BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD

A LECTIO DIVINA Approach to the Weekday Liturgy CYCLE 1

ORDINARY TIME: WEEK 1-9

First Week in Ordinary Time (n. 37) Second Week in Ordinary Time (n. 38) Third Week in Ordinary Time (n. 39) Fourth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 40) Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 41) Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 42) Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (n. 43) Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 44) Ninth Week in Ordinary Time (n. 45)

Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang, PDDM

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A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 37) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 1

MONDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “ SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Follow Him … He Is the Father’s Spoken Word”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 1:1-6 // Mk 1:14-20

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Reading (Mk 1:14-20): “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 1:14-20) contains the inaugural words of Jesus’ public ministry: “Repent and believe in the gospel.” The reign of God has begun in Jesus, the “Good News” in person. Jesus’ Gospel proclamation is exhilarating, but it is linked to his call for a radical response. Jesus demands total conversion and faith which entails adherence to his very person. The inaugural ministry of Jesus is followed by the call of the first disciples. The vocation of the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John provides a model for our response to Jesus and depicts the sacrifices of Christian discipleship. Together with the first disciples, we are invited to respond, “Yes, I leave all and follow you” in a progressive conversion and self-giving until the end.

The following is an example of a modern day response to Jesus’ call to radical discipleship (cf. “Spanish Youth Lead Religious Revolution” in ALIVE! October 2014, p. 6).

Olalla Oliveros was one of Spain’s top models, a regular in TV ads such as Special K, and was recently offered the lead role in a high-budget film. But, at the top of her career, the 36-year-old stunned Spanish society by tossing it all aside in order to become a nun, and in May this year she entered the convent.

She has spoken little in public about her religious vocation, but did let it be known that the change in her life began four years ago. During the visit to the of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal she had what she called “an earthquake” experience.

With her faith reawakened, she got the image of herself dressed as a nun. At the time she thought the experience was “weird”, but the image stayed with her. After much prayer and thought she decided to take the radical step. “The Lord is never wrong”, said Olalla. “He asked if I would follow him, and I could not refuse.”

B. First Reading (Heb 1:1-6): “God spoke to us through the Son.”

In 1990, I attended the Liturgy Week in Taranto (southern ). I was on a bus for an eight-hour ride back to and I whiled the time away by reading a book. The young man sitting beside me was also reading a book. No word was spoken. After four hours, the bus made a stopover somewhere and we disembarked. We re-boarded the bus and I was about to continue reading. The young man extended his hand and with a kind word offered some mint candies. I spoke a word of gratitude in response. That was the beginning of a friendly dialogue and interesting conversation that lasted until we reached Rome. The spoken “word” made the difference. It made the second part of my journey significant and pleasant.

In the next four weeks, the Old Testament reading of the weekday liturgy is taken from the letter to the Hebrews. In today’s First Reading (Heb 1:1-6), the author asserts that God speaks! God has spoken in varied but partial ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son, through whom God created the universe. The Son reflects the Father’s glory and is the icon of divine Goodness. The “word” that God speaks is self-revelation. The ultimate revelation is when the “word” of God entered decisively our human history through the mystery of the Incarnation and through the Paschal event of the Son’s sacrifice for our sins and his subsequent glorification. Since God’s Son is infinitely superior, even to the angels, we ought to make an appropriate response to the new mode of God’s speaking in the Son. By listening and responding to the Son, we hear God’s word and respond to the Father’s stupendous manifestation of love.

The German theologian Karl Rahner writes that Jesus is the Father’s word of love spoken to us. In his Christmas meditation, Rahner became poetic and ecstatic: “When we say, It is Christmas, we mean that God has spoken into the world his last, his deepest, his most beautiful word in the Incarnate Word, a word that can no longer be revoked because it is God’s definitive deed, because it is God himself in the world. And this word means: I LOVE YOU! (…) This is the Word that God has spoken in the birth of his Son.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Do we treasure the significance and importance of God speaking to us through his Son? How do we respond to God, who speaks to us his definitive word of love in Jesus Christ? Are eager to follow Christ who proclaims the Gospel and calls us to speak his word and compassion to the people around us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

God the Father, you speak to us through the prophets and, in these the final days, through your divine Word Jesus Christ. Through the Word made flesh you manifested to us your stupendous love. Give us the grace to listen to Jesus. He is the living Gospel we must proclaim. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15) // “In these last days, he spoke to us through the Son.” (Heb 1:2)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Resolve to spend quality time on the meditation of the Gospel and the study of the Sacred Scriptures. Be courageous to share God’s word, especially with the people around you and be thankful for the gift of Christian vocation.

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TUESDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches with Authority … He Is Made Perfect Through Suffering”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 2:5-12 // Mk 1:21-28

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 1:21-28): “He taught them as one having authority.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 1:21-28) continues to depict the early phase of the public ministry of Jesus - God’s “Good News” in person. The passage portrays him in the synagogue at Capernaum on a Sabbath, speaking the saving word of God and teaching with authority. The evangelist Mark describes the impact of Jesus’ teaching-prophetic ministry on the worshipping assembly: “The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”. Indeed, Jesus speaks with authority as he truthfully and faithfully reveals God’s message to the people. Moreover, he reinforces the power of God’s saving word by performing a healing sign – by curing a man possessed by an unclean spirit. The Benedictine liturgist, Adrian Nocent, comments: “Both word and action highlight the authority – that is the point St. Mark wants to make. Jesus is manifesting himself as Messiah, and his teaching differs from that of others not only by its content but by the fact that it is linked to an effective power from on high. His teaching thus manifests his person and the fact that he has been sent from God.”

Bong Tiotuico, a member of the Association of Pauline Cooperators: Friends of the Divine Master, sends us, from the Philippines, his insightful reflection on today’s Gospel.

The crowd is amazed at the ability of Jesus to command an unclean spirit to depart from one person’s body. Jesus performs the ritual of exorcism a few times in the gospel of Mark. The Church has received this power and office from him. Exorcisms may not be commonplace in the 21st century, but as we ponder through our everyday lives, we carry with us certain mindsets and behaviors we call our “personal demons”. While they may not fall under the category of psychological illness, we need to “exorcise” them too because they bring long term harm to our health, to our relationships with others, to our careers/vocations and even draw us farther away from God’s kingdom. These are big words we often hear at Sunday homilies, but never had a chance to reflect on, like: covetousness, envy, vice, selfishness, despair, anger, hatred, impulsiveness, depression, cynicism, loneliness, blind ambition, instant gratification, indifference, conflict, violence, bigotry and others. They represent a cabal of “demons and unclean spirits” that we live with, while surviving in a very competitive and materialistic world.

We must pray to our Lord through the intercession of our Blessed Mother to help us cast out these “evil spirits” from our lives. We can start by being attentive to the reading of the word of God during the and supplement it by private study. This will make the more instructive in our lives. It will not be easy, as these “unclean” spirits will be convulsing and screaming as we attempt to get rid of them. Also with the help of people around us: our loved ones, close friends who care, co-workers, members of our congregation, and if necessary, professional help – we can certainly succeed. Then we create room for the Holy Spirit to occupy our lives and produce within us, as St. Paul tells us in Gal. 5:22, his gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control: big words we also hear during Sundays, but sadly more and more alien to us these days. Amen.

B. First Reading (Heb 2:5-12): “He made the one who leads them to their salvation perfect through suffering.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 2:5-12), the author of the letter to the Hebrews expresses the ideal relationship between God and his people in terms of a filial, intimate relationship. Jesus, who consecrates and redeems, and those he consecrates and redeems all have one origin. Thus, they are all brothers and sisters in the Lord. Christ’s incarnation and his redemptive suffering brought about the reconciliation and the intimate union between God and his prodigal children. The paschal mystery of the Servant-Son of God led to his glorification and the perfection of our filial relationship with God the Father. Indeed, because of Jesus’ deep solidarity with us, we are able to attain a profound, fruitful, and life-giving relationship with our Creator God and Father.

The sacrificial dimension of Christ’s redeeming work continues to be verified in the lives of his disciples today. The faith-motivated stance shown by Eric LeGrand, paralyzed from the neck down in a football accident, incarnates in the here and now the words: “He made the one who leads them to their salvation perfect through suffering” (cf. Hunter, “To Walk Again” in Guideposts, January 2013, p. 72-75).

The collision had fractured Eric’s C3 and C4 vertebrae, paralyzing him from the neck down. Doctors estimated that Eric had less than a five-percent chance of regaining any motor function – much less be able to walk again. (…)

“I believe that everything happens for a reason”, Eric said. “That God is working a miracle through me. Because of all those times I was praying when I was on my deathbed. And the answers God gave me.”

In his first months at the hospital, a ventilator and a feeding tube kept him alive. Doctors said he’d never breathe again on his own. The noise of the machines kept Eric up, and he lay there at night wondering if he’d survive. “Those months, I just prayed Psalm 23 with my aunt all the time”, Eric said. He found comfort in the messages he got from teammates, friends, fans, even perfect strangers. “I became determined to get off the ventilator”, he said. Finally, Eric convinced his doctors to let him try to breathe without it. “They told me I wouldn’t last more than a few minutes”, Eric said. “First time I came off I lasted an hour and a half. I knew right then there’s a plan for this whole thing.

The miracles Eric experienced next were like that – not parting-of-the-Red-Sea- huge, but no less significant. At first, doctors found no muscle response in Eric’s body. But in rehab, a needle-prick test caused Eric’s muscles to contract, showing the paralysis was not total. He once couldn’t sit without toppling over, but he slowly built upper body strength and can now sit up for as long as 15 minutes. He can shrug his shoulders, twitch his biceps and triceps, and even move one of his fingers the tiniest bit. In May, an electromyogram test showed, for the first time, that some nerves in his spine were sending signals below the level of his injury. “I can see the progress”, Eric told me. “So how can I not believe miracles can happen?”

Delivering that message is what Eric believes God wants him to do. He wasn’t sure he could. But a visit to a middle school in Jersey City changed his mind. “You know how middle school kids are; all laughing and jumping around”, Eric said. “But you could hear a pin drop when I spoke. I could tell I was making an impact.”

Afterward, a boy walked up to Eric. “I’m blind”, the boy said. “What advice do you have for somebody with a disability like me?” A tough question. Recovery from paralysis is rare, but recovering sight, even rarer. How could Eric tell him to just “believe”? Eric answered from the heart. “You still need to strive”, he said. “You still have a voice, you can still hear, you can still feel. You may not be able to see the world, but you can still affect it in many different ways.” That’s what Eric has done. (…)

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we surrender ourselves to the power and authority of Jesus as he teaches us with his life-giving word and releases us from the shackles of our “personal demons”?

2. What does it mean for you that Christ was made perfect through suffering?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Jesus, Divine Master, you are the holy and mighty One of God! We recognize your great power and you teach with authority. The power of your word drives away the “personal demons” within us. Cleansed from sin and evil, we turn to you in humility to receive the gifts of your Holy Spirit. Teach and reign in our life, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, by his obedience Christ learned suffering and was perfected in suffering. The humiliation of his earthly life, his suffering and death, were means to glory. Help us to accept trials and sufferings that are woven into the fibers of our daily life. Teach us to believe that they are paths to eternal life through Christ our Savior. He lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“A new teaching with authority!” (Mk 1:27) // “For it was fitting that he … should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.” (Heb 2:10)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your gracious words and acts of charity, be united with Jesus in his ministry of deliverance from evil. // Unite the difficulty and suffering you are experiencing today with that of Jesus for the salvation of souls.

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WEDNESDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Healer … He Is Like Us”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 2:14-18 // Mk 1:29-39

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 1:29-39): “Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases.”

In today’s Gospel reading (Mk 1:29-39), the paschal victory of Jesus Healer is prefigured in the healing he carries out on behalf of Simon’s sick mother-in-law and many others with various diseases and those possessed by demons. The healing ministry of Jesus is a sign that the kingdom of wholeness has come. By his mission of healing, he shows that sickness, suffering and death do not have the ultimate word. The evangelist Mark narrates: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed”. The “dawn” of Jesus is poised in earnest towards greater intimacy with the loving Father and the proclamation of the Gospel. The saving ministry of the healing Lord is sustained by his life of prayer and personal dialogue with the Father. Hence, the restoring touch of Jesus reaches out more extensively and the Good News extends, propelled by a life of recollection and prayer.

Also from the Philippines, the psychiatrist Dr. Eleanor Ronquillo, also a member of the Association of Pauline Cooperators: Friends of the Divine Master, sends her inspiring reflection on today’s Gospel.

These days, many people are getting sick from grave illnesses like strokes, heart attacks, cancer, AIDS, rare pneumonias. People seek many types of cures, search for doctors far and near, the latest medicines, the most advanced medical technology, herbal medicine, etc. They seek the CURE, not the HEALING. Amidst the sick person’s suffering is a big plea to God to take away this illness and this suffering. In the Gospel, as Jesus HEALS many, one is led to believe in such a “miraculous” CURE. And it is not surprising for some to turn away from God for not providing such a cure. “Why me God … why do you let me be sick like this? … I’m not a bad person … There are so many out there criminals/murderers, why don’t they get this illness? … I can’t take this anymore … You must have forgotten me Lord … I do not wish to live like this.”

It is beyond physical CURE of an illness that is the essence of the Lord’s HEALING. The Gospel says, “People brought to Jesus all the sick … Jesus healed many who had various diseases.” I recall the story of a man who was disabled and paralyzed. He continually sought cures to be able to walk again. He struggled with his condition and felt his life was full of difficulties and hopelessness because of his disability. He prayed that God might take away his illness. One time (I think it was his visit to Lourdes in the Grotto in France) after a deep prayer, he felt an aura of peace within. He began to cry, to accept what he had, to see life as God willed it to be, to find hope and meaning in his “suffering”, to embrace the Lord and find peace. Finally, when he left, he had been healed.

We must seek the Lord in our suffering, that he may heal us. For a lot of people in crisis, that is the time when opportunity knocks. The opportunity to seek and be closer to the Lord knocks on our doors in the face of crisis. And healing will come, as Jesus heals us, if we seek him and let him heal us. This healing is a process that only the suffering person can undergo. No doctor can effect a healing for the patient, a treatment perhaps, yes; but the healing, no. The person himself has to undergo the internal process of accepting his condition and surrendering to the Lord one’s suffering … and find peace and solace in his loving arms.

“And he also drove away demons.” The words tell us that the devil was at work in people. The devil works in people’s hearts and minds. The “illness” is not exactly a phenomenon of possession. It can be masked as a wonderful extramarital affair though immoral, a wealth ill gotten, a successful oppression, an ongoing sexual abuse of a child. The list is long. The many facets of evil are within and among us. But do we recognize them? Do we recognize that we spite our neighbor, endlessly criticize people, persist in being unforgiving and harboring anger, scheme and carry out revenge, plan the next move to take what is not ours? The driving out of demons is our turning away from evil and seeking Jesus to rule our hearts. That is also our process of healing.

B. First Reading (Heb 2:14-18): “He had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be merciful.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 2:14-18), the author of the letter to the Hebrews underlines the true humanity of Jesus – his total and profound solidarity with human beings. To liberate us all from the power of death, the Son of God chose to share our human nature fully. Jesus is our brother because of our common origin in the Father, his sharing in our “flesh and blood” and, above all, in his embracing our own death and mortality. Because of his death and resurrection, the nature of death has changed – it has become a door to eternal life. Jesus is destined by God to be the High . In order to be the High Priest who offers himself for the sins of his fellow human beings, he had to become like us in every way – even to experience the human situation of sin and of the hard challenge of temptations. Jesus Christ, however, is victorious over sin and death. He overcame all temptations that assailed his fidelity to the messianic mission. We who are tempted become victorious in him. He is the Eternal High Priest who is both in intimate union with God and in full solidarity with his brothers and sisters.

The following story entitled “Snowy Christmas Eve”, circulated on the Internet, gives insight into why Jesus Christ “had to become like us in every way”.

There was once a man who didn’t believe in God and he didn’t hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays like Christmas. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.

One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused. “That story is nonsense!” he said. “Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That’s ridiculous!” So she and the children left and he stayed home. A little while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out but couldn’t see more than a few feet.

When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near the house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and could not go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and did not seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a breadcrumbs trail leading to the barn. They still didn’t catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.

“Why don’t they follow me?” he exclaimed. “Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?” He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn’t follow a human. “If only I were a goose, then I could save them”, he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn – and one by one, the other geese followed it to safety. He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind. “If only I were a goose, then I could save them!” Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier: “Why would God want to be like us? That’s ridiculous!” Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Do you turn to Jesus, the wounded Healer, for healing? // What does it mean for us personally that the divine Son Jesus had to become like us in every way?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

God our Father, great is your love for us! You sent your beloved Son to save us and to heal us of all our infirmities. He was tested through what he suffered and, in solidarity with us, he remained faithful. We thank you for Jesus, our merciful High Priest and ultimate Healer. He embraced our human lot and became victorious over sin and death and the challenge of temptations. We praise and bless you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He cured many who were sick with various diseases and he drove out many demons.” (Mk 1:34a) // “He had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way.” (Heb 2:17)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Be an instrument of God’s healing love by alleviating the problems and sufferings of the people around you. // When burdened with the daily duties of serving and caring, trust in Jesus who, in his great love, has embraced our sufferings, pain, struggles, etc.

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THURSDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Full of Compassion … He Teaches Us to Embrace the Today of Salvation”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 3:7-14 // Mk 1:40-45

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 1:40-45): “The leprosy left him and he was made clean.”

In today’s Gospel reading (Mk 1:40-45), the evangelist Mark depicts one of the most beautiful pictures of Christian compassion. Breaking down the barriers of hygiene and ritual purity, Jesus does the unimaginable. Responding with compassion to the leper’s faith invocation, “If you wish, you can make me clean”, Jesus stretches out his hand and touches him saying, “I do will it. Be made clean.” He touches the “untouchable” with his healing hand. He comforts the outcast with an authoritative cleansing word that brings wholeness. Indeed, in the Gospel accounts, the cleansing of lepers is a messianic sign that the Kingdom of God has come.

One of the exigencies of Christian life is to bring the healing ministry of Jesus to the many “lepers” of today, especially the millions of victims of Hansen’s disease all over the world who, more than all others, fit the description “the poorest of the poor”. of Calcutta dedicated her ministry of charity in a special way to these lepers, impelled by the slogan that was a rewording of the ancient taboo. “Touch a leper with your compassion.” Mother Teresa, moreover, spoke of the “leprosy of the Western world”, which is, the leprosy of loneliness. In her ministry to the lonely, the unwanted, the marginalized, the rejected, the AIDS victim, etc. she had given witness that with the love of Christ, there is healing for the leprosy of our modern times. Indeed, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, together with St. , Blessed Damien of Molokai, and many other Christian disciples, had shown that it is possible to respond to the Christian missionary imperative: “Cure the sick … cleanse the lepers!” and that it is necessary to replicate the healing gesture of Christ: “Touch a leper with your compassion.”

B. First Reading (Heb 3:7-14): “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today’.”

In today’s reading (Heb 3:7-14), the author of the letter to the Hebrews issues a warning against infidelity using Israel’s Exodus experience. Shortly after the Israelites left Egypt, where they were enslaved, and when they arrived near the Promised Land, God invited them to take possession of it. The scouts witnessed that the land was very rich and fertile (cf. Numbers 14). When they came to Eschol Valley, they cut off a branch which had one bunch of grapes on it so heavy that it took two men to carry it on a pole between them. They also brought back some pomegranates and figs. But the cities were well-fortified and the people powerful. Intimidated and fearful at the prospect of engaging the Canaanites in battle, some of the scouts spread false reports that the land was not productive and that the inhabitants were giants. The people wailed and, greatly discouraged, refused to take possession of the Promised Land as God has commanded. As a consequence of their disobedience and lack of faith, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Christians are cautioned against unfaithfulness. Like the Israelites of old they are on an Exodus. They are journeying to the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus has gone before. They must persevere in Christ lest they, like the Israelites who rebelled against God, fail to reach their goal. They must not have an evil and unfaithful heart so as to forsake the living God, who reveals himself in Jesus Christ. Instead, they must help and encourage each other “today”, with its gracious offer of salvation. They must not grow hardened by the deceit of sin for they are “partners of Christ”. They, too, are called to share with Jesus the joy of the heavenly sanctuary.

The following story gives us an idea how to support each other on our journey to conversion and how to respond to the grace that the “today” offers (cf. Christine Trollinger, “Healing Grace” in Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, Matthew Pinto & Patti Armstrong, West Chester: Ascension Press, 2004, p.64-68).

Mother and I had never been close. She was very temperamental and domineering. Her quick temper had inflicted great emotional wounds on our family as we were growing up. My father, on the other hand, was a gentle soul. I adored him and was always Daddy’s little girl. As an adult I tried to leave the past in the past, but my mother’s behavior while my beloved father was dying brought fresh strain to our relationship. Mother was neither patient nor kind during Dad’s suffering. The disruption in her life angered her, and probably scared her. Yet, I could not accept her bad temperament during this time.

After my father’s death in 1985, however, I knew I had a responsibility to both God and Dad to forgive. It helped to remember how patient my father had always been. He loved my mother, faults and all. I recalled many times as a child that whenever Mom had been especially cruel, my father would come into my room, out of my mother’s earshot. He would hug me and say, “Please don’t hate her; she needs more love and forgiveness than most people do. She is God’s treasure just as you are.”

After Dad’s death, I wanted to honor my Dad. I knew his hopes and prayers were that I could love and forgive my mom. This was beyond my human frailties so I prayed to God for the grace to do so. As the years passed my feelings of distrust and resentment ebbed. I managed to lay the past to rest as Christ would have me do. Mother and I built a decent, if not perfect, relationship as mother and daughter. The past was just that – the past. The future I would leave to God.

Then during the first week of September 1992, I awoke from a dream sensing a very firm command: “Go home and see your mother.” I had ceased to question God’s inspiration when I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit. As soon as daylight broke, I packed my suitcase. My husband suggested we call to make sure she was all right. Everything was fine and Mother sounded very happy that I would be visiting her over Labor Day.

I arrived by mid-afternoon and Mom and I had an enjoyable time going out to dinner and visiting friends. Mother cut the evening short explaining there was a program on television she wanted to watch. When we got home I got ready for bed and sat in the living room reading my nightly scripture as Mom watched TV. The television volume gradually increased. Every few moments Mom asked, “Does that bother you?” “No, it’s fine”, I repeatedly told her. Finally she had turned the volume all the way up. “Does that bother you?” She asked in a loud but shaky voice. I put down the Bible and looked at her. “Well, it is loud. Are you trying to tell me something? Are you having hearing problems?” I asked. Mother looked at me with searching eyes. Still, I did not understand. Returning the sound back to normal, she explained, “No, what I mean is, does this program bother you?” For the first time, I looked over to see what she was watching. It was a program on child abuse. “I was not talking about the sound”, she said. “I meant, what do you think of parents who abuse their children?”

I was caught off guard. I stared into her eyes. For the first time I recognized pain and remorse. Huge tears trickled down her cheeks. My response was instinctive. “Mom, I love you”, I cried, truly meaning it. “And if you are asking for my forgiveness, you have had it for years. Don’t cry”, I said, coming over to kiss her cheek. “It is all in the past. It doesn’t matter anymore.” I then hugged her and wiped her tears away. No more words were needed. It truly was now in the past. For my proud mother to humble herself to ask forgiveness was a grace I never imagined.

The next Saturday, we began with a visit to church to pray the Rosary. Tears of joy, and also of sorrow for all the wasted years, streamed down my face. But I praised God for this new beginning. The rest of the day we filled with shopping and sharing as a mother and daughter who fully loved and respected one another. We went to an estate sale and found ourselves giggling and laughing like young schoolgirls. Mom bought me a statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart, which had seen better days. The face was chipped and it had no nose. But it was a precious treasure, representing our newfound love for one another. I basked in the grace of healing. (…)

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. A touch can be a beautiful gesture of encouragement, reconciliation and love. A touch can heal the suffering spirit of a person. When was the last time you showed your love and concern with a gentle, healing touch?

2. Do we strive to be faithful to the living God and, as Christians, to encourage each other daily while the gift of “today” still holds?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving God, great and compassionate are you! Fill us with tender feelings for your injured children, for a society that needs healing, and for “the holy mystery of creation” besieged by threats of cosmic destruction. Let everything we do and say in love and healing for today’s lepers become a sign of Christ’s paschal victory over sin and death and of the beauty of the resurrected world. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** O compassionate Father, may our hearts be receptive to your voice. Do not allow us to be hardened by the deceit of sin. Give us the grace to be faithful to the grace of “today”. Together with Christ, let us reach the heavenly rest. You live and reign, forever and ever, Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper …” (Mk 1:41) // “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today’.” (Heb 3:13)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your kind words and charitable deeds, encourage those whose faith is getting weak and those who are losing hope on account of various trials. // Offer a corporal work of mercy for any of today’s lepers: the homeless, the AIDS victims, the destitute, etc. and especially, the victims of Hansen’s disease.

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FRIDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Source of Total Healing … He Leads Us into God’s Rest”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 4:1-5, 11 // Mk 2:1-12

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:1-12): “The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth.”

The following story gives insight into the message of today’s Gospel (Mk 2:1-12) about a person’s need for total healing (cf. Hal Manwaring, "Fourteen Steps" in A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc., 1996, p. 264-267).

I became afflicted with a slowly progressive disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my right arm and leg, and then my other side … In spite of my disease I still drove to and from work each day, with the aid of special equipment installed in my car … As I became older, I became more disillusioned and frustrated. I’m sure that my wife and friends had some unhappy times when I chose to expound to them my philosophy of life. I believed that in this whole world I alone had been chosen to suffer …

On a dark night in August 1971, gusty winds and slashing rain beat down on the car as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads. Suddenly the steering wheel jerked in my hands and the car swerved violently to the right. In the same instant I heard the dreaded bang of a blowout … It was impossible for me to change that tire! Utterly impossible! … Then I remembered that a short distance up a little side road was a house. I started the engine and thumped slowly along … Lighted windows welcomed me to the house and I pulled into the driveway and honked the horn … The door opened and a little girl stood there, peering at me. I rolled down the window and called out that I had a flat and needed someone to change it for me because I had a crutch and couldn’t do it myself. She went into the house and a moment later came out bundled in a raincoat and hat, followed by a man who called a cheerful greeting. I sat there comfortable and dry, and felt a bit sorry for the man and the little girl working so hard in the storm. Well, I would pay them for it … It seemed to me that they were awfully slow and I was beginning to become impatient … Then they were standing at my car window. He was an old man, stooped and frail-looking under his slicker. The little girl was about eight or 10 I judged, with a merry face and a wide smile as she looked up at me. He said, “This is a bad night for car trouble, but you’re all set now.” “Thanks,” I said, “thanks. How much do I owe you?” He shook his head. “Nothing, Cynthia told me you were a cripple – on crutches. Glad to be of help. I know you’d do the same for me. There’s no charge, friend.” I held out a five- dollar bill. “No! I like to pay my way.” He made no effort to take it and the little girl stepped closer to the window and said quietly, “Grandpa can’t see it.”

In the next few frozen seconds the shame and horror of that moment penetrated, and I was sick with an intensity I had never felt before. A blind man and a child! … They changed a tire for me – changed it in the rain and wind, with me sitting in snug comfort in the car with my crutch. My handicap. I don’t remember how long I sat there after they said good night and left me, but it was long enough for me to search deep within myself and find some disturbing traits. I realized that I was filled to overflowing with self-pity, selfishness, indifference to the needs of others and thoughtlessness. I sat there and said a prayer. In humility I prayed for strength, for a greater understanding, for keener awareness of my shortcomings and for faith to continue asking in daily prayer for spiritual help to overcome them.

Here we have the personal account of a crippled man who discovers that his need for inner healing is greater than that of physical healing. Indeed, there is more to it than physical malady. There is more to it than a physical cure. Jesus Christ, who embodies the Reign of God, shows us that the Kingdom of wholeness involves more than just physical healing. The messianic ministry of Jesus, the Healer, includes the liberation of human beings from the bondage of sin. The Kingdom of wholeness includes the forgiveness of sins.

B. First Reading (Heb 4:1-5, 11): “Let us strive to enter into that rest.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 4:1-5, 11), the author of the letter to the Hebrews continues to speak of the fidelity required of Christians. At the time of the Exodus, the good news was: “The Lord your God has given the land to you; go up, take possession.” The feckless Israelites, however, did not believe the good news. They were too intimidated to engage the powerful Canaanites in battle. As a result they were not able to enter the Promised Land and remained wandering in the desert. The Good News for Christians is Christ’s paschal victory. If we put our faith in this Good News, we will be able to experience God’s rest. The goal of entering God’s rest implies a persevering journey toward the heavenly homeland. Those who are faithful will enter God’s sanctuary and will be given a share in the rest upon which God entered after the work of creation had been completed.

The following story depicts the faith stance of the Olympic sprinter Eric Liddell and his effort to honor the Lord’s Day and enter God’s rest (cf. Craig Groeschel, “The Lord’s Day” in Guideposts, December 2012, p. 40-41).

On a ship headed to Paris for the 1924 Olympic games, Eric learns the heat for the race, the 100 meters – a race he’s favored to win – falls on a Sunday. “Does it matter?” his teammate asks. “Yes”, Eric replies. He refuses to run on the Sabbath. Finally, a teammate offered to switch races and let Eric run the 400 meters. No one believes a sprinter has a chance to win the 400. The starting gun fires. Eric leads from the outset … He pumps his legs, never tiring till he reaches the finish line – first. Just before he crosses, he recalls what he told his sister earlier. “God made me fast.” (…)

Eric Liddell ran for God, but his most important act wasn’t winning a race. It was the race he didn’t run. He honored a commandment – to keep the Sabbath as a day of rest.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we realize that a situation of sin is an illness that weakens, paralyzes and imprisons us in pain? Do we realize that being reconciled with God entails true healing?

2. Do we truly strive to enter into God’s rest? How do we honor the Lord’s Day?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Lord, our sinful hearts are broken and we are in pain. But we believe, O Christ, that you are the “healing Physician”. Heal our hearts and make us turn back to you. Take away the “paralysis” that results from our sins. Strengthen our will and fill us with the strength of new life. May your healing hand and word of forgiveness be the source of joy for God’s injured children. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we accept the Good News of Christ’s resurrection and the power derived from it to continue our spiritual journey to heaven. Bless us and strengthen us as we strive to enter into your perfect and eternal “rest”. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“He said to the paralytic, ‘Child, your sins are forgiven’.” (Mk 2:5b) // “Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest.” (Heb 4:11)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the grace of inner healing. Extend God’s gift of healing forgiveness to a person who has offended you. // Honor the day of the Lord with quality time of prayer, Church worship, and acts of charity.

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SATURDAY: FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Healing Physician … His Word Pierces More than a Two-Edged Sword”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 4:12-16 // Mk 2:13-17

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:13-17): “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 2:13-17) tells us that healing love springs forth from Christ. Jesus is the physician par excellence and he does not have to justify his presence among the sick. His presence amidst tax collectors and sinners is a mandate and a mission of mercy. He is sent by the Father to assuage suffering of every kind. The vocation to experience God’s mercy and compassion is offered to the entire Church and the challenge to incarnate the divine mercy in today’s world is directed to each of us.

The Fresno-based Poverello House is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization whose mission is to enrich the lives and spirits of all who pass their way, to feed the hungry, offer focused rehabilitation programs, temporary shelter, medical, dental and other basic services to the poor, the homeless, the disadvantaged, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or disability through Providential and community support. Its founder is Mike McGarvin, a man who had experienced God’s mercy and transforming compassion through a saintly Franciscan priest, Fr. Simon Scanlon. They met at the “Poverello Coffee House” which Fr. Simon opened in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, notorious for its poverty, prostitution and violence. Mike narrates: “Gradually my life of self-indulgent destruction was being replaced by a life of service … I began seeing people through Father Simon’s eyes. He, in turn, saw people through Christ’s eyes, and he deeply believed that Jesus walked among the poor and the outcast. It was a revelation to me. The more I got to know the people who came to Poverello, the more compassion I felt for them.” Indeed, through the mercy and compassion of Fr. Simon, the “wayward” Mike finally experienced the healing and transforming love of Christ.

B. First Reading (Heb 4:12-16): “Let us confidently approach the throne of grace.”

Jesus Christ is the incarnate wisdom. He is the divine word personified – the word of God made flesh - to enlighten our core decisions in life. Today’s First Reading (Heb 4:12-16) gives wonderful insight into the word of God and underlines its efficacy and capacity of discernment. God’s living and effective word penetrates to the innermost part of a person and forces him/her to come to grips with what really matters. It scours our entire being, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and reveals the deep truth about God’s love and our gracious destiny. Likewise, the life-giving word of God – the font of salvation Jesus - is as incisive as a two-edged sword in its power of judgment.

The 12th century Christian writer Baudouin de Ford remarks: “Yes, this Word is living, living in the heart of the Father, in the mouths of those who proclaim it, in the hearts of those who believe and love … When God’s words are heard, they pierce the believers’ hearts as the sharp arrows of the warrior (cf. Ps 120:4). They penetrate and remain in the heart’s innermost depths. This Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, more cutting than any force or power, more subtle than all the finesse of human genius, more pointed than every learned thrust of human discourse.”

The following interesting story entitled “Throwing Darts”, and circulated on the Internet, gives an insight into the power of Christ as the living Word.

A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a Seminary Class, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture. Sally's girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved. The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target.

Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus..... A complete hush fell over the class as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced. Dr. Smith said only these words: "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me" (Mt 25:40).

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we willing to welcome fully into our hearts Jesus and the gift of divine mercy that he brings into our fragile, often times broken and self-destructive lives? Are we ready to incarnate God’s compassionate heart in today’s distressed world so needful of healing and mercy?

2. Do I truly welcome the word of God that is living and effective, able to discern and reveal reflections and thoughts of the heart? Do I allow myself to be challenged and appraised by the word that penetrates, judges, and heals?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you are the most beautiful expression of God’s mercy. You come to us with your healing touch. You are the divine physician who assists us in all our distress. Heal us in our mind, body and soul that fully restored we may give you praise, now and forever. Amen.

***

Loving Father, we thank you for your living and efficacious word. It helps us to come to grips with ourselves and inspires us to make core decisions in view of eternal life. We thank you for the challenge of Jesus Christ, the wisdom from on high personified and the divine word made flesh. Help us to respond with wisdom to Christ’s call to embrace radically the Kingdom value. Make us totally receptive to the power of your living word at work in our hearts, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“I did not come to call the righteous but sinners…” (Mk 2:17) // “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Heb 4:12)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

In your compassionate stance for the poor and needy, and especially for the “outcasts”, let the loving mercy of God be revealed in today’s world. // Pray that the living word of God may continue to be proclaimed and incarnated in today’s world, especially by the disciples’ commitment to the truth.

*** Text of Week 1 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 38) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 2

MONDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Bridegroom of the Church … He Is Priest through Suffering”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 5:1-10 // Mk 2:18-22

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:18-22): “The bridegroom is with them.”

In today’s Gospel (Mk 2:18-22), Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, invites us to a new relationship that transcends mere legal observances and superficial piety. A loving relationship with the Bridegroom entails a radical transformation and infuses new meaning into such religious practices as fasting. The Christian disciples would fast, yes, but for the right reason. Indeed, the followers of Jesus exercise various forms of salutary asceticism, in a spirit of receptivity to the coming of the Kingdom. They carry these out in anticipation of the full joy that is prepared for them by Christ-Bridegroom in the heavenly wedding feast.

The radical newness of our relationship with Christ can be compared to a piece of new cloth which should not be sewn onto an old cloak, for it will make the tear even greater. It can also be compared to new wine which should not be poured into an old wineskin for it will cause the skin to break and spill the wine. Indeed, the love- relationship with Christ, the Bridegroom, demands an exhilaratingly new vision and life- style, symbolically portrayed by Mark as “new wine being poured into fresh wineskins” (cf. Mk 2:22).

The following story is charming and funny, but it gives us an idea of what “fasting” from evil thoughts and unkind words means (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 125).

There was once a priest so holy that he never thought ill of anyone. One day he sat down at a restaurant for a cup of coffee which was all he could take, it being a day of fast and abstinence, when, to his surprise, he saw a young member of his congregation devouring a massive steak at the next table. “I trust I haven’t shocked you, Father”, said the young fellow with a smile. “Ah! I take it that you forgot that today is a day of fast and abstinence”, said the priest. “No, no. I remember it distinctly.” “Then you must be sick. The doctor has forbidden you to fast.” “Not at all. I’m in the pink of health.” At that, the priest raised his eyes to heaven and said, “What an example this younger generation is to us, Lord! Do you see how this young man here would rather admit his sins than tell a lie?”

B. First Reading (Heb 5:1-10): “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.”

Today’s First Reading (Heb 5:1-10) gives a beautiful insight into the priestly character of Christ’s sufferings. This reading helps us to appreciate the life-giving meaning of the Servant-Son’s obedient stance. It inspires us to a spirit of conversion and thankfulness for the infinite goodness and eternal salvation that flow forth from his priestly sacrifice on the cross. This remarkable text expresses the paschal glorification of Christ with new depth because its shows its connection to priestly mediation.

The Jesuit biblical scholar Albert Vanhoye, the foremost authority on the letter to the Hebrews, comments: “For Christ the path leading to the priesthood was a path of humility and suffering, a path of effective solidarity with human weakness. His priestly office consisted of prayer and supplications emerging from a situation of distress, and they were accompanied by a loud cry and tears. In this way Christ’s whole passion is presented as a priestly action that assumes human anguish in the presence of death and transforms it into an offering of prayer. This prayer was offered to God with reverent submission. Jesus did not pretend to impose his own will on God; instead, he let his Father choose the best solution. This is the reason why he was heard. The divine solution did not consist in preserving him from death; it transformed his sufferings and death into the instrument of definitive victory over evil and over death itself. Distorted by sin, human nature had to learn obedience so that it could forever be reintroduced into God’s intimacy. Since Christ was a Son he did not need this painful learning for himself, yet he accepted it because of his generous solidarity with us. Thus he became the perfect man, fully worthy of being accepted and even enthroned at God’s right hand, and he did that for the sake of all since perfection was the fruit of his complete solidarity with us.”

The following excerpt illustrates the sacrificial aspect in the life of the Vietnamese Archbishop Van Thuan, a prisoner in various Communist prisons for thirteen years, nine of them in solitary confinement (cf. Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 77-80).

During the first months of my imprisonment, I found myself in the most Catholic part of the city of Nha Trang where I had been a bishop for eight years. From my cell, I could hear the bells of my cathedral ringing day and night, and throughout the whole day those of the parishes and religious communities nearby. I would have preferred to be in the mountains so that I would not have had to hear them.

In the silence of the night, I heard the sound of the ocean waves of the Pacific, which I used to watch from my office window. No one knew where to find me, though the prison was only a few kilometers away from my own house. Absurd life!

As I have already mentioned, on the evening of December 1, 1976, I was taken from the prison of Thu Duc. I was to embark on the ship of Hai Phong. That evening as all the prisoners waited to set sail, we were told to sit down on the ground in the dark. At a distance of only 3 kilometers, I could see the lights of the city of Saigon, the center of the diocese of which I had been named coadjutor on April 24, 1975. I knew my journey would take me far away. The pain this caused me was agonizing. I thought of the Apostle Paul at Miletus, when he gathered the elders of Ephesus knowing that he would never see them again. And yet, I could not gather my own! I could not comfort them or give them any advice. Within myself I said goodbye to all of them, and especially to my dear elderly Archbishop Phaolo Nguyen Van Binh, with a broken heart at the thought of never seeing him again.

I experienced a profound pastoral suffering in all of this, but I can testify that the Father did not abandon me and that he gave me strength.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we faithful to our covenant with Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church? How?

2. How do we imitate the obedient stance and the priestly sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do we strive to love Christ more intimately; he who is the source of eternal salvation?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, when you took on flesh, you made a marriage of mankind with God. Help us to be faithful to your word. Give us the grace to persevere until you call us to the heavenly marriage feast. We love you and adore you; we praise and serve you, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for the gift of the New Covenant, sealed in the blood of your Son Jesus Christ. His “reverent submission” to your saving will earned for us our eternal salvation. Help us to be intimately united with the priestly sacrifice of your Servant-Son on the cross and thus share in his ultimate victory over death and sin. May we always live as your true children, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“New wine is poured into new wineskins.” (Mk 2:22) // “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” (Heb 5:8)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

When you attend a wedding, pay attention to the text and rituals used in the celebration, and see how they evoke the nuptial relationship between Christ and his Body, the Church. // By your charitable deeds and acts of justice, allow the priestly sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ to bear “abundant fruits” of healing in today’s world.

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TUESDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Lord of the Sabbath … He Anchors Our Hope”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 6:10-20 // Mk 2:23-28

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 2:23-28): “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for Sabbath.”

The wind was howling when I opened the gate. The village leader asked shelter for women and children from an impending typhoon. I presented the urgent request to the Superior. She acted promptly with good judgment and compassion. We prepared a place for the evacuees. This happened in the 1970s when rules for convent enclosure were strictly enforced. Indeed, we felt that in a crisis situation charity takes precedence over cloister rules.

Today’s Gospel (Mk 2:23-28) presents Jesus as Lord even of the Sabbath. Like , who disregarded the sanctity of the tabernacle to feed his men, Jesus manifests the same freedom and sensitivity to the needs of others. He shows that genuine human need subsumes norms governing human life and conduct. Rules are meant for the total good of the human person and the spirit of charity must prevail over all. Wisely guided by the principle – The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath – Christians cannot be too-rigid or too-lax in the observance of rules that promote the individual and the common good.

B. First Reading (Heb 6:10-20): “This hope we have as an anchor sure and firm.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 6:10-20), the author of the letter to the Hebrews is aware of the danger of apostasy in the Christian community. His stern warning is meant to preserve the members from becoming sluggish, and his energetic encouragement is to help them persevere in the faith. Their zeal for works of charity should be matched by their perseverance in their Christian vocation, which is based on hope. Just as the was given the twofold support of a promise of numerous descendants and an oath to fulfill it, so the Christians benefit from this twofold support: the promise of eternal inheritance and the divine oath that guarantees the priesthood of Christ. The Christian hope is steadfastly anchored in what Christ has done in the eternal order by his priestly sacrifice.

Archbishop Van Thuan gives us an inspiring account of how a little fish brought him hope during the time of his imprisonment (cf. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 155-156).

I was in isolation in Hanoi when one day, a policewoman brought me a small fish for me to cook. As soon as I saw the wrappings, I immediately felt a start of joy, but I was careful not to show this externally. My happiness was not because of the fish, but because of the pages of the newspaper in which it was wrapped: two pages of the L’Osservatore Romano. At that time, when the Vatican newspaper arrived at the post office in Hanoi, it was often confiscated and sold at the market as paper. Those two pages had been used to wrap the little fish. Calmly, without bringing attention to myself, I washed those sheets of paper to remove the smell, and then dried them in the sun and preserved them as a relic.

For me, in that unbroken regime of isolation, those pages were a sign of communion with Rome, with Peter, with the Church, and an embrace from Rome. I would not have been able to survive without an awareness of being part of the Church.

Today we live in a world that rejects the values of the civilization of life, of love, and of the truth; our hope is in the Church, Image of the Trinity.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is our attitude towards the rules and norms in society and in the Church?

2. Do we trust in God’s promise of eternal life, and do we rely on his oath that guarantees Christ’s priesthood on our behalf? Is our hope firmly anchored in Jesus Christ?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Father, teach us the wisdom and compassion of Jesus that we may understand the meaning of the law in the Church. Rules are meant for the well-being of the person and to promote the common good. Grant us the freedom of the spirit and the charity that never fails. We surrender to your all-embracing care. We thank and bless you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for the promise of eternal salvation and for the oath that assures us of Christ’s priesthood on our behalf. Our hope of salvation is steadfastly anchored in Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest. Let us be a prophetic witness to that hope. He lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mk 2:28) // “Hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul.” (Heb 6:18-19)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make an effort to understand, memorize and put into practice the Ten Commandments and the precepts of the . // By word and deed, offer a testimony of hope to those who are overwhelmed with trials, sufferings, and despair. Be ready to listen and to welcome them tenderly.

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WEDNESDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: His Healing Love Transcends Barriers … He Is a Priest Forever Like ”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 7:1-3, 15-17 // Mk 3:1-6

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:1-6): “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to save life rather than to destroy it?”

In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:1-6), Jesus is angered and grieved at the hardness of heart of the Pharisees who object to his healing ministry on a Sabbath. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, declares that the Sabbath is made for man and not the other way around. He performs healings even on a Sabbath for he feels it is better to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, and to save life rather than to destroy it. His saving love is totally inclusive and greatly transcending. His saving works could not be restricted by a narrow- minded view of the Sabbath observance. There is no time or day when Jesus feels restricted to heal the sick and serve the needy. Jesus breaks down false restrictions and man-made barriers that militate against human well-being and dignity.

The following story illustrates the need to follow the non-restrictive stance of Christ and the necessity of overcoming barriers of alienation in our community (cf. Bill Zalot, “I Belong!” in The Word Among Us, Advent 2011, p. 62-65).

You Don’t Belong: Until I was twelve, I felt like a valued member of the church. This had a lot to do with the fact that my home parish was founded just before I was born and that for years, until a church could be built, we had Mass in the gymnasium of the parish school. The place was easily accessible to people like me who needed wheelchairs. I felt an intimacy and closeness to God there that I will never forget. There was no barrier, no silent sign telling me I didn’t belong.

Everything changed with the opening of our new church in 1988. Suddenly, the place where I always felt accepted became the place where I felt most rejected. This building had no way for me to get inside. There was no wheelchair ramp – just two flight of steps that said, You don’t belong.

Our pastor’s attitude affirmed my sense of rejection. “There’s no need to bring him here”, he would tell my parents. Thankfully, they ignored his advice and found ways to get me to Sunday Mass. Still his words angered me. I became determined to attend Mass – both to defy him and to obey a God who I thought would condemn me if I missed. Inside, though, I grew increasingly bitter and withdrawn.

Unbound! It took the help of other – a college chaplain, as well as those who succeeded our founding pastor – to reverse my attitude. These men were more like one of my heroes, St. Lawrence. He is the third century Roman martyr who saw the lame, the blind, and the poor members of the church as its true treasures. With their encouragement, I began to participate in parish life and to discover a God of mercy who loves me and welcomes me as I am.

In the process, I came to realize that I couldn’t let physical barriers dictate my mood. It was my responsibility to determine whether I would be positive and caring or negative and bitter. It was something I could choose to do. Just as I could freely choose to use my wheelchair to get around, I didn’t have to let anger and resentment keep me from moving forward with the Lord.

This realization made a huge difference in my life. For one thing, it helped me to forgive the pastor who had caused me so much pain. And as my bitterness slipped away, I felt myself grow. No longer was I content with being a Catholic who simply “follows the rules”. I wanted to embrace my faith and live it fully every day! I wanted to be near Jesus and get to know his word and his love for me – regardless of whether I felt welcome at church or was physically able to do the things that everyone else could do.

It has been a pleasant surprise to discover how many things I can do. Over the years, I have used my gifts to serve the parish as a lector, sponsor, religious- education teacher, and outreach committee member. I wrote a series of parish bulletin articles on the role of people with disabilities in the church today. I have represented our parish at archdiocesan conferences. All of this has been truly healing for me. (…)

B. First Reading (Heb 7:1-3, 15-17): “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Today’s First Reading (Heb 7:1-3, 15-17) helps us to contemplate the meaning of the priesthood of Christ. The author presents Christ’s priesthood in terms of its resemblance to that of Melchizedek in the book of Genesis. Melchizedek, a king of Salem and a priest of the Most High, blessed Abraham who was coming victoriously from a battle. Abraham offered tithes to him. The fact that Melchizedek is depicted as having no genealogy and no record of birth or death makes him an appropriate image of the “eternal” Priest: Jesus Christ. The figure of Melchizedek points to the Son of God who is infinitely superior and eternal. The name “Melchizedek” means righteousness and his title “king of Salem” means “king of peace”. His name and title evoke the blessings of justice and peace that Christ the Priest-Messiah would bring. He lives forever to intercede for us before God.

Msgr. Bernardo Antonini, a professed member of the JESUS PRIEST INSTITUTE, a branch of the Pauline Family founded by Blessed , lived his priesthood under the guiding hand of the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ. The following biography prepared by the Society of St. Paul (SSP) underlines the glory of his priesthood.

Msgr. Bernardo Antonini was born in Cimego, Italy, on October 20, 1932, two years before his parents went to live in the Diocese of Verona. He entered the Verona Seminary and was ordained on June 26, 1955.

He was assigned to parish ministry at first but soon his gifts of mind were recognized and he took his Degree in Modern Languages at Catholic University and his Licentiate in Theology two years later. Meanwhile he had begun to teach in the Diocesan Junior Seminary until 1972. He was awarded his License in Sacred Scripture by the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1975 and subsequently taught that subject for more than ten years meanwhile being Prefect of Young Priests, Director of Ongoing Clergy Formation and of the Center for Religious Formation in his Diocese.

Little did he know, however, what Divine Providence had in store for him. In 1977 he entered the JESUS PRIEST INSTITUTE where he met the Delegate Director, Fr. Lamera and shared with him his dreams of further apostolic initiatives. Under Fr. Lamera’s direction he remained strongly attached to his Diocese but also began to form his heart on the heart of Paul and to understand better the urgency of bringing the Gospel to people everywhere with modern means. He also continued and increased his life-long devotion to Mary and was notable for his particular fidelity to the Holy Father.

His studies in modern languages had enabled him to acquire a good knowledge of Russian and, when Gorbachov began gradually to create more openness in Russian society toward the end of the eighties, he was released by his Bishop for his missionary work and went to Moscow on July 2, 1989, first working with the Apostolic Nuncio, and then with Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, the “Metropolitan” (or major Church figure in an area outside the normal Church confines).

From that time onwards his zeal had every opportunity to express itself. He was appointed Founder and Rector of the first Russian Seminary which he named, not surprisingly “Regina Apostolorum” – Queen of Apostles. He also taught Sacred Scripture, was a tireless preacher, and directed the local Catholic newspaper “Svet Evangelia” – “The Light of the Gospel”. During the Jubilee Year 2000, he was responsible for all the local initiatives: arranging pilgrimages, pastoral animation programs, Spiritual Exercises, Jubilee literature, organization of inter- religious dialogue and much more.

But he wished to work in poorer and deprived churches and so, on August 16, 2001, he transferred, with the permission of his Bishop, to be Vice-Rector of the local Seminary and Episcopal Vicar in Kazakhstan. But the end of his totally- committed life was near. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday he complained of a “stomachache” and some friends suggested he return to Italy for a check-up. However, he had just sent one of the priests to Italy for that purpose and he replied: “It’s not feasible to have two priests absent from the Diocese during Holy Week. Don’t worry. I will get over it.”

Tuesday of Holy Week saw him concelebrating with the Bishop at the Mass for the Blessing of Oils. In the evening he retired to his room. Next morning he was not in church (he was usually there before anyone else) and someone went to knock at his door. It was open. Inside he was still sitting upright at his desk as if working. He had written his last line and said his last word. After seventy utterly dedicated years in the Lord’s service he had gone to celebrate Easter in Paradise!

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Is our love for our brothers and sisters all-inclusive, or do we give in to legalism, prejudices and other attitudes that create barriers and limit our care for them?

2. Do we value the gift of Jesus the eternal High Priest? Do we value the gift of the ordained priesthood? What do we do to help the ordained priests to be more efficacious in their ministry?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Thank you, loving Jesus, for your courage to do good. Give us the grace to overcome “barriers” so that your healing love may touch the afflicted at any moment and at any place. Fill us with your all-inclusive compassion and love that knows no seasons. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** God our Father, we thank you for the gift of Jesus, the Priest. He lives forever to intercede for us. His ministry of intercession continues in his ordained priests. Help us to love and care for your priests. Teach us to live fully the dignity and value of our common priesthood. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” (Mk 3:4) // “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb 7:17)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Resolve to help the disabled and other people who are physically challenged and enable them to experience the healing power of God. // Pray for the priests and for priestly vocations. See what you can do to help priests in their ministry and those who are experiencing various difficulties.

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THURSDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: His Touch Heals … He Offered Sacrifice Once-for-All”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 7:25-8:6 // Mk 3:7-12

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:7-12): “The unclean spirits shouted, ‘You are the Son of God’, but Jesus warned them sternly not to make him known.”

In January 2014 I was in Cebú Island in the Philippines to attend the Santo Nino celebration. I had a chance to participate at the vigil novena in Saint ’s Cathedral in Mandaue City. I was awed by the thousands of people who lined up in snake-like formation and were patiently waiting to touch the Santo Nino. At the fluvial parade the following morning, a great crowd was lined up on the seashore. Many thousands more were on the bridge. Hundreds of boats with thousands of devotees accompanied the transfer of the Santo Nino from a wharf in Mandaue to a pier in Cebu City. The number of devotees waiting by the seaside to welcome the Santo Nino was unbelievable. They want to “touch”, even if only with their gaze, the beloved Nino, who is the font of blessing and healing.

In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:7-12), a great crowd seeks Jesus. His pursuers are not only from his native Galilee, but also from Judea and the border regions to the south (Idumea), east (Transjordan) and north (Tyre and Sidon). Pressing upon Jesus, they yearn to be healed. Indeed, with his “touch”, Jesus has healed the man with the withered hand, made the paralytic walk and forgave his sins, cured Simon’s mother-in-law of fever, liberated the demoniac, and cleansed the leper. Jesus has cured so many that the sick crowd about him. There is power in Jesus’ touch. The sick and the needy, through time and space, would continue to seek Jesus and yearn for his touch, for all who touch him are made whole.

B. First Reading (Heb 7:25-8:6): “He offered sacrifice once for all when he offered himself.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 7:25-8:6), we focus our contemplative gaze upon Jesus, the eternal High Priest, whose once-for-all sacrifice upon the cross is infinitely efficacious. The saving sacrifice that he offered is his own self. Jesus is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him. Jesus lives forever to plead with God for us all. Jesus, the holy Priest who offers the perfect sacrifice, is the “mediator” of the New Covenant. His perfect sacrifice on the cross has been the means of union between God and man. It has taken away sin – the barrier to that union – and has made possible our new and everlasting covenant with the compassionate and merciful God.

The sacrificial dimension of the Christian priesthood is illustrated anew in the life of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, who offered his life for the Pauline Family and in a very special way, for the ecclesial approval of the religious congregation Pious Disciples of the Divine Master. Here is an excerpt from a brief biography prepared by the Society of St. Paul.

Fr. Giaccardo, the first priest of the Society of St. Paul, made Perpetual Vows on June 30, 1920, and took the name “Timothy” in religion in honor of St. Paul’s beloved . Aware of his special devotion to the , Fr. Alberione sent Fr. Timothy to Rome in January of 1926. There he founded the first St. Paul House outside Alba, in the area known as “St. Paul’s Vineyard” near the Basilica of St. Paul-outside-the-Walls.

He came back to Alba ten years later, in 1936, to be superior of the House there. He remained until 1946, during which time he was responsible for the many additions to the interior of the church Fr. Alberione had built. He was also actively engaged in the regular apostolate and priestly ministry in the Diocese.

He was appointed Vicar General of the Society of St. Paul in 1946 and went to reside in Rome. There, in a demonstration of remarkable fidelity to Fr. Alberione, he gave his considerable talents to the work of developing all the Pauline Congregations. He guided and sustained them as, one by one, they came into being, ensuring that each had a profound spirituality and an understanding of the special type of apostolate to which each one was called.

Meanwhile he personally practiced what he preached: a constant unrelenting effort to correct his defects and reach spiritual maturity. So successful was this effort that he attained the practice of perfect charity to the point of offering his life so that the Pauline Congregation Pious Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM) would be recognized by the Church. The Lord accepted his offering and granted his request. He was stricken with leukemia and died in a short time, on Saturday, January 24, 1948. By no coincidence, this was the feast of St. Timothy and the Vigil of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

His funeral took place in the Basilica of St. Paul-outside-the-Walls on January 26 in the presence of a large number of clergy, civil authorities and people. His remains now lie in a place of honor in the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Rome, not too far from the first House he founded there. (…) On May 13, 1989, the Pope, John Paul II, signed the Decree approving the miracle that decided that the of Fr. Giaccardo would take place on October 22, 1989, Mission Sunday.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we seek Jesus and yearn to “touch” him?

2. In the joys and sufferings of our daily life, do we associate ourselves with the once-for- all sacrifice that Jesus the eternal High Priest offered on the cross? Do we trust in the power of Christ’s ministry of intercession for us in heaven?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus, your touch heals and your power drives out the evil that threatens us. You are always there for us. We extend our hand to touch you and you allow yourself to be touched. We praise and bless you for you are our Savior, now and forever. Amen.

*** O loving Father, we give you glory and praise for your beloved Son Jesus, the eternal High Priest. His sacrifice on the cross won for us our salvation. He lives forever to make intercession for us. He is the mediator of the New Covenant sealed in his blood. Help us to live out his priestly sacrifice in the joys and sufferings of our daily life. Through him, with him, and in him, we give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing about him to touch him.” (Mk 3:10) // “He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself.” (Heb 7:27)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your act of care and charity to the sick and the marginalized, let the healing touch of Jesus come to them. // Unite your sufferings, pains, difficulties and trials with the priestly sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. And in union with his priestly intercession in heaven, pray for those who suffer in any way.

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FRIDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Summons and Sends Them … He Is the Mediator of the New Covenant”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 8:6-13 // Mk 3:13-19

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:13-19): “Jesus summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.”

In yesterday’s Gospel episode we hear of the crowd pressing about Jesus, wanting to touch him and be healed. Jesus had to withdraw into a boat to avoid being crushed by them. Against that rather chaotic setting, today’s episode of the call of the disciples (Mk 3:13-19) seems so refreshing and peaceful. Jesus goes up the mountain and summons his chosen ones. And they come to him. He designates the “Twelve” and symbolically founds the twelve tribes of the new Israel, the Church – the new people of God. Their mission is to be with Jesus. The blessed intimacy with Jesus is a formative moment to learn the mysteries of the kingdom and the demands of discipleship. But the life of intimacy is in view of mission: that he may send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Jesus Christ lives on in the Church. He continues to call his disciples that he may send them to preach the Gospel and exorcise evil powers. In 2003, I was in our convent in Staten Island to give a liturgy course to our novices. After the course, we went to a nearby parish to attend the concert of John Talbot. His beautiful music manifests a deep spirituality and reveals his intimate communion with God. As God’s troubadour, he spreads the Gospel through his songs. During the concert, while John was singing and playing a guitar, the sound system squealed diabolically. The malfunction caused a great disturbance. John stopped singing and put down the guitar. He prayed. He invoked God to cast out the spirit of disorder and to restore the order needed to sing his praise. Immediately peace and order were restored. John continued his songs undisturbed. It was awesome. The power to cast out evil is given to Christian disciples even today.

B. First Reading (Heb 8:6-13): “He is mediator of a better covenant.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 8:6-13), the author cites the majestic passage from the prophet (Jer 31:31-34) which announces the ratification of a “new covenant”. This “new covenant” is brought about through the mediation of Jesus, that is, through the priestly offering of himself on the cross. Jesus is the “mediator of the new covenant” because by his sacrifice he becomes the means of union between God and men. He has taken away “sin”, the barrier to that union. The “newness” of the covenant in Christ consists in its interiority (God’s law is written in the hearts); in personal intimacy with God, and in the forgiveness of sins.

The following modern-day article gives insight into the reality that an important gift, as well as radical challenge of the “new covenant”, is the forgiveness of sins (cf. Fred Bauer in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 175).

According to anthropologists, ancient tribes often practiced unlimited retaliation for offenses committed against them. And if one tribe responded more harshly than another, they raised the ante until all-out war resulted. Then, according to our Judeo-Christian heritage, the Law of was given. These laws, which contain far more than the Ten Commandments, number more than six hundred and include such teachings as “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24). These laws were less harsh than previous practices, limiting retaliation. But forgiveness was still on the back burner.

Then Jesus came along and espoused something that was revolutionary: unconditional forgiveness. Check your Bible concordance and note how many times Jesus spoke about it. He told His followers to practice unlimited forgiveness (seven times seventy, or without end), which is spelled out in Matthew 5:44: “But I say unto you: Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”

Once I interviewed the renowned missionary E. Stanley Jones. While working in India, he told me he became a friend of Mahatma Gandhi, who, though a Hindu, was a great admirer of Christ. According to Jones, Gandhi considered Christ’s statement about forgiving one’s enemies Jesus’ most memorable commandment and the most difficult to keep. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? Not with God’s grace.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we treasure our vocation of intimacy with the Lord and faithfully respond to the mission we have received to preach the Gospel and cast out the power of evil?

2. Do we treasure the gift of the “new covenant” ratified in the blood of Christ and are we faithful followers of Christ, the “mediator of the new covenant”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, we thank you for calling the “Twelve” and for summoning us to a life of intimacy with you. Teach us, form us, mould us and consecrate us to your service. Give us the grace to share the Gospel with the nations. Grant us the power to cast out the power of evil in today’s world. We love you and we put our trust in you. We praise you and glorify you now and forever. Amen.

*** Lord Jesus, we thank you for your priestly sacrifice on the cross by which you ratified the “new covenant” with your blood. Help us live out this “new covenant” by which our sins are forgiven and we enter into an intimate relationship with God. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Jesus summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.” (Mk 3:13) // “He is mediator of a better covenant.” (Heb 8:6)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for greater fidelity to the Christian vocation and mission. By your spiritual, moral and material help, promote and assist priestly and religious vocations in the Church. Likewise, also promote the Church’s inter-religious dialogue with the Jews, try to discover and savor the Jewish “roots” of the “new covenant”.

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SATURDAY: SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Misunderstood … By His Blood He Obtains for Us Eternal Salvation”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 9:2-3, 11-14 // Mk 3:20-21

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:20-21): “They said, ‘He is out of his mind.’”

Jesus comes down from the mountain with his twelve disciples. As before, people seek him for healing and crowd around him. Responding compassionately to their needs, he performs healings, especially exorcisms. The crowd is so great that Jesus and his companions could not even manage to eat. The situation alarms his over-protective relatives. They misinterpret Jesus’ intense preoccupation with the sick as madness. They try to take control of the situation and protect him from further folly. The relatives are appalled by his exaggerated ways and perceive his behavior as bordering on insanity. Thus Jesus is misunderstood and falsely perceived by his very own. In the same way, Christian disciples would experience rejection and misunderstanding as they proclaim the Gospel and carry out the ministry they have received from Christ.

The following charming story is about a Buddhist monk who, like Christ, is totally misunderstood and despised (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 120-121).

Gessen was a Buddhist monk. He was also an exceptionally talented artist. Before he started work on any painting, however, he always demanded payment in advance. And his fees were exorbitant. So he came to be known as the Greedy Monk.

A geisha once sent for him to have a painting done. Gessen said, “How much will you pay me?” The girl happened to be entertaining a patron at that time. She said, “Any sum you ask for. But the painting must be done right now before me.” Gessen set to work at once and when the painting was completed he asked for the highest sum he ever charged. As the geisha was giving him his money, she said to her patron, “This man is supposed to be a monk, but all he thinks of is money. His talent is exceptional, but he has a filthy, money-loving mind. How does one exhibit the canvas of a filthy, money-loving man like that? His work is good enough for my underclothing!”

With that she flung a petticoat at him and asked him to paint a picture on it. Gessen asked the usual question before he started the work: “How much will you give me?” “Oh, any sum you ask for”, said the girl. Gessen named his price, painted the picture, shamelessly pocketed the money, and walked away.

Many years later, quite by chance, someone found out why Gessen was so greedy for money. Devastating famine often struck his home province. The rich would do nothing to help the poor. So Gessen had secret barns built in the area and had them filled with grain for such emergencies. No one knew where the grain came from or who the benefactor of the province was.

Another reason why Gessen wanted money was the road leading to his village from the city many miles away. It was in such bad condition that oxcarts could not move on it; this caused much suffering to the aged and the infirm when they needed to get to the city. So Gessen had the road repaired.

The final reason was the meditation temple which Gessen’s teacher had always desired to build but could not. Gessen built this temple as a token of gratitude to his revered teacher.

After the Greedy Monk had built the road, the temple, and the barns, he threw away the paint and brushes, retired to the mountains to give himself to the contemplative life, and never painted another canvas again.

B. First Reading (Heb 9:2-3, 11-14): “He entered once for all into the Sanctuary with his own Blood.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 9:2-3, 11-14) the author speaks of two tabernacles: the one in the Holy Place and the one in the Holy of Holies, which can be accessed only by the High Priest. Just as the High Priest has right of access to the Holy of Holies, the sacrificial life of Jesus gives him right of access to the heavenly tabernacle. By his death offered for our salvation, Christ passes through the veil of separation and enters the sanctuary in heaven into the presence of the living God. The death of Jesus is the efficacious sacrifice that atones for the sins of humanity. Moreover, his very sacrifice surpasses and replaces the various Old Testament rituals of atonement and purification. It is through the eternal Spirit that Jesus offers himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His sacrificial death enables us to serve and worship the living God.

The following account is an example of what it means “to worship the living God” in the sacrificial charity of our daily life (cf. Elizabeth Sherrill in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 269).

What made Corrie ten Boom risk her life to save Jewish people living in occupied Holland? It must have been some great event, I thought, some dramatic soul- stirring call from God.

“No”, she said, “it was a simple, very ordinary moment.”

By 1942, it was dangerous for Jews to appear in the streets of Haarlem. So Corrie, a watchmaker and repairer, started going to the homes of her Jewish customers to pick up and deliver work. One evening this took her to the house of a doctor and his wife. They were chatting over cups of rationed tea stretched with rose leaves, when from upstairs a child’s voice pipe, “Daddy, you didn’t tuck us in!”

Excusing himself, the doctor hurried upstairs. Corrie and her hostess kept chatting. Nothing had changed. Everything had changed. At any minute, Corrie realized, there could be a knock on the door of this house. This mother, this father, these children could be herded into the back of a truck.

Still carrying on their conversation, still sipping tea, Corrie silently dedicated her life to the Jewish inhabitants of Holland. “Lord Jesus, I offer myself for Your people in any way, any place, any time.”

Out of a daily domestic moment grew a heroine of the Dutch resistance, whose story of loss, suffering and unstoppable joy inspires even today.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What do we do when, like Jesus, we are misunderstood and rejected?

2. How does Christ’s sacrificial death impact us personally? Are we willing to be washed in his blood and offer ourselves as a “living sacrifice to God”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you are the most caring and compassionate person. You gave yourself totally on our behalf. You were misunderstood, rejected and despised. Help us to realize that suffering is part of our discipleship. When we are rejected, we cling to you. When we are misunderstood, we trust that in God’s time, our accusers will see the light. Bless us, now and forever. Amen.

*** Jesus, mediator of the new covenant, by your sacrificial death you obtain salvation for us. Let you life-giving blood purify us from the guilt of sin and enable us “to worship the living God”. Help us to offer our lives in the service of our needy brothers and sisters. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“They said, ‘He is out of his mind’.” (Mk 3:20) // “He took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us.” (Heb 9:12)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

When you are misunderstood and falsely criticized, stand firm and unite your sufferings with Christ. // Let the “sacrificial charity” that you carry out on behalf of our needy brothers and sisters be a pleasing offering to God.

*** Text of Week 2 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 39) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 3

MONDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Was an Object of Blasphemy … He Takes Away Sin by His Sacrifice”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 9:15, 24-28 // Mk 3:22-30

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:22-30): “It is the end of Satan.”

In today’s Gospel episode (Mk 3:22-30), the scribes who have come from Jerusalem to observe are vicious. Having witnessed the exorcisms performed by Jesus, they accuse him of demonic possession and collusion. The Divine Master refutes their tortured reasoning, tainted with cold venom and vitiated with jealousy. Indeed, Satan is not so foolish as to align with Jesus in destroying his very self. Rather, Jesus expels demons through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus is the “stronger one” who overpowers Satan and subdues his household. Jesus exorcises through the power of the Holy Spirit. To declare that the power at work in Jesus is “demonic” and that the Holy Spirit that animates him is “unclean” is blasphemy. The animosity of the scribes is such that they willfully reject the power of God’s saving grace to work in them. Hence, in this sense, forgiveness is not for them.

The following story could give us an idea of the misunderstanding and rejection that Jesus suffered both from his kinsmen and opponents – the same experience that his disciples and people of good will continue to have today (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 124).

A family of five was enjoying their day at the beach. The children were bathing in the ocean and making castles in the sand when in the distance a little old lady appeared. Her gray hair was blowing in the wind and her clothes were dirty and ragged. She was muttering something to herself as she picked up things from the beach and put them into a bag. The parents called the children to their side and told them to stay away from the old lady. As she passed by, bending every now and then to pick things up, she smiled at the family. But her greeting wasn’t returned. Many weeks later they learned that the little old lady had made it her lifelong crusade to pick up bits of glass from the beach so children wouldn’t cut their feet.

B. First Reading (Heb 9:15, 24-28): “Christ, who offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time to those who eagerly await him.”

In today’s reading (Heb 9:15, 24-28) we hear that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant because, by his sacrifice on the cross, he delivers us from sin. Through him we receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. His life-giving sacrifice is definitive and final. It continues eternally in heaven on our behalf. Jesus’ priestly act surpasses the Day of Atonement sacrifice offered by the Old Testament High Priest. Through his once-and-for-all sacrifice, Christ has effectively made salvation available through time and space. He will appear a second time not to deal with sin, but to bring into eternal glory and salvation those who trust in him.

The eternal value of Christ’s efficacious sacrifice is made present in the Holy Mass. Hence, the “weight” of one Holy Mass is beyond our imagining. The following true story was related by Sr. M. Veronica Murphy, an elderly nun, who heard it from the lips of the late Reverend Father Stanislaus, SS.CC.

One day many years ago, in a little town in Luxemburg, a Captain of the Forest Guards was in deep conversation with the butcher when an elderly woman entered the shop. The butcher broke off the conversation to ask the old woman what she wanted. She had come to beg for a little meat but had no money. The Captain was amused with the woman and the butcher. “Only a little meat, but how much are you going to give her?” he wondered.

“I am sorry I have no money but I’ll hear a Mass for you”, the woman told the butcher. Both the butcher and the Captain were indifferent about religion, so they at once began to scoff at the old woman’s idea. “All right then”, said the butcher. “You go and hear a Mass for me and when you come back I’ll give you as much as the Mass is worth.”

The woman left the shop and returned later. She approached the counter and the butcher said, “All right then, we’ll see.” She took a slip of paper and wrote on it: “I heard a Mass for you.” He placed the paper on the scales and a tiny bone on the other side, but nothing happened. Next he placed a piece of meat instead of the bone, but still the paper proved heavier. Both men were beginning to feel ashamed of their mockery but continued their game. A large piece of meat was placed on the balance, but still the paper held its own. The butcher, exasperated, examined the scales but found they were correct. “What do you want, my good woman? Must I give you a whole leg of mutton? At this he placed the leg of mutton on the balance, but the paper outweighed the meat. A larger piece of meat was put on, but again the weight remained on the side of the paper. This so impressed the butcher that he was converted and promised to give the woman her daily ration of meat.

As for the Captain, he left the shop a changed man and became an ardent lover of daily Mass. Two of his sons became priests, one a Jesuit and the other a Father of the Sacred Heart. Father Stanislaus finished the story by saying, “I am from the Religious of the Sacred Heart and the Captain was my father.” From the incident the Captain became a daily Mass attendant and his children were trained to follow his example.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we guilty of jealousy and unable to recognize the grace at work in other persons? What do we do about this?

2. Do we believe in the eternal value of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice? Do we truly welcome his gift of redemption, and look forward to the glory of his final coming at the end time?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you were misunderstood and viciously accused. But as for us, we embrace your love. Let the power of your Holy Spirit be with us. Help us to bring order and justice to a world convulsed with the violence of evil and sin. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Jesus Lord, you are the mediator of the New Covenant. Through you, we receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. By your “once-and-for-all” sacrifice on the cross we are saved. We adore you and praise you as our saving Lord. Help us to be faithful to you so that, as we look forward to your final coming, we may give efficacious witness that you are indeed Christ, the eternal High Priest, living on in the heavenly sanctuary, now and forever. Amen

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness.” (Mk 3:26) // “Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time.” (Heb 9:28)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for perpetrators of blasphemy against God, especially those who do this making use of the means of social communication. Make an effort today to spread the Good News to the people around you. // By your life of holiness and service, manifest to the world the efficacy of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice.

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TUESDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: His True Family Does the Will of God … He Comes to Do God’s Will”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 10:1-10 // Mk 3:31-35

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 3:31-35): “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

In today’s Gospel (Mk 3:31-35), the relatives of Jesus misunderstand his public ministry as “crazy” and “overdone”. They want to take charge of him. They probably have pleaded with Mary to come and see the frantic situation involving her son Jesus. They arrive when a crowd is sitting around Jesus and listening to him. The relatives send in a message, asking for him. Jesus uses the moment to declare what true family means to him. Those who do the will of God are his mother, his brother and his sister. Jesus redefines the sacred boundary of the family in a radical way. The biological family is replaced with the larger family of God, that is, those who do the will of God, of whom his mother Mary is foremost. Jesus subordinates natural kinship to a higher bond of relationship based on the obedience of faith. Indeed, the “family of God” inaugurated by Jesus is greatly inclusive and faith-intensive.

The following missioner tale illustrates the beauty and warmth of belonging to a spiritual family based on the love and service of God and his people (cf. Jason Obergfell, “Missioner Tales” in Maryknoll, May/June 2011, p. 11).

Recently, Maryknoll Sister Marilyn Bell passed away in Bolivia after countless years of service here. She was a tough woman who was active until a few months before her death, which is why she died in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where I serve as a Maryknoll lay missioner, rather than in the United States. Although no one from Marilyn’s biological family in the States was able to attend her funeral, her death brought together her Maryknoll family of priests, Brothers, Sisters and lay missioners who also serve in Bolivia.

Just last year being in mission in Bolivia, I was unable to attend the funeral of my grandmother, but now I was able to attend Sister Marilyn’s funeral as a “grandson” in our Maryknoll family. It was an experience that revealed what we only strive to describe with words. The Maryknoll family of missioners, thrown together by chance but held together by love for one another, is a lived example of Jesus’ message – we are all family. Sister Marilyn’s family in Bolivia wasn’t just limited to Maryknollers. The church was filled with Bolivians who had become her family because of her love for them. Being a model of God’s family, bound together by our love for one another, may just be the most important thing any of us will accomplish in mission or in life.

B. First Reading (Heb 10:1-10): “Behold, I come to do your will, O God.”

Today’s First Reading (Heb 10:1-10) gives us a profound insight into the “why” of the Lord’s incarnation. The Son of God became man so that through his “body” he could offer a sacrifice of perfect obedience to the Father’s saving will. The effect of Christ’s perfect sacrifice is our salvation and redemption. Through the offering of the body of Christ for all, we have been sanctified and consecrated to the loving, merciful God the Father. Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, we are able to offer a sacrifice that is pleasing to God.

The following article in the Irish newspaper, Alive! (July/August 2009 issue, p. 6) extols the decision of a young Catholic couple to trust in God and accept the divine will. The moral commitment of Austin and Nuala Conway gives us an insight into Christ’s irrevocable resolve to follow the divine saving will.

The parents of Ireland’s first ever set of sextuplets decided to put their trust in God rather than follow the doctors’ immoral advice during their pregnancy. “These babies are a wonderful gift from God. Whatever God laid out for our lives we were taking it”, said 26-year-old Nuala Conway of Dunamore Co Tyrone. Doctors warned the married couple about the risks of a multiple pregnancy, and “more or less” advised them to have several of their unborn babies aborted. But the young Catholic couple rejected such a heartless solution and opted to trust in God and accept his will. “Doctors gave us a couple of days to think about it, but we knew without discussion what we both wanted”, said Nuala. “Whatever God laid out for our lives, we were taking it.”

The four girls and two boys, weighing between 1 lb 7 oz and 2 lb 7 oz, were delivered by Caesarian section 14 weeks early at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital, with the aid of 30 medical staff. In an interview with the Sunday Express, Mrs. Conway said, “I prayed as much as I could for a child. I would have been happy with one, but God blessed us with six, which is amazing.” It wasn’t until just three months before the birth that a scan showed she was carrying six babies. “I’m in love with every single one of them. I fell in love when they were in the womb. When one moved they would all move and I could definitely feel 24 limbs kicking”, she said.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we strive to belong truly to the family of God by our life of obedient faith and serving love?

2. Do you imitate Christ in his total submission to the Father’s saving will? Do you declare “through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ” with receptive heart: Behold, I come to do your will, O God?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus, you are our brother. You revealed to us the criterion for belonging to the family of God: by doing the Father’s saving will. We thank you for Mother Mary. She exemplifies in her life the obedient faith that makes us belong to God’s family. Teach us to be faithful children of God our Father. You live and reign, and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for Christ the Lord. At his incarnation, your divine Son avowed, Behold, I come to do your will, O God. For this wondrous mystery of love, we praise you, God our Father. Grant us the grace to follow our vocation to holiness and to live out our calling to perfect charity. We adore you and praise you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mk 3:35) // “Behold, I come to do your will, O God!” (Heb 10:7)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your acts of charity and compassion to the poor and vulnerable, prove to the world that you belong to the family of God and inspire people to be submissive to the divine saving will.

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WEDNESDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Sows the Seedling of the Word … He Makes Us Perfect by His Sacrifice”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 10:11-18 // Mk 4:1-20

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:1-20): “A sower went out to sow.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 4:1-20) depicts Jesus as sitting in the boat on the sea, with a large crowd gathered on the shore. The eager crowd of country folks has the potential of opening their hearts to the word of Jesus. To them he addresses the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed sown by the sower falls on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and on rich soil. In the first three cases nothing happens, but in the last case an abundant harvest is produced. Indeed, the coming of the kingdom of God means the abundance of all good. Jesus is the sower who sows abundantly the word of the Kingdom. The “seed” of the word is lavishly sown because the Lord wants to address all without discrimination.

Saint asserts: “The sower does not make distinctions between different soils; he simply throws the seed. Similarly, Jesus does not distinguish between rich and poor, learned and unschooled, careless and fervent, courageous and timid. His word concerns everybody.” Though the parable underscores the inherent fecundity of the seed of God’s kingdom, it also emphasizes the responsibility and the positive response to be given by the recipients of the “seed” of the divine word. We need to believe and be more open to God’s word.

The following is a testimony regarding the power of God’s word and one’s personal response to the offer of God’s kingdom (cf. Janet Perez Eckles in Daily Guideposts 2015, p. 90). Janet lost her sight at the age of 31, when her sons were 3, 5 and 7. She uses her own example of victory to teach others to triumph over trials. She lives in Orlando, Florida, and is warmed by the love of Gene, her husband of thirty-eight years, and the joy of her two grandchildren.

“Retinitis pigmentosa”, the doctor said, and finally the dreaded day came. I awoke, held my hands in front of my face, and saw nothing. At thirty-one, I was facing the rest of my life as a blind person. It terrified me.

“I can’t do this, God. I hate my life”, I whispered. How could God let a young mother go blind? Why would He refuse to answer my prayers for sight? Family and friends tried to support me, but none could understand the depth of my pain.

Then a friend called. “Come to my church. You’ll enjoy the service.” A trace of hope flickered, and I went. The message of Matthew 6:33 shook me. God was asking me to seek Him first. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I soaked in God’s Word. He promised to be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I believed it. I received it. And I applied it to my every moment as a wife and mom.

My life is peaceful now. Rest comes knowing God guides my footsteps, holds my future, and erases my fear.

B. First Reading (Heb 10:11-18): “He has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 10:11-18), the author of the letter to the Hebrews underlines for the umpteenth time the superiority of Christ’s priesthood over the Old Testament priesthood. The Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times, but they can never take away sins. In contrast, Christ offers one sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and is effective forever. By his death on the cross, Christ has made perfect forever those who share in his priestly consecration. The words of the Holy Spirit give witness to the efficacious power of the New Covenant for the transformation of hearts and the forgiveness of sins. God will remember our sins no more because, in Jesus, our sins are forgiven.

The Christian disciples who share in his priestly consecration by are called to live out in today’s world the meaning of forgiveness of sins and total conversion (cf. Patricia Treece, God Will Provide, Brewster: Paraclete Press, 2011, p. 159-160).

A nineteen-year-old student of metallurgic engineering, Paul Caporali had been surrendered to Christ since he fell “in love with him” somewhere around the age of sixteen or seventeen. Paul was home in his native Terni, with his mother, his fiancée, Lea, and his sister and her toddler on August 11, 1943, when American planes bombed the Italian city during WW II. Although Paul survived, and his father and two younger brothers were later found alive, after the bombing the young student found those he loved the most were dead. They had headed toward a shelter a few minutes too late. As he knelt at the grisly site, Paul wrote in his 2009 memoir, “I wanted to curse the bombers, but a deep surging of Christian piety arose … and looking up at the sky I called out, ‘Father, forgive them! They know not what they do!’ And I meant it. They’re soldiers, I thought, bowing my head. They are only carrying out commands.”

Experiencing “desolation too strong for tears”, Paul found in his fiancée’s purse a little prayer book he himself had given her. He read the words Lea would have meditated on that morning after her daily Mass: “Do not be overly distressed if I take something from you; it is mine and I take it back.” “Thanks a lot, Lord”, he said with momentary bitterness. Continuing reading, he came to the words, “If I take something good from you, it is to give you something better.” Lea had told Paul that if the devout youth ever felt a call to the priesthood she would work to put him through the seminary. “Trying to get rid of me?” he had teased this selfless woman – who, like him, put God above everything. Immediately with her death he knew marriage could no longer be in his future. Lea could never be replaced.

Some years after his harrowing loss, the ways of providence led Paul Caporali to become a Salesian priest sent to work in the very country whose bombers had killed those he loved. Because of that earlier, wholehearted forgiveness, the Italian priest has been able to help countless American souls forgive their own tragedies, opening them to all the joys of living in the flow of divine providence.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we thankful for the goodness and generosity of Jesus the Sower? Do we truly believe in the power of the word of God?

2. Do we value the efficacious “one sacrifice” that Christ offered to take away our sins? What is our response to God’s kindness and loving mercy?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO (The first prayer is by Nerses Snorhali in Jesus, Fils unique du Pere in Sources chretiennes 203, Paris: Cerf, 1973, p. 133)

I hardened myself like a rock; I became like the path; the thorns of the world have choked me and have made my soul unfruitful. But, O Lord, Sower of good, make the seedling of the Word grow in me so I may yield fruit in one of these three: Hundredfold, sixtyfold, or even thirtyfold. Thank you, loving Jesus, Amen.

*** God our Father, we thank you for the priestly consecration that we share with Christ, the eternal High Priest. We are grateful that in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are saved from sin. Help us to respond to your kindness and tender mercy and let us be renewed in your love. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.” (Mk 4:8) // “For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.” (Heb 10:14)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that the seed of the Kingdom may find rich soil to make it grow and be fruitful. Be attentive to the word of God in the liturgical assembly and in the daily events of life. // Pray that the Christian disciples of today may be instruments of the mercy and forgiving love of God. Practice the acts of forgiveness in your daily life.

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THURSDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Reveals the Mystery of the Kingdom … He Is the New and Living Way”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 10:19-25 // Mk 4:21-25

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:21-25): “A lamp is to be placed on a lamp stand. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you .”

Jesus Master continues to reveal himself not only through miraculous deeds, but also by his teaching. His parables were not meant to conceal the mystery of the Kingdom but to enable his audience to take his word to heart more personally and more profoundly. A lit oil lamp is not put under the bed or covered with a bushel basket, but placed on a stand to maximize its light-giving. The parables of Jesus, when received with humble hearts, are like an oil lamp that shines brightly from a stand. They shed light on the heavenly kingdom that Jesus proclaims. They challenge the audience to conversion and, when pondered dutifully and lovingly, they evoke their faith response.

Today’s Gospel (Mk 4:21-25) also contains a parable-like saying of Jesus about the measure that is given is the measure that is received and that to one who has more will be given while the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is a powerful invitation to respond wisely and generously to the kingdom of God. The wise person who seeks to grow in the knowledge of God is fully rewarded. Those who foolishly refuse to listen to Jesus would end up terrible losers. Indeed, the Divine Master calls us to an attentive hearing and true understanding of his saving word. Jesus calls his disciples to a deep spirituality.

The following charming story gives insight into what true light means and what deep spirituality entails (cf. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books, 1988, p. 161).

A Guru asked his disciples how they could tell when the night had ended and the day begun. One said, “When you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a cow or a horse.” “No”, said the Guru. “When you look at a tree in the distance and can tell if it is a neem tree or a mango tree.” “Wrong again”, said the Guru. “Well, then, what is it?” asked his disciples. “When you look into the face of any man and recognize your brother in him; when you look into the face of any woman and recognize in her your sister. If you cannot do this, no matter what time it is by the sun it is still night.”

B. First Reading (Heb 10:19-25): “Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope and consider how to raise one another to love.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 10:19-25), the author of the letter to the Hebrews enthusiastically describes the grace-filled situation resulting from Christ’s priestly offering on the cross. The Christian disciples now have access to the heavenly sanctuary “by the blood of Christ”, that is, through his sacrificial death that earned our salvation. Through the glorified humanity of Jesus, the new and living way, we are able to come near to God. Christ the Priest is our guide to a deeper relationship with God.

This privileged gift of access into the house of God obliges us to live in sincere faith, unwavering hope, and effective love. We are called to live our baptismal consecration to the full for Christ has washed us in his paschal blood. We are urged to hold on to the faith we profess because God is trustworthy. We are inspired to live in mutual love, showing concern for one another and encouraging each other to do good. Participation in the Eucharistic assemblies is a great stimulus for fraternal love and mutual encouragement. Hence, it is very unfortunate that some members of the congregation are neglecting to attend these Church gatherings. The imminence of the “Day of the Lord” makes the exhortation to live in faith, hope and love even more pressing.

The life of the great missionary to Russia, Fr. Ciszek, is an example of what it means to follow Jesus, “the new and living way” in today’s world (cf. Columbia, December 2012, p. 5). He is one who has held unswervingly to the faith that gives us hope and enables us love self-sacrificingly.

FATHER WALTER CISZEK (1904-1984): Born to Polish immigrant parents in the mining town of Shenandoah, Pa. Walter Ciszek grew up with a tough demeanor and often got into fights. To the surprise of his parents, he decided to become a priest and entered minor seminary in Michigan. Walter left to join the Jesuits in New York in 1928. In response to Pope Pius XI’s appeal for missionaries in Russia, he studied theology in Rome and was ordained to the Byzantine rite in 1937, receiving the name Father Vladimir.

Father Ciszek was first assigned to work in Poland. With the start of World War II two years later, he was able to enter Russia using false papers. In June 1941, the secret police arrested him under the suspicion that he was a spy. Father Ciszek spent five years in Moscow’s Lubianka prison, mostly in solitary confinement, and was subjected to torture and interrogation. He was then sent to serve a 15-year sentence at Gulag labor camp in Siberia. Amid brutal conditions, he managed to secretly celebrate Mass and hear the confessions of other prisoners.

Long presumed dead by his family and religious order, Father Ciszek was released under strict conditions in 1955. In 1963, he was allowed to return to the United States as a result of a prisoner exchange negotiated with the help of President John F. Kennedy.

After his return, Father Ciszek published a memoir titled With God in Russia (1964). In a second book, a spiritual reflection about his experience titled He Leadeth Me (1973), he explains how he found strength and comfort in realizing that God’s will was not an “abstract principle”, but was found in the unavoidable circumstances of any given day, even amid hardship and suffering.

Father Ciszek died in New York on December 8, 1984. His cause for began five years later.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I cherish the light of the Word of God and make it shine like a burning lamp on a stand? Do I dedicate myself to the meditation of God’s Word and the study of the parables of Jesus?

2. Trusting in the power of Christ’s priestly sacrifice and in the faithful love of God, do we hold unwaveringly to our confession of faith, to the hope that anchors it and to the love that gives substance to it?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord, your Word is a light that brightens our path. Help us to respond generously to your saving Word. Let it transform us and may we continue to grow in your love. You are our Divine Master, our way, truth and life. We love and adore you, now and forever. Amen.

*** O loving Father, your Son Jesus Christ is “the new and living way” to the heavenly sanctuary. His priestly sacrifice on the cross enables us to live in filial relationship with you. Help us to respond to such a gracious gift by upholding the faith we profess, the hope that anchors it and the love that gives substance to it. Teach us to nourish this gift in the sacred assembly and in our celebration of the saving mystery. We give you honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Is a lamp not to be placed on a lamp stand?” (Mk 4:21) // “Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope.” (Heb 10:23)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make an effort to study and meditate upon the Gospel parables. // Let your daily duties and acts of service to your family, friends, and the people around you be a manifestation of your faith, hope, and love for Jesus Christ.

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FRIDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Seed Grow … He Helps Us to Endure”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 10:32-39 // Mk 4:26-34

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:26-34): “A man scatters seed on the land and would sleep and the seed would sprout and grow; he knows not how.”

The farming images we have in today’s reading (Mk 4:26-34) are beautiful and powerfully symbolic. The parable of the growing seed while the farmer sleeps (verses 26- 29) teaches us that the growth of the Kingdom is inevitable and that it is God’s initiative. The image of the sleeping farmer shatters the illusion of those who believe that the coming of the Kingdom is under human control. The Kingdom grows by the power of God. Like a seed that breaks forth from the ground, God’s Reign has already irrupted into the world through Jesus’ ministry.

The parable of the mustard seed (verses 30-34) underlines the contrast between an insignificant beginning and the full growth of God’s kingdom. The tiny seed grows into a full-blown tree. This symbolizes the organic continuity between Jesus’ ministry, so disappointing to Israel’s hopes, and the future of the Kingdom of God, that would encompass both the Israelites and the Gentiles – indeed peoples from all nations and cultures.

We are called to promote the growth of the Kingdom of God and the integration of creation. The following story illustrates the value of our personal contribution to bringing about the fruition of the divine saving plan (cf. Fr. Eric Haarer, “The Old Man in the Plaza” in Catholic Digest, July-August 2011, p.66-67).

Barcelona, Spain is an amazing city … I had been walking all day and it was hot, in the 80s. I wanted a rest away from the hustle and bustle, so I ambled down a side street and sat on a low wall in a tiny plaza near the Gothic Quarter. To my right was a small fountain, basically a pipe in the wall that spilled drinking water into a cement basin. In front of me stood a sickly looking sapling. It received little light in this narrow plaza, and its leaves were drooping and discolored from thirst and exhaust. An older, well-dressed gentleman at the fountain was filling an empty plastic soda bottle. He walked over to the tree and poured the water at its base. He returned to the fountain for more, and again watered the tree. And again. And again. I stopped counting after 12 trips and was on my way before he finished.

This simple act of kindness touched me deeply. It reminded me of something Mother Teresa said about her work in India: “We don’t do great things; we do small things with great love”. (…) This gentle man was tending the Earth, and in this “small thing done with great love”, he did his part to bring hope and new life into the world. Certainly he brought it to one foot-sore pilgrim.

B. First Reading (Heb 10:32-39): “Do not throw away your confidence. It will have a great reward.”

In today’s First Reading (Heb 10:32-39), the author of the letter to the Hebrews reminds them of their identity and dignity as baptized Christians – those “enlightened” by the light of faith. Having welcomed the light of Christ, they have endured all sorts of suffering. They have suffered for their Christian identity and share in the similar sufferings of others. They have been publicly insulted and mistreated; dispossessed and put in prison. Yet they are not defeated by the struggle. They are not disheartened by the loss of belongings because they know that they still possess something that which would last forever. Indeed, they need to endure and not lose courage. They should remember the prophet ’s exhortation that the just one lives by faith. They have made a tremendous personal response in following Christ. It would be unfortunate if they give it up. Through the example of Christ in his passion, they will not turn back, but instead persevere in faith and be saved.

The following example of enduring faith in today’s society is very inspiring. Fr. Jon Sobrino, a Jesuit theologian based in El Salvador, gives us a firsthand account of an incident that illustrates Archbishop Oscar Romero’s radical faith response for Christ and his people.

“On May 19, 1977, the army went to Aguilares, expelled the three remaining Jesuits, desecrated the church and sacristy, and declared a state of emergency. After a month of the state of emergency, the army simply drove the people out of Aguilares. Archbishop Romero decided to go there at the first opportunity, denounce the atrocities that had been committed, and try to inspire a threatened, terrorized people with hope. ‘You are Christ today, suffering in history,’ he told them. After the Mass we held a procession of the Blessed Sacrament. We processed out into a little square in front of the church to make reparation for the soldiers’ desecration of the sacramental Body of Christ and the living Body of Christ, the murdered ‘campesinos’. Across the square, in front of the town hall, were armed troops, standing there watching us, sullen, arrogant and unfriendly. We were uneasy. In fact, we were afraid. We had no idea what might happen. And we all instinctively turned around and looked at Archbishop Romero, who was bringing up the rear, holding the monstrance. ‘Adelante! (Forward!)’, said Archbishop Romero. And we went right ahead.”

On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Romero was shot to death while celebrating the Mass, the blood of his martyred body mixing with the sacramental body and blood of Christ on the altar of Eucharistic sacrifice. His death was a priestly sacrifice radically united with the sacrificial offering of Jesus, the eternal Priest-Victim upon the cross. Archbishop Romero was beatified on May 23, 2015 in the capital city of El Salvador.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe in small beginnings and in the power of God to make his kingdom grow and embrace all nations and creation? What do we do to promote the growth?

2. Are we willing to live by faith and endure the sacrifices that Christian discipleship entails? Do we trust that, united with Christ, we will not be overcome by suffering and not be defeated by the struggle?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, how marvelous is the growth of the heavenly kingdom! It is a seed sown in human history by your messianic ministry. Its power irrupts into our lives and we are a part of its growth. We thank you for the power of life and the universal expanse of the kingdom of God. Grant that we may continue to give our very best – no matter how humble and insignificant – to promote the growth and fruition of God’s Reign upon earth and in all creation. We love you and praise you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for the light of faith and for our Christian identity. Give us the grace to endure the sufferings that our consecration to Christ entails. Let the passion of Christ be our strength and help us to believe that with faith we will have eternal life. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Once it is sown, it springs up.” (Mk 4:32) // “You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.” (Heb 10:36)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for social justice and the integration of creation. In view of the integration of God’s creation, practice proper waste management in your household using the ecological principles: reduce, reuse and recycle. // Be courageous to uphold the social teaching of the Church in the public square.

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SATURDAY: THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calms the Raging Sea … He Calls Us to Faith”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 // Mk 4:35-41

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 4:35-41): “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (Gospel Reflection by Andy Ruperto, Fresno, CA – U.S.A.)

Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? Lord, who are You? Is this not the question we must constantly ponder? In today’s Gospel we again see Jesus’ disciples continuing on their journey of faith and asking, “Lord, who are You? You have power over the wind and the sea!”

In this event, we must place ourselves in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. The wind and waves are beginning to violently shake the boat. The disciples are stumbling around and yelling, trying to get things under control. I do not know what it must have been like being in a potentially life-threatening storm, but I do remember being in a motorboat with family on a lake. When the front of the boat took on some water, because it was too heavy, there were screams and a bit of hysteria. How much more so if we were in a violent storm?

In the meantime, our Lord is asleep in the stern. So, then the disciples ask – “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” This is a question I sometimes ask in different life situations. God, do You not know what I’m going through?” “Why is this happening to me?” Sometimes I ‘feel’ like my life is ending or that I cannot go on. There are too many storms – confusion, stress, studies, relationships, finances … So I ask, “Lord, do You not care that I am perishing?”

Jesus then comes in power, and stills the storms with His word and says, “Peace! Be still.” This is the peace that comes from Jesus and it is a peace not as the world gives it. Christ is the only way to true peace. Here, our Lord Jesus shows His power over the wind and sea and amazes the disciples. Jesus is GOD. He is powerful. He is mighty. He can do anything. He can calm these modern-day storms. He is also humble and sometimes we cannot see through the veil of humanity.

A friend once told me that the hard part for God is not the miracles, but changing human hearts. It seems that in this event, our Lord Jesus was using the storm to awaken the disciples’ hearts to faith. He asks them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”

The “good news” of the reading today is one that was constantly repeated by our late Holy Father, John Paul II. It was the message, “Do not be afraid!” Our Lord tells us not to let our hearts be troubled. He is with us, and so what can we fear? He will take care of us. It is our faith that enables us not to fear. Let us always call on the name of Jesus in the stormy chapters of our lives. In these times let us quickly say, “Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You …”

B. First Reading (Heb 11:1-2, 8-19): “He was looking forward to the city whose architect and maker is God.”

Today’s Second Reading (Heb 11:1-2, 8-19) gives beautiful insight into the meaning of faith. According to the author of the letter to the Hebrews, faith assures us of the reality of what is hoped for and gives evidence of things not seen. God’s own assurances are behind the object of our faith. Though we may not understand the events of our lives, we trust in the benevolent God and his saving word. Abraham and other manifested great faith in God’s oath of salvation, which was fulfilled in due time. We therefore imitate our great ancestors in faith.

The following story illustrates models of faith in today’s situation (cf. Patricia Normile, “Caregivers Need Care Too” in Saint Anthony Messenger (May 2010, p. 22-26). Both the caregiver and the dying person are animated with dynamic faith. In our preparation for the eternal encounter with God, we must trust in his goodness, mercy and saving promise. The faith of a Christian is rooted, informed and deepened by the word of God spoken in his Son Jesus Christ.

Caregivers often share with patients the wisdom of Scripture and God’s mercy. A hospice visitor, Deacon Amado Lim of Blue Ash, Ohio, knew Richard well. World War II veteran, great story teller, man with a fine sense of humor, Richard (name has been changed) was a joy to visit. Then one evening Deacon Lim noted that he looked unusually sad. “I asked him why”, says the deacon. He said, “I was afraid.”

Richard continued, “I’ve shared many stories, but there’s one story I’ve not told you or anyone.” When Richard’s unit attacked a Nazi hiding place in Belgium, they met heavy fire and his best friend was mortally wounded. “I became livid”, Richard said. “I entered the building with my gun blazing. I saw two Nazi soldiers fall. I rushed toward them. They sprawled on the floor, covered with blood. I saw their faces. They were barely 12 years old – children! They didn’t say anything, just looked at me. Their faces were pleading, begging for mercy. My adrenaline pumped furiously. I shot them both. The faces of those boys have haunted me ever since. I cannot erase their images from my mind. Now I’m dying. I’m afraid to stand before God. He’ll never forgive me for what I did to those boys.”

Deacon Lim invited Richard to describe God. To Richard, God was a just God who rewards good and punishes evil. Voice trembling, Richard said that he couldn’t imagine God forgiving anyone who hurts children. Deacon Lim asked Richard to read aloud Bible stories describing God’s mercy. When the repentant criminal crucified on Calvary begged, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”, Jesus replied, “Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:42-43). Richard wept. When Deacon Lim returned later, Richard smiled. “I’m no longer afraid. Jesus forgave the criminal. He forgives me because he knows how sorry I am.” Richard died two days later.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe in faith that God is in control? Do we place our trust in Jesus whom even the wind and sea obey? Do we derive strength from the fact that the Lord Jesus masters the storms and the raging seas?

2. Do we experience in our daily life the assertion of the author of the letter to the Hebrews: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO (Prayer n. 1 by Andy Ruperto, Fresno, CA-USA)

So, Lord, who are You? You are my refuge, savior and teacher in the storms. You are GOD! I have often tried to control the storms myself. Let me learn to go through them with You, having recourse to You when I find myself in trouble. Peace! Be still my soul! Know that Jesus is GOD and that He does care and that He loves me. Mother Mary, you know our Lord so intimately. Please purify our faith in Him. Form us into His likeness and into fearless . Amen.

*** Loving Father, how great was the faith of Abraham, Sarah and our ancestors in your saving promise. Help us to heed the call of Jesus to live our faith in vigilance and readiness for the advent of your kingdom of love, justice and peace. Deepen our faith by your living Word spoken in your Son Jesus. We praise and glorify you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mk 4:41) // “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Offer comfort and assistance to those whose faith is wavering. Share with those who are overwhelmed in the sea of sorrows the comforting presence of Jesus who masters the winds and the raging seas. // To grasp more deeply the meaning of Christian faith and respond to its challenges, spend some moments of quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

*** Text of Week 3 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 40) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 4

MONDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Breaks the Power of Evil And Has a Cloud of Old Testament Witnesses”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 11:32-40 // Mk 5:1-20

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 5:1-20): “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”

In today’s Gospel reading (Mk 5:1-20), the description of the Gerasene demoniac whom Jesus will exorcise is horrifying. He continually gashes himself. He breaks the chains and smashes the irons on his feet to inflict more harm upon himself. The power of evil that possesses him is a “legion” (literally six thousand foot soldiers, plus horsemen and some technical personnel). He is beyond control and is alienated. He drives himself to self-destruction. The demoniac lives in a state of death, dwelling among the tombs, the place of death, and on the hillside wilderness, symbol of desolation, loneliness and danger.

Jesus of Nazareth, who has just tamed the sea, meets the self-destructive Gerasene. In an act of compassion, he liberates him from evil powers. The liberated Gerasene, who is not chosen to belong to the “twelve”, is sent by Jesus to his family to witness to them the kindness of the Lord. The healed Gerasene becomes a missionary to the Decapolis (“Ten Cities”), populated by the Gentiles. He prepares the place for Jesus’ return (Mk 7:31) and ministry of healing to non-Jews. Indeed, the Good News is meant for all peoples and the immense power of Jesus is for the liberation of everyone from the power of sin and evil.

The following ministry of a Franciscan priest gives a glimpse into what we can do today to liberate our brothers and sisters from self-destruction and death-dealing situations (cf. Father Larry Dunphy, “Jail Ministry: Holiness in an Unlikely Place” in The Way of St. Francis, July-August 2010, p. 11-16).

I also found out that there was need for a Catholic priest at the county jail … I estimate that there are about 1,000 men and women in the jail … When I first started, I only had three or four men to visit. They were not ready for Communion and it took me more than a year to get clearance to celebrate Mass. Initially we just talked. This is where I get the most satisfaction. They told me some of their stories, and they asked questions – some of which were rather challenging. I was surprised to learn that one of them had been a daily communicant “on the outside”. The numbers gradually increased. Sometimes a person on the outside would request that I visit a resident.

One of the residents on my list early in my tenure was in the section reserved for those considered the most dangerous. At first I was not allowed to visit him. He was over six feet tall and very strong, and the officers were obviously afraid of him. After several requests, we finally were able to visit, while an officer stood about three feet away and watched. I discovered this man was spiritually quite hungry. He spent most of his time reading the Bible and praying. Eventually the officers allowed me to sit in a locked classroom alone with him … Though in his early twenties, he was looking at life in prison without parole. He told me that he felt he was in prison for a reason, so that he could help others spiritually. He planned to use his prison time to try to help others find a way to Christ … This man told me that he felt so much better after visiting with me, that he was able to be calmer and more able to control his tendency to violent anger.

B. First Reading (Heb 11:32-40): “By faith they have conquered kingdoms. God had foreseen something better for us.”

In the reading (Heb 11:32-40), the author of the letter to the Hebrews delineates the faith of the righteous in the Old Testament. He depicts an impressive general picture of the sufferings and the triumphs of the faith-filled Old Testament heroes. They were stoned (example: the prophet Zechariah); they were sawn in two (example: the prophet ); they were killed by the sword. They were persecuted, mistreated, mocked, whipped, imprisoned and deprived of their possessions. The travails they endured were a presage of the passion of Jesus Christ. The triumphs of their faith evoked the glorification of the Christ. Their refusal to accept earthly deliverance anticipated the heroic stance of Jesus Christ in his life-giving passion. Though the record of what the Old Testament heroes achieved was impressive, the realization of the promise they had hoped for took place only by the saving work of Jesus Christ. Thanks to Christ’s “single offering” God’s promise of ultimate salvation and benediction to our ancestors has been fulfilled!

Today’s Christian disciples are called to continue the stimulating example of our faith-filled Old Testament heroes. We are called to let the faith of Christ and his passion live on in the here and now. The passion of Christ continues to be the passion of the Church and of every Christian disciple. The martyrdom of Fr. Thomas Pandippall, a Carmelite of Mary Immaculate priest from India, is an example. He was brutally murdered on August 16, 2008, on his way from a mission in Burgida, Andhra Pradish, by a group of Hindu extremists who broke his hands and legs, tore out his eyes, beat him with sticks and stabbed him repeatedly (cf. “Catholic Martyrs a Daily Reality” in L’Osservatore Romano, September 3, 2008, p. 5-6). Archbishop Joji Marampudi, Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Andhra Pradesh, gave the following statements in an interview granted to L’Osservatore Romano journalist, Roberto Sgaramella:

They killed Fr. Thomas for three reasons: because he was a religious, because he was a Christian and because he was charitable to the poor. His attackers were waiting for him on his way home from one of our missions in Burgida. He was probably waylaid at about 10:00 o’clock in the evening, not far from the village of Bellampally, an area unfortunately known for acts of violence perpetrated there by groups of Hindu fanatics. They stopped him while he was returning on his motorcycle and clubbed him with sticks. They then ferociously slashed his body with knives. I myself went there the following morning and saw his blood mingled with the dust. I saw the mess they had made of his body.

He was killed because Catholic missionaries take the side of the poor in this region where, in fact, a rigid form of slavery still exists, linked to farming the land. The landowners do not recognize that the peasants have any rights and use bands of Hindu fanatics to thwart anyone who attempts to improve the standard of living of the rural population. (…)

To be a Christian and, in particular, a Catholic, is a very courageous choice, but a choice that puts one’s own life and that of one’s relatives at risk … I would like to call the authorities’ attention to our men and women missionaries. Various groups of Sisters work constantly for the needy in relatively isolated localities where there are absolutely no policemen. They work at a serious risk to themselves. They work for children and the elderly. They help mothers and the sick. They organize classes for illiterate youth. They work trusting in God’s protection alone. They do their utmost to help their neighbor and thereby bear witness to the Gospel. I am thinking of these absolutely heroic missionary Sisters. I am thinking of the missionary priests who never fail to go to the help of the lowly as, precisely Fr. Thomas. I am thinking of our little Church of Hyderabad. It is a small Church because of the number of the faithful but certainly large from the point of view of their heroism – heroism because of their constant witness to faith in God and in the Gospel.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are there evil tendencies that possess us and prevent us from becoming the person God intends us to be? What are they, and what do we do about them? Do we pray to Jesus for liberation?

2. Are we willing to follow the example of the Old Testament faith-filled heroes and, above all, of Jesus Christ, the ultimate model of faith? Are we ready to make ourselves a sacrifice for the faith we profess?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, deliver us from evil. As you liberated the Gerasene from evil powers, free us from sinful tendencies and vicious addictions that lead to self-destruction. Let your blood-bath on the cross cleanse us. May we proclaim your mercy to all the nations. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Jesus Lord, you have a cloud of Old Testament witnesses. Their sterling example of faith inspires us to proclaim with stout heart our own “Credo” in today’s secularized and hostile world. Loving Lord, help us to rejoice in your promise of salvation brought to fulfillment on the cross of life. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The man began to proclaim what Jesus had done for him.” (Mk 5:20) // “God had foreseen something better for us.” (Heb 11:40)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

By your acts of compassion, bring the liberating power of Jesus to those who are in oppressive situations, e.g. those dealing with substance and drug abuse, the victims of sexual violence, etc. // When you are beset by trials and difficulties, allow the faith of the Old Testament heroes and of Christ to inspire you to be faithful to the all-compassionate and all-knowing God.

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TUESDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Breaks the Power of Death … He Is the Leader and Perfecter of Faith”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 12:1-4 // Mk 5:21-43

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 5:21-43): “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 5:21-43) presents two women who were in the clutches of death: a twelve year old sick girl who died physically and a bleeding woman who died virtually for twelve years. The woman hemorrhaging for twelve years was considered unclean by Jewish law and thus experienced a social death with all the separation and desolation it entails. The compassionate Jesus manifested great power in healing the bleeding woman and in raising Jairus’ twelve-year-old daughter to life. The two women experienced a “resurrection” event - a passage from death to life. Jesus the Healer, who broke demonic powers, has power to destroy death and raise us to new life. The courageous faith of the bleeding woman and the indomitable trust of Jairus inspire us to trust in Jesus. In every death-dealing situation, Jesus Savior exhorts us, “Do not be afraid; just have faith!”

The following beautiful story testifies that resurrection events and miracles continue to happen if only we have faith and trust in Jesus (cf. Brian Thatcer, M.D. “The Greater the Sinner, the Greater the Mercy” in Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, et. al. West Chester: Ascension Press, 2004, p. 186-190).

On September 9, 1995, the fruit of our healed marriage was born – John Paul. He was special from the start. At his birth, he struggled with life; turning blue and unable to breathe. We prayed intently and John Paul soon stabilized and fully rebounded. A friend distributing Holy Communion walked into the room and said, “Wow, what happened? I can really feel the presence of God.”

I understood in my heart how God had truly blessed us. My three oldest, Andrea, thirteen, Bryan, eleven, and Patricia, eight, did not always fully understand the changes from being doctor’s kids to children of one dedicated to a simple life of service to God. And yet they surely benefited from the renewal of our marriage and my commitment to fatherhood as a holy vocation.

In early November, fourteen months later, I returned home from a conference in the early morning hours. That evening a Mass was going to be celebrated in our home. In spite of very little sleep, I awoke early to take care of some outside work. I stepped onto our back patio, opened the gate to our swimming pool, and walked out to the backyard. Young Bryan suddenly yelled from the front for help starting the lawnmower. After helping him, I was reminded that it was time to drive Andrea to swim practice. We jumped in the car with Patricia and hurried off.

While on our way, I received a call on my cell phone from Bryan. “Dad”, he said in a strained voice, “John Paul is dead. Someone left the pool gate open.” Susan had found John Paul lifeless; he was not breathing and did not have a palpable heartbeat. As a trained nurse, she was already administering CPR in an effort to pump life back into John Paul’s little fourteen-month-old body.

I told the girls what had happened and we immediately said a Hail Mary together. The rest of the drive was spent in tears and silent prayers. “Jesus, have mercy on John Paul and me”, I cried. Guilt overwhelmed me as I envisioned my helpless little boy bobbing up and down in the pool, all because I left the gate open. John Paul had been a part of my healing – a child promised for Susan and me. “Jesus, why would You take him from us now?” my heart cried.

Then, as I frantically had to wait at a red light, I was suddenly hit with the scripture story from Genesis of Abraham being asked to offer his son, , up to God. “God, are you asking me for my son?” I asked, my heart breaking. It was the moment of truth for me. I had been preaching trust in God’s Divine Mercy for four years. God was calling me to a deeper trust. I wanted my little boy to live. I loved him with all my heart. Could I accept God’s will if it meant never holding John Paul again in my life?

“Jesus”, I prayed. “I trust in You, in all situations. I submit to Your will, whatever that means.” I told God that I did not understand why He would take John Paul from us at this time, but that I offered my son back to Him. I also thanked God for the time He had given us with John Paul. I told Jesus that I placed my trust in Him and wanted only that His will be done. I reflected on the deep trust of Abraham as he was told to sacrifice Isaac. I felt a deep sense of peace after that.

When we arrived at the house, the emergency squad had also gotten there. Although John Paul was bloated and unresponsive, Susan felt a slight pulse after doing CPR. I was ecstatic. There was still hope! Upon arriving at the hospital, I called my sister who lives in another town and asked her to pray for John Paul that night with her prayer group. Over the next thirty-six hours, John Paul’s mental clarity improved hourly. Within two days, he was released, totally normal!

B. First Reading (Heb 12:1-4): “Let us persevere in running the race that lies before us.”

Today’s Second Reading (Heb 12:1-4) presents running in the race as a metaphor for Christian life. We must get rid of whatever impedes us as we run in the spiritual race. Above all, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, “the leader and perfecter of faith”. He is the foundation of our faith having imaged what true faith means. He endured the opposition of sinners and the pain of the cross. He went to the extreme in putting up with so much hatred from sinners. On account of his faith and fidelity, God has glorified him. His glorious passion allows believers to have access to “full assurance of faith”. The awesome example of Jesus sustains the Christian disciples in their struggle against sin. We should therefore not let ourselves be discouraged and we should not to give up in our “struggle against sin”.

The life of the Sicilian priest Father Pino Puglisi who, in his priestly ministry, is a beautiful example of resisting evil and sin “to the point of shedding blood” (cf. Katia Di Roucco, “Father Pino Puglisi Embodies in Himself the Word and Death of Christ”, in Il Rosario e la Nuova Pompei, September/October 2012, p. 8-11).

Giuseppe Puglisi was born on September 15, 1937, in , in the infamous neighborhood of “Brancaccio”, characterized by poverty, high moral degradation and organized crime. He himself was of humble origins, the son of a cobbler and a dressmaker. He was ordained a priest on July 2, 1960, and on the stampita-souvenir he condenses his program: “O Lord, that I be a valuable tool in your hands for the salvation of the world.” Since then his life has been a continuous commitment: collaborator of various parishes, chaplain of the Roosevelt orphanage, parish priest in Godrano, a village ravaged by a fierce battle between Mafia families, where Don Pino can bring reconciliation and peace by practicing the power of forgiveness, addressing himself especially to the wives, the mothers, to the children. (…)

He is interested in the social problems of the most marginalized districts of the city. He follows closely the proceedings of Vatican II and spreads quickly its documents among the faithful, with special regard to the renewal of liturgy, the role of the laity, the values of ecumenism and of the local churches. His desire was always that of embodying the message of Jesus Christ in the territory.

In 1990, he was entrusted with the parish of St. Gaetano, within the Brancaccio quarter where he himself was born. That area was then controlled by the Mafia. (…) A few months after taking over in the parish of St. Gaetano, Don Pino opened the Our Father center entrusted to the Sisters of the Poor, whose primary purpose is that of human promotion and evangelization … When going against the tide, Don Pino was aware that he was being required the sacrifice of his life to follow Christ. (…)

The Mafia decided to eliminate him. And in 1993, on the day of his 56th birthday, he was murdered with a bullet in his nape … His pastoral work was the only motive for the killing. For this, many voices were raised to seek the recognition of martyrdom and, five years after his assassination, Cardinal established the ecclesiastical Court to start the investigation that ended in 2001, and the dossier is now under review by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.

Here is the motivation of the crime in the written judgment of the Court of Assises: “The figure of a priest emerges who worked tirelessly in the territory, out of the shade of the bell-tower … The work of Don Puglisi became a snare and a thorn on the side of the emerging criminal group that dominated the area, because it was an element of subversion in the context of the conservative, oppressive Mafia order which had been imposed in the area, against which the priest appeared to be one of the most tenacious and brave opponents. All projects and initiatives started by the priest, which have been reported in detail by his collaborators and people close to him, crown the figure of an austere and rigorous religious man, not a contemplative one but fully inserted in the social field, immersed in the difficult neighborhood reality, lucid and disenchanted but not bitter and disillusioned, defeated or weakened by threats, intimidations and open conflicts with the men of the local Mafia establishment. Don Puglisi had chosen not only to “reconstruct” the spiritual and religious sentiments of his faithful, but also siding, concretely, without veils of ambiguity and complicit silence, on the part of the weak and marginalized.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. In death-dealing situations, do I put my trust in Jesus and cling to his words, “Do not be afraid; just have faith”?

2. Do we resolve to follow Jesus Christ, “the leader and perfecter of faith” even at the cost of sacrifice?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus, we trust in you. You exhort us, “Do not be afraid; just have faith”. Strong is your love and great is your power. In death-dealing situations we turn to you for help. In our affliction, we stretch out our hand to touch you, believing that in you we will be healed. You break the power of death. You are our life and resurrection. We give you thanks and praise, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, your Son Jesus endured the cross for the sake of the eternal joy that lay before him. By virtue of his glorious passion, let us be strengthened in our struggle against sin and the structuralized evil in today’s society. Be with us that we may resist the power of evil and sin even to the point of shedding blood. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Do not be afraid; just have faith.” (Mk 5:36) // “Persevere in running the race … keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus” (Heb 12:2)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for those who are in death-dealing situations that they may courageously trust in God. By your acts of charity to the sick and the dying, allow Christ’s power over death to shine. // By your personal commitment to live out the principles of justice and peace at home, in the neighborhood and in the local Church and by opposing structuralized evil in the society, let the faith of Christ flourish in the land.

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WEDNESDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Was Rejected by His Own … He Makes Us Share in His Filial Suffering”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 12:4-7, 11-15 // Mk 6:1-6

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 6:1-6): “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place.”

The following story narrated by Anthony de Mello in his book, The Song of the Bird, illustrates poignantly the irony contained in today’s Gospel reading (Mk 6:1-6).

Nasruddin earned his living selling eggs. Someone came to his shop one day and said, “Guess what I have in my hand.” “Give me a clue,” said Nasruddin. “I shall give you several: It has the shape of an egg, the size of an egg. It looks like an egg, tastes like an egg, and smells like an egg. Inside it is yellow and white. It is liquid before it is cooked, becomes thick when heated. It was, moreover, laid by a hen.” “Aha! I know!” said Nasruddin. “It is some sort of cake!”

It is ironic. The expert misses the obvious. And it was also with irony that the neighbors of Jesus of Nazareth missed the obvious. They thought they knew every detail about him. In purporting to have complete knowledge of his personal data, they ended up showing their ignorance. Their knowledge of “the carpenter, the son of Mary” was superficial. Their prejudice prevented them from believing and responding to the Christ, the Son of God.

In today’s reading (Mk 6:1-6), we come face to face with the mystery of a resisting and unbelieving heart. Mark’s narrative illustrates the human possibility and reality of closing one’s heart and mind to the Prophet of truth and Savior of the world. It is ironic that the saving Lord, who would be the object of Peter’s faith declaration: “You are the Christ.” (Mk 8:30) and the centurion’s climactic confession at the foot of the cross: “Truly this man was the Son of God.” (Mk 15:39), was not welcomed by the neighbors of Jesus. According to Mark, “they took offense at him”. They were prejudiced by the utter ordinariness of his background. Disappointment and rejection are part and parcel of the mission of Jesus, as well as of his disciples and the Church.

B. First Reading (Heb 12:4-7, 11-15): “The Lord disciplines those he loves.”

Today’s first reading (Heb 12:4-7, 11-15) underlines that suffering is part of God’s saving plan because it conforms us more closely to his Divine Son who suffered for our sake. The trials to be endured by the Christian disciples are a divine discipline that leads to maturity and grace. Because the suffering disciples share in the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, they too share in his son-ship. They would surely reap the peaceful reward of a righteous life. Hence, they are exhorted to keep walking on the right path with renewed strength. They must guard against turning back from the grace of God. They must keep the integrity of the Christian community through a peaceful and holy life. They must avoid harming the community through apostasy or infidelity.

The life of Saint Paul Miki and his companions is a beautiful example of total participation in the passion of Christ and their configuration into the Divine Son through suffering (cf. Patricia Mitchell, “A Samurai’s Noble Death: The Witness of St. Paul Miki” in The WORD Among Us, February 1-March 8, 2011, p. 59-64).

Paul Miki saw sparkling Nagasaki harbor coming into view. The six-hundred- mile trek from the Japanese capital of Kyoto through the cold and snow was nearly over. It had taken almost one month. Along the road, villagers jeered at him and the others who had been sentenced to die for their Christian beliefs. “Fools”, the shouted, “Renounce your faith.” Miki, who loved to preach, urged the people to believe in Jesus, the Savior who died for their sins. Not all were insulting the prisoners, however. Fellow believers encouraged and prayed for them, giving them the strength and courage to continue on.

Miki thought how odd it was that he was to die before his ordination as a priest. Now thirty-three years old, he has been a Jesuit brother in training for eleven years. His eloquent and fervent preaching has led to many conversions. Yet he would never celebrate Mass; never raise the consecrated Host in his own hands.

Flourishing Faith: His thoughts often turned to his family. Miki had been born and raised near Kyoto in comfortable surroundings, the son of a brave samurai. A fellow Jesuit, Francis Xavier, had come to Japan forty-eight years earlier, in 1549, and his message of a loving God had won over hundreds of thousands of Japanese. Miki’s parents converted in 1568, when Paul was four. They nurtured his faith and sent him to Jesuit schools; he never doubted his vocation to the priesthood.

The seeds planted by Xavier flourished, but only when it suited the reigning ruler. The military leader Oda Nobunaga allowed the missionaries to preach because he wanted to challenge the power of the Buddhist monks and he was interested in foreign trade. But the next ruler, Toyotumi Hideyoshi, became nervous as more and more Japanese turned to Christ. Christianity was a religion of foreigners, very different from Buddhism or the native Shintoism, which enshrined numerous minor gods. Japan feared conquest by the West. So Hideyoshi worried: What if these foreign missionaries came not to bring their God but their soldiers?

Blessed Are the Persecuted: In the fall of 1596, a Spanish ship crashed into the coast of Japan. While Japanese officials confiscated its cargo, an arrogant remark by the ship’s captain was interpreted to mean that missionaries intended to help Spain conquer Japan. Hideyoshi quickly ordered the arrest of several priests and laymen who had come from the Spanish Philippines to evangelize. He was convinced that a public bloodbath would put an end to this religion of the West. Although a native, Miki was among those who would serve as Hideyoshi’s warning.

On the day after Christmas in 1596, police came to the Jesuit residence in Osaka, and took Miki and two other novices. In prison, they were joined by six Franciscans and fifteen members of the Franciscan third order. A week later, the prisoners were led into the Kyoto public square, where the sentence was pronounced: death by crucifixion. Miki’s heart soared. What an honor to imitate his Lord! Each man then stood by Hideyoshi’s samurai as a portion of his left ear was cut off. It was Miki’s turn, and searing pain shot through his head – the first blood to be spilled for Christ. Then the forced march to Nagasaki began.

The Road to the Cross: Under a feudal lord, Nagasaki had become a Christian town, with Jesuits running schools, churches, and homes for the poor. As the caravan entered, thousands of Christians lined the streets. For the twenty-six prisoners (two more had been added to the group), it was like coming home! If Hideyoshi had intended the crucifixion to scare people away from Christianity, his plan was having the opposite effect. On the morning of February 5, Miki and the others were led up Nishizaka Hill. One side of the road, where common criminals were executed was covered with human remains; the other was covered with new, green wheat. The government official in charge of the executions had decided to give the martyrs a more decent killing field, and the wheat would be a carpet for their crosses.

Lying on the ground were twenty-six crosses, each one tailor-made for one of the martyrs. Seeing them, the prisoners began singing the Te Deum, the church’s traditional hymn of thanksgiving. Three youngsters in the group – thirteen-year- olds Thomas Kozaki and Anthony Deynan, and twelve-year-old Louis Ibaraki – raced ahead to find the crosses that fit their small frames. One by one, on their knees, the martyrs embraced their crosses – their way to perfection.

Soldiers tied them on with metal bands and ropes. Then the crosses were lifted and slid into holes in the ground – twenty-six stretching in a row from the bay to the road. The martyrs raised their eyes to heaven and sang, “Praise the Lord, ye children of the Lord.” The Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus of the Mass echoed down the hill. One of the prisoners chanted, “Jesus, Mary. Jesus, Mary”. The crowds of Christians joined in. Then, one by one, the martyrs were given a chance to renounce Christ in exchange for their lives. Each one loudly answered, “No”.

Song of a Samurai: Planted in front of Miki’s cross was the death sentence Hideyoshi had pronounced: “As these men came from the Philippines under the guise of ambassadors, and chose to stay in Kyoto preaching the Christian law which I have severely forbidden all these years, I come to decree that they be put to death, together with the Japanese who had accepted that law.”

Fastened to his cross, Paul Miki gave his defense and final address in the form of a samurai farewell song: “I did not come from the Philippines. I am Japanese by birth, and a brother of the Society of Jesus. I have committed no crime. The only reason I am condemned to die is that I have taught the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy to die for such a cause and accept death as a great gift from my Lord. At this critical time, when you can rest assured that I will not try to deceive you, I want to stress and make it unmistakably clear that man can find no way to salvation other than the Christian way. The Christian law commands that we forgive our enemies and those who have wronged us. I must therefore say here that I forgive Hideyoshi and all who took part in my death. I do not hate Hideyoshi, I would rather have him and all the Japanese become Christians.”

The guards listened, spellbound. Miki had shown he could remain a faithful Japanese, adhere to the samurai code of honor, and still give glory to Christ. Looking to heaven, he said, “Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Come to meet me, you saints of God.” While embracing his culture and showing his warrior’s courage, he had gone beyond the samurai need to save face and avenge personal wrongs. By preaching love of enemies as his farewell, Paul Miki showed himself a faithful samurai of the greatest Lord of all.

The Legacy of Resurrection Hill: Two samurai guards stood at the foot of each of the crosses at either end of the line of prisoners. In one moment, each soldier plunged his steel-tipped bamboo spear into the victim’s breast, crossing over each other’s spear in the process. A guttural yell, a sudden thrust, the gush of blood. And it was over. When the gruesome deed was done, the Christians in the crowd pressed toward the crosses, soaking pieces of cloth in the martyrs’ blood and tearing their clothing for relics. Only with difficulty did the guards manage to keep them away.

A month later, a Jesuit missionary in Nagasaki wrote his superior that, even in death, the martyrs were still bearing witness to Christ: “These deaths have been a special gift of divine Providence to this church. Up to now our persecutor had not gone to the extreme of shedding Christian blood. Our teaching therefore had been mostly theoretical, without the corroborating evidence of dying for our faith. But now, seeing by experience these remarkable deaths and most extraordinary deaths, it is beyond belief how much our new Christians have been strengthened, how much encouragement they have received to do the same themselves.”

Today, some four hundred years after their deaths, the twenty-six martyrs of Nagasaki continue to inspire people. They are canonized saints now, and the place is a pilgrimage destination, with a church, museum, and bronze monument. Pope John Paul II visited the site in 1981 and named it “Resurrection Hill”.

On the eve of his execution, thirteen-year-old Thomas Kozaki, who was to die with his father, wrote a farewell letter to his mother. Full of simple yet steadfast faith, the power of this letter, like the power of the cross, has not diminished over the years: “Dear Mother: Dad and I are going to heaven. There we shall wait for you. Do not be discouraged even if all the priests are killed. Bear all sorrow for our Lord and do not forget you are now on the true road to heaven. You must not put my smaller brothers in pagan families. Educate them yourself. These are the dying wishes of father and son. Goodbye, Mother dear. Goodbye.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How deep is our faith in Jesus? Is it deep enough to allow him to be effective in our midst? Did we ever close our heart to his saving presence and inspiration?

2. Do we believe in the positive and spiritual dimension of human suffering? How do we respond to the trials and difficulties we meet in our daily life?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, your co-citizens were scandalized by your humble “roots”. Your neighbors were prejudiced because you were “merely” a carpenter, and they knew you “simply” as the son of Mary. You were not able to perform mighty deeds in Nazareth for their lack of faith. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, help us to have true faith in you. You are the true prophet who speaks the word of life. We welcome you in our hearts. Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening.

*** God our Father, we thank you for letting us share in your Son’s redemptive sacrifice. We believe in the grace of human suffering. By partaking in the passion of Christ, we are configured into him as the Servant-Son. Help us to endure our trials as formative “discipline” and guide us by your almighty hand. We love and trust you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mk 6:6) // “Endure your trials as ‘discipline’. God treats you as his sons.” (Heb 12:7)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for all missionaries that they may carry out their mandate with absolute trust in God and apostolic zeal. Be a missionary to a person close to you and in need of the healing power of the Gospel. // By your acts of charity and kindness, strengthen the faith of those who are in great need and difficulty.

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THURSDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Summons and Sends Out the Twelve … He Is the Mediator of the New Covenant”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 12:18-29, 21-24 // Mk 6:7-13

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 6:7-13): “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out.”

The Burnham couple, Martin and Gracia, who were serving in the Philippines as missionaries, were captured by the dreaded Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group in Southern Philippines whose primary activities were kidnapping and extortion. Gracia survived 14 months of terror in the jungle. On June 7, 2002, Martin died and Gracia was wounded in the shootout that resulted from the rescue attempt made by the Philippine Army. Gracia’s testimony revealed that Martin had been a missionary through and through. Thousands of people – including senators and ambassadors - attended Martin’s funeral at Wichita, Kansas. Gracia remarked: “They admired him most, perhaps, for what he stood for, what we all try to stand for. Nothing complicated. Just a simple, whole-hearted goodness. His death had not been in vain. He showed me what strength was. Faith. Faith in yourself, in those you love, and in God to be present in every moment of your life.” The missionary, Martin Burnham, is a modern-day example of a disciple sent by Jesus, one who had kept faith in him and had shown the world that faith is the inner strength to conquer evil.

Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 6:7-13) is about the Lord who sends and the mission of the disciples he sent. The origin of the missionary vocation is Jesus who prepares the apostles for this important moment. It is Jesus who calls them personally; it is he who selects the Twelve to be his companions. He sends them out to preach with the power to cast out devils. Tutored by Jesus and present with him as he heals many from sickness and evil, the Twelve are sent out with tremendous power bestowed upon them. The apostles respond to the sending with alacrity. The evangelist Mark narrates: “So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (verses 12-13). In the mission of the apostles, Mark underlines the potency of the Gospel, the power of action against the reign of evil. The task of those sent by Jesus is to bring the healing balm of forgiveness to those wounded by sin and to denounce evil, openly confronting it by appealing to the power of Christ.

B. First Reading (Heb 12:18-29, 21-24): “You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God.”

Today’s first reading (Heb 12:18-19, 21-24) underlines what the Lord God has done for us through the outpouring of the blood of Jesus Christ, “the mediator of the new covenant”. The assembly of the redeemed is able to approach Mount Zion, “the city of the living God” through the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus. The author of the letter to the Hebrews contrasts the gloomy and fearful aspects of the old covenant to the new covenant wrought by the sacrificial “blood of Christ”, which is far superior to the “blood of Abel”. The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance, while that of Jesus brings forgiveness and access to God. The joyful gathering of the redeemed and the thousands of angels in heaven is already possessed in an anticipatory way by the Christian disciples in pilgrimage to heaven.

The spiritual stance of a “pilgrim” Church that journeys toward Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, can be gleaned from the following words of Archbishop Van Thuan (cf. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Testimony of Hope, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2000, p. 38-39).

I dream of a Church that is on a journey, the People of God who, behind the Pope, carry the cross, enter the temple of God and, in prayer and song, encounter the Risen Christ, our one hope, and Mary, and all the saints.

I dream of a Church that carries in its heart the fire of the Holy Spirit – and where the Spirit is, there is freedom; there is sincere dialogue with the world and especially with the young, with the poor, and with the marginalized; and there is discernment of the signs of the times. The social doctrine of the Church, the instrument of evangelization, guides us in the discernment amid today’s social changes.

I dream of a Church that is a concrete witness of hope and of love, as personified by the Pope who embraces all: Orthodox, Anglican, Calvinist, Lutheran … in the grace of Jesus Christ, in the love of the Father, and in the communion of the Spirit lived in prayer and humility.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. As Christian disciples today, are we as trusting in God as Jesus called his Twelve to be? What is the specific apostolic mission entrusted to us by Christ today? Do we believe in the Gospel – its power of action against the forces of evil?

2. Do we value the saving work of Jesus Christ, the mediator of the new covenant? What is our personal attitude as a member of the Church in pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you have called us personally to yourself and given us the Gospel with its power to overcome the forces of evil. Give us the grace to proclaim repentance and to heal the sick with the power of your love. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** O loving Father, we are a pilgrim Church that experiences in anticipation the festal gathering in the heavenly Jerusalem. As we journey toward the eternal joy of Mount Zion where God reigns, let our faith be strengthened by Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, who poured out his blood for our salvation. We love and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out.” (Mk 6:7) // “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” (Heb 12:24)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for all missionaries that they may carry out their mandate with absolute trust in God and apostolic zeal. Be a missionary to a person close to you and in need of the healing power of the Gospel. // Resolve to participate actively, consciously and fruitfully in the Eucharist, which is a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy.

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FRIDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is a Victim for Truth and Justice” … He Is the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 13:1-8 // Mk 6:14-29

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 6:14-29): “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”

The death of narrated in today’s Gospel reading (Mk 6:14-29) foretells Jesus’ own death. Herodias is vengeful because John has confronted her illicit husband, Herod, with the unsettling truth: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife”. Determined to put John to death and resorting to devious ways, Herodias instigates her daughter to ask for his head. The revenge is made possible by feckless Herod who tries to impress others during his birthday party. Though fascinated by John, whom he knows as righteous and holy, his braggadocio gets the better of him. He is deeply distressed. But because of the senseless oath he has made to the girl in front of the guests, he has to give her John’s head on a platter. Herod dispatches an executioner to behead the prophet. Herod’s birthday party thus becomes a bloody orgy. Evoking the death and burial of Jesus, the disciples of John come and take the body and lay it in a tomb.

The martyrdom of John the Baptist, which points to the ultimate witnessing of Jesus, invites us to share deeply in the paschal sacrifice of our Savior. Like John the Baptist, we too are called to manifest to the world the passion and death of Jesus, the victim par excellence for truth and justice. The following article circulated through the internet illustrates the need to continue our life witness for truth and justice, in the spirit of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Phillip Andrew A. Pestano graduated from Ateneo de Manila High School in 1989, entered the Philippine Military Academy, and became an Ensign in the Philippine Navy in 1993. He was assigned as cargo master on a Navy ship. He discovered that the cargo being loaded onto his vessel included logs that were cut down illegally, were carried to the ship illegally, and were destined to be sold illegally. Then there were 50 sacks of flour, which were not flour, but shabu – worth billions. Literally, billions. And there were military weapons which were destined for sale to the Abu Sayyaf.

He felt that he could not approve this cargo. Superior officers came to him and said: “Please! Be reasonable! This is big business. It involves many important people. Approve this cargo.” But Philip could not, in conscience, sign the approval.

Then his parents received two phone calls, saying: “Get your son off that ship! He is going to be killed!” When Phillip was given leave at home, his family begged him not to go back. Their efforts at persuasion continued until his last night at home, when Phillip was already in bed. His father came to him and said: “Please, son, resign your commission. Give up your military career. Don’t go back. We want you alive. If you go back to the ship, it will be the end of you!” But Phillip said to his father: “Kawawa ang bayan!” (“I pity our people!”) And he went back to the ship. The scheduled trip was very brief – from Cavite to Roxas Boulevard – it usually took only 45 minutes. But on September 27, 1995, it took one hour and a half. When the ship arrived at Roxas Boulevard, Ensign Pestano was dead.

The body was in his stateroom, with a pistol, and a letter saying that he was committing suicide. The family realized at once that the letter was forged. They tried desperately for justice, carrying the case right up to the Senate. The Senatorial Investigation Committee examined all the evidence carefully. Then they issued an official statement, saying among other things: Ensign Phillip Pestano did not commit suicide. He was murdered. He was shot through the head, somewhere outside his stateroom, and the body was carried to his room and placed on the bed. The crime was committed by more than one person. In spite of these findings by the Senate, the family could not get justice. The case is still recorded by the Navy as suicide. (…)

Phillip Pestano died at the age of 24. He was scheduled to be married in January of 1996, four months after he was murdered. He was a martyr. A martyr is one who dies for the faith or for a Christian virtue. Phillip died for a Christian virtue – justice. It is not likely that he will ever be canonized, but he takes his place among the “unknown saints”.

B. First Reading (Heb 13:1-8): “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

After giving an insight into divine worship, the author of the letter to the Hebrews, in today’s first reading (Heb 13:1-8), deals with practical matters of Christian living. The behavior of a Christian is intimately connected with the priestly sacrifice of Christ, from which it flows and derives its strength. Practical Christian conduct is not an indifferent issue for it is a vital expression of one’s faith. Hence, the author gives serious instructions on mutual love, hospitality, concern for prisoners and the needy, fidelity in marriage, and trust in divine providence. There is a spiritual motivation for Christian conduct. With regard to material needs, he tells them to be free from the love of money and to trust that God will be their helper and that he will never abandon them. In view of preserving the integrity of the Christian community, he encourages them to remember their former leaders and learn from their examples of faith. They have passed away, but their lives will continue to give them insight into the invisible realm of God. The author then declares: “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” This means that Jesus Christ will be their immutable faith support: yesterday, today and forever.

The immutable support of Christ for his disciples lives on in the here and now as the following missioner’s tale illustrates (cf. Leo Shea in Maryknoll, April 2009, p. 7).

When I went to northern China to teach English at a university, I was told I had to respect the government’s rules: I could not work as a missioner, could not offer Mass in public, nor serve in a parish or preach. On Sundays, I went to Mass with the people in the cathedral in Qingdao (which, incidentally, was packed for the two Masses). I resolved that if asked, I would answer truthfully, but not once was I asked what I did before I came to China.

I enjoyed the fellowship of the professors and students whom I invited to come to my apartment once a week, to share a meal. We never discussed religion, but simply enjoyed a wonderful rapport and camaraderie. Therefore, when I was leaving, I was greatly surprised to receive the gift of a beautiful painting of the Last Supper. My work as a missioner was solely my witness to them by my presence. I never preached a word, and yet they knew all along.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I fight for truth and justice in the spirit of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ?

2. Do we conduct our daily life upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, our immutable faith support yesterday, today and forever?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, your cousin John the Baptist fully participated in your mission of justice and truth. Give us the courage to fight for the cause of justice and right. Make us limpid and credible prophets of truth. We trust in you, O loving Jesus! We adore and serve you as our only Lord, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, our participation in Christ’s priestly sacrifice needs to be expressed in mutual love and concern for one another. Help us to be hospitable, to assist the prisoners, to comfort the suffering, to uphold the sanctity of marriage, to be faithful and chaste. Teach us to trust in your providence and never to idolize money and material riches. Show us how to value the good examples of our leaders. Above all, help us to conduct every aspect of our life under the guidance of Jesus Christ, our immutable faith support: yesterday, today and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“It is John whom I beheaded.” (Mk 6:16) // “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Heb 13:8)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Study the “Catholic Social Teaching in the Public Square” and promote the principle of the right to life and the dignity of the human person in any way and in every way you can. // Manifest your faith in word and deed and let your conduct in daily life be modeled upon Christ, our eternal support.

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SATURDAY: FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Shepherds the Flock …Through Him We Carry Out God’s Will”

BIBLE READINGS Heb 13:15-17, 20-21 // Mk 6:30-34

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 6:30-34): “They were like sheep without a shepherd.”

In 1995 I traveled about eight hours by bus to the rural town of San Antonio (in Zambales Province in the Philippines) to conduct a session on liturgical music for a parish group. San Antonio is situated at the foot of Mount Pinatubo. The volcano that was dormant for about five hundred years erupted violently on July 16, 1991. The devastated San Antonio was still full of sand and volcanic debris when I saw it. I heard vivid stories about the townsfolk’s terrible plight during the eruption. They scrambled in all directions to save their lives. They did not know where to go and were like sheep without a shepherd. My heart was moved for what they went through. In a mysterious way, I was participating in the compassion of Christ Master-Shepherd: “He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk 6:34).

The focus of today’s Gospel reading (Mk 6:30-34) is the Lord Jesus who shepherds. He shepherds the weary disciples returning from their missionary ministry, reporting to him what they had done and taught. Above all, he shepherds the large crowd of needy people hungering for the bread of his life-giving Word. Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophetic promise reported in Jer 23:1-6 about God himself being the shepherd to his people.

Mark’s narrative describes the tender and loving response of Jesus to the pathetic plight of the pursuing crowd: “He began to teach them many things” (Mk 6:34). Indeed, the primary pastoral action and care of Jesus is to teach, that is, to nourish the hungry souls with the bread of the Word of God. The teaching ministry, which is a nourishing ministry, is the first and foremost task of Jesus Shepherd. He nourishes the crowd with the bread of the Word. He nourishes them with the saving message of God’s love.

B. First Reading (Heb 13:15-17, 20-21): “May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd, furnish you with all that is good.”

In today’s first reading (Heb 13:15-17, 20-21), the author of the letter to the Hebrews exhorts them to offer a sacrifice of praise to God through Jesus while at the same time underlining the importance of the sacrifice of good works and service to others. The vertical dimension of divine worship and the horizontal dimension of human solidarity intersect. Moreover, within the community, solidarity cannot be effective without obedience to leaders commissioned by God to watch over the welfare of the members. The author then concludes with a prayer invoking divine grace upon them: that the God of peace provide them with every good thing they need in order to accomplish his saving will. Above all, he prays that God’s will be done upon them through the mediation of Christ, to whom eternal glory is due.

The following article in Taste of Home magazine (cf. February-March 2009 issue, p. 67) about a 12-year-old’s fundraising effort to help poor African children, is very inspiring. It gives us a glimpse of what Christians can do in today’s world to be pleasing to God.

A video shown at church inspired Miranda Walters to make a difference. She saw the faces of children dying from malaria thousands of miles from her Cedar Falls, Iowa home and knew she couldn’t ignore them. A $10 mosquito net dramatically reduces the risk African children face of contracting malaria, an often-fatal infectious disease transmitted through mosquito bites. So Miranda, 12, gave herself a goal: raise $100, enough to buy 10 nets for the nonprofit organization Nothing But Nets. “After seeing the video, I told my grandma I wanted to do something to help them”, Miranda says. “She suggested a bake sale. So we talked to people at church, made posters and baked some things.”

She and her grandmother, Jill Rechkemmer, also of Cedar Falls, made Caramel- Pecan Cheesecake Pie and Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie, both from Taste of Home. They also invited others from the congregation to help with the baking. “At first I worried we wouldn’t get enough baked goods”, says Grandma Jill. “But there were so many!” The bake sale raised $640, enough to buy 64 nets.

Miranda encourages other kids to think about raising money for a cause. “It’s possible no matter how busy you are”, she says. “It feels good to do something to make a difference.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do we respond to the plight of those who are weary and heavily burdened? Do we respond to them with the heart of the Shepherd?

2. Do we believe that God will give us the grace to do what is pleasing to him? Do we trust that Jesus Christ is with us to help us carry out the will of God?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, we respond to your invitation, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile”. You shepherd us and our cup overflows with joy. Give us your Shepherd’s heart that together with you, we may alleviate the pain of the weary and heavily burdened. We thank you, our Master-Shepherd and follow you all the days of our life. You are our loving Lord, now and forever. Amen.

*** All-powerful Father, you are the God of peace. we offer you a sacrifice of praise in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of good works carried out in his name. Grant us the grace we need to do your will. Let your compassionate will be done upon us through Jesus, your Son. To him be glory and praise, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mk 6:34) // “May God carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ.” (Heb 13:21)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

With the compassionate heart of the Shepherd, welcome those who are “like sheep without a shepherd” and share with them the bread of God’s Word. // When the duties and challenges of daily life become difficult to handle or carry out, ask God for the grace to do everything according to his will and with Jesus.

*** Text of Week 4 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 41) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 5

MONDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is God’s Healing and Creative Word”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 1:1-19 // Mk 6:53-56

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 6:53-56): “As many touched it were healed.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

Today’s Gospel story (Mk 6:53-56) follows upon the weekday lectionary’s omission of St. Mark’s narratives of Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand and walking on the water. The story of the feeding is most probably omitted because on Saturday we will hear the similar story of the feeding of the four thousand. However, there is a big difference in these two feeding stories. The feeding of the five thousand takes place on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee, that is, in Jewish territory, while the second feeding takes place on the opposite side in Gentile territory. This section of Mark’s Gospel beginning with the Jewish feeding and culminating in the Gentile feeding forms a typical Markan “sandwich,” and is often referred to as the “Bread Section.” So this week we feed on the bread of God’s Word while contemplating the words and actions of Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Today’s story of the healings at Gennesaret, on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, is intimately connected to the story of the feeding of the five thousand. The bounty first exhibited in the feeding is now exhibited in the lavish gift of healing that takes place not only at Gennesaret, but in whatever “villages or towns or countryside he entered.” Gennesaret, and its environs, is totally unlike Nazareth, where lack of faith caused major interference in the healing process. Nazareth’s stance is even unlike the faith of the hemorrhaging woman who reaches for the tassel of Jesus’ cloak. Here in Gennesaret “as many as touched it were healed.” In the story of the healings at Gennesaret, the Lord of the new covenant enters into the place of his activity, the activity of unbounded mercy which affords rest to the multitude.

B. First Reading (Gn 1:1-19): “God spoke and it was done.”

The Old Testament Reading (Gn 1:1-19) presents the visible world as originating from the all-powerful creative word of God. The Genesis account enthralls us with the miracle of creation totally under God’s guiding hand. It affirms the divine sovereignty and the goodness of the created world. God’s personal will, expressed in his word, produces light which overcomes the dark chaos and the watery abyss. Light is an element of the created world. God names the light “day” and the darkness “night” because God has authority over them. God creates the sky which separates the waters above the heavens from the waters below in a continuing creative act that prepares a hospitable and habitable place for human beings, the masterpiece of creation. God puts limits on the expanse of water so that earth can appear and produce vegetation that is capable of growth. The fruitfulness of the earth comes from God and is an expression of his creative power. God likewise creates the sun, the moon and the stars to separate day from night, to give light to the earth and to indicate when the day, the month and the year begin.

The sense of sublime wisdom and harmony that permeates creation is awesome. Indeed, we can perceive the power of God in creation and his presence in the daily events of life. The following story, circulated on the Internet, suggests this.

You Can See God: I sat at my desk staring at the letter for a long time. It was written by a friend of mine who was going through some difficult times. It listed problem after problem and seemed full of despair. It ended with these words: "I would like to have faith, but I have always had a problem in believing in what I can’t see. You can’t see God, you know!”

After awhile I still hadn't thought of how to answer my friend's letter and help him. Hoping a walk would help, I put a leash on one of my dogs and headed out the back door. The warm, golden sunshine of spring warmed my face as soon as I stepped off the porch. A fresh breeze carried the scent of a thousand budding trees on it. A butterfly danced above a patch of dandelions floating from flower to flower. Robins were flying back and forth to the maple tree in my backyard carrying fresh grass and twigs to reline their nests. Across the road my new neighbor's children were playing in her backyard with a big ball. It was such a delight seeing her toddler chasing after it with such joy. I felt a nuzzle against my leg and looked down to see my dog cuddling in for a hug. I smiled and scratched his head while the laughter of the children and the sound of crickets in the woods blended together to create a unique and beautiful music. I started to walk back inside and saw my own son grinning at me from the window. Most of the world could only see his mental handicaps, but when I looked at him then his eyes sparkled with a divine light. I waved to him and laughed when his older sister snuck up behind him and wrapped him in a loving hug.

When I got back inside, I knew what to write. I went to my friend's letter and wrote of everything I had just seen, smelled, heard, and felt in those brief moments outside. Then I finished by writing this: “I think we all can see God. We just need to know where to look.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we have faith in the healing power of Jesus? Do we reach out to him to touch him and be healed?

2. Are we sensitive to the manifestation of God’s power and wisdom in creation and to his abiding presence in our life?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your unbounded mercy and the healing power you bring to us. We lay before you the sickness of our heart, the misery of our people and the fragmentation of today’s society. We beg you to allow us to touch you – even just the tassel of your cloak – knowing that we will be healed. You bring us wholeness, joy and comfort. Let us enter into the place of rest and quiet where your loving comfort reigns forever and ever. Amen.

*** O God, you are our almighty Father and maker of all things visible and invisible. How marvelous is your creation! How powerful the Word you spoke to bring it about! Teach us to perceive your presence in creation and to respond to your compassionate presence in our daily life. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“As many as touched it were healed.” (Mk 6:56) // “God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gn 1:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that the sick may find strength and healing in the Lord. Like the caring people of Gennesaret, and by your ministry on their behalf, bring the sick closer to Jesus, the ultimate healing. // Contribute to the integration of creation by following the ecological principles: reduce, reuse and recycle.

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TUESDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Means to Communion … All Things Were Created Through Him”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 1:20-2:4a // Mk 7:1-13

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 7:1-13): “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

The connection between today’s Gospel story (Mk 7:1-13) and yesterday’s (Mk 6:53-56) may not be immediately apparent until we view it in the context of Mark’s whole “Bread” section on which we are feasting this week. The geographic movement from one shore to another represents more than a sail across the lake. It represents Gentile inclusion in the Eucharistic feast. Today’s Gospel addresses what, in Jewish tradition, represents an obstacle to this communion at the table.

Thus today we see Jesus embarking on a mission that has this unity in Eucharistic communion in mind. The Pharisees and scribes in this story represent those who would be opposed to eating with Gentiles based on what Jesus clearly categorizes as “human tradition.” The scribes and the Pharisees here “nullify the word of God in favor of tradition.” They do this specifically here in their neglect of parents by declaring something has been set aside for God. What has ultimately been set aside, however, is the very word of God which calls Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians into communion at the table of the Lord. So the prophet Isaiah’s maxim is invoked against them: “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.”

B. First Reading (Gn 1:20-2:4a): “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.”

In today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 1:20-2:4a) we continue to contemplate the divine work of creation. The order and harmony in the created universe reveal the wisdom of God and are in accord with his majestic will. God’s creative plan unfolds awesomely and with a special focus toward the creation of humanity (adam). Created in the image and likeness of God, the human being is the high point of creation. As God is ruler of the entire creation, so the human being, as God’s representative, is given care and dominion over the earth. This is indeed a very exalted view of humanity. Moreover, God created human beings as male and female. The distinction of the sexes is of divine origin and therefore good. The full meaning of mankind (adam) is realized only when there is a man and a woman. As male and female, they are blessed by God with procreative power and are enjoined to multiply and be fruitful.

When the visible world is completed and crowned with the human masterpiece, God beholds it and appraises it as very good. On the seventh day (sabbath), with number “7” signifying wholeness and completion, God is described by the author of the Book of Genesis as taking a “rest”. With this anthropomorphism, the author asserts that nothing is lacking in divine creation. It is complete and adequate for the creatures in it, especially humankind. God, who sustains the whole universe, blesses and consecrates the Sabbath, a sacred time to deepen personally and as a community our special relationship with our Creator God.

Humanity consists of the male and the female, and in their sexuality they marvelously participate in the creative power of God. The birth of a child is a miracle of creation and an experience of the power and love of God. The beautiful story that follows gives an insight into this (cf. Tony Collins, “The Face of God” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 200-201).

In my years, I have seen the vastness of the Grand Canyon, the splendor of the Alps, the purple mountains’ majesty of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and the seeming endlessness of the Pacific Ocean. Yet, nothing I have seen, or ever expect to see, compares with what I once witnessed in a dark-paneled, antiseptic birthing room. Then and there, the power and the love of God enveloped me.

I was on the last night of my clinical rotation as a nursing student on the labor and delivery floor, and I had yet to see a birth. When my children were born, fathers were relegated to the labor waiting room. Now, at 7:00 P.M. on my last student shift, my nursing instructor suggested I check into labor room four to see if I could watch the birth. With some trepidation, I knocked on the door, stuck in my head, and asked the young couple if I could possibly observe the birth of their baby. They gave me permission. I thanked them and found myself a spot in the room that kept me out of the way but still give me a good view of the birth. Then I stood with my hands behind my back, studiously looking around the room at the preparations being made by the nurses.

The young mother, covered with blue sterile drapes, lay in the most uncomfortable and exposed position imaginable and was sweating profusely. Every minute or so, she would grimace, groan and push with all her might. Her husband stood beside her, coaching her breathing and lovingly holding her hand. One nurse dabbed her forehead with a cool washcloth, while another encouraged her to rest when she could. The doctor worked on a low stool to ease the birth as best he could. I stood apart, proud of my unemotional, clinical detachment.

The nurse assisting the doctor said, “Here she comes!” I looked and was amazed at what I saw: the top of a head covered with black hair began to appear. I instantly lost the ability to call this wondrous occurrence something as medical as “crowning”. Then the doctor began gently but firmly to turn the shoulders of the new life and pull. Transfixed to my spot, I am sure my mouth was agape. The doctor continued to turn and pull; the mother pushed; the husband encouraged; and an event that took nine long months of preparation was over in just a few seconds. At the sight of the infant’s beautiful face, I felt such wonder that I truly believe angels sing at such times.

My professionalism and clinical detachment had deserted me, replaced with a warmth that surrounded me. At a loss for words – congratulations seemed such an empty and trite thing to say to these two blessed people at that moment – I nonetheless offered my congratulations anyway. After leaving the room I walked around the corner into a deserted hallway and allowed my tears to flow.

That night some of my fellow students, all of whom were women and many of them mothers, asked me about the birth. Each time, I welled up again with tears and choked out that it was the most beautiful experience I ever had. They would hug me or pat my shoulder, and with a gleam in their eyes say, “I know”. Days passed before I could speak of the birth in any medical light. Even now, as I review that night, I continue to be in awe.

I have seen many sights in my life. Before my life is over, I will see many more. But none can ever compare to the night I saw the love, hope and beauty of God in the face of a newborn child.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we guilty of disregarding God’s commandments but clinging to human tradition?

2. Do we thank God for the marvels of creation? Do we appreciate the sacredness and the power of human sexuality to promote the creative plan of God?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus, Divine Master, you are the way, the truth and the life. Forgive us for the times we have disregarded God’s commands in order to cling to mere human traditions. You are the teacher of communion and true tradition. You revealed to us the Father’s saving plan that includes all peoples and cultures, all nations and creation. Help us to overcome our prejudices and misconceptions that we may share fully in the infinite expanse of your Father’s all-inclusive love. We love you, adore you and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for the marvels of creation. We bless you for creating the human being in your image and likeness and as male and female. Teach us to behold the beauty and sacredness of human sexuality and the creative power you share with us to bring forth “new life”. Let us be careful and responsible stewards of your creation. Help us to value the “Sabbath” as a means to deepen our relationship with you. We love and adore you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mk 7:8) // “God created man in his image: in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gn 1:27)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that we may overcome our unhealthy parochialism and vicious legalism. By your acts of justice and charity, promote unity in diversity and the Church’s true tradition of universal love. // In any way you can, promote the right and the dignity of the human person to life, especially the defenseless and the unborn.

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WEDNESDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches with Wisdom … He Teaches Obedience to God’s Decrees”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17 // Mk 7:14-23

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 7:14-23): “What comes out of the man that is what defiles him.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

Today’s Gospel passage (Mk 7:14-23) concludes yesterday’s discussion between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees concerning “the tradition of the elders” and concludes with his characteristically Markan private conversation with his disciples. Whereas Jesus half expects the scribes and Pharisees not to “get it,” he hopes his disciples will. But such is not the case as he exasperatingly remarks: “Are even you likewise without understanding?” And the attentive reader at once realizes that s/he is being personally addressed. We are all responsible for promoting communion and “not getting it” is no excuse, especially for a disciple of any century.

And what is it that scribe, Pharisee, and even disciple fail to comprehend? It’s not about the ritual purity of eating and digestion. As a matter of fact, it’s not about ritual purity at all. The major obstacle to communion is nothing external, but it’s a matter of the heart. “From their hearts come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” These are obstacles to Eucharistic communion that cut both ways. It’s not simply Jewish purity vs. Gentile impurity; it’s about the interior impurity of both that makes such communion impossible.

B. First Reading (Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17): “The Lord God planted a garden in Eden and placed there the man whom he had formed.”

Today’s First Reading (Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17) depicts the creation of humanity (adam in Hebrew) and humanity’s relationship with the earth/ground (adamah in Hebrew). The earth is barren for there is no water and no man to till it. The “chaos” of barrenness is overcome by God’s creative act. The Lord God, who made the universe, takes some soil from the ground and forms man out of it – breathing life-giving breath into his nostrils to make him live. Indeed, God is the source of life. The Lord God then creates the well- watered garden in Eden (Hebrew word for “pleasure”) in which mankind will dwell.

The Garden of Eden is a symbol of God’s blessings. The garden has many trees, but two are mentioned: the “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The “tree of life” is a symbol of immortality. As long as man has access to the “tree of life” his life is not threatened. Once expelled from the Garden of Eden, he can no longer access the tree, and humanity is subjected to death. God’s command not to eat from the “tree of the knowledge of the good and evil” underlines that man’s happiness is consequent upon his remaining subject to God. Obedience to divine decrees means LIFE and disobedience to God means ALIENATION from the source of life. Indeed, man’s enjoyment of the Garden is a gift of God and that delight depends on his intimate relationship with God.

The following is a modern day example of how to live obediently according to God’s life-giving decrees (cf. Ashley Wiersma in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 303).

My husband and I had been counting the days until the debut of a new TV drama that promised great things. The producer was world renowned. The lead female was immensely likable. The premise intrigued us both. And so, with sky-high expectations, we set our DVR to record the program and were childishly giddy the night we actually got to pile into bed, a giant bowl of popcorn between us, and hit Play.

The first half hour had us hooked. But then came episode two. Within fifteen minutes, I knew my husband and I weren’t longing for this particular path. As the characters’ stories unfolded, so did vast amounts of selfishness, scheming and smut. “No”, I screamed at the TV, “The teasers looked so good!”

My husband laughed as he flipped channels to find something else, and a verse I’d known since I was a kid eased its way through: “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, think about such things.”

Avoiding a not-so-pure TV show is admittedly a very small step in what is the vast universe of God-honoring activity in this life. But it was a small step toward the God I adore.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we endeavor to achieve integrity and purity of heart? Do we yearn for true holiness that leads to communion with our brothers and sisters?

2. Do we believe that obedience to divine decrees means “life” and do we endeavor to be obedient to God’s ways?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, teach us integrity of heart and interior purity. Cleanse us from evil thoughts and wicked desires. The awful things that ferment within us make us “unclean” and incite us to do evil. Loving Lord, teach us true wisdom that we may reject the wickedness that draws us away from you and to disobey our gracious God. We trust in your forgiveness and bounteous mercy. You are our kind Savior, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, you have wonderfully made us. You have blessed us with abundant blessings. Your life-giving decrees manifest your care and compassion for us. Let us be nourished by the “tree of life” and delight in the beauty of the Garden of Eden. Do not let us be enticed by the “tree of good and evil”. Teach us the way of obedience and humble submission to your life-giving will. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“What comes out of the man that is what defiles him.” (Mk 7:20) // “The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground …” (Gn 2:7)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make the examination of the heart a regular practice to enable you to detest what is contrary to the will of God and pursue his saving will.

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THURSDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Bread of Life for All … He Teaches the Sanctity of Marriage”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 2:18-25 // Mk 7:24-30

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 7:24-30): “The dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

In today’s Gospel story (Mk 7:24-30), Jesus, Wisdom incarnate, recognizes the wisdom of a Gentile woman. This latter woman is not the Queen of Tyre, but a simple mother with a very sick daughter who recognizes something different about this Jewish man who has crossed boundaries and set foot in her Syrophoenician city on the Mediterranean coast. So different that she falls at his feet in an act of worship. She clearly understands worship in a way the scribes and Pharisees of yesterday could not.

His more-than-meets-the-eye rebuff to her request is not couched in delicate language. He refers to the Jewish community as children who have first access to the food. And that food is not to be thrown to Gentile pups. But what a comeback! She addresses him with the full-force of the Jewish divine title LORD. And then she drops the bomb: “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” How wise a saying! How unlike the scribes and Pharisees, who set up roadblocks to sharing the bread of life at one table. She found her daughter “lying in bed and the demon gone.” Really both demons were gone: the demon of sickness and the demon of division and separation. The same bread feeds both children and pups. And it is Jesus himself.

Jesus’ crossing of boundaries led him to a mission of inclusion that brought those who were excluded to the table. The desire of the woman resulted not only in the answer to her own prayer but contributed to the clearer revelation of the mystery of union in Christ.

B. First Reading (Gn 2:18-25): “The Lord God brought her to Adam ans the two of them became one flesh.”

In September 2006 Tomas and Lourdes Banaga celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in our convent. This remarkable couple regularly comes to our Fresno chapel for the weekday Mass. Tomas, with his splendid voice, has greatly helped us in our music ministry. Lourdes, a staunch “prayer warrior” and a devoted adorer of the Blessed Sacrament, has collaborated wonderfully in our Eucharistic apostolate. Tomas became seriously ill in December 2005 and fell into coma. Lourdes ardently prayed for his healing through the intercession of Blesses James Alberione. Lourdes made a vow that if Tomas recovered, they would enter the Holy Family Institute, founded by Blessed Alberione. On the third day of his coma, Tomas woke up and was restored to health. Tomas and Lourdes made good their promise. On the golden anniversary of their marriage, they were admitted to the Novitiate in the Holy Family Institute, which seeks to promote the holiness of married life.

The Old Testament reading (Tobit 8:4b-8) used at the Eucharistic Celebration of the renewal of their marriage vows was intensely appropriate. Tomas and Lourdes felt that the following prayer made by Tobit and Sarah on their wedding night was their very own:

Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, “it is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.” Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age.

Today’s First Reading (Gen 2:18-24) contains the Yahwist account of the creation of man and woman in the Book of Genesis and offers a foundation for the theology of marriage as a sacrament of unity. This narrative underlines the vocation to human intimacy and communion of man and woman and reinforces the equality and dignity of both of them as perfectly matched partners. The biblical scholar Lawrence Boadt comments: “Being alone is not good for humans. God creates animals and allows man to name them and thereby enter into a living relationship with them, which includes stewardship over them. But none is fit for him. He needs a true partner, and to get one God initiates yet another act of creation. By putting the man into a deep sleep God assures the same autonomy to woman as to man – she depends directly on God for her being. The actual story may derive from an old folk tale that plays on the rib and the nearness to the heart. The heart is the source of both intellect and will in ancient thought and so God makes Eve as fully human as Adam. The description also plays on the attraction of love, which draws men and women to each other from the heart. The fitting identity of the two human creatures is made complete by the little poem in v. 23 – they are the same because he is ’ish and she is ’ishah, a pun in Hebrew that is like saying man and wo-man in English.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we make an effort to share the healing power of Jesus, the bread of life for all?

2. How does the Yahwist account of the creation of man and woman in the Book of Genesis help us appreciate the dignity and equality of the man-woman relationship and the nobility of human sexuality? What are some of our concrete experiences of the beauty and holiness of Christian marriage?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord, you are the bread of life to be shared with all peoples of the earth. You are the divine power that drives away the demon of sickness and the demon of division and separation. Help us to overcome the ugly forces of alienation. Let us be united with you as you cross boundaries of division in your mission to include all peoples at the table of life. Your power is awesome and we love and adore you, now and forever. Amen.

*** (Adapted from the Nuptial Blessing)

Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing. In the beginning you created the universe and in your own likeness. You gave man the constant help of woman so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh, and you teach us that what you have united may never be divided. (…) Father, keep them always true to your commandments. Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be examples of Christian life. (…) We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” (Mk 7:28) // “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the unity of Christians and all the peoples of the earth. Let your acts of justice and peace surmount artificial barriers and be totally inclusive.

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FRIDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Heals the Deaf-Mute … He Teaches the Way of Obedience”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 3:1-8 // Mk 7:31-37

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 7:31-37): “He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

In this week’s Gospel stories, Jesus, the boundary crosser, is on the road. Yesterday he was in Gentile Tyre on the Mediterranean. Today he is on the Eastern Gentile shore of the Sea of Galilee in the Decapolis, the heart of Gentile territory. He encounters a Gentile deaf-mute who begs him “to lay his hand on him,” the same hand that was laid on so many of the sick in Jewish Gennesaret. Pope Benedict XVI, in a homily on Christian Unity, took advantage of the fuller sense of this passage. He said: “Is not being deaf and mute, that is, being unable either to listen or speak, a sign of a lack of communion and a symptom of division?”

