a very beautiful and
attractive as the other one: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
• Matthew 7. 3-5: You observe the splinter in your brother’s eye
and never notice the great log in your own. Immediately Jesus gives an example:
Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye, and never notice the
great log in your own? And how dare you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that
splinter out of your eye, when look, there is a great log in your own?
Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see
clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye”. When hearing
this phrase we usually think of the Pharisees who despised the people,
considering them ignorant and they considered themselves better than others
(cf. Jn 7, 49; 9, 34). In reality, the phrase of Jesus serves for all of us.
For example, today many of us Catholics are less faithful to the Gospel than
the non-Catholics. We observe the splinter in the eye of our brothers and we do
not see the big log of collective powerful pride in our own eyes. This log
causes many persons today to have much difficulty to believe in the Good News
of Jesus.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Do not judge others and eliminate all preconceptions: which is
my personal experience on this point?
• Splinter and log: which is the log in me which makes it
difficult for me to participate in the life of the family and in community?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Your kindnesses to me are countless, Yahweh;
true to your judgements,
give me life. (Ps 119,156)
true to your judgements,
give me life. (Ps 119,156)
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