Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin
and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 267
Lectionary: 267
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 2:1-3, 4-7A, 7B-9
R. (see 11d) Blessed
are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaCOL 3:1
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 3:1-8
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, please
go here.
Meditation: "Unless
one is born anew"
Do
you nourish your faith with prayerful reflection of the word of God? When
Nicodemus heard about Jesus' miracles and extraordinary teaching, he decided to
meet with him privately, away from the crowds and the public spotlight.
Nicodemus was no ordinary Jew. He was a religious ruler and member of the
Sanhedrin, which was the supreme court of the Jews, and a teacher of Israel
(John 3:10). He was a devout Pharisee who sought to perfectly follow the law of
Moses, as prescribed in the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy,
Leviticus, and Numbers) and further elaborated in the numerous scribal laws,
recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud.
Nicodemus
decided to meet with Jesus at night, possibly for two reasons. He may have been
cautious and not ready to publicly associate himself with Jesus since
many Pharisees opposed Jesus' teaching and called him a Sabbath breaker. It is
also likely that Nicodemus chose the night as the best time for seeking a
private and undisturbed conversation with Jesus. The rabbis declared that the
best time to study the law was at night after the day's work was completed and
the household was at rest. When Nicodemus saw Jesus he addressed him as rabbi (a
teacher of God's word and law) and acknowledged that Jesus' teaching came from
God.
How
can one get right with God and enter his kingdom?
Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus went to the very heart of the Mosaic law - how can one get right with God and enter God's kingdom? Jesus' answer was brief and startling: "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see God." The new birth which Jesus spoke about was not a physical birth but the beginning of a spiritual birth which is something completely new and radical, and from above, namely from God himself. Jesus said that this rebirth was necessary if one was to enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus thought that to be born again, even spiritually, was impossible. He probably knew too well from experience that anyone who wants to be changed from within, can't accomplish this by oneself. Jesus explained that this change could only come about through the work and action of the Holy Spirit. This rebirth in the Spirit is very real and experiential, like the wind which can be felt and heard while it is visibly unseen to the naked eye.
Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus went to the very heart of the Mosaic law - how can one get right with God and enter God's kingdom? Jesus' answer was brief and startling: "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see God." The new birth which Jesus spoke about was not a physical birth but the beginning of a spiritual birth which is something completely new and radical, and from above, namely from God himself. Jesus said that this rebirth was necessary if one was to enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus thought that to be born again, even spiritually, was impossible. He probably knew too well from experience that anyone who wants to be changed from within, can't accomplish this by oneself. Jesus explained that this change could only come about through the work and action of the Holy Spirit. This rebirth in the Spirit is very real and experiential, like the wind which can be felt and heard while it is visibly unseen to the naked eye.
Rebirth
to new life in the power of the Holy Spirit
What does it mean to be reborn in the Spirit? The new birth which Jesus speaks of is a spiritual birth to a life which is transformed through the power of God. This new life brings us into an experiential relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters (Romans 6:4; 8:10-11). This new birth is made possible when one is baptized into Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God wants to renew all of his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. This new life in the Spirit brings us into God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
What does it mean to be reborn in the Spirit? The new birth which Jesus speaks of is a spiritual birth to a life which is transformed through the power of God. This new life brings us into an experiential relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters (Romans 6:4; 8:10-11). This new birth is made possible when one is baptized into Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God wants to renew all of his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. This new life in the Spirit brings us into God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
What
is the kingdom of God - which is also called the kingdom
of heaven? God's kingdom - his reign and blessing as King over us - is the
abundant everlasting life and power from heaven which God shares with those who
accept him as the Eternal Father and Author of Life and Ruler of All he has
created. Jesus explains in the prayer he gave to his disciples, what we call
the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father, that God's kingdom is that society of men
and women who acknowledge God as their Lord and Ruler and who obey his word and
live according to his will on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew
6:10).
We
are sons and daughters of God and citizens of his kingdom
To be reborn in the Spirit is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed. Those who willingly accept God's rule in their lives become citizens of God's heavenly kingdom and members of God's family - his adopted sons and daughters. And they enter into possession of the life which comes from God himself, an everlasting life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin, oppression, and corruption. Do you know the joy and freedom of the new birth and abundant life which Jesus Christ has won for you?
To be reborn in the Spirit is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed. Those who willingly accept God's rule in their lives become citizens of God's heavenly kingdom and members of God's family - his adopted sons and daughters. And they enter into possession of the life which comes from God himself, an everlasting life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin, oppression, and corruption. Do you know the joy and freedom of the new birth and abundant life which Jesus Christ has won for you?
"Lord
Jesus Christ, you offer us abundant new life and power to live as sons and
daughters of our Father in heaven. Renew in me the gift of faith to accept and
obey your life-giving word and to cooperate with the transforming power of your
Holy Spirit who changes us into your likeness. May your kingdom come and your
will be done in my life today, tomorrow, and always."
A
Daily Quote from early church fathers: Reborn and Fed by the Spirit, by
Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"And
then that rebirth, which brings about the forgiveness of all past sins, takes
place in the Holy Spirit, according to the Lord's own words, 'Unless one is
born of water and the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.' But it is
one thing to be born of the Spirit, another to be fed by the Spirit; just as it
is one thing to be born of the flesh, which happens when a mother gives birth,
and another to be fed from the flesh, which appears when she nurses the baby.
We see the child turn to drink with delight from the bosom of her who brought
it forth to life. Its life continues to be nourished by the same source which
brought it into being." (excerpt from Sermon 71.19)
MONDAY, APRIL 28, JOHN 3:1-8
(Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2)
(Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2)
KEY VERSE: "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (v.5).
TO KNOW: Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council), and one of the Jerusalem aristocracy. Nicodemus was curious about Jesus but he was afraid to come to him in broad daylight, so he came to him at night. Jesus told him that it was not enough to claim membership of the chosen people. To become a child of God, one must be "born from above" (John 3:3). Nicodemus misinterpreted this to mean human birth. Jesus helped him to understand that he could only enter God's kingdom through spiritual rebirth in Baptism, being born of "water and Spirit." Although the workings of the Spirit were invisible, like the wind, anyone could observe the results. Nicodemus' spiritual growth was seen later when he courageously defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin (7:50), and when he came to anoint Jesus' body for burial (19:39).
TO LOVE: Am I seeking to learn more about Jesus?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to trust the mysterious work of the Spirit in my life.
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the
Church
At the age of six, Catherine of Siena had a vision in which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Although her parents wanted her to marry, she resisted and became a Dominican tertiary, which allowed her to associate with the religious society while living at home. She spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer, and austerity. Gradually, a group of followers gathered around her and an active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Catherine spent the last two years of her short life in Rome, pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She was canonized in 1461, and in 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Pope Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. . Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. She said that each one us is also a gift to the world, with a unique mission: “Be who you are, and you will set the world on fire.”
Monday 29 April 2019
ST CATHERINE OF SIENA.
Acts 4:23-31. Psalm 2:1-9. John 3:1-8.
Happy are all who put their trust in the Lord – Psalm
2:1-9.
‘He came to Jesus by night.’
Nicodemus was a leader among the Jews but unlike the other
Pharisees, who were hostile and argumentative, he was gradually growing in
faith towards Jesus. Jesus knew this and was patient with him.
Jesus mostly spoke in the plain but descriptive language of
parables, using stories and images drawn from the people’s lives and
experiences. But with Nicodemus he sensed a readiness and a desire for more so
he challenged him with a deeper truth – the mysterious but very real presence
of the Spirit.
To give Nicodemus an understanding of the mystery of the Spirit,
Jesus uses the analogy of the wind that ‘blows where it pleases . . . but you
cannot see where it comes from or where it is going.’
Holy Spirit, lead me to your surprising presence in my life.
Give me the eyes to notice your gifts in my days, and prepare me to respond in
kind.
Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint of the Day for April 29
(March 25, 1347 – April 29, 1380)
 |
| Painting of Saint Catherine of Siena | Siena Cathedral Choir | photo by Sailko |
Saint Catherine of Siena’s Story
The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which
sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to
Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her
surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time.
She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up
as an intelligent, cheerful, and intensely religious person. Catherine
disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being
overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her
father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for
prayer and meditation.
She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next
three years in seclusion, prayer, and austerity. Gradually, a group of
followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active
public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for
spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more
and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her
mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of
one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the
Dominican General Chapter of 1374.
Her public influence reached great heights because of her
evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep
impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against
the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope.
In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of
Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing
sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and
pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church.
She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died
surrounded by her “children” and was canonized in 1461.
Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of
the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy.
Pope Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her
spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.
Reflection
Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality
far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a
companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite
the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or
chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six,
childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent
ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid
change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies
in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a
lifetime.
