DAILY READING and REFLECTIONS For Wednesday, October 22, 2014 29th Week in Ordinary Time - Psalter Week 1 (Green) Optional Memorial: St John Paul II, Pope Readings: 3:2-12; Is 12:2-6; Lk 12:39-48 Response: You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. Rosary: Glorious Mysteries Verse: His master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. SAINT OF THE DAY: Saint John Paul II, Pope Patron of World Youth Day (Co- Patron) Birth: 1920 - Death: 2005 Beatified By: May 1, 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI Canonized By: April 27, 2014 by Pope Francis Karol J. Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Cracows Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama. The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany. In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the Rhapsodic Theatre, also clandestine. After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Cracow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University, until his priestly ordination in Cracow on November 1, 1946. Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the topic of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium and Holland. FROM THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE: READING 1, Ephesians 3:2-12 2 You have surely heard the way in which God entrusted me with the grace he gave me for your sake; 3 he made known to me by a revelation the mystery I have just described briefly- 4 a reading of it will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations: 6 that the gentiles now have the same inheritance and form the same Body and enjoy the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by the workings of his power. 8 I, who am less than the least of all Gods holy people, have been entrusted with this special grace, of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ 9 and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything. 10 The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided Gods wisdom is, 11 according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him; RESPONSORIAL PSALM, Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 2 Look, he is the God of my salvation: I shall have faith and not be afraid, for Yahweh is my strength and my song, he has been my salvation. 3 Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of salvation 4 and, that day, you will say, Praise Yahweh, invoke his name. Proclaim his deeds to the people, declare his name sublime. 5 Sing of Yahweh, for his works are majestic, make them known throughout the world. 6 Cry and shout for joy, you who live in Zion, For the Holy One of Israel is among you in his greatness. GOSPEL, Luke 12:39-48 39 You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. 40 You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 41 Peter said, Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone? 42 The Lord replied, Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food? 43 Blessed that servant if his masters arrival finds him doing exactly that. 44 I tell you truly, he will put him in charge of everything that he owns. 45 But if the servant says to himself, My master is taking his time coming, and sets about beating the menservants and the servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, 46 his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful. 47 The servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash. 48 The one who did not know, but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected. REFLECTIONS: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God) OPENING PRAYER: Almighty and everlasting God, our source of power and inspiration, give us strength and joy in serving you as followers of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ON READING 1: Ephesians 3:2-12 (St. Pauls Mission) Christs saving work on behalf of the Gentiles, calling them to be with the Jews, living stones in the edifice of the Church, leads the Apostle once again to overflow in prayer (vv. 14-21). But first he considers his own position and what Christ has done in him by making him a minister or servant of the Mystery of Christ (vv. 2-13). He witnesses to the revelation he himself has received, which made this Mystery known to him (vv. 2-5); and he goes on to give a summary of the Mystery, emphasizing the call of the Gentiles to the Church through the preaching of the Gospel (v. 6); he then explains that his mission is precisely to preach the Mystery of Christ to the Gentiles (vv. 7-13). What led to St. Pauls imprisonment was Jewish charges that he had preached against the Law and had brought Gentiles into the temple (they thought Trophimus, a citizen of Ephesus, was a Gentile: cf. Acts 21:28f). He did not mind so much the chains or the imprisonment or the Romans being his judges and jailers: what he wanted to make clear was that he was imprisoned for preaching to the Gentiles the salvation won by Jesus Christ. He is very conscious of being an instrument specially chosen by God: he has been given the grace to reveal the Mystery (cf. Rom 1:15; 2 Cor 12:2f). He is clearly referring to the vision he had on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:2) and possibly to later revelations as well. His encounter with the risen Christ, who identifies himself with his Church (cf. Acts 9:5), is the origin and basis of his grasp of Gods eternal plan, the Mystery, which is one of the central teachings in this letter. The fact that Christ revealed himself to Paul and chose him to be the preacher of the Gospel to the Gentiles is something which Paul sees as part of the systematic implementation -- the oikonomia -- of Gods plan. In the Old Testament the promise made to Abraham revealed that in his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Gen 12:3; Sir 44:21); but how this would happen was not revealed. The Jews always thought that it would come about through their exaltation over other nations. Through the revelation Jesus made to him, St Paul has discovered that God has chosen another way -- that of bringing the Gentiles into the Church, the body of Christ, on equal terms with the Jews. This is the Mystery, the plan of God as revealed by the mission Christ gave his apostles or envoys (cf. Mt 28 :19), of whom St. Paul is one (cf. 3:8 ). Once again, as in 2:20, prophets are mentioned together with apostles; this may mean either the Old Testament prophets who announced the coming Messiah, or the New Testament prophets, that is, the Apostles themselves and other Christians who had insight, through revelation, into Gods saving plans for the Gentiles and who proclaimed them under the inspiration of the Spirit. The context and other passages in Ephesians and elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28f; Acts 11:27; etc.) would suggest that he is referring to New Testament prophets. The Holy Spirit has revealed the Mystery to them that they might preach the Gospel, stir up faith in Jesus the Messiah and Lord, and bring together the Church (Vatican II, Dei Verbum, 17). St Paul does not see himself as the only person to whom it has been given to know the Mystery revealed in Jesus Christ. All that he is saying is that, by the grace of God, it has been made known to him and that its preaching has been entrusted to him in a special way, just as it was given to St Peter to preach it to the Jews (cf. Gal 2:7). St. Paul attributes to the Holy Spirit the revelation of the Mystery, recalling, no doubt, how he himself came to know it after his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:17). It is the Spirit also who acts in the apostles and prophets (cf. Acts 2:17), and it is he who on an on-going basis vivifies the Church, enabling it to proclaim the Gospel. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. It is he who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of his mystery. It is the Holy Spirit who, today just as at the beginning of the Church acts in every evangelizer who allows himself to be possessed and led by him. The Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not find himself, and at the same time the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul of the hearer to be open and receptive to the Good News and to the Kingdom being proclaimed (Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 75). The preacher of the Gospel carries out a ministry, a service to the people of God and to the Gospel itself. St. Paul stresses that he has been made a minister of the Gospel; he seems to be saying, I am not carrying out this task as if it were an initiative of my own; I am performing it as a service which comes from God (St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Eph, ad loc.). Those who teach Christian doctrine are not passing on their personal opinions, but a divine message. That is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). In all generations, God, in his mercy and by his power, calls people to the ministry of the Word, to ensure that the Gospel is forever proclaimed and made known to all mankind. This ministry belongs, in the first place, to bishops. As successors to the Apostles, the bishops are heralds of the faith, who draw new disciples to Christ; they are authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to the people assigned to them, the faith which is destined to inform their thinking and direct their conduct; and under the light of the Holy Spirit they make that faith shine forth, drawing from the storehouse of revelation new things and old (cf. Mt 13:52) (Lumen Gentium, 25). Alongside the bishops and acting as their helpers, priests and deacons also carry out the ministry of the Word: it is the first task of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel of God to all men. In this way they carry out the Lords command Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation (Mk 16:15) and thus set up and increase the people of God (Vatican II, Presbyterorum Ordinis, 4). The Christian faithful have the basic right, recognized by the Church, to have the word of God preached to them. The people of God are first united through the word of the living God, and are fully entitled to seek this word from their priests. For this reason sacred ministers are to consider the office of preaching as of great importance, since proclaiming the Gospel of God to all is among their principal duties (Code of Canon Law, can. 762). When carrying out the ministry of the word, Benedict XV comments, preachers should have this purpose in mind, as clearly indicated by St Paul: we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20). Every preacher should make these words his own. But if they are ambassadors for Christ, when exercising their mission they have a duty to keep strictly to Christs purpose when he gave them this charge; they must not have any other aims than those which Christ himself had when he lived on this earth. Therefore, preachers must have these two goals -- to spread the truth taught by God; and to awaken and nurture supernatural life in those who are listening to them. To sum up: they must seek the salvation of souls, promote the glory of God (Humani Generis Redemptionem). Humble abandonment to the action of God in his soul leads St. Paul to regard himself as the very lowest of Christians (cf. 1 Cor 15:9); his only credit is the grace God has given him. This grace includes the revelation of the Mystery and also the mission to proclaim it (cf. note on Phil 1:7). He sees the gifts which Christ extends to all, the Gentiles included, as an inexhaustible source of riches (cf. 1:18 ; 2:7; 3:16). In this present life no one can fully grasp the marvels God has done (cf. Job 5:9) or plumb the depths of Gods mercy as manifested in Jesus Christ (cf. note on Col 2:2-3). Every generation can and should discover in the mystery of Christ full awareness of (mans) dignity, of the heights to which he is raised, of the surpassing worth of his own humanity, and of the meaning of his existence (Bl. John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis, 11). The Churchs mission is precisely this: the revealing of Christ to the world, helping each person to find himself in Christ, and helping the contemporary generations of our brothers and sisters the peoples, nations, states, mankind, developing countries and countries of opulence -- in short, helping everyone to get to know the unsearchable riches of Christ, since these riches are for every individual and are everybodys property (ibid.). In Verse 9. the Apostle establishes a close parallel between Gods plan of Redemption and the very act of creation (cf. 1 Cor 2:7; Eph 1:4). This saving design, hidden until now, is what has been revealed by Christ; it enables us to grasp Gods infinite love for men, for it shows that creation itself is part of Gods plan of salvation. For if all things were created (Col 1:16) in and for and with Christ, the Mystery of which he is speaking was already latent in the very creation of the world. Hence Gods eternal plan, which envisages mans salvation, affects the very act of creation and includes the incarnation of the Son of God. Bl. John Paul II said this in Redemptor Hominis, 8 : The Redeemer of the world! In him has been revealed in a new and more wonderful way the fundamental truth concerning creation to which the Book of Genesis gives witness when it repeats several times, God saw that it was good (cf. Gen 1 passim). The good has its source in Wisdom and Love. In Jesus Christ the visible world which God created for man (cf. Gen 1:26-30) -- the world which, when sin entered, was subjected to futility (Rom 8 :19-22) -- recovers again its original link with the divine source of Wisdom and Love. This text shows that the apostolic ministry of preaching has a universal, cosmic, impact. Thanks to the Churchs preaching of the mystery, it is made known not only to mankind but also to the principalities and powers of the heavens. This preaching reveals the hidden, eternal plans of salvation whereby Jews and Gentiles, by being converted to Christ, come to have an equal place in the Church, and this fact in turn reveals the mystery of salvation even to the angels (cf. 1 Pet 1 :12), who come to realize the harmony that lies in Gods various interventions in the course of history, from the Creation to the Redemption, including the history of the people of Israel. The principalities and powers refer to the angelic powers which, according to Jewish belief, were the promulgators and guardians of the Law and whose mission included the government of men. But these powers did not know what Gods plans were until they were carried out by Christ and his Church. In this passage St. Paul does not say anything about whether these powers are good or evil (cf. note on 1:21). What he does re-assert, very clearly, is Christs supremacy over all these powers, and the Churchs role in bringing all creation to recognize that Christ is Lord of all. Therefore, the powers in the heavenly places no longer have any mastery over the Christian: through faith in Christ he acquires the freedom of a son of God and is able to address God confidently. St. Jerome, St Thomas and others interpret the principalities and powers as being good angels, like the thrones and dominions (cf. Col 1:16) and virtues (powers: cf. Eph 1:21). If we add to these titles appearing in St. Pauls letters those to be found in other books of Sacred Scripture -- cherubim, seraphim, archangels and angels -- we get the nine angelic hierarchies known to tradition. The names simply reflect the qualities with which angels are endowed: they are spiritual beings, personal and free; they are incorporeal and because they are pure spirits, they have intellect, will and power far in excess of mans. ON THE GOSPEL: Luke 12:39-48 (The Need for Vigilance and the Parable of the Steward - Continued) Today’s Gospel presents again the exhortation to vigilance with two other parables. Yesterday, it was the parable of the Master and of the servant (Lk 12, 36-38 ). Today, the first parable is the one of the householder and the burglar (Lk 12, 39-40) and the other one speaks of the one of the master and the steward (Lk 12, 41-47). Luke 12, 39-40: The parable of the householder and of the burglar. You may be quite sure of this , that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the walls of the house. You too must stand ready, because the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. So just as the householder does not know at what hour the burglar will come, in the same way, no one knows the hour when the son of Man will arrive. Jesus says this very clearly: But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father!” (Mk 13, 32). Today many people live worried about the end of the world. On the streets of the cities, we see written on the walls: Jesus will return! There are even persons who are in anguish because of the proximity of the end of the world, and they commit suicide. But time goes by and the end of the world does not arrive! Many times the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten people and oblige them to go to a determinate church! After that long wait and speculation around the coming of Jesus, many people no longer perceive the presence in our midst, in the most common things of life, in daily events. What is important is not to know the hour of the end of the world , but rather to have a look capable of perceiving the coming of Jesus who is already present in our midst in the person of the poor (cf Mt 25, 40) and in so many other ways and events of every day life. God has chosen to hide from us the time of our death and the time when the world will come to an end. Immediately after death everyone undergoes the Particular Judgment: just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment... (Hebrews 9:27). The end of the world is when the General Judgment will take place. Luke 12, 41: Peter’s question. “Then, Peter said, Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone? The reason for this question asked by Peter is not clearly understood. It recalls another episode, in which Jesus responds to a similar question saying: “To you it is granted to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted” (Mt 13, 10-11; Lk 8, 9-10). After our Lords exhortation to vigilance, St. Peter asks a question (verse 41), the answer to which is the key to understanding this parable. On the one hand, Jesus emphasizes that we simply do not know exactly when God is going to ask us to render an account of our life; on the other -- answering Peters question -- our Lord explains that His teaching is addressed to every individual. God will ask everyone to render an account of his doings: everyone has a mission to fulfill in this life and he has to account for it before the judgment seat of God and be judged on what he has produced, be it much or little. Luke 12, 42-48ª: The parable of the householder and the steward. In the response to Peter’s question, Jesus formulates another question in the form of a parable: “Who then is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?” Immediately after, Jesus himself gives the response in the parable: the good steward is the one who carries out his mission of servant, he does not use the goods received for his own advantage, and is always vigilant and attentive. Perhaps this is an indirect response to Peter’s question, as if he would say: “Peter, the parable is really for you! It is up to you to know how to administer well the mission which God has given you: to coordinate the communities. In this sense, the response is also valid for each one of us. And here the final warning acquire much sense: “When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected”. The coming of the Son of Man and the end of this world. The same problems existed in the Christian communities of the first centuries. Many people of the communities said that the end of this world was close at hand and that Jesus would return afterwards. Some from the community of Thessalonica in Greece, basing themselves in Paul’s preaching said: “Jesus will return!” (1 Th 4, 13-18; 2 Th 2, 2). And because of this, there were even persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the coming would be within a few days or few weeks. Why work if Jesus would return? (cf 2 Th 3, 11). Paul responds that it was not so simple as it seemed, and to those who did not work he would warn: “He who does not work has no right to eat!” Others remained looking up to Heaven, waiting for the return of Jesus on the clouds (cf. Ac 1,11). And others did not like to wait (2 P 3, 4-9). In general the Christians lived expecting the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus would come for the Final Judgment to end with the unjust history of this world here below and to inaugurate a new phase of history, the definitive phase of the New Heavens and the New Earth. They thought that it would take place after one or two generations. Many people would still be alive when Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1Th 4, 16-17; Mk 9, 1). Others, tired of waiting would say: “He will never come back!” (2 P 3, 4). Even up until today the final return of Jesus has not yet taken place! How can this delay be understood? We are not aware that Jesus has already returned, and that he is in our midst: “Look, I am with you always, yes, till the end of time”. (Mt 28, 20). He is already at our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. The plenitude, the fullness has not been attained, but an example or guarantee of the Kingdom is already in our midst. This is why, we wait with firm hope the total liberation of humanity and of nature (Rm 8, 22-25). And when we wait and we struggle, we say rightly: “He is already in our midst!” (Mt 25, 40). Since we know neither the day nor the hour, we should follow the advice of the Lord and watch constantly so that, when the single course of our earthly life is completed (cf. Hebrews 9:27), we may merit to enter with Him into the marriage feast and be numbered among the blessed (cf. Matthew 25:31-46) and not, like the wicked and slothful servants (cf. Matthew 25:26), be ordered to depart into the eternal fire (cf. Matthew 25:41) (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 48 ). FINAL PRAYERS: From the rising of the sun to its setting, praised be the name of Yahweh! Supreme over all nations is Yahweh, supreme over the heavens his glory. (Ps 113,3-4) Keep us, O God, from all pettiness. Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed. Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking. May we put away all pretense and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice. Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life we are as one. And, O God, let us not forget to be kind. -- Mary Stuart It is by God’s mercy that we are saved. May we never tire of spreading this joyful message to the world. -- Pope Francis 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.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 19:43:46 +0000
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