JANUARY 07, 2016 : THURSDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Thursday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 215

Reading 11 JN 4:19–5:4

Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

Responsorial PsalmPS 72:1-2, 14 AND 15BC, 17

R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

AlleluiaLK 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 4:14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

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Meditation: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me"

What can bring us true freedom and joy? In Jesus we see the healing power of God's love and mercy in action. Wherever Jesus went, people gathered to hear him speak about the kingdom of heaven and God's promise to bring freedom and healing to those who put their trust in God. His gracious words brought hope, joy, and favor to those who were ready to receive him. 

Jesus began his public ministry in his own land of Galilee where he was reared. His proclamation of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah brought wonder to the people. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those oppressed by sin and evil (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus awakened their hope in the promises of God. They, in turn, received his words favorably and wondered what would become of "Joseph's son". Their hearts were hungry for the word of life and they looked to Jesus with anticipation and wonder. Do you look to Jesus with confidence and hope in the fulfillment of all God's promises?

The word "gospel" literally means "good news". Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those who suffered from physical, mental, or spiritual oppression (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus came to set people free, not only from their infirmities, but from the worst affliction of all - the tyranny of slavery to sin, Satan, and the fear of losing one's life. God's power alone can save us from dejection, hopelessness, and emptiness of life. The Gospel of salvation is "good news" for everyone who will receive it. Do you know the joy and freedom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to bring us the kingdom of heaven?

"Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams. Through the gift of your Holy Spirit you bring us truth, freedom, and abundant life. Fill me with the joy of the Gospel and inflame my heart with love and zeal for you and for your kingdom of peace and righteousness".

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Christ brings hope of release from spiritual bondage, by Eusebius of Caesarea, 260/263-340 AD

"'The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me' (Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1). Clearly this happened to those who thought that the Christ of God was neither a mere man nor an unfleshed and unembodied Word who did not take on a mortal nature. Instead they say he is both God and human, God in that he is the only-begotten God who was in the bosom of the Father, and man... from the seed of David according to the flesh (Luke 1:32). Thus, God the Word, who through the prophecy has been called Lord, speaks out this prophecy that is preeminent among other promises: 'I am the Lord, and in the right time I will draw them together'... 

"Taking the chrism in the Holy Spirit, he, chosen from among all, appears as the only-begotten Christ of God. And the verse 'he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor' (Luke 4:18), he fulfilled in that time when he 'was preaching the kingdom of heaven' and explaining the beatitudes to the disciples by saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God' (Matthew 5:3)... And for those nations then imprisoned in their souls by the invisible and spiritual powers he preached release to his newly encouraged disciples... Therefore, he preached release to the prisoners and to those suffering from blindness who were those enslaved by the error of polytheism, and he creates a year that is acceptable, through which he made all time his own year. And from the passing years of humanity he provides days of created light for those close to him. He never kept hidden the age that is to come after the perfecting of the present. For that age will be a time much on the Lord's mind, being an age and day of requiting. For he will grant a change of fortune or a year of favor to those struggling in the present life." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2.51.5)

[Eusebius of Caesarea (260/263-340) was a bishop, Scripture scholar and first historian of the Christian church.]

www.dailyscripture.net

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, LUKE 4:14-22a
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 4:19―5:4; Psalm 72)

KEY VERSE: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor" (v 18).
TO KNOW: The synagogue developed as a result of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 587 BCE, and the subsequent Exile in Babylon. With the sacrificial cult no longer possible, the synagogue was necessary for the survival of Judaism. The synagogue service was led by the synagogue president, and consisted of singing a Psalm; the recitation of the Shema ("Hear!" Dt. 6:4-9), a Jewish expression of faith in the one true God; a reading from the Torah (the law and the Prophets) and the Priestly Blessing (Nm 6:24-36). The readings of the entire Pentateuch were covered in a three-year cycle, much like our Christian lectionary today. Any well instructed male member of the assembly could be called upon to read and interpret the scriptures. On one occasion, Jesus was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read (Is 61:1-2). The passage spoke of the restoration of Israel through the work of God's anointed one (Messiah in Hebrew, Christos in Greek). Jesus declared that Isaiah's words applied to his own mission to announce a Jubilee year of God's favor, and to bring good news to the poor and afflicted. Although the people were amazed by Jesus' words, many rejected him, just as they did the prophets before him.
TO LOVE: In what ways have I brought glad tidings to my community?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, help me to bring good news to the needy and oppressed.

Optional Memorial of Raymond of Peñyafort, priest

Raymond of Peñyafort joined the Dominicans in 1218. Upon the order of Gregory IX he was assigned to compile all the official letters of popes since 1150. Elected third Master of the Order (1238-1240) Raymond served his brothers faithfully. He encouraged the friars to engage in dialogue with Muslims and Jews. The pope wanted to make Raymond an archbishop, but he declined, instead returning to Spain and the parish life he loved. Raymond's compassion helped many people return to God through the Sacrament of Penance. During his years in Rome, Raymond heard of the difficulties missionaries faced trying to reach non-Christians of Northern Africa and Spain. Raymond started a school to teach the language and culture of the people to be evangelized. His great influence on Church law led to his patronage of lawyers. He died in Barcelona on January 6, 1275.

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Thursday 7 January, 2016

Thu 7th. St Raymond of Penyafort. 1 John 4:19 – 5:4. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 71(72):1-2, 14-15, 17. Luke 4:14-22.

Readings


‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.’ 

In Jesus we see the grace of God in action and the fulfilment of all God’s promises. Jesus is the fulfilment of all our hopes and dreams with his words of truth, life and freedom. Jesus speaks with authority and power but Jesus’ definition of freedom is different to what the people think. It is a release from captivity to death, the will of others and the will of the self. It is the spiritual freedom to seek and do the will of God and service to our neighbour. This happens when we grow in love with Jesus, learn from him and do what he does. 

Jesus invites us to say ‘the Spirit is upon us,’ God has anointed us to go to the poor, the captives, the blind and oppressed. Do you hear Christ’s call to follow and do as he does? 

www.pray.com

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Call to Respond

Embarrassment and awkwardness are the handles that God’s redemptive grace holds onto. When failure shakes us, it is really shaking our false images, not our true selves. God doesn’t call us to be successful. God simply calls us to respond.

— from Spiritual Resilience 

January 7
St. Raymond of Peñafort
(1175-1275)

Since Raymond lived into his hundredth year, he had a chance to do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility, he had the resources and the education to get a good start in life.

By the time he was 20, he was teaching philosophy. In his early 30s he earned a doctorate in both canon and civil law. At 41 he became a Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to gather together all the decrees of popes and councils that had been made in 80 years since a similar collection by Gratian. Raymond compiled five books called the Decretals. They were looked upon as one of the best organized collections of Church law until the 1917 codification of canon law.

Earlier, Raymond had written for confessors a book of cases. It was called Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae. More than simply a list of sins and penances, it discussed pertinent doctrines and laws of the Church that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor.

At the age of 60, Raymond was appointed archbishop of Tarragona, the capital of Aragon. He didn’t like the honor at all and ended up getting sick and resigning in two years.

He didn’t get to enjoy his peace long, however, because when he was 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominicans to be the head of the whole Order, the successor of St. Dominic. Raymond worked hard, visited on foot all the Dominicans, reorganized their constitutions and managed to put through a provision that a master general be allowed to resign. When the new constitutions were accepted, Raymond, then 65, resigned.

He still had 35 years to oppose heresy and work for the conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced St. Thomas Aquinas to write his work Against the Gentiles.

In his 100th year the Lord let Raymond retire.

Comment:

Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out of genuine religion if it becomes too great a preoccupation with the letter of the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself, so that the value the law was intended to promote is overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond, we can learn a respect for law as a means of serving the common good.

Quote:

“He who hates the law is without wisdom,/and is tossed about like a boat in a storm” (Sirach 33:2).

Patron Saint of:

Attorneys
Lawyers

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LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 4,12-17.23-25

Lectio: 

 Thursday, January 7, 2016

Christmas Time

1) Opening prayer

Lord, let the light of your glory shine within us,
and lead us through the darkness of this world
to the radiant joy of our eternal home.
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 4,12-17.23-25

Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned.

From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.'

He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people.

His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordan.

3) Reflection

• A brief information on the objective of the Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of Matthew was written during the second half of the first century in order to encourage the small and fragile community of the converted Jews who lived in the region of Galilee and Syria. They suffered persecution and threats on the part of the Jewish brothers because they had accepted Jesus as the Messiah and for having received the Pagans. In order to strengthen them in their faith, the Gospel of Matthew insists in saying that Jesus is really the Messiah and that the salvation which Jesus comes to bring is not only for the Jews, but for all of humanity. At the beginning of his Gospel, in the genealogy, Matthew already indicates this universal vocation of Jesus, because being “son of Abraham” (Mt 1, 1.17) he will be a source of blessings for all the nations of the world” (cfr. Gen 12, 3). In the visit of the Magi, who came from the East, he suggests once again that the salvation is addressed to the Pagans (Mt 2, 1-12). In the text of today’s Gospel, he shows that the light which shines in the Galilee of the Gentiles” shines also outside the frontiers of Israel, in the Decapolis and beyond the Jordan (Mt 4, 12-25). Further on, in the Sermon on the Mountain, Jesus will say that the vocation of the Christian community is that of being “salt of the earth and light of the world” (Mt 5, 13-14) and he asks to love the enemies (Mt 5, 43-48). Jesus is the servant of God who announces the rights of the nations (Mt 12, 18). Helped by the Canaanite woman, Jesus himself overcomes the barriers of races (Mt 15, 21-28). He also overcomes the laws of purity which prevented the Gospel to be opened to the Pagans (Mt 15, 1-20). And finally, when Jesus sends his disciples to all Nations, the universality of salvation is even clearer (Mt 28, 19-20). In the same way, the communities are called to open themselves to all, without excluding anyone, because all are called to live as sons and daughters of God.

• Today’s Gospel describes how this universal mission is an initiative. The news of the imprisonment of John the Baptist impels Jesus to begin his preaching. John had said: “Repent, because the Kingdom of God is at hand!” (Mt 4, 17). This was the reason why he was imprisoned by Herod. When Jesus knew that John had been imprisoned, he returned to Galilee proclaiming the same message: “Repent, because the Kingdom of God is at hand!” (Mt 4, 17). In other words, from the beginning, the preaching of the Gospel had risks, but Jesus did not allow himself to be frightened. In this way, Matthew encourages the communities which were running the same risks of persecution. He quotes the text of Isaiah: “The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light!” Like Jesus, the communities are also called to be “the light of nations!”

• Jesus began the announcement of the Good News going through the whole of Galilee. He does not stop, waiting for the people to arrive, but he goes toward the people. He himself participates in the meetings, in the Synagogues, to announce his message. The people bring the sick, the possessed, and Jesus accepts all, and cures them. This service to the sick forms part of the Good News and reveals to the people the presence of the Kingdom.

• Thus, the fame of Jesus is diffused in all the region, goes beyond the frontier of Galilee, penetrates Judah, and reaches Jerusalem, goes beyond the Jordan and reaches Syria and the Decapolis. In this region there are also some communities for whom Matthew was writing his Gospel. Now they know that, in spite of all the difficulties and the risks, there is already the light which shines in the darkness.

4) Personal questions

• Some times, are you also light for others?

• Today, many close themselves up in the Catholic Religion. How can we live today the universality of salvation?

5) Concluding prayer

I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh:
He said to me, "You are my son,
today have I fathered you." (Ps 2,7)

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