Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
Lectionary: 385
Lectionary: 385
Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
Responsorial
PsalmPS105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (4b) Seek
always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaMK 1:15
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Meditation: Jesus gives his disciples
authority to heal and set free
Do you believe in the life-changing power of the
Gospel and experience its transforming effect in your life? The core of the
Gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom (or reign) of God is very
near!What is the kingdom of God? It is that society of men and women who
know God's love and mercy, and who willingly obey and honor God as their Lord
and King. In the prayer which Jesus gave to his disciples (the Lord's
Prayer or Our Father), he taught them to pray for God to
reign in their daily lives and in the world around them: May your
kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The power of the Gospel to heal and set free
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom he also demonstrated the power of the Gospel with supernatural signs and wonders. Jesus healed people who suffered physical, emotional, and mental illnesses. He freed people from spiritual bondage to sin and demonic powers. Jesus gave his disciples the same authority he had to heal and set people free from spiritual bondage.
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom he also demonstrated the power of the Gospel with supernatural signs and wonders. Jesus healed people who suffered physical, emotional, and mental illnesses. He freed people from spiritual bondage to sin and demonic powers. Jesus gave his disciples the same authority he had to heal and set people free from spiritual bondage.
The Gospel (which literally means "good
news") which Jesus proclaimed is just as relevant and real today, the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. If we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Word of
God made flesh, and in the power of the Gospel, we will know and experience the
freedom, joy, and power he gives us that enables us to live and witness as his
disciples. No one can buy heaven; but if we know the love and mercy of Jesus
Christ, then we already possess heaven in our hearts! Do you believe that Jesus
can change and transform your life and share with you the power and authority
of God's kingdom?
Jesus chose ordinary people to do extraordinary work
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. In the choice of the twelve apostles we see a characteristic feature of God's work - Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or privileged position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. In the choice of the twelve apostles we see a characteristic feature of God's work - Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or privileged position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.
Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an
assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these men, not for what
they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction
and power. When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing
or very little to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can
offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants
to work in and through you for his glory?
"Lord Jesus, you have chosen me to be your
disciple. Take and use what I can offer, however meager it may seem, for the
greater glory of your name."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus empowers his disciples to act in his
name, by John Chrysostom (347-407
AD)
" If the Spirit had not yet been given, since
Jesus had not yet been glorified, how then did the disciples cast out the
unclean spirits? They did this by his own command, by the Son’s authority.2
Note the careful timing of their mission. They were not sent out at the
beginning of their walk with him. They were not sent out until they had
sufficiently benefited by following him daily. It was only after they had seen
the dead raised, the sea rebuked, devils expelled, the legs of a paralytic
brought to life, sins remitted, lepers cleansed, and had received a sufficient
proof of his power both by deeds and words - only then did he send them out.
And he did not send them out unprepared to do dangerous deeds, for as yet there
was no danger in Palestine. They had only to stand against verbal abuse.
However, Jesus still warned them of larger perils to come, preparing them for
what was future." (excerpt from THE
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 32.3)
WEDNESDAY,
JULY 11, MATTHEW 10:1-7
(Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Psalm 105)
(Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "As you go, make this proclamation: `The kingdom of God is at hand'" (v. 7).
TO KNOW: By his words and deeds, Jesus demonstrated that God's reign had arrived. Jesus did not choose to bring about the kingdom on his own. It would take the co-operation of his followers to bring it to completion. Jesus appointed twelve men to share his ministry and mission (Greek: apostolos, meaning "sent forth with a message"). The number twelve recalled the twelve founding tribes of Israel. These tribes had been scattered and dispersed all over the world (Greek: diaspora). At the time of Jesus, only the tribe of Judah remained intact (Jesus was a descendant of Judah's tribe). Jesus' understood that his mission was to draw the chosen people of Israel together again. But his ministry did not stop there. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he gave his followers the knowledge of the love of God, and then told them to go and proclaim the good news to all peoples (Mt 28:19). These apostles are mirrors of ourselves, flawed but graced human beings, called to participate in God’s reign.
TO LOVE: In what ways have I announced the good news today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to share your Gospel to all I meet.
Memorial of Saint Benedict, abbot
Benedict was the twin brother of Saint Scholastica. While studying in Rome, Benedict was dismayed by the lack of discipline of his fellow students. He fled to the mountains near Subiaco, living as a hermit in a cave for three years. Benedict's virtues caused a group of monks to prevail upon him to become their spiritual leader. He founded the monastery at Monte Cassino where he wrote the Rule of his order. Benedict continued to attract followers, and eventually established twelve monasteries. It is said that Benedict had the ability to read consciences, was able to prophesy and forestall attacks of the devil. He destroyed pagan statues and altars, and drove demons from groves, which were sacred to pagans. At one point there were over 40,000 monasteries guided by the Benedictine Rule. A summation of the Rule is: "Pray and work" (Latin: Ora et Labora). Though Benedict was not the founder of Christian monasticism, since he lived two and a half to three centuries after its beginnings in Egypt, Palestine, and Asia Minor, he had great influence on the monastic life.
Wednesday 11
July 2018
St Benedict.
Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12. Psalm 104(105):2-7. Matthew 10:1-7.
Seek always the face of the Lord—Psalm 104(105):2-7.
‘Sow saving justice for yourselves, reap a harvest of faithful
love.’
The disciples must have wondered and questioned the enormity of
the task that Jesus was laying on their shoulders. He was commissioning them to
carry the good news.
After months of companionship and friendship with Jesus, sharing
and assisting him in his mission, they were on their own.
They were being sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,
to the rough, tough ignorant people living on the outskirts of the towns and
villages.
They were to visit the ones whom the scribes and Pharisees had
deemed hopeless to bring the good news of God’s love.
Living simply, the disciples would rely on the hospitality of
people. The Lord would prepare a way.
Saint Benedict
Saint of the Day for July 11
(c. 480 – c. 547)
 |
| Patriarch of Western Monks | Saint Benedict | photo by Lawrence, OP |
Saint Benedict’s Story
It is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of
a man who has exercised the greatest influence on monasticism in the West.
Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of
Saint Gregory, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of
his career.
Benedict was born into a distinguished family in central Italy,
studied at Rome, and early in life was drawn to monasticism. At first he became
a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn
by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb.
He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small
town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the
mountains for three years. Some monks chose Benedict as their leader for a
while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still the shift from hermit
to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various
families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity,
fraternity, and permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what
was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino,
commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountains north of Naples.
The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of
liturgical prayer, study, manual labor, and living together in community under
a common abbot. Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and
Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding
countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was
gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.
Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the
Benedictine Federation encompassing the men and women of the Order of St.
Benedict, and the Cistercians, men and women of the Order of Cistercians of the
Strict Observance.
Reflection
The Church has been blessed through Benedictine devotion to the
liturgy, not only in its actual celebration with rich and proper ceremony in
the great abbeys, but also through the scholarly studies of many of its
members. Liturgy is sometimes confused with guitars or choirs, Latin or Bach.
We should be grateful to those who both preserve and adapt the genuine
tradition of worship in the Church.
Saint Benedict is the Patron Saint of:
Europe
Kidney Disease
Monks
Poisoning
Schoolchildren
Kidney Disease
Monks
Poisoning
Schoolchildren
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 10,1-7
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
through the obedience of Jesus,
your servant and your Son,
you raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
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.
through the obedience of Jesus,
your servant and your Son,
you raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
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 - Matthew 10,1-7
Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and
gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to
cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who was also his betrayer.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: 'Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who was also his betrayer.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: 'Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
3) Reflection
• The second great Discourse: The
Discourse of the Mission begins in charter 10 of the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew organizes his Gospel as a new edition of the Law of God or like a new
“Pentateuch” with its five books. For this reason his Gospel presents five
great discourses or teachings of Jesus followed by a narrative part, in which
he describes the way in which Jesus puts into practice what he had taught in
the discourses. The following is the outline:
Introduction: the birth and preparation of the Messiah (Mt 1 to 4)
a) Sermon on the Mountain: the entrance door into the Kingdom (Mt 5 to 7)
Narrative Mt 8 and 9
b) Discourse of the Mission: how to announce and diffuse the Kingdom (Mt 10)
Narrative Mt 11 and 12
c) Discourse of the Parables: The mystery of the Kingdom present in life (Mt 13)
Narrative Mt 14 to 17
d) Discourse of the Community: the new way of living together in the Kingdom (Mt 18)
Narrative 19 to 23
e) Discourse of the future coming of the Kingdom: the utopia which sustains hope (Mt 24 and 25)
Conclusion: Passion, death and Resurrection (Mt 26 to 28)
• Today’s Gospel presents to us the beginning of the Discourse of the Mission, in which the accent is placed on three aspects: (a) the call of the disciples (Mt 10, 1); (b) the list of the names of the twelve Apostles who will be the recipients of the Discourse on the Mission (Mt 10, 2-4); (c) the sending out of the twelve (Mt 10, 5-7).
• Matthew 10, 1: The call of the twelve disciples. Matthew had already spoken about the call of the disciples (Mt 4, 18-22; 9, 9). Here, at the beginning of the Discourse of the Mission, he presents a summary: “He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illness”. The task or the mission of the disciple is to follow Jesus, the Master, forming community with him and carrying out the same mission of Jesus: to drive out the unclean spirits, to cure all sorts of diseases and all orts of illness. In Mark’s Gospel they receive the same two-fold mission, formulated with other words: Jesus constituted the group of Twelve, to remain with him and to send them out to preach and cast out devils” (Mc 3, 14-15). 1) To be with him, that is to form a community, in which Jesus is the center. 2)To preach and to be able to cast out the devils, that is, to announce the Good News and to conquer the force of evil which destroys the life of the people and alienates persons. Luke says that Jesus prayed the whole night, and the following day he called the disciples. He prayed to God so as to know whom to choose (Lk 6, 12-13).
• Matthew 10, 2-4: The list of the names of the Twelve Apostles. A good number of these names come from the Old Testament. For example, Simon is the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gn 29, 33). James is the same as Giacomo (Gn 25, 26). Judas is the name of the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Matthew also had the name of Levi (Mk 2, 14), who was the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Of the Twelve Apostles seven have a name which comes from the time of the Patriarchs. Two are called Simon; two are called James; two are called Judas, one Levi! Only one has a Greek name: Philip. This reveals the desire of people to start again the history from the beginning! Perhaps it is good to think in the names which are given today to the children when they are born. Because each one of us is called by God by his/her name.
• Matthew 10, 5-7: The sending out or the mission of the twelve apostles toward the lost sheep of Israel. After having given the list of the names of the twelve, Jesus sends them out with the following recommendation: “Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town, go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand”. In this one phrase there is a three-fold insistence in showing that the preference of the mission is for the House of Israel: (1) Do not go among the gentiles, (2) do not enter into the towns of the Samaritans, (3) rather go to the lost sheep of Israel. Here appears a response to the doubt of the first Christians concerning opening up to pagans. Paul, who strongly affirmed the openness to the gentiles, agrees in saying that the Good News of Jesus should first be announced to the Jews and, then to the gentiles (Rm 9, 1 a 11, 36; cf. At 1, 8; 11, 3; 13, 46; 15,1. 5.23-29). But then, in the same Gospel of Matthew, in the conversation of Jesus with the Canaanite woman, the openness to the gentiles will take place (Mt 15, 21-29).
• The sending out of the Apostles toward all peoples. After the Resurrection of Jesus, there are several episodes on the sending out of the Apostles not only toward the Jews, but toward all peoples. In Matthew: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything which I have commanded. And I will be with you until the end of time” (Mt 28, 19-20). In Mark: “Go to the entire world, proclaim the Good News to all creatures. Those who will believe and will be baptized will be saved; those who will not believe will be condemned” (Mk 15-16). In Luke: "So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this (Lk 24, 46-48; Ac 1, 8) John summarizes all in one phrase: “As the Father has sent me, so I also send you!” (Jn 20, 21).
Introduction: the birth and preparation of the Messiah (Mt 1 to 4)
a) Sermon on the Mountain: the entrance door into the Kingdom (Mt 5 to 7)
Narrative Mt 8 and 9
b) Discourse of the Mission: how to announce and diffuse the Kingdom (Mt 10)
Narrative Mt 11 and 12
c) Discourse of the Parables: The mystery of the Kingdom present in life (Mt 13)
Narrative Mt 14 to 17
d) Discourse of the Community: the new way of living together in the Kingdom (Mt 18)
Narrative 19 to 23
e) Discourse of the future coming of the Kingdom: the utopia which sustains hope (Mt 24 and 25)
Conclusion: Passion, death and Resurrection (Mt 26 to 28)
• Today’s Gospel presents to us the beginning of the Discourse of the Mission, in which the accent is placed on three aspects: (a) the call of the disciples (Mt 10, 1); (b) the list of the names of the twelve Apostles who will be the recipients of the Discourse on the Mission (Mt 10, 2-4); (c) the sending out of the twelve (Mt 10, 5-7).
• Matthew 10, 1: The call of the twelve disciples. Matthew had already spoken about the call of the disciples (Mt 4, 18-22; 9, 9). Here, at the beginning of the Discourse of the Mission, he presents a summary: “He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illness”. The task or the mission of the disciple is to follow Jesus, the Master, forming community with him and carrying out the same mission of Jesus: to drive out the unclean spirits, to cure all sorts of diseases and all orts of illness. In Mark’s Gospel they receive the same two-fold mission, formulated with other words: Jesus constituted the group of Twelve, to remain with him and to send them out to preach and cast out devils” (Mc 3, 14-15). 1) To be with him, that is to form a community, in which Jesus is the center. 2)To preach and to be able to cast out the devils, that is, to announce the Good News and to conquer the force of evil which destroys the life of the people and alienates persons. Luke says that Jesus prayed the whole night, and the following day he called the disciples. He prayed to God so as to know whom to choose (Lk 6, 12-13).
• Matthew 10, 2-4: The list of the names of the Twelve Apostles. A good number of these names come from the Old Testament. For example, Simon is the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gn 29, 33). James is the same as Giacomo (Gn 25, 26). Judas is the name of the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Matthew also had the name of Levi (Mk 2, 14), who was the other son of Jacob (Gn 35, 23). Of the Twelve Apostles seven have a name which comes from the time of the Patriarchs. Two are called Simon; two are called James; two are called Judas, one Levi! Only one has a Greek name: Philip. This reveals the desire of people to start again the history from the beginning! Perhaps it is good to think in the names which are given today to the children when they are born. Because each one of us is called by God by his/her name.
• Matthew 10, 5-7: The sending out or the mission of the twelve apostles toward the lost sheep of Israel. After having given the list of the names of the twelve, Jesus sends them out with the following recommendation: “Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town, go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand”. In this one phrase there is a three-fold insistence in showing that the preference of the mission is for the House of Israel: (1) Do not go among the gentiles, (2) do not enter into the towns of the Samaritans, (3) rather go to the lost sheep of Israel. Here appears a response to the doubt of the first Christians concerning opening up to pagans. Paul, who strongly affirmed the openness to the gentiles, agrees in saying that the Good News of Jesus should first be announced to the Jews and, then to the gentiles (Rm 9, 1 a 11, 36; cf. At 1, 8; 11, 3; 13, 46; 15,1. 5.23-29). But then, in the same Gospel of Matthew, in the conversation of Jesus with the Canaanite woman, the openness to the gentiles will take place (Mt 15, 21-29).
• The sending out of the Apostles toward all peoples. After the Resurrection of Jesus, there are several episodes on the sending out of the Apostles not only toward the Jews, but toward all peoples. In Matthew: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything which I have commanded. And I will be with you until the end of time” (Mt 28, 19-20). In Mark: “Go to the entire world, proclaim the Good News to all creatures. Those who will believe and will be baptized will be saved; those who will not believe will be condemned” (Mk 15-16). In Luke: "So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this (Lk 24, 46-48; Ac 1, 8) John summarizes all in one phrase: “As the Father has sent me, so I also send you!” (Jn 20, 21).
4) Personal questions
• Have you ever thought sometime about
the meaning of your name? Have you asked your parents why they gave you the
name that you have? Do you like your name?
• Jesus calls the disciples. His call has a two-fold purpose: to form a community and to go on mission. How do I live in my life this two-fold purpose?
• Jesus calls the disciples. His call has a two-fold purpose: to form a community and to go on mission. How do I live in my life this two-fold purpose?
5) Concluding Prayer
Seek Yahweh and his strength,
tirelessly seek his presence!
Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders,
the judgements he has spoken. (Ps 105,4-5)
tirelessly seek his presence!
Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders,
the judgements he has spoken. (Ps 105,4-5)
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