Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 464
Lectionary: 464
O stupid Galatians!
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?
Responsorial
Psalm LUKE 1:69-70, 71-72,
73-75
R. (68) Blessed
be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to his people.
AlleluiaSEE ACTS 16:14B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 11:5-13
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
Meditation: "How much more will the heavenly
Father give!"
What can we expect from God, especially when we
recognize that he doesn't owe us anything and that we don't deserve his grace
and favor? Jesus used the illustration of a late-night traveler to teach his
listeners an important lesson about how God treats us in contrast to the kind
of treatment we might expect from our neighbors.
The rule of hospitality in biblical times required the
cooperation of the entire community in entertaining an unexpected or late-night
guest. Whether the guest was hungry or not, a meal would be served. In a small
village it would be easy to know who had baked bread that day. Bread was
essential for a meal because it served as a utensil for dipping and eating from
the common dishes. Asking for bread from one's neighbor was both a common
occurrence and an expected favor. To refuse to give bread would bring shame and
dishonor because it was a sign of in-hospitality - showing a lack of friendship
and generosity.
God awakens us from sleep that we may ask and receive
If a neighbor can be imposed upon and coerced into giving bread in the middle of the night, how much more hospitable is God, who, no matter what the circumstances, is generous and ready to give us what we need. Augustine of Hippo reminds us that "God, who does not sleep and who awakens us from sleep that we may ask, gives much more graciously."
If a neighbor can be imposed upon and coerced into giving bread in the middle of the night, how much more hospitable is God, who, no matter what the circumstances, is generous and ready to give us what we need. Augustine of Hippo reminds us that "God, who does not sleep and who awakens us from sleep that we may ask, gives much more graciously."
Ask, seek, knock - and it will be given
When you are in need who do you turn to for help? Jesus tells us that God is always ready to answer those who seek him and call upon him with expectant trust in his mercy and kindness. Jesus states very clearly and simply what we must do: Ask, seek, knock. God our heavenly Father waits upon us. Like a table waiter or friend who comes in the middle of the night, he is always ready to hear our plea and to give us what we need. Do you ask the Father with expectant faith and confident trust in his goodness? Do you seek his guidance and help in your time of need? Do you knock with persistence at his door of mercy and favor? If we treat our heavenly Father with indifference or neglect to ask with confident trust, we may miss the opportunity we have been given to receive his grace and favor and merciful help.
When you are in need who do you turn to for help? Jesus tells us that God is always ready to answer those who seek him and call upon him with expectant trust in his mercy and kindness. Jesus states very clearly and simply what we must do: Ask, seek, knock. God our heavenly Father waits upon us. Like a table waiter or friend who comes in the middle of the night, he is always ready to hear our plea and to give us what we need. Do you ask the Father with expectant faith and confident trust in his goodness? Do you seek his guidance and help in your time of need? Do you knock with persistence at his door of mercy and favor? If we treat our heavenly Father with indifference or neglect to ask with confident trust, we may miss the opportunity we have been given to receive his grace and favor and merciful help.
God gives more than we can ask or expect
In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give! The Lord is ever ready to give us not only what we need, but more than we can expect. He gives freely of his Holy Spirit that we may share in his abundant life and joy. Do you approach your heavenly Father with confident trust in his mercy and kindness?
In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give! The Lord is ever ready to give us not only what we need, but more than we can expect. He gives freely of his Holy Spirit that we may share in his abundant life and joy. Do you approach your heavenly Father with confident trust in his mercy and kindness?
"Heavenly Father, you are merciful, gracious and
kind. May I never doubt your mercy and love nor hesitate to seek you with
confident trust in order to obtain the gifts, graces, and daily provision I
need to live as your beloved child and constant friend."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Ask by praying, seek by proper living, knock
by persevering, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"Desiring that we
arrive at the joys of the heavenly kingdom, our Lord and Savior taught us to
ask these joys of him and promised that he would give them to us if we asked
for them. 'Ask,' he said, 'and it will be given to you, seek and you will find,
knock and it will be opened to you.' Dearly beloved..., we earnestly and with
our whole heart must ponder these words of our Lord. He bears witness that the
kingdom of heaven is not given to, found by and opened to those who are idle
and unoccupied but to those who ask for it, seek after it and knock at its
gates. The gate of the kingdom must be asked for by praying. It must be sought
after by living properly. It must be knocked at by persevering." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
2.51.20)
THURSDAY,
OCTOBER 11, LUKE 11:5-13
Weekday
(Galatians 3:1-5; Psalm: Luke 1)
Weekday
(Galatians 3:1-5; Psalm: Luke 1)
KEY VERSE: "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (v. 9).
TO KNOW: After Jesus taught his followers the prayer that we call the "Lord's Prayer," he told them a parable on persevering in prayer. This parable sheds light upon Jesus' petition "Give us each day our daily bread" (Lk 11:3). In the story, a man came at night to ask his neighbor for bread to feed a friend who had just arrived. Although the neighbor's family was asleep, he gave in to the request because of the man's persistence. Jesus asked, if a friend was moved to give favors, how much more would the heavenly Father grant whatever his children needed? Would human parents give something harmful to their children when they asked for something to eat? And if they, with all their sinfulness, are good to their children, how much greater is God's generosity? Luke changed Matthew's "good gifts" (Mt 7:11) to the best gift that the heavenly Father can give ̶ the "holy Spirit" (Lk11:13).
TO LOVE: Do I trust that God is a good "Father" who will give what is best for me?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to ask, seek and knock on the door of your heart and not be discouraged.
Optional Memorial of Saint John
XXIII, Pope
Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli , the firstborn son of a farming family in northern Italy, was always proud of his roots. After his ordination in 1904, Angelo went to Rome for canon law studies. In 1921 he was made national director in Italy of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. In 1925 he became a papal diplomat. During World War II, Archbishop Roncalli helped save an estimated 24,000 Jewish people. Named a cardinal, he was he was elected pope a month short of entering his 78th year. He was the first pope in more than 500 years to take the name of "John" upon election. His wit soon became proverbial, and he began meeting with political and religious leaders from around the world. Pope John XXIII surprised those who expected him to be a caretaker pope by calling the historic Second Vatican Council (1962–65). On his deathbed he said: “It is not that the gospel has changed; it is that we have begun to understand it better. Those who have lived as long as I have . . . know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead.” Pope John died on June 3, 1963. Saint John Paul II beatified him in 2000, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014 alongside Pope John Paul II. His feast day is not celebrated on the date of his death as usual, but on 11 October, the day of the first session of the Second Vatican Council.
Thursday 11
October 2018
St John XXIII.
Galatians 3:1-5. Luke 1:69-75. Luke 11:5-13.
Blessed is the Lord God of Israel; for he has come to his people
– Luke 1:69-75.
‘Ask, and it will be given to you …’
‘Ask, and it will be given to you …’
The sign of the cross reminds us that God comes down to us and
invites us to be in relationship with God, who in turn invites us to be in
relationship with all of creation. Our God invites deep connection and
relationship – communion. This God of abundant love seeks to shower all of
creation with goodness. We are invited to turn to God and to be truly blessed.
Surely our greatest response to God’s love is one of
gratefulness and awe. When we choose to live in this way, it in turn inspires
generosity and tenderness towards the whole of creation.
Saint John XXIII
Saint of the Day for October 11
(November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963)
 |
| Pope John XXIII begins the Mass | Saint Peter’s Basilica, October 11, 1959 | photo by Medici con l’Africa Cuamm |
Saint John XXIII’s Story
Although few people had as great an impact on the 20th century
as Pope John XXIII, he avoided the limelight as much as possible. Indeed, one
writer has noted that his “ordinariness” seems one of his most remarkable
qualities.
The firstborn son of a farming family in Sotto il Monte, near
Bergamo in northern Italy, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was always proud of his
down-to-earth roots. In Bergamo’s diocesan seminary, he joined the Secular
Franciscan Order.
After his ordination in 1904, Fr. Roncalli returned to Rome for
canon law studies. He soon worked as his bishop’s secretary, Church history
teacher in the seminary, and as publisher of the diocesan paper.
His service as a stretcher-bearer for the Italian army during
World War I gave him a firsthand knowledge of war. In 1921, Fr. Roncalli was
made national director in Italy of the Society for the Propagation of the
Faith. He also found time to teach patristics at a seminary in the Eternal
City.
In 1925, he became a papal diplomat, serving first in Bulgaria,
then in Turkey, and finally in France. During World War II, he became well
acquainted with Orthodox Church leaders. With the help of Germany’s ambassador
to Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli helped save an estimated 24,000 Jewish people.
Named a cardinal and appointed patriarch of Venice in 1953, he
was finally a residential bishop. A month short of entering his 78th year,
Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope, taking the name John after his father and
the two patrons of Rome’s cathedral, St. John Lateran. Pope John took his work
very seriously but not himself. His wit soon became proverbial, and he began
meeting with political and religious leaders from around the world. In 1962, he
was deeply involved in efforts to resolve the Cuban missile crisis.
His most famous encyclicals were Mother and Teacher (1961)
and Peace on Earth (1963). Pope John XXIII enlarged the
membership in the College of Cardinals and made it more international. At his
address at the opening of the Second Vatican Council, he criticized the
“prophets of doom” who “in these modern times see nothing but prevarication and
ruin.” Pope John XXIII set a tone for the Council when he said, “The Church has
always opposed… errors. Nowadays, however, the Spouse of Christ prefers to make
use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity.”
On his deathbed, Pope John said: “It is not that the gospel has
changed; it is that we have begun to understand it better. Those who have lived
as long as I have…were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions,
and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize
the opportunity and to look far ahead.”
“Good Pope John” died on June 3, 1963. Saint John Paul II
beatified him in 2000, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.
Reflection
Throughout his life, Angelo Roncalli cooperated with God’s
grace, believing that the job at hand was worthy of his best efforts. His sense
of God’s providence made him the ideal person to promote a new dialogue with
Protestant and Orthodox Christians, as well as with Jews and Muslims. In the
sometimes noisy crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, many people become silent on
seeing the simple tomb of Pope John XXIII, grateful for the gift of his life
and holiness. After his beatification, his tomb was moved into the basilica
itself.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 11:5-13
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, October 11, 2018
1) Opening prayer
Father,
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
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.
your love for us
surpasses all our hopes and desires.
Forgive our failings,
keep us in your peace
and lead us in the way of salvation.
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 11,5-13
Jesus said to his disciples, 'Suppose
one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say,
"My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels
has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him;" and the man
answers from inside the house, "Do not bother me. The door is bolted now,
and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up to give it to you." I
tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake,
persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants.
'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'
'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'
3) Reflection
● The Gospel today continues to speak
about the theme of prayer, which began with the teaching of the Our Father (Lk
11, 1-4). Today, Jesus teaches that we should pray with faith and insistence
without giving up. For this He uses a provocative parable.
● Luke 11, 5-7: The parable that provokes. As always when Jesus has an important thing to teach, He has recourse to a comparison, a parable. Today, He tells us a strange story which ends with a question. He addresses the question to the people who listened to Him and also to us who today read or listen to the story. "Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say: My friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him; and the man answers from inside the house: “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now and my children are with me in bed: I cannot get up to give it to you". Before Jesus himself gives the answer, He wants our opinion. What would you answer: yes or no?
● Luke 11, 8: Jesus responds to the provocation. Jesus gives his response: "I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants". If not Jesus, would you have had the courage to invent a story which suggests that God expects our prayers to see himself free from blows? The response of Jesus strengthens the message on prayer: God always expects our prayer. This parable reminds us of another one, also found in Luke's Gospel: the parable of the widow who insists to obtain her rights before the judge who respects neither God nor justice. He pays attention to the widow only because he wants to free himself from her insistence(Lk 18, 3-5). Then Jesus draws a conclusion to apply the message of the parable to life.
● Luke 11, 9-10: the first application of the Parable. "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds, everyone who knocks will have the door opened". To ask, to search, to knock at the door. If you ask, you will receive. If you search, you will find. If you knock, the door will be opened for you. Jesus does not say how much time the request should last, this knocking at the door, but the result is certain.
