Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne,
Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 402
Lectionary: 402
Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.
Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name’s sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.
Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name’s sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13
R. (9) For the
glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: "The righteous will
shine like the sun in the Father's kingdom"
Are you quick to judge the faults of others? Jesus'
parable teaches us patience lest we judge before the time is right. Jesus also
warns that there is an enemy who seeks to destroy the good seed of his word
before it can bear fruit. Both good and evil can be sown in our hearts like
tiny seeds which germinate, and in due time yield a harvest of good or bad
fruit. We must stand guard lest evil take root in our hearts and corrupt us.
Reaping what we sow in this life
Charles Read wrote: "Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny." In the day of judgment each will reap what he or she has sown in this life. Those who sow good will shine in the kingdom of their Father. They will radiate with the beauty, joy, and fulness of God’s love. Do you allow the love of Jesus Christ to rule in your heart, thoughts, and actions?
Charles Read wrote: "Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny." In the day of judgment each will reap what he or she has sown in this life. Those who sow good will shine in the kingdom of their Father. They will radiate with the beauty, joy, and fulness of God’s love. Do you allow the love of Jesus Christ to rule in your heart, thoughts, and actions?
"Lord Jesus, may your all-consuming love rule in
my heart and transform my life that I may sow what is good, worthy, and
pleasing to you.”
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Let us become friends of Jesus, by Origen
of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"Now, having discoursed sufficiently to the
multitudes in parables, he sends them away and goes to his own house, where his
disciples come to him. His disciples did not go with those he sent away. As
many as are more genuine hearers of Jesus first follow him, then having
inquired about his house, are permitted to see it. Having come, they saw and
stayed with him for all that day, and perhaps some of them even longer. In my
opinion, such things are implied in the Gospel according to John... And if
then, unlike the multitudes whom he sends away, we wish to hear Jesus and go to
the house and receive something better than the multitudes did, let us become
friends of Jesus, so that as his disciples come, we may also come to him when
he goes into the house. And having come, let us inquire about the explanation
of the parable, whether of the tares of the field, or of any other. (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.1–3)
TUESDAY, JULY 26, MATTHEW 13:36-43
(Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79)
(Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79)
KEY VERSE: "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man" (v 37).
TO KNOW: Jesus left the crowds who refused to believe his words, and addressed his instruction to his disciples. To them alone, he explained the parable of the weeds among the wheat. He told them that he was the one who sowed the good seed of the gospel in the world. The ones who heard and acted on his words were children of the kingdom, while the weeds represented the offspring of the evil one. Jesus told them that God was patient and allowed good and evil to exist side by side until the harvest on the Day of Judgment. At the end of the age, all evildoers who caused others to sin would be cast into perdition. The righteous would reign in the everlasting light of God's glory (Dn 12:3).
TO LOVE: Do I plant good or bad seed in my community?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, I pray that you will uproot the bitter weeds in my life.
Memorial of Saints Joachim and
Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Joachim was the husband of Anne, father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and grandfather of Jesus Christ. He was probably well off. Tradition says that while he was away from home, he and Anne each received a message from an angel that she was pregnant. It is believed that Joachim and Anne gave Mary to the service of the Temple when the girl was three years old. Joachim is mentioned in neither historical nor canonical writings. The information we have on Joachim derives mainly from the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James. Joaquin and Anne serve as role models for parents and both deserve to be honored and emulated for their devotion to God and Our Lady Mary, Mother of Jesus.
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Tue
26th. SS Joachim and Anne.
Jeremiah
14:17-22. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us—Ps 78(79):8-9, 11, 13. Matthew 13:36-43.
Today's
parable in Matthew's Gospel is both a message of warning and a message of God's
protection for his followers. It serves as a reminder that in the end the good
will be separated from the bad and the good join the Father in heaven. He is
looking after those who do good things, while the weeds will be destroyed. So
it also reminds us to try hard to be good people. The parable messages were
often very simple and the presence of the angels reminds us he is looking over
our lives protecting us and guiding us. Today we also commemorate Mother Mary's
parents, Jesus' grandparents who protected her and supported her through her
childhood.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Above and Beyond
|
My hope is that my children reach beyond me in character. I don’t
want to be their moral ceiling. That makes me responsible to guide and
discipline them in directions I don’t always follow. And above all, to show
them mercy for their human frailty, as I ask them to show me that same mercy
for mine.
