Reflections: September 29 – October 4, 2014

Sept 29 Monday: Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael: Jn 1: 47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" 48 Nathaniel said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathaniel answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"50… 51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." The archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael: The angels are spirits created by God before He created man. They are meant to be extensions of God’s love and provident care. Their role is to praise and worship God, act as God’s messengers, do God’s will and protect human beings. “He will give His angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91: 1). God sent his angels to destroy the evil cities Sodom and Gomorrah and to save Lot’s family. God gave Moses an angel to support and guide him: "My angel shall go before you” (Ex 32:34). It was an angel who helped Jesus in the desert and encouraged Jesus during his agony in Gethsemane. The Acts of the Apostles (1:14), describes how God sent an angel to liberate Peter from the prison. The archangels form one of the nine orders of angels. The most prominent among them are Michael the protector, Gabriel the messenger of God and Raphael, the healer and guide for humans. Michael: Michael means “Who is like God,” from the challenge he flung at the rebel angels Lucifer and his supporters. In Daniel, he is the great prince who defended Israel. In the Book of Revelation, he is the mighty prince who fought with Lucifer and who dragged the serpent into hell. Gabriel: He is God’s messenger. It was Gabriel who announced to Elizabeth’s husband, the priest Zechariah, the happy news that his barren wife would conceive a son, John the Baptist. He announced the “good news” to Mary that she was to bear the Son of God. Gabriel also announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. Raphael: He is man’s God-appointed guide and healer. He guided Tobiah’s journey, did Tobiah’s task of collecting his father’s money from Gabael of Rhages, arranged his marriage with Sarah, gave Tobiah the means to heal Tobit’s blindness and protected Sarah from the devil. Life messages: 1) Dependable angelic assistance is a salutary, encouraging thing for us to remember in our fears. 2) The truth that an angel is always watching us is an incentive to do good and to avoid evil. 3) Angelic protection and assistance form a great provision for which we must be always thankful to God. Sept 30 Tuesday: Mt 13: 47-53: 47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 51 "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." 52 And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." 53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there. The context: Today’s Gospel gives the third of a set of three parables Jesus preached on the kingdom of God/Heaven and the conditions for entering it. The parable of the fishing net: In Palestine, there were two main ways of fishing. The first was with the casting-net, which required a keen eye and great skill in throwing the net at the correct moment. The second was with a dragnet or seine. Galilean seine nets were tied to two boats and drawn through the water. The catch was sorted only afterwards, with edible or kosher fish going to market and unacceptable fish being thrown away. Just as a dragnet collects good and bad fish indiscriminately, so the Church is bound to be a mixture of all kinds of people, good and bad, useless and useful. This parable encourages the Church to adopt an open approach to Evangelism. The parable also teaches that the time of separation will come in the Final Judgment, when the good and the bad will be sent to their respective destinies. This parable is, thus, a counterpart to the parable of the weeds and the wheat. The concluding simile: Jesus concludes his parables by advising the listeners to imitate wise scribes (Jewish scholars -- the experts in the Law and/or Scriptures.) A scholar need not give up his scholarship when he becomes a Christian; rather he should use it for Christ. A businessman need not give up his business; rather he should run it as a Christian would. Christians are also expected to be like scholars who consider both the old and the new. Life messages: 1) A lesson in tolerance and compassionate understanding. The lesson of this parable is that the Church is a mixed body of saints and sinners (good and rotten fish). There will be always a temptation on the part of some who feel they are more "faithful" to separate themselves from the “unfaithful.” But Jesus reminds us that the final judgment resulting in reward or punishment is the work of God. Thus, we must learn to be tolerant, compassionate and understanding of those who seem to us to fall far below the requirements of the Gospel and the Kingdom. Let us humbly admit the fact that only Jesus and Mary were not a mixture of good and evil. Let us admit as St. Paul did, “I am what I am with the grace of God Oct. 1 Wednesday: Therese of Child Jesus: Mt 18: 1-4: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Marie Therese Martin was born on Jan 2, 1873 as the youngest of nine children of a silk merchant, Louis Martin, and his wife, Zelie Guerin. Therese lost her mother at 4 and four of her siblings in their early childhood. She was the ‘little flower” of her father. One of her older sisters joined the Visitation convent and three others became Carmelite nuns. Therese joined the Carmelite convent at Lisieux at 15 with special permission from Pope Leo XIII. She died of tuberculosis when she was 24 years and 9 months old on September 30, 1897. Pope Pius XI declared her a saint on May 17, 1925, just 28 years after her death. Pope John Paul II declared her a “Doctor of the Church” in 1997. Sources of her life history: 1) Autobiography of a Little Flower (The Story of a Soul); 2) 300 letters; 3) 8- One act Plays; 4) 50 poems. Secret of her Little Way and short-cut to heaven: Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way out of love for God, with 100% dedication and child-like trust, ever ready to undertake any type of sacrifice. Convert suffering into redemptive suffering and use it for the apostolate. Conditions: 1) Be child-like and innocent with trusting faith in a loving Heavenly Father. 2) Do everything with 100% dedication as being done for our caring and forgiving God, our Father. 3) Be ready to undertake sacrifice for others. St. Therese offered all her sacrifices a) for the reparation of sins of others and for her own sins b) for missionaries c) for the conversion of sinners. Message: Let us follow the shortcut of Little Flower by becoming child-like in our relationship with God and by doing His will with 100% sincerity and love. Oct 2 Thursday: The Holy Guardian Angels: Holy Guardian Angels: Mt 18: 1-5, 10:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven 1 angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. The Guardian Angel: Although the doctrine and traditional belief in the Guardian Angel is not a dogma of faith, it is based on the Bible. Each person's Guardian Angel is an expression of God’s enduring love and providential care extended to him or her every day. Today’s prayers in the breviary and in the Roman Missal mention the three-fold function of the angels: a) they praise and worship God, b) they serve as His messengers, c) they watch over human beings. Historical note: Devotion to the Guardian Angels began to develop in the monasteries. St. Benedict gave it an additional impetus and St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century reformer), spread the devotion in its present form. The feast of the Guardian Angels originated in the 1500s. It was placed on the official liturgical calendar of the Church by Pope Paul V. Biblical teaching: Today’s Gospel (Mt 16:10), clearly states that even children have their Guardian Angels: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father Who is in Heaven.” Psalm 91: 1 teaches: “For He has given His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” Life messages: 1) The conviction that we are protected by an angel is an encouragement against our baseless fears and unnecessary anxieties. 2) The thought that a messenger from God is constantly watching our thoughts, words and deeds is an inspiration to us to lead holy lives and to do good to others. 3) We need to be grateful to God every day, thanking Him for His loving care given us through His angel. Oct 3 Friday: Lk 10: 13-16: 13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 16 He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The context: Jesus reminds three cities, including Capernaum, his headquarters, that they deserve God’s punishment because they have forgotten the responsibilities which their numerous meetings with the Messiah in their midst have laid upon them. They should have listened to his message, put it into practice, and borne witness to the miracles he had worked for them. Chorazin and Bethsaida : Nothing is mentioned in any of the Gospels about the “wonders” Jesus worked in Chorazin and Bethsaida. Bethsaida was a fishing village on the west bank of Jordan at the northern end of the lake. Chorazin was a town one hour’s walking distance north of Capernaum. Jesus expresses his holy anger and sorrowful pity from a broken heart at the irresponsible disregard of, and indifference to, His Good News which these two ungrateful cities have shown. Jesus also warns them that “it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for Tyre and Sidon,” than for them, because Tyre and Sidon were not fortunate enough to hear Jesus and to receive the opportunities for conversion given to Bethsaida and Chorazin. Life Messages: Privileges always carry responsibilities: 1) We are privileged to have the holy Bible; so we have the responsibility to make use of it. 2) We have the Eucharistic celebration every day in our churches; so we have the responsibility to participate in it when we are able to do so. 3) We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation; so we have the responsibility to use it to be reconciled with God and his Church. 4) We are blessed with having Holy Spirit to guide the teaching authority in the Church; so we have the responsibility to study and follow the Church’s directions. 5) We have Mary the mother of Jesus and numerous saints as our role models; so we have the responsibility to follow Jesus in their footsteps. Oct 4 Saturday: (Next page: St. Francis of Assisi) Lk 10: 17-24: 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." The context: Today’s Gospel describes how the seventy disciples, sent by Jesus to prepare people in the towns and villages He was going to visit, returned joyfully to Jesus who rejoiced aloud at the success of their preaching and healing mission. This passage of the Gospel is usually called our Lord's "hymn of joy." Jesus rejoiced to see how humble people understood and accepted the word of God.

The teaching: Jesus declares that the right reason for rejoicing must be the hope of reaching Heaven by doing the will of God at all times and that that is more important than working miracles. He also gives his disciples a warning against taking pride in the success of their mission. Jesus repeats his claim that he is God, equal in everything with his Father and that only he can reveal God his Father to others. Then he congratulates his disciples at their good fortune in living to see, hear and experience the Messiah in their midst, a privilege which generations before them would have rejoiced to receive.

Life messages: 1) We have received the same mission given to the seventy disciples, a mission to preach Jesus as Lord and Savior. 2) We may have success as well as failure when we bear witness to Christ and his teachings through our lives. But we, too, have reason to rejoice, even when our attempts at evangelization are not visibly successful, because we are assured of a great reward in heaven. We rejoice also because we have the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we can hear him through the Gospels and we can experience him through prayers and Sacraments. Oct 4: St. Francis of Assisi: Mt 11:25-30: St. Francis of Assisi is the best known and the most loved thirteenth century Italian saint. He was born in Assisi, Italy, the son of a rich merchant. As a carefree young man, he loved singing, dancing and partying. He joined the military and returned ill, as a changed man. He marked his conversion by hugging and kissing a leper. While at prayer in the Church of St. Damiano, he heard the message: “Francis go and repair my Church because it is falling down.” Francis took it literally and got money by selling goods from his father’s warehouse. His father got furious and publicly disowned and disinherited Francis. Francis promptly gave back to his father everything except his underclothes and started living as a free man, wearing sackcloth and begging for food. Possessing nothing, he started preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus. Strangely enough, a few youngsters got attracted to Francis’ way of life and joined him. Pope Innocent III had a vision of Francis supporting the leaning Church of St. Johns Lateran in Rome. Consequently, he approved the Religious Order begun by Francis, namely the Friars Minor [Lesser Brothers] which practiced Charity as a fourth vow along with Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Soon, the Franciscan Order became very popular, attracting large number of committed youngsters. The friars traveled throughout central Italy and beyond, preaching for people to turn from the world to Christ. In his life and preaching, Francis emphasized simplicity and poverty, relying on God's providence rather than worldly goods. The brothers worked, or begged, for what they needed to live, and any surplus was given to the poor. Francis wrote a more detailed Rule, which was further revised by the new leaders of the Franciscans. He gave up leadership of the Order and went to the mountains to live in secluded prayer. There he received the Stigmata, the wounds of Christ. Francis became partially blind and ill during his last years. He died at Portiuncula on October 4th, 1226 at the age of 44. Francis called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility before God. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow, fully and literally, the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. Francis loved nature and animals, and saw all natural forces as his brothers and sisters. One of Francis's most famous sermons is one he gave to a flock of birds during one of his journeys, because the people refused to listen. "From that day on, he solicitously admonished the birds, all animals and reptiles, and even creatures that have no feeling, to praise and love their Creator." Francis is well known for the "Canticle of Brother Sun." Written late in the saint's life, when blindness had limited his sight of the outside world, the canticle shows that his imagination was alive with love for God's creation. Life messages: 1) Only by divesting oneself of every attachment is one ready to give oneself totally to God. 2) In poverty one makes oneself available for the Kingdom. 3) Once the goods are no longer one's own, they become available for all. Goods are made to be shared.