Saturday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 217
Lectionary: 217
Beloved:
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,
he should pray to God and he will give him life.
This is only for those whose sin is not deadly.
There is such a thing as deadly sin,
about which I do not say that you should pray.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one begotten by God he protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch him.
We know that we belong to God,
and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true,
in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against idols.
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,
he should pray to God and he will give him life.
This is only for those whose sin is not deadly.
There is such a thing as deadly sin,
about which I do not say that you should pray.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one begotten by God he protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch him.
We know that we belong to God,
and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true,
in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against idols.
Responsorial PsalmPS 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6A AND 9B
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes
delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaMT 4:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 3:22-30
Jesus and his disciples went into
the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”
Meditation: "This joy of mine is now full"
Do you know the joy of the Lord?
When some friends of John the Baptist complain that all the people are now
going to Jesus, John in his characteristic humility exclaimed that he was not
the Messiah but only the messenger sent to prepare his way. John describes the
Messiah as the Bridegroom and himself as the friend of the Bridegroom. The
image of the groom delighting in his bride and the joy of the wedding feast is
used in the Bible as a sign or symbol of God's covenant love and joy in being
united with his people, whom he calls his bride. As the bridegroom
rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you (Isaiah
62:5).
Through the gift of the Holy
Spirit John recognized that Jesus was the anointed Messiah, sent from the
Father in heaven to reunite his people to himself. John acted as the groom's
best man in arranging the marriage and in making preparations for the marriage
feast. John and his disciples now rejoice that the Bridegroom has come to make
his bride, the people of God, ready for the marriage feast. The New Testament
tells us that Christ's blood which was shed upon the cross as the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, seals us in a new covenant between God and his
people. The Book of Revelation depicts the final fulfillment and consummation
of this new covenant relationship at the marriage feast of the "Lamb and
his Bride" in the New Jerusalem (see Revelations 21-22). Do you look
with joyful anticipation to the consummation of God's plan for his people at
the end of the ages?
"Lord Jesus, may I never
forget the love you have poured out for me when you shed your blood upon the
Cross of Calvary for my sins and for my salvation. May your love always grow in
me and your hope fill me with joy as I wait for your return in glory when all
of your people will be fully united with you at your heavenly banquet feast in
the New Jerusalem."
Daily Quote from the early church
fathers: Christ is the husband of the church
his bride, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"This means he alone is the
husband of the church (John 3:29), he is the expectation of the nations, and
the prophets removed their sandals while offering to him a union of nuptial
grace. He is the bridegroom; I am the friend of the bridegroom. I rejoice
because he is coming, because I hear the nuptial chant, because now we do not
hear the harsh penalties for sinners, the harsh torments of the law, but the
forgiveness of offenses, the cry of joy, the sound of cheerfulness, the
rejoicing of the nuptial feast." (excerpt from ON THE
PATRIARCHS 4.22)
SATURDAY,
JANUARY 9, JOHN 3:22-30
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 5:14-21; Psalm 149)
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 5:14-21; Psalm 149)
KEY VERSE: "He must increase; I must decrease" (v 30).
TO KNOW: With the close of the ministry of John the Baptist, the age of promise was at an end, and the time of fulfillment was at hand. After Jesus was baptized by John, he spent time with his disciples who baptized those who chose to follow Jesus (John explained that Jesus did not baptize; only his disciples baptized, Jn 4:2). John the Baptist's disciples objected to the baptisms performed by Jesus' disciples. They complained that everyone was following Jesus instead of John. But the Baptist explained that no one could receive anything, except that which had been given to them from heaven (v 27). He reminded his jealous followers that he was simply the best man at the wedding, and it was Jesus who was the bridegroom. John's role was complete, and as his ministry decreased, he must step aside for Jesus whose role would now increase.
TO LOVE: Does my ministry draw more attention to myself than to Jesus?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to serve with humility like John.
Saturday
9 January, 2015
Sat 9th. 1 John 5:14-21.
The Lord takes delight in his people—Ps 149:1-6, 9. John 3:22-30.
Sing to the Lord a new
song.
The birth of Jesus heralds a new song in
the world. Jesus was revolutionary; he challenged existing traditions and the
culture of his world by healing a sick man on the Sabbath and baptising his
followers. He created a new path and as the Son of God, he gave us a new song
to sing.
Dear Lord, may you help me to walk the
path you have carved out for me and help me to celebrate your Good News, even
when it is not popular. Let me praise your name with dancing! Help me to take a
stand and have the courage to be like John proclaiming that your way is greater
than mine. For I know only then that I will realise the delight the Lord takes
in his people.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Extraordinary Self
|
It is the ordinary self that is
extraordinary, for it is this ordinary self that is one with the moment, one
with the concrete reality of everyday life, that is the self God creates, the
poor self, made rich in the poverty of the cross.
January 9
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
Though St. Adrian turned down a
papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury, England, Pope St. Vitalian
accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s
assistant and adviser. Adrian accepted, but ended up spending most of his life and
doing most of his work in Canterbury.
Born in Africa, Adrian was serving
as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of Canterbury appointed him abbot
of the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership
skills, the facility became one of the most important centers of learning. The
school attracted many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced
numerous future bishops and archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and
Latin and spoke Latin as well as their own native languages.
Adrian taught at the school for 40
years. He died there, probably in the year 710, and was buried in the
monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction was being done,
Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word spread, people
flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had it that young
schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits there.
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 6,45-52
Lectio:
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Christmas Time
1) Opening prayer
God, light of all nations,
give us the joy of lasting peace,
and fill us with your radiance
as you filled the hearts of our fathers.
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 - Mark 6,45-52
And at once he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side near Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray.
When evening came, the boat was far out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. He could see that they were hard pressed in their rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke to them and said, 'Courage! It's me! Don't be afraid.' Then he got into the boat with them and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded,
because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
3) Reflection
• After the multiplication of the loaves (yesterday’s Gospel), Jesus ordered the disciples to go into the boat. Why? Mark does not explain this. The Gospel of John says the following. According to the hope people had at that time, the Messiah would repeat the gesture of Moses and would feed the multitude in the desert. This is why, before the multiplication of the loaves, the people concluded that Jesus must be the expected Messiah, announced by Moses (cf. Dt 18, 15-18) and they wanted to make him a King (cfr. Jn 6, 14-15). This decision of the people was a temptation for Jesus as well as for the disciples. And for this reason, Jesus obliged the disciples to take the boat and leave. He wanted to avoid that they got contaminated with the dominating ideology, because the “leaven of Herod and of the Pharisees was very strong (Mk 8, 15). Jesus himself faces the temptation through prayer.
• Mark describes the events with great art. On one side, Jesus goes up to the mountain to pray. On the other, the disciples go toward the sea and get into the boat. It almost seems like a symbolical picture which foreshadows the future: it is as if Jesus went up to Heaven, leaving the disciples alone in the midst of the contradictions of life, in the fragile boat of the community. It was night. They are in the high seas, all together in the small boat, trying to advance, rowing, but the wind was strong and contrary to them. They were tired. It was night, between three and six o’clock in the morning. The communities of the time of Mark were like the disciples. In the night! Contrary wind! They caught no fish, in spite of the efforts made! Jesus seemed to be absent! But he was present and came close to them, but they, like the disciples of Emmaus, did not recognize him (Lk 24, 16).
• At the time of Mark, around the year 70, the small boat of the communities had to face the contrary wind on the part of some converted Jews who wished to reduce the mystery of Jesus to the prophecies and figures of the Old Testament, as well as some converted Pagans who thought it was possible to have a certain alliance of the faith in Jesus with the empire. Mark tries to help the Christians to respect the Mystery of Jesus and not to want to reduce Jesus to their own desires and ideas.
• Jesus arrives walking on the water of the sea of life. They scream taken up by fear, because they think that it is a question of a phantasm. As it happens in the passage of the Disciples of Emmaus, Jesus pretends that he wants to continue to walk (Lk 24, 28). But they cry out and this causes him to change the way, he gets close to them and says: “Courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”. Here, once again, for one who knows the story of the Old Testament this recalls some very important facts: (a) Remember that the people, protected by God, crossed the Red Sea without fear; (b) Remember, that God calling Moses, declared his name several times, saying “I am he who is!” (cfr. Ex 3, 15); (c) Remember also the Book of Isaiah which represents the return from the exile as a new Exodus, where God appears repeating numerous times: “I am he who is!” (cfr. Is 42, 8; 43, 5-11-13; 44, 6.25; 45, 5-7). This way of recalling the Old Testament, of using the Bible, helped the communities to perceive better the presence of God in Jesus and in the facts of life. Do not be afraid!
• Jesus goes into the boat and the wind ceased. But the fear of the disciples, instead of disappearing, increases. Mark, the Evangelist, makes a commentary criticizing them and says: “They had not understood what the miracle of the loaves meant, their minds were closed” (6, 52). The affirmation their minds were closed reminds us of the heart of Pharaoh which was hardened (Ex 7, 3.13.22) and of the people in the desert (Ps 95, 8) who did not want to listen to Moses and thought only of returning to Egypt (Nb 20, 2-10), where there was plenty of bread and meat to satisfy them (Ex 16, 3).
4) Personal questions
• Night, stormy sea, contrary wind! Have you ever felt like this? What have you done to overcome it?
• Have you been afraid so many times because you have not known how to recognize Jesus present and acting in your life?
5) Concluding prayer
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the needy from death.
From oppression and violence he redeems their lives,
their blood is precious in his sight. (Ps 72,13-14)
God, light of all nations,
give us the joy of lasting peace,
and fill us with your radiance
as you filled the hearts of our fathers.
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 - Mark 6,45-52
And at once he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side near Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray.
When evening came, the boat was far out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. He could see that they were hard pressed in their rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke to them and said, 'Courage! It's me! Don't be afraid.' Then he got into the boat with them and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded,
because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
3) Reflection
• After the multiplication of the loaves (yesterday’s Gospel), Jesus ordered the disciples to go into the boat. Why? Mark does not explain this. The Gospel of John says the following. According to the hope people had at that time, the Messiah would repeat the gesture of Moses and would feed the multitude in the desert. This is why, before the multiplication of the loaves, the people concluded that Jesus must be the expected Messiah, announced by Moses (cf. Dt 18, 15-18) and they wanted to make him a King (cfr. Jn 6, 14-15). This decision of the people was a temptation for Jesus as well as for the disciples. And for this reason, Jesus obliged the disciples to take the boat and leave. He wanted to avoid that they got contaminated with the dominating ideology, because the “leaven of Herod and of the Pharisees was very strong (Mk 8, 15). Jesus himself faces the temptation through prayer.
• Mark describes the events with great art. On one side, Jesus goes up to the mountain to pray. On the other, the disciples go toward the sea and get into the boat. It almost seems like a symbolical picture which foreshadows the future: it is as if Jesus went up to Heaven, leaving the disciples alone in the midst of the contradictions of life, in the fragile boat of the community. It was night. They are in the high seas, all together in the small boat, trying to advance, rowing, but the wind was strong and contrary to them. They were tired. It was night, between three and six o’clock in the morning. The communities of the time of Mark were like the disciples. In the night! Contrary wind! They caught no fish, in spite of the efforts made! Jesus seemed to be absent! But he was present and came close to them, but they, like the disciples of Emmaus, did not recognize him (Lk 24, 16).
• At the time of Mark, around the year 70, the small boat of the communities had to face the contrary wind on the part of some converted Jews who wished to reduce the mystery of Jesus to the prophecies and figures of the Old Testament, as well as some converted Pagans who thought it was possible to have a certain alliance of the faith in Jesus with the empire. Mark tries to help the Christians to respect the Mystery of Jesus and not to want to reduce Jesus to their own desires and ideas.
• Jesus arrives walking on the water of the sea of life. They scream taken up by fear, because they think that it is a question of a phantasm. As it happens in the passage of the Disciples of Emmaus, Jesus pretends that he wants to continue to walk (Lk 24, 28). But they cry out and this causes him to change the way, he gets close to them and says: “Courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”. Here, once again, for one who knows the story of the Old Testament this recalls some very important facts: (a) Remember that the people, protected by God, crossed the Red Sea without fear; (b) Remember, that God calling Moses, declared his name several times, saying “I am he who is!” (cfr. Ex 3, 15); (c) Remember also the Book of Isaiah which represents the return from the exile as a new Exodus, where God appears repeating numerous times: “I am he who is!” (cfr. Is 42, 8; 43, 5-11-13; 44, 6.25; 45, 5-7). This way of recalling the Old Testament, of using the Bible, helped the communities to perceive better the presence of God in Jesus and in the facts of life. Do not be afraid!
• Jesus goes into the boat and the wind ceased. But the fear of the disciples, instead of disappearing, increases. Mark, the Evangelist, makes a commentary criticizing them and says: “They had not understood what the miracle of the loaves meant, their minds were closed” (6, 52). The affirmation their minds were closed reminds us of the heart of Pharaoh which was hardened (Ex 7, 3.13.22) and of the people in the desert (Ps 95, 8) who did not want to listen to Moses and thought only of returning to Egypt (Nb 20, 2-10), where there was plenty of bread and meat to satisfy them (Ex 16, 3).
4) Personal questions
• Night, stormy sea, contrary wind! Have you ever felt like this? What have you done to overcome it?
• Have you been afraid so many times because you have not known how to recognize Jesus present and acting in your life?
5) Concluding prayer
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the needy from death.
From oppression and violence he redeems their lives,
their blood is precious in his sight. (Ps 72,13-14)
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