Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest
Lectionary: 436
Lectionary: 436
Brothers and sisters:
You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds;
God has now reconciled you
in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds;
God has now reconciled you
in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 54:3-4, 6 AND 8
R. (6) God
himself is my help.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. God himself is my help.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. God himself is my help.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. God himself is my help.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. God himself is my help.
AlleluiaJN 14:6
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 6:1-5
While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
"Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?"
Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
"Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?"
Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
Meditation: "The
Son of man is lord of the Sabbath"
What does the commandment "keep holy the
Sabbath" require of us? Or better yet, what is the primary intention
behind this command? The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue. The
"Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's
goodness and the goodness of his work, both in creation and redemption. It was
a day set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving
actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to
provide needed rest and refreshment.
The Lord of the Sabbath feeds and nourishes us
Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the Scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom. In their hunger, David and his men ate of the holy bread offered in the Temple (1 Samuel 21:2-7). On every Sabbath morning twelves loaves were laid before God on a golden table in the Holy Place. Each loaf represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel. No one was allowed to eat this bread except the priests because it represented the very presence of God. David understood that human need took precedence over rules and ritual regulations.
Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the Scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom. In their hunger, David and his men ate of the holy bread offered in the Temple (1 Samuel 21:2-7). On every Sabbath morning twelves loaves were laid before God on a golden table in the Holy Place. Each loaf represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel. No one was allowed to eat this bread except the priests because it represented the very presence of God. David understood that human need took precedence over rules and ritual regulations.
Seek the Lord's rest and refreshment
Why didn't the Pharisees recognize the claims of mercy over rules and regulations? Their zeal for ritual observance blinded them from the demands of charity. Jesus' reference to the bread of the Presence alludes to the true bread from heaven which he offers to all who believe in him. Jesus, the Son of David, and the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah, declares that he is "Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus healed on the Sabbath and he showed mercy to those in need. All who are burdened can find true rest and refreshment in him. Do you seek rest and refreshment in the Lord and in the celebration of the Lord's Day?
Why didn't the Pharisees recognize the claims of mercy over rules and regulations? Their zeal for ritual observance blinded them from the demands of charity. Jesus' reference to the bread of the Presence alludes to the true bread from heaven which he offers to all who believe in him. Jesus, the Son of David, and the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah, declares that he is "Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus healed on the Sabbath and he showed mercy to those in need. All who are burdened can find true rest and refreshment in him. Do you seek rest and refreshment in the Lord and in the celebration of the Lord's Day?
"Lord Jesus, you refresh us with your presence
and you sustain us with your life-giving word. Show me how to lift the burden
of others, especially those who lack the basic necessities of life, and to
refresh them with humble care and service."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Withered hands - withered minds, by
Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD)
"In the synagogue of the Jews
was a man who had a withered hand. If he was withered in his hand, the ones who
stood by were withered in their minds. And they were not looking at the
crippled man nor were they expecting the miraculous deed of the one who was
about to work. But before doing the work, the Savior ploughed up their minds
with words. For knowing the evil of the mind and its bitter depth, he first
softened them up in advance with words so as to tame the wildness of their
understanding, asking: 'Is it permitted to do good on the sabbath or to do
evil; to save a life or to destroy one?' For if he had said to them, 'Is it
permitted to work?' immediately they would have said, 'You are speaking
contrary to the law.'
"Then he told them what was intended by the law, for he spoke as the One who established the laws concerning the sabbath, adding, 'except this: that which will be done for the sake of a life.' Again if a person falls into a hole on a sabbath, Jews are permitted to pull the person out (Matthew 12:11). This not only applies to a person, but also an ox or a donkey. In this way the law agrees that things relating to preservation may be done, hence Jews prepare meals on the sabbath. Then he asked them about a point on which they could hardly disagree: 'Is it permitted to do good? (Matthew 3:4, Luke 6:9) But they did not even so much as say, 'Yes,' because by then they were not in a good temper." (excerpt from HOMILIES 28)
"Then he told them what was intended by the law, for he spoke as the One who established the laws concerning the sabbath, adding, 'except this: that which will be done for the sake of a life.' Again if a person falls into a hole on a sabbath, Jews are permitted to pull the person out (Matthew 12:11). This not only applies to a person, but also an ox or a donkey. In this way the law agrees that things relating to preservation may be done, hence Jews prepare meals on the sabbath. Then he asked them about a point on which they could hardly disagree: 'Is it permitted to do good? (Matthew 3:4, Luke 6:9) But they did not even so much as say, 'Yes,' because by then they were not in a good temper." (excerpt from HOMILIES 28)
SATURDAY,
SEPTEMBER 9, LUKE 6:1-5
(Colossians 1:21-23; Psalm 54)
(Colossians 1:21-23; Psalm 54)
KEY VERSE: "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath" (v 5).
TO KNOW: The first story of Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees told in Luke's gospel regarded the violation of picking grain on the Sabbath. Luke showed how this controversy led to a final break with the religious leaders, and ultimately to Jesus' death. When Jesus' disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused them of violating the Sabbath law, which prohibited harvesting (Ex 34:21). Jesus defended his disciples by reminding them of a precedence in scripture. The great King David fed his hungry men with the bread of offering, which was reserved for priests (1 Sm 21:1-7). Jesus said that charity must prevail over religious laws. Jesus, the "Son of Man," showed solidarity with the needs of his people and displayed his supreme authority over the law.
TO LOVE: Am I unduly bound by scrupulosity?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to avoid legalism and act with compassion and justice.
Memorial of Saint Peter Claver,
priest
Peter Claver was born 70 years after King Ferdinand of Spain set the colonial slavery culture into motion by authorizing the purchase of 250 African slaves in Lisbon for his territories in New Spain, an event that was to shape Claver's life. A Jesuit from age 20, Peter ministered to slaves, physically and spiritually, when they arrived in Cartegena, converting a reported 300,000. For 40 years he worked for humane treatment on the plantations, and organized charitable societies among the Spanish in America similar to those organized in Europe by Saint Vincent de Paul. Peter said of the slaves, "We must speak to them with our hands by giving, before we try to speak to them with our lips." Peter Claver is considered a heroic example of what should be the duty of all Christians in the exercise of human rights.
Saturday 9
September 2017
St Peter Claver.
Colossians
1:21-23. Psalm 53(54):3-4, 6, 8. Luke 6:1-5.
God
himself is my help — Psalm 53(54):3-4, 6, 8.
‘The son
of man is Lord of the Sabbath.’
I think I have always loved that
Jesus broke the rules and did things his way.
He did not let tradition get in
the way of common sense.
There are many examples throughout
the gospels of Jesus scandalising the Pharisees with his behaviour, but when
you look at it, it makes perfect sense for him to act the way that he does.
Let us value tradition, but not
let it get in the way of common sense and being the best we can be.
Let us always examine our actions
to see if there is a better way.
This will ensure that our faith is
a true one and that we don’t just do things without thinking about the meaning.
ST. PETER CLAVER
On Sept. 9, the Catholic Church celebrates St. Peter Claver, a
Jesuit missionary who spent his life in the service of African slaves brought
against their will to South America during the 17th century.
Peter
Claver was born into a farming family in the Spanish region of Catalonia during
1581. He studied at the University of Barcelona as a young man, and joined the
Jesuits as a novice at the age of 20.
While
studying philosophy in Tarragona, Peter developed a friendship with an older
Jesuit lay brother, Alphonsus Rodriguez. Although Alphonsus spent his days
doing menial work as a door-keeper, he had immense insight into spiritual
matters and encouraged Peter to become a missionary in the Spanish colonies.
Pope Leo XIII would later canonize both men on the same day, almost two
centuries later.
In
1610, Peter Claver – now a priest – arrived in Cartagena, a port city in
present-day Colombia. Despite Pope Paul III's repeated condemnations of slavery
during the previous century, European colonists continued importing African
slaves, often sold by their own rulers, to work on plantations and in mines.
Those who survived the ship journey could expect to be worked to death by their
masters.
Peter
was determined to sacrifice his own freedom to bring material aid and eternal
salvation to the African slaves, in keeping with his vow to become “the slave
of the blacks forever.” The young priest made and kept this resolution despite
his own health problems (aggravated by Cartagena's tropical climate) and the
language barrier between himself and the population he served.
Many
Spanish Royal officials in Cartagena appreciated Claver's work, and made
contributions toward the slaves' relief and religious education. The slave
traders, on the other hand, found the priest and his interpreters to be a
nuisance. Meanwhile, some Spanish expatriates who sought out the priest because
of his holy reputation, refused to enter the same church or confessional as the
black slaves.
In
order to minister to speakers of a foreign language, Claver often employed
pictorial representations of Catholic truths. He also communicated by means of
generosity and expressions of love, giving food and drink to the ailing workers
and visiting them during bouts of sickness that often proved fatal.
“We
must speak to them with our hands,” he reasoned, “before we try to speak to
them with our lips.”
In
keeping with his vow of “slavery,” Peter survived on minimal amounts of food
and sleep. His life of humility and penance led to miraculous occurrences – as
when he healed the sick with the touch of his cloak, or appeared surrounded by
a supernatural light during his hospital visits.
St.
Peter Claver's work came to an end with his death on September 8, 1654. He had
baptized and taught the faith to more than 300,000 slaves during his four
decades in Cartagena.
During
the Vatican's Synod for Africa in 2009, Cartagena's Archbishop Jorge Enrique
Jiménez Carvajal lamented the fact that his city had been the center of an
“awful commerce.”
But
he spoke with gratitude for the fact that the same city had become the home of
such a “great witness to sanctity,” the “apostle of the slaves, whose body
rests in our cathedral, who lived to protect them and lead them towards the
faith” in which they could experience God's love.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 6,1-5
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Ordinary
Time
1) Opening prayer
Almighty God,
every good thing comes from you.
Fill our hearts with love for you,
increase our faith,
and by your constant care
protect the good you have given us.
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.
every good thing comes from you.
Fill our hearts with love for you,
increase our faith,
and by your constant care
protect the good you have given us.
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 6,1-5
It happened that one Sabbath Jesus was
walking through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn,
rubbing them in their hands and eating them.
Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath day?’
Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry- how he went into the house of God and took the loaves of the offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which the priests alone are allowed to eat?’
And he said to them, ‘The Son of man is master of the Sabbath.’
Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath day?’
Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry- how he went into the house of God and took the loaves of the offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which the priests alone are allowed to eat?’
And he said to them, ‘The Son of man is master of the Sabbath.’
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today speaks about the
conflict concerning the observance of the Sabbath –Saturday. The observance of
the Sabbath was a central law, one of the Ten Commandments. This was a very
ancient Law the value of which was stressed after the Exile. During the Exile,
the people had to work seven days a week from morning until evening, without
any conditions to meet and meditate on the Word of God, to pray together and to
share faith, their problems and their hopes. Therefore, there was an urgent
need to stop at least one day a week to get together and encourage one another
during the very difficult situation of the exile. Otherwise they would have
lost their faith. It was then that faith was reborn and the observance of
Saturday was re-established.
• Luke 6, 1-2: The cause of the conflict. On Saturday the disciples were walking across the cornfields and they were picking ears of corn. Matthew 12, 1 says that they were hungry (Mt 12, 1). The Pharisees invoke the Bible to say it was a transgression of the Law of Saturday: Why do you do this which is not permitted to do on Saturday?” (cf. Ex 20, 8-11).
• Luke 6, 3-4: The response of Jesus. Immediately Jesus responds recalling that David himself also did things which were prohibited, because he took the sacred bread from the Temple and gave it to the soldiers to eat because they were hungry (I S 21, 2-7). Jesus knew the Bible and referred to it to show that the arguments of others had no foundation. In Matthew, the response of Jesus is more complete. He not only recalls the story of David, but also quotes the Legislation which permits the priests to work on Saturday and he quotes Prophet Hosea: “Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”. He quotes a Biblical text or a historical text, a legislative text and a prophetic text (cf. Mt 12, 1-18). At that time there was no printed Bible as we have it today. In each community there was only one Bible, hand written, which remained in the Synagogue. If Jesus knew the Bible so well, it means that in the 30 years of his life in Nazareth he participated intensely in the life of the community, where every Saturday the Scriptures were read. We still lack very much to have the same familiarity with the Bible and the same participation in the community.
• Luke 6, 5: The conclusion for all of us. And Jesus ends with the following phrase: The Son of Man is Master of the Sabbath! The Lord of Saturday! Jesus, Son of Man, who lives in intimacy with God, discovers the sense of the Bible not from outside, from without, but from inside, that is, discovers the sense starting at the roots, beginning from his intimacy with the author of the Bible who is God himself. Because of this, he calls himself Master of Saturday. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus revitalizes the law of Saturday saying: “Saturday was instituted for man and not man for Saturday”.
• Luke 6, 1-2: The cause of the conflict. On Saturday the disciples were walking across the cornfields and they were picking ears of corn. Matthew 12, 1 says that they were hungry (Mt 12, 1). The Pharisees invoke the Bible to say it was a transgression of the Law of Saturday: Why do you do this which is not permitted to do on Saturday?” (cf. Ex 20, 8-11).
• Luke 6, 3-4: The response of Jesus. Immediately Jesus responds recalling that David himself also did things which were prohibited, because he took the sacred bread from the Temple and gave it to the soldiers to eat because they were hungry (I S 21, 2-7). Jesus knew the Bible and referred to it to show that the arguments of others had no foundation. In Matthew, the response of Jesus is more complete. He not only recalls the story of David, but also quotes the Legislation which permits the priests to work on Saturday and he quotes Prophet Hosea: “Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”. He quotes a Biblical text or a historical text, a legislative text and a prophetic text (cf. Mt 12, 1-18). At that time there was no printed Bible as we have it today. In each community there was only one Bible, hand written, which remained in the Synagogue. If Jesus knew the Bible so well, it means that in the 30 years of his life in Nazareth he participated intensely in the life of the community, where every Saturday the Scriptures were read. We still lack very much to have the same familiarity with the Bible and the same participation in the community.
• Luke 6, 5: The conclusion for all of us. And Jesus ends with the following phrase: The Son of Man is Master of the Sabbath! The Lord of Saturday! Jesus, Son of Man, who lives in intimacy with God, discovers the sense of the Bible not from outside, from without, but from inside, that is, discovers the sense starting at the roots, beginning from his intimacy with the author of the Bible who is God himself. Because of this, he calls himself Master of Saturday. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus revitalizes the law of Saturday saying: “Saturday was instituted for man and not man for Saturday”.
4) Personal questions
• How do you spend Sunday, which is our
“Sabbath”? Do you go to Mass because it is an obligation, in order to avoid sin
or to be with God?
• Jesus knew the Bible almost by heart. What does the Bible represent for me?
• Jesus knew the Bible almost by heart. What does the Bible represent for me?
5) Concluding Prayer
My mouth shall always praise Yahweh,
let every creature bless his holy name
for ever and ever. (Ps 145,21)
let every creature bless his holy name
for ever and ever. (Ps 145,21)
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