Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Lectionary: 489
Lectionary: 489
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
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.
Alleluia1 JN 2:5
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 16:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”
Meditation: The necessity of prudent foresight
Do you make good use of
your money and possessions? Jesus seemed to praise a steward (a manager
entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his employer's money. What did
the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible for
managing his wealthy landowner's property. The steward very likely overcharged
his master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair
share of the profit. When the landowner discovered the steward's dishonest
practice he immediately removed him from his job, leaving him penniless and
ashamed to beg or do manual work.
The necessity of prudent
foresight to avert disaster
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner's agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owned him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.
Before news of his dismissal became public knowledge, the shrewd steward struck a deal with his master's debtors. In discounting their debts he probably was giving up his generous commission. Such a deal won him great favor with the debtors. Since the steward acted as the landowner's agent, such a deal made his master look very generous and forgiving towards those who owned him money. Surely everyone would praise such a generous landowner as the town hero! Since the master could not undo the steward's cancellation of the debts without losing face and making his debtors resent him, he praised the steward for outwitting him and making him appear as a generous and merciful landowner.
Jesus obviously thought
that the example of a very clever steward would be a perfect illustration for a
spiritual lesson about God and how God treats those who belong to his kingdom.
What's the point of Jesus' parable? The dishonest steward is commended not for
mishandling his master's wealth, but for his shrewd provision in averting
personal disaster and in securing his future livelihood. The original meaning
of "shrewdness" is "foresight". A shrewd person grasps a
critical situation with resolution, foresight, and the determination to avoid
serious loss or disaster.
Faith and prudent
foresight can save us from moral and spiritual disaster
Jesus is concerned here with something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and energy to spiritual matters, which have eternal consequences, as they do to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly better off, both in this life and in the age to come.
Jesus is concerned here with something more critical than a financial or economic crisis. His concern is that we avert spiritual crisis and personal moral disaster through the exercise of faith and foresight. If Christians would only expend as much foresight and energy to spiritual matters, which have eternal consequences, as they do to earthly matters which have temporal consequences, then they would be truly better off, both in this life and in the age to come.
God loves good
stewardship and generosity
Ambrose, a 4th century bishop said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away. Possessions are a great responsibility. The Lord expects us to use them honestly and responsibly and to put them at his service and the service of others. We belong to God and all that we have is his as well. He expects us to make a good return on what he gives us.
Ambrose, a 4th century bishop said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. True wealth consists not in what we keep but in what we give away. Possessions are a great responsibility. The Lord expects us to use them honestly and responsibly and to put them at his service and the service of others. We belong to God and all that we have is his as well. He expects us to make a good return on what he gives us.
God loves generosity and
he gives liberally to those who share his gifts with others. The Pharisees,
however, had little room for God or others in their hearts. The Gospel says
they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). Love of money and wealth crowd out love
of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our hearts must either be
possessed by God's love or our hearts will be possessed by the love of
something else. What do you most treasure in your heart?
"Lord Jesus, all
that I have is a gift from you. May I love you freely and generously with all
that I possess. Help me to be a wise and faithful steward of the resources you
put at my disposal, including the use of my time, money, and possessions."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: Jesus recommends the foresight, prudence, and ingenuity of the
steward, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Why did the Lord
Jesus Christ present this parable to us? He surely did not approve of that
cheat of a servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not make it up
from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra pilfering. He
caused his master further loss, in order to prepare a little nest of quiet and
security for himself after he lost his job. Why did the Lord set this before
us? It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised foresight
for the future. When even a cheat is praised for his ingenuity, Christians who
make no such provision blush. I mean, this is what he added, 'Behold, the
children of this age are more prudent than the children of light.' They
perpetrate frauds in order to secure their future. In what life, after all, did
that steward insure himself like that? What one was he going to quit when he
bowed to his master's decision? He was insuring himself for a life that was going
to end. Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?" (excerpt from 359A.10.)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, LUKE
16:1-8
(Philippians 3:17--4:1; Psalm 122)
(Philippians 3:17--4:1; Psalm 122)
KEY VERSE: "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light" (v 8).
