Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 478
Lectionary: 478
Brothers and sisters:
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5
R. (1) Let us
go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
AlleluiaEZ 33:11
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion that he may live.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion that he may live.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 13:1-9
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Meditation: "Unless you repent"
What
can a calamity, such as a political blood-bath or a natural disaster, teach us
about God's kingdom and the consequences of bad choices and sinful actions?
Jesus used two such occasions to address the issue of sin and judgment with his
Jewish audience. Pilate, who was the Roman governor of Jerusalem at the time,
ordered his troops to slaughter a group of Galileans who had come up to
Jerusalem to offer sacrifice in the Temple. We do not know what these Galileans
did to incite Pilate's wrath, nor why Pilate chose to attack them in the
holiest of places for the Jews, in their temple at Jerusalem. For the Jews,
this was political barbarity and sacrilege at its worst!
The
second incident which Jesus addressed was a natural disaster, a tower in
Jerusalem which unexpectedly collapsed, killing 18 people. The Jews often associated
such calamities and disasters as a consequence of sin. Scripture does warn that
sin can result in calamity! Though the righteous fall seven times, and
rise again; the wicked are overthrown by calamity (Proverbs 24:16).
The
time for repentance and forgiveness is right now!
The real danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster or a sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Jesus gives a clear warning - take responsibility for your actions and moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart, mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer which corrupts us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance - asking God for forgiveness and for his healing grace - it leads to a spiritual death which is far worse than physical destruction.
The real danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster or a sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Jesus gives a clear warning - take responsibility for your actions and moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart, mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer which corrupts us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance - asking God for forgiveness and for his healing grace - it leads to a spiritual death which is far worse than physical destruction.
The
sign of the barren fig tree
Jesus' parable of the barren fig trees illustrates his warning about the consequences of allowing sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig tree normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it failed, it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin.
Jesus' parable of the barren fig trees illustrates his warning about the consequences of allowing sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig tree normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it failed, it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin.
The
unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's indifference and lack of
response to God's word of repentance and restoration. The prophets
depicted the desolation and calamity of Israel's fall and ruin - due to her
unfaithfulness to God - as a languishing fig tree (see Joel 1:7,12; Habbakuk
3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah likened good and evil rulers and members of
Israel with figs that were either good for eating or rotten and wasteful (Jeremiah
24:2-8). Jesus' parable depicts the patience of God, but it also contains a
warning that we should not presume upon God's patience and mercy. God's
judgment will come in due course - very soon or later.
Why
God judges
Why does God judge his people? He judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we might grow in his holiness and righteousness. And he disciplines us for our own good, to inspire a godly fear and reverence for him and his word. God is patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent and change their course, there is the consequence that they will lose both their soul and body to hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will happen if those who sin are not warned to repent and turn back to God.
Why does God judge his people? He judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we might grow in his holiness and righteousness. And he disciplines us for our own good, to inspire a godly fear and reverence for him and his word. God is patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent and change their course, there is the consequence that they will lose both their soul and body to hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will happen if those who sin are not warned to repent and turn back to God.
Don't
tolerate sin
God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin and wrongdoing will result in bad fruit, painful discipline, and spiritual disease that leads to death and destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace (his gracious help and healing) and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for the Lord's righteousness (moral goodness) and holiness?
God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin and wrongdoing will result in bad fruit, painful discipline, and spiritual disease that leads to death and destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace (his gracious help and healing) and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for the Lord's righteousness (moral goodness) and holiness?
"Lord
Jesus, increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and
holiness. May I not squander the grace of the present moment to say
"yes" to you and to your will and plan for my life."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: The Lord's three visits through the
Patriarchs, Prophets, and the Gospel, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The Lord also has
something very fitting to say about a fruitless tree, 'Look, it is now three
years that I have been coming to it. Finding no fruit on it, I will cut it
down, to stop it blocking up my field.' The gardener intercedes... This tree is
the human race. The Lord visited this tree in the time of the patriarchs, as if
for the first year. He visited it in the time of the law and the prophets, as
if for the second year. Here we are now; with the gospel the third year has
dawned. Now it is as though it should have been cut down, but the merciful one
intercedes with the merciful one. He wanted to show how merciful he was, and so
he stood up to himself with a plea for mercy. 'Let us leave it,' he says, 'this
year too. Let us dig a ditch around it.' Manure is a sign of humility. 'Let us
apply a load of manure; perhaps it may bear fruit.' Since it does bear fruit in
one part, and in another part does not bear fruit, its Lord will come and
divide it. What does that mean, 'divide it'? There are good people and bad
people now in one company, as though constituting one body." (excerpt from Sermon
254.3)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22,
LUKE 13:1-9
Weekday
(Ephesians 4:7-16, Psalm 122)
Weekday
(Ephesians 4:7-16, Psalm 122)
KEY VERSE: "But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did" (v 3).
TO KNOW: Jesus cited two tragic events of his day in order to urge people to reform their lives while there was still time. The first case occurred when Pontius Pilate ordered the cold-blooded massacre of some Galileans who were offering sacrifice in the temple at Passover. The other misfortune was the accidental death of several construction workers when a water tower fell on them. These victims were no more sinful than anyone else, yet they perished, perhaps before they had time to reconcile themselves with God. Jesus then told a parable of God's patience. God gives us every chance to bear good fruit in our lives. But time eventually runs out. Hopefully, we will repent before it is too late.
TO LOVE: Am I able to see the trials in my life as opportunities for growth?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to heed your warning to repent of any sin in my life.
Optional Memorial of
Saint John Paul II, pope
John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyła in Poland, was pope of the Catholic Church from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX who served for nearly 32 years. In light of countless requests from every part of the world, Pope Francis I approved the placing of Saints John Paul II and John XXIII on the church's universal calendar. Pope John Paul II’s feast day is observed on Oct. 22, the day of his Inaugural Mass as Bishop of Rome. During his 27 year papacy, the popular pope became remembered for his charismatic nature, zeal for families, young people and the sick, and his role in the fall of communism in Europe. He is also noted for his promotion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the new Code of Canon Law. In his homily at his inauguration as pope, he stressed "Do not be afraid, Open, I say open wide the doors for Christ." The message became one of the signature statements of his papacy. "Totus Tuus" (Latin meaning "totally yours") was Pope John Paul II's apostolic motto. It expressed his personal Consecration to Mary based on the spiritual approach of Saint Louis de Montfort.
Saturday 22 October 2016
Sat 22nd. St John Paul II. Ephesians
4:7-16. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord—Ps 121(122):1-5. Luke
13:1-9.
'There is salvation in repentance'
This gospel is about second chances. The
weight of sin is heavy and can often feel overwhelmingly too much to bear. In
this parable, Jesus is telling us that God waits for us, in our darkness and
confusion. He is the gardener saying 'just give them a little more time, you'll
see the wonder of their fruit.' He waits for us because He believes
wholeheartedly in our worthiness to receive his love. All God asks is that we
repent of our sins. May we take advantage of the opportunities for repentance
gifted to us through our Church, as a community through the penitential rite at
Mass and personally one on one, through the rite of Reconciliation. May we walk
again the path of light and marvel at what Gregory Boyle in his book Tattoos on
the heart calls the 'no-matter-whatness' of God's love for us.
POPE
SAINT JOHN PAUL II
Saint
John Paul II is perhaps one of the most well-known pontiffs in recent history,
and is most remembered for his charismatic nature, his love of youth and his
world travels, along with his role in the fall of communism in Europe during
his 27-year papacy.
Karol Józef Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born.
He was baptized on June 20, 1920 in the parish church of Wadowice by Fr. Franciszek Zak, made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Krakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Krakow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.
After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Krakow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Sapieha in Krakow on November 1, 1946.
Shortly afterwards, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the subject of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross (Doctrina de fide apud Sanctum Ioannem a Cruce). At that time, during his vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland.
In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar of various parishes in Krakow as well as chaplain to university students. This period lasted until 1951 when he again took up his studies in philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later he became professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminary of Krakow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.
On July 4, 1958, he was appointed titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary of Krakow by Pope Pius XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Krakow, by Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak.
On January 13, 1964, he was appointed archbishop of Krakow by Pope Paul VI, who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967 with the title of S. Cesareo in Palatio of the order of deacons, later elevated pro illa vice to the order of priests.
Besides taking part in Vatican Council II (1962-1965) where he made an important contribution to drafting the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyla participated in all the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.
The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.
Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.
He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.
His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994.
John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.
Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.
With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church.
He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals.
He organized 15 Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops - six Ordinary General Assemblies (1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994 and 2001), one Extraordinary General Assembly (1985) and eight Special Assemblies (1980,1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 (2) and 1999).
His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters.
He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.
As a private Doctor he also published five books of his own: "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October 1994), "Gift and Mystery, on the fiftieth anniversary of my ordination as priest" (November 1996), "Roman Triptych" poetic meditations (March 2003), "Arise, Let us Be Going" (May 2004) and "Memory and Identity" (February 2005).
In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April a.D. 2005, at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father.
From that evening until April 8, date of the funeral of the late Pontiff, more than three million pilgrims came to Rome to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Pope. Some of them queued up to 24 hours to enter St. Peter's Basilica.
On April 28, the Holy Father Benedict XVI announced that the normal five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization would be waived for John Paul II. The cause was officially opened by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, on June 28 2005, and he was beatified May 1, 2011.
On April 27 , 2014 he was canonized by Pope Francis during a ceremony in St. Peter's Square.
In an April 24 message sent to the Church in Poland, Pope Francis gave thanks for the great “gift” of the new Saint, saying of John Paul II that he is grateful, “as all the members of the people of God, for his untiring service, his spiritual guidance, and for his extraordinary testimony of holiness.”
Karol Józef Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born.
He was baptized on June 20, 1920 in the parish church of Wadowice by Fr. Franciszek Zak, made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Krakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Krakow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.
After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Krakow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Sapieha in Krakow on November 1, 1946.
Shortly afterwards, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the subject of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross (Doctrina de fide apud Sanctum Ioannem a Cruce). At that time, during his vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland.
In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar of various parishes in Krakow as well as chaplain to university students. This period lasted until 1951 when he again took up his studies in philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later he became professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminary of Krakow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.
On July 4, 1958, he was appointed titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary of Krakow by Pope Pius XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Krakow, by Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak.
On January 13, 1964, he was appointed archbishop of Krakow by Pope Paul VI, who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967 with the title of S. Cesareo in Palatio of the order of deacons, later elevated pro illa vice to the order of priests.
Besides taking part in Vatican Council II (1962-1965) where he made an important contribution to drafting the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyla participated in all the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.
The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.
Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.
He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.
His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994.
John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.
Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.
With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church.
He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals.
He organized 15 Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops - six Ordinary General Assemblies (1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994 and 2001), one Extraordinary General Assembly (1985) and eight Special Assemblies (1980,1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 (2) and 1999).
His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters.
He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.
As a private Doctor he also published five books of his own: "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October 1994), "Gift and Mystery, on the fiftieth anniversary of my ordination as priest" (November 1996), "Roman Triptych" poetic meditations (March 2003), "Arise, Let us Be Going" (May 2004) and "Memory and Identity" (February 2005).
In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April a.D. 2005, at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father.
From that evening until April 8, date of the funeral of the late Pontiff, more than three million pilgrims came to Rome to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Pope. Some of them queued up to 24 hours to enter St. Peter's Basilica.
On April 28, the Holy Father Benedict XVI announced that the normal five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization would be waived for John Paul II. The cause was officially opened by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, on June 28 2005, and he was beatified May 1, 2011.
On April 27 , 2014 he was canonized by Pope Francis during a ceremony in St. Peter's Square.
In an April 24 message sent to the Church in Poland, Pope Francis gave thanks for the great “gift” of the new Saint, saying of John Paul II that he is grateful, “as all the members of the people of God, for his untiring service, his spiritual guidance, and for his extraordinary testimony of holiness.”
