DAILY READING and REFLECTIONS For Friday, August 01, 2014 17th Week in Ordinary Time - Psalter 1 (White) Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Priest Readings: Jer 26:1-9, Ps 69:5-14; Matt 13:54-58 Response: Lord, in your great love, answer me. Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries Key Verse: He did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith. SAINT OF THE DAY: Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Priest Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and the founder of the Redemptorist Congregation. He was born Alphonsus Marie Antony John Cosmos Damien Michael Gaspard de Liguori on September 27,1696, at Marianella, near Naples, Italy. Raised in a pious home, Alphonsus went on retreats with his father, Don Joseph, who was a naval officer and a captain of the Royal Galleys. Alphonsus was the oldest of seven children, raised by a devout mother of Spanish descent. Educated at the University of Naples, Alphonsus received his doctorate at the age of sixteen. By age nineteen he was practicing law, but he saw the transitory nature of the secular world, and after a brief time, retreated from the law courts and his fame. Visiting the local Hospital for Incurables on August 28, 1723, he had a vision and was told to consecrate his life solely to God. In response, Alphonsus dedicated himself to the religious life, even while suffering persecution from his family. He finally agreed to become a priest but to live at home as a member of a group of secular missionaries. He was ordained on December 21, 1726, and he spent six years giving missions throughout Naples. In April 1729, Alphonsus went to live at the Chiflese College, founded in Naples by Father Matthew Ripa, the Apostle of China. There he met Bishop Thomas Falcoia, founder of the Congregation of Pious Workers. This lifelong friendship aided Alphonsus, as did his association with a mystic, Sister Mary Celeste. With their aid, Aiphonsus founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on November 9, 1732. The foundation faced immediate problems, and after just one year, Alphonsus found himself with only one lay brother, his other companions having left to form their own religious group. He started again, recruited new members, and in 1743 became the prior of two new congregations, one for men and one for women. Pope Benedict XIV gave his approval for the mens congregation in 1749 and for the womens in 1750. Alphonsus was preaching missions in the rural areas and writing. He refused to become the bishop of Palermo but in 1762 had to accept the papal command to accept the see of St. Agatha of the Goths near Naples. Here he discovered more than thirty thousand uninstructed men and women and four hundred indifferent priests. For thirteen years Alphonsus fed the poor, instructed families, reorganized the seminary and religious houses, taught theology, and wrote. His austerities were rigorous, and he suffered daily the pain from rheumatism that was beginning to deform his body. He spent several years having to drink from tubes because his head was so bent forward. An attack of rheumatic fever, from May 1768 to June 1769, left him paralyzed. He was not allowed to resign his see, however, until 1775. In 1780, Alphonsus was tricked into signing a submission for royal approval of his congregation. This submission altered the original rule, and as a result Alphonsus was denied any authority among the Redemptorists. Deposed and excluded from his own congregation, Alphonsus suffered great anguish. But he overcame his depression, and he experienced visions, performed miracles, and gave prophecies. He died peacefully on August 1,1787, at Nocera di Pagani, near Naples as the Angelus was ringing. He was beatified in 1816 and canonized in 1839. In 1871, Alphonsus was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX. His writings on moral, theological, and ascetic matters had great impact and have survived through the years, especially his Moral Theology and his Glories of Mary. He was buried at the monastery of the Pagani near Naples. Shrines were built there and at St. Agatha of the Goths. He is the patron of confessors, moral theologians, and the lay apostolate. In liturgical art he is depicted as bent over with rheumatism or as a young priest. READINGS FROM THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE: READING 1, Jeremiah 26:1-9 1 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, 2 Yahweh says this, Stand in the court of the Temple of Yahweh. To all the people from the towns of Judah who come to worship in the Temple of Yahweh you will say everything I have ordered you to say, not omitting one syllable. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each turn from his evil way: if so, I shall relent and not bring the disaster on them which I intend because of their misdeeds. 4 Say to them, Yahweh says this: If you will not listen to me and follow my Law which I have given you, 5 and pay attention to the words of my servants the prophets whom I have never tired of sending to you, although you never have paid attention, 6 I shall treat this Temple as I treated Shiloh, and make this city a curse for all the nations of the world. 7 The priests and prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah say these words in the Temple of Yahweh. 8 When Jeremiah had finished saying everything that Yahweh had ordered him to say to all the people, the priests and prophets and all the people seized hold of him and said, You will die for this! 9 Why have you made this prophecy in Yahwehs name, This Temple will become like Shiloh, and this city become an uninhabited ruin? And the people all crowded in on Jeremiah in the Temple of Yahweh. RESPONSORIAL PSALM, Psalms 69:6, 8-10, 14 6 Those who hope in you must not be made fools of, Yahweh Sabaoth, because of me! Those who seek you must not be disgraced, God of Israel, because of me! 8 I am estranged from my brothers, alienated from my own mothers sons; 9 for I am eaten up with zeal for your house, and insults directed against you fall on me. 10 I mortify myself with fasting, and find myself insulted for it, 14 Rescue me from the mire before I sink in; so I shall be saved from those who hate me, from the watery depths. GOSPEL, Matthew 13:54-58 54 and, coming to his home town, he taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 This is the carpenters son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? 56 His sisters, too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all? 57 And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is despised only in his own country and in his own house, 58 and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith. REFLECTIONS: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God) OPENING PRAYER: God our Father and protector, without you nothing is holy, nothing has value. Guide us to everlasting life by helping us to use wisely the blessings you have given to the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ON READING 1: Jeremiah 26:1-9 (Jeremiah arraigned) The first part of the book was a lengthy collection of oracles, usually in verse form, interspersed with narrative passages; this second part consists largely of prose narratives. It is very likely that most of them were written down by Baruch, Jeremiahs secretary, a person who was very close to him from the year 605 on (cf. 32:12, 16; 36:4-20; 45:15 and the Introduction to this book). They tell us about Jeremiahs preaching and about the difficulties he encountered in the fulfillment of his ministry. The entire account, only occasionally interrupted by the inclusion of oracles, culminates in the so-called Sufferings of Jeremiah (37:1-44:30), in which we are told in some detail about what Jeremiah underwent in the period after the first deportation to Babylon, in 597. It was not only that people misunderstood him; he was ill-treated by those still living in the land of Judah and eventually, after the second conquest and deportation in the year 587, he was forcibly taken to Egypt, where he died. These pages describe his clashes -- first with the people, priests and prophets (26:1-29:32) and then with the kings who occupied the throne during those years of turmoil (34:1-36:32). The episodes are not in chronological order, and they derive from a number of separate collections of documents. One collection contains narratives of events in the reign of Jehoiakim (chaps. 26; 35-36; and 45); another, events in the time of Zedekiah (chaps. 27-29). In the centre of this part comes what is called the Book of Consolation (30:1-33:26), highly poetic and theological pages. The connecting thread in the first section of prose accounts of the life of Jeremiah is the prophets fidelity to the mission entrusted to him by the Lord, despite ever-increasing opposition from his fellow citizens. Chapter 26:1-24 deals with the same incident in the temple that was narrated in 7:1-8:3 (see note), and which occurred in 608 BC. It contains a summary of what the prophet said on that occasion, and peoples reactions to it (vv. 7-24). The religious life of the nation hinged on the temple, whose importance had increased further as a result of Josiahs recent reforms; but Jeremiah proclaims that the temple will be destroyed; it will he reduced to rubble, like the old shrine at Shiloh (vv. 2-6). This prophecy so angered people, priests and prophets that they called for Jeremiahs death (vv. 7-9), but the authorities managed to calm them down and Jeremiah escaped with his life (vv. 10-19), probably because his sincerity impressed the rulers: he was a man ready to risk his life in order to be faithful to his prophetic mission. Although one cannot he sure where the New Gate (v. 10) was, the rulers intervention clearly had a judicial character to it, since legal proceedings took place at the city gates. The New Testament contains clear echoes of this account -- in the deliberations of the Sanhedrin on what to do with Jesus after he was arrested (cf. Mt 26:5-68 and par.), in the sentence handed down by Pilate (cf. Lk 23:22), and also in the account of the martyrdom of St. Stephen (cf. Acts 6: 12-14). This episode dramatically illustrates the sort of clashes that Jeremiah became involved in when carrying out his mission from the Lord. He has harsh things to say, and meets resistance from the people, who have even begun to think that nothing that offends their sensibilities or contradicts their desires can come from God. Even so, Jeremiah does not back down, for the Lord gives him the strength to stay true to his calling (cf. 1:7-10). ON THE GOSPEL: Matthew 13:54-58 (No One is a Prophet in His Own Country) The Gospel today tells us the visit of Jesus to Nazareth, his native community. Passing through Nazareth was painful for Jesus. What was his community at the beginning, now it is no longer so. Something has changed. Where there is no faith, Jesus can work no miracles. The Nazarenes surprise is partly due to peoples difficulty in recognizing anything exceptional and supernatural in those with whom they have been on familiar terms. Hence the saying, No one is a prophet in his own country. These old neighbors were also jealous of Jesus. Where did He acquire this wisdom? Why Him rather than us? They were unaware of the mystery of Jesus conception; surprise and jealousy cause them to be shocked, to look down on Jesus and not to believe in Him: He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not (John 1:11). The carpenters son: this is the only reference in the Gospel to St. Josephs occupation (in Mark 6:3 Jesus Himself is described as a carpenter). Probably in a town like Nazareth the carpenter was a general tradesman who could turn his hand to jobs ranging from metalwork to making furniture or agricultural implements. Brethren: ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and other languages had no special words for different degrees of relationship, such as are found in more modern languages. In general, all those belonging to the same family, clan and even tribe were brethren. In the particular case we have here, we should bear in mind that Jesus had different kinds of relatives, in two groups -- some on His mothers side, others on St Josephs. Matthew 13:55-56 mentions, as living in Nazareth, James, Joseph, Simon and Judas (His brethren) and elsewhere there is reference to Jesus sisters (cf. Matthew 6:3). But in Matthew 27:56 we are told that James and Joseph were sons of a Mary distinct from the Blessed Virgin, and that Simon and Judas were not brothers of James and Joseph, but seemingly children of a brother of St. Joseph. Jesus, on the other hand, was known to everyone as the son of Mary (Mark 6:3) or the carpenters son (Matthew 13:55). The Church has always maintained as absolutely certain that Jesus had no brothers or sisters in the full meaning of the term: it is a dogma that Mary was ever-Virgin (cf. note on Matthew 1:25). Matthew 13, 53-57ª: The reaction of the people of Nazareth before Jesus. It is always good for people to go back to their land. After a long absence, Jesus also returns, as usual, on a Saturday, and he goes to the meeting of the community. Jesus was not the head of the group, but just the same he speaks. This is a sign that persons could participate and express their own opinion. People were astonished. They did not understand Jesus’ attitude: Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” Jesus, son of that place, whom they knew since he was a child, how is that now he is so different? The people of Nazareth were scandalized and do not accept him: “This is the carpenter’s son, surely? The people do not accept the mystery of God present in a common man as they are, as they had known Jesus. In order to speak about God he should be different. As one can see, not everything was positive. The persons, who should have been the first ones to accept the Good News, are the first ones to refuse to accept it. The conflict is not only with foreigners, but also with his relatives and with the people of Nazareth. They do not accept because they cannot understand the mystery envelops Jesus: “Is not his mother, the woman called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? And his sisters too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all?” They are not able to believe. Matthew 13, 57b-58: Reaction of Jesus before the attitude of the people of Nazareth. Jesus knows very well that “no one is a prophet in his own country”. And he says: A prophet is despised only in his own country and in his own house”. In fact, where there is neither acceptance nor faith, people can do nothing. The prejudice prevents it. Jesus himself, even wanting, can do nothing. He was astonished before their lack of faith. The brothers and sisters of Jesus. The expression “brothers of Jesus” causes much polemics between Catholics and Protestants. Basing themselves in this and in other texts, the Protestants say that Jesus had many brothers and sisters and that Mary had more children! Catholics say that Mary did not have any other children. What can we think about this? In the first place, both positions, that of Catholics as well as that of Protestants, contain arguments taken from the Bible and from the Tradition of their respective Churches. For this reason, it is not convenient to discuss this question with arguments which are only intellectual, because it is a question of profound convictions, which have something to do with faith and with the sentiments of both and of each one. The argument which is only intellectual cannot change a conviction of the heart! It only irritates and draws away! Even if I do not agree with the opinion of others, I have to respect it. In the second place, instead of discussing around texts, all of us, Catholics and Protestants, should unite ourselves much more to fight for the defence of life, created by God, a life so disfigured by poverty, injustice, lack of faith. We should recall some other phrases of Jesus. “I have come so that they may have life and life to the full” (Jn 10, 10). “That all may be one, so that the world may believe that you, Father, has sent me” (Jn 17, 21). “Do not prevent them! Anyone who is not against us is for us” (Mk 10, 39.40) FINAL PRAYERS: For myself, wounded wretch that I am, by your saving power raise me up! I will praise God’s name in song, I will extol him by thanksgiving. (Ps 69, 29-30) Lord, help me be attentive to the people you put in my life this day and how I might share your love with each of them. Remember, there is no such thing as a small act of love! Amen. Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. -- St. Jerome The Father uttered one Word; that Word is His Son, and He utters Him forever in everlasting silence; and in silence the soul has to hear it. -- St. John of the Cross
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 23:13:17 +0000
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