JULY 16,2015 : THURSDAY OF THE DIDTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 392

Reading 1EX 3:13-20

Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him,
“When I go to the children of Israel and say to them,
‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:
I AM sent me to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel:
The LORD, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob,
has sent me to you.

“This is my name forever;
this my title for all generations.

“Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them: 
The LORD, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
has appeared to me and said:
I am concerned about you
and about the way you are being treated in Egypt;
so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt
into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, 
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,
a land flowing with milk and honey.

“Thus they will heed your message. 
Then you and the elders of Israel
shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him:
“The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word.
Permit us, then, to go a three-days’ journey in the desert,
that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God.

“Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go
unless he is forced.
I will stretch out my hand, therefore,
and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there.
After that he will send you away.”

Responsorial PsalmPS 105:1 AND 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27

R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. 
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generationsB
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac. 
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He greatly increased his people
and made them stronger than their foes,
Whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people,
and dealt deceitfully with his servants.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He sent Moses his servant;
Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They wrought his signs among them,
and wonders in the land of Ham.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

AlleluiaMT 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 11:28-30

Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

www.usccb.org

Meditation: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me"

What does the yoke of Jesus refer to in the Gospel? The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, and the yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well. Oxen were yoked two by two. Jesus invites us to be yoked with him, to unite our life with his life, our will with his will, and our heart with his heart. To be yoked with Jesus is to be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and obedience.

Jesus carries our burdens with us
Jesus also says his "burden is light". There's a story of a man who once met a boy carrying a smaller crippled lad on his back. "That's a heavy load you are carrying there," exclaimed the man. "He ain't heavy; he's my brother!" responded the boy. No burden is too heavy when it's given in love and carried in love. When we yoke our lives with Jesus, he also carries our burdens with us and gives us his strength to follow in his way of love. Do you know the joy of resting in Jesus' presence and walking daily with him along the path he has for you?

Freed from the burden of sin and guilt
Jesus offers us a new kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. In his kingdom sins are not only forgiven but removed, and eternal life is poured out for all its citizens. This is not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one. The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life, liberates us from the burden of guilt and from the oppression of sinful habits and hurtful desires. Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a weight of glory and victory with him. The yoke which Jesus invites us to embrace is his way of love, grace, and freedom from the power of sin. Do you trust in God's love and submit to his will and plan for your life?

"Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with love for you and for your ways and help me to exchange the yoke of rebellion for the yoke of submission to your holy and loving word. Set me free from the folly of my own sinful ignorance and rebellious pride that I may wholly desire what is good and in accord with your will."

www.dailyscripture.net

THURSDAY, JULY 16, MATTHEW 11:28-30
(Exodus 3:13-20; Psalm 105)

KEY VERSE: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest" (v 28).
TO KNOW: The prophet Jeremiah told the people that they would find "rest for their souls" if they would follow the straight path to God (Jer 6:16). But the religious leaders laid a crushing weight on the people by complicating God's law with numerous legal obligations. They made no effort to lighten the load of those burdened by these regulations, and they often neglected the true purpose of the law -- justice and mercy. Jesus invited all who were weary of trying to fulfill the law to come to him. Obedience to his word would be light in comparison to the religious leader's legalistic requirements. Jesus was the embodiment of God's law of compassion and love, and he made the way to God accessible. By taking on the light yoke of obedience to his word, Jesus' followers would find rest from all that oppressed them (Is 25:4-5).
TO LOVE: How can I help carry someone's burden today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to rest in you when I face my daily struggles.

Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel  

According to the most ancient Carmelite chronicles, the Order had its origins with the disciples of the prophet Elijah who lived in a cave on Mount Carmel. In the 12th century, a rule was established and the Order began to spread to Europe. Amid the many persecutions raised against the Order of Mount Carmel, St. Simon Stock, General of the Order, turned with confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer on July 16, 1251, she appeared before him and presented him with the brown scapular, a loose sleeveless garment reaching from the shoulders to the knees. He was given the assurance of her heavenly protection from eternal death for all who died wearing it. Devotion spread quickly throughout the Christian world. At Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin chose to make her last apparition on July 16th, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. And at Fatima on October 13, 1917, it was Our Lady of Mount Carmel that appeared when she said farewell to the three children. Throughout the ages, the Queen of Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of her cherished children on earth. 

 The Carmelite Scapular is not:
* a magical charm to protect you
* an automatic guarantee of salvation
* an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life

The Carmelite Scapular is a sign:
* that has been approved by the Church for over seven centuries
* that stands for the decision to follow Jesus like Mary:
* to be open to God and to his will
* to be guided by faith, hope, and love
* to pray at all times
* to discover God present in all that happens around us

www.togetherwithgodsword

Thursday 16 July 2015

Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Exodus 3:13-20. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever—Ps 104(105):1, 5, 8-9, 24-27. Matthew 11:28-30.

Readings

‘My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

There is an old story about your burden, dear Lord. It is said that you took someone who was complaining about the weight of the cross which you had sent him into a room full of crosses and told him to select one he liked. He picked the lightest—only to find that it was the very one about which he complained.

There is a lot to reflect on in this story. Those of us who are on the last leg of a long life know that you have never sent us a cross too heavy to bear because you have always been there to help us to carry it. Thank you, Lord.

www.pray.com.au

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Wrapped in God’s Arms

Dear God, I reject the false standards of today’s culture that bombard me. Help me rise above my feelings and imperfections and embrace my God-given dignity. Wrapped in the arms of Jesus, I want to share the gift of myself freely and confidently with those around me. —Teresa Tomeo

— from Woman of Strength 

July 16
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah (northern Israel) in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726 it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

St. Teresa of Avila (October 15) called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” St. John of the Cross (December 14) credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel and helping him escape from prison. St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (October 1) believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion, she dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary.

There is a tradition (which may not be historical) that Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way.

Comment:

The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word “sister” is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.

Quote:

“The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church has approved within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the dispositions and understanding of the faithful, ensure that while the mother is honored, the Son through whom all things have their being (cf. Colossians 1:15–16) and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell (cf. Colossians 1:19) is rightly known, loved and glorified and his commandments are observed” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 66).

Patron Saint of:

Chile

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: THE B.V. MARY OF MOUNT CARMEL - JOHN 19,25-27

1. Let us recollect ourselves in prayer - Statio

Come, Holy Spirit, fill our minds with your light so that we can understand the true sense of your Word.
Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in our hearts the fire of your love to inflame our faith.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill our being with your force to strengthen what is weak in us, in our service to God.
Come, Holy Spirit, with the gift of prudence to control our enthusiasm which prevents us from loving God and our neighbour.

2. Prayerful Reading of the Word – Lectio

From the Gospel according to John 19, 25-27

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son.' Then to the disciple he said, 'This is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

3. Ponder the Word - Meditatio

3.1. To understand the Reading

- With your spirit go up to Calvary up to the Cross of Jesus and try to understand what is happening.
- From the passage that you have read, ask yourself what has struck you the most and why.
- Which are the sentiments that this brief passage has aroused in you?

3.2. Key for the Reading

Jesus holds his own destiny in His hand

We are in the middle of chapter 19 of John’s Gospel which begins with the scourging, the crowing of Jesus with a crown of thorns, the presentation of Jesus by Pilate to the crowds: “Behold the man” (Jn 19, 5), the condemnation to the death on the cross, the Way of the Cross and the crucifixion. In the account of the passion according to John, Jesus has the control in His hand of His life and of everything which is taking place around Him. And for this reason, for example, we find phrases such as: “Jesus then came out wearing the crown of thorns and a purple robe” (v. 5), or the words said to Pilate: “You would have no power over me at all if it had not been given you from above.” (v. 11).

The text presented in the daily Liturgy also shows that Jesus not only has control over everything which is happening to Him but also on what is taking place around Him. What the Evangelist describes is very important: “Jesus then, seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved, said…” (v. 26). The words of Jesus in their simplicity are words of revelation, words with which He wants to express His will: “Behold your son” (v. 26), “Behold your mother” (v. 27). These words of Jesus recall to mind the words of Pilate with which he presented the person of Jesus to the crowds: “Behold the man” (v. 5). Jesus from his throne, the Cross, with His words not only pronounces his will, but also that it is truly his love for us and which is the fruit of this love. He is the Lamb of God, the Shepherd who gives his life in order to gather all in one only flock, in the Church.

Near the Cross

In this passage we also find a very important word which is repeated twice when the Evangelist speaks about the Mother of Jesus and of the disciple whom He loved. The Evangelist says that the mother of Jesus was “near the Cross” (v. 25) and the disciple whom He loves was “standing near her” (v. 26). This important detail has a very deep Biblical significance. Only the fourth Evangelist says that the Mother of Jesus was near the cross. The other Evangelists do not specify this. Luke says that “All his friends stood at a distance; so also did the women who had accompanied Him from Galilee and saw all this happen” (Lk 23, 49). Matthew has written: “And many women were there, watching from a distance; the same women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.” (Mt 27, 55-56). Mark says that “There were also some women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary who was the mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome. They used to follow him and look after him when he was in Galilee. And many other women were there who had come up to Jerusalem with him.” (Mk 15, 40-41). Therefore, only John stresses that the Mother of Jesus was present, not following him from a distance, but was near the cross together with the other women. Standing up, like a strong woman who has continued to believe, to hope and to have trust in God, even in that most difficult moment. The Mother of Jesus is present in the important moment in which “Everything is fulfilled” (v. 30) in Jesus’ mission. Besides, the Evangelist stresses the presence of the Mother of Jesus from the beginning of his mission, in the wedding at Cana, where John uses almost the same expression: “The Mother of Jesus was there”. (Jn 2, 1).