TO KNOW: In the Parable of the Dishonest Steward, Jesus contrasted the apparent indifference of the children of the kingdom of God with worldly people who shrewdly planned for their future. In the story, a steward had mismanaged his master's funds and was faced with loss of employment. The steward was unused to physical labor and he was too proud to beg. So he devised a scheme whereby he cancelled his exorbitant commission hence reducing the amount owed by the debtors. Thus he ingratiated himself to both debtor and master. Jesus praised the enterprising steward for acting prudently. He was not encouraging dishonesty, but challenging his own disciples to be as resourceful in their pursuit of the kingdom as were those who acted without the light of the Holy Spirit to guide them.
TO LOVE: Am I honest in all my business dealings?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use my resources for building your kingdom on earth.
Memorial of Saint
Charles Borromeo, bishop
Charles Borromeo was born to a wealthy, noble family, and the nephew of Pope Pius IV. He was a civil and canon lawyer at age 21, cardinal at 22, and archbishop of Milan at 24. He spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese. He directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, and fought tirelessly for peace in the wake of the storm caused by Martin Luther. Charles founded schools for the poor, instituted children's Sunday school, established seminaries for clerics, hospitals for the sick, and conducted synods. Although Charles suffered with a speech impediment, he was a teacher, confessor and parish priest to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Charles did great public and private penance, and worked tirelessly among the sick and dying during the plague. He was canonized in 1610 by Pope Paul V.
Friday 4 November 2016
Fri 4th. St Charles Borromeo. Day of
penance.
Philippians 3:17-4:1. Let us go rejoicing to the house
of the Lord—Ps 121(122):1-5. Luke 16:1-8.
'Let me be your servant'
Each of us is called to be a servant in
some way, whether as a parent, as a pilot or as an executive. Jesus cautions us
to be attentive to our role, giving the best service possible. The Examen
provides clarity, forgiveness and encouragement for the day ahead. Also the
attributes of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness and self-control are the
gifts of the Holy Spirit and you can't go wrong by infusing your particular
service with them.
Sr Joan, a Presentation Sister, lives and works in a Bangkok slum where she works toward children having fresh milk, medical attention and the chance of an education. We used to walk on the beach on the west coast and she taught me to know and love the verses of Isaiah. Sr Joan operates with an infectious sense of joy and often chuckles at the miracles that come her way. Young ex-pat mums of Australia and New Zealand promote and back her work. She is 88 and thriving!
Sr Joan, a Presentation Sister, lives and works in a Bangkok slum where she works toward children having fresh milk, medical attention and the chance of an education. We used to walk on the beach on the west coast and she taught me to know and love the verses of Isaiah. Sr Joan operates with an infectious sense of joy and often chuckles at the miracles that come her way. Young ex-pat mums of Australia and New Zealand promote and back her work. She is 88 and thriving!
ST. CHARLES BORROMEO
No age of the Catholic Church's history is without its share of
confusion and corruption. Still, even in moments when disorder may seem
overwhelming, individuals and movements eventually arise to propose the faith
with clarity and demonstrate it in action. St. Charles Borromeo, a central
figure in the Council of Trent, is remembered on November 4, as a model of such
leadership in difficult times.
The circumstances of Charles' birth, in 1538, could have easily
allowed him to join the ranks of corrupt Renaissance-era clergy. He was born
into luxury, the son of noble parents, with a guaranteed income comparable to
modern “trust funds.” Early on, however, the young man signaled his intention
to go against the cultural grain. He announced his desire to serve the Church
with sincerity, asking his father to give away the majority of the fund's money
to the poor.
Charles could not escape a certain degree of wealth and
prestige, which were expected due to his social class, but he insisted on using
these forms of leverage to benefit the Church, rather than himself. When he was
22, his opportunity came: the young lawyer and canonist's uncle was
elected as Pope Pius IV. Charles soon assumed staggering responsibilities,
serving as a papal diplomat and supervisor of major religious orders.
The young man relaxed from these tasks through literature and
music, taking no interest in the temptations abounding in Rome during the late
Renaissance. He considered renouncing even this temperate lifestyle, for the
strict observance of a monastery-- but found himself more urgently needed in
the work of concluding the Council of Trent.
The Church's nineteenth Ecumenical Council had begun in late
1545, but experienced many delays. Its twofold mission was to clarify Catholic
doctrine against Protestant objections, and reform the Church internally
against many longstanding problems. As a papal representative, Charles
participated in the council's conclusion in 1563, when he was only 25. He also
played a leading role in assembling its comprehensive summary, the Roman
Catechism (or Catechism of the Council of Trent).
In reward for his labors, Charles received even greater
responsibilities. Ordained a priest during the Council, he was named as
archbishop and cardinal only months later. He found his diocese of Milan in a
state of disintegration, after two generations of virtually no local
administration or leadership. The new bishop got straight to work establishing
schools, seminaries, and centers for religious life.
His reforms of the diocese, in accordance with the decrees of
the council, were dramatic and effective, so much so that a group of
disgruntled monks attempted to kill him. His survival was called miraculous.
The new archbishop's efforts for catechesis and the instruction
of youth were especially fruitful, initiating the work of the Confraternity for
Christian Doctrine and the first “Sunday School” classes. He also gave
important pastoral attention to English Catholics who fled to Italy to escape
new laws against the Catholic faith.
St. Charles Borromeo's amazing diligence, frequent travel and
ascetic living eventually took their toll. The once young prodigy of the
Papal Court also died young at the age of 46 on November 3, 1584. He was
canonized 26 years later, in 1610.
He is the patron of catechists and catechumens.
LECTIO
DIVINA: LUKE 16,1-8
Lectio
Divina:
Friday,
November 4, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening
prayer
God of power
and mercy,
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
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.
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
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 16,1-8
Jesus said to
his disciples, 'There was a rich man and he had a steward who was denounced to
him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said,
"What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship
because you are not to be my steward any longer."
Then the steward said to himself, "Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes."
'Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?" "One hundred measures of oil," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write fifty." To another he said, "And you, sir, how much do you owe?" "One hundred measures of wheat," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond and write eighty."
'The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.'
Then the steward said to himself, "Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes."
'Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?" "One hundred measures of oil," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write fifty." To another he said, "And you, sir, how much do you owe?" "One hundred measures of wheat," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond and write eighty."
'The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.'
3) Reflection
• Today the
Gospel presents a parable that concerns administration of goods which is found
only in Luke’s Gospel. It is called The Parable of the dishonest steward. It is
a disconcerting parable. Luke says: “The master praised the dishonest steward
for his astuteness”. The master is Jesus himself and not the administrator or
steward. How is that Jesus praises a corrupt employee?
• Luke 16, 1-2: The steward is threatened to lose his job. “There was a rich man and he had a steward, who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship, because you are not to be my steward any more”. This example taken from the world of business and of work speaks for itself. It refers to the existing corruption. The master discovers the corruption and decides to send away the dishonest steward. The steward, unexpectedly, finds himself in an emergency situation, obliged by the unforeseen circumstances to find a way out in order to be able to survive. When God becomes present in the life of a person, unexpectedly everything changes and the person finds himself/herself in an emergency situation. The person has to take a decision and find a way out.
• Luke 16, 3-4: What to do? Which is the way out? “Then the steward said to himself, Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed”. He begins to reflect to find a way out. He analyses, one by one, the possible alternatives: to dig or work the land in order to survive, he feels that he does not have the strength to do this, and to beg, he would feel ashamed. He analyses things, and calculates well the possible alternatives. “Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes”. It is a question of trying to guarantee his future. The steward is coherent with his way of thinking and living.
• Luke 16, 5-7: Execution of the solution he found. “Then he called his master’s debtors, one by one, and said to the first one: How much do you owe my master? One hundred measures of oil, he said. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond, sit down and quickly write fifty. Then he said to another one, and you, sir, how much do you owe? ‘One hundred measures of wheat’, he answered. The steward said, ‘Here take your bond and write eighty”. In his total lack of ethics the steward was coherent. The criteria of his action are not honesty and justice, nor the good of the master on whom he depends to live and to survive, but it is his own interest. He wants to have the guarantee that there will be someone who will receive him in his house.
• Luke 16, 8: The Master praises the dishonest steward. And look this is the disconcerting conclusion: “The Master praises the dishonest steward for his astuteness: For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light”. The word Master or Lord indicates Jesus and not the rich man. The latter would never praise a dishonest employee working with him in the service and that now he robs even more, 50 measures of oil and 20 sacks of wheat! In the parable the one who extends the praise is Jesus. He certainly does not praise the theft, but the presence of spirit of the steward. He knew how to calculate things well and finds a way out, when unexpectedly he finds himself without a job. In this way the children of this world know how to be experts in their own things, and in the same way, the children of light should learn from them to be experts in the solution to their problems, using the criteria of the Kingdom and not the criteria of this world. “Be cunning as serpents and innocent as doves” (Mt 10, 16).
• Luke 16, 1-2: The steward is threatened to lose his job. “There was a rich man and he had a steward, who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship, because you are not to be my steward any more”. This example taken from the world of business and of work speaks for itself. It refers to the existing corruption. The master discovers the corruption and decides to send away the dishonest steward. The steward, unexpectedly, finds himself in an emergency situation, obliged by the unforeseen circumstances to find a way out in order to be able to survive. When God becomes present in the life of a person, unexpectedly everything changes and the person finds himself/herself in an emergency situation. The person has to take a decision and find a way out.
• Luke 16, 3-4: What to do? Which is the way out? “Then the steward said to himself, Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed”. He begins to reflect to find a way out. He analyses, one by one, the possible alternatives: to dig or work the land in order to survive, he feels that he does not have the strength to do this, and to beg, he would feel ashamed. He analyses things, and calculates well the possible alternatives. “Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes”. It is a question of trying to guarantee his future. The steward is coherent with his way of thinking and living.
• Luke 16, 5-7: Execution of the solution he found. “Then he called his master’s debtors, one by one, and said to the first one: How much do you owe my master? One hundred measures of oil, he said. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond, sit down and quickly write fifty. Then he said to another one, and you, sir, how much do you owe? ‘One hundred measures of wheat’, he answered. The steward said, ‘Here take your bond and write eighty”. In his total lack of ethics the steward was coherent. The criteria of his action are not honesty and justice, nor the good of the master on whom he depends to live and to survive, but it is his own interest. He wants to have the guarantee that there will be someone who will receive him in his house.
• Luke 16, 8: The Master praises the dishonest steward. And look this is the disconcerting conclusion: “The Master praises the dishonest steward for his astuteness: For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light”. The word Master or Lord indicates Jesus and not the rich man. The latter would never praise a dishonest employee working with him in the service and that now he robs even more, 50 measures of oil and 20 sacks of wheat! In the parable the one who extends the praise is Jesus. He certainly does not praise the theft, but the presence of spirit of the steward. He knew how to calculate things well and finds a way out, when unexpectedly he finds himself without a job. In this way the children of this world know how to be experts in their own things, and in the same way, the children of light should learn from them to be experts in the solution to their problems, using the criteria of the Kingdom and not the criteria of this world. “Be cunning as serpents and innocent as doves” (Mt 10, 16).
4) Personal
questions
• Am I
coherent?
• Which criteria do I use in the solution of my problems?
• Which criteria do I use in the solution of my problems?
5) Concluding
prayer
One thing I
ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek:
to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple. (Ps 27,4)
to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life,
to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh,
to seek out his temple. (Ps 27,4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét