Friday of the Third Week of Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 321
Lectionary: 321
At the turn of the year, when
kings go out on campaign,
David sent out Joab along with his officers
and the army of Israel,
and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David rose from his siesta
and strolled about on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,
“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,
and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”
Then David sent messengers and took her.
When she came to him, he had relations with her.
She then returned to her house.
But the woman had conceived,
and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”
David sent out Joab along with his officers
and the army of Israel,
and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David rose from his siesta
and strolled about on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,
“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,
and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”
Then David sent messengers and took her.
When she came to him, he had relations with her.
She then returned to her house.
But the woman had conceived,
and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”
David therefore sent a message to
Joab,
“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”
So Joab sent Uriah to David.
When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,
and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”
Uriah left the palace,
and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace
with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down
to his own house.
David was told that Uriah had not gone home.
On the day following, David summoned him,
and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.
But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed
among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab
which he sent by Uriah.
In it he directed:
“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.
Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”
So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah
to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,
some officers of David’s army fell,
and among them Uriah the Hittite died.
“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”
So Joab sent Uriah to David.
When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,
and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”
Uriah left the palace,
and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace
with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down
to his own house.
David was told that Uriah had not gone home.
On the day following, David summoned him,
and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.
But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed
among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab
which he sent by Uriah.
In it he directed:
“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.
Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”
So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah
to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,
some officers of David’s army fell,
and among them Uriah the Hittite died.
Responsorial
Psalm51:3-4, 5-6A, 6BCD-7, 10-11
R. (see
3a) Be
merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
AlleluiaMT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
For the
readings of the Memorial of Saint John Bosco, please go here.
Meditation: What the
kingdom of God is like
What
can mustard seeds teach us about the kingdom of God? The tiny mustard seed
literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous birds because they loved
the little black mustard seed it produced. God's kingdom works in a similar
fashion. It starts from the smallest beginnings in the hearts of men and women
who are receptive to God's word. And it works unseen and causes a
transformation from within. Just as a seed has no power to change itself until
it is planted in the ground, so we cannot change our lives to be like God until
God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit.
The
transforming power of the Word of God
The Lord of the Universe is ever ready to transform us by the power of his Spirit. Are you ready to let God change you by his life-giving Word and Spirit? The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield to the Lord Jesus and allow his word to take root in us, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
The Lord of the Universe is ever ready to transform us by the power of his Spirit. Are you ready to let God change you by his life-giving Word and Spirit? The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield to the Lord Jesus and allow his word to take root in us, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Paul the Apostle says, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?
The
cross of Jesus is the Tree of Life
Peter Chrysologous (400-450 AD), an early church father, explained how the " tree of the cross" spread its branches throughout the world and grew into a worldwide community of faith offering its fruit to the whole world:
Peter Chrysologous (400-450 AD), an early church father, explained how the " tree of the cross" spread its branches throughout the world and grew into a worldwide community of faith offering its fruit to the whole world:
It
is up to us to sow this mustard seed in our minds and let it grow within us
into a great tree of understanding reaching up to heaven and elevating all our
faculties; then it will spread out branches of knowledge, the pungent savor of
its fruit will make our mouths burn, its fiery kernel will kindle a blaze
within us inflaming our hearts, and the taste of it will dispel our
unenlightened repugnance. Yes, it is true: a mustard seed is indeed an image of
the kingdom of God. Christ is the kingdom of heaven. Sown like a mustard seed
in the garden of the virgin’s womb, he grew up into the tree of the cross whose
branches stretch across the world. Crushed in the mortar of the passion, its
fruit has produced seasoning enough for the flavoring and preservation of every
living creature with which it comes in contact. As long as a mustard seed
remains intact, its properties lie dormant; but when it is crushed they are
exceedingly evident. So it was with Christ; he chose to have his body crushed,
because he would not have his power concealed….
Christ
became all things in order to restore all of us in himself. The man Christ
received the mustard seed which represents the kingdom of God; as man he
received it, though as God he had always possessed it. He sowed it in his
garden, that is in his bride, the Church. The Church is a garden extending over
the whole world, tilled by the plough of the gospel, fenced in by stakes of
doctrine and discipline, cleared of every harmful weed by the labor of the
apostles, fragrant and lovely with perennial flowers: virgins’ lilies and
martyrs’ roses set amid the pleasant verdure of all who bear witness to Christ
and the tender plants of all who have faith in him. Such then is the mustard seed
which Christ sowed in his garden. When he promised a kingdom to the patriarchs,
the seed took root in them; with the prophets it sprang up; with the apostles
it grew tall; in the Church it became a great tree putting forth innumerable
branches laden with gifts. And now you too must take the wings of the
psalmist’s dove, gleaming gold in the rays of divine sunlight, and fly to rest
for ever among those sturdy, fruitful branches. No snares are set to trap you
there; fly off, then, with confidence and dwell securely in its shelter. (SERMON
98)
Do
you allow the seed of God's word to take deep root in your life and transform
you into a fruit-bearing disciple of Jesus Christ?
"Lord
Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like
holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy
desire to live for your greater glory."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: God gave us what was most precious, by
Isaac of Nineveh (a Syrian monk, teacher, and bishop), 613-700 A.D.
"The
sum of all is God, the Lord of all, who from love of his creatures has
delivered his Son to death on the cross. For God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten Son for it. Not that he was unable to save us in another
way, but in this way it was possible to show us his abundant love abundantly,
namely, by bringing us near to him by the death of his Son. If he had anything
more dear to him, he would have given it to us, in order that by it our race
might be his. And out of his great love he did not even choose to urge our
freedom by compulsion, though he was able to do so. But his aim was that we
should come near to him by the love of our mind. And our Lord obeyed his Father
out of love for us." (excerpt from ASCETICAL HOMILY 74.28)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, MARK 4:26-34
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest
(2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17; Psalm 51)
KEY VERSE: "With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it" (v 33).
TO KNOW: The key point of Jesus' teaching was the coming of God's reign. In his parables, he used examples from everyday life, such as farmers, seeds and grain, to invite his followers to discover the meaning of his message. Jesus explained that the growth and fruitfulness of the kingdom was not solely due to their efforts, but was the work of God. Human inadequacy could not hinder the coming of the reign of God, which would grow imperceptibly until fully established at the final judgment. Jesus compared the irrepressible quality of the kingdom to that of a mustard seed. When the seed was sown, it was very small, but when it matured it attained the height of a tree. In God's kingdom, there would be room for all people, Jew and Gentile, to dwell securely under its lofty branches.
TO LOVE: Do I trust that my work will be fruitful under God's guidance?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to grow and mature in my faith.
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest
(2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17; Psalm 51)
KEY VERSE: "With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it" (v 33).
TO KNOW: The key point of Jesus' teaching was the coming of God's reign. In his parables, he used examples from everyday life, such as farmers, seeds and grain, to invite his followers to discover the meaning of his message. Jesus explained that the growth and fruitfulness of the kingdom was not solely due to their efforts, but was the work of God. Human inadequacy could not hinder the coming of the reign of God, which would grow imperceptibly until fully established at the final judgment. Jesus compared the irrepressible quality of the kingdom to that of a mustard seed. When the seed was sown, it was very small, but when it matured it attained the height of a tree. In God's kingdom, there would be room for all people, Jew and Gentile, to dwell securely under its lofty branches.
TO LOVE: Do I trust that my work will be fruitful under God's guidance?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to grow and mature in my faith.
Saint John Bosco, priest
John Bosco was ordained in 1841. He worked with youth, taught catechism to orphans and apprentices and was a chaplain in a hospice for girls. John wrote short treatises aimed at explaining the faith to children, and then taught children how to print them. He founded the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) in 1859, priests who work with and educate boys under the protection of Our Lady, Help of Christians, and Saint Francis de Sales. He founded the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians in 1872, and the Union of Cooperator Salesians in 1875. Don Bosco's method of study involved observance of rules by instilling a sense of duty, by removing all occasions for disobedience, and by allowing no effort toward virtue to pass unappreciated. He held that the teacher should be father, adviser, and friend, and he was the first to adopt the preventive method rather than punishment. He wrote: "As far as possible avoid punishing . . . try to gain love before inspiring fear." At the time of Don Bosco's death in 1888 there were 250 houses of the Salesian Society in all parts of the world.
Friday 31 January 2020
2 Samuel 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17. Psalm 50(51):3-7, 10-11. Mark
4:26-34.
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned – Psalm 50(51):3-7, 10-11.
‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like?’
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned – Psalm 50(51):3-7, 10-11.
‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like?’
Our understanding of Jesus’ parables can be enhanced if,
entering into the story, we identify with one of the characters. Like the sower
in today’s gospel reading, we have been called and missioned to scatter the
seeds of the Good News of the kingdom of God. We do this most effectively by
allowing the teaching and example of Jesus to take root in our daily lives.
Keeping mindful of Paul’s words – ‘I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the growth’ (I Corinthians 3:6) – we must leave the rest up to
God. Though our influence for good may not be immediately, if ever, evident to
us, it may, when supported by God’s grace, stand comparison with the tiny
mustard seed which ‘grows into the biggest shrub of them all’.
Jesus, call forth within us a new response of love to your
invitations, that we may spread the kingdom today.
Saint John Bosco
Saint of the Day for January 31
(August 16, 1815 – January 31, 1888)
 |
| Statue of Don Bosco at St. John Bosco Parish Church, Taipei, Taiwan | photo by Bernard Gagnon |
Saint John Bosco’s Story
John Bosco’s theory of education could well be used in today’s
schools. It was a preventive system, rejecting corporal punishment and placing
students in surroundings removed from the likelihood of committing sin. He
advocated frequent reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion.
He combined catechetical training and fatherly guidance, seeking to unite the
spiritual life with one’s work, study and play.
Encouraged during his youth in Turin to become a priest so he
could work with young boys, John was ordained in 1841. His service to young
people started when he met a poor orphan in Turin, and instructed him in
preparation for receiving Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices
and taught them catechism.
After serving as chaplain in a hospice for working girls, Don
Bosco opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy and
powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for
the boys, shoemaking and tailoring.
By 1856, the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a
printing press for publication of religious and catechetical pamphlets. John’s
interest in vocational education and publishing justify him as patron of young
apprentices and Catholic publishers.
John’s preaching fame spread and by 1850 he had trained his own
helpers because of difficulties in retaining young priests. In 1854, he and his
followers informally banded together, inspired by Saint Francis de Sales.
With Pope Pius IX’s encouragement, John gathered 17 men and
founded the Salesians in 1859. Their activity concentrated on education and
mission work. Later, he organized a group of Salesian Sisters to assist girls.
Reflection
John Bosco educated the whole person—body and soul united. He
believed that Christ’s love and our faith in that love should pervade
everything we do—work, study, play. For John Bosco, being a Christian was a
full-time effort, not a once-a-week, Mass-on-Sunday experience. It is searching
and finding God and Jesus in everything we do, letting their love lead us. Yet,
because John realized the importance of job-training and the self-worth and
pride that come with talent and ability, he trained his students in the trade
crafts, too.
Saint John Bosco is the Patron Saint of:
Boys
Editors
Youth
Editors
Youth
Lectio Divina: Mark 4:26-34
Lectio Divina
Friday, January 31, 2020
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
All-powerful and ever-living God,
direct Your love that is within us,
that our efforts in the name of Your Son
may bring the human race to unity and peace.
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.
direct Your love that is within us,
that our efforts in the name of Your Son
may bring the human race to unity and peace.
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 - Mark 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of
God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and
rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its
own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full
grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for
the harvest has come.” He said, “To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is
sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it
is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large
branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such
parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without
parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained
everything in private.
3) Reflection
• It is always beautiful to see Jesus, who sought in life and in
events new elements and images which could help people to see and experience
the presence of the Kingdom. In today’s Gospel, once again, He narrates two
brief stories which take place every day in the life of all of us: the story of
“the seed that grows by itself” and the story of “the small mustard seed which
grows into the biggest shrub”.
• The story of the seed which grows alone. The farmer who plants knows the process: seed, the green sprout, leaf, spike, grain. The farmer knows how to wait. He does not cut down the grain before it is time. But he does not know how the soil, the rain, the sun and the seed have this force or strength to make the plant grow from nothing until it bears fruit. This is how the Kingdom of God is. It is a process. There are stages and moments of growth. It takes place in time. It produces fruit at just the right moment, but nobody knows how to explain its mysterious force - nobody, not even the landlord. Only God!
• The story of the small mustard seed which grows and becomes big. The mustard seed is small, but it grows, and at the end the birds make their nests in its branches. This is how the Kingdom is. It begins very small, it grows, and it extends its branches. The parable leaves an open question which will receive a response later on in the Gospel: Who are the birds? The text suggests that it is the pagans, who will not be able to enter the community and participate in the Kingdom.
• Because Jesus teaches by means of parables. Jesus tells many parables. All are taken from the life of the people! In this way He helped people discover the things of God in daily life, a life which becomes transparent because what is extraordinary from God is hidden in the ordinary and common things of daily life. People understood the things of life. In the parables they received the key to open them and to find the signs of God in them.
• The story of the seed which grows alone. The farmer who plants knows the process: seed, the green sprout, leaf, spike, grain. The farmer knows how to wait. He does not cut down the grain before it is time. But he does not know how the soil, the rain, the sun and the seed have this force or strength to make the plant grow from nothing until it bears fruit. This is how the Kingdom of God is. It is a process. There are stages and moments of growth. It takes place in time. It produces fruit at just the right moment, but nobody knows how to explain its mysterious force - nobody, not even the landlord. Only God!
• The story of the small mustard seed which grows and becomes big. The mustard seed is small, but it grows, and at the end the birds make their nests in its branches. This is how the Kingdom is. It begins very small, it grows, and it extends its branches. The parable leaves an open question which will receive a response later on in the Gospel: Who are the birds? The text suggests that it is the pagans, who will not be able to enter the community and participate in the Kingdom.
• Because Jesus teaches by means of parables. Jesus tells many parables. All are taken from the life of the people! In this way He helped people discover the things of God in daily life, a life which becomes transparent because what is extraordinary from God is hidden in the ordinary and common things of daily life. People understood the things of life. In the parables they received the key to open them and to find the signs of God in them.
4) Personal questions
• Jesus does not explain the parables. He tells the stories and
awakens in others the imagination to reflect on the discovery. What have you
discovered in these two parables?
• The purpose of these words is to render life transparent. Has your life become more transparent throughout the years, or has the contrary taken place?
• The purpose of these words is to render life transparent. Has your life become more transparent throughout the years, or has the contrary taken place?
5) Concluding Prayer
Have mercy on me, O God, in Your faithful love,
in Your great tenderness wipe away my offenses;
wash me clean from my guilt,
purify me from my sin. (Ps 51:1-2)
in Your great tenderness wipe away my offenses;
wash me clean from my guilt,
purify me from my sin. (Ps 51:1-2)
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