Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua,
Priest and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 362
Lectionary: 362
Brothers and sisters:
To this day, whenever Moses is read,
a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel,
but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us,
we are not discouraged.
And even though our Gospel is veiled,
it is veiled for those who are perishing,
in whose case the god of this age
has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
so that they may not see the light of the Gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.
For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness,
has shone in our hearts to bring to light
the knowledge of the glory of God
on the face of Jesus Christ.
To this day, whenever Moses is read,
a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel,
but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us,
we are not discouraged.
And even though our Gospel is veiled,
it is veiled for those who are perishing,
in whose case the god of this age
has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
so that they may not see the light of the Gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.
For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness,
has shone in our hearts to bring to light
the knowledge of the glory of God
on the face of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 85:9AB AND 10, 11-12,
13-14
R.(see 10b) The
glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
AlleluiaJN 13:34
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, please go here.
"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, please go here.
Meditation:
Be reconciled to your brother
Are you ever driven by
anger, rage, or revenge? The first person to hate his brother was Cain, the son
of Adam and Eve. God warned Cain: Why are you angry? ..Sin is couching
at the door; it's desire is for you, but you must master it (Genesis
4:6-7). Sin doesn't just happen to us - it first grows as a tiny seed in our
heart. Unless it is uprooted by God's grace, it grows like a weed and chokes
the vine and all its fruit.
Forbidden
anger must be uprooted from our heart
Jesus addressed the issue of keeping the commandments with his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees equated righteousness with satisfying the outward observance of the law. Jesus showed them how short they had come. Jesus points to the heart as the seat of desire and choice. Unless evil and forbidden desires are eradicated, the heart will be corrupted. Jesus points to forbidden anger with one's brother. This is a selfish anger that broods and is long-lived, that nurses a grudge and keeps wrath warm, and that refuses to die. Harboring anger in the heart as well as anger in speech and action are equally forbidden by God.
Jesus addressed the issue of keeping the commandments with his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees equated righteousness with satisfying the outward observance of the law. Jesus showed them how short they had come. Jesus points to the heart as the seat of desire and choice. Unless evil and forbidden desires are eradicated, the heart will be corrupted. Jesus points to forbidden anger with one's brother. This is a selfish anger that broods and is long-lived, that nurses a grudge and keeps wrath warm, and that refuses to die. Harboring anger in the heart as well as anger in speech and action are equally forbidden by God.
God's
love and truth sets us free from anger and malice
What is the antidote to anger and rage? Mercy, kindness, and forbearance spring from a heart full of love and forgiveness. God has forgiven us and he calls us to extend mercy and forgiveness towards those who cause us grief and harm. In the cross of Jesus we see the supreme example of love and forgiveness and the power of goodness for overcoming evil. Only God's love and grace can set our hearts and minds free from the tyranny of wounded pride and spiteful revenge.
What is the antidote to anger and rage? Mercy, kindness, and forbearance spring from a heart full of love and forgiveness. God has forgiven us and he calls us to extend mercy and forgiveness towards those who cause us grief and harm. In the cross of Jesus we see the supreme example of love and forgiveness and the power of goodness for overcoming evil. Only God's love and grace can set our hearts and minds free from the tyranny of wounded pride and spiteful revenge.
Do
you harbor any anger towards another person? And are you quick to be reconciled
when a rupture has been caused in your relationships? Ask God to set you free
and to fill your heart and mind with his love and goodness. Paul the Apostle
reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). Through the grace
and help of the Holy Spirit we can overcome malice with good, hatred with kindness,
and injury with pardon.
"May
I be no man's enemy, and may I be the friend of that which is eternal and
abides. May I never quarrel with those nearest me: and if I do, may I be
reconciled quickly. May I love, seek, and attain only that which is good. May I
wish for all men's happiness and envy none. May I never rejoice in the
ill-fortune of one who has wronged me. When I have done or said what is wrong,
may I never wait for the rebuke of others, but always rebuke myself until I
make amends. May I win no victory that harms either me or my opponent. May I
reconcile friends who are angry with one another. May I never fail a friend who
is in danger. When visiting those in grief may I be able by gentle and healing
words to soften their pain. May I respect myself. May I always keep tame that
which rages within me. May I accustom myself to be gentle, and never be angry
with people because of circumstances. May I never discuss who is wicked and
what wicked things he has done, but know good men and follow in their
footsteps." (Prayer of Eusebius, 3rd century)
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Taming the Tongue, by Augustine of
Hippo (354-430 AD)
"What
are we to do? Whoever says, 'You fool!' hall be liable to the hell of
fire. But no human being can tame the tongue. Will everyone
therefore go to the hell of fire? By no means. Lord, you have become
our refuge from generation to generation (Psalm 90:1). Your wrath is
just. You send no one to hell unjustly. Where shall I go from your
spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7), unless
to you? Thus let us understand, my dearly beloved, that if no human being can
tame the tongue, we must take refuge in God, who will tame it. Does your own
human nature prevent you from taming your tongue? No human being can
tame the tongue (James 3:8). Consider this analogy from the animals
that we tame. A horse does not tame itself; a camel does not tame itself; an
elephant does not tame itself; a snake does not tame itself; a lion does not
tame itself. So too a man does not tame himself. In order to tame a horse, an
ox, a camel, an elephant, a lion and a snake, a human being is required.
Therefore God should be required in order for a human being to be tamed. (excerpt
from Sermon 55:2)
THURSDAY, JUNE 13, MATTHEW 5:20-26
(2 Corinthians 3:15--4:1, 3-6; Psalm 85)
(2 Corinthians 3:15--4:1, 3-6; Psalm 85)
KEY VERSE: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (v. 20).
TO KNOW: Jesus was a teacher greater than Moses. Jesus told his disciples that their holiness must exceed the virtues of the religious leaders. He expanded and deepened the literal meaning of the Mosaic Law. Godliness must surpass mere external observances; it must penetrate the heart. Obeying the Law by practicing justice, and showing compassion toward the poor, constituted the ideal for virtuous living. Jesus invited his disciples to move beyond "an eye for an eye" (Mt 5:38) by seeking vengeance. He asked, can you love your enemy? Can you let go of bitterness, hatred and vicious thoughts, and give back understanding, forgiveness and healing? Without a willingness to have one's heart changed, salvation cannot be experienced.
TO LOVE: When have I last participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to make amends with someone that I have offended.
Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the
Church
Anthony's wealthy family wanted him to be a great nobleman, but for the sake of Christ he became a poor Franciscan. When the remains of the first Franciscan martyrs, Saint Bernard and his companions, were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was moved to leave his order, enter the Friars Minor, and go to Morocco to evangelize. He was shipwrecked at Sicily, and he joined some other brothers who were going to Portiuncula. Anthony lived in a cave at San Paolo leaving only to attend Mass and to sweep the nearby monastery. One day when a scheduled preacher failed to appear, the brothers pressed him into speaking. Anthony impressed them so much that thereafter he was constantly traveling, evangelizing, preaching, and teaching theology throughout Italy and France. One of the most beloved of saints, his images and statues are found everywhere. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII on 16 January, 1946.
Thursday 13 June 2019
ST ANTONY OF PADUA.
2 Corinthians 3:15 – 4:1, 3-6. Psalm 84(85):9-14. Matthew 5:20-26.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land – Psalm 84(85):9-14.
‘Go and be reconciled with your brother!’
2 Corinthians 3:15 – 4:1, 3-6. Psalm 84(85):9-14. Matthew 5:20-26.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land – Psalm 84(85):9-14.
‘Go and be reconciled with your brother!’
Today’s gospel is a lesson in forgiveness. We may think all is
well if we live within the law. But if we look into our heart we might discover
we’re really no better than the scribes and Pharisees. This is the sort of
uprightness Jesus speaks about.
Let us ask ourselves: Am I angry with someone? Do I avoid
someone because I believe he or she has offended me? Is there someone I am
unfairly judging? Jesus always insists that the responsibility for
reconciliation rests more with the one offended than the offender. How can we
expect God to forgive us if we withhold forgiveness from our brother or sister?
May we find time today to reflect on our inner feelings, to ask
God to help us to have the courage to reach out with love and forgiveness,
especially when we are hurt or misunderstood.
Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint of the Day for June 13
(1195 – June 13, 1231)
 |
| Baby Jesus and St. Anthony of Padua | Elisabetta Sirani |
Saint Anthony of Padua’s Story
The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the
rule of Saint Anthony of Padua’s life. Over and over again, God called him to
something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and
self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.
His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when
he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and
power to be a servant of God. Later when the bodies of the first Franciscan
martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again
filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself:
those who die for the Good News.
So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to
the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to
Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time
praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.
The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was
prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the
task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture
and of serving him in poverty, chastity, and obedience had prepared Anthony to
allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those
who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give
people words.
Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and
theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other
friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in
France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and
reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ’s divinity and of
the sacraments..
After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, he
made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began
writing sermon notes to help other preachers. In the spring of 1231 Anthony
withdrew to a friary at Camposampiero where he had a sort of treehouse built as
a hermitage. There he prayed and prepared for death.
On June 13, he became very ill and asked to be taken back to
Padua, where he died after receiving the last sacraments. Anthony was canonized
less than a year later and named a Doctor of the Church in 1946.
Reflection
Anthony should be the patron of those who find their lives
completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints,
he is a perfect example of turning one’s life completely over to Christ. God
did with Anthony as God pleased—and what God pleased was a life of spiritual
power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular
devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing
himself totally to the providence of God.
Saint Anthony of Padua is the Patron Saint of:
Lost items
Poor
Travelers
Poor
Travelers
Lectio Divina: Matthew 5:20-26
Lectio Divina
Thursday, June 13, 2019
1) OPENING PRAYER
God of mercy and compassion,
you challenge us to be responsible
for the good and the evil we do
and You call us to conversion.
God, help us to face ourselves
that we may not use flimsy excuses
for covering up our wrongs.
Make us honest with ourselves,
and aware that we can always count on Jesus Christ
to be our guide and strength on the road to You,
now and for ever.
you challenge us to be responsible
for the good and the evil we do
and You call us to conversion.
God, help us to face ourselves
that we may not use flimsy excuses
for covering up our wrongs.
Make us honest with ourselves,
and aware that we can always count on Jesus Christ
to be our guide and strength on the road to You,
now and for ever.
2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your
righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter
into the Kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your
ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and
whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you
bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything
against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled
with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent
quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over
to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be
thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have
paid the last penny."
3) REFLECTION
The text of today s Gospel forms part of a broader or more
extensive whole: Mt 5:20 up to Mt 5:48. In these passages Matthew tells us how
Jesus interprets and explains the Law of God. Five times He repeats the phrase:
You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, in truth I tell you! (Mt 5:21.
27. 33.38. 43). Before, He had said: Do not imagine that I have come to abolish
the Law or the Prophets; no, I have come not to abolish, but to complete them
(Mt 5:17). The attitude of Jesus before the Law is, at the same time, one of
breaking and of continuity. He breaks away from the erroneous interpretations,
but maintains firm the objective which the Law should attain: the practice of a
greater justice, which is Love.
Matthew 5:20: An uprightness which surpasses that of the
Pharisees. This first verse presents the general key of everything which
follows in Matthew 5:20-48. The word Justice never appears in the Gospel of
Mark, and it appears seven times in that of Matthew (Mt 3:15; 5:6.10.20;
6:1.33; 21:32). This has something to do with the situation of the communities
for which Mark wrote. The religious ideal of the Jews of the time was to be
just before God. The Pharisees taught: people attain justice before God when
they succeed to observe all the norms of the law in all its details! This
teaching generated a legalistic oppression and caused great anguish in the
people because it was very difficult to be able to observe all the norms (cfr.
Rm 7:21-24). This is why Matthew takes the words of Jesus on justice to show that
it has to surpass the justice of the Pharisees (Mt, 5:20). According to Jesus,
justice does not come from what I do for God in observing the law, but rather
from what God does for me, accepting me as His son or as His daughter. The new
ideal which Jesus proposes is the following: therefore, be perfect as is your
Heavenly Father! (Mt 5:48). That means: you will be just before God when you
try to accept and forgive people as God accepts and pardons me, in spite of my
defects and sins.
By means of these five very concrete examples, Jesus shows us
what to do in order to attain this greater justice which surpasses the justice
of the and the Pharisees. As we can see, today’s Gospel takes the example
of the new interpretation of the fifth commandment: You shall not kill! Jesus
has revealed what God wanted when He gave this commandment to Moses.
Matthew 5:21-22: The law says: You shall not kill! (Ex 20:13).
In order to observe fully this commandment it is not sufficient to avoid
murdering. It is necessary to uproot from within everything which, in one way
or another, can lead to murder, for example, anger, hatred, the desire to
revenge, insult, and exploitation, etc.
Matthew 5:23-24. The perfect worship which God wants. In order
to be accepted by God and to remain united to Him, it is necessary to reconcile
oneself with brother and sister. Before the destruction of the Temple, in the
year 70, when the Christian Jews participated in the pilgrimages in Jerusalem
to present their offerings at the altar and to pay their promises, they always
remembered this phrase of Jesus. In the year 80, at the time when Matthew
wrote, the Temple and the Altar no longer existed. They had been destroyed by
the Romans. The community and the communitarian celebration became the Temple and
the Altar of God.
Matthew 5:25-26: To reconcile oneself. One of the points on
which the Gospel of Matthew exists the most is reconciliation. That indicates
that in the communities of that time, there were many tensions among the
radical groups with diverse tendencies and sometimes even opposing ones. Nobody
wanted to cede to the other. There was no dialogue. Matthew enlightens this
situation with the words of Jesus on reconciliation which demands acceptance
and understanding. The only sin that God does not forgive is our lack of pardon
toward others (Mt 6:14). That is why one should try to reconcile yourself
before it is too late!
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Today there are many people who cry out for justice! What
meaning does evangelical justice have for me?
How do I behave before those who do not accept me as I am? How did Jesus behave before those who did not accept Him?
How do I behave before those who do not accept me as I am? How did Jesus behave before those who did not accept Him?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
From the depths I call to You, Yahweh:
Lord, hear my cry.
Listen attentively to the sound of my pleading! (Ps 130,1-2)
Lord, hear my cry.
Listen attentively to the sound of my pleading! (Ps 130,1-2)
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