Memorial
of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Lectionary: 372
Lectionary: 372
Sennacherib,
king of Assyria, sent envoys to Hezekiah
with this message:
“Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah:
‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you
by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over
to the king of Assyria.
You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done
to all other countries: they doomed them!
Will you, then, be saved?’”
Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it;
then he went up to the temple of the LORD,
and spreading it out before him,
he prayed in the LORD’s presence:
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim!
You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made the heavens and the earth.
Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen!
Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!
Hear the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands, and cast their gods into the fire;
they destroyed them because they were not gods,
but the work of human hands, wood and stone.
Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man,
that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you alone, O LORD, are God.”
Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:
I have listened!
This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him:
“‘She despises you, laughs you to scorn,
the virgin daughter Zion!
Behind you she wags her head,
daughter Jerusalem.
“‘For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.’
“Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He shall not reach this city, nor shoot an arrow at it,
nor come before it with a shield,
nor cast up siege-works against it.
He shall return by the same way he came,
without entering the city, says the LORD.
I will shield and save this city for my own sake,
and for the sake of my servant David.’”
That night the angel of the LORD went forth and struck down
one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp,
and went back home to Nineveh.
with this message:
“Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah:
‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you
by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over
to the king of Assyria.
You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done
to all other countries: they doomed them!
Will you, then, be saved?’”
Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it;
then he went up to the temple of the LORD,
and spreading it out before him,
he prayed in the LORD’s presence:
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim!
You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made the heavens and the earth.
Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen!
Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!
Hear the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands, and cast their gods into the fire;
they destroyed them because they were not gods,
but the work of human hands, wood and stone.
Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man,
that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you alone, O LORD, are God.”
Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:
I have listened!
This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him:
“‘She despises you, laughs you to scorn,
the virgin daughter Zion!
Behind you she wags her head,
daughter Jerusalem.
“‘For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.’
“Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He shall not reach this city, nor shoot an arrow at it,
nor come before it with a shield,
nor cast up siege-works against it.
He shall return by the same way he came,
without entering the city, says the LORD.
I will shield and save this city for my own sake,
and for the sake of my servant David.’”
That night the angel of the LORD went forth and struck down
one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp,
and went back home to Nineveh.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 48:2-3AB, 3CD-4, 10-11
R.
(see 9d) God upholds his city for ever.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Mount Zion, Athe recesses of the North,”
is the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Mount Zion, Athe recesses of the North,”
is the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. God upholds his city for ever.
AlleluiaJN 8:12
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 7:6, 12-14
Jesus
said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”
Meditation: "Do not throw your pearls before
swine"
What can pearls and narrow gates teach us about God's
truth and holiness? In the ancient world pearls were of very great
value and were even considered priceless. They were worn as prized jewels to
make a person appear more beautiful and magnificent to behold. Holiness,
likewise, is a very precious jewel that radiates the beauty of God's truth,
goodness, and glory. God offers us the precious gift of his holiness so that we
may radiate the splendor of his truth and goodness in the way we think, speak,
act, and treat others. We can reject or ignore this great gift, or worse yet,
we can drag it through the mud of sinful behavior or throw it away completely.
Pearls before dogs and swine
Why does Jesus contrast holiness and pearls with dogs and swine (Matthew 7:6)? Some things don't seem to mix or go together, like fire and water, heat and ice, sweat and perfume, pure air and poisonous vapors, freshly cleaned clothes and filthy waste. The Talmud, a rabbinic commentary on the Jewish Scriptures, uses a proverbial saying for something which appears incongruous or out of place: an ear-ring in a swine's snout. Jesus' expression about "pearls before swine" and "not giving dogs what is holy" is very similar in thought (Matthew 7:6). Jewish law regarded swine as unclean. Wild dogs were also treated as unfit for close human contact, very likely because they were dirty, unkept, lice-infested, and prone to attack or cause trouble.
Why does Jesus contrast holiness and pearls with dogs and swine (Matthew 7:6)? Some things don't seem to mix or go together, like fire and water, heat and ice, sweat and perfume, pure air and poisonous vapors, freshly cleaned clothes and filthy waste. The Talmud, a rabbinic commentary on the Jewish Scriptures, uses a proverbial saying for something which appears incongruous or out of place: an ear-ring in a swine's snout. Jesus' expression about "pearls before swine" and "not giving dogs what is holy" is very similar in thought (Matthew 7:6). Jewish law regarded swine as unclean. Wild dogs were also treated as unfit for close human contact, very likely because they were dirty, unkept, lice-infested, and prone to attack or cause trouble.
What is the point of avoiding what is considered
unclean? Jesus’ concern here is not with exclusivity or the shunning of others
(excluding people from our love, care, and concern for them). His concern is
with keeping spiritual and moral purity - the purity of the faith and way of
life which has been entrusted to us by an all-holy, all-loving, and all-wise
God. The early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist or the
Lord's Table. In the liturgy of the early church, a proclamation was given
shortly before communion: Holy things to the holy. The
Didache, a first century church manual stated: Let no one eat or drink
of your Eucharist except those baptised into the name of the Lord; for, as
regards this, the Lord has said, 'Do not give what is holy to dogs.' The
Lord Jesus invites us to feast at his banquet table, but we must approach
worthily.
Jesus summed up the teaching of the Old Testament law
and prophets with the expression, So whatever you wish that men would
do to you, do so to them (Matthew 7:12) - and in the same breath he
raised the moral law to a new level of fulfillment and perfection. God's law of
love requires more than simply avoiding injury or harm to one's neighbor. Perfect
love - a love which is unconditional and which reaches out to all - always
seeks the good of others for their sake and gives the best we can offer for
their welfare. When we love our neighbors and treat them in the same way we
wish to be treated by God, then we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely
what God requires of us - loving God with all that we have and are and loving
our neighbor as ourselves.
How can we love our neighbor selflessly, with
kindness, and genuine concern for their welfare? If we empty our hearts of all
that is unkind, unloving, and unforgiving, then there will only be room for
kindness, goodness, mercy, and charity. Paul the Apostle reminds us that
"God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which
has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). It is the love of God that fuels our
unconditional love for others. Are you ready to let the Holy Spirit transform
your life with the purifying fire of God's love?
The narrow gate and way
Jesus used a second illustration of a narrow gate which opens the way that leads to a life of security and happiness (Matthew 7:13-14) to reinforce his lesson about choosing the one true way which leads to peace with God rather than separation and destruction. The Book of Psalms begins with an image of a person who has chosen to follow the way of those who are wise and obedient to God's word and who refuse to follow the way of those who think and act contrary to God's law : Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). When a path diverges, such as a fork in the road, each way leads to a different destination. This is especially true when we encounter life's crossroads where we must make a choice that will affect how we will live our lives. Do the choices you make help you move towards the goal of loving God and obeying his will?
Jesus used a second illustration of a narrow gate which opens the way that leads to a life of security and happiness (Matthew 7:13-14) to reinforce his lesson about choosing the one true way which leads to peace with God rather than separation and destruction. The Book of Psalms begins with an image of a person who has chosen to follow the way of those who are wise and obedient to God's word and who refuse to follow the way of those who think and act contrary to God's law : Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). When a path diverges, such as a fork in the road, each way leads to a different destination. This is especially true when we encounter life's crossroads where we must make a choice that will affect how we will live our lives. Do the choices you make help you move towards the goal of loving God and obeying his will?
The Lord Jesus gives us freedom to choose which way we
will go. Ask him for the wisdom to know which way will lead to life rather than
to harm and destruction. See, I have set before you this day life and
good, death and evil... Therefore choose life that you and your descendants may
live (Deuteronomy 3:15-20). Choose this day whom you will
serve (Joshua 24:15). Behold I set before you the way of life
and the way of death (Jeremiah 21:8). If we allow God's love and
wisdom to rule our hearts, then we can trust in his guidance and help to follow
his path of love, truth, and holiness.
"Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see
myself as I really am - a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect
and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me or those under my
authority, my friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out
towards others." (Prayer attributed to
Clement XI of Rome)
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Unreadiness to receive Godly teaching,
by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.
"Now in this precept we are forbidden to give a
holy thing to dogs or to cast pearls before swine. We must diligently seek to
determine the gravity of these words: holy, pearls, dogs and swine. A holy
thing is whatever it would be impious to profane or tear apart. Even a
fruitless attempt to do so makes one already guilty of such impiety, though the
holy thing may by its very nature remain inviolable and indestructible. Pearls
signify all spiritual things that are worthy of being highly prized. Because
these things lie hidden in secret, it is as though they were being drawn up
from the deep. Because they are found in the wrappings of allegories, it is as
though they were contained within shells that have been opened.(1) It
is clear therefore that one and the same thing can be called both a holy thing
and a pearl. It can be called a holy thing because it ought not to be destroyed
and a pearl because it ought not to be despised. One tries to destroy what one
does not wish to leave intact. One despises what is deemed worthless, as if
beneath him. Hence, whatever is despised is said to be trampled under foot...
Thus we may rightly understand that these words (dogs and swine) are now used
to designate respectively those who assail the truth and those who resist
it." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT
2.20.68–69)
(1) The interpretive task is to crack through the
shell of the language to its inner spiritual meaning.
TUESDAY, JUNE 21, MATTHEW 7:6,
12-14
(2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35, 36; Psalm 48)
(2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35, 36; Psalm 48)
KEY VERSE: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you" (v 12).
TO KNOW: In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew combined various sayings of Jesus that were related to righteous Christian living. Jesus summed up the entire law in a simple maxim, which, since the 18th Century, has been called the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have others do to unto you." Jesus said that discernment was required when preaching to those who were opposed to the gospel. The adage prohibiting throwing sacred things to "dogs" or "swine" (v 6) was a term of contempt for Gentiles, and might have been intended for impenitent Christians who persisted in disobeying the teachings of Christ. Although Jesus' teachings were difficult, his narrow pathway was the way to eternal life. Those who chose the broad and easy road were in danger of following it to damnation.
TO LOVE: How do my actions measure up to the Golden Rule?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to treat others the same way I want to be treated by them.
Memorial
of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
Aloysius Gonzaga was an Italian noble who grew up in a castle. The son of a compulsive gambler, he was trained from age four as a soldier and courtier. Aloysius suffered from kidney disease which he considered a blessing as it left him bed-ridden with time for prayer. While still a boy, he taught catechism to poor boys. The cousin of St. Rudolph Acquaviva, Aloysius received First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo. At age 18 he signed away his legal claim to his family's lands and title to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice. A spiritual student of St. Robert Bellarmine, Aloysius tended plague victims in Rome in the outbreak of 1591. He died in 1591 at Rome of plague and fever.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Accompanied By Jesus
|
No one has greater love than one who lays down his life for his
friends. Jesus has done that for us, for you, for me. He won it back again and
he accompanies us with his life, full of love. Let yourselves be accompanied by
Jesus. He loves you!
June 21
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
(1568-1591)
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
(1568-1591)
The
Lord can make saints anywhere, even amid the brutality and license of
Renaissance life. Florence was the “mother of piety” for Aloysius Gonzaga
despite his exposure to a “society of fraud, dagger, poison and lust.” As a son
of a princely family, he grew up in royal courts and army camps. His father
wanted Aloysius to be a military hero.
At
age seven he experienced a profound spiritual quickening. His prayers included
the Office of Mary, the psalms and other devotions. At age nine he came from
his hometown of Castiglione to Florence to be educated; by age 11 he was
teaching catechism to poor children, fasting three days a week and practicing
great austerities. When he was 13 years old he traveled with his parents and
the Empress of Austria to Spain and acted as a page in the court of Philip II.
The more Aloysius saw of court life, the more disillusioned he became, seeking
relief in learning about the lives of saints.
A
book about the experience of Jesuit missionaries in India suggested to him the
idea of entering the Society of Jesus, and in Spain his decision became final.
Now began a four-year contest with his father. Eminent churchmen and laypeople
were pressed into service to persuade him to remain in his “normal” vocation.
Finally he prevailed, was allowed to renounce his right to succession and was
received into the Jesuit novitiate.
Like
other seminarians, Aloysius was faced with a new kind of penance—that of
accepting different ideas about the exact nature of penance. He was obliged to
eat more, to take recreation with the other students. He was forbidden to pray
except at stated times. He spent four years in the study of philosophy and had
St. Robert Bellarmine (September 17) as his spiritual adviser.
In
1591, a plague struck Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital of their own. The
general himself and many other Jesuits rendered personal service. Because he
nursed patients, washing them and making their beds, Aloysius caught the
disease himself. A fever persisted after his recovery and he was so weak he
could scarcely rise from bed. Yet, he maintained his great discipline of
prayer, knowing that he would die within the octave of Corpus Christi, three
months later, at the age of 23.
Comment:
As a saint who fasted, scourged himself, sought solitude and prayer and did not look on the faces of women, Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth in a society where asceticism is confined to training camps of football teams and boxers, and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will when it discovers a reason, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us, in prayer.
As a saint who fasted, scourged himself, sought solitude and prayer and did not look on the faces of women, Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth in a society where asceticism is confined to training camps of football teams and boxers, and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will when it discovers a reason, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us, in prayer.
Quote:
"When we stand praying, beloved brethren, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, intent on our prayers. Let all carnal and worldly thoughts pass away, nor let the soul at that time think on anything except the object of its prayer" (St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 31).
"When we stand praying, beloved brethren, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, intent on our prayers. Let all carnal and worldly thoughts pass away, nor let the soul at that time think on anything except the object of its prayer" (St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 31).
Patron
Saint of:
Catholic youth
Teenagers
Youth
Catholic youth
Teenagers
Youth
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW
7,6.12-14
Lectio
Divina:
Tuesday,
June 21, 2016
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.
2)
Gospel Reading - Matthew 7,6.12-14
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.
'So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.
'Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.
'So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.
'Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
3)
Reflection
• Discernment and prudence in offering things of value. In the relationships with others Jesus, above all, warns about certain dangerous attitudes. The first one of these is not to judge (7, 1-5): it is a true and proper prohibition, “do not judge”, it is an action that influences every evaluation of contempt or of condemnation of others. The last judgment is the exclusive competence of God; our figures of measure and our criteria are relative; they are conditioned by our subjectivity. Any condemnation of others becomes a condemnation of oneself, in so far as it places us under the judgment of God and we exclude ourselves from pardon. If your eye is pure, that is to say, is free from every judgment of the brothers you can relate with them in a true way before God. And now we consider the words of Jesus offered to us by the liturgical text: “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces” (7, 6). At first sight this “saying” of Jesus sounds strange to the sensibility of today’s reader. It may represent a true enigma. But it is a way of saying, of a Semitic language which has to be interpreted. At the time of Jesus just as in ancient culture dogs were not greatly appreciated, because they were considered somewhat savage and stray (U. Luz). But let us now consider the positive and didactic-wisdom aspect of the words of Jesus: Do not profane holy things; in last instance it is an invitation to use prudence and discernment. In the Old Testament the holy things are the meat for the sacrifice (Lv 22, 14; Ex 29, 33 ff; Nb 18, 8-19). The approach of the prohibition of throwing the pearls to the pigs is incomprehensible. For the Hebrews the pigs are impure animals, the quintessence of repugnance. On the contrary, the pearls are the most precious things that can exist. The warning of Jesus refers to those who feed the stray dogs with consecrated meat destined to the sacrifice. Such a behaviour is evil and usually imprudent because usually those dogs were not fed and therefore, because of their insatiable hunger, they could turn back and attack their “benefactors”.
The pearls at the metaphoric level could indicate the teachings of the wise or the interpretations of the “Torah”. In Matthew’s Gospel the pearl is the image of the Kingdom of God (Mt 13, 45ff). The interpretation which the evangelist gives mentioning this warning of Jesus is above all theological. Surely, this is the interpretation which seems to be more in harmony with the text and with the ecclesial reading of the words of Jesus: a warning to the Christian missionaries not to preach the Gospel just to anybody. (Gnilka, Luz).
• To follow a path. In the final part of the discourse (7, 13-27), then Matthew includes, among the others, a conclusive admonition of Jesus who invites to make a decisive choice in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven: the narrow door (7, 13-14). The word of Jesus is not only something to be understood and to interpret but, above all, it should become life. Now, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven it is necessary to follow a path and to enter into the fullness of life through a “door”. The theme of the “path, the way” is very dear to the Old Testament (Dt 11,26-28; 30,15-20; Jr 21, 8; Ps 1, 6; Ps 118, 29-30; Ps 138, 4; Ws 5, 6-7 etc.). The road represented by two doors leads to different goals. A significance that is coherent with the admonishments of Jesus would be that, to the wide door is joined the wide path which leads to perdition or damnation, that is to say, to walk on a wide road is always something pleasant, but this is not said in our text. Rather it seems that Matthew agrees with the Jewish conception of the “road”; on the trail of Dt 30, 19 and Jr 21, 8 there are two roads that are in counter-position, that of death and that of life. To know how to choose among the diverse ways of life is decisive for entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. Anyone who chooses the narrow road that of life should know that it is full of afflictions; narrow means tried by suffering for the sake of faith.
• Discernment and prudence in offering things of value. In the relationships with others Jesus, above all, warns about certain dangerous attitudes. The first one of these is not to judge (7, 1-5): it is a true and proper prohibition, “do not judge”, it is an action that influences every evaluation of contempt or of condemnation of others. The last judgment is the exclusive competence of God; our figures of measure and our criteria are relative; they are conditioned by our subjectivity. Any condemnation of others becomes a condemnation of oneself, in so far as it places us under the judgment of God and we exclude ourselves from pardon. If your eye is pure, that is to say, is free from every judgment of the brothers you can relate with them in a true way before God. And now we consider the words of Jesus offered to us by the liturgical text: “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces” (7, 6). At first sight this “saying” of Jesus sounds strange to the sensibility of today’s reader. It may represent a true enigma. But it is a way of saying, of a Semitic language which has to be interpreted. At the time of Jesus just as in ancient culture dogs were not greatly appreciated, because they were considered somewhat savage and stray (U. Luz). But let us now consider the positive and didactic-wisdom aspect of the words of Jesus: Do not profane holy things; in last instance it is an invitation to use prudence and discernment. In the Old Testament the holy things are the meat for the sacrifice (Lv 22, 14; Ex 29, 33 ff; Nb 18, 8-19). The approach of the prohibition of throwing the pearls to the pigs is incomprehensible. For the Hebrews the pigs are impure animals, the quintessence of repugnance. On the contrary, the pearls are the most precious things that can exist. The warning of Jesus refers to those who feed the stray dogs with consecrated meat destined to the sacrifice. Such a behaviour is evil and usually imprudent because usually those dogs were not fed and therefore, because of their insatiable hunger, they could turn back and attack their “benefactors”.
The pearls at the metaphoric level could indicate the teachings of the wise or the interpretations of the “Torah”. In Matthew’s Gospel the pearl is the image of the Kingdom of God (Mt 13, 45ff). The interpretation which the evangelist gives mentioning this warning of Jesus is above all theological. Surely, this is the interpretation which seems to be more in harmony with the text and with the ecclesial reading of the words of Jesus: a warning to the Christian missionaries not to preach the Gospel just to anybody. (Gnilka, Luz).
• To follow a path. In the final part of the discourse (7, 13-27), then Matthew includes, among the others, a conclusive admonition of Jesus who invites to make a decisive choice in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven: the narrow door (7, 13-14). The word of Jesus is not only something to be understood and to interpret but, above all, it should become life. Now, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven it is necessary to follow a path and to enter into the fullness of life through a “door”. The theme of the “path, the way” is very dear to the Old Testament (Dt 11,26-28; 30,15-20; Jr 21, 8; Ps 1, 6; Ps 118, 29-30; Ps 138, 4; Ws 5, 6-7 etc.). The road represented by two doors leads to different goals. A significance that is coherent with the admonishments of Jesus would be that, to the wide door is joined the wide path which leads to perdition or damnation, that is to say, to walk on a wide road is always something pleasant, but this is not said in our text. Rather it seems that Matthew agrees with the Jewish conception of the “road”; on the trail of Dt 30, 19 and Jr 21, 8 there are two roads that are in counter-position, that of death and that of life. To know how to choose among the diverse ways of life is decisive for entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. Anyone who chooses the narrow road that of life should know that it is full of afflictions; narrow means tried by suffering for the sake of faith.
4)
Personal questions
• What impact does the word of Jesus have in your heart? Do you listen to it in order to live under the gaze of the Father and in order to be transformed personally and in the relationships with the brothers and sisters?
• The word of Jesus, or rather, Jesus Himself is the door who makes us enter into the filial and fraternal life. Do you allow yourself to be guided and attracted by the narrow and demanding path of the Gospel? Or rather do you follow the wide and easy road that consists in doing what pleases or that leads you to satisfy all your desires, neglecting the needs of others?
• What impact does the word of Jesus have in your heart? Do you listen to it in order to live under the gaze of the Father and in order to be transformed personally and in the relationships with the brothers and sisters?
• The word of Jesus, or rather, Jesus Himself is the door who makes us enter into the filial and fraternal life. Do you allow yourself to be guided and attracted by the narrow and demanding path of the Gospel? Or rather do you follow the wide and easy road that consists in doing what pleases or that leads you to satisfy all your desires, neglecting the needs of others?
5)
Concluding Prayer
We reflect on your faithful love, God,
in your temple!
Both your name and your praise, God,
are over the whole wide world.
Your right hand is full of saving justice. (Ps 48,9-10)
We reflect on your faithful love, God,
in your temple!
Both your name and your praise, God,
are over the whole wide world.
Your right hand is full of saving justice. (Ps 48,9-10)
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