Saint Catherine of Siena is the Patron Saint of:
Europe
Fire Prevention
Italy
Fire Prevention
Italy
Lectio: Matthew 11:25-30
Lectio Divina
Monday, April 29, 2019
1) Opening prayer
Holy God,
we often turn our hearts
into houses of pride and greed
rather than into homes of love and goodness
where you can feel at home.
Destroy the temple of sin in us,
drive out all evil from our hearts
and make us living stones of a community
in which can live and reign
your Son Jesus Christ,
our living Lord for ever and ever.
we often turn our hearts
into houses of pride and greed
rather than into homes of love and goodness
where you can feel at home.
Destroy the temple of sin in us,
drive out all evil from our hearts
and make us living stones of a community
in which can live and reign
your Son Jesus Christ,
our living Lord for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of
heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever
and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased
you to do.
Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'
Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'
3) Reflection
• Today we celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In
the Gospel we will listen to the invitation of Jesus: “Learn from me for I
am meek and humble of heart”. The Gospel shows the tenderness with
which Jesus welcomes, accepts the little ones. He wanted the poor to find rest
and peace in him.
• The context of chapters 11 and 12 of Matthew. In this context is stressed and made evident the fact that the poor are the only ones to understand and to accept the wisdom of the Kingdom. Many people did not understand this preference of Jesus for the poor and the excluded.
a) John the Baptist, who looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past, had doubts (Mt 11, 1-15)
b) The people, who looked at Jesus with a purpose of their own interests, were not capable to understand him (Mt 11, 16-19).
c) The great cities around the lake, which listened to Jesus’ preaching and saw the miracles, did not want to open themselves to his message (Mt 11, 20-24).
d) The wise and the Doctors, who judged everything according to their own science, were not capable to understand the preaching of Jesus (Mt 11, 25).
e) Not even his relatives understood him (Mt 12, 46-50).
f) Only the little ones understood him and accepted the Good News of the Kingdom (Mt 11, 25-30).
g) The others want sacrifice, but Jesus wants mercy (Mt 12, 1-8).
h) The reaction against Jesus impels the Pharisees to want to kill him (Mt 12, 9-14).
i) They said that Jesus was Beelzebul (Mt 12, 22-32).
j) But Jesus did not draw back. He continues to assume the mission of Servant, as described in the prophecies (Mt 12, 15-21). This is why he was persecuted and condemned to death.
• Matthew 11, 25-26: Only the little ones understand and accept the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus addresses a prayer to the Father: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do!” The wise, the doctors of that time, had created a series of laws which they imposed upon the people in the name of God. They thought that God demanded this observance from the people. But the Law of love, brought by Jesus, said the contrary. What is important is not what we do for God, but rather what God, in his great love, does for us! People understood the words of Jesus and were filled with joy. The wise thought that Jesus was not right. They could not understand this teaching which modified the relationship of the people of God.
• Matthew 11, 27: The origin of the New Law: The Son knows the Father. Jesus, the Son, knows the Father. He knows what the Father wanted when, centuries before, he gave the Law to Moses. What the Father wants to tell us, he handed it to Jesus, and Jesus revealed it to the little ones, because they opened themselves to his message. Today, also, Jesus continues to teach many things to the poor and to the little ones. The wise and the intelligent do well if they become pupils of the little ones!
• Matthew 11, 28-30: “Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”. Jesus invites all those who are tired to find rest in him. These are the people who are tired under the weight of the impositions and the observances which the law of purity demanded. And he says: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart”. Many times this phrase has been manipulated to ask people to submit themselves, to be passive. What Jesus wants to say is the contrary. He asks people to leave aside the professors of religion of that time, to rest and to begin to learn from him, from Jesus, who is “gentle and humble of heart”. Jesus does not do like the Scribes who pride themselves of their own science, but he is like the people who live humiliated and exploited. Jesus, the new teacher, knows from experience what happens in the heart of the people and how much the people suffer.
• The invitation of divine wisdom to all those who seek it. Jesus invites all those who are oppressed under the weight of the observance of the law to find rest in him, because he is gentle and humble of heart, capable of relieving and consoling the people who suffer, who feel tired and depressed (Mt 11, 25-30). In this invitation resound the beautiful words of Isaiah who consoled the people who lived in exile (Is 55, 1-3). This invitation is bound to divine wisdom, which invites persons to the encounter with her (Ws 24, 19), saying: “her ways are filled with delight; her paths all lead to contentment” (Pr 3, 17). And he adds: “Wisdom brings up her own children and cares for those who seek her. Whoever loves her, loves life, those who seek her early will be filled with joy” (Si 4, 11-12). This invitation reveals a very important characteristic of the feminine face of God: tenderness and acceptance which consoles, which gives life to persons and leads them to feel well. Jesus is defence, the protection and the maternal womb which the Father offers to people who are tired (cfr. Is 66, 10-13).
