Mt 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them (a scholar of the law) tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it : You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
The Word in other words
When I was in India, I heard this story about Mahatma Gandhi. He once boarded a train and, as the train started to move, one of his sandals fell on the track. People looked at him as he took off the other sandal and threw it as closely as possible to the first one. Someone asked him why he did it, and he answered, "Anyone who will find the first sandal can find the pair and so he can wear them."
In a way, it has some relation to our call to love. We cannot love God without loving our neighbor, as St. John the Evangelist said, and vice versa, we cannot love our neighbor without loving God. As in Gandhi's case, one cannot wear a sandal only on one foot and still look normal, so one needs the other sandal, too.
In our gospel today, 'love' is indeed the most important word, but notice how many times the word "ALL" has been used. God will not agree to a half-hearted situation. God wants us to love him with ALL we have and ALL we are, above all things and in all things. ALL or nothing. No one and nothing is excluded from his love. If ever we love anybody or anything else, we should love ALL only in God and only next to God.
God's commandment is not a compulsion but a GRACE for us who believe in him. We can love God only because he has made us for love and as an overflow of his love and life. It is therefore God himself who actually draws us to his love. When we know God, we will be surprised that we cannot but love him and find no greater joy than in doing so. And when we truly love God, as in Gandhi's sandals, we also learn to love ALL that God loves, not only all our brothers and sisters, but also the environment that surround us.
- Fr. Carlos Lariosa, SVD (Radio Veritas Asia, QC)
Welcome to my blog! Happily blessed to be stressed because I am still alive and kicking. Life is beautiful in spite of the many ups and downs. Grateful for this space to share my thoughts, ideas, and others. Cheers to living, loving, and learning!
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Friday, August 21, 2015
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Gospel for July 22, 2015 (Wednesday)
Jn 20:1-12, 11-18
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."
But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her; "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he told her.
The Word in other words
Our Indian confrere, Father Ittoop Panikulam, SVD, recently preached a retreat in Tagaytay which helped us appreciate better Mary of Magdala. Mary was the first witness to the risen Lord. She was charged by Jesus to become his first missionary, the first preacher of the resurrection, to the apostles themselves.
To Peter Jesus was very formal: "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" But to Mary of Magdala, Jesus simple said, "Mary". While Jesus's single word "Mary!" suggests a continuation- what had happened had not affected their relationship. All the apostles have deserted Jesus but Mary's love endures. Peter's love for Jesus seems at first to have fragility of that of a fair weather friend, but Mary's love was what Meister Eckhard called fisherman's hook that catches the fish and will not let go.
This love, Father Ittoop suggested, sustained Mary through her anguish between the "absence of the Master and the presence of the living Lord." Jesus found Mary again after his resurrection. Waiting for Christ's return, how can we prepare ourselves so Jesus will find us? How can we become even more living witnesses to the presence of the Risen Lord?
Father Ittoop called Mary and icon of love. Icons, the fruit of much prayer and fasting, are not simply pictures but rather manifestations of the presence of the truth that they convey, and are held generally to be powerful channels of divine grace. Mary's love and the closeness of Jesus to her must therefore show the quality of Jesus' love for us and how much he wants to come to us, and invite us to know and to love Jesus in return. We can know and love Jesus through the Church- through Scripture, the Sacraments, prayer, and of course, each other. A final word from Father Ittoop: "Mary Magdalene's message to us is: 'Be men and women who are on fire with love of Jesus Christ.'"
- Fr. Alan Meechan, SVD (Naujan, Or. Mindoro)
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."
But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her; "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he told her.
The Word in other words
Our Indian confrere, Father Ittoop Panikulam, SVD, recently preached a retreat in Tagaytay which helped us appreciate better Mary of Magdala. Mary was the first witness to the risen Lord. She was charged by Jesus to become his first missionary, the first preacher of the resurrection, to the apostles themselves.
To Peter Jesus was very formal: "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" But to Mary of Magdala, Jesus simple said, "Mary". While Jesus's single word "Mary!" suggests a continuation- what had happened had not affected their relationship. All the apostles have deserted Jesus but Mary's love endures. Peter's love for Jesus seems at first to have fragility of that of a fair weather friend, but Mary's love was what Meister Eckhard called fisherman's hook that catches the fish and will not let go.
This love, Father Ittoop suggested, sustained Mary through her anguish between the "absence of the Master and the presence of the living Lord." Jesus found Mary again after his resurrection. Waiting for Christ's return, how can we prepare ourselves so Jesus will find us? How can we become even more living witnesses to the presence of the Risen Lord?
Father Ittoop called Mary and icon of love. Icons, the fruit of much prayer and fasting, are not simply pictures but rather manifestations of the presence of the truth that they convey, and are held generally to be powerful channels of divine grace. Mary's love and the closeness of Jesus to her must therefore show the quality of Jesus' love for us and how much he wants to come to us, and invite us to know and to love Jesus in return. We can know and love Jesus through the Church- through Scripture, the Sacraments, prayer, and of course, each other. A final word from Father Ittoop: "Mary Magdalene's message to us is: 'Be men and women who are on fire with love of Jesus Christ.'"
- Fr. Alan Meechan, SVD (Naujan, Or. Mindoro)
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Gospel and Readings for July 5, 2015 (Sunday)
First Reading
Ex 2:2-5
As he spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. Their children are bold of face and stubborn of heart- to them I am sending you. You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God. And whether they hear or resist- they are a rebellious house- they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Second Reading
2 Cor 12:7-10
Because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel
Mk 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogues, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joset and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.
The Word in other words
I find it hard to understand the Gospel today, probably today because of cultural differences between the thinking if the Jews and the Filipino mind. Among us for example, when someone successful or famous comes back and visits his/her hometown, the whole town will prepare and give that person a joyous welcome. The people feel proud to be part of that person's success and fame.
With Jesus, it was the opposite. He was met with murmuring and great prejudice. Instead of pride Jesus encountered suspicions and disbelief. "Where did his wisdom come from? Is he not the carpenter?"
Like jealous and hatred, prejudice could lead to murder. So strong could prejudice be that a prejudiced person can choose to remain blind in front of glaring facts. Somebody calls it "self-inflicting blindness." Being blinded, he or she strikes like a serpent to an unknowing suspect.
Jesus could not let his healing touch flow into unbelieving hearts. He waits with enduring patience for a change of heart. Meanwhile he moves on and seeks more fertile grounds to scatter the seeds of his kingdom.
- Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)
Ex 2:2-5
As he spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. Their children are bold of face and stubborn of heart- to them I am sending you. You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God. And whether they hear or resist- they are a rebellious house- they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Second Reading
2 Cor 12:7-10
Because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel
Mk 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogues, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joset and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.
The Word in other words
I find it hard to understand the Gospel today, probably today because of cultural differences between the thinking if the Jews and the Filipino mind. Among us for example, when someone successful or famous comes back and visits his/her hometown, the whole town will prepare and give that person a joyous welcome. The people feel proud to be part of that person's success and fame.
With Jesus, it was the opposite. He was met with murmuring and great prejudice. Instead of pride Jesus encountered suspicions and disbelief. "Where did his wisdom come from? Is he not the carpenter?"
Like jealous and hatred, prejudice could lead to murder. So strong could prejudice be that a prejudiced person can choose to remain blind in front of glaring facts. Somebody calls it "self-inflicting blindness." Being blinded, he or she strikes like a serpent to an unknowing suspect.
Jesus could not let his healing touch flow into unbelieving hearts. He waits with enduring patience for a change of heart. Meanwhile he moves on and seeks more fertile grounds to scatter the seeds of his kingdom.
- Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)
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