FOCUS:Do We Speak Words of Harm Or of Healing?
FEBRUARY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 opt28 29
Monday, February 1, 2016MONDAY OF
(Lec. 323)FOURTH WEEK
1)2 Samuel 15:13-14,IN ORDINARY TIME
30; 16:5-13
2)Mark 5:1-20
FOCUS:Do we speak words of harm or of healing?
Words do have power. Many of us can think of a time when someone said something cruel to us. We may still squirm a little at the sting of them. Many of us also can think of a time when someone said something kind or loving to us. Those words, and the memory of them, are like a warm balm, a sweet fragrance that calms us and enfolds us.
Not long ago, while working with a young couple during their first session of marriage preparation, we were discussing people in their lives who modeled love. The young man shared a story of his teenage years. He was angry at his stepmother and yelled, “I hate you.”She stood very still, facing him, and calmly said, “That may be, but I love you and no matter how you feel about me, I always will.” This young man learned a valuable lesson, not only about love, but about freedom and personal responsibility for the words he uses.
Just as Abishai, the servant of David, wanted to kill Shimei for cursing the king, the stepmother could have used a sharp tongue and cut this young man down. Instead, she chose to respond to words of harm with words of healing – of love. If we reflect on our daily lives and take inventory of our conversations, we more than likely can think of times when we leveled words of harm instead of healing and love. We probably also can think of times when we used words of healing instead of words of harm. Like King David, we can exercise prudence instead of a swift reactionary response. David chose to lookfor how God was active in Shimei’s verbal exchange. Where is God at work in our verbal exchanges?Are we taking the time to discern and cooperate with God’s work though words of love?
Today’s Gospelsimilarly demonstrates the power of words of love.We see this as Jesus, upon entering the territory of the Gerasenes, encounters a man who was possessed by a host of demons. Upon encountering the man, Jesus asks the demons that were possessing him their name. They respond, Legion is my name. There are many of us. Jesus orders the demons to leave the man. The man was then healed and freed of the demons that were possessing and oppressing him. The Gospel states, Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. Words of healing and love foster healing and love in others.
Jesus’ death on the cross is a supreme word of love. Shortly, we will come forward to receive holy Communion, in which we truly receive Jesus’ body, blood, soul and divinity. We are nourished and strengthened by Jesus himself in holy Communion so that we may grow in our love for him, and be strengthened to live our faith more fully, particularly by speaking words of love. Beyond this, the effects of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross are made present as well – namely, forgiveness of sins that we might live out our call as his disciples to foster healing and peace in the world.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016THE PRESENTATION
(Lec. 524)OF THE LORD
1)Malachi 3:1-4-FEAST
2)Hebrews 2:14-18
3)Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32
Gospel related: CCC 149, 529, 575, 583, 587, 618, 695, 711, 713
FOCUS:God makes himself present to us through Jesus, restoring right order to our lives and opening our hearts to love God and others.
Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple in Jerusalem, a feast occurring forty days after Christmas. It concludes the Christmas cycle in the liturgical year. As with Christmas and the Epiphany, it carries the theme of light shining in the darkness and the entrance of God's presence among his people, symbolized by Jerusalem's Temple.
At this point, forty days after Christmas, we turn to prepare for the forty days of Lent. The two seasons urge the practice and attitude of giving – gift-giving during Christmas and almsgiving during Lent.
When we give a present, we make ourselves present to another in a symbol of closeness, friendship and intimacy. It is, therefore, much more than simply a costly bauble or a lovely work of art. Our presence is far more valuable than a material object.
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple by Mary and Joseph carries with it more than the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law. It is God's present to us, the giving of his presence to us in Jesus Christ. God does this out of pure love for us, not because we merited it or earned it, not because it is owed to us. God gives us this gift freely, in order to overcome the separation that resulted from our sin.
Soon we will enter the season of Lent. Here again,our holy mother Church brings the notion of self-gift to our attention, this time through self-sacrifice, caring for others and almsgiving. The idea is not to simply toss a few dollars toward the poor and then be done with them. Certainly that was not the idea at Christmas either. We don't give presents simply to discharge our duty, or relieve ourselves of an obligation, or quiet our conscience by exchanging something of equal value. Both at Christmas, and now, our Church asks everything of us – total gift, complete love, the giving of our presence to others.
Our Lenten practices of prayer, penance and almsgiving are rooted in the notion that we are estranged from God and others. Sin is another word for separation, alienation and estrangement. It means we are torn away and distant from each other. We feel out of touch with what really matters in life – out of touch with our faith, and distant from God.
Almsgiving, penance and prayer attack the roots of our estrangement and isolation on two different fronts. First, they allow us to respond to God our Father, who comes to us in Christ. Along with Simeon in the Temple, we can take him into our arms and exult that the long, terrible darkness of estrangement is over.
Second, the practice of almsgiving can help us overcome the feeling that we are out of touch with the world around us. It allows us to stand next to our brothers and sisters who have been victimized by human sin and alienation. To experience hunger during Lent, for instance, allows us to identify with the hungry. To cut back on our spending and simplify our lives allows us to stand with those who have nothing to spend. Our Lenten practices allow us to be present to Christ, who in his own poverty became present to us in our needs.
The only thing that stands in the way, of course, is our pride. We can overcome that obstacle when we admit our needs and our spiritual impoverishment, and confess our sins. Then we are able to become personally present again to God and those around us. That is the gift God offers us on this feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
* * * * *
Wednesday, February 3, 2016WEDNESDAY OF
(Lec. 325)FOURTH WEEK
1)2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17IN ORDINARY TIME
2)Mark 6:1-6(Opt. Mem. Saint Blaise,
Bishop and Martyr;
Saint Ansgar, Bishop)
Gospel related: CCC 500, 699, 2610 CSDC 259
FOCUS:Pride makes life more difficult for us and for others. Embrace humility.
A simple definition of humility is to acknowledge that God is God and I am not. A corresponding definition of pride would be acting as if I am God or that God has no effect on my life.
Today’s readings provide two clear examples of pride. In the first reading from Samuel, David conducts a census of his people, a prideful expression of his belief that he controls them.
Only after he recognizes his sin and incurs God’s punishment does David realize the truth. The people belong to God, not him. They are his flock. David is merely their shepherd.
In the Gospel from Saint Mark, the people of Nazareth presume in their pride to know Jesus’ true identity. He is the carpenter who is Mary’s son. His relatives are their neighbors. Why should Jesus put himself forward as their teacher?
In the first reading, David shows pride by ignoring God’s commands and by choosing to govern according to his liking. In the Gospel, the people of Nazareth refuse to allow God to be God.
And the effects of this pride? Some seventy thousand Israelites die in a three-day plague because of David’s sin. The people of Nazareth experience very few of the wonders that Jesus worked in other towns.
Throughout the Bible and in these two readings in particular, God tries to convince us that life will be better for us when we live in humility and abandon our pride.
Granted, the ongoing effects of Adam and Eve’s first prideful sin make this difficult for us. But the grace of God that always is present to us and offered to us in special ways in prayer and the sacraments empowers us to embrace this vision of life here and now.
* * * * *
Thursday, February 4, 2016THURSDAY OF
(Lec. 326)FOURTH WEEK
1)1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12IN ORDINARY TIME
2)Mark 6:7-13
Gospel related: CCC 765, 1506, 1511, 1673
FOCUS:As Jesus sent out the apostles, God commissions each of us to share our faith in community with others.
In today’s Gospel, we hear about how Jesus summoned the Twelve and sent them out into the world. The account is not just about something that happened long ago; it also applies to our lives today. God, you see, is sending us.
Jesus sent his apostles out in vulnerability. In today’s Gospel, Saint Mark tells us: He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. Jesus was born among us humbly and powerless, in a stable. He died among us, naked and powerless, nailed to a cross. The apostles were to live in that same vulnerability, that poverty of resources, to make it clear to all that their accomplishments are due to God’s activity, not theirs. We, like the apostles, must go to those around us in humility, in the simplicity of one such as Saint Francis of Assisi. The only power we have is the power of love. Our message is not ours– it is God’s.
All of us together are the body of Christ. That is why the apostles were charged to spend time with those to whom they were sent. They were to live in solidarity with their hosts. Ours is not an imperialistic religion; ours is a religion of offering and sharing. In humility and in solidarity, we offer what our faith has given us.
This requires staying power. Jesus told his apostles to stay with those they met. They were not to go from place to place. They were to remain committed to their mission, committed to those whom they encountered.
As we reach out to others in humility, we need to findstrength in our community of faith. We do not belong to a “me and Jesus” religion; we belong to a “we and Jesus” family of faith. I am not saved because I have chosen Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am saved because Jesus, my Lord and Savior,has chosen me. In baptism,he has given me a name. In confirmation, he has given you and me a purpose and a commission. Like the disciples who were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and sent out into the world, you and I have been filled with that same Holy Spirit. We are sent out into our surrounding world. We are sentto work together and give effective witness to the Gospel by the example of our lives, and, when the opportunity presents itself, to share our faith with others.
Each one of us here in our communion of faith is special to God. We have a divine, God-given purpose. We can bring good news to others.
* * * * *
Friday, February 5, 2016FRIDAY OF
(Lec. 327)FOURTH WEEK
1)Sirach 47:2-11IN ORDINARY TIME
2)Mark 6:14-29(OBL. MEM. Saint Agatha,
Virgin and Martyr)
Gospel related: CCC 523
FOCUS:Each of us must make the choice over and over again throughout our lives to walk in the way of the Lord.
Today’s readings may seem unconnected, and yet they are both stories about kings – one good and the other evil. The Book of Sirach gives a short summary of the life and times of David, the second king of Israel. David’s first priority in life was God. Even as a young man facing Goliath, David invoked the power of the Lord. He was a great warrior, a spiritual leader and a passionate man. It is precisely these passions that proved problematic for David to overcome. Despite the grave nature of his sins, however, he was forgiven and he continued to love and worship God throughout his life.
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Mark’s account of the death of John the Baptist, which brings another king into the spotlight – Herod, who could rightly be described as David’s polar opposite.
Herod, who had married his brother’s wife, was perplexed by John,yet he liked to listen to him. At his birthday party, Herod’s stepdaughter danced for the king and his guests. Herod was so pleased, he offered her anything she wanted. On behalf of her mother, who had a score to settle with the prophet, the daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod granted her request. We are left, then, with the tale of two kings and their choices.
Although David sinned grievously on a number of occasions, he repented and was forgiven by the Lord. Upon being forgiven, David then grew in his love for the Lord and became a good ruler and shepherd to the Israelites. These conclusions are based on Scripture and tradition, which both clearly affirm that David was a brave king who sincerely loved God and sought to be his faithful servant.
Herod, on the other hand, could not overcome his pride and a desire to save face before his friends and family, despite his curiosity and interest in the message of John the Baptist.
Like both of these kings we hear about today, we also must choose how we are going to lead our lives. Are we going to walk in God’s way of love, or lead our lives according to our selfish and sinful desires?
* * * * *
Saturday, February 6, 2016SATURDAY OF
(Lec. 328)FOURTH WEEK
1)1 Kings 3:4-13IN ORDINARY TIME
2)Mark 6:30-34(OBL. MEM. Saint Paul Miki
and Companions, Martyrs)
FOCUS:The example of Jesus teaches us that living as one of his disciples requires placing the needs of others before our own.
Today's readings shine a light on two qualities –the wisdom of Solomon and the compassion of Jesus – which we must always seek if we wantto be faithful to God and walk in his ways. In today’s reading from the first book of Kings, we hear Solomon recalling the faithfulness of his father, David. Solomon's request to God offers us a wonderful example of what we should ask of God when we turn to him in prayer. Solomon asks for an understanding heart so that he may, in his words,judge your people to discern between good and evil. God grants his request.
The Bible tells us that Solomon is one of the wisest men who ever lived.Today, we still speak of and pray for “the wisdom of Solomon.” Let us not forget to ask our Lord for wisdom when we turn to him in prayer – wisdom to help us live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus.
In today’s Gospel account, Jesus and his disciples are exhausted. So Jesus leads them to a desert place so they might rest and be rejuvenated to continue on with their mission.
When the crowds find them, however, Jesus is moved with pity because they have no shepherd. He sets aside his intention to go with his disciples to a place of rest, and begins teaching and ministering to the crowds.
The example of Jesus’ compassion in today’s Gospel makes it clear that, although we need to set aside times of prayer and rest so that we can give our best for the Lord each day, we also must be ever-ready to set our plans and needs aside to tend to the needs of others.Perhaps compassion for us may take the form of visiting a sick friend in the hospital when we had our heart set on a quiet walk in the woods.
Today’s Gospel, then,invites reflection on the humanity of Jesus and the unceasing compassion of God. Let us strive every day to be compassionate to others as our God is compassionate toward us, and let us pray, as Solomon did, for an understanding heart.
* * * * *
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016FIFTH SUNDAY
(Lec. 75)IN ORDINARY TIME
1)Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
2)1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11
3)Luke 5:1-11
Gospel related: CCC 208
FOCUS: Christianity demands that we make a leap of faith, letting go of the security of this life and placing our lives totally into the hands of Jesus.
Every now and then the circus comes to town. One of the most amazing acts is always the trapeze artists. Beyond the timing, courage and physical strength of these artists, it’s hard not to contemplate the deep confidence and trust they have in one another that allows them to abandon one swinging bar to cling to another person.