Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 480
Lectionary: 480
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the Church,
he himself the savior of the Body.
As the Church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the Church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,
and the wife should respect her husband.
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the Church,
he himself the savior of the Body.
As the Church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the Church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,
and the wife should respect her husband.
Responsorial PsalmPS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
AlleluiaSEE MT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK
13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
Meditation: "What God's kingdom is like"
What can mustard seeds and leaven teach us about the
kingdom of God? The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which
attracted numerous birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it
produced. God's kingdom works in a similar fashion. It starts from the smallest
beginnings in the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God's word. And
it works unseen and causes a transformation from within.
The transforming
power of the Holy Spirit within us
Leaven is another powerful agent of change. A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough. But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated - the staple of life for humans. The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield to Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
Leaven is another powerful agent of change. A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough. But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated - the staple of life for humans. The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield to Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and
transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for
your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: The Word of God operates in us like leaven, by Cyril of
Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"The leaven is
small in quantity, yet it immediately seizes the whole mass and quickly
communicates its own properties to it. The Word of God operates in us in a
similar manner. When it is admitted within us, it makes us holy and without
blame. By pervading our mind and heart, it makes us spiritual. Paul says, 'Our
whole body and spirit and soul may be kept blameless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ' (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The God of all clearly shows that the
divine Word is poured out even into the depth of our understanding... We
receive the rational and divine leaven in our mind. We understand that by this
precious, holy and pure leaven, we may be found spiritually unleavened and have
none of the wickedness of the world, but rather be pure, holy partakers of
Christ." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 96)
www.dailyscripture.net
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, LUKE 13:18-21
Weekday
(Ephesians 5:21-33; Psalm 128)
Weekday
(Ephesians 5:21-33; Psalm 128)
KEY VERSE: "What is the kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?" (v 18).
TO KNOW: In Jesus' time, Israel had neither king nor kingdom. Some people hoped for a leader with political power to rid them of Roman occupation and restore the rule to Israel. Others hoped for a priestly leader who would bring about spiritual transformation. Jesus announced that the kingdom of God had begun in him. He used images to show that God's reign would not be manifested in sudden or dramatic ways, but in hidden, mysterious ways. When a tiny mustard seed was planted in a garden, it grew to be nine to twelve feet high. A few grains of yeast could alter the whole mass of dough. Although God's reign had insignificant beginnings, it had the capability to become great and powerful, and be the means whereby the whole world would be renewed.
TO LOVE: What are the seemingly unimportant things in my life that have potential for growth?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to trust that all things will be brought to fulfillment in your time.
TO KNOW: In Jesus' time, Israel had neither king nor kingdom. Some people hoped for a leader with political power to rid them of Roman occupation and restore the rule to Israel. Others hoped for a priestly leader who would bring about spiritual transformation. Jesus announced that the kingdom of God had begun in him. He used images to show that God's reign would not be manifested in sudden or dramatic ways, but in hidden, mysterious ways. When a tiny mustard seed was planted in a garden, it grew to be nine to twelve feet high. A few grains of yeast could alter the whole mass of dough. Although God's reign had insignificant beginnings, it had the capability to become great and powerful, and be the means whereby the whole world would be renewed.
TO LOVE: What are the seemingly unimportant things in my life that have potential for growth?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to trust that all things will be brought to fulfillment in your time.
Tuesday 25 October 2016
Tue 25th. Ephesians 5:21-33. Happy are
those who fear the Lord—Ps 127(128):1-5. Luke 13:18-21.
'It grew'
Watching a garden spring to life can be
rewarding; admiring bulbs blossom after nurturing them through a bitter winter
and picking vegetables from the garden, ripe and juicy after the soil has been
cultivated and watered. As gardens take time, so does faith. The seed, as we
see in today's parable, is planted and over time it is nurtured in many
beautiful ways–particularly through the sacraments. As Pope Francis says, it is
our 'greatest inheritance.' What can we do to cultivate our faith today?
FORTY MARTYRS OF ENGLAND AND WALES
This feast, the feast of the Forty Martyrs of
England and Wales, honors the hundreds of British men and women who died
for their faith in wake of the dispute between the Pope and King Henry VIII
during the 16th century. Many loyal Catholics were tortured and killed by the
British state from 1535 to 1679.
In 1970, the Vatican selected 40 martyrs, men and
women, lay and religious, to represent the full group of about 300. Each martyr
has their own day of memorial, but they are all remembered as a group on
October 25.
LECTIO:
LUKE 13,18-21
Lectio
Divina:
Tuesday,
October 25, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening
prayer
Almighty and ever-living God,
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 13,18-21
Jesus went on to say, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.'
Jesus went on to say, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.'
Again he
said, 'What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a
woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all
through.'
