Monday of the Thirteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 377
Lectionary: 377
Thus says the LORD:
For three crimes of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke my word;
Because they sell the just man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair of sandals.
They trample the heads of the weak
into the dust of the earth,
and force the lowly out of the way.
Son and father go to the same prostitute,
profaning my holy name.
Upon garments taken in pledge
they recline beside any altar;
And the wine of those who have been fined
they drink in the house of their god.
Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them,
who were as tall as the cedars,
and as strong as the oak trees.
I destroyed their fruit above,
and their roots beneath.
It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and who led you through the desert for forty years,
to occupy the land of the Amorites.
Beware, I will crush you into the ground
as a wagon crushes when laden with sheaves.
Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong man shall not retain his strength;
The warrior shall not save his life,
nor the bowman stand his ground;
The swift of foot shall not escape,
nor the horseman save his life.
And the most stouthearted of warriors
shall flee naked on that day, says the LORD.
For three crimes of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke my word;
Because they sell the just man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair of sandals.
They trample the heads of the weak
into the dust of the earth,
and force the lowly out of the way.
Son and father go to the same prostitute,
profaning my holy name.
Upon garments taken in pledge
they recline beside any altar;
And the wine of those who have been fined
they drink in the house of their god.
Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them,
who were as tall as the cedars,
and as strong as the oak trees.
I destroyed their fruit above,
and their roots beneath.
It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and who led you through the desert for forty years,
to occupy the land of the Amorites.
Beware, I will crush you into the ground
as a wagon crushes when laden with sheaves.
Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong man shall not retain his strength;
The warrior shall not save his life,
nor the bowman stand his ground;
The swift of foot shall not escape,
nor the horseman save his life.
And the most stouthearted of warriors
shall flee naked on that day, says the LORD.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 50:16BC-17, 18-19,
20-21, 22-23
R. (22a) Remember
this, you who never think of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"When you see a thief, you keep pace with him,
and with adulterers you throw in your lot.
To your mouth you give free rein for evil,
you harness your tongue to deceit."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother's son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"Consider this, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be no one to rescue you.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"When you see a thief, you keep pace with him,
and with adulterers you throw in your lot.
To your mouth you give free rein for evil,
you harness your tongue to deceit."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother's son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
"Consider this, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be no one to rescue you.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
AlleluiaPS 95:8
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 8:18-22
When Jesus saw a crowd around him,
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
Another of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But Jesus answered him, "Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead."
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
Another of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But Jesus answered him, "Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead."
Meditation: "Teacher, I will follow you wherever
you go"
Are you ready to follow the Lord Jesus wherever he may
lead you? In love, the Lord Jesus calls each one of us personally by name and
he invites us to follow him as our Lord and Teacher. What an awesome privilege
and an awesome responsibility! What does it cost to be a disciple and follower
of the Lord Jesus? Our whole lives, for sure! The Lord Jesus in turn promises
to give us all that we need to follow him and more besides! Before we
"sign-up" for something, it is quite natural and appropriate to ask
what it will cost us. Jesus made sure that any "would-be" followers
knew what they were getting themselves into.
The cost of discipleship
One prospective follower, a scribe who was an expert in the Torah (the law of God in the first five books of Moses in the Jewish bible), paid Jesus the highest compliment he knew. He called Jesus "teacher". Jesus advised this would-be follower: Before you follow me, think what you are about to do and count the cost. A disciple must be willing to part with anything that might stand in the way of following Jesus as Teacher and Master. Another would-be disciple responded by saying that he must first bury his father, that is go back home and take care of his father until he died. This disciple was not yet ready to count the cost of following Jesus. Jesus appealed to the man's heart to choose for God's kingdom first and to detach himself from anything that might keep him from following the Lord.
One prospective follower, a scribe who was an expert in the Torah (the law of God in the first five books of Moses in the Jewish bible), paid Jesus the highest compliment he knew. He called Jesus "teacher". Jesus advised this would-be follower: Before you follow me, think what you are about to do and count the cost. A disciple must be willing to part with anything that might stand in the way of following Jesus as Teacher and Master. Another would-be disciple responded by saying that he must first bury his father, that is go back home and take care of his father until he died. This disciple was not yet ready to count the cost of following Jesus. Jesus appealed to the man's heart to choose for God's kingdom first and to detach himself from anything that might keep him from following the Lord.
The greatest call
The Lord Jesus invites us into the most wonderful and greatest of relationships - a personal relationship of love and friendship, trust and commitment with himself, the Lord and Ruler of the heavens and the earth. How can we give the Lord our unqualified "yes" to the call he has for our lives? The Lord Jesus fills the hearts of those who accept his invitation of discipleship and friendship with the outpouring of his love into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). The love of God frees us from attachments to other things so we can give ourselves freely to God for his glory and for his kingdom. It was love that compelled the Lord Jesus to lay down his life for us. And he calls us in love to give our all for him.
The Lord Jesus invites us into the most wonderful and greatest of relationships - a personal relationship of love and friendship, trust and commitment with himself, the Lord and Ruler of the heavens and the earth. How can we give the Lord our unqualified "yes" to the call he has for our lives? The Lord Jesus fills the hearts of those who accept his invitation of discipleship and friendship with the outpouring of his love into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). The love of God frees us from attachments to other things so we can give ourselves freely to God for his glory and for his kingdom. It was love that compelled the Lord Jesus to lay down his life for us. And he calls us in love to give our all for him.
We cannot outgive God
What can keep us from giving our all to God? Fear, self-concern, pre-occupation, and attachment to other things. Even spiritual things can get in the way of having God alone as our Treasure if we put them first. Detachment is a necessary step if we want to make the Lord our Treasure and Joy. It frees us to give ourselves without reserve to the Lord and to his service. There is nothing greater we can do with our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the universe. We cannot match God in generosity. Jesus promises that those who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). Is there anything holding you back from giving your all to the Lord?
What can keep us from giving our all to God? Fear, self-concern, pre-occupation, and attachment to other things. Even spiritual things can get in the way of having God alone as our Treasure if we put them first. Detachment is a necessary step if we want to make the Lord our Treasure and Joy. It frees us to give ourselves without reserve to the Lord and to his service. There is nothing greater we can do with our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the universe. We cannot match God in generosity. Jesus promises that those who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). Is there anything holding you back from giving your all to the Lord?
"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my
memory, my understanding, and my whole will. All that I am and all that I
possess you have given me. I surrender it all to you to be disposed of
according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace - with these I will
be rich enough and will desire nothing more.” (Prayer
of Ignatius Loyola, 1491-1556)
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Following the Lord Jesus, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"'Come follow Me, says the Lord. Do you love? He
has hastened on, He has flown on ahead. Look and see where. O Christian, don't
you know where your Lord has gone? I ask you: Don't you wish to follow Him
there? Through trials, insults,the cross, and death. Why do you hesitate? Look,
the way has been shown you." (excerpt
from Sermon 64,5)
MONDAY, JULY 2, MARK 8:18-22
Weekday
(Amos 2:6-19, 13-16; Psalm 50)
Weekday
(Amos 2:6-19, 13-16; Psalm 50)
KEY VERSE: "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead" (v. 22).
TO KNOW: For the first time in Matthew's gospel, Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man," the lowly servant who was totally dedicated to God's will, and who would be exalted in glory despite grave suffering (Dn 7:13). On one occasion, an eager scribe approached Jesus asking if he could follow him as a disciple. Jesus warned the scribe that it would not be an easy task. Discipleship was a radical call that offered neither security nor comfort. When one of Jesus' disciples asked for permission to go home and bury his father, Jesus' answer appeared to be harsh. Commitment to God's reign superseded all other obligations, even those having the highest importance. All who would participate in Jesus' glory must share his total devotion to the gospel he announced.
TO LOVE: Am I willing to follow where Jesus leads me?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, give me the courage to do what it takes to be your disciple.
Monday 2 July
2018
Amos 2:6–10, 13–16. Psalm 49(50):16–23. Matthew 8:18–22.
Remember this, you who never think of God—Psalm 49(50):16–23.
‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’
The way of Christ is not one of comfort, certainty and smooth
sailing. His is a way of constant challenge. Jesus calls us to be alert and
ready.
Our response ought to be such as the fishermen made at the sea
of Galilee: immediate and unreserved. He calls us every day to find new
footing, on water, fire, sand or the very sea bed. He asks that we may cling to
him rather than to what brings us satisfaction on earth, to trust and follow
his pace and journey.
His promise is not one of ease and leisure, but rather one of
constantly walking on the path of salvation.
Saint Oliver Plunkett
Saint of the Day for July 2
(November 1, 1629 – July 1, 1681)
 |
| Oliver Plunket | Edward Luttrell |
Saint Oliver Plunkett’s Story
The name of today’s saint is especially familiar to the Irish
and the English—and with good reason. The English martyred Oliver Plunkett for
defending the faith in his native Ireland during a period of severe
persecution.
Born in County Meath in 1629, Oliver studied for the priesthood
in Rome and was ordained there in 1654. After some years of teaching and
service to the poor of Rome he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland.
Four years later, in 1673, a new wave of anti-Catholic persecution began,
forcing Archbishop Plunkett to do his pastoral work in secrecy and disguise and
to live in hiding. Meanwhile, many of his priests were sent into exile, schools
were closed, Church services had to be held in secret, and convents and
seminaries were suppressed. As archbishop, Plunkett was viewed as ultimately
responsible for any rebellion or political activity among his parishioners.
Archbishop Plunkett was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle
in 1679, but his trial was moved to London. After deliberating for 15 minutes,
a jury found him guilty of fomenting revolt. He was hanged, drawn, and
quartered in July 1681.
Pope Paul VI canonized Oliver Plunkett in 1975.
Reflection
Stories like that of Oliver Plunkett seem to fit history.
“Things like that don’t happen today” is often our thought. But they do. False
accusations, prejudice, anti-Catholic sentiments, racism, sexism, etc. are
still an active reality in our day. Maybe a prayer to Saint Oliver for peace
and justice may be appropriate.
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 8,18-22
Lectio Divina:
Monday, July 2, 2018
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever. Amen.
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW
8,18-22
When Jesus saw the crowd all about him
he gave orders to leave for the other side. One of the scribes then came up and
said to him, 'Master, I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus said, 'Foxes
have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere
to lay his head.'
Another man, one of the disciples, said
to him, 'Lord, let me go and bury my father first.' But Jesus said, 'Follow me,
and leave the dead to bury their dead.'
3) REFLECTION
• From the 10th to the
12th week of ordinary time, we have meditated on chapters 5 to
8 of the Gospel of Matthew. Following the meditation of chapter 8, today’s
Gospel presents the conditions of the following of Jesus. Jesus decides to go
to the other side of the lake, and a person asks to follow him (Mt
8, 18-22).
• Matthew 8, 18: Jesus orders to
go to the other side of the lake. He had accepted and cured all the
sick whom people had brought to him (Mt 8, 16). Many people were around him.
Seeing that crowd, Jesus decides to go to the other side of the lake. In Mark’s
Gospel, from which Matthew takes a great part of his information, the context
is diverse. Jesus had just finished the discourse of the parables (Mk 4, 3-34)
and said: “Let us go to the other side!” (Mk 4, 35), and, once on the boat from
where he had pronounced the discourse (cf. Mk 4, 1-2), the disciples took him
to the other side. Jesus was so tired that he went to sleep on a cushion (Mk 4,
38).
• Matthew 8, 19: A doctor of the
Law wants to follow Jesus. At the moment in which Jesus decides to
cross the lake, a doctor of the law came to him and said: “Master I
will follow you wherever you go”. A parallel text in Luke (Lk 9,
57-62) treats the same theme but in a slightly diverse way. According to Luke,
Jesus had decided to go to Jerusalem where he would have been condemned and
killed. In going toward Jerusalem, he entered the territory of Samaria (Lk 9,
51-52), where three persons ask to follow him (Lk 9, 57.59.61). In Matthew’s
Gospel, who writes for the converted Jews, the person who wants to follow Jesus
is a doctor of the law. Matthew insists on the fact that an authority of the
Jews recognizes the value of Jesus and asks to follow him, to be one of his
disciples. In Luke, who writes for the converted pagans, the persons who want
to follow Jesus are Samaritans. Luke stresses the ecumenical openness of Jesus
who accepts also the non Jews to be his disciples.
• Matthew 8, 20: The response of
Jesus to the doctor of the law. The response of Jesus is identical
both in Matthew and in Luke, and it is a very demanding response which leaves
no doubts: “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but
the son of Man has nowhere to lay his head”. Anyone who wants to be a
disciple of Jesus has to know what he is doing. He should examine the
exigencies and estimate well, before taking a decision (Lk 14, 28-32). “So
in the same way none of you can be my disciple without giving up all that he
owns”. (Lk 14, 33).
• Matthew 8, 21: A disciple asks
to go and bury his father. Immediately, one who was already a disciple
asks him permission to go and bury his deceased father: “Lord, let me go and
bury my father first”. In other words, he asks Jesus to delay crossing
the lake for later after the burial of his father. To bury one’s parents was a
sacred duty for the sons (cf. Tb 4, 3-4).
• Matthew 8, 22: The answer of
Jesus. Once again the response of Jesus is very demanding. Jesus does
not delay his trip over to the other side of the lake and says to the disciple:
“Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead”. When Elijah
called Elisha, he allows him to greet his relatives (1K 19, 20). Jesus is much
more demanding. In order to understand all the significance and importance of
the response of Jesus it is well to remember that the expression Leave
the dead to bury their dead was a popular proverb used by the people
to indicate that it is not necessary to spend energies in things which have no
future and which have nothing to do with life. Such a proverb should not be
taken literally. It is necessary to consider the objective with which it is
being used. Thus, in our case, by means of the proverb Jesus stresses the
radical exigency of the new life to which he calls and which demands to abandon
everything to follow Jesus. It describes the exigencies of following of
Jesus. To follow Jesus. Like the rabbi of that time Jesus
gathers his disciples . All of them “follow Jesus” To follow was
the term which was used to indicate the relationship between the disciple and
the master. For the first Christians, to follow Jesus, meant three
very important things bound together: a) To imitate the example of the
Master: Jesus was the model to be imitated and to recreate in the life
of the disciple (Jn 13, 13-15). Living together daily allowed for a constant
confrontation. In “Jesus’ School” only one subject was taught: The
Kingdom and this Kingdom is recognized in the life and practice of
Jesus. b) To participate in the destiny of the Master: Anyone
who followed Jesus should commit himself like he to be with him in his
privations (Lk 22, 28), including in persecutions (Mt 10, 24-25) and on the Cross
(Lk 14, 27). He should be ready to die with him (Jn 11, 16). c) To bear
within us the life of Jesus: After Easter, the light of the
Resurrection, the following took on a third dimension: "It is no
longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me" (Ga 2, 20). It is a
question of the mystical dimension of the following, fruit of the action of the
Spirit. The Christians tried to follow in their life the path of Jesus who had
died in defence of life and rose from the dead thanks to the power of God. (Ph
3, 10-11).
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• To be a disciple of Jesus. to follow
Jesus. How am I living the following of Jesus?
• The foxes have their lairs and the
birds of heaven their nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.
How can we live today this exigency of Jesus?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face
will grow bright,
you will never hang your head in shame.
A pauper calls out and Yahweh hears,
saves him from all his troubles. (Ps 34, 5-6)
you will never hang your head in shame.
A pauper calls out and Yahweh hears,
saves him from all his troubles. (Ps 34, 5-6)
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