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Thứ Tư, 23 tháng 5, 2018

MAY 24, 2018 : THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME


Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 344

Reading 1JAS 5:1-6
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
R. (Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
This is the way of those whose trust is folly,
the end of those contented with their lot:
Like sheep they are herded into the nether world;
death is their shepherd and the upright rule over them.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Quickly their form is consumed;
the nether world is their palace.
But God will redeem me
from the power of the nether world by receiving me.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
"They will praise you for doing well for yourself,"
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
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."



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?
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.
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 fathersWhy 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, MAY 24, MARK 24, 41-50
Weekday

(James 5:1-6; Psalm 49)

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, Gehenna became a garbage dump with perpetually smoldering fires, suggesting 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" through suffering and persecution (v 49).
TO LOVE: Do I avoid giving scandal in my community?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to be a good example for all.


Thursday 24 May 2018

Our Lady Help of Christians.
Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31. Judith 13:18-20. James 3:13-18. Luke 1:39-56.
You are the highest honour of our race—Judith 13:18-20.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
And so they have. But perhaps all those centuries of Christianity separating Nazareth and us have blunted some of the impact of Mary’s song. We too often forget that these are words of a pregnant young girl who had every reason to be frightened, not rejoicing.
When the angel told her she would bear a child, she asked the obvious question: ‘How?’ No doubt she also wondered, ‘What will become of me now?’ But her final answer was, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord.’
So often, God seems to be asking us to do something that makes no sense and offers only pain. But we pray, ‘My spirit rejoices in God my saviour.’


LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 9:41-50
Lectio Divina: 
 Thursday, May 24, 2018
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.
2) GOSPEL READING - MARK 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."
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 the reader.
• 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 gestures in life each day: a cup of water, an act of acceptance or kindness, 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. The word here is because, not if. To give a cup of water because the receiver belongs to Christ also acknowledges Christ! In this act of kindness the giver is also acknowledging Christ by his action.
• 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 what leads a person away from the right path. To scandalize the little ones is to be the cause of why the little ones go away from the right path and lose their faith in God. Anyone 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!” 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 people leave to other churches. They cannot believe what we profess! Why does this happen? Is this an action taken in full knowledge and as a definitive statement? Is it based on a lack of understanding or teaching? 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, but rather, that there is nothing so important that it should be retained if it were to keep a person from entering the Kingdom. They mean that the person has to be rooted in his/her choice of God and of the Gospel. It might seem obvious that a person can’t be more attached to something than their own hand or foot, but many are – to their money, their car or house, their social position, or even more trivial things. It is better to cut off the things that are not in alignment with the priorities of the Kingdom.
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. “Gehenna” was the name of a valley near Jerusalem.  Jeremiah condemns it (II Kings 23:10; Jer 7:31; 32:35 et al.; see *Moloch) as a place where children were cult sacrificed, which is the predominant rabbinical thought. Rabbi David Kimhi’s commentary (ca. 1200 AD) stated it was where the trash of the city was thrown and where a fire was always burning to burn the trash. This place, terrible either way, 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 flavor to all the meal. To live in peace and fraternally in the community is the salt that gives flavor to the life of the people of the community. It is a sign of the Kingdom, a revelation of the Good News of God. Are we salt? The salt which does not give flavor is good for nothing! Has our salt become insipid?
• 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 (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 indicates “the children”, and 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. 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 and the excluded, and takes up their defense.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Today in our society and in our community, who are the little ones and the excluded? How are they accepted on our part?
• Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me” (Mk 9:37). How does this apply to welcoming a child versus abortion in our society?
• We spoke of “Anyone who is not against us is for us” yesterday, and it’s relation to other Christian doctrinal interpretations. We talk about ecumenism. Today we talked about so many people leaving to other churches. These are various views on the same thing. How do they fit together?
• “A millstone round the neck”. Does my behavior deserve a millstone or a cord round the neck? What does the behavior of our community deserve?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
The Lord forgives all your offenses,
cures all your diseases,
He redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness. (Ps 103:3-4)



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