Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and
Martyr
Lectionary: 344
Lectionary: 344
Rely not on your wealth;
say not: "I have the power."
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: "Who can prevail against me?"
or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?"
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?"
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: "Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive."
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wealth,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
say not: "I have the power."
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: "Who can prevail against me?"
or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?"
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?"
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: "Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive."
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wealth,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed
are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Alleluia1 THES 2:13
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 9:41-50
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
"Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
"Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
Meditation: "If your hand or eye
causes you to sin"
Who in their right mind
would want to lose their reward and then be deprived of joy in the end? We have
been given the greatest of rewards - God himself who is perfect love and source
of abundant life and unending happiness. Paul the Apostle tells us that "God's
love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Romans
5:5). God's love purifies our hearts and compels us to express kindness and
charity towards our neighbor who is created in the image and likeness of God.
We were created in love for love. The charity we show to our neighbors in their
need expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant goodness and kindness of
God towards us. Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to
the people of Christ will not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to
anyone in need who asked for his help. As his disciples we are called to be
kind and generous as he is.
Gregory of Nyssa (330-395 AD), an early church father
wrote:
"God never asks his servants to do what is
impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly
available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes to each person
according to his will the ability to do something good. None of those seeking
to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said:
'whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ,
will by no means lose his reward'" (ON
THE CHRISTIAN MODE OF LIFE 8.1)
Do you allow the love of Christ to transform your
heart that you may treat your neighbor with loving-kindness and mercy?
Avoiding evil and the near occasion of sin
Was Jesus' exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-47? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness. Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?
Was Jesus' exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-47? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness. Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?
Salt and fire
What does Jesus mean when he says "have salt in yourselves" (Mark 9:50)? Salt served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Salt was used as a symbol of fellowship and the sharing of a common meal with one's friends. The near-Eastern expression to betray the salt meant to betray one's Lord or Master or one's friends. Leonardo da Vinci in his painting of the Last Supper depicts Judas in the act of tipping over the salt shaker, thus symbolically indentifying himself as the betrayer of his Master the Lord Jesus.
What does Jesus mean when he says "have salt in yourselves" (Mark 9:50)? Salt served a very useful purpose in hot climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave food flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Salt was used as a symbol of fellowship and the sharing of a common meal with one's friends. The near-Eastern expression to betray the salt meant to betray one's Lord or Master or one's friends. Leonardo da Vinci in his painting of the Last Supper depicts Judas in the act of tipping over the salt shaker, thus symbolically indentifying himself as the betrayer of his Master the Lord Jesus.
Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his
disciples are to live in the world. As salt purifies, preserves, and produces
rich flavor for food, so the disciple of Christ must be salt in the world of
human society to purify, preserve, and bring the flavor of God's kingdom
of righteousness, peace, joy, and mercy. What did Jesus mean by the expression
"salted with fire" and "salt losing its saltiness"? Salt in
the ancient world was often put in ovens to intensify the heat. When the salt
was burned off and no longer useful it was thrown out on the foot path where it
would easily get trodden upon (Matthew 5:13). Perhaps
Jesus wanted to contrast useful salt and salt which lost its
ability to prevent corruption to encourage his disciples to bring the rich
flavor of Christ's love, holiness, and righteousness to a world dominated by
greed, selfish ambition, and neglect for the weak, poor, and defenseless.
Paul the Apostle reminds us that we are called to be
"the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among
those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a
fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ). The Lord Jesus
wants the fragrance of his love and righteousness to permeate our lives,
thoughts, speech, and actions. Do you allow the fragrance of Christ's love and
truth to permeate your relationships and circle of influence, especially among
your family, friends, and neighbors?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with the fragrance of your
love and truth that I may radiate the joy and peace of the Gospel wherever I go
and with whomever I meet."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Why not skip over such passages, by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)
"This is no trivial subject of inquiry that we
propose, but rather it concerns things most urgent, and about which many
inquire: namely, whether hell fire has any end. For that it has no end Christ
indeed declared when he said, 'Their fire shall not be quenched, and their worm
shall not die' (Isaiah 66:24). Yes, I know a chill comes over you on hearing
these things. But what am I to do? For this is God’s own command... Ordained as
we have been to the ministry of the word, we must cause our hearers discomfort
when it is necessary for them to hear. We do this not arbitrarily but under
command." (excerpt from the HOMILIES
ON FIRST CORINTHIANS 9.1)
THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 23, MARK 9:41-50
(Sirach 5:1-8; Psalm 1)
(Sirach 5:1-8; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor?" (v 50).
TO KNOW: Jesus warned his disciples to be careful not to give scandal to the lowly, poor and uneducated ones of the community. Using hyperbole (exaggerated speech), Jesus told them to be ruthless in their renunciation of evil. It would be better to enter heaven "crippled" or "maimed" than to be cast whole into the fires of Gehenna (originally a site of child sacrifice to the pagan god Molech, 2 Kgs.23:10). Later, it became a garbage dump with perpetually smoldering fires, which suggested the punishment of the wicked. Jesus' disciples should have a purifying effect on the community. Just as impure salt from the Dead Sea easily lost its flavor, they must be careful not to lose their zeal for God even though they would be refined by "fire" (v 49) through suffering and persecution.
TO LOVE: Am I careful not to give scandal in my community?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to be a good example to all.
Memorial of Saint Polycarp,
bishop and martyr
Polycarp was a disciple of Saint John the Apostle, and a friend of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. He fought the heresy of Gnosticism. As Bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey), Polycarp was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century. The Asia Minor churches recognized Polycarp's leadership and chose him as a representative to Pope Anicetus on the question of the date of the Easter celebration. Only one of the many letters written by Polycarp has survived, the one he wrote to the Church of Philippi, Macedonia. At 86, Polycarp was to be burned alive in a stadium in Smyrna. The flames did not harm him and he was finally killed by a dagger, and his body burned. The "Acts" of Polycarp's martyrdom are the earliest preserved reliable account of a Christian martyr's death.
NOTE: Generally speaking, Gnosticism taught that salvation is achieved through special knowledge (Greek: gnosis). They believed that the material world was evil, which contradicted scripture that everything God made was good (Gen 1:31). If matter is evil, then Jesus Christ could not be true God and true man, for Christ is in no way evil. Thus many Gnostics denied the Incarnation, claiming that Christ only appeared to be a man, but that his humanity was an illusion. Some Gnostics claimed that the God of the Jews was an evil deity who was distinct from the New Testament God of Jesus Christ They also proposed belief in many divine beings, known as "aeons," who mediated between man and the ultimate, unreachable God. The lowest of these aeons, the one who had contact with men, was supposed to be Jesus Christ.
Thursday 23 February 2017
Thu 23rd. St Polycarp. Ecclesiasticus
5:1-8. Happy are they who hope in the Lord—Ps 1:1-4, 6. Mark 9:41-50.
Faith that does not touch our lives is as
useless as flavourless salt.
We have a vital role to play in the world,
and if we stop witnessing, our own faith dims like a light hidden under a
bushel basket. The little ones Jesus speaks of are his true followers, often
derided by others for being out of touch with reality.
But Jesus warns us about giving scandal to
them, not just in obvious ways like harmful gossip, but through other means
that place stumbling blocks to the faith in the paths of others. These are
often the things we fail to do, like laziness, cowardice or selfishness.
These attitudes hide our light and we
become shadows of all we could be. Lord, help us to believe in our own
goodness, let the light of goodness shine, so others, seeing this light, can
find their way to you.
ST. POLYCARP OF SMYRNA
On Feb. 23, the Catholic Church remembers the life and martyrdom
of St. Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle and evangelist St. John. Polycarp is
celebrated on the same date by Eastern Orthodox Christians, who also honor him
as a Saint.
Polycarp is known to later generations primarily through the
account of his martyrdom, rather than by a formal biography. However, it can be
determined from that account that he was born around the year 69 AD. From the
testimony he gave to his persecutors – stating he had served Christ for 86
years – it is clear that he was either raised as a Christian, or became one in
his youth.
Growing up among the Greek-speaking Christians of the Roman
Empire, Polycarp received the teachings and recollections of individuals who
had seen and known Jesus during his earthly life. This important connection –
between Jesus' first disciples and apostles and their respective students –
served to protect the Catholic Church against the influence of heresy during
its earliest days, particularly against early attempts to deny Jesus' bodily
incarnation and full humanity.
Polycarp's most significant teacher, with whom he studied
personally, was St. John – whose contributions to the Bible included not only
the clearest indication of Jesus' eternal divinity, but also the strongest
assertions of the human nature he assumed on behalf of mankind. By contrast,
certain tendencies had already emerged among the first Christians – to deny the
reality of Jesus' literal suffering, death, and resurrection, regarding them as
mere "symbols" of highly abstract ideas.
Another Catholic teacher of the second century, St. Irenaeus,
wrote that Polycarp "was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed
with many who had seen Christ; but he was also, by apostles, appointed bishop
of the Church in Smyrna." In a surviving letter that he wrote to the
Philippians, he reminded that Church – which had also received the teaching of
St. Paul – not to surrender their faith to the "gnostic" teachers
claiming to teach a more intellectually refined gospel.
"For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh, is antichrist," he wrote – citing St. John
himself – "and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross, is
of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own
lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the
firstborn of Satan."
"Let us therefore, without ceasing, hold fast by our hope and
by the pledge of our righteousness," Polycarp taught – as he went on to
explain that both hope and righteousness depended upon "Jesus Christ, who
took up our sins in His own body upon the cross." With eloquence and
clarity, he reminded the Philippian Church that Christ, "for our sakes,
endured all things – so that we might live in him."
However, Polycarp's most eloquent testimony to his faith in Jesus
came not through his words, but through his martyrdom, described in another early
Christian work. The Church of Smyrna, in present-day Turkey, compiled their
recollections of their bishop's death at the hands of public authorities in a
letter to another local church.
"We have written to you, brethren, as to what relates to the
martyrs, and especially to the blessed Polycarp" – who, in the words of
the Catholics of Smyrna, "put an end to the persecution – having, as it
were, set a seal upon it by his martyrdom."
Around the year 155, Polycarp became aware that government
authorities were on the lookout for him, seeking to stamp out the Catholic
Church's claim of obeying a higher authority than the Emperor. He retreated to
a country house and occupied himself with constant prayer, before receiving a
vision of his death that prompted him to inform his friends: "I must be
burned alive." He changed locations, but was betrayed by a young man who
knew his whereabouts and confessed under torture.
He was captured on a Saturday evening by two public officials, who
urged him to submit to the state demands. "What harm is there," one
asked, "in saying, 'Caesar is Lord,' and in sacrificing to him, with the
other ceremonies observed on such occasions, so as to make sure of
safety?"
"I shall not do as you advise me," he answered. Outraged
by his response, the officials had him violently thrown from their chariot and
taken to an arena for execution. Entering the stadium, the bishop – along with
some of his companions, who survived to tell of it – heard a heavenly voice,
saying: "Be strong, and show yourself a man, O Polycarp!"
Before the crowd, the Roman proconsul demanded again that he
worship the emperor.
"Hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian," the
bishop said. "And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity
are, appoint me a day, and you shall hear them."
"You threaten me with fire," he continued "which
burns for an hour, and after a little is extinguished. But you are ignorant of
the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the
ungodly."
"But," he challenged the proconsul, "what are you
waiting for? Bring forth what you will."
Although the crowds clamored for Polycarp to be devoured by
beasts, it was decided he should be burned alive, just as he had prophesied. He
prayed aloud to God: "May I be accepted this day before you as an
acceptable sacrifice -- just as you, the ever-truthful God, have foreordained,
revealed beforehand to me, and now have fulfilled."
What happened next struck Polycarp's companions with amazement;
they recorded the sight in the letter that they circulated after Polycarp's
death.
"As the flame blazed forth in great fury," they wrote,
"we to whom it was given to witness it, beheld a great miracle." The
fire did not seem to touch the bishop's body. Rather, as they described,
"shaping itself into the form of an arch, it encompassed – as by a
circle – the body of the martyr. And he appeared within not like flesh which is
burnt, but as bread that is baked, or as gold and silver glowing in a
furnace."
"Moreover, we perceived such a sweet odour coming from the
flames – as if frankincense or some such precious spices had been burning
there."
The executioners perceived that Polycarp's death was not going as
planned. Losing patience, they ordered him to be stabbed to death.
From the resulting wound, "there came forth a dove, and a
great quantity of blood, so that the fire was extinguished."
The crowd, as the Christian witnesses recalled, were understandably
amazed.
"All the people marveled," they wrote, "that there
should be such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect."
Polycarp, they proclaimed, had been among that elect – "having in our own
times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic
Church which is in Smyrna."
St. Polycarp has been venerated as a Saint since his death in 155.
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 9,41-50
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep before us the wisdom and love
you have revealed in your Son.
Help us to be like him
in word and deed,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 9,41-50
Jesus said to his disciples: 'If anyone
gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I
tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward.
'But anyone who is the downfall of one
of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a
great millstone hung round his neck.
And if your hand should be your
downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to
have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that never be put out.
And if your foot should be your
downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have
two feet and be thrown into hell.
And if your eye should be your downfall,
tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one
eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm will never
die nor their fire be put out. For everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is a good thing, but if salt has
become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be
at peace with one another.'
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel narrates some advice
from Jesus on the relationship of adults with the little ones and the excluded.
At that time, many persons were excluded and marginalized. They could not
participate. Many of them would lose their faith. The text on which we are
going to meditate now contains strange affirmations which, if taken literally,
cause perplexity in people.
• Mark 9, 41: A glass of water
will be rewarded. A phrase from Jesus is inserted here: If anyone
gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I
tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. Two thoughts: 1) “Anyone
who gives you a cup of water to drink”. Jesus is going to Jerusalem to give his
life. A gesture of great donation! But he does not forget the small gesture of
donation of life of each day: a cup of water, an act of acceptance, to give
alms, so many gestures. Anyone who rejects and despises the brick will never be
able to construct a house! 2) “…because you belong to Christ”: Jesus identifies
himself with us who want to belong to him; this means that for him we have
great value.
• Mark 9, 42: Who is a cause of
scandal for these little ones. Scandal, literally, it is a stone along
the road, a stone in the shoe; it is that which leads a person away from the
right path. To scandalize the little ones is to be the cause
why the little ones go away from the right path and lose their faith in God.
Any one who does this receives the following sentence: “It would have been
better to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck!” Because
Jesus identifies himself with the little ones (Mt 23, 40-45). Today, in the
whole world, many little ones, many poor people are leaving the traditional
churches. Every year, in Latin America, approximately three million persons are
going to other churches. They cannot believe what we profess in our church! Why
does this happen? Up to what point are we to be blamed for this? Do we also
merit having a millstone round our neck?
• Mark 9, 43-48: To cut off your
hand and your foot and to tear out your eye. Jesus orders the person
to cut off the hand, the foot, to tear out the eye, in the case in which they
are cause of scandal. And he says: “It is better to enter into life or into
the Kingdom with one foot (hand, eye) than to be thrown into hell with two
feet, (hands, eyes)”. These phrases are not to be taken literally.
They mean that the person has to be rooted in his/her choice of God and of the
Gospel.
The expression “hell” where
their worm will never die nor their fire be put out”, is an image to indicate
the situation of a person who remains without God. “geenna” was the
name of a valley near Jerusalem, where the trash of the city was thrown and
where a fire was always burning to burn the trash. This place full of stench
was used by the people to symbolize the situation of the person who did not
participate in the Kingdom of God.
• Mark 9, 49-50: Salt and Peace. These
two verses help us to understand the severe words on scandal. Jesus says: “Have
salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another!” The community, in which
the members live in peace with one another, is like a bit of
salt which gives flavour to all the meal. To live in peace and fraternally in
the community is the salt that gives flavour to the life of the people of the
neighbourhood. It is a sign of the Kingdom, a revelation of
the Good News of God. Are we salt? The salt which does not give flavour is good
for nothing!
• Jesus accepts and defends the
life of the little ones. Several times, Jesus insists that little ones
should be accepted. “Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name
welcomes me” (Mk 9, 37). Anyone who gives a cup of water to one of these little
ones will not lose his reward (Mt 10, 42). He asks not to despise little ones
(Mt 18, 10). And at the final judgment the just will be received because they
would have given something to eat “to one of these little ones” (Mt 25, 40). If
Jesus insists so much on acceptance of the little ones, it is because there are
many simple people considered less, who are not accepted! In fact, women and
children were not taken into account, did not count (Mt 14 21; 15, 38), they
were despised (Mt 18, 10) and reduced to silence (Mt 21, 15-16). Even the
Apostles prevented the children from getting close to Jesus (Mt 19, 13-14). In
the name of the Law of God, misinterpreted by the religious authority of the
time, many good people were excluded. Instead of welcoming the excluded, the
law was used to legitimize the exclusion. In the Gospels, the expression
“little ones” (in Greek it is said elachisto, mikroi or nepioi),
sometimes it indicates “the children”, other times it indicates the sections
excluded by society. It is not easy to discern. Sometimes the “little ones” in
the Gospel means “the children”. This because the children belonged
to the category of the “little ones”, of the excluded. Besides, it is not
always easy to discern between what comes from the time of Jesus and that which
comes from the time of the communities for which the Gospels were written. And
even if things were like this, what is clear is the context of exclusion which
reigned at the time and which the first communities kept from Jesus: he places
himself on the side of the little ones, of the excluded, and takes up their
defence.
4) Personal questions
• In our society and in our community,
today who are the little one and the excluded? How are they accepted on our
part?
• “A millstone round the neck”. Does my
behaviour deserve a millstone or a cord round the neck? And the behaviour of
our community, what does it deserve?
5) Concluding Prayer
The Lord forgives all your offences,
cures all your diseases,
he redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness. (Ps 103,3-4)
cures all your diseases,
he redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness. (Ps 103,3-4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét