Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 464
Lectionary: 464
You have defied me
in word, says the LORD,
yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
You have said, “It is vain to serve God,
and what do we profit by keeping his command,
And going about in penitential dress
in awe of the LORD of hosts?
Rather must we call the proud blessed;
for indeed evildoers prosper,
and even tempt God with impunity.”
Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,
and the LORD listened attentively;
And a record book was written before him
of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name.
And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,
my own special possession, on the day I take action.
And I will have compassion on them,
as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
Then you will again see the distinction
between the just and the wicked;
Between the one who serves God,
and the one who does not serve him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
You have said, “It is vain to serve God,
and what do we profit by keeping his command,
And going about in penitential dress
in awe of the LORD of hosts?
Rather must we call the proud blessed;
for indeed evildoers prosper,
and even tempt God with impunity.”
Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,
and the LORD listened attentively;
And a record book was written before him
of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name.
And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,
my own special possession, on the day I take action.
And I will have compassion on them,
as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
Then you will again see the distinction
between the just and the wicked;
Between the one who serves God,
and the one who does not serve him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (Ps 40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
AlleluiaSEE ACTS 16:14B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 11:5-13
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
Meditation: "How much more will the heavenly Father
give!"
What can we expect from God, especially when we recognize that
he doesn't owe us anything and that we don't deserve his grace and favor? Jesus
used the illustration of a late-night traveler to teach his listeners an
important lesson about how God treats us in contrast to the kind of treatment we
might expect from good neighbors. The rule of hospitality in biblical times
required the cooperation of the entire community in entertaining an unexpected
or late-night guest. Whether the guest was hungry or not, a meal would be
served. In a small village it would be easy to know who had baked bread that
day. Bread was essential for a meal because it served as a utensil for dipping
and eating from the common dishes. Asking for bread from one's neighbor was
both a common occurrence and an expected favor. To refuse to give bread would
bring shame because it was a sign of in-hospitality.
If a neighbor can be imposed upon and coerced into giving bread
in the middle of the night, how much more hospitable is God, who, no matter
what the circumstances, is generous and ready to give us what we need.
Augustine of Hippo reminds us that "God, who does not sleep and who
awakens us from sleep that we may ask, gives much more graciously."
In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much
more will the heavenly Father give! The Lord is ever ready to give us
not only what we need, but more than we can expect. He gives freely of his Holy
Spirit that we may share in his life and joy. Do you approach your heavenly
Father with confidence in his mercy and kindness?
"Heavenly Father, you are merciful, gracious and kind. May
I never doubt your love nor hesitate to seek you with confidence in order to
obtain the gifts, graces, and daily provision I need to live as your disciple
and child."
HURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, LUKE
11:5-13
(Malachi 3:13-20b; Psalm 1)
(Malachi 3:13-20b; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (v 9).
TO KNOW: After Jesus taught his followers the prayer that we call the "Lord's Prayer," he told them a parable on persevering in prayer. This parable sheds light upon Jesus' petition "Give us each day our daily bread" (Lk 11:3). In the story, a man came at night to ask his neighbor for bread to feed a friend who had just arrived. Although the neighbor's family was asleep, he gave in to the request because of the man's persistence. Jesus asked, if a friend was moved to give favors, how much more would the heavenly Father grant whatever his children needed? Would human parents give something harmful to their children when they asked for something to eat? If human beings with all their sinfulness are good to their children, how much greater is God's generosity? Luke changed Matthew's "good gifts" (Mt 7:11) to the "best" gift that the heavenly Father can give ̶ the "holy Spirit" (Lk11:13).
TO LOVE: Do I believe that God is a good "Father" who will give what is best for me?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to ask, seek and knock on the door of your heart whenever I become discouraged.
Thursday 8 October 2015
THU
8TH. Malachi 3:13-20. Happy are they who hope in the Lord—Ps 1. Luke
11:5-13.
‘Knock
and the door will be opened…’
The story
in Luke’s reading today is known as ‘The Importunate Friend’. It illustrates
the value of perseverance in prayer, of having faith that God will listen and
provide. ‘Ask and it will be given to you…’ Just as a father will always
provide for his children so ‘how much more will the Heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him?’ We see the generosity and good faith of the
man making the request for three loaves. He sees the need of his visitor and
the necessity to provide for him. He also encourages his friend’s generosity to
assist him. It is through him that the Holy Spirit works to satisfy the
material needs of his visitor and the spiritual needs of his friend. As we
respond to the Holy Spirit calling on our personal gifts, God’s actions are
fulfilled and prayer is answered.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Spiritual Nutrition
|
Just as God, in his loving providence, nourishes and sustains our
bodies with food, so does he nourish and sustain our souls in the sacraments,
the spiritual nutrition that animates, heals, and strengthens us during our
sojourn in this earthly life. Receiving the sacraments often will help you live
out the faith and keep you on the road to heaven.
