Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 479
Lectionary: 479
Brothers and sisters:
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you,
as is fitting among holy ones,
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,
but instead, thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,
that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,
for because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
So do not be associated with them.
For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light.
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you,
as is fitting among holy ones,
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,
but instead, thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,
that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,
for because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
So do not be associated with them.
For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (see Eph. 5:1) Behave
like God as his very dear children.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
AlleluiaJN 17:17B, 17A
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
Meditation: "Freedom from bondage for eighteen years"
Is there anything that keeps you bound up or
oppressed? Infirmity, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can befall us
for a variety of reasons and God can use it for some purpose that we do not
understand. When Jesus encountered an elderly woman who was spent of her
strength and unable to stand upright, he gave her words of faith and freedom
and he restored her to health. She must have suffered much, both physically and
spiritually for eighteen years, since Jesus remarked that Satan had bound her.
How can Satan do this? The Scriptures indicate that Satan can act in the world
with malice and can cause injuries of a spiritual nature, and indirectly even
of a physical nature. Satan's power, however, is not infinite. He cannot
prevent the building up of God's kingdom or reign in our lives.
Jesus wants to set free us from oppression
Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God's kingdom in releasing people who are oppressed by physical and emotional sickness, by personal weakness and sin, and by the harassment of the evil one in their lives. It took only one word from Jesus to release this woman instantly of her infirmity. Do you believe in the power of Jesus to release you from affliction and oppression?
Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God's kingdom in releasing people who are oppressed by physical and emotional sickness, by personal weakness and sin, and by the harassment of the evil one in their lives. It took only one word from Jesus to release this woman instantly of her infirmity. Do you believe in the power of Jesus to release you from affliction and oppression?
The Jewish leaders were indignant that Jesus would
perform such a miraculous work on the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. They were
so caught up in their ritual observance of the Sabbath that they lost sight of
God's mercy and goodness. Jesus healed on the Sabbath because God does not rest
from showing his mercy and love, ever. God's word has power to change us,
spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Is there anything that keeps you
bound up or that weighs you down? Let the Lord speak his word to you and give
you freedom.
"Lord Jesus, you grant freedom to those who
seek you. Give me freedom to walk in your way of love and to praise and worship
you always. Show me how I can bring your mercy and healing love to those in
need around me."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: Jesus overcomes death and destruction, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"The incarnation of
the Word and his assumption of human nature took place for the overthrow of
death, destruction and the envy harbored against us by the wicked Serpent, who
was the first cause of evil. This plainly is proved to us by facts themselves.
He set free the daughter of Abraham from her protracted sickness, calling out
and saying, 'Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.' A speech most worthy
of God, and full of supernatural power! With the royal inclination of his will,
he drives away the disease. He also lays his hands upon her. It says that she
immediately was made straight. It is now also possible to see that his holy
flesh bore in it the power and activity of God. It was his own flesh, and not
that of some other Son beside him, distinct and separate from him, as some most
impiously imagine." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 96)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, LUKE 13:10-17
Weekday
(Ephesians 4:32--5:8; Psalm 1)
Weekday
(Ephesians 4:32--5:8; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity" (v 12).
TO KNOW: This is the last time in Luke's gospel that we hear of Jesus teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus' opponents were watching his every move to see if he was guilty of violating the Law of Moses, especially the Sabbath law. When Jesus noticed a crippled woman in the synagogue who was unable to stand upright, he healed her. This woman was a symbol of God's people who labored under the heavy burden of the law while the religious leaders did nothing to lighten their load (Lk 11:46). When Jesus cured the woman, setting her free from the bonds that constrained her, she stood erect and glorified God. But his opponents were outraged. Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and healing was considered work. The indignant synagogue leader told Jesus that there were six other days on which "work should be done" (v 14), and he ought to heal then. Jesus' answered that they were hypocrites since the law allowed them to care for their animals on the Sabbath. He asked them if they had as much concern for this "daughter of Abraham" (v 16).
TO LOVE: Is there someone I can assist who is bowed low with problems?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use your Sabbath to lift the burdens that someone carries.
Optional Memorial of Saint Anthony Mary
Claret, bishop
Anthony Mary Claret was ordained to the priesthood in 1835, and assigned as pastor in Catalonia, Spain. His apostolate consisted of rural preaching, conferences for the clergy and publications (he wrote more than 150 books). In 1849 Anthony gathered together five priests who formed the basis of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (popularly known as Claretians). At the suggestion of the Queen of Spain, Isabella II, Anthony was named archbishop of Santiago, Cuba (1850). For the next seven years he made pastoral visitations, preached against the slavery of the Africans, and regularized numerous marriages. As a result of his activity he was frequently threatened with death and on one occasion an attempt was actually made on his life. In 1857 he was recalled to Spain as confessor to the queen. He followed Isabella II into exile and was placed under house arrest in the Cistercian monastery at Fontfroide, France, where he died at the age of 63. His remains were ultimately returned to Spain. He was canonized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.
ST. ANTHONY CLARET
Anthony Claret was born in Spain in 1807 and like
his father, he was a weaver by trade. In his spare time, he studied Latin, and
at the age of 22, he entered the seminary, and was ordained in 1835. He
preached and worked in the missions for 10 years and then, in 1849, he founded
the Claretians. Shortly thereafter, he was named Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba.
While he was archbishop, he successfully reformed the clergy and the laity. He
returned to Spain to be Queen Isabella II’s confessor, to oversee his congregation,
and to publish a few books.
In 1868, due to the Spanish Revolution, both
Archbishop Claret and the queen were exiled. After Vatican I, the archbishop
sought refuge at a Cistercian monastery in France, where he died in 1870. He
was canonized in 1950.
LECTIO
DIVINA: LUKE 13,10-17
Lectio
Divina:
Monday,
October 24, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty and ever-living God,
strengthen our faith, hope and love.
May we do with loving hearts
what you ask of us
and come to share the life you promise.
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 - Luke 13,10-17
One Sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the
synagogues, and there before him was a woman who for eighteen years had been
possessed by a spirit that crippled her; she was bent double and quite unable
to stand upright.
When Jesus saw her he called her over and said,
'Woman, you are freed from your disability,' and he laid his hands on her. And
at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.
But the president of the synagogue was indignant
because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he addressed all those present
saying, 'There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one
of those days and not on the Sabbath.'
But the Lord answered him and said, 'Hypocrites! Is
there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the
Sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham
whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years -- was it not right to untie
this bond on the Sabbath day?'
When he said this, all his adversaries were covered
with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today describes the cure of a woman who
was crippled. It is a question of one of the many episodes which Luke narrates,
without too much order, in describing the long journey of Jesus toward
Jerusalem (Lk 9, 51 to 1928).
• Luke 13, 10-11: The situation which brings about the
action of Jesus. Jesus is in the synagogue on a day of rest. He keeps the Law
respecting Saturday and participating in the celebration together with his
people. Luke tells us that Jesus was teaching. In the Synagogue there was a
crippled woman. Luke says that she had a spirit which crippled her and
prevented her from straightening up. This was a way in which the people of that
time explained sicknesses. It was already eighteen years that she was in that
situation. The woman does not speak, does not have a name, she does not ask to
be cured, she takes no initiative. One is struck by her passivity.
• Luke 13, 12-13: Jesus cures the woman. Seeing the
woman, Jesus calls her and says to her: Woman, you are freed from your
disability!” The action of freeing is done by the word, addressed directly to
the woman, and through the imposition of the hands. Immediately, she stands up
and begins to praise the Lord. There is relation between standing up and
praising the Lord. Jesus does things in such a way that the woman stands up, in
such a way that she can praise God in the midst of the people meeting in the
assembly. Peter’s mother-in-law, once she was cured, she stands up and serves
(Mk 1, 31). To praise God is to serve the brothers!
• Luke 13, 14: The reaction of the president of the
Synagogue. The President of the Synagogue became indignant seeing Jesus’
action, because he had cured on Saturday: “There are six days when work is to
be done. Come and be healed in one of those days and not on the Sabbath”. In
the criticism of the President of the Synagogue, people remember the word of
the Law of God which said: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six
days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath
for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work that day”, (Ex 20, 8-10). In this
reaction is the reason why the woman could not participate at that time. The
dominion of conscience through the manipulation of the law of God was quite
strong. And this was the way of keeping the people submitted and bent down,
crippled.
• Luke 13, 15-16: The response of Jesus to the
President of the Synagogue. The President condemned persons because he wanted
them to observe the Law of God. What for the President of the Synagogue is
observance of the Law, for Jesus is hypocrisy: "Hypocrites, is there one
of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the Sabbath
and take it down for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan
has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie this bond on
the Sabbath day?” With this example drawn from every day life, Jesus indicates
the incoherence of this type of observance of the Law of God. If it is
permitted to untie an ox or a donkey on Saturday to give it water, much more
will it be permitted to untie a daughter of Abraham to free her from the power
of evil. The true sense of the observance of the Law which pleases God is this:
to liberate persons from the power of evil and to make them stand up, in order
that they can render glory to God and praise him. Jesus imitates God who
sustains those who are unsteady or weak and lifts those who fall (Ps 145, 14;
146, 8).
• Luke 13, 17: The reaction of the people before the
action of Jesus. The teaching of Jesus confuses his enemies, but the crowds are
filled with joy because of the wonderful things that Jesus is doing: “All the
people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked”. In Palestine, at the time
of Jesus, women lived crippled, bent, and submitted to the husband, to the
parents and to the religious heads of her people. This situation of submission
was justified by the religion. But Jesus does not want her to continue to be
crippled, bent. To choose and to liberate persons does not depend on a
determinate date. It can be done every day, even on Saturday!
4) Personal questions
• The situation of women has changed very much since
that time, or not? Which is the situation of women in society and in the
Church? Is there any relation between religion and oppression of women?
• Did the crowds exult before the action of Jesus?
What liberation is taking place today and is leading the crowd to exult and to
give thanks to God?
5) Concluding prayer
How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the
wicked
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners
tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs his law day and night. (Ps 1,1-2)
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