Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 326
Lectionary: 326
Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said,
"I am terrified and trembling."
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently
than that of Abel.
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said,
"I am terrified and trembling."
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently
than that of Abel.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 48:2-3AB, 3CD-4, 9,
10-11
R. (see 10) O
God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Mount Zion, "the recesses of the North,"
the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
As we had heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God;
God makes it firm forever.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
Mount Zion, "the recesses of the North,"
the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
As we had heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God;
God makes it firm forever.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.
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.
GospelMK 6:7-13
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Meditation:
Jesus gave them authority over sickness and unclean spirits
What
kind of authority and power does the Lord want you to exercise on his behalf?
Jesus gave his apostles both the power and the authority to speak and to act in
his name. He commanded them to do the works which he did - to heal the sick, to
cast out evil spirits, and to speak the word of God - the good news of the
Gospel which they received from Jesus. When Jesus spoke of power and authority
he did something unheard of. He wedded power and authority with
self-sacrificing love and humility. The "world" and the
"flesh" (our own sinful inclination) seek power for selfish gain.
Jesus teaches us to use it for the good of our neighbor.
The
Lord Jesus wants to work in and through each of us for his glory
Why does Jesus tell the apostles to "travel light" with little or no provision? "Poverty of spirit" frees us from greed and preoccupation with our possessions and makes ample room for God's provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. Are you ready to use the spiritual authority and power which God wishes you to exercise on his behalf? The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and talents. Are you eager to place yourself at his service, to do whatever he bids you, and to witness his truth and saving power to whomever he sends you?
Why does Jesus tell the apostles to "travel light" with little or no provision? "Poverty of spirit" frees us from greed and preoccupation with our possessions and makes ample room for God's provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. Are you ready to use the spiritual authority and power which God wishes you to exercise on his behalf? The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and talents. Are you eager to place yourself at his service, to do whatever he bids you, and to witness his truth and saving power to whomever he sends you?
"Lord
Jesus, make me a channel of your healing power and merciful love that others
may find abundant life and freedom in you. Free me from all other attachments
that I may joyfully pursue the treasure of your heavenly kingdom. May I witness
the joy of the Gospel both in word and deed."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus gives them power to heal and
cast out evil spirits, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration.
But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He
gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil
spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly
exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon’s wickedness. By the
might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire,
they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had
possessed...
"He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47)
"He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47)
HURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, MARK 6:7-13
Weekday
(Hebrews 12:18-19. 21-24; Psalm 48 )
Weekday
(Hebrews 12:18-19. 21-24; Psalm 48 )
KEY VERSE: "Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them" (v 11).
TO KNOW: Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to preach repentance and heal by the power and authority of his name. These men had followed Jesus, and now they were sent out ahead of him. Jesus instructed them not to take along excess baggage. They were to trust in God's providence and the hospitality of others. If their message was not received, they were to leave that place, emptying the dust from their shoes as a testimony against those unbelievers (a Jewish custom when returning from a pagan land). Empowered by Jesus, the new missionaries set out to announce God's reign. As Jesus' reputation spread, King Herod wondered who this mighty one was that performed such works.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to hear and act on your words.
TO SERVE: Does my life-style bear witness to the Gospel?
Thursday 7 February 2019
Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24. Psalm 47(48):2-4, 9-11. Mark 6:7-13.
God, in your temple, we ponder your love – Psalm 47(48):2-4,
9-11.
‘He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a
staff.’
We are developing more and more into a society that relies on
material things. How many of us could go out into the world with only a staff?
There are not many who could travel so lightly.
Maybe we need to reflect on what we do and don’t need – and
consider today’s gospel an invitation to live simply. Do I always desire the
latest gadget, app or possession? What of these things are essential to my
mission in the world in 2019?
Let us take time today to consider anew our attachments to some
of our possessions. Is there some discomfort emerging about what these
attachments reveal about my priorities?
Saint Colette
Saint of the Day for February 7
(January 13, 1381 – March 6, 1447)
 |
| Statue of Saint Colette of Corbie, along the road between Corbie and Albert, France | photo by Paul Hermans |
Saint Colette’s Story
Colette did not seek the limelight, but in doing God’s will she
certainly attracted a lot of attention. Colette was born in Corbie,
France. At 21, she began to follow the Third Order Rule and became an
anchoress, a woman walled into a room whose only opening was a window into a
church.
After four years of prayer and penance in this cell, she left
it. With the approval and encouragement of the pope, she joined the Poor Clares
and reintroduced the primitive Rule of St. Clare in the 17 monasteries she
established. Her sisters were known for their poverty—they rejected any fixed
income—and for their perpetual fast. Colette’s reform movement spread to other
countries and is still thriving today. Colette was canonized in 1807.
Reflection
Colette began her reform during the time of the Great Western
Schism (1378-1417) when three men claimed to be pope and thus divided Western
Christianity. The 15th century in general was a very difficult one for the
Western Church. Abuses long neglected cost the Church dearly in the following
century. Colette’s reform indicated the entire Church’s need to follow Christ
more closely.
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 6:7-13
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, February 7, 2019
1)Opening prayer:
Lord our God,
help us to love You with all our hearts
and to love all people as You love them.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Mark 6:7-13
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take
nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in
their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He
said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from
there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and
shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off
and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed
with oil many who were sick and cured them.
3) Reflection
Today’s Gospel continues what we have already seen in the Gospel
yesterday. The passage through Nazareth was painful for Jesus. He was rejected
by His own people (Mk 6: 1-5). The community, which had been His community, is
no longer such. Something has changed. Beginning at that moment, as today’s
Gospel says, Jesus began to go around to the villages of Galilee to announce
the Good News (Mk 6: 6) and to send the Twelve on a mission. In the 70’s, the
time when Mark wrote his Gospel, the Christian communities lived in a difficult
situation, without any horizon. Humanly speaking, there was no future for them.
In the year 64, Nero began to persecute the Christians. In the year 65, the
revolt or uprising of the Jews in Palestine against Rome broke out. In the year
70, Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Romans. This is why the
description of the sending out of the disciples, after the conflict in
Nazareth, was a source of light and of courage for the Christians.
Mark 6:7. The objective of the Mission. The conflict grew and
closely affected Jesus. How does He react? In two ways: 1) In the face of the
mental stubbornness of the people of His community, Jesus leaves Nazareth and
begins to go to the neighboring villages (Mk 6: 6). 2) He extends the mission
and intensifies the announcement of the Good News, calling other people to
involve them in the mission. He summons the Twelve, and begins to send them out
in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits . The objective of the
mission is simple and profound. The disciples participate in the mission of
Jesus. They cannot go alone; they have to go in pairs, two by two, because two
persons represent the community better than one alone and they can mutually
help one another. They receive authority over unclean spirits, i.e., they are
to be a help for others in suffering and, through purification, they are to
open the door for direct access to God.
Mark 6: 8-11. The attitudes which they should have in the
Mission. The recommendations are simple: He instructed them to take nothing for
the journey except a staff: no bread, no bag, no money for their purses; they
were to wear sandals and not to take a spare tunic. And He told them, “If you
enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any
place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk
away, shake off the dust under your feet, as evidence to them.” So they set
off. It is the beginning of a new stage. Now not only Jesus but the whole group
will announce the Good News of God to the people. If the preaching of Jesus
caused conflict, much more now, there will be conflict with the preaching of
the whole group. If the mystery was already great, now it will be greater since
the mission has been intensified.
Mark 6: 12-13. The result of the mission. So they set off to
proclaim repentance, and they cast out many devils and anointed many sick
people with oil and cured them. The proclamation of the Good News produces
conversion or a change in people; it alleviates suffering in people; it cures
illnesses and casts out devils.
The sending out of the disciples on Mission. At the time of
Jesus there were several other movements of renewal, for example, the Essenes
and the Pharisees. They also sought a new way of living in community and they
had their own missionaries (cf. Mt 23:15). But these, when they went on
mission, had prejudices. They took with them a bag and money to take care of
their own meals, because they did not trust the food that people would give
them, which was not always ritually pure. As opposed to other missionaries, the
disciples of Jesus received various recommendations which helped them to understand
the fundamental points of the mission which they received from Jesus and which
is also our mission:
a) They should go without taking anything. They should take
nothing, no bag, no money, no staff, no bread, no sandals, no spare tunic. That
meant that Jesus obliged them to trust in hospitality, because one who goes
without taking anything goes because he trusts people and thinks that he will
be well received. With this attitude they criticized the laws of exclusion,
taught by the official religion, and showed, by means of the new practice, that
they in the community had other criteria.
b) They should eat what people ate or what the people gave them.
They could not live separately, providing their own food, but they were to
accept to sit at the same table (Lk 10: 8). This means that in contact with the
people, they should not be afraid of losing purity as it was taught at that
time. With this attitude they criticized the laws of purity which were in force
and showed, by means of the new practice, that they had another type of access
to purity, that is, intimacy with God.
c) They should remain in the first house that welcomed them.
They should live together in a stable way and not go from house to house. They
should work like everybody else and live off what they received in exchange,
because the laborer deserves his wages (Lk 10: 7). In other words, they should
participate in the life and in the work of the people, and the people would
have accepted them in the community and would have shared the food with them.
This means that they had to have trust in sharing.
d) They should take care of the sick, cure lepers and cast out
devils (Lk 10: 9; Mk 6: 7-13; Mt 10: 8). They had to carry out the function of
Defender (“go’el”) and accept within the community those who were excluded.
With this attitude they criticized the situation of disintegration of the
community life of the clan and they aimed at concrete ways of correcting this.
These were the four fundamental points which had to give impetus to the
attitude of the missionaries who announced the Good News in the name of Jesus:
hospitality, communion, sharing and acceptance of the excluded (defender,
“go'el”). If these four requirements were respected, they could and should cry
out to the four ends of the earth: The Kingdom of God has come! (cf. Lk 10:
1-12; 9: 1-6; Mk 6: 7-13; Mt 10: 6-16). The Kingdom of God revealed by Jesus is
not a doctrine, nor a catechism, nor a law. The Kingdom of God comes and
becomes present when people, motivated by their faith in Jesus, decide to live
in community to give witness and to manifest to all that God is Father and
Mother and that, therefore, we human beings are brothers and sisters to one
another. Jesus wanted the local community to be an expression of the Covenant,
of the Kingdom, of the love of God the Father, who makes all of us brothers and
sisters.
4) Personal questions:
Do you participate in the mission as a disciple of Jesus?
Which point of the mission of the apostles is more important for
us today? Why?
5) Concluding prayer
Great is Yahweh and most worthy of praise in the city of our
God,
the holy mountain,
towering in beauty,
the joy of the whole world. (Ps 48:1-2)
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