God's Word for the weekdays from 26th Sept.

 many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
Saturday, 01 October 2011

Reading 1 Bar 4:5-12, 27-29

Fear not, my people!
Remember, Israel,
You were sold to the nations
not for your destruction;
It was because you angered God
that you were handed over to your foes.
For you provoked your Maker
with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods;
You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you,
and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you.
She indeed saw coming upon you
the anger of God; and she said:

"Hear, you neighbors of Zion!
God has brought great mourning upon me,
For I have seen the captivity
that the Eternal God has brought
upon my sons and daughters.
With joy I fostered them;
but with mourning and lament I let them go.
Let no one gloat over me, a widow,
bereft of many:
For the sins of my children I am left desolate,
because they turned from the law of God.

Fear not, my children; call out to God!
He who brought this upon you will remember you.
As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God,
turn now ten times the more to seek him;
For he who has brought disaster upon you
will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy."

St. Paul will say: where sin abounded, grace abounded even more. This is what the prophet is saying here. The people of Israel had sinned and abandoned the Covenant and so many evils had come upon them. But God had not forgotten them. He longed for his people to return to him so that he could forgive and bless them. It is the same with us too.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 69:33-35, 36-37

R. (34) The Lord listens to the poor.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
the seas and whatever moves in them!"
 

Gospel Lk 10:17-24

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."
Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
'to tread upon serpents' and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

Satan was once Lucifer, the angel of Light but in his pride he claimed to be equal with God. Dependent on God for his very existence he wanted to usurp the position of the Almighty. His decision to oppose God was irrevocable and so God threw him out of his presence. On earth he deceived the whole human race but the Son of God came in the weakness of human flesh and defeated him by his obedience to the Father despite everything that Satan did to try and make him deviate from God’s path. Christ has defeated Satan but so must each of us. This is possible by the inner strength that he will give us. This inner strength makes it possible for us to overcome any kind of sin. It is given to us in our prayer. Those who spend time regularly with the Lord Jesus receive it. Do you?

Memorial of Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church
Friday, 30 September 2011

Reading 1 Bar 1:15-22

During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed:
"Justice is with the Lord, our God;
and we today are flushed with shame,
we men of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem,
that we, with our kings and rulers
and priests and prophets, and with our ancestors,
have sinned in the Lord's sight and disobeyed him.
We have neither heeded the voice of the Lord, our God,
nor followed the precepts which the Lord set before us.
From the time the Lord led our ancestors out of the land of Egypt
until the present day,
we have been disobedient to the Lord, our God,
and only too ready to disregard his voice.
And the evils and the curse that the Lord enjoined upon Moses, his servant,
at the time he led our ancestors forth from the land of Egypt
to give us the land flowing with milk and honey,
cling to us even today.
For we did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God,
in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us,
but each one of us went off
after the devices of his own wicked heart,
served other gods,
and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God."

The Jews had suffered immensely at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity. The prophets who came at that time meditated on all that had happened and realised that all that had happened was the result of their sin and the abandonment of the Covenant made with God. This is the message of Baruch in today’s passage.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9

R. (9) For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the corpses of your servants
as food to the birds of heaven,
the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.
Gospel Lk 10:13-16

Jesus said to them,
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, "Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld."
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

 

These three towns were close by each other on the northern shore of the Lake of Galilee. In the gospels we do not hear of any ministry in Chorazin but Jesus seems to have worked many miracles there. Bethsaida is the birthplace of three of the apostles, Peter, Andrew and Philip. Jesus preaches his Gospel and invites people to enter the Kingdom. There is no force but  the cost of rejecting the call is incalculable. Sin itself causes eternal death to the sinner. To the extent that we are free to choose and respond there is a judgement as to how we have used this gift. Life is not a game and justice demands that we receive the due rewards for our freely chosen actions. We cannot make up for sns freely committed but now is the time of God’s mercy. Do you repent?

Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Reading 1 Rv 12:7-12ab

War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them."

We will never understand life in this world unless we see it as a battleground with Satan warring against God in all forms. His hatred of God is implacable and he wars now against all God’s people. Of course he is helpless if we say close to the Saviour and we have victory through him. If we leave the side of the Saviour then we can expect to be mortally wounded. Satan is ubiquitous but so is our Saviour for all who rely on him. 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5

R. (1) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.

Gospel Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Can Jesus say of you, “There is no duplicity in him/her”? – Transparent before the Lord and sincere and honest before men. Jesus does see us always whatever we do and wherever. But he sees us with love. If we do good he rejoices because we grow. If we do evil he grieves because evil destroys the one who does it. To think of Jesus or God as One who sees us in order to catch and punish is an insult and misunderstanding of God. God manifested in Jesus loves us with human and divine love. He longs for us to make our home with him, now in faith and one day in glory. We too will see the heavens opened but now in faith we can also experience Jesus both human and divine. As human he is our Friend and as divine he leads us to the Father.  

Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Reading 1 Neh 2:1-8

In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,
when the wine was in my charge,
I took some and offered it to the king.
As I had never before been sad in his presence,
the king asked me, "Why do you look sad?
If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart."
Though I was seized with great fear, I answered the king:
"May the king live forever!
How could I not look sad
when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins,
and its gates have been eaten out by fire?"
The king asked me, "What is it, then, that you wish?"
I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king:
"If it please the king,
and if your servant is deserving of your favour,
send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves,
to rebuild it."
Then the king, and the queen seated beside him,
asked me how long my journey would take
and when I would return.
I set a date that was acceptable to him,
and the king agreed that I might go.

I asked the king further: "If it please the king,
let letters be given to me for the governors
of West-of-Euphrates,
that they may afford me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah;
also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park,
that he may give me wood for timbering the gates
of the temple-citadel and for the city wall
and the house that I shall occupy."
The king granted my requests,
for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.

Nehemiah held a high position in the court of King Artaxerxes. The wine bearer was one of the most trusted positions in the realm. The king was vey dependent on him. However Nehemiah hears the call of God to go to Jerusalem and he leaves everything. He is an example of a true Israelite and a model to God’s people today.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

R. (6ab)  Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps.

Gospel Lk 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Jesus is now on his journey to Jerusalem and Luke uses this to explain his demands for discipleship. We often think of being religious as one thing and being a disciple as something else. Jesus doesn’t call us to a particular religion be it Catholic or otherwise. He calls us to be disciples. If we want to follow Jesus as his disciple then we have to rise up to his demands. The first person wants to follow but Jesus points out that he has to leave all worldly desires for wealth and power – I have nowhere to lay my head. The second puts a condition, albeit good, to come after the burial of his father. Leave the spiritually dead to bury their own physically dead. He has to answer the call immediately. To the third he says there is no turning back. Jesus demands wholehearted obedience. Where do you stand?

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, priest

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

Reading 1 Zec 8:20-23

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
There shall yet come peoples,
the inhabitants of many cities;
and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another,
and say, "Come! let us go to implore the favour of the LORD;
and, "I too will go to seek the LORD."
Many peoples and strong nations shall come
to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem
and to implore the favour of the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
In those days ten men of every nationality,
speaking different tongues, shall take hold,
yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say,
"Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

It was into the Second Temple that Jesus entered and preached. Rejected by the leaders of the Jews he established the New Temple which is his Body and the New People of Israel who are those who are united to him by faith. St. Paul tells us that the Community of Believers is the dwelling place of God. Are our lives an attraction for people to come to Christ?  

Responsorial Psalm Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (Zec 8:23) God is with us.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
Gospel Lk 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
"Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?"
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.

We begin today the story of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem where he will accomplish his work of salvation. On this journey he will teach us what it means to be his disciple. We must follow him day by day. His journey will last till November in our lectionary. Each day we need to meditate on his message. Being a Christian is not just being a member of a denomination whether Catholic or otherwise. It is a journey with Christ through the Passion to the Resurrection and eternal life with God. It will involve renouncing oneself, selling one’s goods, trusting in Divine Providence, praying constantly, loving our brothers and sisters and caring for the weakest. Today we learn that Jesus has come to save, not destroy. He will be rejected by all, but his love is greater than our rejection. Are you moved by his longing to forgive you?

Monday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time 

Monday, 26 September 2011

Reading 1 Zec 8:1-8

This word of the LORD of hosts came:

Thus says the LORD of hosts:

I am intensely jealous for Zion,
stirred to jealous wrath for her.
Thus says the LORD:
I will return to Zion,
and I will dwell within Jerusalem;
Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city,
and the mountain of the LORD of hosts,
the holy mountain.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:  Old men and old women,
each with staff in hand because of old age,
shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Even if this should seem impossible
in the eyes of the remnant of this people,
shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also,
says the LORD of hosts?
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun,
and from the land of the setting sun.
I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem.
They shall be my people, and I will be their God,
with faithfulness and justice.

How will this be fulfilled. Certainly it will not be in the way people imagine. However Jesus, the Son of God, came to the Temple and to Jerusalem and he has established the New Jerusalem which is the place where God lives among men and in which God will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21).  

Responsorial Psalm Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23

R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.

Gospel Lk 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
"Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest."

Then John said in reply,
"Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company."
Jesus said to him,
"Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you."

How hard a lesson it is to learn: we all want to be considered important and we identify importance with position, whether in the Church community or outside it. In his community Jesus does not consider those in high positions, for instance popes, bishops, priests as by that fact important people. In fact we do not know who is important. All are worthy of the greatest respect because they are in Christ. Greatness is measured not by status but by loving service to others. The more love we have for Jesus then the more we will serve others with love. The least in the community whether small children or people who by their lifestyle are least are to be loved and served. Jesus doesn’t want just service, but service in love.

God's Word for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The tax-collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you

Gospel Mt 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, 'but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
They answered, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."

 

When the sinner renounces sin, he deserves to live.

Make me walk in your truth and teach me.

In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus

The tax-collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you

Are you working in the vineyard?

Jesus originally told this parable to the chief priests but Matthew put it in the Gospel for us. The chief priests were religious people. They lived in the Temple, were constantly offering sacrifices and reciting prayers. Yet Jesus condemns them. It is not sacrifices and prayers that God wants but love and obedience to his will.

When talking of Catholic celebrities the media may call them ‘devout Catholics’ –meaning that they go to church and keep the regulations of the Church. Is going to church and being a ‘practicing Catholic’ enough? You couldn’t have found more ‘devout Jews’ than the chief priests. They were faultless in keeping the letter of the Law. Yet Jesus hits out at them in this parable and in his comment afterwards – I tell you solemnly...

Jesus has given us one commandment: love one another as I have loved you. It is the fulfilment of this commandment that determines how God sees us. We go to church to listen to the Word and know what the commandment means in daily life. Through prayer and the sacraments we receive the mind of Christ and the strength to fulfil his commandment.

            If I am married do I love my spouse? Do I make the love for my spouse the vocation of my life, something I cultivate in my heart and show by deeds and words every day? Do I with my spouse give my children a stable atmosphere of love in which they can grow and mature and be themselves? If I am a child do I contribute to making our home a place of peace and mutual understanding, the joy of my parents now, as I was when I was born? Am I able to forgive from my heart the inevitable failings of parents and family members?

Being a disciple is all about fulfilling the command to love others as Jesus loves us. His love is the model and standard. It embraces justice in my work place – fulfilling promises, doing an honest day’s work, treating everyone with dignity and respect and giving them what is their due.

That is why St. Paul urges us to have the same mind that Christ has. We go to church, we listen to the Word of God, confess our sinfulness and failings, pray and most of all receive Christ himself in the Eucharist so that we will progressively become living members of Christ’s Body. With Christ living in us we will make him and his love present wherever we go.

Do you see all the practices of religion as the means by which you can live the life of Christ in your world?

Father, through your Holy Spirit may I love and live for others as Jesus did.

God's Word for the weekdays from 19th Sept.

Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.

Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Sept 24^th 2011

Reading 1 Zec 2:5-9, 14-15a

I, Zechariah, raised my eyes and looked:
there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.
I asked, "Where are you going?"
He answered, "To measure Jerusalem,
to see how great is its width and how great its length."

Then the angel who spoke with me advanced,
and another angel came out to meet him and said to him,
"Run, tell this to that young man:
People will live in Jerusalem as though in open country,
because of the multitude of men and beasts in her midst.
But I will be for her an encircling wall of fire, says the LORD,
and I will be the glory in her midst."

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you.

Zechariah is a prophet in the post exilic period when the new Temple has been built. He encourages the Jews promising that the Lord will dwell among them. This prophecy was fulfilled in a way people did not expect. Jesus the Son of God lived among the people. They did not recognise him. He lives today in the Church. He is also unrecognized now by many.

Responsorial Psalm Jer 31:10, 11-12ab, 13

R. (see 10d)  The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel Lk 9:43b-45

While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men."
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

People may have been amazed at the miracles that Jesus did but Jesus was always aware of the fate that awaited him in Jerusalem. His only intention was to do the will of the Father and that was to preach the truth and offer his life out of love for God and man for the truth. Suffering was part of the mystery of the life of Jesus. The disciples couldn’t understand. They were still thinking in the way of the world and the way of success. Jesus too thought in terms of success. But success for him was not in worldly terms but in fulfilling the will of God at whatever cost. It would cost him everything and he would die in ignominy and pain but his Father would vindicate him and give all authority in heaven and on earth. Success is the same for us too. Do you see it as fulfilling God’s plan for you?

Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, priest 

Friday 23rd Sept 2011
Reading 1 Hg 2:1-9

In the second year of King Darius,
on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,
the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
Tell this to the governor of Judah,
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak,
and to the remnant of the people:

Who is left among you
that saw this house in its former glory?
And how do you see it now?
Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?
But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD,
and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak,
And take courage, all you people of the land,
says the LORD, and work!
For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts.
This is the pact that I made with you
when you came out of Egypt,
And my spirit continues in your midst;
do not fear!
For thus says the LORD of hosts:
One moment yet, a little while,
and I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will come in,
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the LORD of hosts.
Mine is the silver and mine the gold,
says the LORD of hosts.
Greater will be the future glory of this house
than the former, says the LORD of hosts;
And in this place I will give you peace,
says the LORD of hosts!

When the Jews went into exile in Babylon everything was destroyed in Jerusalem (587 BC). Suddenly under Cyrus they were allowed to go back in 837. However even by 520 the Temple was not built. The Jews who returned had met with great difficulties. In 522 Darius had given permission for the Temple work to go ahead eve in face of Samaritan objections. Haggai encouraged them to complete the task and in today’s reading futher encourages them with promises of God’s blessing on the new Temple.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 43:1, 2, 3, 4

R. (5) Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight
against a faithless people;
from the deceitful and impious man rescue me.

 
Gospel Lk 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen.""
Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said in reply, "The Christ of God."
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised."

The Passion was always on the mind of Jesus. He knew the fate that awaited him. He needed all the strength he could get. In prayer his Father gave him the inner strength to go forwards freely to face the ordeal of torture, humiliation and death. Unfortunately he received no strength from his disciples. He tried to tell them, but their minds could not accept it. He was left alone to walk on ahead. They knew he was from God, but imagined him as a worldly hero. They were afraid to face the truth and preferred to live with their illusions. What would have happened if they had been strong and loyal disciples who gave their lives then for Christ? God can also use our weakness but only if we stay close to Jesus. Is Jesus your daily companion? Or do you prefer the illusions of your life?

Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Hg 1:1-8

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai
to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
This people says:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD.

This is a new situation. It is the postexilic period. The Jewish people have now to rebuild the Temple which was destroyed. They have to fulfil the Law and only then can they cal on God to help them in their needs. It is only when we seek first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness that God will provide for our needs as a Father.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

Gospel Lk 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead;
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared;
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him.

There is confusion in everyone’s mind as to who Jesus is. They think he is someone from the past. No one sees him as the awaited Messiah. But Jesus comes from the future not the past. Herod wants to see him but when at last he does he only makes fun of him. Jesus will not speak to him. Herod meets Jesus, but never comes to know him Jesus is greatly affected by a person’s response. Because his heart was stifled by ‘the worries and the riches and pleasures of this life’ Herod missed the opportunity of his lifetime.  At this time the apostles too had not discovered who Jesus really was. Coming to know Jesus is for us all a gradual process, a lifetime task. Each day calls for growth. Eternity even will be insufficient. Have you come to the point where Jesus is the Love of your life?

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
           21st Sept. 2011

Reading 1 Eph 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one Body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ

Each one is given a vocation in the Church which is the Body of Christ. We are to discover the vocation that God has given us for the building up of the members of the Church. Whatever it is it is important and fail to fulfil it is to cause suffering to his Body. 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:2-3, 4-5

R. (5)  Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.

Gospel Mt 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Jesus and his disciples were different. Their community didn’t fit in with current religious ideas. Jesus calls everyone, like the net catching good and bad fish alike. He sits and eats with them, hoping that his goodness will be contagious. In life, ‘bad fish’ can become good, even excellent, saints. Jesus knew this. Saints are humble. They know that what they are is due to God’s mercy and grace. They cannot be self-righteous Pharisees. Matthew is one of these. He was no better than a robber for ‘good Jews’. Jesus calls, he surrenders. That is the cost of discipleship. Jesus is here to heal. Doctors work in hospitals, Jesus among sinners. He is the human face of God’s mercy. Like Jesus we are to call sinners. We are to search for the lost. Like him we do this by love, mercy and goodness. Are you concerned for those considered sinners?

Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegõn, priest and martyr and  Saint Paul Chõng Hasang, martyr and their companions, martyrs

20th Sept 2011

Reading 1 Ez 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20

King Darius issued an order to the officials
of West-of-Euphrates:
"Let the governor and the elders of the Jews
continue the work on that house of God;
they are to rebuild it on its former site.
I also issue this decree
concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews
in the rebuilding of that house of God:
From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates,
let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.
I, Darius, have issued this decree;
let it be carefully executed."

The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building,
supported by the message of the prophets,
Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo.
They finished the building according to the command
of the God of Israel
and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius
and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar,
in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
The children of Israel'priests, Levites,
and the other returned exiles?
celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
For the dedication of this house of God,
they offered one hundred bulls,
two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs,
together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel,
in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.
Finally, they set up the priests in their classes
and the Levites in their divisions
for the service of God in Jerusalem,
as is prescribed in the book of Moses.

The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion,
sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles,
for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

This is the Second Temple. The prophet Haggai is the one responsible for getting the Temple completed.  The Jews are re-established as people of the Law. God is working out Salvation History in view of Chris Jesus his son who will be born as Messiah and establish the final and eternal Covenant in his Blood.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5

R. (1)  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Gospel Lk 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

Jesus makes a distinction between his blood relations and the new Family which he is founding. Although he kept his family ties -  the ‘brother of the Lord’ is the leader in Jerusalem after the Ascension, nonetheless they must join his new family. "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." To be a member of God’s family and this is the only family which is worthy of the name, one must listen to God’s Word and Jesus is the Word and then one must live according to it. Mary is then the true Mother of God and of all believers because she listened to the Word of God and acted upon it: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”  She is our model. If we believe and act as she did we are the brothers and sisters of Jesus.

Monday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Ez 1:1-6

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"

Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites-
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so-
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.

The Jews were exiles in Babylon. Cyrus the new Emperor unexpectedly decreed that the Jews could go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Those who were full of the Spirit would return to Jerusalem and begin to build the Temple. It would be a hard task. We are invited to go to the New Jerusalem. How many want to make their way towards it? It will be as hard for us as for the Jews who returned. If we are lead by Christ then we will make it and successfully.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.

Gospel Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away

Luke writes for Greeks. Unlike in Palestine their houses had a portico. The lamp was put there to show people the way in. The wick or filament is transformed by its source of power. Likewise when we listen to God’s Word we are to meet Jesus and be transformed. This demands prayerful, careful listening.  How we listen is a secret. The fruits of the listening are for everyone to see. Jesus spent forty days alone and secretly in prayer and battle with Satan. The fruits were manifested in his glorious ministry to people. It is the same with us. By our listening we become a light to guide people to Jesus. We can minister like Jesus and do even greater things than he did. God’s Word is alive and active and full of His power. Is the prayerful listening and obedience to God’s Word the priority in your life?

God's Word for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Why be envious because I am generous.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sept.18th 2011
The heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your ways.

How good is the Lord to all, compassionate to all his creatures.

Life to me of course is Christ but then death would bring me something more.

 Gospel Mt 20:1-16a

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire labourers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the labourers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

 Not human reckoning

“There are no free lunches” sums up the way we think. If you want something you have to work for it. The principle works well. But God can’t follow it. No human being can earn what God wants to give. The joy of adoption into the family of God, sharing his life and living forever in the glory of God can only be given. No amount of prayer, good works and charity can earn it.

This is what the parable is telling us. No employer could work on the principle of this parable and still stay in business. The landowner doesn’t belong to this world. God’s ways are not our ways. It is out of love for us that he wants to share his life in heaven. What God has prepared for those who love him is a life, which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no one has ever imagined.

While we are in this world what are we to do, because this world is the vineyard? We do our utmost to bring about the Kingdom of God. It is not that God needs our work, but because we are in the world. Notice that it is what God has prepared for those who love him that we can in no way imagine. What we are to do here is to show our love for God who is ‘Abba’. He is a loving Father and we are his beloved sons and daughters. We do what we can out of love for him using the gifts he has given us to bring about his kingdom. The more we love, the more we work. We do not work to win heaven – this makes us mercenaries and God wants lovers. Furthermore we cannot possibly win by our own efforts the glory of God. We believe in God’s promises manifested in Christ Jesus and we respond in love. With God, only actions done out of love have value – he doesn’t need your ‘mighty works’ he needs your love.

We to whom the secrets of the Kingdom have been revealed want to make the Father known and loved and we want his reign to be established in this world. We do this because we love him as our Father.

Are you envious or happy that God gives his kingdom to those who come in the last hour after a life of sin? What would you say if God were to forgive all sinners and welcome them into his kingdom along with those who had tried with difficulty to keep his law from childhood?

Father we praise the abundance of your love. Grant that we may respond to you with the love of all our heart shown in our good works.

God's Word for the weekdays from 12th Sept.

some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,
it produced fruit a hundredfold

 

 

Saturday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
17th Sept. 2011

Reading 1 1 Tm 6:13-16

Beloved:
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,
and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate
for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler
will make manifest at the proper time,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,
and whom no human being has seen or can see.
To him be honour and eternal power. Amen.

God lives in “unapproachable light” and “no human being has seen or can see” him and yet out of love for us this God has come and lived among us. Jesus is the visible likeness of the invisible God (Col 1:15) and through him we can see and meet God and even become his friend (John 15:15).

Responsorial Psalm Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (2) Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Sing joyfully to the LORD all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.

Gospel Lk 8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another
journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable.
"A sower went out to sow his seed.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,
and the birds of the sky ate it up.
Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,
it withered for lack of moisture.
Some seed fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,
it produced fruit a hundredfold."
After saying this, he called out,
"Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."

Then his disciples asked him
what the meaning of this parable might be.
He answered,
"Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God
has been granted to you;
but to the rest, they are made known through parables
so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

"This is the meaning of the parable.
The seed is the word of God.
Those on the path are the ones who have heard,
but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts
that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,
receive the word with joy, but they have no root;
they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.
As for the seed that fell among thorns,
they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,
they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life,
and they fail to produce mature fruit.
But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,
they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,
embrace it with a generous and good heart,
and bear fruit through perseverance."

Freedom is an awesome gift. It is our making or breaking. The Word of God is powerful. It can produce a hundredfold harvest. On the other hand it may produce nothing at all. Everything depends on how we freely accept it. Palestine has very rocky fields. They ploughed after sowing so that the seed would go deeper into the soil. Seed, then, may fall in very rocky or thorny places or on the path people made through the field.  It is not enough to hear the Word. We must plough it into our hearts.  We do this by daily prayer and surrender to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit working in us, we will bear no fruit. He does not work alone but with us. We must constantly prayer that he will make our inner being strong. Do you pray for and in the Spirit?

Sept 16th

Reading 1 1 Tm 6:2c-12

Beloved:
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

The author pointsout something which makes everything relative but something we often forget. We brought nothing into the world and will take nothing with us. Hence to spend all out efforts to amass a fortune of whatever kind in this world is foolishness. As Jesus warned us we are to amass a fortune in the world which is eternal.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.

Gospel Lk 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

Jesus did not follow the cultural habits of his time. No Pharisee would have women disciples but Jesus did and they were close to him. They were the ones who were faithful to him throughout the Passion when the male disciples fled. They were on  Calvary. They were grateful to him for the healing that he had given to them and so ministered to him. In the early Church too women played an important role. St. Paul also says that there is no Jew or gentile, no Greek or barbarian, no male or female, but we are all one in Christ Jesus. The Church becomes often bound by the cultural patterns of the day. We need to break out of them and follow the values of Christ. Women need to have a more important role in the Church community according to the gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit

Sept 15^th 2011

Reading 1 1 Tm 4:12-16

Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.

It what we are more than what we do. The leader in the community is to be a person filled with the Holy Spirit. Like iron when it is hot radiates heat so will the person who is filled with Holy Spirit radiate holiness and bring others to faith in Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 111:7-8, 9, 10

R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.

Gospel Jn 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,
"Behold, your mother."
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Jesus said, “who are my mother, my brothers and sisters?” He gave a new meaning to his family. It is those who hear the Word of God and keep it. Mary’s greatness lies not in her biological motherhood of Jesus but in her faith in Jesus. She heard the Word of God, pondered it in her heart and proclaimed it in her Magnificat. She lived the Word of God even to going to the Cross on Calvary. She shared fully in the life and work of her Son. In his Passion her heart was pierced by the sword of suffering and the rejection of her Son. She was in the heart of his community after the Resurrection as she prayed with them for the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. Have you asked her to pray for you to receive the Spirit?  Do you both honour her and imitate her?

With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses,"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,where there is no food or water?We are disgusted with this wretched food!"In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,which bit the people so that many of them died.Then the people came to Moses and said,"We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us."So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live."Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent  looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. 

The Israelites had wandered through the desert now for forty years. They had wanted to go through Edomite territory but couldn’t. They had to turn back and go again through the desert. They are frustrated and there is open rebellion. In their anger they despise the food God has provided. Around Sinai they are afflicted by many deadly snakes which inhabit the region. They put it down to the punishment of God. With so many dying they repent of their sin.  Moses is told to make a bronze snake. This is possible because copper was available there and people of the area made bronze snakes for worship. This however wasn’t magic. They needed faith in Yahweh. In his mercy he healed them. We are responsible for the death of Jesus but by looking at him in faith God heals us of all our sufferings.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38

R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.

Phil. 2:6-11

Brothers and sisters:

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

This passage teaches us that Christ Jesus did not save us by his divine power but by human weakness. Putting aside completely all his divine glory he was no stronger than the weakest human being. He was always Son of God but as a human being he loved God with all his heart, soul and strength. Adam and his children became captives of Satan by listening to him and rebelling against God. Jesus overcame Satan by humbly listening and obeying God in spite of everything Satan did to him. Jesus is the new Adam. We are to be his new children. Obedience in love leads to glory."No one has gone up to heaven

 The Gospel John 3:13-17

 Jesus said to Nicodemus:

No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him

On the even ground of human weakness Jesus met Satan in a deadly duel. Jesus entered the arena with nothing more than his humanity. Satan attacked him as with Adam and Eve through promises and temptation. He failed to have him sin. He used the opposition of his human allies to make him lose trust in God. He failed. He tempted him by his closest companion, Peter. “Get behind me Satan”. He inflicted torture, the Passion and Death of the Cross. He failed again to have Jesus lose his trust and love for God. Jesus died loving, obeying and offering his Spirit back to God. His life was a prayer of intercession. He won forgiveness for us. Look at Jesus with love and all your sin is forgiven.  God will raise you to his right hand in glory. Do you have a heart of gratitude to Christ Jesus, the Lord?

1 Timothy 3:1-13

 Beloved, this saying is trustworthy:
whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.
Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable,
married only once, temperate, self-controlled,
decent, hospitable, able to teach,
not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle,
not contentious, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own household well,
keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household,
how can he take care of the Church of God?
He should not be a recent convert,
so that he may not become conceited
and thus incur the Devil's punishment.
He must also have a good reputation among outsiders,
so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap.

Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful,
not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,
holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Moreover, they should be tested first;
then, if there is nothing against them,
let them serve as deacons.
Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers,
but temperate and faithful in everything.
Deacons may be married only once
and must manage their children and their households well.
Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing
and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

St. Paul gives us the qualities of anyone who wants to be a leader in the Church. We are to lead first by example and then only by word.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 101:1b-2ab, 2cd-3ab, 5, 6

R. (2) I will walk with blameless heart.
Of mercy and judgment I will sing;
to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
I will persevere in the way of integrity;
when will you come to me?

Gospel Lk 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"
and "God has visited his people."
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

In Nazareth Jesus had outlined his mission. He was to preach good news to the poor, liberate captives, give sight to the blind and proclaim the time of the Lord’s favour.Now Luke shows him liberating all those who are in distress. He is moved with pity by the widow’s sorrow and he is moved with pity for our distress too. He gives life back to her son. But Jesus will give life to everyone, not just a few. He gives eternal life.  This life he has already given to us who believe. It is like a seed which will develop until it reaches its crowning glory and we are like him: we are already the children of God What we will be in the future has not yet been revealed. We will be like him because we will see him as he is. Do you experience this life in you?

Reading 1 1 Tm 2:1-8 

Beloved:First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,

petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our saviour,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

We are to share in the work of Redemption by praying for non-believers because God wants them all to be saved and come to the knowledge of Jesus who is the Truth. Paul insists that there is only one source of salvation and that his through Jesus who is the Christ. He alone is the mediator between God and man.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 28:2, 7, 8-9

R. (6) Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.

Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.

Gospel Lk 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,

he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

The centurion is a gentile but he shows deep humility and faith in Jesus. He is aware that he does not have any right to receive anything from Jesus. The centurion is an example to us Christians of faith without seeing. But the centurion is not only a model of faith and humility. He is also a model of generosity to the community. He has built a synagogue for the Jews. Jesus is amazed at his faith and we can see how much joy Jesus has when he meets a person with trust in him. He is then able to do so much for them. At the time of  Holy Communion the Church has us express the same kind of faith in Jesus as expressed by the centurion. When we are healed by Jesus we are able to serve the community. What service do you do for the your community?