October
8
St. John Leonardi
(1541?-1609)
St. John Leonardi
(1541?-1609)
"I am only one person! Why should I do anything? What good
would it do?" Today, as in any age, people seem plagued with the dilemma
of getting involved. In his own way John Leonardi answered these questions. He
chose to become a priest.
After his
ordination, he became very active in the works of the ministry, especially in
hospitals and prisons. The example and dedication of his work attracted several
young laymen who began to assist him. They later became priests themselves.
John
lived after the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent (1545-63). He
and his followers projected a new congregation of diocesan priests. For some
reason the plan, which was ultimately approved, provoked great political
opposition. John was exiled from his home town of Lucca, Italy, for almost
the entire remainder of his life. He received encouragement and help from St.
Philip Neri, who gave him his lodgings—along with the care of his cat!
In
1579, John formed the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and published a
compendium of Christian doctrine that remained in use until the 19th century.
Father
Leonardi and his priests became a great power for good in Italy, and their
congregation was confirmed by Pope Clement in 1595. He died at the age of 68
from a disease caught when tending those stricken by the plague.
By the
deliberate policy of the founder, the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God have
never had more than 15 churches and today form only a very small congregation.
Comment:
What can one person do? If you ever glanced through a Christopher Notespamphlet you know—plenty! In the life of each saint one thing stands clear: God and one person are a majority! What one individual, following God's will and plan for his or her life, can do is more than our mind could ever hope for or imagine. Each of us, like John Leonardi, has a mission to fulfill in God's plan for the world. Each one of us is unique and has been given talent to use for the service of our brothers and sisters for the building up of God's kingdom.
What can one person do? If you ever glanced through a Christopher Notespamphlet you know—plenty! In the life of each saint one thing stands clear: God and one person are a majority! What one individual, following God's will and plan for his or her life, can do is more than our mind could ever hope for or imagine. Each of us, like John Leonardi, has a mission to fulfill in God's plan for the world. Each one of us is unique and has been given talent to use for the service of our brothers and sisters for the building up of God's kingdom.
Quote:
"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy" (Luke 12:32-33).
"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy" (Luke 12:32-33).
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 11,5-13
Lectio:
Thursday, October 8, 2015
1) Opening prayer
Father,
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
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.
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
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 - Luke 11,5-13
Jesus said to his disciples, 'Suppose one of you has a friend
and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, "My friend, lend me
three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my
house and I have nothing to offer him;" and the man answers from inside
the house, "Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children are
with me in bed; I cannot get up to give it to you." I tell you, if the man
does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make
him get up and give his friend all he wants.
'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'
'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'
3) Reflection
● The Gospel today continues to speak about the theme of prayer,
which began with the teaching of the Our Father (Lk 11, 1-4). Today Jesus
teaches that we should pray with faith and insistence, without giving up. For
this he uses a provocative parable.
● Luke 11, 5-7: the parable that provokes. As always when Jesus has an important thing to teach, he has recourse to a comparison, to a parable. Today, he tells us a strange story which ends with a question, and he addresses the question to the people who listened to him and also to us who today read or listen to the story."Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say: ‘My friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him; and the man answers from inside the house: ‘Do not bother me. The door is bolted now and my children are with me in bed: I cannot get up to give it to you".Before Jesus himself gives the answer, he wants our opinion. What would you answer: yes or no?
● Luke 11, 8: Jesus responds to the provocation. Jesus gives his response: "I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants". If it were not Jesus, would you have had the courage to invent a story in which it is suggested that God expects our prayers to see himself free from blows. The response of Jesus strengthens the message on prayer, that is: God always expects our prayer. This parable reminds us of another one, also found in Luke's Gospel, the parable of the widow who insists to obtain her rights before the judge who respects neither God nor justice and who pays attention to the widow only because he wants to free himself from the insistence of the woman (Lk 18, 3-5). Then Jesus draws the conclusion to apply the message of the parable to life.
● Luke 11, 9-10: the first application of the Parable. "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds, everyone who knocks will have the door opened". To ask, to search, to knock at the door. If you ask, you will receive. If you search, you will find, if you knock the door will be opened for you. Jesus does not say how much time the request should last, knock at the door, search, but the result is certain.
● Luke 11, 11-12: the second application of the parable. "What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?" This second application makes us see the type of public listening to the words of Jesus and also his way of teaching under the form of dialogue. He asks: "You who are a father, when your son asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake?" The people answer: "No!" "And if he asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?" -"No!" Through dialogue, Jesus involves the people in the comparison and, from the responses he receives from them, the commitment with the message of the parable.
● Luke 11, 13: The message: to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."If you then evil as you are , know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!". The greatest gift that God has for us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we were created, he breathed his spirit into our nose and we became living beings (Gen 2, 7). In the second creation through Faith in Jesus, he gives us the Holy Spirit again, the same Spirit who made the Word become incarnate in Mary (Lk 1, 35). With the help of the Holy Spirit, the process of the Incarnation of the Word continues up to the hour of his death on the Cross. At the end, at the hour of death, Jesus commits the spirit to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" (Lk 23, 46). Jesus promises us this Spirit as the source of truth and of understanding (Jn 14, 14-17; 16, 13), and a help in the persecutions (Mt 10, 20; Ac 4, 31). This Spirit cannot be bought with money at the Supermarket. The only way of obtaining it is through prayer. After nine days of prayer the abundant gift of the Spirit is obtained on the day of Pentecost (Ac 1, 14; 2, 1-4).
● Luke 11, 5-7: the parable that provokes. As always when Jesus has an important thing to teach, he has recourse to a comparison, to a parable. Today, he tells us a strange story which ends with a question, and he addresses the question to the people who listened to him and also to us who today read or listen to the story."Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say: ‘My friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him; and the man answers from inside the house: ‘Do not bother me. The door is bolted now and my children are with me in bed: I cannot get up to give it to you".Before Jesus himself gives the answer, he wants our opinion. What would you answer: yes or no?
● Luke 11, 8: Jesus responds to the provocation. Jesus gives his response: "I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants". If it were not Jesus, would you have had the courage to invent a story in which it is suggested that God expects our prayers to see himself free from blows. The response of Jesus strengthens the message on prayer, that is: God always expects our prayer. This parable reminds us of another one, also found in Luke's Gospel, the parable of the widow who insists to obtain her rights before the judge who respects neither God nor justice and who pays attention to the widow only because he wants to free himself from the insistence of the woman (Lk 18, 3-5). Then Jesus draws the conclusion to apply the message of the parable to life.
● Luke 11, 9-10: the first application of the Parable. "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds, everyone who knocks will have the door opened". To ask, to search, to knock at the door. If you ask, you will receive. If you search, you will find, if you knock the door will be opened for you. Jesus does not say how much time the request should last, knock at the door, search, but the result is certain.
● Luke 11, 11-12: the second application of the parable. "What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?" This second application makes us see the type of public listening to the words of Jesus and also his way of teaching under the form of dialogue. He asks: "You who are a father, when your son asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake?" The people answer: "No!" "And if he asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?" -"No!" Through dialogue, Jesus involves the people in the comparison and, from the responses he receives from them, the commitment with the message of the parable.
● Luke 11, 13: The message: to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."If you then evil as you are , know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!". The greatest gift that God has for us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we were created, he breathed his spirit into our nose and we became living beings (Gen 2, 7). In the second creation through Faith in Jesus, he gives us the Holy Spirit again, the same Spirit who made the Word become incarnate in Mary (Lk 1, 35). With the help of the Holy Spirit, the process of the Incarnation of the Word continues up to the hour of his death on the Cross. At the end, at the hour of death, Jesus commits the spirit to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" (Lk 23, 46). Jesus promises us this Spirit as the source of truth and of understanding (Jn 14, 14-17; 16, 13), and a help in the persecutions (Mt 10, 20; Ac 4, 31). This Spirit cannot be bought with money at the Supermarket. The only way of obtaining it is through prayer. After nine days of prayer the abundant gift of the Spirit is obtained on the day of Pentecost (Ac 1, 14; 2, 1-4).
4) Personal questions
● How do I respond to the provocation of the parable? A person
who lives in a small apartment in a large city, how will she answer? Would she
open the door?
● When you pray, do you pray convinced that you will obtain what you ask for?
● When you pray, do you pray convinced that you will obtain what you ask for?
5) Concluding prayer
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
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