The Woman and the Disciple

In the wedding at Cana and on the Cross, Jesus shows his glory and his Mother is present in an active way. In the wedding in Cana it is made evident, in a symbolical way, that which took place on the cross. During the feast of the wedding Jesus changed the water contained in six jars (Jn 2, 6). Number six symbolizes imperfection. The perfect number is seven. For this reason Jesus responds to his Mother: “My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2, 4). The hour in which Jesus has renewed everything, has been the hour of the cross. The Disciples asked him: “Lord, has the time come for you to restore the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1, 6). On the cross, with the water and blood, Jesus gives birth to the Church and at the same time the Church becomes His spouse. It is the beginning of the new time. Both at the wedding in Cana and at the foot of the cross, Jesus does not call his mother with her proper name, but calls her with the beautiful title of “Woman” (Jn 2, 19, 26). On the cross He is not speaking with His Mother moved only by a natural sentiment, of a son toward his mother. The title of “Woman” is an evidence that in that moment Jesus was opening his Mother’s heart to the spiritual maternity of his disciples, represented in the person of the disciple whom He loved who is always near Jesus, the Disciple who at the Last Supper reclined his head on Jesus’ chest (Jn 13, 23-26), the Disciple who understood the mystery of Jesus and always remains faithful to his Master up to the time of His crucifixion, and later on was the first disciple to believe that Christ is risen in seeing the empty tomb and the linen cloths on the ground (Jn 20, 4-8), while Mary of Magdala believed that they had taken away the body of Jesus (Jn 20, 2). Then, Jesus’ beloved Disciple is the one who believes and remains faithful to His Master in all the trials of his life. The Disciple whom Jesus loved has no name, because he represents you and me, and all those who are his true disciples. The woman becomes the mother of the Disciple. The woman is never called by the Evangelist by her proper name, she is not only the Mother of Jesus, but she is also the Church. John, the Evangelist likes to call the Church “woman” or “lady”. This title is found in the Second Letter of John (2 Jn 1, 5) and in the Apocalypses: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth”. (Apoc 12, 1-2). Therefore, the woman is the image of the Mother Church which is in labour to generate new sons for God.
The Mother of Jesus is the perfect image of the Church, spouse of Christ who is in labour to generate new children for her spouse Jesus.

The Disciples takes the woman to his house

If Jesus has left in the hands of the Woman (His Mother and the Church) his Disciples represented in the person of the beloved Disciple, in the same way, He has left in the hands of his disciples, the Woman (His Mother and the Church). The Evangelist says that Jesus had just seen the Disciple whom he loved next to His Mother he told him: “Behold your mother!” (v. 27).

The Evangelist continues: “And from that hour the Disciple took her into his home.” (v. 27). That means that the Disciple took the woman as a very dear and valuable person. This, again reminds us all that John says in his letter when he calls himself the Elder who loves the Lady in truth (2 Jn 1) who prays for her (2 Jn, 5) so that he takes care of her and defends her against the Antichrist, that is all those who do not know Christ and seek to trouble the children of the Church, the Disciples of Jesus (2 Jn 7, 10).

The words of verse 27 “And from that hour he took her into his home”, reminds us what we also find in the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew. The Evangelist opens his account telling about the vision of the angel which Joseph, the spouse of Mary, had in his dream. In this vision the angel tells Joseph: “”Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit”. (Mt 1, 20). Matthew begins his Gospel with entrusting Mary and Jesus to Joseph, while John concludes his account with Jesus entrusting His Mother and the Church in the hands of his beloved Disciple!

3.3. Questions to orientate the meditation and the putting it into practice.

- What has struck you most in this passage and in the reflection?
- On the Cross Jesus has given us everything: His life and His Mother. And you, are you ready to sacrifice something for the Lord? Are you capable to renounce your possessions, your likes, desires, etc., to serve God and to help your neighbour?
- “From that hour the disciple took her to his home”. Do you believe that the families today continue to follow the example of the disciple whom Jesus loved? What meaning do these words have for your Christian life?

4. Oratio

Canticle of the Blessed Virgin: Luke 1, 46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant.
Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.
He has used the power of his arm,
he has routed the arrogant of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones
and raised high the lowly.
He has filled the starving with good things,
sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant,
mindful of his faithful love
-according to the promise he made to our ancestors --
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

5. Contemplatio

Let us adore together the goodness of God who has given us Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as our Mother, and let us repeat in silence:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
world without end. Amen

www.ocarm.org