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 13,1-9
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty and everlasting God,
our source of power and inspiration,
give us strength and joy
in serving you as followers of Christ,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 13,1-9
It was just about this time that some
people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had
mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 'Do you suppose
that these Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have
happened to them? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will
all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell,
killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other
people living in Jerusalem?
They were not, I tell you. No; but
unless you repent you will all perish as they did.'
He told this parable, 'A man had a fig
tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found
none. He said to his vinedresser, "For three years now I have been coming
to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it
be taking up the ground?" "Sir," the man replied, "leave it
one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit
next year; if not, then you can cut it down." '
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today gives us information
which is only found in Luke’s Gospel and there are no parallel passages in the
other Gospels. We are meditating on the long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem
and which takes almost half of Luke’s Gospel, from chapter 9 to chapter 19 (Lk
9, 51 to 19, 28). In this part Luke places most of the information which he
obtains on the life and teaching of Jesus (Lk 1, 1-4).
• Luke 13, 1: The event which requires
an explanation. “At that time some people arrived and told Jesus about the
Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of the their sacrifices”.
When we read the newspaper or listen to the news on TV, we receive much
information, but we do not always understand all its meaning. We listen to
everything, but we really do not know what to do with so much information and
news. There are terrible news such as the tsunami, terrorism, the wars, hunger,
violence, crime, the attacks, etc. This is how the news of the horrible
massacre which Pilate, the Roman Governor, had ordered with some Samaritan
pilgrims reached Jesus. Such news upset us, throw us off. And one asks: “What
can I do?” To calm down their conscience, many defend themselves and say: “It
is their fault! They do not work! They are lazy people!” At the time of Jesus,
people defended themselves saying: “
• Luke 13, 2-3: Jesus’ response. Jesus
has a different opinion. “Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse
sinners than any others that this should have happened to them? I tell you No,
but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on
whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were
more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? I tell you, No, but
unless you repent you will perish as they did. He seeks to invite to conversion
and to change.
• Luke 13, 4-5: Jesus comments another
fact. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell, killing them all; do
you believe they were more guilty than all the other people in Jerusalem?
It must have been a disaster which was
greatly commented in the city. A thunderstorm knocked down the tower of Siloam
killing eighteen persons who were protecting themselves under it. The normal
comment was “Punishment from God!” Jesus repeats: “I tell you No, but unless
you repent you will perish as they did". They were not converted, they did
not change, and forty years later Jerusalem was destroyed and many people died,
being killed in the Temple like the Samaritans and many people died under the debri
or ruble of the walls of the city. Jesus tried to warn them, but the request
for peace was not accepted: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” (Lk 13, 34). Jesus teaches
to discover the calls of the events of life of every day.
• Luke 13, 6-9: A parable in such a way
as to make people think and discover God’s project. “A man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He
said to his vinedresser, for three years now I have been coming to look for
fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Then he said to the vinedresser: Cut
it down; why should it be taking up the ground? Sir, the man replied, leave it
one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it, it may bear fruit
next year; if not, then you can cut it down”. Many times the vine is used to
indicate God’s affection for his people, or to indicate the lack of
correspondence of the people to God’s love (Is 5, 1-7; 27, 2-5; Jr 2, 21; 8,
13; Ex 19, 10-14; Ho 10, 1-8; Mi 7, 1; Jn 15, 1-6). In the parable, the
landlord of the vine is God, the Father. The vinedresser who intercedes in
behalf of the vine is Jesus. He insists with the Father to extend the space,
the time of conversion.
4) Personal questions
• God’s People, God’s vineyard. I am
part of this vineyard. I apply this parable to myself. What conclusion do I
draw?
• What do I do with the news that I
receive? Do I seek to have a critical opinion, or do I continue to have the
opinion of the majority and of mass media, of means of communication?
5) Concluding prayer
Who is like Yahweh our God?
His throne is set on high,
but he stoops to look down on heaven and
earth.
He raises the poor from the dust,
he lifts the needy from the dunghill.
(Ps 113,5-7)
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