Just as Jesus removed obstacles to unity on the Jewish side of the lake, today’s Gospel (Mk 7:31-37) has him removing more obstacles on the Gentile side. He “put his finger into the man’s ears, and, spitting, touched his tongue.” As God created the first human so tactilely in the second chapter of Genesis, so Jesus is recreating this Gentile, endowing him once again with the organs of speech and hearing, the organs of communion that overcome division and disunity. The action culminates in typical Markan fashion: “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” And not just in Gentile Galilee.

B. First Reading (Gn 3:1-8): “You will be like gods, knowing what is good and what is evil.”

Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 3:1-8) depicts the fall of humanity. The Tempter is the “serpent”, the most cunning creature. In Hebrew, “cunning” (arum) forms a word play with “naked” (arummim). The wordplay underlines that the primeval man and woman become aware of their “nakedness” because of the cunning of the serpent. The Genesis account of the Fall tells us that the presence of evil in the world is due to humanity’s decision to oppose God’s command. By following the wiles of the Tempter, humanity indeed does “become like God” in the sense that it now makes decisions as to what is best for itself. But its decisions lack the breadth and width of God’s wisdom. The core of “sin” is the attempt to replace God as the determiner of what is best for humanity. By their rebellion, humanity oversteps the limits imposed by God and appropriates “the knowledge of good and evil”. But created man’s decisions are bereft of the wisdom and vision of the Creator. The immediate consequence of “sin” is the consciousness of “nakedness” – the sad and humiliating realization of one’s broken relationship with God. Sin thus leads to alienation!

Just like the primeval man and woman, modern humanity is tempted to eat the fruit of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. The following article is insightful (cf. “What’s after Brittany?” by Editorial in Our Sunday Visitor, November 16, 2014, p. 23).

Britanny Maynard, the beautiful 29-year-old woman diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, took her own life Nov. 1 to avoid the suffering that likely would come with the debilitating progression of her disease. She leaves behind parents, a husband of two years and dreams of a life that didn’t go as planned. Her story indeed is tragic, and most of us will never be able to fully comprehend the emotional and physical pain that she endured.

We do know, however, that Maynard spent the last month of her life as an advocate for the “death with dignity” movement and as a spokeswoman for the right-to-die organization Compassion and Choices. Her advocacy launched a national debate on physician-assisted suicide, the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Jack Kevorkian in the 1990s. She became the new face of personal freedom – hailed for making a difficult decision that worked for her.

The truth, though, is that there is a better way: the way of the Church and the way of the cross. For a different perspective, we need look no further than Philip Johnson, a seminarian with the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, who also is terminally ill. Johnson, who candidly admits his own struggles, wrote to Maynard: “Suffering is not worthless, and our lives are not our own to take. As humans we are relational – we relate to one another and the action of one person affects others. Sadly, the concept of redemptive suffering – that human suffering united to the suffering of Jesus on the Cross for our salvation can benefit others – has often been ignored or lost in modern times. (…)

Euthanasia is well on its way to becoming another feather in the cap of the secular humanist who believes human reason, not God, is the basis of morality and decision-making.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we spiritually deaf by refusing to listen to the Word of God? Are we spiritually mute by refraining from proclaiming the Word of God?

2. Are there instances when we yearn to eat of the fruit of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” and appropriate the role of God as determiner of morality?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving God, open the ears of our hearts to listen to the Word of God. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

*** Loving God, you have created us for yourself and have destined us to be united with you in Paradise. But our hearts are rebellious. We have made decisions that are death-dealing and contrary to your compassionate plan. Forgive our disobedience. Lead us by your grace to the beauty of the heavenly Eden. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mk 7:31-37) // “You will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” (Gn 3:5)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that people may understand the importance and necessity of Lectio Divina. Introduce your friends and loved ones to this beautiful life-giving practice of the Church. // Be aware of the modern man’s claim to “personal freedom” that negates the wisdom of God and his commands. Pray that God’s reign may prevail.

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SATURDAY: FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Fed Them and They Were Satisfied … He Bore the Burden of Humanity’s Sin”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 3:9-24 // Mk 8:1-10

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:1-10): “They ate and were satisfied.” (Gospel Reflection by Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB, San Luis Obispo, CA-USA)

There in the very same Gentile district where Jesus healed the deaf-mute, in today’s Gospel (Mk 8:1-10) we have a quasi-replay of the feeding story on the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee. There is a striking similarity of details: “a great crowd without anything to eat”; the compassionate heart of Jesus “moved with pity”; the lack of compassion and even understanding on the part of the disciples who witnessed and participated in the previous feeding. Of capital importance is the repetition of the fourfold Eucharistic action: “Taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute.”

However, there are subtle differences in the two stories. In the first they picked up “twelve wicker baskets full of fragments,” while in the second “they picked up the fragments left over – seven baskets.” Why twelve baskets in the first story? It is precisely to evoke the Jewish image of the twelve tribes of Israel. And similarly the seven baskets on the Gentile side evoke the universal number of the Gentile nations. And notice Gentiles did not insist on wicker baskets as did the Jewish community. However, despite these differences in both stories, “they ate and were satisfied.”

How favored we are in being recipients of the Eucharistic gift, the real gift that keeps on giving. In a sense, all of this week’s reflections were Eucharistic. Eucharist is the gathering of the Body of Christ in rich diversity. At Eucharist with ears wide open, we listen and feast at the table of the Word. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist we take, bless, break and distribute bread that has been transformed by the Spirit into the Body of Christ. And like the crowd in today’s Gospel, we are dismissed to go and announce the reconciling Gospel of the Lord.

B. First Reading (Gn 3:9-24): “God banished him from the garden of Eden to till the ground.”

Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 3:9-24) deals with the negative consequence of humanity’s disobedience. The personal intimacy that Adam and Eve enjoy with God Creator has been disrupted. They cannot face God because of shame. When God confronts them, they excuse themselves and the blame goes around. The punishments that follow are expressed in poetic form: serpent crawling on the ground … pain in childbirth … burdensome tilling of the land … expulsion from the Garden of Eden … loss of access to the “tree of life”. The punishment is for the snake as well as for the woman and the man. It is complete and inclusive. Sin has introduced death, and humanity must live with both the power of sin over them and the specter of death. The Genesis story does not end on a negative note. Adam named his wife “Eve” because she will become the mother of all the living. In spite of sin and its dire effects, life will go on. The Lord God makes garments from animal skins for Adam and Eve and he clothes them. God’s care for humanity does not cease because of sin. The love of God is unfailing in spite of mankind’s sin and it is through God’s initiative that the personal relationship disrupted by sin is to be restored.

The following article gives an idea of the death-dealing effects brought by human sin of appropriating the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (cf. “Dutch Experts Were Terribly Wrong about Patient-Killing” in Alive! October 2014, p. 16).

A Dutch ethics professor who once supported euthanasia had had a dramatic change of heart and now warns that if patient-killing by doctors is legalized in any country it cannot be controlled. What led him to change his view on the issue, however, was not moral principle or respect for the sacredness of life, but legal, medical and social developments in Holland. “I used to be a supporter of legalization. But now with 12 years experience, I take a different view”, said Professor Theo Boer in an interview. (…)

In 2001 the Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize both euthanasia (patient-killing) and doctor-assisted suicide. (…) Beginning in 2008, the number of these deaths began to increase by 15% annually, year after year, and by 2012 it stood at 4,188 for the year. He expects it to reach close to 6,000 for 2014.

“Euthanasia is on the way to becoming a ‘default’ mode of dying for cancer patients”, he said. But other developments were also disturbing. The Dutch Right to Die Society founded a network of traveling killer doctors who have already put down hundreds of people. And the Society is still not happy. “They will not rest until a lethal pill is made available to anyone over 70 years who wishes to die”, said Boer.

Again, there has been a shift in the kind of person who is being terminated. Few people with psychiatric illnesses or dementia appeared in the early reports. But these numbers are now rising sharply. Increasingly death is being seen as a cure for loneliness or sadness. “Cases have been reported in which a large part of the ‘suffering’ of those given euthanasia or assisted suicide consisted in being aged, lonely or bereaved”, said the professor. (…) “Once the genie is out of the bottle, it is not likely to ever go back in again.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we truly grateful for the gift of the Eucharist? Do we share it with a hungry world that yearns for the bread of the Word … the life-giving bread?

2. What does it mean to sin against God and to be alienated from him? Do we believe that God’s love for us continues in spite of our disobedience and sin?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you are the “Eucharist” – the bread of the Word … the life-giving bread … the real gift that keeps on giving. We thank you for the multiplication of the loaves and for being bread broken and shared for the life of the world. You are the Eucharistic gift that builds the Church, so radiant in beauty and rich in diversity. Help us to celebrate your paschal sacrifice by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the Eucharistic feasting, we partake of the bread of compassion and the wine of messianic joy, which make us fully satisfied and deeply grateful. Lead us into the eternal banquet of your kingdom where you live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving God, our Creator, humanity has turned away from you and appropriated the forbidden fruits of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Please forgive us for our presumption and for disobeying your life-giving commands. Clothe us with your mercy and kindness. We promise to obey you and honor the glory of your name. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“They ate and were satisfied.” (Mk 8:8) // “For the man and his wife the Lord God made leather-garments, with which he clothed them.” (Gn 3:21)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the peoples of the world that their various hungers may be satisfied. By your acts of compassion to the hungry poor, let the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves come alive again. // Be aware of the Catholic social teaching in the public square and do what is possible to share it with the people around you.

*** Text of Week 5 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 42) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 6

MONDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Refused to Give Them a Sign … He Was a Victim for Our Sins”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 4:1-15, 25 // Mk 8:11-13

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:11-13): “Why does this generation seek a sign?”

Today’s reading (Mk 8:11-13) is about the Pharisees who are asking Jesus “a sign from heaven” to prove that he is the Messiah. Their demand for a spectacular public display is ill-motivated. They want to discredit Jesus who, for them, is a fraud. Their hearts are warped with unbelief and their demand for a “sign” manifests their willful blindness. Indeed, according to a 16th century proverb, “There are none so blind as those who won’t see.” The compassionate works of Jesus on behalf of the sick and suffering, of the hungry poor and dejected, do not touch their hearts. They do not perceive them as messianic signs. The miracles of healing and nourishment could not force them to love Jesus, who sighs from the depths of his heart. A heavenly sign for the unbelieving – no matter how spectacular - would be an exercise in futility. Of what use is it to have signs if the heart is blind? Hence, Jesus leaves them, gets into the boat, and sails off to the other shore.

The pathetic scenario of the unbelieving and unseeing Pharisees invites us to take the opposite stance. Jesus himself is the ultimate “sign” of the Father’s redeeming love for us. We need to open the eyes of our heart to see, love and serve Jesus. We need to be sensitive and receptive to the beautiful miracles that God continues to work in our daily life.

The following story gives us a glimpse into what perceiving “a sign from heaven” entails (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 52-53).

A prisoner lived in solitary confinement for years. He saw and spoke to no one and his meals were served through an opening in the wall. One day an ant came into his cell. The man contemplated it in fascination as it crawled around the room. He held it in the palm of his hand the better to observe it, gave it a grain or two, and kept it under his tin cup at night. One day it suddenly struck him that it had taken him ten long years of solitary confinement to open his eyes to the loveliness of an ant.

B. First Reading (Gn 4:1-15, 25): “Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

In the Old Testament reading (Gn 4:1-15, 25), the story of depicts humanity’s further alienation from God. Although full of anachronisms, the story powerfully communicates the religious message about the destructive effects of sin and the reality of a merciful caring God. Cain’s horrible crime confirms man’s “fallen” status. The rebellion against God continues in the assault of an innocent brother. The story of the murder of Abel illustrates the continuing degradation of sinful humanity. Cain is worse than the first sinners who simply shift the blame. When God interrogates him about Abel’s whereabouts, Cain lies and makes an insolent, sarcastic reply, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain’s evil deed cannot be ignored. The blood of his murdered brother cries out for justice. Cain is punished for his crime. Alienated from God and cursed to be a homeless wanderer, he is vulnerable to violent attacks. But the story underlines that God continues to be merciful to Cain, who dreads being subjected to the very same crime he himself committed. The Lord puts a mark on Cain to warn anyone who meets him not to kill him. Today’s Genesis reading ends on a hopeful note. Adam and his wife have another son to replace Abel. She calls him Seth. From Seth will spring forth a line that will lead to Abraham, the man of faith.

Fratricide and violence against another continues to be perpetrated by sinful humanity. The following is a modern day example (cf. Mike McGarvin, Papa Mike, Fresno: Poverello House, 2003, p. 81).

The streets were cruel in Fresno. In Chinatown, as in Tenderloin, life was cheap, and often things didn’t make sense. One African-American man, Mr. Brown, was one of the kindest, gentlest people I’d ever known. He was always reading the Bible, and when I’d ask him what was the “good word” he’d quote me some scripture. I could be wrong, but I don’t think he was an alcoholic or addict, just poor. For no apparent reason, one day some kids threw rocks at him, hitting him and killing him. The senselessness of it saddened me deeply.

Another man was called “Grasshopper”. He was an old Hispanic fieldworker, an alcoholic but a really personable guy. If I said “Hello” to him, he’d always respond, “Hello myself!”

One day Grasshopper was waiting to get on an old bus to go to the fields. When the bus pulled up, some younger Mexicans pushed by him and stomped on his foot. They broke his ankle, so he couldn’t get on the bus to work, and someone else got his spot. It was survival of the fittest.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Am I slow to read the “sign” of God’s love because of blindness of heart? How do I try to open the eyes of my heart to the “sign”?

2. Do I reject being my “brother’s keeper”? Do I ever inflict violence on anyone? Am I willing to take responsibility for any crime I have committed against my “brother”?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, we are filled with wonderful signs of the Father’s love: the beautiful sunrise and the gorgeous sunset, the blooming of spring flowers, the diligence of a lovely ant, the compassionate hands of those who care for the poor and helpless … Above all, we are filled with praise and thanksgiving for you – the ultimate sign of God’s compassion. You are the radical sign of the divine redeeming love. Grant that we may truly rejoice in you, now and forever. Amen.

*** We beg your mercy, Lord God, for the crime we have inflicted against our brother Abel, the poor and defenseless … the Abel of all times. Forgive us for refusing to be “our brother’s keeper”. Let your merciful love come upon us and teach us to walk in your ways. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mk 8:12) // “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gn 4:9)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make an effort to read the various signs of God’s love that surround us every day and be grateful for them. By your acts of kindness and compassion, strive to be a living sign of God’s caring love for the poor and needy in today’s society. Strive to be your brother’s keeper.

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TUESDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: Even His Disciples Did Not Understand … He Grieves for the Hardness of Our Hearts”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5 // Mk 8:14-21

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:14-21): “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

The Gospel (Mk 8:14-21) tells us that after his encounter with the unbelieving Pharisees who demand from him a heavenly sign to prove his messianic credentials, the unscathed Jesus gets into the boat and sails with his disciples to the other side of the lake. In their hurry, the disciples have forgotten to bring bread except for one loaf. When Jesus starts to talk to them about the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, they immediately conclude that it is because they did not have enough bread. Having just witnessed two miracles of the loaves in which Jesus has fed thousands in the hungry crowds, their discussion about not having enough bread is senseless and unwarranted. Their concern for material food reveals their obtuseness and lack of insight. They have not seen nor understood any more than the declared enemies of Jesus.

The barrage of eight questions that Jesus directs to his disciples is meant to rip through their blinded hearts. He is patiently teaching them to fight off the hidden corruption of self-righteousness, power and worldliness that is infecting the Pharisees and the Herodians. Jesus is warning them about the corrosive messianic expectations of the Pharisees and the inimical political motivations of the Herodians. Their corrupting influence is as forceful as the yeast that leavens the bread. The Divine Master is thus helping his disciples to overcome their hardness of heart and obduracy of mind. He is teaching them to recognize him as the one loaf that matters. Jesus Christ is evoking their faith, for he is the true Messiah – the one sent by God to feed them with the Bread of Life.

The following story can give us an idea of our own obtuseness and lack of insight, like the disciples who were in the boat with Jesus (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 180). We have unseeing eyes and unhearing ears. We are not able to recognize or understand the daily “miracle of life”.

The great Gensha once invited a court official to tea. After the customary greetings, the official said, “I do not wish to squander this opportunity of spending some time in the presence of so great a Master. Tell me. What does it mean when they say that in spite of our having it in our daily life we do not see it?”

Gensha offered the man a piece of cake. Then he served him his tea. After eating and drinking, the official, thinking that the Master had not heard his first sentence, repeated the question. “Yes, of course”, said the Master. “This is what it means: that we do not see it, even though we have it in our daily life.”

B. First Reading (Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10): “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created.”

The Old Testament reading (Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10) stresses the ever growing estrangement of man from God and underlines the cosmic dimension of sin. The Lord sees how wicked everyone on earth is and how evil their thoughts are. Sin pervades the hearts of all people and only remains faithful. God’s heart is wounded such that the bond of intimacy and patient forbearance shown them could no longer be sustained. The entire order in creation has been undone by human sin so that the earth has to return to the watery chaos from which the Creator God has called it forth. The Lord God decrees a catastrophic flood because of man’s sin. His purpose is not total destruction, but through Noah, to build it anew. In his preparations for the flood, Noah must also save every species of animal. Only after carefully preparing for the preservation of Noah and his family does God destroy the old order. The catastrophic flood is God’s judgment upon humanity, but this judgment is counterpoised by his compassionate will to save.

Noah’s response to the divine saving will is awesome. He builds the ark and, upon the Lord’s command, enters it that he may be saved. In a funny vein, the following story illustrates our failure to perceive God’s saving will and enter into the “ark of salvation” (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book Of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 97).

A priest was sitting at his desk by the window composing a sermon on providence when he heard something that sounded like an explosion. Soon he saw people running to and fro in a panic and discovered that the dam had burst, the river was flooding, and the people were being evacuated.

The priest saw the water begin to rise in the street below. He had difficulty suppressing his own rising sense of panic, but he said to himself, “Here I am preparing a sermon on providence and I am being given an occasion to practice what I preach. I shall not flee with the rest. I shall stay right here and trust in the providence of God to save me.”

By the time the water reached his window, a boat full of people came by. “Jump in, Father”, they shouted. “Ah no, my children”, said Father confidently. “I trust in the providence of God to save me.”

Father did climb to the roof, however, and when the water got up there another boatload of people went by, urging Father to join them. Again he refused.

This time he climbed to the top of the belfry. When the water came to his knee, an officer in a motorboat was sent to rescue him. “No thank you, officer”, said Father, with calm smile. “I trust in God, you see. He will never let me down.”

When Father drowned and went to heaven, the first thing he did was complain to God. “I trusted you! Why did you do nothing to save me?”

“Well”, said God. “I did send three boats, you know.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are we so preoccupied with daily cares that we are unable to see and recognize the ongoing miracle of life that comes from God? Do we have faith in Jesus as the one loaf that matters – the Bread of eternal Life?

2. Do we realize the cosmic dimension of sin? What do we do to be instruments of God’s salvation in today’s sinful situation?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus Lord, forgive us! At times we are obtuse and insensitive. Our eyes are not able to see, our ears are not able to hear, our hearts are not able to feel, and our minds are not able to understand the greatness of your love for us. But you are the Divine Master and the Bread of life. You are the one loaf that matters – the life-giving Bread that satisfies the hungers of our heart. Give us the light of your wisdom and the love of the Holy Spirit so that we may live only for you. Help us share the bread of the Word with a hungry world that longs for God. Save us from the leaven of corruption. Let us live our lives as “bread blessed, broken and shared” for others. You are the font of blessing and we adore and bless you, now and forever. Amen.

*** O Creator God, our sin is self destruction. Save us from the flood waters of evil and death. Lead us into the ark of salvation and make of us a new creation. You are the source of life. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Do you still not understand?” (Mk 8:21) // “His heart was grieved.” (Gn 6:6)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that Christian disciples may have better insight into the compassionate ways and plan of God. Make it a daily exercise to recognize and thank God for the beauty and bounty of the “miracle of life” that daily surrounds us. // Let us make the daily examination of the heart and ask God pardon for our sins and offenses.

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WEDNESDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Blind See … He Incarnates the Mercy of God” ***

BIBLE READINGS Gn 8:6-13, 20-22 // Mk 8:22-26

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:22-26): “His sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.”

The healing of the blind man in Bethsaida occurs by stages. Jesus takes him by the hand and leads him outside the village. Jesus uses spittle and lays his hands on him. The blind recovers his sight partially. He tells Jesus that he can see people who looking like trees and walking. At the second laying of hands, the blind man is able to see clearly. The healed man of Bethsaida is a symbol of all the disciples of Jesus, then and now, in need of his healing touch.

The gradual restoration of the man’s vision is similar to the gradual recognition of Jesus’ messiah-ship by his disciples. The healing “by stages” symbolizes the progressive healing of their spiritual blindness. The Twelve who followed Jesus have “seen” him without really seeing him. They need to undergo a conversion process that would enable them to overcome their blindness of heart and “see everything clearly”. Like the blind man of Bethsaida, Jesus would lead them by the hand. They would have a glimpse of Christ’s paschal destiny and grow progressively in faith.

The following story of the healing of a young man who became blind through an automobile accident gives us an idea of the wonderful experience of the blind man of Bethsaida healed by Jesus (cf. Joyce Stranger, “A Walk in the Dark” in Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, vol. 4, New York: 1988, p. 568-569).

It was strange to lie in a hospital bed again, aware of pain, his eyes bandaged. It brought back memories he would as soon have forgotten. They had operated on only one eye. There would be a second operation later. (…)

The days went by. Steve did not want the bandages removed. Better to hope than to know. He lay in a darkened room, shaking, when they finally unwrapped his eyes. “Open them”, the doctor said. He dared not. And then he forced himself to find out the truth. From the operated eye he glimpsed an edge of light at the window, a glint from a glass on the bedside table, the shape of a face above him. “I can see”, he whispered. The bandages were rewrapped. Steve lay, his heart pounding. Suppose it was only temporary? Suppose it lasted only a few hours?

But fate was kind, and each day revealed more of the world he had lost. He had to be careful. Bright lights hurt, and using his eyes even for ten minutes was a strain. But in those minutes he absorbed every impression he could get: the faces of the people about him, and such colors everywhere! The curtains in his room were yellow and blue. There were roses in a vase by his bed. They removed the bandages at night, and he lay like a child, staring at the shape of his hand, at the pattern on his pajamas. (…)

And then came the day when the curtains were pulled back, and he stood near the window looking out at a riot of colors dizzying his senses: bright flowers and trees, women in gay dresses, yellow against green against blue. He couldn’t bear it and had to draw the curtains again and reduce the light. Shaking, he sat in a chair, staring at the closed curtains, unable to believe his luck.

They brought him dark glasses, and with them he braved the world. He discovered that he had lost his sense of space; nothing seemed to be in the right place; distance had begun to play tricks on him. Steps were steeper and shallower than he thought; tables farther away. Perspective had vanished. He was terrified at the speed with which people walked toward him, sure they would bump into him.

At night, in his darkened room, he stood at the window and stared out at the trees bending in the wind, at the cloud banks lined with light. Light. Starlight. He was too fascinated to sleep, seeing the bright pinpoints of distant suns, the slender moon. The miracles continued. He walked in the garden, watching birds dart about the grass, seeing a cat slink out of the bushes, seeing it newly for the first time, an amazing creature. Sunlight bronzed its tortoiseshell fur. He wanted to sit and look forever.

He rediscovered shadows. He had been so used to them he rarely noticed them, but now he watched his own shadow as it stretched in front of him or suddenly dwarfed itself. But how could people live among such incredible sights and not notice them?

B. First Reading (Gn 8:6-13, 20-22): “Noah saw that the surface of the ground was drying up.”

Today’s Old Testament account (Gn 8:6-13, 20-22) underlines the mercy of God and Noah’s experience of salvation through the flood. God “remembers” Noah and all the animals, wild and tame, that are with him in the ark; he causes a wind to blow and the water starts to go down (cf. Gn 8:1). Noah sends out birds to determine if the waters have receded so that they could disembark. The image of the dove returning with a plucked-off olive leaf in its bill is a “sign” of God’s gift of peace upon mankind. The saving initiative is totally God’s. The appearing of the ground and the growth of vegetation indicate that the birth of a new epoch begins – a new creation rises! The “remembering” of God is intimately linked with his merciful love. Noah responds to the divine saving initiative by offering a pleasing “sacrifice” to God. Reconciliation with humanity is thus brought about in the primeval level. Though man’s inclination to sin may persist, God’s merciful saving plan guides the course of human history. The orderly phase in creation is an indication of God’s benevolence. The rhythm of the days and seasons emphasizes God’s desire to renew life in creation and to reconcile with humanity.

The personal account of Sr. Mary Adelle Arboleda, PDDM, gives insight into Noah’s experience of being saved through flood waters.

The Most Trying and Purifying Moment of My Life: It was June 21, 2008 when typhoon Frank hit the town of Kalibo, Aklan. You cannot imagine how this typhoon left our town devastated!

We experienced strong rain and winds on the morning of June 21, 2008. We were monitoring on our radio the weather conditions and there was no alarming announcement. Noontime – the rain stopped and the winds died down. Calmness enveloped the whole place and seemingly the typhoon left. And yet I was getting a strange feeling that it was not over.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, a neighbor told us that Aklan River had overflowed. From our past experience, the flood never entered the town. But before four o’clock in the afternoon, to our surprise – here came the water rushing from our backyard and rising so fast. I immediately planned to transfer my mom, who was blind, to a neighbor’s house that is higher than ours. My mom was made a seat on a small table that served as a raft for her transfer. The improvised raft was steered by my nephews and neighbor. My sister-in-law accompanied my mom.

Our house was bungalow style and lower. Soon, inside the house, the water reached up to my neck. Even though I wanted to salvage things, it was not possible. The water was getting deeper. We struggled to climb to the roof. From there we could see many things being carried away by the flood. I think everybody in the town was caught by surprise. Seeing precious furniture being carried away by the flood, I could not help but say to myself, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes it away.”

For me that was a moment of grace. God allowed me to have that experience so that my faith and trust in him would grow. As I sat there on the roof top, soaked in the rain, hungry and feeling abandoned, I thought of my mother in another house. Even if she was sheltered, she must be feeling hungry. I agonized all the more and asked why this happened.

It was getting dark: no light … no food … wet and cold. I could hear a neighbor shouting for help and also the church bell ringing. And yet all of us were helpless. Communication black out! We prayed as we have never prayed before. That eased a bit our pain. I used to see on TV people trapped on the roof by the flood. And here I was experiencing the very same thing … not on TV … but a personal reality!

At four o’clock in the morning, we slowly went down from the roof. I tried to look for some dry clothes to change – none! Everything wet! When we saw that the curtain was nearly dry, we took them to cover ourselves. We heard that water was all over the town. Even our cathedral was flooded. It seems each of us had a “share”. Our neighbor who was lucky to have a third floor gave us some dry clothes to put on and also some food.

Our feeling was of gratitude to God for we were all alive even though we were under the mercy of others. It was a humbling experience, But I would say everything has turned into a blessing.

The support of the Congregation was overwhelming. Prayers, financial and material support were not wanting. We stayed in our neighbor’s house for 20 days – until we had cleaned and disinfected our own house. I put a mark where the water reached – it was six feet! And I also put the date. The mud inside the house was 8 inches.

A lot of things happened then. Words were not sufficient to capture and express them. It was a real experience of the loving care of God manifested in many ways. Trials may come – difficulties – whatever. It no longer matters. Only God, doing his will day by day, is all that matters. Deo Gratias!

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I experience spiritual blindness? Do I allow Jesus to lead me, touch me and enable me to see with the eyes of faith?

2. Do I trust in the benevolence of God that is mightier than the “floodwaters” of sin? Do I accept God’s gift of peace and reconciliation that calls us from self-destructive ways?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, lay your healing hands upon me. Let me see with the eyes of faith. You are my God and you alone I will love and serve. Let all peoples praise you and glorify you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Lord God, we thank you for saving Noah and his family through the floodwaters of death. Through the sacrament of baptism, let us be saved from the powers of sin and death. Help us to walk into the dawning light of the new creation. We adore and praise you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“His sight was restored.” (Mk 8:25) // “Never again will I doom the earth because of man …” (Gn 8:21)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make an effort to help the blind and the handicapped in your community. // See in what ways you can promote the integrity of God’s beloved creation.

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THURSDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Suffering Messiah … He Is the Rainbow of Reconciliation”

BIBLE READINGS Gn 9:1-13 // Mk 8:27-33

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:27-33): “You are the Christ. The Son of Man must suffer much.”

In the Gospel (Mk 8:27-33) we hear that to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers correctly, “You are the Messiah”. But Peter immediately reveals that his notion of the “Messiah” is as faulty and corrosive as those of the Pharisees. Influenced by popular expectation, he expects Jesus to be a religious-political savior replete with worldly power. The false notion of messiah-ship needs to be rectified. The Divine Master, who healed the blind man of Bethsaida “by stages”, manifests his continuing effort to heal the spiritual blindness of the disciples, especially Peter. He tries to enlighten them on the true meaning of Messiah. He gives them insight that the “Messiah” is the Son of Man who must suffer greatly and be rejected and killed, and rise after three days. Indeed, authentic messiah-ship and discipleship involve powerlessness and suffering rather than worldly power and might.

One of the most beautiful stories I have ever read is “To Live Again” by Harold Koenig, M.D. (cf. “To Live Again” in Guideposts, September 2006, p. 20-24). The psychiatrist, Dr. Koenig, who is the coordinator of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University in North Carolina, suffers from a crippling disease that racks him with pain. Here is an inspiring account of how he has coped with pain and suffering.

I had been diagnosed with psoriatic inflammatory arthritis. My immune system was attacking my tendons and joints. Any part of my body I used repetitively – legs, knees, ankles, hands, shoulders, back – could become inflamed. The disease could be progressive. There was no cure. Part of me was relieved to have a diagnosis – no more mystery pain. But then I saw the fear in Charmin’s eyes. I knew she was already mourning our walks together, our hiking vacations. I looked at Jordan. What kind of father will I be? Will we play baseball together? Can we even roughhouse? That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My back was throbbing. But it wasn’t just the pain keeping me awake. Why? I asked, cycling through thoughts of patients, research, all that I felt God had called me to do. Is all this work for nothing? Is it all going to get swallowed up in some disease? What am I supposed to do?

The bedroom was dark, the pain relentless. Finally, I got up and limped to the sofa in the living room. I lay on it and found the soft cushions eased the ache. Thank you, God, I prayed. And then it hit me. It was such a simple movement, from bed to sofa. God didn’t snap his fingers and make the pain go away. He didn’t promise to cure me. But he did show me how to adapt, how to live instead of giving up. Maybe that’s what I’m supposed to do, learn to follow God with the pain – and then help others do the same. Lord, that sounds hard. But if you’re with me, I’ll try.

God showed Dr. Koenig how to live with pain and how to help others cope with it. In embracing the mystery of suffering and in trusting the divine saving will, he was able to experience that God works through our weakness and our strength. Indeed, Dr. Koenig is a sterling example of how a disciple could participate fully and intimately in the paschal destiny of Jesus Christ, the suffering Messiah. Suffering is integral to Christian faith. And to follow Jesus involves redemptive sacrifice.

B. First Reading (Gn 9:1-13): “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

In its February 2006 issue, Guideposts magazine continues its inspiring report on the heroes of super-hurricane Katrina – ordinary people who did extraordinary things (cf. p. 54-60). Among the heroes mentioned is Bob Ford, from Brandon, Mississippi (just outside Jackson, and about 200 miles north of New Orleans and the site of the worst of the devastation). He is a caterer with plenty of leftovers the night Katrina hit. Guideposts senior editor, Stephen Berg narrates (cf. p. 60):

In the face of the storm, hardly anyone showed up to the gospel concert he’d cooked for. So Bob and his wife, Jocelyn, took turkey legs and corn on the cob to a shelter in Jackson that was housing 1,200 evacuees. All those people made an impression on Bob. “I told myself, ‘I’m in this for the long haul’.” Bob, his wife, their two teenagers and an employee returned the next day. They kept cooking even after the power went out. When provisions ran low, Bob found a reporter so he could get on the local TV news to ask for help. Dozens volunteered. Standard fare from relief organizations was doughnuts and drink boxes. The Ford crew got up every day at 5:00 A.M. to make eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and, of course, grits for crowds as large as 1,700. “A hot meal is important to folks in distress,” Bob believes.

Bob himself was not untouched by Katrina. His house was smacked by a tree. Still, it didn’t stop him from setting up a wedding feast for a couple who had planned to get married in New Orleans. “We have to focus on what God wants us to do,” says Bob.

Bob and the other laudable heroes of the Katrina aftermath, with their compassionate acts of mercy, have sketched anew across the horizon of human history the beautiful rainbow of God’s benevolent will to bring forth life in the midst of destruction. The rainbow of God’s covenant love is made present, here and now, through the loving works of people who make the reality of neighborly love and compassion triumph over death-dealing situations. Indeed, the life-giving power that manifested itself through the flood and destruction wrought by hurricane Katrina evokes the divine miracle of life and the covenant love that reigned over the cosmic flood at the time of Noah, as narrated in the Book of Genesis (cf. chapters 5-9).

Today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 9:1-13) speaks of God’s covenant with Noah when the latter was delivered from the flood. The basic content of this inchoative covenant is God’s merciful permission to continue the history of humankind. This covenant comes after a period when sin has become universal. It is therefore a covenant of mercy and forgiveness and underlines the divine goodness that is greater than human sins.

God’s primeval covenant with Noah includes a sign of his intent to bring forth life and to continue to care for the earth and its inhabitants - the bow hanging in the sky. The ancient pagans believed in a divine bow used to inflict punishment on man. However, hanging upon the clouds unused and in a peaceable way, the spectacle of the grandiose bow arching majestically in the sky signifies divine appeasement and reconciliation. Arched over the immense horizon, the beautiful rainbow with its iridescent colors becomes a powerful symbol of God holding himself back from destroying his work. The fascinating and consoling sign of the rainbow manifests the Father’s benevolent plan of reconciliation with his beloved creation. The rainbow in the sky is a fitting covenant symbol, a promise of unconditional love, a sign of acceptance and care. The appearance of the rainbow suggests the association of covenant with water. The beautiful rainbow evokes the reality of Christian baptism, which is a supreme covenant with God.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe that suffering is an integral element of Christian faith? Do we wish to participate more fully in the paschal destiny of Christ, the suffering Messiah, as he redeems mankind and rebuilds the world?

2. Do we treasure the “rainbow” of reconciliation that God hangs upon the horizon of human history through the death and rising of his Son Jesus Christ? Do we point to others – especially to those who are hopeless – that the “rainbow” of divine benevolence is out there in the sky?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Lord, you are the suffering Messiah. Help us to see the true worth of a messiah-ship based on powerlessness and suffering. Loving Jesus, guide us to walk in your ways. Inflame our hearts with love for you. Filled with your blessings, help us to serve you without distinction. Help us to love inclusively. We sing your kindness and glory. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, we thank you for the beautiful “rainbow” of reconciliation that you display in the horizon of human history through the paschal mystery of your Son Jesus Christ. Let us not be oblivious to this sign of covenant love but celebrate this gift in our life. You are full of mercy and compassion. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly.” (Mk 8:31) // “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Gn 9:13)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that Christian disciples may have deep insight into the beauty and nobility of Christ as the suffering Messiah. // By your kind words and deeds enable the people around you to perceive the many signs of God’s love and beauty in our daily life.

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FRIDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Take Up Our Cross … He Reverses the Babel Effect” ***

BIBLE READINGS Gn 11:1-9 // Mk 8:34-9:1

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 8:34-9:1): “Those who lose their lives for my sake and that of the Gospel will save them.”

In the Gospel (Mk 8:34-9:1) we hear that after prophesying his paschal destiny on the Cross, Jesus delineates the meaning of the discipleship of the cross: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Mk 8:34-35). Jesus thus connects the fate of his disciples with his own. Christian discipleship involves a share in his paschal sacrifice on the cross. Only in letting go of self and in letting God realize his mysterious, saving plan in us, can we achieve true life and happiness.

Indeed, taking up one’s cross is a badge of discipleship. The great humanitarian and peace-worker, Chiara Lubich, underlines the vital role of the cross in Christian discipleship: “The cross is the necessary instrument whereby the divine penetrates into what is human, and humanity participates more fully in God’s life, entering into the kingdom of heaven already here on this earth. But we really have to take up our cross. We must get up in the morning expecting it, and knowing that only by means of it can we receive those gifts, which this world does not have – peace and joy, knowledge of the things of heaven, which are unknown to most people.”

The following account of the Japanese martyrs of Ikitsuki illustrates how they took up the cross and fully participated in the paschal destiny of Christ (cf. Full Sail with the Wind of Grace, ed. “Martyrs” Editorial Committee, Nagasaki: Don Bosco Sha, 2008, p. 44-46).

Genka’s daughter Maria was married to the son of Kondo Kisan, the commissioner of Tachiura (Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture). Kondo was a devout Buddhist. He tried to convert his daughter-in-law and make her give up her faith. Maria always responded with the same words. “I was baptized by my father and have always walked the way of God that was taught to me. I cannot give up my faith.” “If you do not renounce your faith we cannot keep you in our household. Think well and choose either my son or your faith!”

Kondo oppressed Maria with these harsh words. After two years of struggling with the situation, Maria told her husband of her decision, and returned to her father Genka.

Shigenobu was furious with Genka who not only disobeyed his orders and continued to practice his faith, but also worked as a Christian leader. Shigenobu ordered the execution of Genka together with his wife Ursula and their oldest son John Mataichi.

Genka was handed over to the commissioner of Yamada (Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture), Inoue Umanojo to be executed on the 14th of November 1609. To Umanojo, Genka was a friend for whom he had great respect. Genka told him of his only wish. “Lord Inoue, could you do me a favor and perform my execution at the Kurusu (cruz = cross ) Trail?” “Why the Kurusu Trail?” “Once a cross stood there, and my parents and friends are buried there, too.”

Umanojo nodded and they started to walk toward the Kurusu Trail. When they arrived at the spot, Genka said to Umanojo, “Lord Inoue, it was my heart’s desire to offer my life here. None of this is your fault. Please be at peace.”

Genka knelt down, raised his tied hands toward heaven and silently bowed his head. Umanojo, choking down his tears, performed the execution with one stroke of his sword so that Genka would not suffer too much. Genka’s wife Ursula and their son John Mataichi were also beheaded about the same time at a place nearby. Gaspar Nishi Genka and his wife Ursula were both 54 years old. Their eldest son John Mataichi was 24 years old. Their remains were buried at the Kurusu Trail. The Christians secretly planted a pine tree on the spot.

In 1992, the Christians of Ikitsuki built a large cross on the Kurusu Trail. It is to remind them of the importance of faith strengthened in the family, a precious heritage of Gaspar Nishi Genka.

B. First Reading (Gn 11:1-9): “Let us go down and there confuse their language.”

My first language is “Bicol”. Visitors from Manila who speak Tagalog (the basis of Pilipino, the Philippine national language) are amused to hear repeatedly within the Bicol Mass the words “daga” and “asin”. In Bicol, “daga” means “earth” and “asin” means “and”. In Tagalog, however, “daga” means “rat” and “asin” means “salt”. The Tagalog strangers wonder how come there are so many “rats” and so much “salt” within the Mass celebrated by the Bicolanos. More confusion comes up when the non-Tagalog speaking Bicolano goes to Manila. Fish in Bicol is “sira”, but the word “sira” in Tagalog means “spoiled” or “rotten”. The Tagalog speaking vendors are very unhappy and resentful when the Bicolano customers refer to the fish commodity as “sira”. They protest: “How dare you! The fish are very fresh. They are not “sira” and definitely not rotten!”

The story of Babel presented in today’s Old Testament reading (Gn 11:1-9) gives insight into the confusion of languages. Originally narrated to explain the origin of the diversity of languages and nations, the story of Babel has been used by the sacred authors to depict the alienation of human society from God, and of groups of men from one another. The story, which concludes the Genesis account of creation and the early history of human race, reinforces the reality of human opposition to God. The evil tendency in individuals before the Flood now becomes a collective energy of sin that controls and perverts human aspirations. Their evil desire is to “make a name” for themselves on their own initiative, oblivious of God. They rebel against God. Their presumption ends in disaster. Their effort to build the great city Babel - “Babel” sounds like the Hebrew word for “mixed up” - and the imposing tower results in their language being confused and of them being scattered all over the world in disarray. Their feeble knowledge of God deteriorates even more and results in myriads of false beliefs and the worship of idols of every sort. Against the background of the story of Babel, the sacred authors would depict the figure of Abraham, the father of faith.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do we actualize, in our daily lives, the discipleship of the cross? How do we translate into concrete reality the Christian challenge: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”?

2. What are the various presumptions in our times that replicate those in the story of Babel? What are our own presumptions?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Father, we thank you for Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant. He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him on the road that leads to eternal life. Give us the grace to be true Christian disciples. May our living “faith” be manifested daily in concrete works of charity. In Jesus’ name, bless us with faithful discipleship, now and forever. Amen.

*** O merciful God, just and true are your ways. Forgive our disastrous efforts to build a world alienated from you. Let your Son Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, his Easter gift, reverse the Babel effect of chaos and confusion. Grant us the gift of harmony and total submission to your benevolent will. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.” (Mk 8:35) // “It was called Babel.” (Gn 11:9)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

When your faith is challenged in today’s secularized world and when you are persecuted for your Christian faith, ask God for the grace to manifest the power of faithful discipleship. // Learn how to dialogue peacefully in conflict-filled situations.

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SATURDAY: SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Transfigured in Glory … He Is the Absolute Model of Faith” ***

BIBLE READINGS Heb 11:1-7 // Mk 9:2-13

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:2-13): “Jesus was transfigured before them.”

One of my few prized possessions is a picture of the faces of students enrolled at Maryhill School of Theology, to enable the professors to memorize their names more easily. This particular picture contains the faces of the seminarians who participated in the course, “The Word of God in the Liturgy” which I taught in 1993. This “souvenir” is particularly meaningful for it includes the youthful face of my celebrity student, Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, a young Claretian missionary who worked in the thickly Muslim populated and rebel infested island of Basilan, in the southern Philippines. The Abu Sayaf rebels, notorious for their lawlessness and ferocity, kidnapped him, together with some female catechists, for ransom a few years ago. Fr. Gallardo was subjected to various forms of torture. His toenails were pulled out and he was commanded to rape his catechists, which he refused to do. He was humiliated for his heroic fidelity to prayer. Finally, as the Aba Sayaf rebels were retreating when the government forces attacked, he was shot in the head and died as a true pastor and martyr for the faith. I would show this “souvenir” to new students and, pointing to Fr. Gallardo’s image, proudly proclaim, “This is my beloved student!”

In today’s Gospel (Mk 9:2-13), we hear a similar acknowledgment in the authoritative voice coming from the cloud. It is the voice of the heavenly Father making the divine affirmation, “This is my beloved Son …” This affirmation echoes the acknowledgment the Father made at the baptism in the Jordan: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased” (cf. Mk 1:9-11). In the transfiguration of Jesus, we get a glimpse of the glorious fulfillment of Christ’s paschal journey and the magnificent destiny of his covenantal fidelity to be at the complete service of God’s saving will. Indeed, the words from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son,” received their full meaning from Jesus’ willingness to be sacrificed and from the willingness of the Father “not to spare his own Son” (cf. Rom 8:32).

Indeed, Jesus, the beloved Son, is the primordial sacrament. He is the sacrament of the Father’s covenant fidelity to save us. He is the presence of the Father’s tremendous love for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, our Savior, his most precious One (cf. Jn 3:16). Indeed, God did not deny his own Son that we may be saved. The sacrificial aspect of the Father’s love and the beloved Son’s submission is the cause of our salvation. This is such an astounding reality that, with St. Paul, we can exclaim: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

B. First Reading (Heb 11:1-7): “By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God.”

The First Reading (Heb 11:1-7) presents a cloud of witnesses to faith. The Old Testament models of faith would culminate in the example of Jesus, the new and supreme model of faith. The author first defines faith as “the reality of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. He continues to give insight into this beautiful reality and asserts that by faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God and that the visible came into being through the invisible. The author describes the faith of Abel whose sacrifice of gifts is pleasing to God; the faith of Enoch who was taken up to God; the faith of Noah who obeyed God and followed his warnings about things in the future that he could not see. Above all, the author depicts the wonderful response of faith of Abraham to God’s call.

Indeed, faith is our response to God. “By faith, Abraham obeyed when God called him” (v. 8). He put absolute trust in the word of God and the divine promise to make out of him a great nation. Harold Buetow comments: “Abraham’s faith was not according to the principle of most people, who cautious and comfort-loving, put safety first, his faith went into the unknown, where it could not see the end of the path. Abraham did everything God wanted of him – and, sure enough, ultimately his wife conceived and his son Isaac was born. Then, when God asked him to leave the comforts of his hometown Ur in the Chaldean mountains for what came to be known as the Promised Land and endure all the problems of a stranger in a foreign land, he did it – even though he was not sure where God was leading him. God, to test him even further, some years later asked him to give his young son Isaac as a living sacrifice. Despite his hope that through Isaac he would have descendants, he prepared to do as God asked. It was only at the last moment that God prevented him from going through with his sacrifice. We, like Abraham, should let go and let God!”

The following testimony by Harold Hostetler about the faith of Hochstetler, his Swiss Amish ancestor, is inspiring (cf. Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 243).

What struck me most about Jacob was his faith. His family had fled Switzerland and come to America in the early eighteenth century because of religious persecution. Like the rest of the Amish, he took the commands of God literally – he wouldn’t kill other human beings, even in war. During the French and Indian War he refused even to defend himself when Indians attacked his Pennsylvania home; he was wounded and lost his wife, a son and a daughter. As he and his two remaining sons were captured and about to be taken to separate villages, his parting advice was “Do not forget the Lord’s Prayer.” Jacob and his sons survived the war … I’ve read of so many Hostetlers down through the years who have gone into the ministry or otherwise heeded God’s call. What a legacy!

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe that Jesus, revealed in his transfigured glory, is the primordial sacrament of God’s love and his covenant fidelity to save us? Do we allow ourselves to be transformed by this wonderful gift? How do we contribute to the healing and transformation of our wounded society today?

2. How do we live and share our Christian faith?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving and merciful Father, you have made us your sons and daughters in your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He is the primordial sacrament of your covenantal love for us. Transform us; transfigure us; Christify us. Hear our humble supplications and grant us the grace we need in order to face the challenges of being your own beloved children in today’s world that needs healing. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Lord Jesus, you are the absolute model of faith. Help us to walk by faith and to live by faith. Grant that we may truly treasure the gift of faith we have received from you and from the cloud of faith witnesses then and now. With this legacy of faith, grant that we may embrace the future with hope. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He was transfigured before them.” (Mk 9:2) // “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Do something for the youth, especially the most rejected, that they may experience the transforming love of God through his Son Jesus Christ. // Be thankful to God for the gift of faith and endeavor to put that faith into practice.

*** Text of Week 6 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 43) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 7

MONDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Faith … He Is Wisdom Incarnate”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 1:1-10 // Mk 9:14-29

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:14-29): “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

The transfiguration story, which precedes today’s Gospel episode (Mk 9:14-29), is a figure of the future risen glory of Jesus. In the same way, the story of the disciples trying to heal an epileptic boy and dealing with argumentative scribes is a figure of the challenges the future Church would experience in attempting to do his works. The effort of the disciples to drive out the evil spirit from the boy is futile. The scribes must have outclassed them in discussion as well. The disciples feel powerless. But the Divine Master shows them what it means to keep faith: “Everything is possible to one who has faith.” The boy’s father, stirred by an inchoative faith, declares: “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Jesus thus exorcises the evil spirit and the boy is healed. The miracle healing of the boy underlines Jesus’ messianic power. It is also a powerful lesson and an urgent invitation to his disciples to trust in him. Prayer is a sign of faith. By faith the disciples are empowered to carry out Christ’s saving work, through time and space.

The following story gives insight into the faith of a holy man and the marvels that God accomplishes through him (cf. Anthony De Mello, Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations, New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1990, p. 110-111).

There once lived a man so godly that even the angels rejoiced at the sight of him. But, in spite of his great holiness, he had no notion that he was holy. He just went about his humble tasks, diffusing goodness the way flowers unselfconsciously diffuse their fragrance and streetlights their glow. His holiness lay in this – that he forgot each person’s past and looked at them as they were now, and he looked beyond each person’s appearance to the very center of their being, where they were innocent and blameless and too ignorant to know what they were doing. Thus he loved and forgave everyone he met – and he saw nothing extraordinary in this, for it was the result of his way at looking at people.

One day an angel said to him, “I have been sent to you by God. Ask for anything you wish and it will be given to you. Would you wish to have the gift of healing?” “No”, said the man. “I’d rather God did the healing himself.” “Would you want to bring sinners back to the path of righteousness?” “No”, he said, “it is not for me to touch human hearts. That is the work of angels.” “Would you like to be such a model of virtue that people will be drawn to imitate you?” “No”, said the saint, “for that would make me the center of attention.” “What then do you wish for?” asked the angel. “The grace of God”, was the man’s reply. “Having that, I have all I desire.”

“No, you must ask for some miracle”, said the angel, “or one will be forced on you.” “Well, then I shall ask for this: let good be done through me without my being aware of it.”

So it was decreed that the holy man’s shadow would be endowed with healing properties whenever it fell behind him. So everywhere his shadow fell – provided he had his back to it – the sick were healed, the land became fertile, fountains sprang to life, and the color returned to the faces of those who were weighed down by life’s sorrow.

But the saint knew nothing of this because the attention of people was so centered on the shadow that they forgot about the man. And so his wish that good be done through him and that he be forgotten was abundantly filled.

B. First Reading (Sir 1:1-10): “Before all things else wisdom was created.”

In the next two weeks, the first reading of the weekday liturgy is taken from the Book of Sirach (“The Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach”). Known also as Ecclesiasticus, it was written in Hebrew by “Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach” (shortened to Ben Sira) and translated into Greek by his grandson. Ben Sira presents an abundant vision of divine action in the world and perceives within the natural world an almost endless array of God’s revelations. Ben Sira sees both Sacred Scripture and the natural world as sources of God’s revelation.

Today’s reading (Sir 1:1-10) invites us to contemplate God as the source of wisdom. All wisdom comes from the Lord and she is with him forever. The Lord God has filled creation with wisdom and she can thus be perceived in the universe. God gives some measure of wisdom to everyone, but she is poured out on those who love him. The author, Ben Sira, is ecstatic as he ponders the ineffable qualities of wisdom: “Who can count raindrops or the sand along the shore? Who can count the days of eternity? How high is the sky? How wide is the earth? How deep is the ocean? How profound is wisdom?” Since wisdom is from God and brought forth through the Holy Spirit, she is infinitely valuable and profound. The hymn to divine wisdom in the Book of Sirach is a good background for a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ, the Word incarnate and the wisdom of God.

The beautiful reflection of Ben Sira invites us to have a contemplative regard for creation and to perceive in nature the wisdom of God’s plan. The following story gives an insight into this (cf. J.T. Garrett, “Good Medicine” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al., Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 349-351).

As a young boy, I fondly remember my grandfather. He was tall in physical size, but he was also larger than life itself, in my eyes. As a Cherokee Indian, he loved to tell the old stories that had been passed down from generation to generation in the tribe, located in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. His zest for life and his love of nature was passed on to me through the experience there in the mountains of western North Carolina.

On a warm spring day when I was a young boy, my grandfather and I were sitting on a large rock on the edge of the Oconaluftee River in Cherokee. I was looking into a small puddle of water that was caught in an etched indentation of a rock. The large rocks were worn away by water action, and we would sometimes fish on the rocks and watch the fish travel downstream between the rocks. This particular day, I was more interested in the small minnows moving around in the puddle of water that seemed to be caught in the rocks. I must have stared endlessly at the minnows wondering how they would get back to the larger body of water and their parents for safety. After all, I had my grandfather to protect me. Who would protect them from the warm sun and from being eaten by animals, or other fish? Wow, I thought, I was glad I was not fish.

My grandfather would glance around every few minutes to see what I was doing. He saw me looking at the small fish and asked, “What do you see when you look into the water?” Always wanting to please my grandfather to show him how smart I really was, I looked quickly downstream and said, “I see the little fish swimming around, but they have no place to go.”

“Are you afraid for them, or yourself?” My grandfather would often ask two questions at once. “The sun is hot, and I am afraid they will get too hot in the shallow water. Besides, what if they don’t get back to their parents in the river?” He softly spoke, “Well, maybe they are all right in this special pool of water. They might get out into the large river and a larger fish might come by and eat them for dinner.”

“Grandfather, what will they eat to stay alive? What if they stay there and grow too big for a little pool of water?” I guess I must have learned to ask two questions, as well, from my grandfather. “Grandson”, he said, “you do not worry because Nature will take care of them. Whatever happens is all part of a greater plan of life. It is the Great One’s plan.”

I am sure I must have looked perplexed by this statement, but I didn’t really know what to ask. Even at that young age, I knew he would be quiet to allow me to respond, then he would share more with me.

“What do you see when you look into the water?” asked my grandfather. I would look closely to see the water rushing quickly downstream. My eyes would catch a glimpse of the fish, flies touching the water, the water beetles moving quickly down the river, a piece of wood floating with the movement of the water, and the beautiful green plants. I must have explained all these things to him. There was a long pause. Then he said, “What else do you see? Look deeply into the water.”

I looked as hard as I could, then he said, “What else do you see? Look deeply into the water.” I looked as hard as I could, then he said, “Now look at the surface of the water.” My eyes began to water as I stared, wanting my grandfather to be proud of my ability to see everything he saw. “Ah, I see my reflection”, I proudly responded. He quietly said, “That’s good.” A smile came across my face.

“What you see is your whole life ahead of you. Know that the Great One has a plan for you, as well as the little fish in the puddle of water. Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen the way they do, but there is a plan.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I trust God and put faith in him that he will give me strength to do his saving work?

2. What is our response to the divine wisdom revealed and at work in the universe? Are we grateful for the beauty and wisdom that enfold us day by day? Do we open our hearts to the gift of wisdom that comes from God through the Holy Spirit?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, the epileptic boy’s father confessed his faith and begged you to increase his little faith. You healed the boy in response to his prayer of faith. We, your disciples, are called to bring your healing power to a wounded world. Strengthen our feeble faith and enlighten us with true wisdom. You are our saving Lord, now and forever. Amen.

*** (Cf. Alternative Opening Prayer of Monday Mass, 7th Week in Ordinary Time) Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, faith in your word is the way to wisdom, and to ponder your divine plan is to grow in the truth. Open our eyes to your deeds, our ears to the sound of your call, so that our every act may increase our sharing in the life you have offered us. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mk 9:24) //“All wisdom comes from the Lord.” (Sir 1:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Offer a simple prayer of faith in Jesus. Accompany your daily prayer of faith with an act of mercy and good deeds. // Today be particularly attentive to the beauty and wisdom that surround us every day. Be thankful to God for his gift of wisdom and let this guide us in our choices in life.

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TUESDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Humble Service … He Teaches Us the Wisdom of Suffering”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 2:1-11 // Mk 9:30-37

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:30-37): “The Son of Man is to be handed over. Whoever wishes to be first shall be last of all.”

We hear in the Gospel (Mk 9:30-37) that after healing the epileptic boy, Jesus with his disciples leaves the place and goes on through Galilee. He speaks again about his passion, death and resurrection, but his disciples do not understand. Though afraid to ask what he means, they do not have any qualms about arguing who among them is the greatest. At a house in Capernaum, Jesus tries to enlighten their hearts. To help them overcome their wicked ambition, Jesus puts in their midst a child, symbol of poverty and powerlessness. Jesus teaches his disciples that greatness consists in service and in caring for the weak and vulnerable. To be first is to serve. Jesus is the ultimate servant. By his passion and death on the cross, he offers himself totally at the service of the Father’s saving will. By his life-giving sacrifice, the Servant Messiah embraces infinitely all the “children of God”, especially the poor and vulnerable. A moral test of a society is how we treat the weakest among us. In our preferential option for the poor and in our care for the weak, we truly embrace God’s children. Like Jesus Christ, we become the “servant of all”.

The following story, circulated through the Internet, is very touching. It illustrates a compassionate stance on behalf of the needy.

I was walking in a Walmart store, when I saw a cashier hand this little boy some money back. The boy couldn’t have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The cashier said, “I’m sorry, but you don’t have enough money for this doll.” Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him, “Granny, are you sure I don’t have enough money to buy this doll?” “No, my dear.” Then she asked him to stay there for just five minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.

Finally, I walked toward him and asked him who he wished to give his doll to. “It’s the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.” I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly, “No, Santa Claus can’t bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my Mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.” His eyes were so sad while saying this, “My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.”

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, “I told Daddy to tell Mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.” Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me, “I want Mommy to take my picture with her so she won’t forget me. I love my Mommy and I wish she didn’t have to leave me, but Daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.”

Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy, “Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!” “OK” he said, “I hope I do have enough.” I added some of my money without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, “Thank you God for giving me enough money!” Then he looked at me and said, “I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that Mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me! I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my Mommy, but I didn’t dare to ask God for too much. But he gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My Mommy loves white roses.”

A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn’t get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life- sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away. I couldn’t stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still to this day, hard to imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

B. First Reading (Sir 2:1-11): “Prepare yourself for trials.”

The reading (Sir 2:1-11) challenges the servant of the Lord to be prepared for trials. It underlines that all affliction is under the Lord’s control and directed by his providence. The suffering of the just is not a punishment, but a discipline to strengthen one’s faith. Just as impurities can be removed even from gold, so the just one can be purified and one’s true value is thereby seen. As a result of Ben Sera’s reflection and study of the “generations long past”, he concludes that the basis of our hope and faithfulness is God’s mercy and compassion. Many years after Ben Sira, Jesus of Nazareth shows what it means to be schooled in the wisdom of God. In his passion and death, Jesus is imbued with wisdom as he fulfills his mission as the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. Jesus is deeply aware that God’s servants, though tried by adversity and crushed by misfortunes, triumph in the end.

Here is a modern example of God’s faithful one who persevered to the end (cf. Lives of Saints – The Irish Martyrs: Blessed Dermot O’Hurley in Alive!, April 2013, p.15).

Dermot O’Hurley realized that if he did not give himself up his former host, Thomas Fleming of Slane Castle, would lose his lands and possibly his life. The Archbishop surrendered to Queen Elizabeth’s agents and was taken to Dublin. Once interrogation began it became clear he would be shown little mercy. Yet he had nothing to confess: he was simply a bishop who came to attend to the spiritual needs of his flock. But he was seen as an agent of the Pope who had come to Ireland to join forces with the rebel Earl of Desmond. If he would not tell them the truth they would torture him until he did.

And torture him they did. But he could not tell them what they wanted to hear. Eventually, and in desperation, they wrote to the master interrogator in London. Dublin Castle asked that Hurley be taken to London where he could be tried without the danger of provoking outrage and rebellion by the local population. Sir Thomas Walshingham, however, was at that time busily plotting the ensnarement which would lead eventually to the judicial murder of Mary Queen of Scots. He had enough on his hands and insisted that the interrogation continue in Dublin. It did.

This time the torturers resorted to the excruciating measure of soaking O’Hurley’s boots in oil and salt and roasting his feet in fire. The Archbishop still protested his innocence, crying out repeatedly, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Eventually it was decided that he would be tried secretly under martial law, sentenced to death, and secretly executed.

On 19 June, 1584, the order was signed for his execution. Early next morning he was brought outside Dublin city walls to a place near what is now St. Stephen’s Green. But the execution was not as secret as the persecutors had hoped. A group of merchants leaving the city came by the spot where the execution was being prepared. They had no idea who the victim was at first but he was able to speak to them.

“Be it known to you, good Christians”, he said, “that I am a priest anointed and also a bishop, although unworthy of such sacred dignities. No cause could they find against me that might in the least degree deserve the pains of death, but merely for my function of priesthood, wherein they proceeded against me in all points cruelly contrary to their own laws. I ask you, dear Christian brethren, to manifest that to the world and also to bear witness at the day of judgment of my innocent death, which I endure for my function and profession of the holy Catholic faith.”

A short time later he died a martyr’s death by hanging. Word of the execution spread but there was no rioting. His remains were taken down by Catholics and buried in the grounds of the nearby St. Kevin’s Church in Camden Row. His grave remained a place of pilgrimage for many years.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Are our hearts blinded with ambition and are we unable to be the “servant of all”? Do we endeavor to welcome the needy and vulnerable “children of God” in our midst?

2. In times of trial and adversity do we put our trust in the merciful and compassionate God who is our saving help?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus, you are the ultimate servant and the “servant of all” by your life-giving sacrifice on the cross. Help us to be “first” by our serving love. Give us the grace to welcome the poor, the needy, the vulnerable … all the children of God. Teach us to overcome the demands of evil passions. Draw us close to our loving God, who lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen.

*** (Cf. Blessed James Alberione’s “Act of Surrender to the Will of God”) My God, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know that nothing will happen to me that was not foreseen by you and directed to my greater good from all eternity. This is enough for me. I adore your eternal and unfathomable designs. I submit to them with all my heart for love of you. I offer the sacrifice of my whole being to you and join my sacrifice to that of Jesus, my divine Savior. In his name and by his infinite merits, I ask you for patience in my sufferings and perfect submission, so that everything you want or permit to happen will result in your greater glory and my sanctification. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Mk 9:35) //“My son, when you come to serve the Lord … prepare yourself for trials.” (Sir 2:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

In your acts of charity, enable the people around you to feel the love of Christ, the “servant of all”. // In a secularized society whose values are increasingly hostile to the divine will, let the trials and “persecutions” you will experience be fully united with the redemptive sufferings of Christ.

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WEDNESDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Open to Others … He Loves Those Who Seek Wisdom”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 4:11-19 // Mk 9:38-40

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:38-40): “Whoever is not against us is for us.”

The following charming story, “Jesus at the Football Match”, from Anthony De Mello’s book, The Song of the Bird (New York: Doubleday Image Books, 1984), p.147, helps me to understand today’s Gospel reading (Mk 9:38-40) in a humorous vein.

Jesus Christ said he had never been to a football match. So we took him to one, my friends and I. It was a ferocious battle between the Protestant Punchers and the Catholic Crusaders. The Crusaders scored first. Jesus cheered wildly and threw his hat high up in the air. Then the Punchers scored. And Jesus cheered wildly and threw his hat high up in the air. This seemed to puzzle the man behind us. He tapped Jesus on the shoulder and asked: “Which side are you rooting for, my good man?” “Me?” replied Jesus, visibly excited by the game. “Oh, I’m not rooting for either side. I’m just enjoying the game.”

Indeed, Jesus is not in the habit of taking sides. He is concerned with the good of people and not with trifling issues of party membership or political color. In light of the above story, we can understand why Jesus roots for anyone who does good in terms of service to God’s anawim - “the little ones” - even if that person does not belong to the inner circle of disciples. In today’s Gospel reading, he recognizes the good work done by “someone driving out demons in his name”. He tries to correct the clique tendency and the petty exclusivity of his disciples. As the Divine Master, he teaches his disciples to be tolerant and open to others of good will. They are not to consider those not in their company as less favored.

B. First Reading (Sir 4:11-19): “Those who love her the Lord loves.”

The reading (Sir 4:11-19) underlines the benefits of wisdom as well as the trials that are associated with it. The author Ben Sira underlines the fruits of wisdom in an effort to inspire his readers to walk on its path. In the first part of today’s Old Testament reading, Ben Sira personifies wisdom as a “mother” who instructs her children in the ways of life. The blessings of wisdom include help and instruction, honor and dignity, life and joy, and glory and protection from God. The way of wisdom, however, involves trial and discipline. The secrets of wisdom are revealed through purifying struggle. A period of testing is necessary before one can enjoy its fruits. To follow the path of wisdom is to relish its benefits; to abandon it is self-destruction. Underlying the rewards of wisdom is the conviction that its servants are the servants of the Holy One. The Lord God loves the faithful those who love wisdom.

The following story illustrates the experience of a person who allows self to be guided in the path of wisdom and the ways of love (cf. Robert Baldwin, “Mother Teresa, the Wino and Me” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al., Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 228-229).

I will never forget the day I met Mother Teresa. More than that, I will never forget what she taught me about loving other people, especially the poor. She wasn’t nearly as famous in the late seventies as she is now, but she already had hundreds of thousands of admirers around the world. I was the editor of a Catholic newspaper in Rhode Island, and when I heard she would be speaking in Boston, I decided to go.

I arrived at the auditorium to get a good seat, but I discovered that I’d already been granted a seat in the press section. As I waited for the lecture to begin, I passed the time by chatting with another reporter, who turned out to be, like Mother Teresa, a native of Albania. As we were talking, a priest walked over and said to my companion, “Mother Teresa would be happy to meet you right now.”

With uncharacteristic boldness, I rose to my feet and tagged along. So did a handful of other reporters. We were ushered into a room where a little old lady wrapped in a blue-and-white sari was chatting with the Cardinal Humberto Medeiros, then Archbishop of Boston. I couldn’t believe how tiny she was. But what I remember most is her smiling, wrinkled face and the way she bowed to me, as if I were royalty, when I was introduced. She greeted everyone that way. I thought that if Jesus Christ walked into the room, she would greet him in exactly the same manner. The way she did it conveyed a message that said, “You are holy.”

But meeting her wasn’t as memorable as what she taught me about loving people. Until that day, I had always thought of charity as simply being nice to people. For Mother Teresa it was much more. During her talk, she told us how she and the members of her order, the Missionaries of Charity, seek to recognize Christ in the poorest of the poor. She told a story of how one of the sisters had spent an entire day bathing the wounds of a dying beggar who was brought to them from the streets of Calcutta. Mother Teresa’s voice dropped to a whisper as she told the hushed auditorium that, in reality, the nun had been bathing the wounds of Jesus. She insisted that Christ tests the love of his followers by hiding in grotesque disguises to see if we can still see him.

A few nights later, I was leaving my office after dark when a drunk accosted me. He was dirty and ragged and smelled bad. “Did the bus leave yet?” he asked. The only bus that ever stopped on that corner was a van that carried street people to a soup kitchen. “You’ve missed it”, I told him. Then I thought about Mother Teresa. I didn’t exactly buy the idea that this old bum was God in disguise, but I could see a person in front of me who needed a meal. The soup kitchen wasn’t very far out of my way.

“C’mon, I’ll drive you”, I said, hoping that he wouldn’t throw up in the car. He looked surprised, delighted and a little stunned. He studied me with bleary eyes. His next words floated to me on the smell of cheap wine and they seemed to confirm everything Mother Teresa taught me. “Say”, he said, “you must know me.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we exclude “non-members” from the ministry and echo the intolerance of the immature disciples of Jesus: “Teacher, we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us”? Do we believe wholeheartedly in Jesus’ declaration: “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me … For whoever is not against us is for us”?

2. Are we willing to undergo trials so as to experience the fruits and rewards of true wisdom?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, at times, our hearts are intolerant. We try to lay exclusive claim to the Reign of God you have graciously shared with us. Help us to realize that the Kingdom is meant for all people of good will in every time and culture. Teach us, O Divine Master, to be receptive to grace and to humbly submit to the divine plan. Grant that in our endeavors, we may always say: “If the Lord wills it …”. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** God of mercy, your gift of wisdom brings joy and knowledge, abundant blessing and true perception. Wisdom’s servants are your servants and those who love her you truly love. Allow us to be taught by her and to follow her lead in every aspect of our life. Then we shall be blessed and secure in your love. We praise and glorify you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mk 9:40) //“Those who love wisdom the Lord loves.” (Sir 4:14)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the success of the ecumenical movement in the Church and the laudable endeavor of inter-religious dialogue. See what tangible contribution you can make in this regard. // Let the spirit of wisdom guide your moral discernment and choices.

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THURSDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Radical Discipleship … He Counsels Against Presumption”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 5:1-8 // Mk 9:41-50

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 9:41-50): “It is better for you to enter into life with one hand, than with two hands to go into Gehenna.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 9:41-50) continues to underline the challenges of Christian discipleship. Jesus warns against the evil of causing scandal to others by using the harsh imagery of the unquenchable fires of Gehenna. Harold Buetow remarks: “The figure of Gehenna is a symbol of hell derived from the garbage dump in the dried-up Valley of the Hinnon River below the southwest wall of the city. It had an evil history. Once the site of child-sacrifices to the god Moloch, in the time of Jesus it was the city dump, and its smoldering fires and billowing acrid smoke consuming the smelly garbage were a symbol of the punishment of the damned.”

To avoid the hell of Gehenna, the disciples must take care not to give bad example to anyone. Jesus asserts: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire”. Jesus’ remarkable saying is not meant to be taken literally. Physical mutilation does not always work against temptation. What Jesus underlines is the absolute importance of entering the kingdom of God and the exigent demand is entails. Anything that jeopardizes participation in the heavenly kingdom must be expunged from our lives.

Indeed, the Christian disciples need to be purified in their innermost motives. They need to be “salted with fire” and experience the purifying fire of trials by which the faithful become pleasing sacrifices to God and at peace with one another. They need to expunge the evils of ambition, intolerance and scandal from their midst. In place of these, they have to make a tough choice for primacy in service, for tolerance and openness to others of good will, and for integrity in their dealing with God’s “little ones”. Those who respond to the radical demands of Christian discipleship with zest and gusto become the salt of the earth. As the good salt of the earth, they continue to inspire people with the liveliness of the Gospel spirit and lead them to yearn for God’s kingdom.

The following testimony is an example of today’s laudable efforts to help the “little ones” experience the blessings of God’s kingdom and to overcome the obstacles in their lives (cf. Sister Mary Rose McGeady, Sometimes God has a Kid’s Face, Covenant House USA, 2010, p. 82-84).

Freddy had been born seventeen years ago in one of those small old mill towns in the Northeast, the kind of town where industry and hope left town and never looked back at what was left behind. Unable to find work, unable to cope, his parents both took to drinking as a way to escape their sorrow. Sometimes when the drink wasn’t enough to ease their pain, they took their frustrations out on Freddy. Many nights, Freddy found himself hiding in his house, in closets and under beds, trying to escape a beating that had, by that point, become an almost weekly ritual.

Afraid and desperate to please his parents, Freddy began drinking with them, in order to show he was on their side. Soon, well before he had become a teenager, he found himself hooked on alcohol, unable to pry himself loose from the grip it had on him.

“It’s in my blood, Sister”, he said to us that first day. “I was born an addict … there’s nothing you can do to help me.”

One day, when the beatings got to be too much, he fled to the streets to find a peace he had never known. Instead, he found what all kids find – the aloneness, hunger, fatigue and darkness of an unforgiving world on the street. He was sixteen years old. For one full year, Freddy struggled to find some kind of existence on the streets. He slept in alleys, and ate out of garbage cans. He drank to forget how scared and alone he was – and he began experimenting with drugs, hoping they would somehow help him escape his pain. He died a little, day by day.

Then he found Covenant House. I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to turn out for him. I’m hoping – I guess some would say against hope – that it’s not too late for him to believe, that it’s not too late for him to finally overcome an addiction that has an ironclad grip on every ounce of his body. I do know that as long as he is alive, I have hope that we can turn his life around … “I want you to know something, Freddy”, I said. “I still think you are going to make it”, I said. “Just give us a chance”, I said. I could tell by the look of his eyes that he hoped I was right. “I’d like to try”, he said. I reached out and hugged him. “Thank you. God”, I whispered to myself.

B. First Reading (Sir 5:1-8): “Delay not your conversion to the Lord.”

The reading (Sir 5:1-8) inveighs against false security and presumption. Ben Sira does not condemn riches as such, but points out the inherent danger of self-reliance and false security, which indicate a lack of wisdom. He warns against the pride and the sense of power earthly wealth begets. Wealth has no real power and significance in the ultimate issues of life. Indeed, presumptuous attitudes toward God must be avoided. These include denying God’s power over oneself, presuming God’s forbearance and mercy, and putting off repentance. Ben Sira asserts: “Don’t think that you can sin and get away with it … Don’t be so certain of the Lord’s forgiveness that you go on committing one sin after another.” He also urges: “Come back to the Lord quickly. Don’t think you can keep putting it off.” For one who refuses the grace of conversion, there is no escape from the “day of wrath”, which is the day of encounter with the Lord’s justice.

The following story depicts the beautiful ministry of Fr. Thomas Byles as an instrument of conversion for the doomed in the sinking Titanic (cf. “He Refused a Lifeboat” in Alive! April 2013, p. 3).

On 14 April 1912, at 11:40 pm, the Titanic struck an iceberg and a few hours later it sank, with the loss of 1,502 lives. Among those on board was Thomas Byles, a priest from England. Though almost forgotten now, Fr. Byles was well- remembered by some of the survivors of the tragedy.

Born in Leeds in 1870, the son of a Congregationalist minister, he studied theology in Oxford University, intending to become an Anglican vicar. In 1892, however, his younger brother William became a Catholic. Deeply affected by this, he followed him into the Church on the feast of Corpus Christi two years later. He took his examinations in theology as a Catholic – probably the first student to do so at Oxford since the Reformation.

Having acted as tutor to a German prince, he returned to Yorkshire in 1895 and began to study for the priesthood. But his health failed and he had to leave. Three years later, in 1899, he entered the Beda College in Rome and was ordained a priest in 1902. He served in several parishes until appointed to St. Helen’s, a small rural parish in Ongar, Essex. From there the priest, aged 42, left to board the Titanic at Southampton, a 2nd-class passenger to New York. He was going to officiate at his brother William’s wedding in Brooklyn. His ticket cost 13 pounds.

On 14 April, the Sunday after Easter, Fr. Byles celebrated Mass for the 2nd and 3rd class passengers, most of them Irish emigrants. He was on deck, praying the Divine Office, when the boat hit the iceberg, but thought, like most of the passengers, that there was no danger. When the scale of the tragedy became evident he went to help the poorest passengers from steerage onto the boat deck. He also assisted women and children into the lifeboats.

His brother William, shortly after meeting some of the survivors, wrote that Fr. Thomas had “moved about among the crowd from group to group giving absolution (without confessions) and starting all the Catholics on the rosary. “One girl said the sailors wanted to put him into the lifeboat, but he refused, and went on with his work.”

The New York Evening World reported how survivors told that the priest had been foremost in “keeping the religious aspect of the terrible occasion to the fore”, by leading the recitation of the rosary as he guided passengers to the lifeboats. The journalist, having described how some of the first-class passengers played cards, continued: “The poor Irish boys and girls from the steerage were more profitably occupied. They were down on their knees and praying.”

A German priest was with him. According to the report, Fr. Byles urged people to prepare to meet God and about 100 people of all religions knelt round him on the boat deck praying the rosary. As the last lifeboat left from the sinking ship, those on board could hear Fr. Byles’ voice, together with the responses of those kneeling around him.

William Byles and his bride, Katherine Russell, celebrated a quiet wedding, changing into mourning clothes afterwards

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we make a fundamental choice for the Kingdom of God, and are we ready to renounce all that impedes from total participation in it? Do we endeavor to help the “little ones” to experience the blessings of the heavenly Kingdom?

2. Do we rely on false security, and are we guilty of presumption? Do we think that we can sin and get away with it? Do we turn to God and avail ourselves of the grace of conversion?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATI

Lord Jesus, help us to heed your warning not to cause the “little ones” to sin, but rather to promote their dignity and integrity. Teach us to respond to the cry of the poor and aid them in their needs. Let us respond to the call of radical discipleship. We love you and we trust in you, O Divine Master, for in drawing us close to you we are purified and “salted with fire” and become the good “salt of the earth”. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving Father and compassionate God, forgive us for relying on false security and for our presumptuous attitudes that goad us to sin again and again. Give us light and show us the way. Let the radiance of your wisdom reveal our folly and the danger of impenitent death. Let us no longer delay our conversion. Deliver us from all evil. Grant us the mercy of your forgiveness for we now turn to you with humble and contrite hearts. You are truly a loving and forgiving God. We give you honor, glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.” (Mk 9:47) // “Delay not your conversion to the Lord.” (Sir 5:7)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make a personal inventory and see what things/resources/assets you can renounce/share with the “little ones” and the needy poor. // Make a sincere examination of the heart and see what areas in your life need to be brought to God for healing and forgiveness.

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FRIDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us the Sanctity of Marriage … He Is Our True Friend”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 6:5-17 // Mk 10:1-12

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:1-12): “What God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

This true story of enduring love happened some years ago in the Philippines. The parents of our friend, Fr. Allan Lastimosa, went to visit him at his parish in Metro Manila. They had a beautiful time together, especially when they celebrated his mom’s birthday. Soon it was time for his parents to sail for their Cebu island hometown. Fr. Allan brought his parents and a nephew to the pier in Manila and sent them off. As they were about to sail, his dad commented, “The weather doesn’t look good!” But there seemed to be no cause for alarm. And so the ship set off for a day’s journey to Cebu. That was the last time Fr. Allan would see his mom and dad. They were among the fatalities when the boat was caught offshore by a typhoon and capsized. The nephew survived to tell a beautiful story of sacrificial love and nuptial fidelity. Fr. Allan’s dad, who was physically able and could have saved himself, refused to leave his sickly and fragile wife behind. Death perfected their marriage covenant. Indeed, their love for each other is a paradigm of the irrevocable unity of “what God has joined together”.

Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 10:1-12) continues to delineate the radical demands of Christian discipleship. Jesus’ teaching on marriage is a further challenge to those who wish to follow him. At the core of his message is the challenge to spouses to live in faithful union until death. In the divine plan, the married couple constitutes “one flesh” and their covenantal relationship is enduring. He asserts radically that what God has joined together, no human being must separate. Jesus thus enunciates the ideal of indissoluble marriage in the context of the divine plan and the Reign of God that he has come to establish. Though cognizant of the painful issue of marital failure and divorce, the Church continues, then and now, to uphold the lofty ideal of the sacredness of the marriage covenant. In a world where marriage is a convenience, Christian couples are called to witness to the sacred character of the bond of matrimony. God proposes this ideal of marriage to weak human beings, but he places his trust in men and women created in his image and strengthened by his grace.

B. First Reading (Sir 6:5-17): “Faithful friends are beyond price.”

The reading (Sir 6:5-17) is one of the loveliest and the most extensive treatment of friendship in the Bible. The author Ben Sira gives practical advice about making friends and warns against “fair-weather” friends. His precious insights are a result of wisdom’s inspiration and many years of personal experience. One way of gaining friends is through polite and kind speech. But they need to be treated with caution, for false friends betray and quickly fall away in times of trouble, distress and misfortune. True friends are selfless and constant. They have something in common – they are God- fearers. They are present particularly in times of need. Even though they may not be able to provide words or solutions to the problems, they are there to stand by you. Indeed, true friends make us secure and they are life-giving. Indeed, faithful friends are beyond price. The ideal of true friendship is fully embodied in Jesus Christ, the one who laid down his life for his friends.

The following story gives us insight into what true friendship means (cf. Bryan Aubrey, “We Are All Jews Now” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al., Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 145-146).

Viewed from high on the Rimrock cliffs that run along the northern edge of Billings, Montana, the city presents an attractive sight, a thriving metropolis nestling within the great open spaces of the American West. Citizens of Billings say it’s a good, civilized place to live. They pride themselves on the quality of their schools and their strong family values.

So it came as a shock to many, when in November 1995, a series of hate crimes took place against minority groups in the city. Whoever was responsible for these acts must have thought that their victims would be easy targets. Billings is predominantly white. Native Americans, African Americans and Jews make up only a small percentage of the population. But there are just enough of them to frighten or to harass – or so the haters must have thought.

They mounted a series of nasty attacks. Graves were overturned in a Jewish cemetery. Offensive words and swastikas were scrawled on the house of a Native American woman. People worshipping at a black church were intimidated. A brick was heaved through the window of a Jewish child who displayed a menorah there.

But the white supremacists, or whoever they were, had reckoned without the citizens of Billings, who had an answer for them – and it wasn’t what the hate- mongers were expecting. An alliance quickly emerged, spearheaded by churches, labor unions, the media, and hundreds of local citizens.

The results were dramatic. Attendance at the black church rose steadily. People of many different ethnic backgrounds and faiths began to attend services there. Their message was clear: “We may be all different, but we are one also. Threaten any of us and you threaten us all.”

A similar spirit propelled volunteers to come together and repaint the house of Dawn Fast Horse, the Native American woman. This happened at amazing speed. Dawn had awoken one morning to see that her house had been defaced. By the evening, after two hundred people showed up to help, the house had been repainted.

When it came to the incident of the brick being thrown through the window of the Jewish child, an interfaith group quickly had a creative idea. They recalled the example of the Danes during World War II. When the Nazis tried to round up Danish Jews into concentration camps for subsequent extermination, the Danish people worked quickly, within a two-week period, to transport almost every Danish Jew to safety in Sweden until the end of the war.

So the people in Billings organized, and a campaign began. Everyone pitched in, including the local newspaper, which printed a Hanukkah page, including a full- color representation of a menorah. Thousands of Billings residents cut the paper menorah out and displayed it in their windows. By late December, driving around Billings was a remarkable experience. Nearly ten thousand people were displaying those paper menorahs in their windows, and the menorahs remained in place throughout the eight days of Hanukkah. It was a brilliant answer to the hate-mongers. A town that had a few Jews was saying with one collective voice, “We are all Jews now.”

The story of what happened in Billings quickly spread, inspiring a national movement called “Not in Our Town”. That Jewish child who had so innocently displayed her menorah in the window helped set in motion a chain of events that affirmed all over America the liberating principle of unity in diversity.

Not for nothing does a menorah have many candles flickering on a single stand.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we believe in Jesus’ radical affirmation: “What God has joined together, no human being must separate”? How do we promote the sanctity and integrity of family and married life?

2. In our relationships with “friends”, do we allow the spirit of wisdom to guide us and to help us discern whether it is true and uplifting? Do we value the gift of true friendship and do we cultivate it and invest ourselves in it?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Almighty and eternal God, you have made the unbreakable bond of marriage a sign of your Son’s union with the Church as his spouse. Look with favor on all married couples whom you have united. Let them grow in love for each other and may they resolve to be of one heart, one mind, one soul. In their needs, be near to them and in their struggles, assist them with your saving power. Loving Father, we pray for the Church, the Bride of Christ, that she may trust in your mercy and compassion and work for the coming of your kingdom in “patient endurance”. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

*** Father, we thank you for Jesus, our true friend. He laid down his life for us to show the depth of his love for us. Our friend Jesus loved us to the end. Help us to be faithful friends and to be always there for those in need and in distress. You are merciful and compassionate. We adore and praise you, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“What God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Mk 10:9) //“A faithful friend is beyond price.” (Sir 6:15)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for all married couples, offering special petitions for those who are having marital problems. // Manifest your gratitude and esteem for a “true friend” and manifest your love and concern for a friend who is in need.

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SATURDAY: SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Welcomes the Children … We Are in His Image”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 17:1-15 // Mk 10:13-16

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:13-16): “Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”

Today’s Gospel episode of Jesus blessing the children (Mk 10:13-16) follows Jesus’ teaching about the sacredness of marriage. This is significant in that to accept the Lord’s teaching on marriage requires the openness of children and a sense of dependence on God’s strength matching the child’s sense of dependence on the parents. Only a childlike trust will enable the Christian disciples to live up to the demands of the day-to- day relationships they have in the family and elsewhere. Jesus shows compassion and concern for the children who are being prevented from coming to him. Reacting with righteous indignation, he orders them to let the children come to him and holds the little ones as models for those who receive the kingdom of God. It is only to those who are receptive as children that the kingdom of God belongs. Those who are childlike have a central place in the community of faith.

The following story illustrates the sensitivity and receptivity of a “child” to the works of God’s kingdom (cf. Taste of Home, February-March 2009, p. 67). A 12-year- old’s fundraising effort to help poor African children gives us a glimpse of what Christians can do in today’s world to be pleasing to God.

A video shown at church inspired Miranda Walters to make a difference. She saw the faces of children dying from malaria thousands of miles from her Cedar Falls, Iowa home and knew she couldn’t ignore them. A $10 mosquito net dramatically reduces the risk African children face of contracting malaria, an often-fatal infectious disease transmitted through mosquito bites. So Miranda, 12, gave herself a goal: raise $100, enough to buy 10 nets for the nonprofit organization Nothing But Nets. “After seeing the video, I told my grandma I wanted to do something to help them”, Miranda says. “She suggested a bake sale. So we talked to people at church, made posters and baked some things.”

She and her grandmother, Jill Rechkemmer, also of Cedar Falls, made Caramel- Pecan Cheesecake Pie and Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie, both from Taste of Home. They also invited others from the congregation to help with the baking. “At first I worried we wouldn’t get enough baked goods”, says Grandma Jill. “But there were so many!” The bake sale raised $640, enough to buy 64 nets.

Miranda encourages other kids to think about raising money for a cause. “It’s possible no matter how busy you are”, she says. “It feels good to do something to make a difference.”

B. First Reading (Sir 17:1-15): “In His own image the Lord made them.”

In the reading (Sir 17:1-15), we contemplate God’s wisdom in creation and his concern for human beings who are made in the divine likeness. Human beings have dominion over the earth, and are gifted with the power of the senses. God fills them with knowledge and understanding. He shows them the difference between good and evil. He gives them insight to let them see the marvels of his creation and they have the ability to respond in praise of the Creator. He also chooses Israel as his covenant people and entrusts them with the Law as a source of life. He warns against unrighteousness and teaches each person how to treat others. He is all-knowing. God forbids us to do evil against him and toward fellow creatures.

The following article is an example of people who opt to respect the right to life of human beings made in the image and likeness of God (cf. “To That Baby You Are Still a Whole Person” in Alive! April 2013, p. 9).

Which of these two human beings was conceived in rape?

The ultrasound images of two babies look routine, but it is the caption which catches people’s attention. In the first week after the picture appeared on Facebook it was shared 4,774 times and received 4,344 likes and 526 comments. Among the comments were a number from women who became pregnant who had been raped, or had been conceived through rape.

Yas wrote: “To be honest my daughter is the result of rape, but to me I look at her as a gift from God.”

Anna, 31, told how she was raped when she was 13. “The beautiful baby girl that God gave me from that has helped me to heal more than anything else on this planet could have”, she wrote. “To that baby you are still a whole person. You are not broken or damaged. You are still everything! My baby girl is 17 now, and she is absolutely amazing! I cannot imagine life without her.”

Nora reported that her best friend was the “child of rape” and she is the “neatest person I know, very caring and funny.”

Brittany told how her friend who was raped decided to keep the child, and now has a “beautiful 16-year-old daughter named Hope.”

Yoana’s friend was raped at the age of 14. “She was heartbroken, scared and pregnant”, wrote Yoana. “She never thought about abortion. She said, ‘a baby had the right to live’. Even though it was hard, she had family and friends to support her. She took therapy classes. She became herself again after the child was born. Now her baby is 10 years of age. She has no hard feelings, nor does she wish that she had never had her daughter. She loves her.”

A woman named Nicole was glad that someone convinced her mother to think of her as a gift, not merely as a product of the ordeal. “I want to just take a minute and tell you my story”, she wrote. “I was the result of a rape, and because someone talked my biological mom into not aborting, I am alive and I now have a little bundle of joy of my own. And just so you know, if my daughter ever got raped, I would tell her that that baby is a miracle …”

Julie Makimaa, who was conceived in rape and now works to defend the right to life of unborn children, commented: “It doesn’t matter how I began. What matters is who I will become.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we have a childlike dependence in our relationship with God and are we animated by a sense of trust in our pursuit of the kingdom of God?

2. Do we perceive that we are truly a marvel of creation and a miracle of God’s love? Do we thank God for the gift of life and of our being?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Dear Jesus, you wanted the children to come to you. We come to you with childlike dependence and total trust in you. Let us enter the heavenly kingdom and give us the grace to share in the healing ministry and the prayer of faith of the Church. We love and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Almighty Father, we thank you for creating us. We are truly marvelous for we are made in your own image. We are lovable and sacred. We praise you for the wonders of creation and your compassionate care for us. Above all, teach us to avoid evil and to make a fundamental option for you, our absolute good. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Let the children come to me … the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mk 10:14) //“God from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him.” (Sir 17:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

With childlike dependence, ask God for the grace you need to serve him in the sick and suffering and in caring for the “little ones”. // Do what you can to promote the right to life and the dignity of the human person.

*** Text of Week 7 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 44) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 8

MONDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Radical Discipleship … He Invites Us to Turn to God”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 17:20-24 // Mk 10:17-27

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:17-27): “Go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor.”

A wise and holy hermit finds a precious stone beside the brook. He brings it with him to his little cottage. One of his disciples sees the precious discovery and begins to covet it. The hermit notices that the young disciple is looking dismal and miserable day by day. “What is it?” he asks the young man. “It is the stone,” the disciple replies. “I want to have it. I will never have peace and happiness until it is mine.” The good master remarks serenely, “But, of course, you can have it.” The disciple takes the stone. The next morning he is back. “What is it?” the hermit asks. The disciple holds up the precious stone and says, “I want the wisdom that made you renounce this precious stone so unselfishly.”

The disciple’s “awakening” consists in discovering the need for wisdom, which gives a perceptive insight into human life. Wisdom directs our quest toward eternal life, the only goal worth striving for. The truly wise person is able to discern the unsurpassable value of God and chooses him above all. The full meaning of wisdom can be gleaned in the light of Jesus Christ, the divine Wisdom personified. Against this backdrop, the Gospel story of the rich man in pursuit of eternal life (Mk 10:17-27) acquires a deeper perspective. The man has responded to the demands of the commandments. For one who lives under the Old Covenant, such a response would have been sufficient. And, indeed, Jesus looks at him and loves him. But Jesus, the absolute treasure and font of all good, goes further. The incarnate Wisdom offers a greater challenge and demands a fuller response.

The challenge is Christian discipleship, which involves renunciation of false security. Jesus is the true wealth besides which everything pales in comparison. To follow Jesus is to make a radical choice for the absolute good. Jesus invites the rich man to make a fundamental choice. The enormity of the challenge is expressed in the Semitic hyperbole of a camel passing through the eye of a needle. It is a choice of a loving and discerning heart made possible by divine grace: “with God all things are possible” (Mk 10:27). This radical choice for the “treasure of all treasures” is addressed to us all.

B. First Reading (Sir 17:20-24): “Turn again to the Most High and learn the judgments of God.”

The First Reading (Sir 17:20-24) is exquisitely beautiful. It is an acknowledgement of the reality of sin and the possibility of repentance. By the grace of God, an evil person has a chance to change his self-destructive ways. The fundamental reason for repentance is the mercy of God. How great is the Lord’s merciful forgiveness to those who turn to him! It is therefore exigent to come to the Lord and leave sin behind. It is good to be alive in his grace. Those who are alive can give thanks to the Lord, but the dead have no way to give him thanks and praise. The words of Ben Sira that we hear in today’s reading are resounded in the words of Jesus who, in his public ministry, calls people to turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel of salvation.

The following story is a dramatic illustration of repentance based on God’s merciful forgiveness (cf. Bernie Siegel, “Forgiven” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 4-5)

The real power of healing is not about curing diseases. This was revealed to me by a male nurse who spent a lot of time with a woman in a nursing home who hadn’t been able to walk for six years. Edward lifted her in and out of her chair or into the bed, depending on her schedule. She always wanted to talk about God and forgiveness. Because Edward had had a near-death experience, he felt comfortable doing this.

One night it was so late that Edward slipped out without being the one to put her to bed. He was heading for his car in the parking lot when he heard her call, “Edward!” He snuck back inside and into her room. “Are you sure God forgives us for everything?” she asked. “Yes. I’m sure, from my own experience”, he said. You know the gospel song that tells us, ‘He knows every lie that you and I have told, and though it makes him very sad to see the way we live, he’ll always say I forgive‘.”

She sighed. “When I was a young woman, I stole my parents’ silver and gold and sold it so I would have enough to get married. I’ve never told anyone and no one found out. Will God forgive me?” “Yes”, Edward assured her. “God will forgive you. Good night.”

When Edward returned to work the next morning, he was told to see the administrator who asked what he had told the woman the night before. “As usual”, Edward explained, “we talked about God and forgiveness. Why?” “At 3:00 A.M. the woman came out of her room and, with no help, walked the entire length of the nursing home, put her Bible and teeth on the nurse’s desk and said, ‘I don’t need these anymore.’ Then she turned and walked back to her room, laid down and died.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we yearn for the gift of wisdom? Do we beg the Lord to give us this precious gift? How do we respond to Christ’s radical challenge of discipleship? Do we trust in Christ’s exhortation: “With God all things are possible” (Mk 10:30)?

2. Do we trust that the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord is great for those who return to him?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you are the “treasure of treasures” and the absolute good. Fill us with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit that we may choose your incredible beauty and value. By the power of the same Spirit, help us to affirm our fundamental choice for you in every moment of life. Teach us to live fully our discipleship. Give us the grace to inspire the people to pursue you, the incomparable good. We love you and honor you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Almighty God, you call us to turn away from sin, to return to you and experience your love. Great is your mercy! Your forgiveness abounds for those who return to you. Grant that we may be faithful to you and grateful for your saving love. Teach us to be instruments of your loving compassion and channels of your mercy and grace. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor … then, come, follow me.” (Mk 10:21) // “How great is the mercy of the Lord, his forgiveness of those who return to him!” (Sir 17:24)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for the gift of wisdom that will enable you to make a fundamental choice for Christ and follow him all the way. Take stock of your material possessions. Make a radical decision to share your material resources with the needy and to give to the poor. // Be thankful to God for his forgiving love. By your words and actions, inspire the erring to tread the path of return to the Lord.

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TUESDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Promises Eternal Life … He Is the True Worship”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 35:1-12 // Mk 10:28-31

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:28-31): “You will receive as much persecution in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”

The Gospel (Mk 10:28-31) tells us that the rich man who encounters Jesus on the road of discipleship goes away sad. He is a dramatic illustration that selfish attachment makes participation in the Reign of God impossible. The rich man is not able to renounce his possessions for the sake of eternal life. To rely on false security, or one’s ability to obtain eternal life, is like a camel trying to enter the eye of a needle. It cannot happen! But God can free us from enchantments and delusions. Through Jesus, he offers us the grace to renounce a false security or even a “relative good” so as to make a fundamental option for him, the absolute good - the source of all good, including eternal life.

Peter intuits the divine grace at work in the first disciples of Jesus. He asserts: “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus assures them and the Christian disciples through all times of the “hundredfold reward”. The “hundredfold reward” is already present in the present age, though its joy is overshadowed by the cross and threatened by the world’s persecution. Eventually those who leave “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands” for the sake of Jesus will experience in the final age the full reward - eternal life in the bosom of God.

The following thoughts of Mother Teresa of Calcutta give insight into radical discipleship and the Christian disciple’s hundredfold reward (cf. Mother Teresa: Her Essential Wisdom, ed. Carol Kelly- Gangi, New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006, p. 2-7).

I knew that God wanted something for me. I was only twelve years old, living with my parents in Skopje, Yugoslavia (now Macedonia), when I first sensed the desire to be a nun. At that time there were some very good priests who helped boys and girls follow their vocation, according to God’s will. It was then I realized that my call was to the poor.

*** I remember when I was leaving home fifty years ago – my mother was dead set against me leaving home and becoming a sister. In the end, when she realized that this was what God wanted from her and from me, she said something very strange: “Put your hand in his hand and walk all alone with him.” This is exactly our way of life. We may be surrounded by many people, yet our vocation is really ours alone with Jesus.

*** I did my novitiate in Darjeeling and took the vows with the Loreto Sisters. For twenty years, I was at work in education in St. Mary’s High School, which was mostly for middle class children. I loved teaching, and in Loreto I was the happiest nun in the world.

*** In 1948, twenty years after I came to India, I actually decided upon this close contact with the poorest of the poor. It was for me a special vocation to give all to belong to Jesus. I felt that God wanted from me something more. He wanted me to be poor with the poor and to love him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor. I had the blessing of obedience.

*** I was traveling by train to Darjeeling when I heard the voice of God. I was sure it was God’s voice. I was certain he was calling me. The message was clear. I must leave the convent to help the poor by living among them. Thus was a command, something to be done, something definite. The call was something between God and me. What matters is that God calls each of us in a different way. In those difficult, dramatic days I was certain that this was God’s doing and not mine and I am still certain. And it was the work of God. I knew that the world would benefit from it.

*** To leave Loreto was my greatest sacrifice, the most difficult thing I have ever done. It was much more difficult than to leave my family and country to enter religious life. Loreto meant everything to me. In Loreto I had received my spiritual training. I had become a religious there. I had given myself to Jesus in the Institute. I liked the work, teaching the girls.

*** On my first trip along the streets of Calcutta after leaving the Sisters of Loreto, a priest came up to me. He asked me to give a contribution to a collection for the Catholic press. I had left with five rupees, and I had given four of them to the poor. I hesitated, then gave the priest the one that remained. That afternoon, the same priest came to me and brought an envelope. He told me that a man had given him the envelope because he had heard about my projects and wanted to help me. There were fifty rupees in the envelope. I had the feeling, at that moment, that God had begun to bless the work and would never abandon me.

*** One by one, from 1949 on, my former students began to arrive. They wanted to give everything to God, right away. With what joy they put away their colorful saris in order to put on our poor cotton one. They came because they knew that it would be hard. When a young woman of high caste comes and puts herself at the service of the poor, she is the protagonist of a revolution. It is the greatest, the most difficult revolution – the revolution of love.

*** One of the most demanding things for me is traveling with all the publicity everywhere I go. I have said to Jesus if I don’t go to Heaven for anything else, I will be going to Heaven for all the traveling and publicity, because it has purified me and sanctified me and made me truly ready for Heaven.

B. First Reading (Sir 35:1-12): “To keep the law is a great oblation.”

The First Reading (Sir 35:1-12) underlines the meaning of worship. True worship of God is both internal and external. The author, Ben Sira, who is positively disposed towards and is ever enthusiastic for temple worship, insists that religious practices should be accompanied and animated by a concern for justice and the sacrifice of one’s being. Religious practices without internal dispositions are a mockery. Hence, keeping the Law, kind acts, care for the poor, and rejecting evil are part of true worship rendered to God. Yet good deeds and interior dispositions need to be fully expressed in external worship. One must participate in the religious festival and one must be true and generous in his “offering” at the temple. We should be cheerful with every gift we make and must be generous in paying our tithes. The Lord God can never be outdone in generosity. He always repays and will do it many times over.

The following profile of a young priest shows us that his priestly consecration is an offering that is pleasing to God (cf. Fr. Jan Kusyk, “Being a Priest Has Been a Dream Come True” in Columbia, April 2013, p. 34).

Father Jan Kusyk, Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario: When my mother was six weeks pregnant, a doctor informed my parents that there were complications and recommended abortion. Thanks to the intercession of St. Joseph and the courage of my parents, I was born healthy. Three years later, Blessed John Paul II blessed me during one of his audiences at St. Peter’s Square.

Growing up Polish-Canadian, faith was a natural part of my family life, which included regular Sunday Mass, meals at home with parish priests, and devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa.

My vocation to the priesthood came as an epiphany when I was 13. After secondary school, unable to shake the call, I decided to take a leap of faith and apply to seminary.

Since my ordination two years ago, I can honestly say that being a priest has been a dream come true. My greatest privilege and joy is to celebrate the sacraments, and I thank my brother Knights of Columbus for their prayers and support throughout my entire formation. Relying entirely on Our Lord Jesus Christ, I look forward to working for the salvation of souls and the glory of God.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Have we left everything in order to follow Jesus? Are we experiencing the hundredfold reward?

2. Do we realize what true worship of God means? Do we endeavor to offer God an integral worship that involves interior disposition and external manifestation? Do we worship God in spirit and in truth?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Jesus, you are the absolute good. To follow you is to be blessed with the hundredfold reward and attain the exquisite gift of eternal life. Give us the grace to renounce false security. Grant us the wisdom to sacrifice a relative good and to pursue zealously the eternal good. Teach us to give up everything to follow you and the divine saving will. We adore and serve you. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** My God, you deserve the worship of our mind, our heart, and our will. Let the sacrifice of our being be a pleasing offering to you. Teach us to worship you joyfully through the liturgy and sacraments. Let us be generous in the gift of ourselves and help us to realize that you love and reward bountifully a cheerful giver. May we render you a fitting sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“We have given up everything and followed you.” (Mk 10:28) //“To keep the law is a great oblation.” (Sir 35:1)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Humbly express your discipleship in the various renunciations and sacrifices that you carry out in daily life in union with Jesus Savior. // Let your life of daily service and personal dedication be a pleasing offering to the Lord. Be a sign of joyful giving to the Lord. Participate meaningfully, actively, conscientiously, and fruitfully in the Church’s liturgy.

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WEDNESDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Came to Serve … He Intercedes for Us”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17 // Mk 10:32-45

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:32-45): “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be handed over.”

The Gospel (Mk 10:32-45) tells us that Jesus Christ, the beloved Son-, came to serve – his greatest act of servitude was his paschal journey to Jerusalem and his life-offering on the cross. To be a Christian is to be a servant like him. To imitate Christ is to reject such a non-Gospel stance as “lording it over others”, and to refuse to play the world’s power game. The criterion of Christian discipleship is mutual service for the good of others. The path to glory is to serve the needs of others. The Church is a community of loving disciples who take to heart the words of Jesus: “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

In the following account, Mother Teresa of Calcutta gives us beautiful examples of Christian service (cf. Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, et. al., West Chester: Ascension Press, 2004, p. 232-233).

One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition. I told the Sisters: “You take care of the other three; I will take care of the one who looks worse.” So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand, and she said one thing only: “Thank you.” Then she died. Then there was the man we picked up from the drain, half-eaten by worms. And after we had brought him to the home, he only said, “I have lived like an animal in the street, but am going to die as an angel, loved and cared for.” Then, after we had removed all the worms from his body, all he said – with a big smile – was: “Sister, I am going home to God.”

B. First Reading (Sir 36:4-5a, 10-17): “The nations will know that there is no God but you.”

The First Reading (Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17) is a powerful prayer of supplication for Israel, God’s chosen people. It is an appeal to God’s mercy for an afflicted and repentant nation. In the first part of the prayer, God is implored to intervene against godless nations so that it may be known that there is no God but the God of Israel. God is besought to “give new signs and work new wonders”. The second part of the prayer is an appeal for the ingathering of all Israel and God’s blessings on the Jerusalem temple. The plea to fill the temple with divine glory evokes the mournful period when the glory of God departed from the temple (cf. 11:23). If the glory returns, the prophecies will be fulfilled and the prophets be proved true. The basis of this prayer of supplication is reiterated towards the end: “For you are ever gracious to your people; and lead us in the way of justice.” Indeed, God’s positive response to this prayer will enable everyone to recognize the God of Israel as the eternal God.

In his life and ministry, our Lord Jesus worked so that the glory of God might shine upon earth. As his disciples, we need to work and live our life so that God may be known by all nations. The following is an example of a Christian disciple who promotes the glory and justice of God upon earth (cf. Fr. Ignatius Harding, OGM, “To Become Instruments of Peace, We Need to Work for Justice” in The Anthonian, Winter 2012- 2013, p. 8-9).

As a Franciscan friar of Holy Name Province, I was ordained to the priesthood in mid-January 1972, just two weeks after Pope Paul VI published his annual January 1st World Day of Peace message. Addressed to world leaders and all people of goodwill, religious or not, his powerful message rings even louder and truer today. “If you want peace”, the Holy Father declared, “work for justice.” (…)

At the very end of his message, the Holy Father asked all Catholics to bring to the world “a message of hope through a brotherhood which is truly lived and through an honest and persevering effort for greater, true justice.”

I took the Pope’s words to heart in my first assignment in Bolivia, a land-locked country in the heart of South America. As one of the three friars in Sorata, a rural parish north of La Paz, we had to cover a huge territory with seven small towns and 248 indigenous Aymara villages, or, more exactly, small clusters of adobe homes. Most of the Aymara parishioners were impoverished, subsistence farmers, eking out a living for their families on small plots of ground with a few crops and animals.

As Franciscans, working with a “preferential option for the poor”, a contemporary expression by Latin American bishops to express the mission of Jesus (Luke 4:18-19), we reached out to everyone. To raise awareness of their dignity as people of God, we started with a parish mission team, which made rounds of the parish, calling the people together in what you might call old- fashioned revival meetings. Our aim in Sorata was to eventually form basic Christian communities, in which trained lay catechists (some 300 of whom were trained in the parish formation center we built) would lead small groups of parishioners to meet regularly to discuss the Bible in view of the conditions in which they lived. Then, in the light of God’s Word, to plan what they needed to do by working together to change those conditions for the better.

After seven years in Sorata and two more pastoral assignments, I joined other friars in an initiative to promote the Franciscan spirit of prayer and service with the rural poor. In Angostura, 15 miles from Cochabamba, we lived a simple lifestyle – we did our own cooking, cleaning, and gardening – with an open door for anyone who wanted to come and live with us to experience the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. (Later, we counted in one year, 2400 Bolivian men and women and young people who spent from one day to three or four weeks praying and working with us.) We spent the first half of the day in prayer and manual labor and the other half in spiritual direction with visitors, or in walking to serve the impoverished in the neighborhoods around us.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do I emulate Christ’s example of serving love? Do I believe that in service is true greatness?

2. Do we allow the glorious and compassionate God to give new signs and work new wonders through us?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus, the Father’s beloved Son-Servant, you became a slave on the cross. You did not come to be served, but to serve and to give your life as a ransom for many. You teach us the way of serving love. By your public ministry and paschal sacrifice, you show us how to serve fully the saving will of God. Help us to reject the world’s power game and not to seek false prestige. Let us imitate you in serving the needs of others, especially the weak and vulnerable in today’s society. We love you, Jesus Savior, and glorify you, now and forever. Amen.

*** God of mercy, you are ever gracious. You lead us on the path of justice and peace. Give new signs and work new wonders so that all nations may recognize the glory of your name. Make us instruments of your justice and peace. Reward those who hope in you. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.” (Mk 10:45) // “Give new signs and work new wonders.” (Sir 36:5a)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Let the service that you carry out on behalf of others be joyful and replete with love and self-giving. // By your service to the impoverished and the victims of injustice, let them experience that God is giving new signs and working new wonders in our midst.

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THURSDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes the Blind See … He Glorifies God”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 42:15-25 // Mk 10:46-52

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 10:46-52): “Master, I want to see.”

I met Philip, a ten-year old boy suffering from a malignant brain tumor, at our convent in Cebu Island in the Philippines, in 1977. The malady caused Philip to become blind and his growth was stunted. He had the body of a six-year old, but his face was radiant and beautiful. He was quite good at playing the organ and the guitar. After listening with joy to his improvised concerto, I accompanied Philip to the refectory, located on the second floor of our convent. I held his hand as we went up the flight of steep stairs. When we reached the top, he asked me, “How many steps are there in these stairs?” I had to confess with embarrassment that I never counted them. Philip gamely told me how many steps there were. The Sisters offered Philip fruit juice and cookies, and the usual children’s treats. He gently refused explaining that he had a diet. Philip knew that he would not live very long, but there was no hint of fear or regret in him. His sightless eyes seemed to have more capacity for seeing than our own. The lovable Philip could see beyond and was full of trust in the loving God who would soon bring him to heaven. As I bid him goodbye, I was praying deep in my heart, “Lord, help me to see the way Philip sees!” The blind little boy who made me realize that I needed “to see” and inspired me to pray for spiritual sight died a few years later. I know for certain that Philip is in heaven, “seeing” God face to face.

The need for true spiritual sight is the subject of today’s Gospel (Mk 10:46-51). The reading begins with an interesting geographical reference and a touch of local color: “As Jesus was leaving Jericho, with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging” (v. 46). The main road to Jerusalem runs right through Jericho, which is 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem and 5 miles west of the Jordan River. The messianic journey of Jesus that began in Caesarea Philippi (Mk 8:27-30) is reaching its destination: Jerusalem. The departure of Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, from Jericho evokes the movement of a large group of pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem for the Passover. The crowd that is moving towards Jerusalem, the place of sacrifice, does not, however, comprehend the meaning of Jesus’ paschal destiny. The disciples and the crowd are figuratively “blind” with regards to the destiny of this remarkable man who had declared: “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). Indeed, it is more convenient to see him as a wonderful miracle worker, a powerful political ruler and a generous breadbasket king. In comparison to the blind beggar Bartimaeus, they seem lucky for they could see with their physical eyes. But there is a deeper reality than physical sight.

Mark portrays Bartimaeus as sitting by the roadside begging. With undaunted hope, the blind beggar resolutely cries out his invocation, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me” (Mk 10:47). Ignoring the rebuke of the many unsympathetic people who try to silence him, he keeps calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me” (Mk 10:48). Bartimaeus’ use of the expression “Son of David” is the first public application of that messianic title to Jesus. The title “Son of David” designates Jesus as the heir of the promise made to David through Nathan (cf. II Sam 7:12-16). The biblical scholar Philip Van Linden remarks: “The title Bartimaeus gives Jesus, ‘Son of David,’ indicates that he, a blind beggar, actually sees who Jesus is more clearly than the disciples and crowd who have been with him all along!”

Today’s Gospel ends with a joyful note of healing and a decisive movement of discipleship. Having received his sight, he follows Jesus on the way of discipleship. Bartimaeus serves as an example of a person with “sight” and such a person follows Jesus into his passion. His response to Jesus’ command, “Go your way” is to embrace the way of the Divine Master, a way that leads from Jericho to Jerusalem, and ultimately – the way of the Cross. His response challenges the community of Christian believers today.

B. First Reading (Sir 42:15-25): “The glory of the Lord fills all his works.”

Today’s First Reading (Sir 42: 15-25) is a hymn to the wisdom of God revealed in creation. Through the word of God his works come into being. The glory of the Lord fills all creation, but not even the holy angels can fully describe all his mighty deeds and marvels. How beautiful are all his works! Great is his wisdom! From the beauty and order in creation, we can deduce that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and eternal. God’s creatures differ, one from another, and complement each other. Each in turn is good. Could anyone ever see enough of God’s splendor?

In Jesus Christ all things were made. In him who is the wisdom of God, we are able to perceive the glory of God in creation and our interconnectedness. The following article gives us a remarkable insight about how closely linked we are as part of God’s creation (cf. Elizabeth Sherill, “Connectedness” in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 234).

From the beach this afternoon I spotted a majestic schooner far offshore, tall white sails tilting in the wind. I watched it through binoculars till it was out of sight, bound, no doubt, for Newport.

Newport is nearby, at least by water. By land it’s a long, slow, twisting route following the coast. And watching that schooner skimming straight to its destination, I suddenly saw the ocean not as a place where roads end, but as the open highway that first connected the earth’s far-flung people. Long before reliable roads were built, the sea and the rivers flowing into it were the principal route for conquest, trade, settlement.

Three months earlier I’d also stood on a beach watching boats at sea. The sea was the Gulf of Thailand, and the graceful women walking past spoke a language I didn’t know. We give names to particular stretches of water – South Pacific, Indian Ocean, North Atlantic – but, of course, it’s all one ocean, one great waterway circling the earth.

It’s twilight now, and I’ve walked down to the point to watch the setting sun lay a golden trail across the water. Maybe, I think, one of those Thai women is watching this sun rise over the ocean this very moment. Maybe she, like me, is murmuring a prayer to the Creator of land and sea.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we recognize and identify the blindness within us that needs to be healed? Do we turn to Jesus and say, “Master, I want to see” (Mk 10:51)? In our experience of blindness and hopelessness, do we have the courage and the faith to cry out with Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me” (Mk 10:47)? When Jesus sees us by the wayside and calls us to himself, what is our response? Do we throw aside the cloak of our old habits, get up, and run to meet him? Do we follow him on the way?

2. Do we allow ourselves to be touched by the glory of God’s creation? Do we thank and praise for the marvels of his creation and the wisdom that brought it forth into being?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, we are blind. We are blinded by the visible, which prevents us from grasping the invisible. We have closed our eyes to our paschal destiny. We turn to you for inner healing. Master, we want to see! Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us! We love and adore you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Loving God, you are all-knowing. Great is your power and your wisdom! How beautiful are your works! Your glory fills all creation. Help us to perceive our interconnectedness as part of your beloved creation. Make us wise and careful stewards of your creation. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus, the eternal Word, through whom all things were made. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Master, I want to see.” (Mk 10:51) //“The glory of the Lord fills all his works.” (Sir 42:16)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray in thanksgiving for the many good people who endeavor to relieve the painful and difficult situations of the vision-impaired. Offer some help to various institutions for the blind. // Promote the integration of God’s beloved creation by following the ecological principle: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

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FRIDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to True Piety … He Belongs to the Covenant People”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 44:1, 9-13 // Mk 11:11-26

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 11:11-26): “My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Have faith in God.”

In today’s Gospel (Mk 11:11-26), the story of Jesus cleansing the Jerusalem temple is sandwiched between the strange story of him cursing the fig tree. As he leaves Bethany to return to the Jerusalem temple he gets hungry. He goes over to a fig tree. It is covered with leaves but no fruit because it is “out of season”. Jesus curses the fruitless tree. Early in the morning of the following day it is withered. Against the backdrop of Jesus driving the buyers and sellers from the temple area because they have turned what was meant to be “a house of prayer for all peoples” into a “den of thieves”, the withered fig tree symbolizes the barrenness, irrelevance and condemnation of Jewish temple piety. The corruption of temple worship has provoked Jesus’ prophetic ministry and his pronouncement of divine condemnation. The fig tree symbolizes Israel. The cursing of the fig tree and its withering dramatizes God’s judgment against Israel’s perverted temple worship: unfruitful and “out of sync” with the signs of the time - the radical newness of the Reign of God that Jesus brings. The Divine Master then completes the lesson of the withered fig tree by challenging his disciples to a more efficacious prayer-worship that is based on “faith in God” and total surrender to his saving will and forgiving love.

The following story is a modern day example of a piety that is as irrelevant and unfruitful as the cursed fig tree (cf. Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird, New York: Image Books, 1984, p. 64).

October 1917: The Russian Revolution is born. Human history takes a new direction.

The story goes that that very month the Russian Church was assembled in council. A passionate debate was in progress about the color of the surplice to be used in liturgical functions. Some insisted vehemently that it has to be white. Others, with equal vehemence, that it had to be purple.

Coming to grips with revolution is more of a bother than organizing a liturgy. I’d rather say my prayers than get involved in neighborhood disputes.

B. First Reading (Sir 44:1, 9-11): “Our ancestors were merciful and their name will live for generations.”

The Old Testament reading (Sir 44:1, 9-13) continues to underline that God’s glory is manifested in Israel’s history and that the “godly men” or men of hesed (piety and compassion) reveals the divine wisdom and glory. The illustrious ancestors of glorious past live on through their good works and good name. Their righteous deeds will not be forgotten. Their descendants continue to keep the covenant because of what their ancestors did. Indeed, the godly persons deserve immortality while the fate of the wicked is oblivion.

The life of Saint Macrina gives insight into the glorious destiny of the godly. She is the matriarch of one of the Church’s most blessed families. Here is an interesting article on this illustrious matriarch whose progeny includes Saint Basil the Great and Saint (cf. Our Sunday Visitor Special Supplement, “Saints for the Family”, p. 10-12).

Saint Macrina was the grandmother of Saint Basil the Great, his brothers Saint Gregory of Nyssa and of Sebaste, and their sister Saint Macrina the Younger. Macrina raised all of her grandchildren (she had 10) and took special care to give them a sound religious education. Her care paid off: Basil became a monk and wrote a monastic rule that is still followed by monks in the East. Gregory became bishop of Nyssa and then archbishop of Sebaste. Peter preceded his brother as archbishop of Sebaste. All three brothers were champions of the Catholic faith against Arianism, a heresy that was raging across the Christian world at the time. And Macrina the Younger became abbess of a small community of nuns near the Black Sea.

Saint Macrina had been converted by Saint Gregory Taumaturgus (the name means “wonder-worker”), a renowned preacher. It was said that when he was made a bishop of Caesarea, there were only 17 Christians in his diocese, but when he died there were only 17 pagans in his diocese he had not managed to convert.

In 303, Emperor Diocletian began his empire-wide persecution of Christians. It would be the last Roman persecution of the Church and it would prove to be the most ferocious. Thousands of Christians were killed, among them some of the most revered martyrs of the early Church, including Saint Agnes, Saint Sebastian and Saint Januarius, known to as San Gennaro. As was true of so many Christians, Macrina and her husband went into hiding. They fled to a remote spot in a vast forest along the shores of the Black Sea, where they remained for seven years. It was a terrible time for the couple. In addition to the constant fear that they would be discovered and dragged off to a horrible death, they often had difficulty foraging for food. Several times Macrina and her husband nearly starved to death.

Only in 311 did they feel safe enough to leave their refuge and return to civilization. Soon thereafter, Macrina’s husband died, and she filled her days raising and educating her grandchildren.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Is our faith relationship with God manifested in true prayer and fruitful acts of charity? Do we seek to live the spirit of piety and strive for full surrender to the divine saving will?

2. Do we believe that the life of the godly is blessed by God and is destined for immortality?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Jesus Divine Master, you taught us the meaning of prayer and true worship upon the cross of salvation. Let our life be focused on the radical newness of the Reign of God. Help us work for justice and peace and promote the advent of his kingdom on earth. Make our prayer an expression of faith in God and submission to his saving will. Do not allow us to degenerate into a barren and cursed fig tree, but rather transform us into a vigorous tree with abundant fruit of the Holy Spirit. Let us witness the power of prayer in today’s world. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Loving Father, help us to live a life of mercy and compassion. Let our righteous deeds glorify you. Help us to live forever in your love. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“Have faith in God.” (Mk 11:22) // “Their glory will never be blotted out.” (Sir 44:13)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Endeavor to live the true meaning of prayer and worship in today’s world. By little acts of charity to the people around you, especially to the poor and vulnerable, let your life be pleasing to God and fruitful. // Endeavor to keep the integrity of your name and let your good deeds live on in the Lord.

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SATURDAY: EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Has Messianic Authority … He Is the Wisdom of God Incarnate”

BIBLE READINGS Sir 51:12cd-20 // Mk 11:27-33

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 11:27-33): “By what authority are you doing these things?”

The chief priests and scribes are seeking a way to kill Jesus after his drastic cleansing of the temple and on account of his subversive actions and words. Now they are joined by the elders in challenging Jesus by what authority he is doing these things. Jesus counters with a question about John’s authority to baptize. For fear of the crowd, the opponents of Jesus refuse to make a statement about the source of John the Baptist’s authority. What began as a threat to Jesus’ authority ends in the exposure of how little authority and courage his antagonists really have. What was meant to subvert and humiliate Jesus turns into a manifestation of the authoritative wisdom of the Divine Master.

The messianic authority of Jesus continues in the “one, holy catholic and apostolic Church”. In the face of moral-social-political issues that convulse and challenge the faithful today, it is good to assert the authoritative Church teaching. The following are the Seven Key Themes of the Catholic Social Teaching in the Public Square (cf. USCCB, The Challenge of Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship, November 2007).

1. The Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person: Human life is sacred. Direct attacks on innocent human beings are never morally acceptable. Within our society, life is under direct attack from abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, and destruction of human embryos for research. These intrinsic evils must always be opposed. This teaching also compels us Catholics to oppose genocide, torture, unjust war and the use of the death penalty, as well as to pursue peace and help overcome poverty, racism and other conditions that demean human life.

2. Call to Family, Community and Participation: The family, based on marriage between a man and a woman, is the fundamental unit of society. This sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children must not be redefined, undermined or neglected. Supporting families should be a priority for economic and social policies. How our society is organized - in economics and politics, in law and public policy – affects the well-being of individuals and of society. Every person and association has a right and a duty to participate in shaping society to promote the well-being of individuals and the common good.

3. Rights and Responsibilities: Every human person has a right to life, the fundamental right that makes all other rights possible. Each of us has a right to religious freedom, which enables us to live and act in accord with our God-given dignity, as well as a right to have access to those things required for human decency – food and shelter, education and employment, healthcare and housing. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities – to one another, to our families, and to a larger society.

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: While the common good embraces all, those who are in greatest need deserve preferential concern. A moral test for society is how we treat the weakest among us – the unborn, those dealing with disabilities or terminal illness, the poor and marginalized.

5. Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: the economy must serve the people, not the other way around. Economic justice calls for decent work at fair, living wages, opportunities for legal status for immigrant workers, and the opportunity for all people to work together for the common good through their work, ownership, enterprise, investment, participation in unions and other forms of economic activity.

6. Solidarity: We form one human family; whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. Our Catholic commitment to solidarity requires that we pursue justice, eliminate racism, end human trafficking, protect human rights, seek peace, and avoid the use of force except as a necessary last resort.

7. Caring for God’s Creation: Caring for the earth is a duty of our Catholic faith. We all are called to be careful stewards of God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for vulnerable human beings now and in the future.

B. First Reading (Sir 51:12cd-20): “Give me wisdom and I will give you glory.”

Today’s Old Testament reading (Sir 51:12cd-20) is taken from the concluding part of the Book of Sirach. The passage we hear today tells of Ben Sira’s quest for wisdom. He boldly prays for wisdom at the temple and is rewarded with great knowledge. Greatly delighting in her, Ben Sira keeps himself free from sin that he may always have her. He therefore follows directly in her path and guidance. He has profited much from wisdom and he thus renders her grateful praise. Ben Sira has grown so much in wisdom since he has found her. He is resolved never to let go of her. Ben Sira’s yearning and love for wisdom should inspire us to commit ourselves totally to Christ, the Wisdom of God incarnate.

The following testimony gives us an idea how the spirit of wisdom is at work in our life (cf. Fay Angus in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 229).

Rose Kennedy has given us a legacy of faith and courage, and I frequently find myself inspired by the strength she showed throughout her life. I was desperately trying to hold together the raw and ragged edges of a hurt that wouldn’t knit together and heal. My thoughts were jumbled by grief and tears and became the only language I could speak. Then came a lifeline from something Mrs. Kennedy once said: “It’s not the tears that make the pain more bearable, it’s determination!” Determination. That one word gave me stamina, resolve and resilience.

As a young girl, during the contemplative moments of a Lenten retreat, Mrs. Kennedy thought of the joys and sorrows, difficulties and grief that inevitably come into all our lives. Whatever happened, she determined, “I will hold my soul forever free!” She refused to let her faith be bound by circumstances; instead, she placed unshakable trust in the goodness of God, which encircled her with an aura of peace.

Keeping in motion gave her emotional ventilation. Daily she plunged into the ice- cold waters of Cape Cod for a swim, and then went for a walk, praying and making up her mind that she is not going to be defeated by the tragedy of losing three sons. Senator Edward Kennedy said of her, “Mother believes that if there are rays of sunshine in a stormy sky, focus on the light, not the darkness.”

Each year on this day, Rose Kennedy’s birthday, I pause to give thanks for the strength she has given me.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we fully accept the messianic authority of Jesus? Do we promote the truth that Jesus the Divine Master teaches and incarnates in today’s world?

2. Do we yearn for wisdom and endeavor to be filled with it? Do we pray to God to give us wisdom that we may walk on a level path and give him glory and praise?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Jesus Divine Master, we adore as the Word incarnate sent by the Father to instruct us in the life giving truth. You live on in the Church. Grant us the grace to embrace your authoritative wisdom that enables us to embrace moral principles, care for the needs of the weak, defend the culture of life, and pursue the common good. We humbly submit to your messianic authority for you are the One Sent by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit for our salvation. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** Almighty God, we thank and praise you for the gift of Wisdom incarnate, Jesus Christ. Let us follow the Divine Master all the way and help us to be resolutely committed to him. He guides us on the path that leads to life. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” (Mk 11:28) //“I became resolutely devoted to wisdom – the good I persistently strove for.” (Sir 51:19)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Make an effort to understand the personal implication for you of the Catholic Teaching in the Public Square and to put it into practice. // Pray to the Lord that we may be imbued with the Holy Spirit’s gift of wisdom to enable us to live fully our Christian discipleship. Today be attentive to, and grateful for, the signs of divine wisdom that enfold our daily life.

*** Text of Week 8 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***

A Lectio Divina Approach to the Weekday Liturgy: Cycle I

BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (n. 45) ORDINARY SEASON: WEEK 9

MONDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Beloved Son Finally Sent … He Is the Path of Righteousness”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8 // Mk 12:1-12

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:1-12): “They seized the beloved son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 12:1-12) presents the drama of man’s wickedness and God’s faithful and patient love. A “parable of contention”, it is directed against the smugness, vanity and self-seeking of the religious leaders of Israel. They have failed in their mission as stewards. They have persecuted and even killed those whom the Lord sent them. As a last resort, God sent not only his servants the prophets, but his own Son. But the wicked tenants seized his “beloved son” and put him to death, throwing his body “out of the vineyard”. The “beloved son” finally sent is Jesus, put to death outside the walls of Jerusalem. Cardinal Jean Danielou remarks: “God’s patience has been strained to its farthest limit in this tragedy of Christ, the Lord of the vineyard’s son, rejected by the tenants, crucified, treated by his own people as a stranger and an outcast. But from the lowest depths arises a sudden hope. He will let out the vineyard to other vinedressers, who will pay him his due when the season comes.” In this parable of the wicked tenants, we see God’s first covenant with his Chosen People Israel being transferred to all peoples of faith. As a result of the sacrificial death of the Son, peoples of all nations become tenants-producers in God’s vineyard.

We are called to be a productive part of the Lord’s vineyard. As workers in his harvest, we need to be responsible, dutiful and faithful. We need to overcome human tendencies to mediocrity, indifference and sloth in our service of God’s kingdom. The following story by Papa Mike McGarvin (cf. Poverello News, November 2011, p. 1-2) gives insight into some of the foibles and counterproductive attitudes that we need to overcome in our daily life.

Several years ago, just before Thanksgiving, someone donated a turkey to us that was over fifty pounds. It was an absolute monster, the biggest gobbler I’d ever seen. I figured that meat from that bird would take care of several families on Thanksgiving Day. We made a big deal about it; we thanked the donor, of course, but we also mentioned the turkey to some of the news outlets that make their way down here on the holidays, and at least one station took some footage and showed the prize turkey on the air.

We were curious to discover just how much meat this big boy would provide, so it was with great anticipation that it was prepared and placed in the oven. Later that day, I went to our chef to ask how it came out. He looked at me and sighed. “Well … the boys burned it.” “Whaddaya mean they burned it?” I asked stunned in disbelief. “They just … burned it up. Nothing salvageable. I guess they weren’t paying attention.”

This wasn’t the first time that our drug program cooks had done something like this. I remember one time when lettuce prices were sky-high, and we received several crates of lettuce as a donation. I was elated, because it meant plenty for salads and hamburger trimmings at a time we couldn’t afford to buy this produce item. Our program cook at the time was a man who claimed to be a professional chef. I walked through the kitchen, and saw him happily washing the lettuce – in scalding water. By the time I caught him, he had washed over three-quarters of the supply, rendering it wilted and useless.

B. First Reading (Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8): “Tobit walked on the paths of truth and righteousness.”

This week’s Old Testament reading is taken from the Book of Tobit, originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic. It is a religious story that tells of miraculous help to God’s faithful people and teaches Jewish piety and morality. The author depicts the faithfulness of Tobit, a Jewish exile in Nineveh. He is an honest man who tries to do what is right in the sight of God. He is marked with virtues, foremost of which is charity. Tobit is a model of the exiled Israel who expresses his faith by serving the needs of others. He feeds the hungry, clothes the naked and buries the dead, a charitable act that once put him to flight and in danger of death during the time of King Sennacherib. Returning to Nineveh during the time of King Esarhaddon, Tobit is not daunted. He continues to exercise his charitable works.

Today’s reading (Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8) tells us that on a Pentecost festival Tobit sends out his son Tobiah to find a poor kinsman with whom he could share a fine dinner. The son finds, instead, a murdered man in the market place. Tobit springs to his feet, leaves his dinner untouched and retrieves the dead body so that he might bury him after sunset. The neighbors mock his folly. He has been hunted down once for burying the dead and now he is doing it all over again. Tobit is a sterling example of how to be imbued with charity as a principle of daily life, and not merely as an occasional diversion. He is likewise a figure of Jesus Christ, the faithful one, who walks on the path of truth and righteousness. Tobit’s selfless compassion also inspires us to commit ourselves to corporal works of mercy for the needy.

The reverence for the dead that the Jewish faithful Tobit showed can be verified in other cultures. Here is an example in the Japanese culture (cf. Arthur Gordon, Memoirs of a Geisha, New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1997, p. 102-104).

And then Auntie interrupted my thoughts. “Chiyo, I’m going to read you something from a man named Tanaka Ichiro”, she said in a voice that was strangely heavy and slow. I don’t think I breathed at all while she spread the paper out on the table.

Dear Chiyo: Two seasons have passed since you left Yoroido, and soon the trees will give birth to new generation of blossoms. Flowers that grow where old ones withered serve to remind us that death will one day come to us all.

As one who was once an orphaned child himself, this humble person is sorry to inform you of the terrible burden you must bear. Six weeks after you left for your new life in Kyoto, the suffering of your honored mother came to its end, and only a few weeks afterward your honored father departed this world as well. This humble person is deeply sorry for your loss and hopes you will rest assured that the remains of both your honored parents are enshrined in the village cemetery. Services were conducted for them at the Hoko-ji Temple in Senzuru, and in addition the women in Yoroido have chanted sutras. This humble person feels confident that both your honored parents have found their places in paradise. (…)

Most sincerely yours, Tanaka Ichiro

Long before Auntie had finished reading this letter, the tears had begun to flow out of me just like water from a pot that boils over. (…) When I was finally able to speak, I asked Auntie if she would set up the tablets someplace where I wouldn’t see them, and pray on my behalf – for it would give me too much pain to do it. But she refused, and told me I should be ashamed even to consider turning my back on my own ancestors. She helped me set the tablets up on a shelf near the base of the stairwell, where I could pray before them every morning. “Never forget them, “Chiyo-chan”, she said. “They’re all that’s left of your childhood.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do we carry out our task as “tenant farmers” in God’s vineyard? Do we try to overcome counterproductive tendencies and attitudes such as irresponsibility, indifference, incompetence, sloth, etc.?

2. Like Tobit and Jesus Christ, do we endeavor to walk in the paths of truth and righteousness, and do we show our fidelity to God by our compassionate acts of charity to the needy?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you call us to be the new “tenant farmers” in the Lord’s vineyard. Give us the grace to work with personal dedication and loving responsibility so as to produce a rich spiritual harvest. Bless all our toils and labors for the coming of God’s kingdom. We love and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Almighty God, we thank you for your faithful and merciful love. Let us be imbued by your own mercy and faithfulness. Help us to share our table with the hungry, to defend the oppressed, to give tithes generously, to assist the poor, and to bury the dead and show them due respect. You care for us and guide us in your ways. Help us radiate your saving love to all. We adore and serve you. We give you glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He had one other to send, a beloved son.” (Mk 12:6) //“I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness.” (Tb 1:3)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Today carry out your daily tasks with a greater spirit of love and personal dedication and with deeper awareness that we are called to be fruitful “tenant farmers” in the Lord’s vineyard. // When you attend a funeral service, be deeply aware that you are carrying out a corporal work of mercy.

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TUESDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls us Repay to Caesar What Belongs to Caesar and to God What Belongs to God … He Is the Light of Our Eyes”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 2:9-14 // Mk 12:13-17

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:13-17): “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 12:13-17) presents an insidious trap concocted by some Pharisees and Herodians against Jesus. Recognizing their hypocrisy and evil intent, Jesus eludes the trap by asking them to bring him a denarius. When they hand him the Roman coin, he asks them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They reply “Caesar’s”. Jesus then confounds them with a masterly retort: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”.

The great preacher, Fulton Sheen, comments on today’s Gospel episode: “Our Lord took no sides, because the basic question was not God or Caesar, but God and Caesar. That coin used in their daily marketing showed they were no longer independent from a political point of view. In that lower sphere of life, the debt to the government should be discharged … Once again he was saying that his kingdom was not of this world; that submission to him is not inconsistent with submission to secular powers; that political freedom is not the only freedom. To the Pharisees who hated Caesar came the command: Give unto Caesar; to the Herodians who had forgotten God in their love of Caesar came the basic principle: Give unto God. Had the people rendered to God his due, they would not now be in their present state of having to render too much to Caesar. He had come primarily to restore the rights of God. As he told them before, if they sought first the kingdom of God and his justice, all these things such as political freedom would be added unto them.”

Today we are reminded of our primary duty to render to God his rights as well as our obligation to render our due to the civil society. Jesus challenges us to be observant in paying our debts to God and to fulfill our duties to one another and to a larger society. I am a Filipino citizen, but because of the particular work that I do – spiritual ministry – I am not a wage earner. I do not pay income tax since I practically do not have any income. But I know the importance of paying taxes to the Philippine government. Taxes are needed to fund its community services and public works. Hence, I contribute my “little” to the civil society by paying my resident’s tax, travel tax, etc. not grudgingly but joyfully, and above all, by conducting myself in a manner that befits a citizen of our beloved nation.

B. First Reading (Tb 2:9-14): “I was deprived of eyesight.”

The reading (Tb 2:9-14) portrays Tobit as a very unfortunate victim of an accident. On the very night he performs a corporal work of mercy for the dead, misfortune comes to him. Droppings from birds nesting above settle on his uncovered eyes while he is resting in the courtyard and would cause him later on to be totally blind. It seems incomprehensible how God could allow a charitable man like him, who feeds the hungry and buries the dead, to suffer senselessly. Tobit’s reward for righteousness seems to be suffering rather than blessing. His affliction is exacerbated by his scrupulosity. He wrongfully accuses his wife Anna of stealing the young goat that was given to her by her customers as a bonus. His wife’s retort cuts deep into the heart of the matter: “Your true character is finally showing itself!” In the heat of anger, Anna calls into question her husband’s charitable deeds and virtuous acts. Tobit is deeply chastised and heart-broken and would pray to God for death.

Tobit’s affliction will turn eventually into an occasion for blessing. In the life of Tobit, of Jesus Christ and his disciples, good could spring forth from suffering. This can be gleaned from the following testimony (cf. Julie Evans, “Out of the Dark” in Saturday Evening Post, Sep/Oct 2012, p. 24-26).

Virginia Jacko was going blind. She knew it, but not everyone else did. Since the mid-1990s, her vision had been steadily deteriorating. Though capable of seeing people and objects in front of her, she might not recognize a person standing at her side. Finally, in 1998, then in her 50s, Virginia was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, an irreversible disease affecting about 1 in 4,000 people in the United States. The disease attacks the cells controlling the night vision, eventually leading to blindness. (…)

She needed to learn to live as a blind person if she was going to succeed in a sighted person’s world. (…) One of her three children, Julie, urged her to check out the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Virginia and Bob owned a condominium in Miami, so she would have a place to stay. Once there, Virginia immersed herself in the world of the blind, honing skills she once took for granted, such as baking oatmeal cookies and sewing buttons on clothes. She soaked up everything she could learn about computer programs for the blind, including programs that convert text to speech. After a three-month program, Virginia felt a renewed sense of confidence. “I learned that a blind person can do anything a sighted person does. They just have to learn to do things differently”, she says.

At the end of her medical leave, Virginia was at a crossroads. She could return to her at Purdue and continue to advise the president and provost on financial affairs. Or she could continue her efforts to regain mobility by enrolling in a one- month, 24/7 intensive training program with a guide dog. She chose the latter.

By then, not only was Virginia completely blind but for the first time in her life, she was stepping into the future without a clear career path. Yet she was at peace with her decision. “I had changed. Walking out the doors of Miami Lighthouse as a graduate of the program, I realized that my passion was helping the blind”, she says.

Virginia’s husband Bob spent three months with her in Miami while she completed the program but, as a tenured professor, he had to return to Purdue for the new school year. Virginia would stay in Miami with her new guide dog Tracker, immersing herself in work at the Miami Lighthouse. She began as a volunteer, but such was her financial experience – and drive – that she soon became treasurer and a member of the board. (…)

In early 2005, the president and CEO of Miami Lighthouse left unexpectedly for personal reasons. The chairman asked Virginia to serve as president and CEO on an interim basis until a permanent replacement could be found. Following a nationwide search, the board selected Virginia, making her the first blind president and CEO in Miami Lighthouse’s 81-year-history. Virginia wasted no time in growing the organization. (…)

Virginia’s disability has never slowed her down. “Virginia is such a determined person. Having a deep faith, supportive family, and positive, can-do attitude are at the core of her success”, says Doug Eadie, co-author of Virginia’s autobiography, The Blind Visionary.

“I am so blessed”, Virginia says today. Her blindness, she feels, was a gift that allowed her to find a new mission and purpose in life. “We transform people’s lives at Miami Lighthouse every day. I lost my vision and I found my passion.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I render to God his rights as well as my duty of service to humanity? Am I animated with love and zeal as I carry out my obligation to God and neighbors?

2. When we are totally grief-stricken, what is our attitude and course of action? Do we rely on ourselves or do we allow God to achieve his compassionate plan in our life?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O loving Jesus, you came into the world to uphold the divine majesty and to promote the total integrity of the human person. Help us to be totally dedicated to God and fully involved in the pursuit of justice and peace in today’s world, in giving preferential care for the weak and vulnerable, and in promoting the good of individuals and the society. Bless our endeavors to “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”. Make us channels of your peace and healing love. We love you and serve you; we glorify you and give you praise, now and forever. Amen.

*** My God, at times and many times, we are lost. Our grief overwhelms us. Please do not let us lose hope. Give us light and show us the way. Let our hurts be turned to good and our pain into healing. Let the heart of the just trust in the Lord and grant salvation to your servants, now and forever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Mk 12:17) // “I was deprived of my eyesight.” (Tb 2:10)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Participate actively, consciously and fruitfully in the Sunday worship and be honest and responsible in paying your dues to the State. // Help the blind to perceive God’s beauty in the beloved creation and his goodness in every human person.

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WEDNESDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Faith in the Living God … He Is Our Intercessor”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a // Mk 12:18-27

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:18-27): “He is not God of the dead but of the living.”

This story is told by one of our Italian Sisters. Her father died of a massive stroke. Her mom was crying heartily at the funeral. She tried to console her with the thought of the final reunion in heaven. Her mom wailed: “But Jesus said in the Gospel that in the next life we will be like angels … no more matrimony. In heaven, I will no longer be your dad’s wife!” Of course, the widow’s fear of losing her husband in heaven is unfounded. True love never ends and nuptial love is perfected in heaven.

Today’s Gospel passage (Mk 12:18-27) introduces us to the Sadducees, a group of religious leaders who deny the existence of resurrected life. They are bent on engaging Jesus in a reduced-to-absurdity argument against bodily resurrection. The Divine Master’s first rebuttal to the scheming Sadducees also uses a reduced-to-absurdity tactic. He argues that in the next existence, which has no place for death, the issue of marriage is irrelevant. Jesus refutes the basic premise of the Sadducees that the life of the age to come is a continuation of this life and therefore needs human propagation lest it die out. The second rebuttal of Jesus is derived from the Torah. Since the Sadducees hold only to the Law of Moses, Jesus utilizes it to bolster his argument about the resurrection. The opponents of the resurrection have quoted the Torah to justify their case, but Jesus also quotes the Torah (Ex 3:6) to prove that death does not end human existence. When God says: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” this implies that the patriarchs are living.

The main object of human existence is to live for God and God’s glory. It is through the resurrection of the Son of God that we are brought to true and eternal life. Our belief in our resurrection is based on our faith in the resurrected Christ. Harold Buetow remarks: “Christian belief in immortality is unique and special. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News of fullness of life in this age, and of the resurrection in the age to come … Someone has compared death to standing on the seashore. A ship spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the open sea. She fades on the horizon, and someone says, ‘She’s gone.’ Just at the moment when someone says, ‘She’s gone’, other voices who are watching her coming on another shore happily shout, ‘Here she comes’. Or to use another metaphor, what the caterpillar calls ‘the end’, the butterfly calls the ‘beginning’.”

B. First Reading (Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a): “The prayer of these two petitioners was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.”

The reading (Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a) is a powerful assurance that God is in control and he hears our prayer. The author presents us with parallel lives that are interconnected in the divine plan. Both Tobit and Sarah, driven by despair, wish to die and be released from suffering. With regards to Tobit, it seems ironic that the more he tries to live a good and holy life, the more he suffers. He becomes blind through a bird droppings accident. Moreover, his commitment to integrity leads to a quarrel with his wife, who understandably reacts with a verbal attack. To Tobit’s contention that she stole the goat that was given to her as a bonus, Anna counters by impeaching his moral integrity: “Now I see what you are really like.” Tobit is deeply humiliated. Choking back tears he prays that he would rather die than live in misery and face such cruel insults.

In the distant city of Ecbatana in Media, Sarah, the daughter of Tobit’s relative Raguel, is likewise overwhelmed with tribulations. She is afflicted by a demon, who desires her. Wanting her for himself, the demon keeps killing off her intended bridegrooms. Asmodeus, which means “demon of wrath”, kills each of her seven husbands before the marriage could be consummated. An abusive servant taunts her with the accusation that it is she who kills them. She is so depressed that she intends to hang herself. Sarah reconsiders, however, for the love of her father and instead raises her arms to God in prayer.

Tobit and Sarah, both victims of senseless and cruel situations, turn to God in prayer. Faith impels them to cast themselves upon God’s mercy and seek his saving will. Tobit’s plea for oblivion is accompanied by the words: “Now treat me as you please.” Sarah’s prayer for death is likewise accompanied with openness to divine grace: “But if it is not your will to take my life, at least show mercy to me.” God hears their prayers and sends his angel to help them. The name Raphael, which means “God heals”, aptly describes the angel’s role to be the instrument of healing for these two faithful ones who have opted to put their trust in God. Tobit will be able to see and Sarah will be liberated from demonic oppression. She will be espoused to Tobit’s son, Tobiah.

The story of Tobit and Sarah illustrates that God vindicates our faith and that suicide is a false solution to human misfortune. The experience of Tobit and Sarah has great relevance for the “suicide crisis” in today’s world. The following article published in an Irish Catholic newspaper gives insight into the modern society’s “self-destruction” phenomenon (cf. “Flaws in Effort to Tackle Suicide Crisis” in Alive! May 2013, p.7).

Paul Kelly of Console notes some of the trends in society that contribute to the terrible crisis of youth suicide. He points out the need for “sensitive criticism of the act”, and warns against “unintentionally legitimizing” it. The national media RTE in particular, have already done immense harm in this regard, pushing for the acceptance of voluntary mercy killing and assisted suicide. This is part of their wider, socially destructive, amoral agenda – the idea that each person is simply an individual and should have maximum “autonomy” or freedom.

Mr. Kelly stresses the need to teach children and young people how to cope with big disappointments in life. But how is this to be done?

We are talking here about suffering, how to cope with it and above all, how to make sense of it. For Christians it is the issue of the Cross. Again, inability to cope with failure may be an even bigger issue for adults – they often have less hope for the future, indeed, less future.

Kelly is right to link this problem with the desire for happiness. He speaks of “young people who cannot cope with the fact that they will not get what they want.” But the issue of happiness goes much deeper than getting what we want or being liked by others. This is the deepest yearning in every heart, yet our society seems to be utterly incapable of dealing with it in a serious way. It’s like we’re afraid of something.

Kelly briefly says that young people need to be told that suicide is “innately wrong” and never the “correct solution” to their problems. Despite first impressions, however, this appears to be simply a pragmatic rather than a moral statement.

And here we come to the most serious and undermining flaw in attempts to tackle the crisis – the refusal or inability to consider the religious and moral dimensions. But, whether we like it or not, these are fundamental in dealing with the issue of suicide. We need to face it.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is our concept of death and dying? Is this concept illumined by faith in the living God, in whom all are alive?

2. Do the tribulations and trials of daily life overwhelm us? Do we ever despair and lose hope? In our painful experiences do we trust in God and have recourse to his saving help?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Loving Father, you are the God of the living, not of the dead. In Jesus, your Son and our Savior, we live and move. We love you and your only begotten Son for he is the way to eternal life. We believe that death is a door to infinite beauty and wondrous glory. We proclaim in the great assembly and in our life of service to the poor and needy that you are indeed the font of life. May the Risen Christ whom we celebrate in every Eucharist bring about more and more our daily resurrection and transformation. In our work for justice and truth in today’s wounded world, may we always give glory and praise to the triumph of life. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

*** God of mercy, when trials and misfortunes overwhelm us, be with us and help us to cling to you. Strengthen us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Please join the sacrifice of our being to that of Jesus, our infinite Savior, that we may be touched by your healing hand and experience your saving power. Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God. And blessed is your holy and honorable name. Blessed are you in all your works forever and ever! Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“He is not God of the dead but of the living.” (Mk 12:27) // “The prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.” (Tb 3:16)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray for widows/widowers who have lost their partners and are grieving for them. Pray for the grace of a happy death and a deeper experience of trust in Jesus’ almighty Father, the God of the living. Unite the struggles and challenges of your daily life into the great Christian paschal mystery of dying that leads to eternal life. // By your word and example, by your testimony of trust in divine mercy, enable the despairing to turn to God in prayer and supplication. If it is possible, join a support group assisting the family members and friends of suicide victims.

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THURSDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Love God and Neighbor … He Is the Bridegroom of the Church”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a // Mk 12:28-34

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:28-34): “There is no commandment greater than these.”

The social ills of our time that cry out for healing challenge us to incarnate the love command presented in today’s Gospel reading: (Mk 12:28-34): “Love the Lord your God with all your heart … Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus Christ’s assertion of the primordial importance of the twofold love-command can be understood in the light of the Old Testament reading (Dt 6:2-6), which underlines the obligation of the people of Israel to love God wholeheartedly. But Jesus imbues the “love of God” command with a new meaning by adding “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, from the Book of Leviticus (19:8).

Harold Buetow explains: “What is new is that Jesus went further: For him there’s an extremely intimate bond between love of neighbor and love of God. In Christian charity, people and God are not merely side by side; they are inseparably one. That idea was new. Another facet of newness was that Jesus gave a completely new interpretation of neighbor. In the time of Leviticus it meant Hebrews only. By the time of Jesus, it included resident aliens as well. For Jesus, the word has the widest meaning possible: It includes every member of the human race: He died for all of us. This was a much greater depth and breadth than ever before imagined.”

The true meaning of love of God and neighbor is crystallized in the very life and person of Jesus, especially in his self-gift and sacrificial love on the cross. Because God, in his Son Jesus has loved us so much, we too are empowered to love. The commandment to love God and neighbor flows from the love that the Lord has for us. In accepting God’s love, it is possible to love God and neighbor in a wholehearted way.

The life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta exemplifies what love of God and neighbor means in our world today (cf. Mother Teresa: Her Essential Wisdom, New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006, p. 20-23). The following thoughts from her are very insightful.

Sometime back, a high government official said, “You are doing social work and we also are doing the same. But we are doing it for something and you are doing it for somebody.” To do our work, we have to be in love with God.

*** Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering; today somebody is in the street; today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today; yesterday has gone; tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to make Jesus known, loved, served, fed, clothed, sheltered. Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow we will not have them if we do not feed them today.

*** I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving, but do not give your leftovers. Give until it hurts, until you feel the pain.

*** The sisters care for forty-nine thousand lepers. They are among the most unwanted, unloved, and neglected people. The other day one of our sisters was washing a leper covered with sores. A Muslim holy man was present, standing close to her. He said, “All these years I have believed that Jesus Christ is a prophet. Today I believe that Jesus Christ is God since he has been able to give such joy to this sister, so that she can do her work with so much love.

B. First Reading (Tb 6:10-11; 7bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a): “Call down your mercy on me and her and allow us to live together to a happy old age.”

The reading (Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a) narrates the wedding of Tobit and Sarah and the prayer of deliverance that the newlywed couple offers on the night of their honeymoon. This prayer is preceded by a ritual of incense burning. Together with the incense, and in accordance with the suggestion of the angel Raphael, Tobiah burns the liver and the heart of the fish that they have caught during their journey to Media. The intolerable stench drives the demon away to Egypt. That the demon flees to distant Egypt implies total defeat for the jealous demon that has tormented the bride Sarah. The angel Raphael, God’s minister of healing, immobilizes Asmodeus, the agent of death. Sarah’s total deliverance occurs through prayer and ritual. Tobiah’s wedding prayer is not just to invoke divine protection, but also to invoke God’s blessings upon him and his bride. The newlyweds have entered into a nuptial and covenant love relationship with one another. Tobiah’s prayer considers marriage as a gift of God. He also makes reference to Adam and Eve who were created for each other as mutual help and support and from whom the human race descended. Tobiah asks God that he and Sarah may be like them and may live together to a happy old age and be blessed with children. Sarah joins Tobiah in the “Amen” and the marriage is consummated. God looks kindly on their wedding prayer and blesses them.

The marriage of Tobiah and Sarah is an image of the relationship between God and his chosen people Israel and also prefigures the love relationship between Christ Spouse and his Bride the Church. Indeed, in his life-giving sacrifice on the cross, Jesus Christ shows us the meaning of nuptial love and covenant. The beauty and the joy of a marriage blessed by God can be gleaned from the following stories (cf. Wilda Worth, “The Honeymoon Cottage” in Country, February/March 2012, p. 50 // Cathy Myers, “Plumber’s Helper” in Country, April/May 2010, p. 66).

During the housing shortage of World War II, two brothers in Muenster, Texas, converted their backyard chicken coop into a rental home. Newlyweds rented the little house, which became known as the Honeymoon Cottage, until they could find and afford larger homes.

In January 1954, I moved into the Honeymoon Cottage with Gene after my college graduation and our wedding. The cottage was the only furnished lodging available, and the monthly rent was just $30 including utilities. (…)

I had a lot of time on my hands during our first months in the cottage, so I turned my attention to creating a home. I learned to keep house, cook and garden. Using the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, I experimented with recipes and became a better-than-expected cook. Even when Gene complained that his clothes were getting too tight, I tempted him with fresh-baked bread, pies and cakes, and I secretly enjoyed watching him struggle with passing up dessert.

I planted a garden behind the house in spring. After stretching and straightening the wire fence into an upright position to keep out neighborhood dogs and kids, I dug, prepared the ground and planted tomatoes, bell peppers, beans, corn, cucumbers, potatoes, squash and pumpkins. On hot afternoons, I spread a blanket beside the garden to sunbathe, read and admire my growing garden.

As a first home, the Honeymoon Cottage was truly unique and original. And though it’s no longer a rental, the cottage still stands as an unlikely tribute to the hopes, dreams and determination of small-town America.

***

When my husband set out to repair a leak under our kitchen sink and asked me to help, it promised to be an interesting experience. (…) “Did you find the leak?” I finally asked. “’Bout got it finished now”, he said. “Dispose of the water while I finish removing the broken drain line. Then we’ll put it all back together.” Great! I was getting tired of holding the light, and it was almost time to cook supper. “Will do”, I said, pleased to be useful. I propped the light up against the cabinet and reached for the bucket. It was almost full, and I had to balance carefully to keep from spilling it

My husband continued to work, pulling in air through his teeth to whistle a tune. Imagine his surprise when he got a face full of water. Yes, I had poured the water down the broken sink. “Oops, sorry.” I held my breath.

My husband laughed and shook his head as I handed him a towel. He wasn’t angry or upset, or even surprised. He’s learned over the years to expect the unexpected. And now he had a good story to share with family and friends for years to come.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. What is our response to Jesus’ great command: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … You shall love your neighbor as yourself”? How do we try to put this twofold command into practice? Are we capable of wholehearted love and service? If not, what do we do to improve our capacity for loving and giving?

2. Do we see marriage as a gift of God and a vital element in salvation history? What do we do to promote the sanctity and integrity of marriage and family life in the world today?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, you loved the Lord your God with all your heart and loved your neighbor as yourself. In the Eucharist you are present to us as the One who loved his own “to the end”. O Divine Eucharist, flame of Christ’s love that burns on the altar of the world, make the Church comforted by you, even more caring in wiping away the tears of suffering and in sustaining the efforts of all who yearn for justice and peace. Let your love triumph, now and forever. Amen.

*** God our Father, you created man and woman to love each other in the bond of marriage. Bless and strengthen husband and wife. May their marriage become an increasingly more perfect sign of the union between Christ and his Church. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk 12:30-31) //“Allow us to live together to a happy old age.” (Tb 8:7)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that Jesus’ twofold love-command may truly impact and shape our daily lives. Let the words of Jesus and his Eucharistic sacrifice challenge you to love and embrace the poor and vulnerable in today’s fragmented and wounded world. // By word and example, by catechesis and social action, promote the sanctity and integrity of Christian marriage in today’s society.

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FRIDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Son of David and His Lord … He Is Our Healing and Salvation”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 11:5-17 // Mk 12:35-37

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:35-37): “How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David.”

We hear in the Gospel (Mk 12:35-37) that after being interrogated by his opponents on such issues as paying taxes to Caesar, on the doctrine of the resurrection, and on the greatest commandment, it is Jesus now who poses a question: how can the Messiah be a son of David, if David himself acknowledges him as his Lord? No one in the crowd answers. Jesus himself doesn’t answer his own question about in what sense the Messiah could be David’s descendant. The purpose of raising the question is didactic. Jesus wants to underline that the title “son of David”, with which he was acclaimed by the welcoming crowd in his triumphant entry to Jerusalem, is not adequate to describe his nature as Messiah. Christ Messiah, on account of his exalted, transcendent origin, is more than just a “son of David”. Although a descendant of David, Jesus the Messiah is the Son of God. His divine character surpasses the nobility and regality of his ancestor David. By his paschal mystery of passion, death, and glorification, Jesus Savior proves that he is indeed the son of David and wields lordship over David and all his ancestors. Indeed, the glorified Jesus is Lord of the peoples of the earth and all creation.

I read a charming story about Pope John XXIII. After he became Pope, his relatives from Bergamo came to have an audience with him. A bunch of rural, humble folks, they were timid and overwhelmed to be received by the Supreme Pontiff. The good, jolly old Pope extended his arms to the intimidated group and coaxed them warmly, “Come; it is only me!” I fancy that King David is likewise overwhelmed by the glory of his illustrious progeny, Jesus – son of Mary and Joseph. But on the day of resurrection, the Risen Lord invites and assures his ancestor David, “Come; it is only me!”

B. First Reading (Tb 11:5-17): “God himself scourged me and behold, I now see my son Tobiah!”

The reading (Tb 11:5-17) is a joyful account of the homecoming of Tobit’s beloved son Tobiah and the healing of the blind, long-suffering Tobit. Upon the instructions of the angel Raphael, Tobiah smears the fish gall into the eyes of Tobit and removes his father’s cataracts. Tobit’s joy is unbounded in seeing his son and embraces him whom he calls “the light of my eyes”. The prayer of gratitude that comes forth from Tobit’s lips manifests the extraordinary faith of this God-fearing man. He avows the mysterious working of the God who has scourged him with affliction and who now grants him mercy, grace and salvation. The bitter gall has provided the cure. But a deeper healing occurs. Tobit’s “eyes of faith” have been opened through suffering and his obedient stance to the divine saving will. God has turned his affliction into joy and Tobit is filled with praise and thanksgiving. Together with the daughter-in-law Sarah who, like Tobit, has experienced the torments of suffering and the joy of salvation, Tobit and his family have cause for celebration.

Tobit’s experience of spiritual healing, that is, the healing of “the eyes of faith” – which may or may not include physical healing – is replicated in the following personal testimony (cf. Marilyn Morgan King in Daily Guideposts 2010, p. 93)

During a routine eye exam three years ago, Dr. Bode noted that my right eye had the beginnings of macular degeneration. (…)

Now I have the beginning to this incurable disease. My left eye was still clear, but the doctor said macular degeneration usually starts in one eye and then moves to the other. The diagnosis meant that, if I lived long enough, I would eventually lose the sight of both eyes. I will be blind! I could hardly let the thought in.

Then one evening an idea came to me during my silent prayer time: I couldn’t know how much time I had left to see, but with God’s grace I could use my eyes to gather and savor as much beauty as I could while I could. I couldn’t take a camera with me into blindness, but I could “breathe in” images of beauty and light to carry with me, if the path should become dark before I reached home.

“O Holy One, lead me into the path of beauty while I see, and I will trust Your perfect vision to lead me safely home.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of David and his Lord and that he wields lordship over us all?

2. Do we trust in the mysterious loving plan of God who could allow us to experience joy and salvation through the rough road of affliction?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, you are incarnate of the Mary and became man. You are a descendant of David. The holy carpenter Joseph of Nazareth, of the royal line of David, is the foster father who cared for you. We bless and thank you for being our Savior. By the paschal events of your death and rising and through the power of the Holy Spirit, it has been revealed to us that you are not simply the Messiah. You are the “Son of God” and not merely the “son of David”. You are exalted above all. You transcend the nature of a mere liberator. You are God – our one Lord Jesus Christ! We believe in you. We submit to you our entire being - our mind, heart and will. We thank you for your gift of eternal life. We love you and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

*** Merciful Father, you are infinite Wisdom and Love. In trials and afflictions, help us to see with “the eyes” of faith. Let us experience the joy of your presence. You live and reign, forever and ever. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand.’” (Mk 12:36) // “It was he who scourged me and it was he who had mercy on me. (Tb 11:15)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Meditate on the Nicene Creed and savor the beauty of the goodness of God who sent his only Son into the world to redeem us. In your daily life, endeavor to mirror the dignity and humility of the Son of God who became man to save us. // Relish the beauty of creation around you and the beauty of life within you.

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SATURDAY: NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME “JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to a Total Self-Giving … The Angels Minister to Him”

BIBLE READINGS Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20 // Mk 12:38-44

I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO

A. Gospel Reading (Mk 12:38-44): “This poor widow has given more than all others.”

Today’s Gospel (Mk 12:38-44) is a lesson in wholehearted giving. Jesus contrasts the sterling quality of an extremely generous widow with the greediness of scribes who “devour the houses of widows”. Observing the devout act of the poor widow who puts two small coins into the temple’s treasury, Jesus calls the disciples’ attention and teaches them the difference between complete and incomplete giving. The rich honor God with a portion of their wealth, but the poor woman gives from her very livelihood. As a consequence of her self-emptying, she entrusts herself wholly to God. The widow’s offering evokes the total gift that Jesus would make of himself on the cross. The Son of God is the ultimate self-giving Lord. He offers his life “once and for all” in order to redeem us. In union with him, our lives become capable of total self-giving. Together with Jesus, the “poor one” (anawim), we become a gift to God.

The generous stance of the Gospel’s poor widow is replicated by the beggar in the following story narrated by Mother Teresa (cf. Mother Teresa: Her Essential Wisdom, New York: Barnes and Noble, 2006, p. 21).

A beggar one day came up to me and said, “Mother Teresa, everybody gives you things for the poor. I also want to give you something. But today, I am only able to get ten pence. I want to give that to you.” I said to myself. “If I take it he might have to go to bed without eating. If I don’t take it, I will hurt him.” So I took it. And I’ve never seen so much joy on anybody’s face who has given his money or food, as I saw on that man’s face. He was happy that he too could give something. This is the joy of loving.

B. First Reading (Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20): “So now praise God. Behold, I am about to ascend to him who sent me.”

The reading (Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20) delineates the role of the angel Raphael in carrying out God’s providential design in the life of Tobit, Tobiah and their kin. True to their noble character, Tobit and Tobiah try to offer a generous compensation to Azarias for having made possible the incredibly successful outcome of Tobiah’s journey to Media. Azarias does not accept the offer, but responds with a divine revelation. He reveals himself as the angel Raphael, “one of the seven angels who stand in the glorious presence of the Lord, ready to serve him”. He is the one sent by God to guide and protect them, to instruct and test them, and to mediate their prayers. He is the one who brought the prayers of Tobit and Sarah into the divine presence. It is he who lifted up Tobit’s generous deeds to God. It is he who tested and confirmed their faith. The angel Raphael, whose name means “God heals”, has been sent by God to heal Tobit and to liberate Sarah from demonic affliction. As a ministering angel, Raphael exhorts Tobit and Tobiah to praise God and to give witness concerning God’s goodness to them. He also declares the benefits of caring for the poor. He reiterates the need to do good and to avoid evil. His mission accomplished, the angel Raphael ascends to the one who sent him and vanishes from their sight.

Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah have experienced the awesome action of the angel Raphael in their lives. With regards to Jesus Christ, the angels are at his bidding and minister to his needs. Likewise for us, the angels continue to be agents of God’s saving will. The following story gives us further insight (cf. James Pruitt, “The Voice of an Angel” in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al. Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc., 1997, p. 377-374).

Among the U.S. Marines who fought against the Japanese in World War II was 21-year-old Corporal William Devers, who considered himself an agnostic. No amount of arguing, Bible-quoting or coercion by his fellow Marines or chaplain could sway him. During the company’s first major encounter with the Japanese, a number of the unit were killed and the chaplain was wounded. In great pain, the chaplain called to Devers, “My … left pocket … take it … please … Last night I had a dream. In the dream an angel appeared and told me that I had to make you take the Bible. Take it, son … please.” Devers shoved the Bible into his shirt pocket to satisfy the wounded man.

Twenty minutes later, Corporal Devers’ squad stumbled right into a Japanese patrol, and before he knew what had happened he was on the ground, his mind fading into the darkness, certain he was dying. When he came to, he felt a ripple of pain shoot through his chest, but there was no blood.

The bullet had torn into the Bible he carried in his pocket, ending its journey at the book of Psalms, which read: “A thousand shall fall at thy side; and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. How do we react to situations of vulnerability, insecurity and poverty? Do we take the stance of the generous widow? Do we allow ourselves to be configured into the self- giving Lord Jesus, the true Anawim – the ultimate Poor One of Yahweh?

2. Do we believe in the existence of angels and in God’s compassionate love in sending them into our lives? Are we sensitive to the promptings of our guardian angel?

III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO

O Lord Jesus, you are the anawim - the poor one of Yahweh. You praised the self-giving widow at the temple treasury. Her self-gift anticipates your self-sacrifice on the wood of the cross. Fill our hearts with your love so that we too may be a total gift offered to God and for the good of others. Your life in us is our greatest treasure. We are happy and content to possess you and to be possessed by you. We love you and serve you, now and forever. Amen.

*** (From the Prayers of the Pauline Family) All you angels of the Lord, you are called to pay noble homage, give praise and incessantly bless the august Trinity, to make reparation for our negligence. You are true lovers of God and of souls, and you continue to sing “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will”. We beseech you on behalf of humanity that all may know the one true God, his Son whom he sent, and the Church, the pillar of truth. Pray that the name of God may be held sacred, the kingdom of Jesus Christ may come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Extend your protection over civil authorities, working people and those who suffer. Obtain blessings and salvation for all those who seek truth, justice and peace. Amen.

IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“This poor widow put in more than all the others … She, from her poverty, has contributed all she had.” (Mk 12:43) //“I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” (Tb 12:15)

V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO

Pray that the spirit of total giving may animate our life of Christian discipleship and service. Pray also that the unjust structures that lead to destitution and greater abuse of the poor and needy in today’s society may be rectified. Strive to offer the gifts you have received from the Lord for good at the service of the community. // Be sensitive to the presence of the angels in our life and allow yourself to be “touched by an angel”. By your kindness and loving service to the poor and the needy, let them experience being “touched by an angel”.

*** Text of Week 9 in Ordinary Time ends here. ***