SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 : FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 453

Reading 1ECCL 3:1-11

There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.

What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task that God has appointed
for the sons of men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time,
and has put the timeless into their hearts,
without man's ever discovering,
from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

Responsorial PsalmPS 144:1B AND 2ABC, 3-4

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
LORD, what is man, that you notice him;
the son of man, that you take thought of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days, like a passing shadow.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

AlleluiaMK 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'"
Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said in reply, "The Christ of God."
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised."

www.usccb.org

Meditation: "Who do you say that Jesus is?"

Who is Jesus for you - and what difference does he make in your life? Many in Israel recognized Jesus as a mighty man of God, even comparing him with the greatest of the prophets. Peter, always quick to respond whenever Jesus spoke, professed that Jesus was truly the "Christ of God" - "the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Through the "eyes of faith" Peter discovered who Jesus truly was. Peter recognized that Jesus was much more than a great teacher, prophet, and miracle worker. Peter was the first apostle to publicly declare that Jesus was the Anointed One, consecrated by the Father and sent into the world to redeem a fallen human race enslaved to sin and cut off from eternal life with God (Luke 9:20, Acts 2:14-36). The word for "Christ" in Greek is a translation of the Hebrew word for "Messiah" - both words literally mean the Anointed One.

Jesus begins to explain the mission he was sent to accomplish 
Why did Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son of God? They were, after all, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early church father, explains the reason for this silence:

There were things yet unfulfilled which must also be included in their preaching about him. They must also proclaim the cross, the passion, and the death in the flesh. They must preach the resurrection of the dead, that great and truly glorious sign by which testimony is borne him that the Emmanuel is truly God and by nature the Son of God the Father. He utterly abolished death and wiped out destruction. He robbed hell, and overthrew the tyranny of the enemy. He took away the sin of the world, opened the gates above to the dwellers upon earth, and united earth to heaven. These things proved him to be, as I said, in truth God. He commanded them, therefore, to guard the mystery by a seasonable silence until the whole plan of the dispensation should arrive at a suitable conclusion. (Commentary on Luke, Homily 49)
 

God's Anointed Son must suffer and die to atone for our sins
Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God's work of redemption might be accomplished. How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How different are God's thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8). It was through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross that Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the deceiver of humankind.

We, too, have a share in the mission and victory of Jesus Christ
If we want to share in the victory of the Lord Jesus, then we must also take up our cross and follow where he leads us. What is the "cross" that you and I must take up each day? When my will crosses (does not align) with God's will, then his will must be done. To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection. The Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strength we need to live as sons and daughters of God. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the Gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the Gospel. Who do you say that Jesus is?

"Lord Jesus, I believe and I profess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Take my life, my will, and all that I have, that I may be wholly yours now and forever."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Peter confesses that Jesus is God's Anointed Son and Savior of all, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"You see the skillfulness of the question. He [Jesus] did not at once say, 'Who do you say that I am?' He refers to the rumor of those that were outside their company. Then, having rejected it and shown it unsound, he might bring them back to the true opinion. It happened that way. When the disciples had said, 'Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, that some prophet of those in old time has risen up,' he said to them, 'But you, who do you say that I am?' Oh! how full of meaning is that word you! He separates them from all others, that they may also avoid the opinions of others. In this way, they will not conceive an unworthy idea about him or entertain confused and wavering thoughts. Then they will not also imagine that John had risen again, or one of the prophets. 'You,' he says, 'who have been chosen,' who by my decree have been called to the apostleship, who are the witnesses of my miracles. Who do you say that I am?'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49)

www.dailyscripture.net

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, LUKE 19:18-22
Weekday
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Psalm 144)

KEY VERSE: "But who do you say that I am?" (v. 20).
TO KNOW: Jesus wanted his disciples to understand his role and mission, so he took them to the pagan territory of Caesarea Philippi in northern Israel near Banias, where there was the Cave of Pan honoring the Roman god Faunus, half-goat, half-man. There may also have been a Temple built by Herod to honor the Emperor Augustus. At that place, Jesus was praying (a typical theme in Luke), and then he asked his disciples who the people believed him to be. They answered that some thought he was John the Baptist raised from the dead, others said that Elijah had returned, still others believed that he was one of the prophets who had arisen. Then Jesus asked them who they personally believed him to be. Peter, speaking for the Twelve, declared that Jesus was the "Messiah of God" (v. 20). Jesus warned them not to reveal his identity as many expected the Messiah to be a political leader who would liberate Israel from Roman oppression. Jesus taught them the true meaning of what it meant to be the Messiah. He must suffer and die, but he would be raised from the dead.
TO LOVE: Reflect on who Jesus is in your life.
TO SERVE: Pray the Jesus' prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.​

Optional memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, martyr

At the death of King Vratislaus, who was killed during a pagan backlash against Christianity, the people of Bohemia made his son Wenceslaus their king (907–935). He was a man of utmost faith, charitable to the poor, offered hospitality to travelers, and would not allow widows to be treated unjustly. He loved all his people, both rich and poor, and he adorned many churches. Boleslaus, his brother, no longer successor to the throne, joined a group of Czech dissenters. They invited Wenceslaus to a religious festival, trapped and killed him on the way to Mass. Wenceslaus is the patron saint of Bohemia. Although he was killed for political reasons, he is normally listed as a martyr since his politics arose from his faith. Miracles have been reported at his tomb. 
NOTE: "Good King Wenceslaus" is a popular Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the First Day of Christmas). During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. English hymn writer John Mason Neale wrote the "Wenceslaus" lyrics, in collaboration with his music editor Thomas Helmore, and the carol first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide, 1853.

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Friday 28 September 2018

St Lawrence Ruiz and Companions.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. Psalm 143(144):1-4. Luke 9:18-22.

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!—Psalm 143(144):1-4.

‘Who do you say I am?’

When Peter calls Jesus the Messiah, was he thinking of someone who would return Israel to the former glory of David and Solomon? Had he forgotten what Isaiah said about the suffering servant?

So I ask myself, who is Jesus for me? A lantern, a teaching guide or shepherd and always my unchanging friend.

As a cradle Catholic I inherited the faith of my ancestors, seeing myself as a conscript. Gradually it became a personal faith, mainly through Franciscan and Ignatian spirituality, and I became a willing volunteer. To love Jesus as a person changes everything. Thank you, Lord, for the faith that has become alive through prayer, drawing me to love, to service and to peace.

www.pray.com.au

Saint Wenceslaus

Saint of the Day for September 28

(c. 907 – 929)

 

aint Wenceslaus statue on the Gothic Bridge in Kłodzko | photo by Jacek Halicki

Saint Wenceslaus’ Story

If saints have been falsely characterized as “other worldly,” the life of Wenceslaus stands as an example to the contrary: He stood for Christian values in the midst of the political intrigues which characterized 10th-century Bohemia.

Wenceslaus was born in 907 near Prague, son of the Duke of Bohemia. His saintly grandmother, Ludmilla, raised him and sought to promote him as ruler of Bohemia in place of his mother, who favored the anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla was eventually murdered, but rival Christian forces enabled Wenceslaus to assume leadership of the government.

His rule was marked by efforts toward unification within Bohemia, support of the Church, and peace-making negotiations with Germany, a policy which caused him trouble with the anti-Christian opposition. His brother Boleslav joined in the plotting, and in September of 929 invited Wenceslaus to Alt Bunglou for the celebration of the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian. On the way to Mass, Boleslav attacked his brother, and in the struggle, Wenceslaus was killed by supporters of Boleslav.

Although his death resulted primarily from political upheaval, Wenceslaus was hailed as a martyr for the faith, and his tomb became a pilgrimage shrine. He is hailed as the patron of the Bohemian people and of the former Czechoslovakia.

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Reflection

“Good King Wenceslaus” was able to incarnate his Christianity in a world filled with political unrest. While we are often victims of violence of a different sort, we can easily identify with his struggle to bring harmony to society. The call to become involved in social change and in political activity is addressed to Christians; the values of the gospel are sorely needed today.

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Saint Wenceslaus is the Patron Saint of:

Bohemia

www.franciscanmedia.org

LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 9:18-22

Lectio Divina: 

 Friday, September 28, 2018

Ordinary Time

1) OPENING PRAYER

Father,
guide us, as You guide creation
according to Your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for 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 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'" Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Christ of God." He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."

3) REFLECTION

• The Gospel today follows the same theme as that of yesterday: the opinion of the people on Jesus. Yesterday, beginning with Herod, today it is Jesus who asks what do people think, the public opinion and the Apostles respond giving the same opinion which was given yesterday. Immediately follows the first announcement of the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus.
• Luke 9:18: The question of Jesus after His prayer. “One day, while Jesus was praying alone, His disciples came to Him and He put this question to them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” In Luke’s Gospel, on several important and decisive occasions, Jesus is presented in prayer: in His Baptism when He assumes His mission (Lk 3:21); in the 40 days in the desert, when, He overcame the temptations presented by the devil Lk 4:1-13); the night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6:12); in the Transfiguration, when, with Moses and Elijah, He spoke about His passion in Jerusalem (Lc 9:29); in the Garden when He suffers His agony (Lk 22:39-46); on the Cross, when He asks pardon for the soldier (Lk 23:34) and when He commits His spirit to God (Lk 23:46).
• Luke 9:19: The opinion of the people on Jesus. “They answered: “For some, John the Baptist; others Elijah, but others think that You are one of the ancient prophets who has risen from the dead”. Like Herod, many thought that John the Baptist had risen in Jesus. It was a common belief that the prophet Elijah had to return (Mt 17:10-13; Mk 9:11-12; Mal 3:23-24; Sir 48:10-12). All nourished the hope of the coming of the Prophet promised by Moses (Dt 18:15). This was an insufficient response.
• Luke 9:20: The question of Jesus to the disciples. After having heard the opinion of others, Jesus asks: “And you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers: “The Messiah of God!” Peter recognizes that Jesus is the one whom the people are waiting for and that He comes to fulfil the promise. Luke omits the reaction of Peter who tries to dissuade Jesus to follow the way of the cross and omits also the harsh criticism of Jesus to Peter (Mk 8:32-33; Mt 16:22-23).
• Luke 9:21: The prohibition to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah of God. “Then Jesus gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone”. It was forbidden to them to reveal to the people that Jesus is the Messiah of God. Why does Jesus prohibit this? At that time, as we have already seen, everybody was expecting the coming of the Messiah, but, each one in his own way: some expected a king, others a priest, others a doctor, a warrior, a judge or a prophet! Nobody seemed to expect the Messiah Servant, announced by Isaiah (Is 42:1-9). Anyone who insists in maintaining Peter’s idea, that is, of a glorious Messiah, without the cross, understands nothing and will never be able to assume the attitude of a true disciple. He will continue to be blind, exchanging people for trees (cf. Mk 8:24). Because without the cross it is impossible to understand who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus. Because of this, Jesus insists again on the Cross and makes the second announcement of His passion, death and resurrection.
• Luke 9:22: The second announcement of the Passion. And Jesus adds: “The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day”. The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical instruction, but through practical commitment, walking together with Him along the road of service, from Galilee up to Jerusalem. The road of the following is the road of the gift of self, of abandonment, of service, of availability, of acceptance of conflict, knowing that there will be a resurrection. The cross is not an accident on the way; it forms part of our way. This because, in the organized world starting from egoism, love and service can exist only if they are crucified! Anyone who makes of his life a service to others disturbs those who live attached to privileges, and suffers.

4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS

• We all believe in Jesus. But there are some who understand Him in one way and others in another way. Today, what is the more common Jesus in the way of thinking of people?
• How does propaganda interfere in my way of seeing Jesus? What do I do so as not to allow myself to be drawn into the propaganda? What prevents us today from recognizing and assuming the plan of Jesus?

5) CONCLUDING PRAYER

Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,
who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,
my faithful love, my bastion, my citadel, my Savior;
I shelter behind Him. (Ps 144,1-2)

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