Tuesday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 213
Lectionary: 213
Beloved, let us love
one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on
earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
AlleluiaLK 4:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 6:34-44
When Jesus saw the
vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
For the readings of
the Optional Memorial of Saint Raymond of Penyafort, please go here.
Meditation: "They all
ate and were satisfied"
Nothing
can satisfy the deepest longing and desire of the heart - except God alone. Do
you believe that is true? Of all the miracles Jesus did, the multiplication of
loaves and fishes is the only one which is repeated in all four Gospels. A
great crowd of people had gathered to hear Jesus because they were hungry for
God's word. Jesus' disciples had wanted to send the crowd away at the end of
the day because they did not have the resources to feed them. They even
complained how much money it would take to feed such a large crowd - at least
six month's wages!
Jesus
satisfies our hunger - both physically and spiritually
Jesus did the unthinkable. He took the little food they had - only five loaves and two fish - and giving thanks to his Father in heaven, he blessed and distributed this meager portion to the vast crowd. To the amazement of all, there was more than enough food for everyone present. And they ate until there were satisfied of their hunger. The twelve disciples took up what was left over - twelve baskets full of fish and loaves - so that nothing would be wasted.
Jesus did the unthinkable. He took the little food they had - only five loaves and two fish - and giving thanks to his Father in heaven, he blessed and distributed this meager portion to the vast crowd. To the amazement of all, there was more than enough food for everyone present. And they ate until there were satisfied of their hunger. The twelve disciples took up what was left over - twelve baskets full of fish and loaves - so that nothing would be wasted.
Jesus
is the true bread of heaven - which produces abundant life
What is the significance of this miracle? The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership. This food foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers. Jesus makes a claim only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience.
What is the significance of this miracle? The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership. This food foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers. Jesus makes a claim only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience.
The
feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity of God and his
great kindness towards us. In the multiplication of the loaves and fishes we
see a sign and a symbol of what God always does. When God gives - he gives
abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have
something to share with others as well, especially those who lack what they
need. God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. Do
you trust in God's provision for your life and do you freely share what you
have with others, especially those who lack what they need?
"Lord
Jesus Christ, you satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts and you feed us
with the finest of wheat (Psalm 81:16). Fill me with gratitude for your
blessings and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others what
you have given to me."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The Lord fills all things with
blessing from above, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"So
that by every means the Lord might be known to be God by nature, he multiplies
what is little, and he looks up to heaven as though asking for the blessing
from above. Now he does this out of the divine economy, for our sakes. For he
himself is the one who fills all things, the true blessing from above and from
the Father. But, so that we might learn that when we are in charge of the table
and are preparing to break the loaves, we ought to bring them to God with hands
upraised and bring down upon them the blessing from above, he became for us the
beginning and pattern and way." (excerpt from FRAGMENT
177)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, MARK 6:34-44
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 4:7-10; Psalm 72)
Christmas Weekday
(1 John 4:7-10; Psalm 72)
KEY VERSE: "They all ate and were satisfied" (v 42).
TO KNOW: Jesus took his exhausted apostles across the Sea of Galilee to rest in a quiet place. When they arrived, a great crowd was there to greet them. Jesus was not annoyed at this interruption; he was moved with compassion. Because the people were spiritually hungry, he taught them at length. His followers thought that they were physically hungry, and they urged Jesus to dismiss the crowds so they could find something to eat. Jesus told his disciples to feed the people themselves. Where they saw only scarcity in the few loaves and fish that were available, Jesus saw an abundance. He blessed the offering and fed the multitude. The feeding of the five thousand is recorded in all four Gospels. The miracle looks back to the feeding of Israel with manna in the desert, and anticipates the Eucharistic banquet where all are fed by Christ.
TO LOVE: In what ways do I feed hungry souls?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, I hunger for your presence in word and sacrament.
Optional Memorial of Saint Raymond of Peñyafort, priest
Raymond of Peñyafort joined the Dominicans in 1218. Upon the order of Pope Gregory IX he was assigned to compile all the official letters of popes since 1150. Elected third Master of the Order (1238-1240), Raymond served his brothers faithfully. He encouraged the friars to engage in dialogue with Muslims and Jews. The pope wanted to make Raymond an archbishop, but he declined. Instead, he went back to Spain and the parish life he loved. Raymond's compassion helped many people return to God through the Sacrament of Penance. During his years in Rome, Raymond heard of the difficulties missionaries faced trying to reach non-Christians of Northern Africa and Spain. Raymond started a school to teach the language and culture of the people to be evangelized. His great influence on Church Law led to his patronage of lawyers. He died in Barcelona on January 6, 1275.
Tuesday 7 January 2020
St Raymond of Penyafort
1 John 4:7-10. Psalm 71(72):1-4, 7-8. Mark 6:34-44.
Lord, every nation on earth will adore you – Psalm 71(72):1-4, 7-8.
‘The feeding of the five thousand.’
1 John 4:7-10. Psalm 71(72):1-4, 7-8. Mark 6:34-44.
Lord, every nation on earth will adore you – Psalm 71(72):1-4, 7-8.
‘The feeding of the five thousand.’
This gospel is all about numbers: two hundred day’s wages (worth
of food), five loaves, two fish, people sitting in rows of hundreds and
fifties, twelve wicker baskets, five thousand men – and how
many women and children? It’s easy to see the story as an echo of God’s
providing for the Israelites in the desert during the exodus and as a
foreshadowing of Christ sharing himself through the Eucharist. It’s also easy
to become caught up in the numbers and to bemoan those that are not as high as
they used to be: regular Massgoers, priests and religious, church weddings,
parish or diocesan finances. Yet the feeding of the five thousand is a story of
God’s ability – and willingness – to do much with little when that is what is
required. Even though we can feel like a faithful remnant, small in number,
this story assures us of the munificence of God to God’s people.
Saint Raymond of Peñafort
Saint of the Day for January 7
(1175 – January 6, 1275)
 |
| Saint Raymond of Peñafort’s Miracle by Jacopo Ligozzi | photo by Sailko |
Saint Raymond of Peñafort’s Story
Since Raymond lived into his hundredth year, he had a chance to
do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility, he had the resources and
the education to get a good start in life.
By the time he was 20, he was teaching philosophy. In his early
30s he earned a doctorate in both canon and civil law. At 41 he became a
Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his
confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to gather together
all the decrees of popes and councils that had been made in 80 years since a
similar collection by Gratian. Raymond compiled five books called the Decretals.
They were looked upon as one of the best organized collections of Church law
until the 1917 codification of canon law.
Earlier, Raymond had written for confessors a book of cases. It
was called Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae. More than simply a list
of sins and penances, it discussed pertinent doctrines and laws of the Church
that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor.
At the age of 60, Raymond was appointed archbishop of Tarragona,
the capital of Aragon. He didn’t like the honor at all and ended up getting
sick and resigning in two years.
He didn’t get to enjoy his peace long, however, because when he
was 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominicans to be the head of the whole
Order, the successor of Saint Dominic. Raymond worked hard, visited on
foot all the Dominicans, reorganized their constitutions and managed to put
through a provision that a master general be allowed to resign. When the new
constitutions were accepted, Raymond, then 65, resigned.
He still had 35 years to oppose heresy and work for the
conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced Saint Thomas Aquinas to
write his work Against the Gentiles.
In his 100th year, the Lord let Raymond retire.
Reflection
Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out
of genuine religion if it becomes too great a preoccupation with the letter of
the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become
an end in itself, so that the value the law was intended to promote is
overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing
law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those
things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of
all are safeguarded. From Raymond, we can learn a respect for law as a means of
serving the common good.
Saint Raymond of Peñafort is the Patron Saint of:
Lawyers
Lectio Divina: Mark 6:34-44
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Christmas Time
1) Opening prayer
Father, Your Son became like us
when He revealed Himself in our nature;
help us to become more like Him,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
when He revealed Himself in our nature;
help us to become more like Him,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 6:34-44
When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for
them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them
many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and
said, "This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them
so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves
something to eat." He said to them in reply, "Give them some food
yourselves." But they said to him, "Are we to buy two hundred days'
wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?" He asked them, "How
many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out they
said, "Five loaves and two fish." So he gave orders to have them sit
down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by
hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and
looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to
his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them
all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets
full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves
were five thousand men.
3) Reflection
• It is always good to look at the context in which the text of
the Gospel is found because it enlightens us to discover the meaning more
fully. A bit before (Mk 6:17-19), Mark narrates the banquet of death, organized
by Herod with the great people of Galilee, in the palace of the capital city,
during which John the Baptist was killed. In today’s text, he describes the
banquet of life promoted by Jesus with the hungry crowds of Galilee there in
the desert. The contrast of this context is great and enlightens the text.
• In Mark’s Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves is very important. It is mentioned twice: here and in Mk 8:1-9. And Jesus Himself questions the disciples on the multiplication of the loaves (Mk 8:14-21). This is why it is worthwhile to observe and to reflect, so as to discover what exactly is the importance of the multiplication of the loaves.
• Jesus had invited the disciples to rest a bit in a place in the desert (Mk 6:31). The crowds noticed that Jesus had gone to the other side of the lake, and they followed Him and arrived there before He did (Mk 6:33). When Jesus, getting down from the boat, sees that large crowd waiting for Him, He becomes sad “because they were like sheep without a shepherd”. This phrase recalls the psalm of the Good Shepherd (Ps 23). Faced with these people without a shepherd, Jesus forgets to rest and begins to teach. He begins to be a shepherd. With His words, He guides the crowds in the desert of life; and in this way the crowd could sing, “The Lord is my Shepherd! There is nothing I shall want!” (Ps 23:1).
• Time went by and it began to be late and dark. The disciples were concerned and asked Jesus to send the people away. They affirm that there in the desert it is not possible to find anything to eat for so many people. Jesus says, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they were afraid: “Do you want us to go and buy bread for 200 denarii?” (that is, the salary of 200 days!). The disciples seek a solution outside the crowds, for the crowds. Jesus does not seek the solution outside, but rather within the crowd and for the crowd and He asks, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” The answer is, “Five loaves and two fish!” It is very little for so many people! Jesus orders the crowd to sit down in groups and asks the disciples to distribute the bread and the fish. Everybody ate enough to be satisfied!
• It is important to observe how Mark describes this fact: Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, raised His eyes to Heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to distribute it. This way of speaking makes the communities think about what? No doubt, this made them think about the Eucharist. Because these same words will be used (even now) in the celebration of the Supper of the Lord. Thus Mark suggests that the Eucharist has to lead us to share. It is the Bread of Life which gives us courage and leads us to face the problems of people in a different way, not from outside, but from inside.
• In the way of describing the facts, Mark recalls the bible in order to illuminate the meaning of the facts. To feed the hungry crowds in the desert, Moses was the first one to do it (cf. Ex 16:1-36). And to ask the people to organize themselves and sit down in groups of 50 or 100 reminds us of the census of the people in the desert after they left Egypt (cf. Num 1-4). In this way, Mark suggests that Jesus is the new Messiah. The people of the communities knew the Old Testament, and for one who understands well, a few words suffice. In this way they discovered the mystery which surrounded the person of Jesus.
• In Mark’s Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves is very important. It is mentioned twice: here and in Mk 8:1-9. And Jesus Himself questions the disciples on the multiplication of the loaves (Mk 8:14-21). This is why it is worthwhile to observe and to reflect, so as to discover what exactly is the importance of the multiplication of the loaves.
• Jesus had invited the disciples to rest a bit in a place in the desert (Mk 6:31). The crowds noticed that Jesus had gone to the other side of the lake, and they followed Him and arrived there before He did (Mk 6:33). When Jesus, getting down from the boat, sees that large crowd waiting for Him, He becomes sad “because they were like sheep without a shepherd”. This phrase recalls the psalm of the Good Shepherd (Ps 23). Faced with these people without a shepherd, Jesus forgets to rest and begins to teach. He begins to be a shepherd. With His words, He guides the crowds in the desert of life; and in this way the crowd could sing, “The Lord is my Shepherd! There is nothing I shall want!” (Ps 23:1).
• Time went by and it began to be late and dark. The disciples were concerned and asked Jesus to send the people away. They affirm that there in the desert it is not possible to find anything to eat for so many people. Jesus says, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they were afraid: “Do you want us to go and buy bread for 200 denarii?” (that is, the salary of 200 days!). The disciples seek a solution outside the crowds, for the crowds. Jesus does not seek the solution outside, but rather within the crowd and for the crowd and He asks, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” The answer is, “Five loaves and two fish!” It is very little for so many people! Jesus orders the crowd to sit down in groups and asks the disciples to distribute the bread and the fish. Everybody ate enough to be satisfied!
• It is important to observe how Mark describes this fact: Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, raised His eyes to Heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to distribute it. This way of speaking makes the communities think about what? No doubt, this made them think about the Eucharist. Because these same words will be used (even now) in the celebration of the Supper of the Lord. Thus Mark suggests that the Eucharist has to lead us to share. It is the Bread of Life which gives us courage and leads us to face the problems of people in a different way, not from outside, but from inside.
• In the way of describing the facts, Mark recalls the bible in order to illuminate the meaning of the facts. To feed the hungry crowds in the desert, Moses was the first one to do it (cf. Ex 16:1-36). And to ask the people to organize themselves and sit down in groups of 50 or 100 reminds us of the census of the people in the desert after they left Egypt (cf. Num 1-4). In this way, Mark suggests that Jesus is the new Messiah. The people of the communities knew the Old Testament, and for one who understands well, a few words suffice. In this way they discovered the mystery which surrounded the person of Jesus.
Thoughts to put into practice
When we think of feeding the world, or of all the need in the
world, it can be overwhelming and might either give us a reason to put it off
until we have a solution, or throw up our hands in the face of such an enormous
task. Mother Teresa (St Teresa of Calcutta) offered advice throughout her life
on this. It is necessary to first love those in your family. Love begins at
home.
Some families have someone who is suffering or lonely, yet we
don't even have time to smile at them. “If you really want to be God's love in
the world of today, begin to be God's love in your own home first.” You must be
hope of eternal happiness to your husband, your wife, your child, your
grandparents, parents, and whoever is connected to you. Even among co-workers
in the office or at the job, can they see Jesus in you? So many people go to
their office meetings to defend their interests, rather than serve for
instance.
She once visited what would be a care home for the elderly. It
had everything they needed and was quite beautiful, yet she noticed everybody
was sad and looking towards the door. When she asked a sister why, she was told
they spend their time expecting, hoping, that a son or daughter will come to
visit them. They hurt because they are forgotten.
Another time, a rich man visited from another country and asked
her if she wanted him to give up his big house and nice car. She said “no” -
but go back and see some of the lonely people where you live. Take them in your
nice car and invite them in and entertain them in your big house for a short
time. Make your house a center for love! “And when you buy some clothes, buy
one for a little less and use the extra money to buy something for someone
else.”
These are ways to start.
4) Personal questions
• Jesus forgets to rest in order to serve the people. What
example does this set for myself?
• If we shared what we have today, there would be no hunger in the world. What can I do?
• Am I personally involved in serving and loving others, or is my effort just symbolic gesture from me?
• If we shared what we have today, there would be no hunger in the world. What can I do?
• Am I personally involved in serving and loving others, or is my effort just symbolic gesture from me?
5) Concluding prayer
In His days uprightness shall flourish,
and peace in plenty till the moon is no more.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the river to the limits of the earth. (Ps 72:7-8)
and peace in plenty till the moon is no more.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the river to the limits of the earth. (Ps 72:7-8)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét