Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
Priest
Lectionary: 403
Lectionary: 403
As Moses came down from Mount Sinai
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses' face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses' face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 99:5, 6, 7, 9
R.(see 9c) Holy is
the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
AlleluiaJN 15:15B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, please
go here.
Meditation: "Joy in
finding hidden treasure and pearl of great price"
What
do you treasure above all else and how do you keep it secure? In a peasant
community the best safe was often the earth. The man in the parable "went
in his joy" to sell everything he had (Matthew 13:44). Why? Because he
found a hidden treasure worth possessing above everything else he had. He did
not, however, have enough to buy the treasure. Fortunately, he only needed
enough money to buy the field. In a similar fashion, God offers his kingdom as
incomparable treasure at a price we can afford! We can't pay the full price for
the rich and abundant life which God offers us - but when we willingly exchange
our life for the life which God offers, we receive a treasure beyond compare.
Searching
for the greatest treasure of all
The pearl of great price also tells us a similar lesson (Matthew 13:45). Pearls in the ancient world came to represent the supremely valuable. Why would a merchant sell everything for a single pearl of peerless value? No doubt because he was attracted to what he thought was the greatest treasure he could possess for himself. On another occasion Jesus told his disciples, "do not throw your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6). Beautiful unblemished pearls were intended to enhance the beauty and value of those who wore them. Do you recognize and value the hidden treasure of God's kingdom and the peerless pearl which the Lord Jesus offers to all who believe in him?
The pearl of great price also tells us a similar lesson (Matthew 13:45). Pearls in the ancient world came to represent the supremely valuable. Why would a merchant sell everything for a single pearl of peerless value? No doubt because he was attracted to what he thought was the greatest treasure he could possess for himself. On another occasion Jesus told his disciples, "do not throw your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6). Beautiful unblemished pearls were intended to enhance the beauty and value of those who wore them. Do you recognize and value the hidden treasure of God's kingdom and the peerless pearl which the Lord Jesus offers to all who believe in him?
Discovering
heavenly treasure
Discovering God's kingdom is like stumbling across a hidden treasure or finding the one pearl of great price. When we discover the kingdom of God we receive the greatest possible treasure - the Lord himself. Selling all that we have to obtain this incomparable treasure could mean many things - our friends, possessions, job, our "style of life", what we do with our free time. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure.
Discovering God's kingdom is like stumbling across a hidden treasure or finding the one pearl of great price. When we discover the kingdom of God we receive the greatest possible treasure - the Lord himself. Selling all that we have to obtain this incomparable treasure could mean many things - our friends, possessions, job, our "style of life", what we do with our free time. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure.
In
this parable what does the treasure of the kingdom of heaven refer to? It
certainly refers to the kingdom of God in all its aspects (a kingdom of
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit - Romans 14:17).
But in a special way, the Lord himself is the treasure we seek. "If
the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight
yourself in the Almighty"(Job 22:22-23). Is the Lord the
treasure and delight of your heart?
"Lord
Jesus, reveal to me the true riches of your kingdom. Help me to set my heart on
you alone as the treasure beyond compare with any other. Free my heart of any
inordinate desires or attachment to other things that I may freely give to you
all that I have in joy and gratitude for all that you have given to me. May I
always find joy and delight in your presence."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Finding the pearl of great price,
by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"Now
among the words of all kinds that profess to announce truth, and among those
who report them, he seeks pearls. Think of the prophets as, so to speak, the
pearls that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of
truth from heaven. They are goodly pearls that, according to the phrase here
set forth, the merchant seeks. And the chief of the pearls, on the finding of
which the rest are found with it, is the very costly pearl, the Christ of God,
the Word that is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in the law and
the prophets. When one finds this pearl all the rest are easily released.
Suppose, then, that one is not a disciple of Christ. He possesses no pearls at
all, much less the very costly pearl, as distinguished from those that are
cloudy or darkened." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 18.8)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, MATTHEW 13:44-46
(Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99)
(Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99)
KEY VERSE: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field" (v. 44).
TO KNOW: Jesus told his disciples parables to help them understand the meaning of God's reign and the zeal with which it must be pursued. In the parable of the buried treasure, there was great joy in the man’s discovery, which made him willing to give up everything to make the treasure his own. Nothing else really mattered. The irony was that the treasure was found unexpectedly when he was going about his daily business. In the parable of the priceless pearl, Jesus' point was that the effort to search for and attain the kingdom of God was of inestimable worth and nothing could be compared to it. Jesus' followers had come to value the kingdom as a precious treasure that would last for all eternity. Because they discovered its true worth, they willingly sacrificed everything for its attainment.
TO LOVE: Is my sight set on the treasure of the kingdom or the riches that the world offers?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to value your kingdom above all else.
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priest
Born in 1491 at Loyola, Spain, Ignatius was wounded in the leg by a cannonball at the siege of Pampeluna in 1521, an injury that left him partially crippled for life. During his recuperation the only books he had access to were The Golden Legend, a collection of The Lives of the Saints, and The Life of Christ. These books, and the time spent in contemplation, changed him. Upon his recovery he took a vow of chastity, hung his sword before the altar of the Virgin of Montserrat, and donned a pilgrim's robe. He journeyed to Rome and the Holy Land where he worked to convert Muslims. His meditations, prayers, visions and insights led to forming the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) on 15 August 1534. He then settled in Rome to direct the Jesuit order. His health suffered in later years, and he was nearly blind at death. The Jesuits today have over 500 universities and colleges, 30,000 members, and teach over 200,000 students each year.
"Teach us to be generous, good Lord; teach us to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing we do Your will." - St. Ignatius of Loyola
Wednesday 31 July 2019
St Ignatius Loyola
Exodus 34:29-35. Psalm 98(99):5-7, 9. Matthew 13:44-46.
Holy is the Lord our God – Psalm 98(99):5-7, 9
‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.’
Exodus 34:29-35. Psalm 98(99):5-7, 9. Matthew 13:44-46.
Holy is the Lord our God – Psalm 98(99):5-7, 9
‘The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.’
After many months living in a cave near the town of Manresa,
attending to spiritual movements, one day the restless Ignatius spent a time
sitting beside the river Cardoner and ‘the eyes of his understanding began to
be opened; though he did not see any vision, he understood and knew many
things’.
Following a year bounded by town, river, and cave, this pilgrim
received a grace which got him moving again. He walked on to a wider world of
cities, oceans, and stars.
Having survived physical injury and mental anguish, Ignatius now
knew God’s abiding love and grace personally. He began helping all sorts of
people, listening and offering ‘spiritual exercises’ for discerning God’s
presence in their days. Ignatian spirituality now gives many people a practical
way to seek and find God in all things. This path animates the Society of Jesus
and many more companions, Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint of the Day for July 31
(October 23, 1491 – July 31, 1556)
 |
| St. Ignatius of Loyola | Peter Paul Rubens |
Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Story
The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and
fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of
romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading
a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched,
and a long, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a
vision, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona. He
remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa, sometimes with the Dominicans,
sometimes in a pauper’s hospice, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a
period of great peace of mind, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples.
There was no comfort in anything—prayer, fasting, sacraments, penance. At
length, his peace of mind returned.
It was during this year of conversion that Ignatius began to
write down material that later became his greatest work, the Spiritual
Exercises.
He finally achieved his purpose of going to the Holy Land, but
could not remain, as he planned, because of the hostility of the Turks.
Ignatius spent the next 11 years in various European universities, studying
with great difficulty, beginning almost as a child. Like many others, his
orthodoxy was questioned; Ignatius was twice jailed for brief periods.
In 1534, at the age of 43, he and six others—one of whom was
Saint Francis Xavier—vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to
the Holy Land. If this became impossible, they vowed to offer themselves to the
apostolic service of the pope. The latter became the only choice. Four years
later Ignatius made the association permanent. The new Society of Jesus was
approved by Pope Paul III, and Ignatius was elected to serve as the first
general.
When companions were sent on various missions by the pope, Ignatius
remained in Rome, consolidating the new venture, but still finding time to
found homes for orphans, catechumens, and penitents. He founded the Roman
College, intended to be the model of all other colleges of the Society.
Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on
the essential foundations of Christianity—the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist.
His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad majorem Dei
gloriam—“for the greater glory of God.” In his concept, obedience was to be
the prominent virtue, to assure the effectiveness and mobility of his men. All
activity was to be guided by a true love of the Church and unconditional
obedience to the Holy Father, for which reason all professed members took a
fourth vow to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls.
Reflection
Luther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg in
1517. Seventeen years later, Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society that was to
play so prominent a part in the Catholic Reformation. He was an implacable foe
of Protestantism. Yet the seeds of ecumenism may be found in his words: “Great
care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any
heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian
moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their
errors be shown.” One of the greatest ecumenists was the 20th-century German
Jesuit, Cardinal Augustin Bea.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the Patron Saint of:
Retreats
Lectio Divina: Matthew 13:44-46
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father and protector,
without You nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings You have given to the world.
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.
without You nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings You have given to the world.
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 – Matthew 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like
a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of
joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of
heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of
great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents two brief parables from the
discourse on the parables. They are similar to each other, but with significant
differences that clarify aspects of the mystery of the Kingdom which the
parables are revealing.
• Matthew 13:44: The parable of the treasure hidden in the field. Jesus tells a very simple and brief story which could happen in the life of any person. He says, “The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; someone finds it and hides it again, then he goes off with great joy, he sells everything he owns and buys the field.” Jesus does not explain, He only says, “The kingdom of Heaven is similar to a treasure hidden in a field.” In this way He urges the listeners to share with others what this story has aroused in them. I share some points that are discovered: (a) The treasure, the Kingdom, is already found in the field, in life. It is hidden. We go through the field and step over the plants without being aware. (b) The man finds the treasure, just out of chance. He did not expect to find it, because he was not looking for it. (c) Seeing that it is a question of a very important treasure, what does he do? He does what we all would do in order to take possession of the treasure. He goes and he sells everything that he has and he buys the field. And, thus, together with the field, he obtains the treasure, the Kingdom. The condition is to sell everything! (d) If the treasure, the Kingdom, is already in my life, then this important aspect of life begins to have new value. (e) In this story, what dominates is gratuity. The treasure is found by chance, independently from our plans. The Kingdom comes! We must reap the consequences and not allow this moment of grace to go by without bearing fruit.
• Matthew 13:45-46: The parable of the merchant of fine pearls. The second parable is similar to the first one, but with an important difference. Let us try to discover it. The story is the following: “The kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value, he goes off and sells everything he owns and buys it.”. I share some points that I have discovered: (a) it is the story of a merchant of pearls. His profession is to look for pearls. This is the only thing that he does in his life: to look for and to find pearls. Looking, he finds a pearl of great value. Here the discovery of the Kingdom is not just by chance, but it is the fruit of a long search. (b) The merchant of pearls knows the value of the pearls, because many people would like to sell him the pearls that they find. But the merchant does not allow himself to be deceived. He knows the value of his merchandise. (c) When he finds a pearl of great value, he goes and sells everything which he owns and buys the pearl. The Kingdom has the greatest value.
• Summarizing the teaching of the two parables. Both of them have the same objective: to reveal the presence of the Kingdom, but each one reveals it in a different way: through the discovery of the gratuity of God’s action in us, and through the effort and the search which each human being makes to discover the meaning of his/her life.
• Matthew 13:44: The parable of the treasure hidden in the field. Jesus tells a very simple and brief story which could happen in the life of any person. He says, “The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; someone finds it and hides it again, then he goes off with great joy, he sells everything he owns and buys the field.” Jesus does not explain, He only says, “The kingdom of Heaven is similar to a treasure hidden in a field.” In this way He urges the listeners to share with others what this story has aroused in them. I share some points that are discovered: (a) The treasure, the Kingdom, is already found in the field, in life. It is hidden. We go through the field and step over the plants without being aware. (b) The man finds the treasure, just out of chance. He did not expect to find it, because he was not looking for it. (c) Seeing that it is a question of a very important treasure, what does he do? He does what we all would do in order to take possession of the treasure. He goes and he sells everything that he has and he buys the field. And, thus, together with the field, he obtains the treasure, the Kingdom. The condition is to sell everything! (d) If the treasure, the Kingdom, is already in my life, then this important aspect of life begins to have new value. (e) In this story, what dominates is gratuity. The treasure is found by chance, independently from our plans. The Kingdom comes! We must reap the consequences and not allow this moment of grace to go by without bearing fruit.
• Matthew 13:45-46: The parable of the merchant of fine pearls. The second parable is similar to the first one, but with an important difference. Let us try to discover it. The story is the following: “The kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value, he goes off and sells everything he owns and buys it.”. I share some points that I have discovered: (a) it is the story of a merchant of pearls. His profession is to look for pearls. This is the only thing that he does in his life: to look for and to find pearls. Looking, he finds a pearl of great value. Here the discovery of the Kingdom is not just by chance, but it is the fruit of a long search. (b) The merchant of pearls knows the value of the pearls, because many people would like to sell him the pearls that they find. But the merchant does not allow himself to be deceived. He knows the value of his merchandise. (c) When he finds a pearl of great value, he goes and sells everything which he owns and buys the pearl. The Kingdom has the greatest value.
• Summarizing the teaching of the two parables. Both of them have the same objective: to reveal the presence of the Kingdom, but each one reveals it in a different way: through the discovery of the gratuity of God’s action in us, and through the effort and the search which each human being makes to discover the meaning of his/her life.
4) Personal questions
• Have I ever found a hidden treasure? Have I sold everything in
order to buy it?
• What is the pearl that you are looking for and you have not as yet found?
• Both parables are built upon “finding”. To find, there has to be some effort to “look”. What am I doing to “look” for the Kingdom so that I can find it?
• What is my image of the Kingdom? How will I know when I find great treasure?
• What is the pearl that you are looking for and you have not as yet found?
• Both parables are built upon “finding”. To find, there has to be some effort to “look”. What am I doing to “look” for the Kingdom so that I can find it?
• What is my image of the Kingdom? How will I know when I find great treasure?
5) Concluding Prayer
I will sing of Your strength,
in the morning acclaim Your faithful love;
You have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge when I was in trouble. (Ps 59:16)
in the morning acclaim Your faithful love;
You have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge when I was in trouble. (Ps 59:16)
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