Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
Lectionary: 325
Lectionary: 325
King David said to Joab and the
leaders of the army who were with him,
“Tour all the tribes in Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba
and register the people, that I may know their number.”
Joab then reported to the king the number of people registered:
in Israel, eight hundred thousand men fit for military service;
in Judah, five hundred thousand.
“Tour all the tribes in Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba
and register the people, that I may know their number.”
Joab then reported to the king the number of people registered:
in Israel, eight hundred thousand men fit for military service;
in Judah, five hundred thousand.
Afterward, however, David
regretted having numbered the people,
and said to the LORD:
“I have sinned grievously in what I have done.
But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant,
for I have been very foolish.”
When David rose in the morning,
the LORD had spoken to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying:
“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the LORD says:
I offer you three alternatives;
choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you.’”
Gad then went to David to inform him.
He asked: “Do you want a three years’ famine to come upon your land,
or to flee from your enemy three months while he pursues you,
or to have a three days’ pestilence in your land?
Now consider and decide what I must reply to him who sent me.”
David answered Gad: “I am in very serious difficulty.
Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful;
but let me not fall by the hand of man.”
Thus David chose the pestilence.
Now it was the time of the wheat harvest
when the plague broke out among the people.
The LORD then sent a pestilence over Israel
from morning until the time appointed,
and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba died.
But when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it,
the LORD regretted the calamity
and said to the angel causing the destruction among the people,
“Enough now! Stay your hand.”
The angel of the LORD was then standing
at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
When David saw the angel who was striking the people,
he said to the LORD: “It is I who have sinned;
it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.
But these are sheep; what have they done?
Punish me and my kindred.”
and said to the LORD:
“I have sinned grievously in what I have done.
But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant,
for I have been very foolish.”
When David rose in the morning,
the LORD had spoken to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying:
“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the LORD says:
I offer you three alternatives;
choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you.’”
Gad then went to David to inform him.
He asked: “Do you want a three years’ famine to come upon your land,
or to flee from your enemy three months while he pursues you,
or to have a three days’ pestilence in your land?
Now consider and decide what I must reply to him who sent me.”
David answered Gad: “I am in very serious difficulty.
Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful;
but let me not fall by the hand of man.”
Thus David chose the pestilence.
Now it was the time of the wheat harvest
when the plague broke out among the people.
The LORD then sent a pestilence over Israel
from morning until the time appointed,
and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba died.
But when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it,
the LORD regretted the calamity
and said to the angel causing the destruction among the people,
“Enough now! Stay your hand.”
The angel of the LORD was then standing
at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
When David saw the angel who was striking the people,
he said to the LORD: “It is I who have sinned;
it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.
But these are sheep; what have they done?
Punish me and my kindred.”
Responsorial
Psalm32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R. (see
5c) Lord,
forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
AlleluiaJN 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came
to his native place,
accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
For the
readings of the Memorial of Saint Agatha, please go here.
Meditation:
Jesus
marveled because of their unbelief
Are
you critical towards others, especially those who may be close to you? The most
severe critics are often people very familiar to us, a member of our family, a
relative, or neighbor or co-worker we rub shoulders with on a regular basis.
Jesus faced a severe testing when he returned to his home town, not simply as
the carpenter's son, but now as a rabbi with disciples. It would have been
customary for Jesus to go to the synagogue each week during the Sabbath, and
when his turn came, to read from the scriptures during the Sabbath service. His
hometown folks listened with rapt attention on this occasion because they had
heard about the miracles he had performed in other towns. What sign would he do
in his hometown?
Look
upon your neighbor with the eyes of Christ who comes to heal and restore us
Jesus startled his familiar audience with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people. The people of Nazareth took offense at Jesus and refused to listen to what he had to say. They despised his preaching because he was a mere workman, a carpenter, and a layman who had no formal training by a scholar or teacher. They also despised him because of his undistinguished family background. How familiarity can breed contempt. Jesus could do no mighty works in their midst because they were closed-minded and unbelieving towards him. If people have come together to hate and to refuse to understand, then they will see no other point of view than their own and they will refuse to love and accept others. How do you treat those who seem disagreeable to you?
Jesus startled his familiar audience with a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God can receive honor among his own people. The people of Nazareth took offense at Jesus and refused to listen to what he had to say. They despised his preaching because he was a mere workman, a carpenter, and a layman who had no formal training by a scholar or teacher. They also despised him because of his undistinguished family background. How familiarity can breed contempt. Jesus could do no mighty works in their midst because they were closed-minded and unbelieving towards him. If people have come together to hate and to refuse to understand, then they will see no other point of view than their own and they will refuse to love and accept others. How do you treat those who seem disagreeable to you?
The
word "gospel" literally means "good news". Isaiah had
prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring
freedom to the afflicted who suffered from physical, mental, or spiritual
oppression (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus came to set people free - not only from
their physical, mental, and spiritual infirmities - but also from the worst
affliction of all - the tyranny of slavery to sin, Satan, and the fear of
losing one's life. God's power alone can save us from hopelessness, dejection,
and emptiness of life. The Gospel of salvation is "good news" for
everyone who will receive it. Do you know the joy and freedom of the Gospel?
"Lord
Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and desires. Your Spirit brings
grace, truth, freedom, and abundant life. Set my heart on fire with your love
and truth."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Distinguishing God's power and our
faith, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
"And
perhaps, as in the case of metallic substances there exists in some a natural
attraction toward some other thing, as in the magnet for iron, and in naphtha
for fire, so there is an attraction in such faith toward the divine power
according to what Jesus said: 'If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
you shall say unto this mountain, 'Move to another place,' and it shall be
moved' (Matthew 17:20). Matthew and Mark wished to present the all-surpassing
value of that divine power as a power that works even in those who do not
believe. But they did not deny that grace works even more powerfully among
those who have faith. So it seems to me that they accurately said not that the
Lord did not do any mighty works because of their unbelief,
but that he did not do many there (Mark 6:5). Mark does not
flatly say that he could do no mighty work there at all, and stop at that
point, but added, 'except that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and
healed them' (Mark 6:5). Thus the power in him overcame even their unbelief." (excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.19)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, MARK 6:1-6
Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
(2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17; Psalm 32)
Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
(2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17; Psalm 32)
KEY VERSE: "He was amazed at their lack of faith" (v 4).
TO KNOW: Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth where his teachings were met with astonishment by his neighbors. They asked many questions. Where did Jesus get this wisdom and amazing power? Wasn't he a mere carpenter? (Greek, tekton, a "craftsman"). Was Jesus not the son of Mary? (Jews were identified by the mother since one's paternity could not always be verified). Didn't his brothers and sisters (close relatives) live in their community? Jesus was distressed that his neighbors had taken offense in him. He sadly declared, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house" (v 4, see Dt 18:15). Like the prophets of old, Jesus was not accepted by the very people to whom he had been sent. Because the people showed so little faith, he was only able to cure a few of the sick. Jesus went on to teach in other villages, but there were few "mighty deeds" done in his hometown.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, help me to be open to your voice in my neighbors and family.
TO SERVE: When have I failed to listen to someone in my parish community?
Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
Little is known about Saint Agatha, a martyr, who has been honored since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians, the magistrate Quinctianus planned to blackmail Agatha into having sex with him in exchange for not charging her. After rejecting Quinctianus' advances, she was beaten, imprisoned, tortured, and her breasts were cut off. She was near death when an earthquake struck. In the destruction, the magistrate's friend was crushed, and the magistrate fled. Agatha thanked God for an end to her pain and died. Legend says that carrying her veil, taken from her tomb, in procession has averted eruptions of Mount Etna. Her intercession is reported to have saved Malta from Turkish invasion in 1551.
Wednesday 5 February 2020
St Agatha
2 Samuel 24:2, 8-17. Psalm 31(32):1-2, 5-7. Mark 6:1-6.
Lord, forgive the wrong I have done – Psalm 31(32):1-2, 5-7
2 Samuel 24:2, 8-17. Psalm 31(32):1-2, 5-7. Mark 6:1-6.
Lord, forgive the wrong I have done – Psalm 31(32):1-2, 5-7
King David’s wrestle with his choices, his conscience and his
ability or lack of to accept the consequences, is a reminder of the times in
our lives when we find ourselves cornered by our own messes. We find ourselves
bargaining with God, asking for this or that in response to our needs. The God
that David wrestles with is a God of justice. Let us be grateful for the mercy
of Jesus, who invites us into a different relationship of truth with
tenderness, justice with compassion, and patience with knowledge. Knowledge of
our human condition through His own suffering, makes Jesus a beautiful ally
indeed.
The phrase ‘He was greatly surprised because the people did not
have faith’, speaks of Jesus’ humanness and his expectations that people would
believe. Imagine what that would have looked like at the time. When it says
Jesus was not able to perform any miracles there because of their lack of
faith, this speaks to me of a dependence of one on the other. We need to have
faith for Jesus to be able to perform miracles. The people had also pigeonholed
Jesus, so to speak, as we often do through economic or social prisms. Yes, the
people were amazed at Jesus’ wisdom, but they did not allow themselves to
receive it, given His social standing as a carpenter’s son. Lord, please
increase our faith in your power and may we never be a surprise to Jesus.
Saint Agatha
Saint of the Day for February 5
(c. 230 – 251)
 |
| Saint Agatha with her breasts on a charger | Ink drawing | Tommaso Minardi |
Saint Agatha’s Story
As in the case of Agnes, another virgin-martyr of the early
Church, almost nothing is historically certain about this saint except that she
was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emperor Decius in 251.
Legend has it that Agatha, like Agnes, was arrested as a
Christian, tortured, and sent to a house of prostitution to be mistreated. She
was preserved from being violated, and was later put to death.
She is claimed as the patroness of both Palermo and Catania. The
year after her death, the stilling of an eruption of Mt. Etna was attributed to
her intercession. As a result, apparently, people continued to ask her prayers
for protection against fire.
Reflection
The scientific modern mind winces at the thought of a volcano’s
might being contained by God because of the prayers of a Sicilian girl. Still
less welcome, probably, is the notion of that saint being the patroness of such
varied professions as those of foundry workers, nurses, miners and Alpine
guides. Yet, in our historical precision, have we lost an essential human
quality of wonder and poetry, and even our belief that we come to God by
helping each other, both in action and prayer?
Saint Agatha is the Patron Saint of:
Diseases of the Breast
Nurses
Nurses
Lectio Divina: Mark 6:1-6
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
help us to love You with all our hearts
and to love all people as You love them.
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.
help us to love You with all our hearts
and to love all people as You love them.
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 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place,
accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the
synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this
man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are
wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother
of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without
honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few
sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today speaks of the visit of Jesus to Nazareth and
describes the obstinacy of the people of Nazareth who do not want to
accept Him. (Mk 6:1-6). Tomorrow the Gospel describes the openness of Jesus
toward the people of Galilee, shown through the sending out of His disciples on
mission (Mk 6:7-13).
• Mark 6:1-2a: Jesus returns to Nazareth. At that time Jesus went to His home town, and His disciples accompanied Him. “With the coming of the Sabbath, He began teaching in the synagogue”. It is always good to return to one’s home town and to reunite with friends. After a long absence, Jesus also returns, and as usual, on Saturday, He goes to the synagogue to participate in the meeting of the community. Jesus was not the coordinator of the community, but even though He was not, He takes the floor and begins to teach. This is a sign that people could participate and express their own opinion.
• Mark 6:2b-3: Reaction of the people of Nazareth before Jesus. The people of Capernaum had accepted the teaching of Jesus (Mk 1: 22), but the people of Nazareth did not like the words of Jesus and were scandalized. For what reason? Jesus, the boy whom they had known since He was born, how is it that now He is so different? They do not accept God’s mystery present in Jesus, a human being and common as they are and known by all! They think that to be able to speak of God, He should be different from them! As we can see, not everything went well for Jesus. The people who should have been the first ones to accept the Good News were precisely those who had the greatest difficulty accepting it. The conflict was not only with foreigners, but especially with His relatives and with the people of Nazareth. They refused to believe in Jesus, because they could not understand the mystery of God embracing the person of Jesus. “From where do all these things come to Him? And what wisdom is this which has been given to Him? And these miracles which are worked by Him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Jude and Simon? His sisters too, are they not here with us?” And they would not accept Him. They do not believe in Jesus!
• The brothers and the sisters of Jesus. The expression “brothers of Jesus” causes polemics among Catholics and Protestants. Based on this text and on others, the Protestants say that Jesus had more brothers and sisters and that Mary had more sons! The Catholics say that Mary had no other sons. What should we think about all this? In the first place, the two positions, that of Catholics and that of the Protestants, both have arguments taken from the Bible and from the tradition of their respective communities. Therefore, it is not proper to discuss this question with arguments drawn only from reason. This is a question of profound convictions, which have something to do with the faith sentiments both of Catholics and Protestants. An argument taken only from reason cannot succeed in changing the conviction of the heart! On the contrary, it irritates and draws others away! Even when I do not agree with the opinion of another, I should always respect it! We, both Catholics and Protestants, instead of discussing texts, should unite to struggle in defense of life, created by God, a life which has been so disfigured by poverty and injustice, by the lack of faith. We should remember other phrases of Jesus: “I have come in order that they may have life and life in abundance” (Jn 10:10). “That all may be one, so that the world may believe that You, Father, have sent Me” (Jn 17:21). “Who is not against us is for us” (Mk 10:39-40).
• Mark 6: 4-6. Jesus’ reaction before the attitude of the people of Nazareth. Jesus knows very well that “nobody is a prophet in his own country”. He says, “A prophet is despised only in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house”. In fact, where there is no acceptance or faith, people can do nothing. The preconception prevents this. Even if Jesus wanted to do something, He cannot, and He is amazed at their lack of faith. For this reason, before the closed door of His community “He began to make a tour around the villages, teaching”. The experience of this rejection led Jesus to change His practice. He goes to the other villages and, as we shall see in tomorrow’s Gospel, He gets the disciples involved in the mission instructing them on how they have to continue the mission.
• Mark 6:1-2a: Jesus returns to Nazareth. At that time Jesus went to His home town, and His disciples accompanied Him. “With the coming of the Sabbath, He began teaching in the synagogue”. It is always good to return to one’s home town and to reunite with friends. After a long absence, Jesus also returns, and as usual, on Saturday, He goes to the synagogue to participate in the meeting of the community. Jesus was not the coordinator of the community, but even though He was not, He takes the floor and begins to teach. This is a sign that people could participate and express their own opinion.
• Mark 6:2b-3: Reaction of the people of Nazareth before Jesus. The people of Capernaum had accepted the teaching of Jesus (Mk 1: 22), but the people of Nazareth did not like the words of Jesus and were scandalized. For what reason? Jesus, the boy whom they had known since He was born, how is it that now He is so different? They do not accept God’s mystery present in Jesus, a human being and common as they are and known by all! They think that to be able to speak of God, He should be different from them! As we can see, not everything went well for Jesus. The people who should have been the first ones to accept the Good News were precisely those who had the greatest difficulty accepting it. The conflict was not only with foreigners, but especially with His relatives and with the people of Nazareth. They refused to believe in Jesus, because they could not understand the mystery of God embracing the person of Jesus. “From where do all these things come to Him? And what wisdom is this which has been given to Him? And these miracles which are worked by Him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Jude and Simon? His sisters too, are they not here with us?” And they would not accept Him. They do not believe in Jesus!
• The brothers and the sisters of Jesus. The expression “brothers of Jesus” causes polemics among Catholics and Protestants. Based on this text and on others, the Protestants say that Jesus had more brothers and sisters and that Mary had more sons! The Catholics say that Mary had no other sons. What should we think about all this? In the first place, the two positions, that of Catholics and that of the Protestants, both have arguments taken from the Bible and from the tradition of their respective communities. Therefore, it is not proper to discuss this question with arguments drawn only from reason. This is a question of profound convictions, which have something to do with the faith sentiments both of Catholics and Protestants. An argument taken only from reason cannot succeed in changing the conviction of the heart! On the contrary, it irritates and draws others away! Even when I do not agree with the opinion of another, I should always respect it! We, both Catholics and Protestants, instead of discussing texts, should unite to struggle in defense of life, created by God, a life which has been so disfigured by poverty and injustice, by the lack of faith. We should remember other phrases of Jesus: “I have come in order that they may have life and life in abundance” (Jn 10:10). “That all may be one, so that the world may believe that You, Father, have sent Me” (Jn 17:21). “Who is not against us is for us” (Mk 10:39-40).
• Mark 6: 4-6. Jesus’ reaction before the attitude of the people of Nazareth. Jesus knows very well that “nobody is a prophet in his own country”. He says, “A prophet is despised only in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house”. In fact, where there is no acceptance or faith, people can do nothing. The preconception prevents this. Even if Jesus wanted to do something, He cannot, and He is amazed at their lack of faith. For this reason, before the closed door of His community “He began to make a tour around the villages, teaching”. The experience of this rejection led Jesus to change His practice. He goes to the other villages and, as we shall see in tomorrow’s Gospel, He gets the disciples involved in the mission instructing them on how they have to continue the mission.
4) Personal questions
• Jesus had problems with His relatives and with His community.
From the time when you began to live the Gospel better, has something changed
in your relationship with your family and with your relatives?
• Jesus cannot work many miracles in Nazareth because faith is lacking. Today, does He find faith in us, in me?
• Does the debate over Mary and Jesus' brothers and sisters precipitate a change in our behavior or how we put faith into action? Should this change how we treat the poor and marginalized?
• Jesus cannot work many miracles in Nazareth because faith is lacking. Today, does He find faith in us, in me?
• Does the debate over Mary and Jesus' brothers and sisters precipitate a change in our behavior or how we put faith into action? Should this change how we treat the poor and marginalized?
5) Concluding prayer
How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven,
whose sin blotted out.
How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbors no deceit. (Ps 32:1-2)
whose sin blotted out.
How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt,
whose spirit harbors no deceit. (Ps 32:1-2)
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