● Luke 11, 11-12: the second application of the parable. "What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?" This second application allows us see this type of public listening to the words of Jesus and his way of teaching under the form of dialogue. He asks: "You who are a father, when your son asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake?" The people answer: "No!" "And if he asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?" -"No!" Through dialogue, Jesus involves the people in the comparison and, from the responses He receives from them, the commitment to the message of the parable.
● Luke 11, 13: The message: to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "If you then evil as you are , know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!". The greatest gift that God has for us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we were created, He breathed his spirit into our nose and we became living beings (Gen 2, 7). In the second creation through Faith in Jesus, He gives us the Holy Spirit again. This is the same Spirit which made the Word become incarnate in Mary (Lk 1, 35). With the help of the Holy Spirit, the process of the Incarnation of the Word continues up to the hour of his death on the Cross. At the end, at the hour of death, Jesus commits the spirit to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" (Lk 23, 46). Jesus promises us this Spirit as the source of truth and of understanding (Jn 14, 14-17; 16, 13) and a help in persecutions (Mt 10, 20; Ac 4, 31). This Spirit cannot be bought with money at the supermarket. The only way of obtaining it is through prayer. After nine days of prayer the abundant gift of the Spirit is obtained on the day of Pentecost (Ac 1, 14; 2, 1-4).
● Luke 11, 5-7: The parable that provokes. As always when Jesus has an important thing to teach, He has recourse to a comparison, a parable. Today, He tells us a strange story which ends with a question. He addresses the question to the people who listened to Him and also to us who today read or listen to the story. "Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say: My friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him; and the man answers from inside the house: “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now and my children are with me in bed: I cannot get up to give it to you". Before Jesus himself gives the answer, He wants our opinion. What would you answer: yes or no?
● Luke 11, 8: Jesus responds to the provocation. Jesus gives his response: "I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants". If not Jesus, would you have had the courage to invent a story which suggests that God expects our prayers to see himself free from blows? The response of Jesus strengthens the message on prayer: God always expects our prayer. This parable reminds us of another one, also found in Luke's Gospel: the parable of the widow who insists to obtain her rights before the judge who respects neither God nor justice. He pays attention to the widow only because he wants to free himself from her insistence(Lk 18, 3-5). Then Jesus draws a conclusion to apply the message of the parable to life.
● Luke 11, 9-10: the first application of the Parable. "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds, everyone who knocks will have the door opened". To ask, to search, to knock at the door. If you ask, you will receive. If you search, you will find. If you knock, the door will be opened for you. Jesus does not say how much time the request should last, this knocking at the door, but the result is certain.
● Luke 11, 11-12: the second application of the parable. "What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?" This second application allows us see this type of public listening to the words of Jesus and his way of teaching under the form of dialogue. He asks: "You who are a father, when your son asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake?" The people answer: "No!" "And if he asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?" -"No!" Through dialogue, Jesus involves the people in the comparison and, from the responses He receives from them, the commitment to the message of the parable.
● Luke 11, 13: The message: to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "If you then evil as you are , know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!". The greatest gift that God has for us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we were created, He breathed his spirit into our nose and we became living beings (Gen 2, 7). In the second creation through Faith in Jesus, He gives us the Holy Spirit again. This is the same Spirit which made the Word become incarnate in Mary (Lk 1, 35). With the help of the Holy Spirit, the process of the Incarnation of the Word continues up to the hour of his death on the Cross. At the end, at the hour of death, Jesus commits the spirit to the Father: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" (Lk 23, 46). Jesus promises us this Spirit as the source of truth and of understanding (Jn 14, 14-17; 16, 13) and a help in persecutions (Mt 10, 20; Ac 4, 31). This Spirit cannot be bought with money at the supermarket. The only way of obtaining it is through prayer. After nine days of prayer the abundant gift of the Spirit is obtained on the day of Pentecost (Ac 1, 14; 2, 1-4).
4) Personal questions
● How do I respond to the provocation of
the parable? A person who lives in a small apartment in a large city, how will
she answer? Would she open the door?
● When you pray, do you pray convinced that you will obtain what you ask for?
● When you pray, do you pray convinced that you will obtain what you ask for?
5) Concluding prayer
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my
heart,
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly.
Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111,1-2)
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