• The context of chapters 11 and 12 of Matthew. In this context is stressed and made evident the fact that the poor are the only ones to understand and to accept the wisdom of the Kingdom. Many people did not understand this preference of Jesus for the poor and the excluded.
a) John the Baptist, who looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past, had doubts (Mt 11, 1-15)
b) The people, who looked at Jesus with a purpose of their own interests, were not capable to understand him (Mt 11, 16-19).
c) The great cities around the lake, which listened to Jesus’ preaching and saw the miracles, did not want to open themselves to his message (Mt 11, 20-24).
d) The wise and the Doctors, who judged everything according to their own science, were not capable to understand the preaching of Jesus (Mt 11, 25).
e) Not even his relatives understood him (Mt 12, 46-50).
f) Only the little ones understood him and accepted the Good News of the Kingdom (Mt 11, 25-30).
g) The others want sacrifice, but Jesus wants mercy (Mt 12, 1-8).
h) The reaction against Jesus impels the Pharisees to want to kill him (Mt 12, 9-14).
i) They said that Jesus was Beelzebul (Mt 12, 22-32).
j) But Jesus did not draw back. He continues to assume the mission of Servant, as described in the prophecies (Mt 12, 15-21). This is why he was persecuted and condemned to death.
• Matthew 11, 25-26: Only the little ones understand and accept the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus addresses a prayer to the Father: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do!” The wise, the doctors of that time, had created a series of laws which they imposed upon the people in the name of God. They thought that God demanded this observance from the people. But the Law of love, brought by Jesus, said the contrary. What is important is not what we do for God, but rather what God, in his great love, does for us! People understood the words of Jesus and were filled with joy. The wise thought that Jesus was not right. They could not understand this teaching which modified the relationship of the people of God.
• Matthew 11, 27: The origin of the New Law: The Son knows the Father. Jesus, the Son, knows the Father. He knows what the Father wanted when, centuries before, he gave the Law to Moses. What the Father wants to tell us, he handed it to Jesus, and Jesus revealed it to the little ones, because they opened themselves to his message. Today, also, Jesus continues to teach many things to the poor and to the little ones. The wise and the intelligent do well if they become pupils of the little ones!
• Matthew 11, 28-30: “Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”. Jesus invites all those who are tired to find rest in him. These are the people who are tired under the weight of the impositions and the observances which the law of purity demanded. And he says: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart”. Many times this phrase has been manipulated to ask people to submit themselves, to be passive. What Jesus wants to say is the contrary. He asks people to leave aside the professors of religion of that time, to rest and to begin to learn from him, from Jesus, who is “gentle and humble of heart”. Jesus does not do like the Scribes who pride themselves of their own science, but he is like the people who live humiliated and exploited. Jesus, the new teacher, knows from experience what happens in the heart of the people and how much the people suffer.
• The invitation of divine wisdom to all those who seek it. Jesus invites all those who are oppressed under the weight of the observance of the law to find rest in him, because he is gentle and humble of heart, capable of relieving and consoling the people who suffer, who feel tired and depressed (Mt 11, 25-30). In this invitation resound the beautiful words of Isaiah who consoled the people who lived in exile (Is 55, 1-3). This invitation is bound to divine wisdom, which invites persons to the encounter with her (Ws 24, 19), saying: “her ways are filled with delight; her paths all lead to contentment” (Pr 3, 17). And he adds: “Wisdom brings up her own children and cares for those who seek her. Whoever loves her, loves life, those who seek her early will be filled with joy” (Si 4, 11-12). This invitation reveals a very important characteristic of the feminine face of God: tenderness and acceptance which consoles, which gives life to persons and leads them to feel well. Jesus is defence, the protection and the maternal womb which the Father offers to people who are tired (cfr. Is 66, 10-13).
4) Personal questions
• What produces tension in you and what gives you peace? For
you, to live in community, is it a source of tension or of peace?
• How can these words of Jesus help our community to be a place of rest for our life?
• How can these words of Jesus help our community to be a place of rest for our life?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh is tenderness and pity,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
his indignation does not last for ever,
nor his resentment remain for all time. (Ps 103,8-9)
slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
his indignation does not last for ever,
nor his resentment remain for all time. (Ps 103,8-9)
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