3) Reflection
• Context. Along the road that leads him to Jerusalem Jesus is surrounded by “thousands” of persons (11, 29) who crowd around him. The reason for such attraction on the part of the crowds is the Word of Jesus. In chapter 12 one can notice how the persons who listen to his Word alternate: the disciples (12, 1-12), the crowd (vv.13-21), the disciples (vv.22-53), the crowds (vv.54-59). Instead the scandal of the death is the dominating theme of Luke 13, 1-35. In the first part it is spoken about the death of all (vv.1-9), in the second part instead, of the death of Jesus (vv.31-35); to the death avoided for sinners because their conversion is expect6ed. But there is another theme that is put together with the dominating one: the salvation given to men. The cure of the woman who was bent, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had held during eighteen years, is liberated by Jesus. And in the centre of this chapter 13 we find two parables that constitute the whole or overall theme: the Kingdom of God compared to the “mustard seed” and to the “leaven or yeast”.
• Context. Along the road that leads him to Jerusalem Jesus is surrounded by “thousands” of persons (11, 29) who crowd around him. The reason for such attraction on the part of the crowds is the Word of Jesus. In chapter 12 one can notice how the persons who listen to his Word alternate: the disciples (12, 1-12), the crowd (vv.13-21), the disciples (vv.22-53), the crowds (vv.54-59). Instead the scandal of the death is the dominating theme of Luke 13, 1-35. In the first part it is spoken about the death of all (vv.1-9), in the second part instead, of the death of Jesus (vv.31-35); to the death avoided for sinners because their conversion is expect6ed. But there is another theme that is put together with the dominating one: the salvation given to men. The cure of the woman who was bent, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had held during eighteen years, is liberated by Jesus. And in the centre of this chapter 13 we find two parables that constitute the whole or overall theme: the Kingdom of God compared to the “mustard seed” and to the “leaven or yeast”.
• The Kingdom
of God is similar to a mustard seed. Such a seed is very common in Palestine
and particularly close to the Lake of Galilee. It is especially known because
it is particularly small. In Luke 17, 6, Jesus uses such an image to express
the hope that he has on the disciples that they have a minimum faith: “If you
had faith like a mustard seed...”. This parable which is very simple confronts
two diverse moments of the story of the seed: the moment when it is sown in the
earth (the modest beginnings) and that in which it becomes a tree (the final
miracle). Therefore, the purpose of this account is to narrate the
extraordinary growth of a seed that is thrown in one’s own garden, and to this
follows an amazing growth, it becomes a tree. Like this seed the Kingdom of God
also has its story. The kingdom of God is the seed thrown into the garden, the
place that in the New Testament is the place of the agony and the burial of
Jesus (Jn 18, 1.26; 19, 41); then follows the moment of growth and concludes
with becoming a tree open to all.
• The Kingdom
of God is similar to yeast. Yeast is put into three measures of flour. In the
Hebrew culture yeast was considered a factor of corruption so much so that it
was eliminated from their houses, in order not to contaminate the feast at
Passover which began precisely with the week of the unleavened dough. In the
ears of the Jews the use of this negative element, to describe the Kingdom of
God, was a reason to be disturbed. But the reader is able to discover the
convincing force: it is sufficient to put a very small quantity of yeast in
three measures of flour in order to get a big amount of dough. Jesus announces
that this yeast, hidden or that has disappeared in three measures of flour,
after a certain amount of time, leavens the whole dough.
• The effects
of the text on the reader. What do these two parables communicate to us? The
Kingdom of God compared by Jesus to a seed that becomes a tree, is to be put
close to the story of God as a story of his Word: it is hidden in human history
and it is growing; Luke thinks of the Word of God (the Kingdom of God in our
midst) that it is already developing but it has not as yet become a tree. Jesus
and the Holy Spirit are supporting this growth of the Word. The image of yeast
completes the frame of the seed. The yeast is the Gospel that is working in the
world, in the ecclesial communities, in the individual believers.
4) Personal
questions
• Are you aware that the Kingdom of God is present in our midst and that it grows mysteriously and extends itself in the history of every person, and in the Church?
• Are you aware that the Kingdom of God is present in our midst and that it grows mysteriously and extends itself in the history of every person, and in the Church?
• The Kingdom
is a humble reality, hidden, poor and silent, immersed between the competition
and pleasures of life. Have you understood from the two parables, that you will
not be able to get a glimpse of the Kingdom if you do not have an attitude of
humble and silent listening?
5) Concluding
Prayer
How blessed are all who fear Yahweh,
How blessed are all who fear Yahweh,
who walk in
his ways!
Your own
labours will yield you a living,
happy and
prosperous will you be. (Ps 128,1-2)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét