Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Lectionary: 449
Lectionary: 449
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 126:1B-2AB, 2CD-3,
4-5, 6
R.(3) The
Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
AlleluiaMT 5:16
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, please
go here.
Meditation: "Every
secret shall come to light"
What
does the image of light and a lamp tell us about God's kingdom? Lamps in the
ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable
people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling. The Jews also
understood "light" as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and
goodness of God. In his light we see light ( Psalm
36:9). His word is a lamp that guides our steps (Psalm
119:105).
God's
light frees us from the blindness of sin so we can walk in truth and goodness
God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the Gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ - and be freed from the blindness of sin, ignorance, and deception.
God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the Gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ - and be freed from the blindness of sin, ignorance, and deception.
Live
in the light of God's truth, beauty, and goodness
Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret (Luke 8:17). We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him - abundance of wisdom, guidance, peace, and blessing. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret (Luke 8:17). We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him - abundance of wisdom, guidance, peace, and blessing. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
"Lord
Jesus, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind
with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception
that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I
radiate your light and truth in word and deed to those around me."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The Word of God is like a lamp to
guide us, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"Scripture
does not say this about a tangible lamp but about a comprehensible one. One does
not 'light' the lamp and conceal it 'with a vessel' or put it 'under a bed, but
on the lamp stand' within himself. The vessels of the house are the powers of
the soul. The bed is the body. 'Those who go in' are those who hear the
teacher... He calls the holy church a 'lamp stand.' By its proclamation, the
Word of God gives light to all who are in this world and illuminates those in
the house with the rays of the truth, filling the minds of all with divine
knowledge. (excerpt from FRAGMENTS ON LUKE 120, 122)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, LUKE 8:16-18
Memorial of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
(Ezra 1:1-6; Psalm 126)
Memorial of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
(Ezra 1:1-6; Psalm 126)
KEY VERSE: "For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light" (v. 17).
TO KNOW: A lamp was the only source of illumination in the dark windowless houses of Jesus' day. This clay vessel was filled with oil and placed on a stand where it burned night and day. Jesus used this ordinary household object to illustrate the radiance that should occur naturally in the life of every Christian. Through their words and deeds, others should be enlightened by God's truth. If so, even the deep mysteries of Christ's revelation would come to light. Those who proclaimed God's word found that the more Christ was shared, the brighter their own spiritual illumination would become. If they failed to persevere in responding to God's word, they would discover that whatever enlightenment they had obtained would fade and grow dim.
TO LOVE: Do what I say and do help to dispel the darkness in the world?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to share your light with others
Memorial of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars at age 15, and was ordained at age 22 in 1910. While praying before a cross, he received the stigmata, the first priest ever to be so blessed. American soldiers brought home stories of Padre Pio following WWII, and the priest himself became a point of pilgrimage for both the pious and the curious. He would hear confessions by the hour, reportedly able to read the consciences of those who held back. Padre Pio founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. His canonization miracle involved the cure of Matteo Pio Colella, age 7, the son of a doctor who worked in the hospital founded by Padre Pio. During a prayer vigil attended by Matteo´s mother and some Capuchin friars, the child's condition improved suddenly. When he awoke from a coma, Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him: "Don´t worry, you will soon be cured." The miracle was approved by the Congregation and Pope John Paul II canonized him 16, June, 2002.
THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN
Autumn (also known as Fall in North American English) is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn is the period between summer and winter, usually in September (northern hemisphere) or March (southern hemisphere). In the temperate zones, autumn is the season during which most crops are harvested, and deciduous trees lose their leaves. It is also the season in which the days rapidly get shorter and cooler (especially in the northern latitudes), and of gradually increasing precipitation in some parts of the world.
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
Saint of the Day for September 23
(May 25, 1887 – September 23, 1968)
 |
| Saint Pio of Pietrecina | San Sebastian Cathedral of Tarlac, Philippines | photo by Ramon FVelasquez |
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina’s Story
In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul
II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the
45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul’s pontificate. More than 300,000
people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter’s Square and nearby
streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and
charity. “This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio’s teaching,” said
the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio’s witness to the power of suffering. If
accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to “a
privileged path of sanctity.”
Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to
intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul
II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio
and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks,
she had been cured of her life-threatening disease.
Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of
farmers in southern Italy. Twice his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to
provide the family income.
At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the
name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After
he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917, he was
assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari
on the Adriatic.
On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after
Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the
stigmata in his hands, feet, and side.
Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church
authorities, and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924, and again in
1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not
permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not
complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no
letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus,
was done before 1924.
Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata,
but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5
a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a
mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every
afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would
take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could
be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives
that they had never mentioned.
Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his
urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in
1940; a committee began to collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building
the hospital was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water
there and of hauling up the building supplies. This “House for the Alleviation
of Suffering” has 350 beds.
A number of people have reported cures they believe were
received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his
Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like
Saint Francis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir
hunters.
One of Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people
several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He
never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters
that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23,
1968, and was beatified in 1999.
Reflection
Referring to that day’s Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) at Padre Pio’s
canonization Mass in 2002, Saint John Paul II said: “The Gospel image of ‘yoke’
evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo
endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the ‘yoke’ of Christ and
indeed how light the burdens are whenever someone carries these with faithful
love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows,
if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of
holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the
Lord.”
Lectio Divina: Luke 8:16-18
Lectio Divina
Monday, September 23, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
guide us, as You guide creation
according to Your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
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.
guide us, as You guide creation
according to Your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd: "No one who lights a lamp conceals
it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so
that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will
not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to
light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken
away."
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents three brief phrases pronounced by
Jesus. They are phrases scattered in different places which Luke collected here
after the parable of the seed (Lk 8:4-8) and of His explanation to the
disciples (Lk 8:9-15). This literary context, in which Luke places the three
phrases, helps us to understand how he wants people to understand these phrases
of Jesus.
• Luke 8:16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what He is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “Are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the book of the bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8:9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12:4-26; Rom 12: 3-8).
• Luke 8:17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8:9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should share them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8:18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that He presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the color of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
• Luke 8:16: The lamp which gives light. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what He is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “Are you crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a biblical meeting somebody made the following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the darkness of the night. If it remains closed up in the book of the bible, it will be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to life.
• In the context in which Luke places this phrase, he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the seeds (Lk 8:9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12:4-26; Rom 12: 3-8).
• Luke 8:17: That which is hidden will be manifested. “There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing secret which will not be known and brought to light”. In the context in which Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8:9-10). The disciples cannot keep these only for themselves, but they should share them, because they form part of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
• Luke 8:18: Attention to preconceptions. “So take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has”. At that time, there were many preconceptions on the Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching that He presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at Jesus!” Because if the color of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
4) Personal questions
• Have you had any experience of preconceptions which have
prevented you from perceiving and appreciating in their just value, the good
things that persons have?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
• Have you perceived the preconceptions which are behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
5) Concluding Prayer
How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe His instructions,
who seek Him with all their hearts. (Ps 119:1-2)
who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe His instructions,
who seek Him with all their hearts. (Ps 119:1-2)
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