Reflections for the 32nd week in Ordinary Time

I am the Resurrection and the Life

Those who believe in me will live,

Even though they die'

Those who live and believe in me

Will never die

Do you believe this?

John 11:25

November 8, 2010
Monday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Ti 1:1-9

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,
on condition that a man be blameless,
married only once, with believing children
who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,
temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled,
holding fast to the true message as taught
so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents.

By the time this letter was written the Christian community had developed and spread. Many of the founders were dead and it was time to institutionalize the Church so that it could continue. Its founding apostles who could solve problems as they arose were no longer there. In this passage Paul explains the kind of character that Church leaders should have in those days and today also.

Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

Responsorial Psalm

R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.

Lk 17:1-6

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

How important is good example always and everywhere. It is through our relationships that we lead people for good or bad. We need a personal relationship of love with Jesus and a personal relationship of love with those in our care. We should be concerned for them and show our concern so that they realize our concern. Concern is not shown so much by words as by deeds and by listening and understanding their feelings without judging. True love puts no conditions. We may not approve of what they do, but they are still precious to us and we love them and so can forgive. On the contrary how harmful is bad example and the lack of love.  Let us take to heart the warning of Jesus in today’s Gospel. Do you cultivate loving relationships by which “these little ones” feel your love for them and also for Jesus?

Tuesday November 9, 2010
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

This reflection will be posted on Monday 8^th November

Wednesday November 10, 2010
Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

Reading 1

Ti 3:1-7

Beloved:
Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,
to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another.

But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

This letter is called a pastoral letter because in it the author instructs Titus on how to organise and instruct the Christian communities in Crete. The second half of this passage is given on Christmas Day. In the crib the kindness and generous love of God appeared in the form of a small baby. He came in love even though we were rebels and sinners and would crucify him on a Cross. God wants to share the glory of his life with us at whatever cost.

Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6

Responsorial Psalm

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

Lk 17:11-19

Gospel

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

They ask Jesus to have pity on them and as with the previous leper Jesus is moved with pity for these too and sends them to the priests. They were the ones to declare them clean and allow them to return to life in the community. They all set off for the priests in obedience to the Word of Jesus. They are also healed on the way. They have some faith but they have not yet met Jesus. Only one returns to give thanks to Jesus. He is the only one of the ten who actually meets Jesus. They have a personal encounter and this is real faith. It is only when we know Jesus personally through our prayer that we really have faith. Just following the rules will not bring us to Jesus. This man glorified God and fell at the feet of Jesus. Have you had his experience?

November 11, 2010
Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, bishop

Reading 1

Phlm 7-20

Beloved:
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,
because the hearts of the holy ones
have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ
to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love,
being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself,
so that he might serve me on your behalf
in my imprisonment for the Gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent,
so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice
or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay.
May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ.

Ps 146:7, 8-9a, 9bc-10

Responsorial Psalm

R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Paul brings the teaching of Jesus to a new situation, not faced by the historical Jesus. Onesimus was a run-away slave. Slaves in the Roman world were not like slaves in modern times. They had opportunities to earn money but they belonged totally to their master. The penalty for running away could be death. Onesimus and Paul have come to know each other in Rome. Paul now looks on him as a son and appeals to his former owner and master to look on him as a brother. Do we treat others, particularly those ‘below our station’ and more so those members of our believing community as brothers and sisters, recognizing their inherent worth and dignity. What we pray in the psalm, may God do through us.

Lk 17:20-25

Gospel

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

There is no dichotomy between this life and eternal life. We already have or do not have eternal life. The Kingdom of God is not a place but a Person. “This is eternal life, to know you and to know the Christ whom you have sent: (John 17). To know, love and obey Jesus is to enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of God. To meet Jesus we must enter into ourselves, not go searching elsewhere. We have to learn to pray in the conscious presence of Jesus. But when Jesus does come again in glory there will be no mistake, just as there isn’t with the lightning which lights up the whole sky. But beforehis glorification Jesus had to suffer. Suffering is part of human life Jesus responded to suffering with loving fidelity and trust. How do you respond? Do you know your Father loves and cares?    

Friday November 12, 2010
Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr

Reading 1

2 Jn 4-9

[Chosen Lady:]
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth
just as we were commanded by the Father.
But now, Lady, I ask you,
not as though I were writing a new commandment
but the one we have had from the beginning:
let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments;
this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning,
in which you should walk.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world,
those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh;
such is the deceitful one and the antichrist.
Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for
but may receive a full recompense.
Anyone who is so “progressive”
as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God;
whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.

Ps 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18

Responsorial Psalm

R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.


This short letter is written about 100AD by a person with some authority in the Johannine  community. He reminds the members of another such community, my Lady, and us too that everything can be summed it the law of love. Our religion is a life of love and the commandments of Jesus show us how to love. The great truth of our religion is that God has become one of us. He shares our life and wants to be our friend. Let us be amazed at how he loves and respects each of us. We are to do the same for others.

Lk 17:26-37

Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left.”
They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”
He said to them, “Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather.”

Be ready is the watchword. But if we now are in love with Jesus we will always be ready, waiting and longing for his coming in whatever form. There is only one thing to do and that is to love Jesus. Though living in this world we should not become engrossed in it. We are only passing through. Longing for his coming we will constantly prepare for his arrival. If our love grows cold then we can become like the people in Noah’s day and be unaware and unconcerned about his coming. Both Lot and Noah were prepared for the impending catastrophe. Jesus’ coming should not be a catastrophe but a joyous event. Whether it is or not depends on us. Jesus is coming. We should be looking forward not backwards. We are all engaged in the world but some will be ready and others not. Are you ready now?

Saturday November 13, 2010
Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin

Reading 1

3 Jn 5-8

Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters,
especially for strangers;
they have testified to your love before the Church.
Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.
For they have set out for the sake of the Name
and are accepting nothing from the pagans.
Therefore, we ought to support such persons,
so that we may be co-workers in the truth.

Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

This is a very short letter in fact just a few verses. The Church has developed and also been structured by the time this letter was written. We see the life of the Church in its good aspects as well as its weaknesses. He praises the receiver for his active work in the community and particularly in helping those who are working for the spread of the Gospel. By helping those actively engaged in mission, we too become missionaries.

Responsorial Psalm

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.

Lk 18:1-8

Gospel

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The widow represents us. She is helpless now after the death of her husband. Furthermore someone has done her an injustice and she claims a decision against her enemy. The judge for some reason ignores her. She has no other resource. We too are faced with enemies. “Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. He has his allies in the world: persecutors, the world’s enticements, our own temptations and lusts. We are also born with weakness and spiritual deformity through original sin. There is no hope for us unless the Saviour takes our part. Eventually the unjust judge gave in under her persistence.   We need to pray constantly. He answers our prayer but sometimes apparently waits. Without prayer faith dies. Yet faith gives rise to prayer. When Jesus comes to you, will he find a person of faith and prayer or someone who gave up?