"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."--Sister Lucia, of the seers of Fatima
Gospel text (Lk 11,15-26):
When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
"By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
"I shall return to my home from which I came."
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first."
When Jesus cast out demons, some people reacted negatively. This still happens today. Jesus continues to drive out demons, and some respond by denying the devil's existence or at least the need for deliverance.
Even if we accept the Biblical and orthodox teaching about the devil, we may still be affected or "infected" by secular ideas. We may not take the devil seriously enough, thinking of him as only an evil force. However, he is a real enemy with great intelligence and personal attributes.
To win our battle against the devil (Eph 6:12), we must have a realistic view of him. We should not be terrified of the evil one, for we have authority over him (Mt 10:1). Yet we must recognize the devil as a formidable opponent, "a strong man fully armed," who must be disarmed and despoiled (Lk 11:21, 22).
Jesus is teaching us that it's good to clean house spiritually, but it's critical to press forward and grow in our faith. We can't be idle in the spiritual realm, or we'll be in worse shape than ever. A soldier on the front lines of the battlefield knows he cannot take a month off to take it easy. If he does, the enemy will soon realize he has no resistance. Soon the soldier will be overrun without mercy by the enemy (see Lk 11:22). This is why Jesus, referring to spiritual warfare, says: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters" (Lk 11:23).
Let Jesus clean your soul. Then fight the good fight of faith by growing "in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pt 3:18; 2 Tm 4:7). Instead of being content with empty, let Jesus give you life to the full (Jn 10:10). Fill your mind with God's Word; fill your mouth with the Eucharist, the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35). Then fill the world with your godly teaching (Acts 5:28) and your praise of God.
"Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Heb 3:1), but don't fail to notice the serpent at your feet.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
“Perpetual adoration with exposition needs a great push.” - Mother Teresa
“Each day we should spend one hour in adoration except on days we are busy, then we should spend two” -Mother Teresa
Gospel text (Lk 11,5-13):
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
"Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,"
and he says in reply from within,
"Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything."
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
Today's gospel passage is often misinterpreted to only mean we should persist in prayer. Persistence is part of the parable, but not the main point (Lk 11:8). The parable concludes that, if we can get something from an uncooperative friend through persistence, we can be sure of receiving much more, even the Holy Spirit, from our heavenly Father Who loves us with a perfect love (Lk 11:13).
The point of the parable is the certainty of our prayers being answered. Because we are certain our prayers will be answered as we expect or in an even better way, we are motivated not only to persist in prayer but to pray always (Lk 18:1). Because of our Father's love, we see the power, privilege, and joy of prayer. To pray always is not a burden but a cause for thanksgiving (see Phil 4:6).
When we pray, we are not doing God a favor. He is gracing us with the awesome privilege of communicating with Him. We can never be worthy enough to pray, but the Lord gives us the privilege of entering into His presence always, and not just once in a lifetime. Pray in thanksgiving for God's gift of prayer.
To conclude, lets take to heart the words of Mother Teresa speaking about persistence in prayer and the fruit it bears:
“It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom... In our congregation, we used to have adoration once a week for one hour, and then in 1973, we decided to have adoration one hour every day. We have much work to do. Our homes for the sick and dying destitute are full everywhere. And from the time we started having adoration every day, our love for Jesus became more intimate, our love for each other more understanding, our love for the poor more compassionate, and we have double the number of vocations. God has blessed us with many wonderful vocations. The time we spend in having our daily audience with God is the most precious part of the whole day.”
Gospel text (Lk 11,5-13):
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
"Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,"
and he says in reply from within,
"Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything."
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
Today's gospel passage is often misinterpreted to only mean we should persist in prayer. Persistence is part of the parable, but not the main point (Lk 11:8). The parable concludes that, if we can get something from an uncooperative friend through persistence, we can be sure of receiving much more, even the Holy Spirit, from our heavenly Father Who loves us with a perfect love (Lk 11:13).
The point of the parable is the certainty of our prayers being answered. Because we are certain our prayers will be answered as we expect or in an even better way, we are motivated not only to persist in prayer but to pray always (Lk 18:1). Because of our Father's love, we see the power, privilege, and joy of prayer. To pray always is not a burden but a cause for thanksgiving (see Phil 4:6).
When we pray, we are not doing God a favor. He is gracing us with the awesome privilege of communicating with Him. We can never be worthy enough to pray, but the Lord gives us the privilege of entering into His presence always, and not just once in a lifetime. Pray in thanksgiving for God's gift of prayer.
To conclude, lets take to heart the words of Mother Teresa speaking about persistence in prayer and the fruit it bears:
“It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom... In our congregation, we used to have adoration once a week for one hour, and then in 1973, we decided to have adoration one hour every day. We have much work to do. Our homes for the sick and dying destitute are full everywhere. And from the time we started having adoration every day, our love for Jesus became more intimate, our love for each other more understanding, our love for the poor more compassionate, and we have double the number of vocations. God has blessed us with many wonderful vocations. The time we spend in having our daily audience with God is the most precious part of the whole day.”
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
From Mary we learn to surrender to God's Will in all things
A man makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in those matters wherein he gains the greatest victories over self and most mortifies his will.
--St. Francis de Sales
(Jon 4:1-11)
Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, "I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live."
But the LORD asked, "Have you reason to be angry?"
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah's head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah's head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
"I would be better off dead than alive."
But God said to Jonah,
"Have you reason to be angry over the plant?"
"I have reason to be angry," Jonah answered, 'angry enough to die."
Then the LORD said,
"You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?"
Jonah is one of those prophets that I find myself chuckling about when I hear his story, not only because I find the reticence and disgruntled temperament of the man amusing, but I also find it easy to imagine myself in his shoes. Jonah embodies the human quality of resistance to change. He is stubborn to his core; and, especially considering the length of his book in the Old Testament (only 4 short chapters), Jonah is the king of digging in his heels before the will of God. Now, I don’t mean to imply that the book of Jonah is a testament to the inexorable will of God. Rather, I think that Jonah’s story is intended to be an opportunity to look within ourselves, a challenge to find those areas in our lives where we might be silently (or perhaps not so silently) refusing the will of God. I think that, on some level, even the best of us struggle with change and stepping outside of the comfort zones we have unknowingly built for ourselves and had built for us. We accept things that improve our lot in life (as Jonah easily accepts the gourd that God grows for him outside of Nineveh), but when it comes to planting gourds ourselves the matter becomes a bit more intimidating. When we reach out to forgotten friends, when we challenge the status quo at our places of work, when we try to make amends for past mistakes, or when we see a problem and actually stop to become the solution, we are planting gourds. Yet, to be honest, I’m not sure if what I mean to say is that God is constantly calling us to step out of our boxes. He certainly works within our lives as they are, calling us to love our friends, families, and neighbors, but, at the same time, due to our restless hearts and God’s divinity, he may also be constantly hoping for us to do more, to challenge ourselves on a deeper level than we ever have before.
God did this with Jonah, forcing him to confront people he disliked (for the Ninevites were traditional enemies of Israel), warn them of God’s displeasure, and then watch as those enemies changed their ways and became people of God. After witnessing Nineveh’s conversion Jonah clung to his enmity, maintaining the narrow mindset that he had had his whole life. The book ends with God pointing out Jonah’s irrationality, for, much like Jonah’s anger over the gourd plant suddenly dying as he sat outside of Nineveh, Jonah’s hatred for the Ninevites is fruitless. Jonah shows us that anger is a destructive emotion, and it is capable of blinding all people (even God’s prophets). It is not worth investing oneself in, especially because it is usually directed at things beyond our control. Yet, in one form or another, we have all been there, and we will almost certainly be there again. What will we do the next time anger clouds our judgment?
It’s when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart. – Denise Levertov
We are called to plant our own gourds, and one of the best is forgiveness. In today’s readings, it is fitting that Jonah’s story of belligerent, blind anger is followed by Christ sharing the Our Father with his disciples. The prayer is not only a means of communing with each other and with God, it is a way of life. We can be daily bread for each other, and, by those actions, we bring God’s kingdom that much closer to our reality.
“Lord, teach us to pray. . .”- Luke 11:1
--St. Francis de Sales
(Jon 4:1-11)
Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, "I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live."
But the LORD asked, "Have you reason to be angry?"
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah's head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah's head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
"I would be better off dead than alive."
But God said to Jonah,
"Have you reason to be angry over the plant?"
"I have reason to be angry," Jonah answered, 'angry enough to die."
Then the LORD said,
"You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?"
Jonah is one of those prophets that I find myself chuckling about when I hear his story, not only because I find the reticence and disgruntled temperament of the man amusing, but I also find it easy to imagine myself in his shoes. Jonah embodies the human quality of resistance to change. He is stubborn to his core; and, especially considering the length of his book in the Old Testament (only 4 short chapters), Jonah is the king of digging in his heels before the will of God. Now, I don’t mean to imply that the book of Jonah is a testament to the inexorable will of God. Rather, I think that Jonah’s story is intended to be an opportunity to look within ourselves, a challenge to find those areas in our lives where we might be silently (or perhaps not so silently) refusing the will of God. I think that, on some level, even the best of us struggle with change and stepping outside of the comfort zones we have unknowingly built for ourselves and had built for us. We accept things that improve our lot in life (as Jonah easily accepts the gourd that God grows for him outside of Nineveh), but when it comes to planting gourds ourselves the matter becomes a bit more intimidating. When we reach out to forgotten friends, when we challenge the status quo at our places of work, when we try to make amends for past mistakes, or when we see a problem and actually stop to become the solution, we are planting gourds. Yet, to be honest, I’m not sure if what I mean to say is that God is constantly calling us to step out of our boxes. He certainly works within our lives as they are, calling us to love our friends, families, and neighbors, but, at the same time, due to our restless hearts and God’s divinity, he may also be constantly hoping for us to do more, to challenge ourselves on a deeper level than we ever have before.
God did this with Jonah, forcing him to confront people he disliked (for the Ninevites were traditional enemies of Israel), warn them of God’s displeasure, and then watch as those enemies changed their ways and became people of God. After witnessing Nineveh’s conversion Jonah clung to his enmity, maintaining the narrow mindset that he had had his whole life. The book ends with God pointing out Jonah’s irrationality, for, much like Jonah’s anger over the gourd plant suddenly dying as he sat outside of Nineveh, Jonah’s hatred for the Ninevites is fruitless. Jonah shows us that anger is a destructive emotion, and it is capable of blinding all people (even God’s prophets). It is not worth investing oneself in, especially because it is usually directed at things beyond our control. Yet, in one form or another, we have all been there, and we will almost certainly be there again. What will we do the next time anger clouds our judgment?
It’s when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart. – Denise Levertov
We are called to plant our own gourds, and one of the best is forgiveness. In today’s readings, it is fitting that Jonah’s story of belligerent, blind anger is followed by Christ sharing the Our Father with his disciples. The prayer is not only a means of communing with each other and with God, it is a way of life. We can be daily bread for each other, and, by those actions, we bring God’s kingdom that much closer to our reality.
“Lord, teach us to pray. . .”- Luke 11:1
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Today is the Feast of St Francis - “The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today”
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that has been received--only what you have given.” - St Francis of Assisi
Gospel text (Lk 10,38-42): Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."
Martha or Mary? But..., why opposing those who loved each other so much and loved God too? Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, and He loves each one of us, too.
On the path of sainthood not any two souls are exactly alike. We all try to love God, but within our own style and personality, without imitating anyone. Our models are Christ and the Mother of God. Do you resent how others treat God?
«Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving? Ask her therefore to help me» (Lk 10:40). To serve others, for the love of God, is an honor, not a burden. Do we serve with joy, as the Mother of God did with her cousin Elisabeth or at Cana's wedding, or as Jesus did when washing the Apostle's feet at the Last Supper?
I think that what we can learn from this passage is that it is important to find a balance between Mary's and Martha’s lifestyle. We need to stay active and busy, like Martha, but we also need to take the time to be at peace and listen to what Jesus is saying, like Mary. It is impossible to not get caught up in all the different things life is asking of us, but it is possible to make sure that we listen to Jesus during our crazy schedules. Jesus asks us to spread his love and message to the world, and we can do that through our busy lives. We can do it by serving others, treating everyone we meet with respect and showing love and compassion to everyone, even through the small things. It is important that we live a balanced life by taking time to be in quiet in prayer, listening to Jesus, and still living a full and exciting life spreading the word of Jesus and loving and serving our neighbors. Just like everything in life, the key is balance, and we need to make sure that throughout our busy lives we do not get too busy that we neglect Jesus or live a life that is not pleasing to him. By living a busy and active life we are given the wonderful opportunity to meet people and spread the Word of God.
Gospel text (Lk 10,38-42): Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."
Martha or Mary? But..., why opposing those who loved each other so much and loved God too? Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, and He loves each one of us, too.
On the path of sainthood not any two souls are exactly alike. We all try to love God, but within our own style and personality, without imitating anyone. Our models are Christ and the Mother of God. Do you resent how others treat God?
«Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving? Ask her therefore to help me» (Lk 10:40). To serve others, for the love of God, is an honor, not a burden. Do we serve with joy, as the Mother of God did with her cousin Elisabeth or at Cana's wedding, or as Jesus did when washing the Apostle's feet at the Last Supper?
I think that what we can learn from this passage is that it is important to find a balance between Mary's and Martha’s lifestyle. We need to stay active and busy, like Martha, but we also need to take the time to be at peace and listen to what Jesus is saying, like Mary. It is impossible to not get caught up in all the different things life is asking of us, but it is possible to make sure that we listen to Jesus during our crazy schedules. Jesus asks us to spread his love and message to the world, and we can do that through our busy lives. We can do it by serving others, treating everyone we meet with respect and showing love and compassion to everyone, even through the small things. It is important that we live a balanced life by taking time to be in quiet in prayer, listening to Jesus, and still living a full and exciting life spreading the word of Jesus and loving and serving our neighbors. Just like everything in life, the key is balance, and we need to make sure that throughout our busy lives we do not get too busy that we neglect Jesus or live a life that is not pleasing to him. By living a busy and active life we are given the wonderful opportunity to meet people and spread the Word of God.
Monday, October 3, 2011
THE MIRACLE OF BECOMING A NEIGHBOR
How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live? – Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
Gospel text (Lk 10,25-37):
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"
He said in reply,
"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
"And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied,
"A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
"Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back."
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."
What does it mean to be a Christian? Don’t many of us identify being Christian with faithful observance of external requirements? We see religion primarily as observing the “do’s and do not's” we have been taught.
But Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan challenges this basic assumption.
A man fell victim to robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was stripped and beaten and left half dead.
Two men approach, a priest and a Levite. These men, from religious classes known for their punctilious observance of the Jewish law and enjoying the very highest religious status and respect among the Jews, pass by the victim, actually crossing to the other side of the road.
Then a Samaritan traveler, a member of a group despised by the Jews, comes upon the victim. He is moved with compassion, dresses the victim’s wounds and brings him to an inn covering all expenses.
Then Jesus puts the question to the scholar of the law who was trying to test him, “Which of these was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
The answer is obvious: not the priest or the Levite but the despised Samaritan whose heart was moved with compassion. For Jesus this Samaritan becomes the examplar of living the great commandments of love. He only was neighbor!
Punctilious fulfillment of religious obligations that does not include compassion for those in need does not make a true disciple of Jesus.
The Gospel challenges us Christians: Who are the individuals or groups in our lives for whom we lack compassion?
For whom have we not yet become neighbor?
Gospel text (Lk 10,25-37):
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"
He said in reply,
"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
"And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied,
"A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
"Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back."
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."
What does it mean to be a Christian? Don’t many of us identify being Christian with faithful observance of external requirements? We see religion primarily as observing the “do’s and do not's” we have been taught.
But Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan challenges this basic assumption.
A man fell victim to robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was stripped and beaten and left half dead.
Two men approach, a priest and a Levite. These men, from religious classes known for their punctilious observance of the Jewish law and enjoying the very highest religious status and respect among the Jews, pass by the victim, actually crossing to the other side of the road.
Then a Samaritan traveler, a member of a group despised by the Jews, comes upon the victim. He is moved with compassion, dresses the victim’s wounds and brings him to an inn covering all expenses.
Then Jesus puts the question to the scholar of the law who was trying to test him, “Which of these was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
The answer is obvious: not the priest or the Levite but the despised Samaritan whose heart was moved with compassion. For Jesus this Samaritan becomes the examplar of living the great commandments of love. He only was neighbor!
Punctilious fulfillment of religious obligations that does not include compassion for those in need does not make a true disciple of Jesus.
The Gospel challenges us Christians: Who are the individuals or groups in our lives for whom we lack compassion?
For whom have we not yet become neighbor?
Sunday, October 2, 2011
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” - Saint Augustine
(Matthew 21:33-43)
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
Think of the person whom you love the most. Possibly this is your spouse, mother, father, child, brother, sister, or friend. You love this person so much that you would even give up your life for him or her. Now imagine seeing this person, whom you love so much, being cruelly rejected. This would break your heart, and you would try to console the one you love by professing your love for him or her.
It is so easy to reject Jesus. Our lives are like houses (see Mt 7:24). If we have the opportunity to make Jesus the Cornerstone of our lives, but do not do so, then we have rejected Him.
Jesus has never rejected anyone (Jn 6:37), but He has been rejected more than any other person. Love Jesus; don't reject Him. Make reparation to Jesus for the abuse He suffers daily.
(Matthew 21:33-43)
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
Think of the person whom you love the most. Possibly this is your spouse, mother, father, child, brother, sister, or friend. You love this person so much that you would even give up your life for him or her. Now imagine seeing this person, whom you love so much, being cruelly rejected. This would break your heart, and you would try to console the one you love by professing your love for him or her.
It is so easy to reject Jesus. Our lives are like houses (see Mt 7:24). If we have the opportunity to make Jesus the Cornerstone of our lives, but do not do so, then we have rejected Him.
Jesus has never rejected anyone (Jn 6:37), but He has been rejected more than any other person. Love Jesus; don't reject Him. Make reparation to Jesus for the abuse He suffers daily.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
May you be content knowing you are a child of God. - St Therese of Lisieux
"Little things done out of love are those that charm the Heart of Christ… On the contrary, the most brilliant deeds, when done without love, are but nothingness." - St Therese of Lisieux
Gospel text (Lk 10,17-24):
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."
Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
'to tread upon serpents' and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Little people — uneducated "backward" people — are not given much respect in our society. Yet by faith they command great respect from the fallen archangel Lucifer, who trembles and cowers as these “little people” wield their God-given authority.
Will you be a sophisticated know-it-all or a simple faith-filled victor?
Gospel text (Lk 10,17-24):
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."
Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
'to tread upon serpents' and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Little people — uneducated "backward" people — are not given much respect in our society. Yet by faith they command great respect from the fallen archangel Lucifer, who trembles and cowers as these “little people” wield their God-given authority.
Will you be a sophisticated know-it-all or a simple faith-filled victor?
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