July 26
Sts. Joachim and Anne
Sts. Joachim and Anne
In
the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus,
tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not
only is his mother’s family neglected, we also know nothing factual about them
except that they existed. Even the names Joachim and Anne come
from a legendary source written more than a century after Jesus died.
The
heroism and holiness of these people, however, is inferred from the whole
family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends
about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible, we
see in her a fulfillment of many generations of prayerful persons, herself
steeped in the religious traditions of her people.
The
strong character of Mary in making decisions, her continuous practice of
prayer, her devotion to the laws of her faith, her steadiness at moments of
crisis, and her devotion to her relatives—all indicate a close-knit, loving
family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best
of the past.
Joachim
and Anne—whether these are their real names or not—represent that entire quiet
series of generations who faithfully perform their duties, practice their faith
and establish an atmosphere for the coming of the Messiah, but remain obscure.
Comment:
This is the “feast of grandparents.” It reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come: They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older people’s greater perspective, depth of experience and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored.
This is the “feast of grandparents.” It reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come: They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older people’s greater perspective, depth of experience and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored.
Quote:
“...[T]he family is the foundation of society. In it the various generations come together and help one another to grow wise and to harmonize personal rights with the other requirements of social life” (Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 52).
“...[T]he family is the foundation of society. In it the various generations come together and help one another to grow wise and to harmonize personal rights with the other requirements of social life” (Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 52).
DIVINA LECTIO: SAINTS JOACHIM
AND ANN, PARENTS OF MARY
Lectio
Divina:
Tuesday,
July 26, 2016
1)
Opening prayer
Lord,
God of our fathers,
through Saints Joachim and Anne
You gave us the Mother of Your Incarnate Son.
May their prayers help us
to attain the salvation
You promised to Your people. Amen.
through Saints Joachim and Anne
You gave us the Mother of Your Incarnate Son.
May their prayers help us
to attain the salvation
You promised to Your people. Amen.
2)
Gospel Reading - Matthew 13,36-43
Then,
leaving the crowds, Jesus went to the house; and his disciples came to him and
said, 'Explain to us the parable about the darnel in the field.' He said in
reply, 'The sower of the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world;
the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the
Evil One; the enemy who sowed it, the devil; the harvest is the end of the
world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up
and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of man will
send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of falling
and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will
be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the upright will shine like the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. Anyone who has ears should listen!
3)
Reflection
• The
Gospel today presents the explanation of Jesus, at the petition of the
disciples, of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. Some experts think
that this explanation, which Jesus gives to his disciples, is not Jesus’, but
of the community. This is possible and probable, because a parable, because of
its nature, requires the involvement and the participation of the persons in
the discovery of the significance. Like the plant is already contained within
the seed, in the same way, certainly, the explanation of the community is in
the parable. And it is precisely this objective that Jesus wanted and wants to
attain with the parable. The sense which we are discovering today in the
parable which Jesus told two thousand years ago was already enclosed, contained,
in the story that Jesus told, like the flower is already contained in its seed.
• Matthew 13,36: The request of the disciples to Jesus: the explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. The disciples, in the house, speak and ask for an explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. (Mt 13,24-30). It has been said many times that Jesus, in the house, continued to teach his disciples (Mk 7,17; 9,28.33; 10,10). At that time, there was no television and people spent together the long winter evenings to speak about the facts and events of life. On these occasions, Jesus completed the teaching and the formation of his disciples.
• Matthew 13,38-39: The meaning of each one of the elements of the parable. Jesus responds taking again each one of these elements of the parable and giving them significance: the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the Kingdom; the darnel is the members of the adversary (the evil one); the enemy is the devil; the harvest is the end of time, the reapers are the angels. And now reread the parable (Mt 13,24-30) giving to each one of these six elements: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest and reapers, the right significance. In this way the story assumes a completely new sense and it is possible to attain the objective that Jesus had in mind when he told people the parable of the darnel and the good seed. Some think that this parable should be understood as an allegory and not as a parable properly so called.
• Matthew 13,40-43: The application of the parable or of the allegory. With the information given by Jesus, you will understand better its application: Just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of failing and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the upright will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father”.
The destiny of the darnel is the furnace; the destiny of the grain is to shine like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father. Behind these two images there is the experience of the persons. After they have listened to Jesus and have accepted him in their life, everything has changed for them. This means that in Jesus what they expected has taken place: the fulfilment of the promises. Now life is divided into before and after having accepted Jesus in their life. The new life has begun with the splendour of the sun. If they would have continued to live as before, they would be like the darnel in the furnace, life without meaning, which is good for nothing.
• Parable and Allegory. There is the parable. There is the allegory. There is the mixture of both which is the more common form. Generally, everything in the parable is a call. In the Gospel of today, we have the example of an allegory. An allegory is a story which a person tells, but when she is telling it, she does not think about the elements of the story, but about the theme which has to be clarified. In reading an allegory it is not necessary first to look at the story as a whole, because in an allegory the story is not constructed around a central point which later serves as a comparison, but rather each element has its own independent function, starting from the sense which it receives. It is a question of discovering what each element of the two stories tries to tell us about the Kingdom, as the explanation which Jesus gave of the parable: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest, reapers. Generally the parables are also allegories, a mixture of both.
• Matthew 13,36: The request of the disciples to Jesus: the explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. The disciples, in the house, speak and ask for an explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. (Mt 13,24-30). It has been said many times that Jesus, in the house, continued to teach his disciples (Mk 7,17; 9,28.33; 10,10). At that time, there was no television and people spent together the long winter evenings to speak about the facts and events of life. On these occasions, Jesus completed the teaching and the formation of his disciples.
• Matthew 13,38-39: The meaning of each one of the elements of the parable. Jesus responds taking again each one of these elements of the parable and giving them significance: the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the Kingdom; the darnel is the members of the adversary (the evil one); the enemy is the devil; the harvest is the end of time, the reapers are the angels. And now reread the parable (Mt 13,24-30) giving to each one of these six elements: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest and reapers, the right significance. In this way the story assumes a completely new sense and it is possible to attain the objective that Jesus had in mind when he told people the parable of the darnel and the good seed. Some think that this parable should be understood as an allegory and not as a parable properly so called.
• Matthew 13,40-43: The application of the parable or of the allegory. With the information given by Jesus, you will understand better its application: Just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of failing and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the upright will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father”.
The destiny of the darnel is the furnace; the destiny of the grain is to shine like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father. Behind these two images there is the experience of the persons. After they have listened to Jesus and have accepted him in their life, everything has changed for them. This means that in Jesus what they expected has taken place: the fulfilment of the promises. Now life is divided into before and after having accepted Jesus in their life. The new life has begun with the splendour of the sun. If they would have continued to live as before, they would be like the darnel in the furnace, life without meaning, which is good for nothing.
• Parable and Allegory. There is the parable. There is the allegory. There is the mixture of both which is the more common form. Generally, everything in the parable is a call. In the Gospel of today, we have the example of an allegory. An allegory is a story which a person tells, but when she is telling it, she does not think about the elements of the story, but about the theme which has to be clarified. In reading an allegory it is not necessary first to look at the story as a whole, because in an allegory the story is not constructed around a central point which later serves as a comparison, but rather each element has its own independent function, starting from the sense which it receives. It is a question of discovering what each element of the two stories tries to tell us about the Kingdom, as the explanation which Jesus gave of the parable: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest, reapers. Generally the parables are also allegories, a mixture of both.
4)
Personal questions
• In
the field everything is mixed up: darnel and grain. In the field of my life,
what thing prevails: darnel or grain?
• Have you tried to speak with other persons to discover the sense of some parable?
• Have you tried to speak with other persons to discover the sense of some parable?
5)
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh,
your faithful love is in the heavens,
your constancy reaches to the clouds,
your saving justice is like towering mountains,
your judgements like the mighty deep. (Ps 36,5-6)
your constancy reaches to the clouds,
your saving justice is like towering mountains,
your judgements like the mighty deep. (Ps 36,5-6)
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