Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 385
Lectionary: 385
Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall
disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
Responsorial
Psalm105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (4b) Seek always the face
of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaMK 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve
disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after
instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Meditation: Jesus gives his
disciples authority to heal and set free
Do
you believe in the life-changing power of the Gospel and experience its
transforming effect in your life? The core of the Gospel message is quite
simple: the kingdom (or reign) of God is very near! What is
the kingdom of God? It is that society of men and women who know God's love and
mercy, and who willingly obey and honor God as their Lord and King. In the
prayer which Jesus gave to his disciples (the Lord's Prayer or Our
Father), he taught them to pray for God to reign in their daily lives and
in the world around them: May your kingdom come and your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
The power of the Gospel to heal and set free
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom he also demonstrated the power of the Gospel with supernatural signs and wonders. Jesus healed people who suffered physical, emotional, and mental illnesses. He freed people from spiritual bondage to sin and demonic powers. Jesus gave his disciples the same authority he had to heal and set people free from spiritual bondage.
The Gospel (which literally means "good news") which Jesus proclaimed is just as relevant and real today, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, and in the power of the Gospel, we will know and experience the freedom, joy, and power he gives us that enables us to live and witness as his disciples. No one can buy heaven; but if we know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ, then we already possess heaven in our hearts! Do you believe that Jesus can change and transform your life and share with you the power and authority of God's kingdom?
Jesus chose ordinary people to do extraordinary work
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. In the choice of the twelve apostles we see a characteristic feature of God's work - Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or privileged position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.
Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power. When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing or very little to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
The power of the Gospel to heal and set free
When Jesus proclaimed the good news of God's kingdom he also demonstrated the power of the Gospel with supernatural signs and wonders. Jesus healed people who suffered physical, emotional, and mental illnesses. He freed people from spiritual bondage to sin and demonic powers. Jesus gave his disciples the same authority he had to heal and set people free from spiritual bondage.
The Gospel (which literally means "good news") which Jesus proclaimed is just as relevant and real today, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, and in the power of the Gospel, we will know and experience the freedom, joy, and power he gives us that enables us to live and witness as his disciples. No one can buy heaven; but if we know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ, then we already possess heaven in our hearts! Do you believe that Jesus can change and transform your life and share with you the power and authority of God's kingdom?
Jesus chose ordinary people to do extraordinary work
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. In the choice of the twelve apostles we see a characteristic feature of God's work - Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or privileged position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.
Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power. When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing or very little to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
"Lord
Jesus, you have chosen me to be your disciple. Take and use what I can offer,
however meager it may seem, for the greater glory of your name."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus empowers his disciples to act in
his name, by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)
"
If the Spirit had not yet been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified,
how then did the disciples cast out the unclean spirits? They did this by his
own command, by the Son's authority.2 Note the careful timing of their mission.
They were not sent out at the beginning of their walk with him. They were not
sent out until they had sufficiently benefited by following him daily. It was
only after they had seen the dead raised, the sea rebuked, devils expelled, the
legs of a paralytic brought to life, sins remitted, lepers cleansed, and had
received a sufficient proof of his power both by deeds and words - only then
did he send them out. And he did not send them out unprepared to do dangerous
deeds, for as yet there was no danger in Palestine. They had only to stand
against verbal abuse. However, Jesus still warned them of larger perils to
come, preparing them for what was future." (excerpt from THE
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 32.3)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, MATTHEW 10:1-7
Weekday
(Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Psalm 105)
Weekday
(Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "As you go, make this proclamation: `The kingdom of God is at hand'" (v. 7).
TO KNOW: By his words and deeds, Jesus demonstrated that God's reign had arrived. Jesus did not choose to bring about the kingdom on his own. It would take the co-operation of his followers to bring it to completion. Jesus appointed twelve men to share his ministry and mission (Greek: apostolos, meaning "sent forth with a message"). The number twelve recalled the twelve founding tribes of Israel. These tribes had been scattered and dispersed all over the world (Greek: diaspora). At the time of Jesus, only the tribe of Judah remained intact (Jesus was a descendant of Judah's tribe). Jesus' understood that his mission was to draw the chosen people of Israel together again. But his ministry did not stop there. When Jesus was raised from the dead, he gave his followers the knowledge of the love of God, and then told them to go and proclaim the good news to all peoples (Mt 28:19). These apostles are mirrors of ourselves, flawed but graced human beings, called to participate in God’s reign.
TO LOVE: In what ways have I announced the good news today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to share your Gospel to all I meet.
Wednesday 8 July 2020
Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12. Seek always the face of the Lord – Psalm
104(105):2-7. Matthew 10:1-7.
‘Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel’
The prophet Hosea lived through the destruction of Israel after
it was divided into two kingdoms. At first there was plenty of wealth following
Solomon’s reign. But when they lost sight of what God had called them to do and
to be, weakness and destruction followed.
The psalmist in today’s readings calls us to always seek God’s
face, always to seek what it is that God wants. Remember what God has done for
us!
In Matthew’s Gospel today we hear of Jesus sending out the
twelve. There are strict limitations on them, they cannot go out and be rock
stars, they have to go only to their Jewish communities and that will be
difficult because there will be suspicion and prejudice to overcome.
Jesus gave them power, called them by name and sent them out but
only to the lost sheep of Israel. It is exciting to go out into the unknown but
much more difficult to work with our peers.
Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions
Saint of the Day for July 8
(d. July 9, 1900)
 |
| Saint Gregory Grassi, OFM | Whitworth Digital Commons | Whitworth University |
Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story
Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire
of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany,
Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese
in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people.
Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1833, ordained in 1856, and
sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained Bishop of North
Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was
martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900.
Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu
Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9,
1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of
Mary—the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians
and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular
Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for
the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian
Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these
martyrs were beatified in 1946, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in
2000.
Reflection
Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout
China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15
sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served
by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were
served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring
great results.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 10:1-7
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
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.
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his
brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and
Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Jesus
sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan
territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at
hand.’”
3) Reflection
• The second great Discourse: The Discourse of the Mission
begins in chapter 10 of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew organizes his
Gospel as a new edition of the Law of God or like a new “Pentateuch” with its
five books. For this reason his Gospel presents five great discourses or
teachings of Jesus followed by a narrative part, in which he describes the way
in which Jesus puts into practice what He had taught in the discourses.
The following is the outline:
Introduction: the birth and preparation of the Messiah (Mt 1 to
4)
a) Sermon on the Mount: the entrance door into the Kingdom (Mt 5
to 7)
Narrative Mt 8 and 9
b) Discourse on the Mission: how to proclaim and spread the Kingdom (Mt 10)
Narrative Mt 11 and 12
c) Discourse on the Parables: The mystery of the Kingdom present in life (Mt 13)
Narrative Mt 14 to 17
d) Discourse on the Community: the new way of living together in the Kingdom (Mt 18)
Narrative 19 to 23
e) Discourse on the future coming of the Kingdom: the utopia which sustains hope (Mt 24 and 25)
Narrative Mt 8 and 9
b) Discourse on the Mission: how to proclaim and spread the Kingdom (Mt 10)
Narrative Mt 11 and 12
c) Discourse on the Parables: The mystery of the Kingdom present in life (Mt 13)
Narrative Mt 14 to 17
d) Discourse on the Community: the new way of living together in the Kingdom (Mt 18)
Narrative 19 to 23
e) Discourse on the future coming of the Kingdom: the utopia which sustains hope (Mt 24 and 25)
Conclusion: Passion, death and Resurrection (Mt 26 to 28)
• Today’s Gospel presents to us the beginning of the Discourse
on the Mission in which the accent is placed on three aspects: (a) the call of
the disciples (Mt 10:1); (b) the list of the names of the twelve Apostles who
will be the recipients of the Discourse on the Mission (Mt 10:2-4); (c) the
sending out of the twelve (Mt 10:5-7).
• Matthew 10:1: The call of the twelve disciples. Matthew had
already spoken about the call of the disciples (Mt 4:18-22; 9:9). Here,
at the beginning of the Discourse on the Mission, he presents a summary: “He
summoned His twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits
with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and all kinds of
illness.” The task, or the mission, of the disciple is to follow Jesus, the
Master, forming community with Him and carrying out the same mission of Jesus:
to drive out unclean spirits, to cure all sorts of diseases and all sorts of
illness. In Mark’s Gospel they receive the same two-fold mission,
formulated with other words: Jesus constituted the group of twelve to remain
with Him and to send them out to preach and cast out devils” (Mk 3:14-15). 1)
To be with Him, that is to form a community, in which Jesus is the
center. 2)To preach and to be able to cast out devils, that is, to
announce the Good News and to conquer the force of evil which destroys the life
of the people and alienates people. Luke says that Jesus prayed the whole
night, and the following day He called the disciples. He prayed to God so
as to know whom to choose (Lk 6:12-13).
• Matthew 10:2-4: The list of the names of the Twelve Apostles.
A good number of these names come from the Old Testament. For example,
Simon is the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gen 29:33). James
is the same as Jacob (Gen 25:26). Judas is the name of another son of Jacob
(Gen 35:23). Matthew also had the name of Levi (Mk 2:14), who was another son
of Jacob (Gen 35:23). Of the Twelve Apostles seven have a name which comes from
the time of the Patriarchs. Two are called Simon; two are called James;
two are called Judas; one Levi! Only one has a Greek name: Philip. This
reveals the people’s desire to start history again from the beginning! Perhaps
it is good to think about the names which are given today to children
when they are born, because each one of us is called by God by his/her
name.
• Matthew 10:5-7: The sending out or the mission of the twelve
apostles to the lost sheep of Israel. After having given the list of the
names of the twelve, Jesus sends them out with the following command: “Do not
make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go
instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that
the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” In this one command there is a
three-fold insistence on showing that the preference of the mission is for the
house of Israel: (1) Do not go among the gentiles, (2) do not enter into the
towns of the Samaritans, (3) rather go to the lost sheep of Israel. Here
appears a response to the doubt of the first Christians concerning opening up
to pagans. Paul, who strongly affirmed the openness to the gentiles, agrees in
saying that the Good News of Jesus should first be announced to the Jews and
then to the gentiles (Rm 9:1-11, 36; cf. Acts 1:8; 11:3; 13:46; 15:1, 5,
23-29). But then, in the same Gospel of Matthew, in the conversation of Jesus
with the Canaanite woman, openness to the gentiles will occur (Mt
15:21-29).
• The sending out of the Apostles to all peoples. After the
Resurrection of Jesus, there are several episodes on the sending out of the
Apostles not only to the Jews, but to all peoples. In Matthew: “Go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything which I have
commanded. And I will be with you until the end of time” (Mt 28:19-20).
In Mark: “Go to the entire world, proclaim the Good News to all creatures.
Those who will believe and will be baptized will be saved; those who will not
believe will be condemned” (Mk 16:15). In Luke: "So it is written that the
Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in His
name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations,
beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this” (Lk 24:46-48; Acts 1:8)
John summarizes all in one sentence: “As the Father has sent Me, so I also send
you!” (Jn 20:21).
4) Personal questions
• Have you ever thought about the meaning of your name? Have you
asked your parents why they gave you the name that you have? Do you like your
name?
• How has your name influenced who you have become and how your life was formed?
• Jesus calls the disciples. His call has a two-fold purpose: to form a community and to go on mission. How do I live this two-fold purpose in my life?
• How has your name influenced who you have become and how your life was formed?
• Jesus calls the disciples. His call has a two-fold purpose: to form a community and to go on mission. How do I live this two-fold purpose in my life?
5) Concluding Prayer
Seek Yahweh and His strength,
tirelessly seek His presence!
Remember the marvels He has done, His wonders,
the judgments He has spoken. (Ps 105:4-5)
tirelessly seek His presence!
Remember the marvels He has done, His wonders,
the judgments He has spoken. (Ps 105:4-5)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét