Readings & Reflections: Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time & Saint Peter Claver, September 9,2019

Peter Claver was born in 1580 A.D. of the working-class family in Catalonia, Spain. He joined the Jesuits and studied at Majorca, where Alphonsus Rodriguez, the college doorman, urged him to apply for the South American missions. After his ordination at Cartagena (present-day Colombia) in 1616 A.D., Peter declared himself Aethiopum servus, “Slave of the Africans.” He ministered to the most vulnerable: the 10,000 African slaves who were brought through the port each month. He brought Christ to them, climbing into the filthy, pestilential holds of the ships to feed them, baptize the dying, and hear confessions. His work angered those who considered the slaves to be less than humans, and for a time Peter was forbidden to perform baptisms. He preached to their owners. In his later years, Peter gave an annual retreat to the rough seamen who entered the port. At the end of his life, he fell victim to the plague and was confined to his bed under the care of a neglectful African servant. He accepted without complaint. He died in 1654 A.D. and was canonized in 1888 A.D. alongside Alphonsus Rodriguez.

Jesus says to each one of us, the spiritually withered, “Come up and stand before us.” Faith emboldens us to do s because in Jesus “are hidden all the treasures.” Christ’s words in our ears are our “hope for glory.” We stretch out our defects, and Jesus restores us, bringing us “together in love.” Then we race off to our neighbors proclaiming, “I rejoice in my suffering for your sake,” so that “their hearts may be encourage.”

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord God, in your victory over sin and death on the cross and in your resurrection you give us the assurance of sharing in the eternal rest of heaven.” Transform my heart with your love that I may freely serve my neighbor for his good and find joy and refreshment in the celebration of authentic discipleship through Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Reading I
Col 1:24–2:3

Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his Body, which is the Church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle,
in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea
and all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,
to have all the richness of assured understanding,
for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 62:6-7, 9
R. (8) In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. In God is my safety and my glory.

Gospel
Lk 6:6-11

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Stretch out your hand

“Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.”

Opposition to Jesus has centered on the more rigid ideas of strictly complying with the Laws and the rituals of Judaism. This was one item where the Jews and Pharisees came headstrong against Jesus. Their hearts and minds were so focused on the letter of the law, what it said rather than the spirit and the goodness that should come out of it.

Today, we are made aware that a wise man who is duly guided by God places the words of Jesus into practice and makes them the foundation on which he should build his life and its corresponding relationships.

One thing that struck me was the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees. The anger in their hearts did not dissipate amidst the explanation of Jesus. Their stubborn attitude hardened their hearts. Their ears, minds and hearts were totally out of focus. They were deaf and blind to the truth that Jesus was trying to plant in their hearts.

Somehow conflict may prevail between our neighbor and us. This could be an argument with our spouse that has left our home quite silent for days or maybe an incident wherein we felt someone violated our trust. Most often because we have our hearts open to God’s guidance, He blesses us with His grace to learn from what happened. In time, He makes us understand the facts of what transpired and even enables us to forgive and accept others for the hurt or misdeed that we experienced.

There are times however despite our claim that God is with us and that we are guided by His Word, it is quite difficult to see the wisdom in any situation especially if it reflects a deep exchange of hurts or a difference in perspectives and approach. Anger can be deep in our hearts just like the Jews and the Pharisees. No amount of grace from our Lord seem to work because our whole self has been closed to God.

Sin and pride may take over that nothing is left in our hearts-no love, no compassion and forgiveness but anger and indifference. We judge and condemn rather than forgive and accept. We are indifferent and in some cases we learn to hate. We forget that we are all one in Christ and that we are all God’s children. It skips our minds and hearts that even if we were born in the likeness of our Lord, that we are equally sinful, broken and bruised and in no way better than the next person.

When anger and indifference prevail in us, we are never justified in the eyes of our Lord. We then realize that it is sin that has misdirected our lives and that we should seek God in prayer so that His wisdom and His love will have some space in our hearts. Otherwise, we can be led to the sad act of crucifying a brother or sister in Christ, the very way our Lord was sent to the Cross by His very own people.

In today’s first reading Saint Paul said, “Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?” Every one of us, no matter how insignificant or invisible we are has an effect within God’s family. So it’s fair to ask, what the effect is of our way of living, sharing, accepting, forgiving and loving have on the people around us?

In the same light, have we condemned, judged and alienated our neighbor for some reason valid or not? With such witnessing did we encourage or discourage them? Have they more readily and confidently moved closer to our Lord because we are here, or do they pull away from God and His church because of us?

God has empowered us through His Spirit to do good and be an example to all. Let us follow Saint Paul exhortation to the Corinthians: “Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Direction

In prayer and meditation, always seek God’s wisdom in order to handle our old yeast of malice and wickedness, anger and indifference, even our snap shot mentality about those we cannot accept as among God’s beloved. Let His Word prevail rather than our biased word, opinion or judgment.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, amidst my own yeast and sinfulness, I humbly pour out my life to You knowing that your grace will be more than sufficient to cope with the conflicts and the hurts that at times cause me to be separated from You. This I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Reflection 2 – Rigidity and the Spirit of Love

When a community decides to remain with the letter of the law because it missed its full meaning in the past and failed to strictly enforce it, its efficacy is diminished no matter how good the motivations are.  It may lead to rigidity, bureaucracy, and resistance to do what is right.

This sounds like an argument against planning and effective decision making. Actually it’s not. We all know that being aligned with policies is vital in order to move forward and progress. The problem occurs when upon realization of the magnitude of erroneous decisions, the community decides to be firm and sticks to the letter of the policy. Implementation is without mercy and exceptions, to the detriment of relationships, the very core of any Christian community. It forgets that love and compassion transcend the spirit of the law as can be gleamed from the way Jesus conducted His ministry.

While there are many concerns in implementing policies, we have to confront the call to greater order, which can make leaders less flexible. Amidst random and conflicting events moving around those in authority and the fear of being judged, leaders may opt for the letter of the law. They are not comfortable in allowing community affairs evolve towards its vision, values, purpose, goals and priorities for fear of committing more mistakes.

If we have never been there before, we will not really know what the best path is for our community. In our years as a community, we have been down this road quite a number of times. We have learned from experience that the path of righteousness is built on love and compassion, more than the letter of the law or at the very least, on its happy balance. It evolves as we get to each fork in the road and consult the people closest to the action to help make the most appropriate choices and decisions.

Today, amidst different approaches, we all need an unwavering commitment to seek God’s will through continuous and deepening prayer and discernment. Since there is no room for emotional and haphazard decisions, we must allow God to permeate the deeper recesses of our hearts so that we may decide from our nothingness and accede to the indwelling presence of the Spirit.  So that when posed with the question, “is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Luke 6:9, love and compassion may resound in our actions and not the letter of the law.

As Pope Benedict XVI expressed, Christianity is a “personal experience of God’s love and not a burdensome set of rules.”

Direction

Let us be encouraged that its more of love that brings the richness of assured  understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, let me be a vessel of your love even as I work for order within your flock through your laws. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

Reflection 3 – Jesus cures the sick on the Sabbath

Jesus heals the paralyzed man on the Sabbath. Why did he have to heal this person on the Sabbath? Why could the man who had been paralyzed for many years not wait for a few hours more until the sun had set and the Sabbath would be over? The Law permitted the rescue of a person or even an animal on the Sabbath only if life was threatened. But here, in the case of the paralyzed man, there was no such urgency.

In all these cases Jesus was confronted by boundaries drawn within Israel, by Jews against Jews, boundaries drawn for religious reasons, drawn by those most admirable for the strength of their commitment in religious matters, those most concerned that their religious practice be what God wants. In each case Jesus called their boundaries into question, disregarded them, and broke them down. And he did so in the name of God’s kingdom. He came to call sinners, not the righteous. God is for those whom men think to exclude in his name. For Jesus, there is no Jew, no Gentile, no male, and no female. All of us including the poor, the sick and the outcasts are winners in the Kingdom of God. God’s salvation is universal. But Jesus has a strong empathy in favor of the sick, the poor and the outcasts.

In the summer of 2005, a group of high school students went on a mission trip to Jamaica in order to build a playground at a school for deaf children. But one of the teenagers had a special connection to the Jamaican children. Chelsea grew up in a world of quiet. Deaf since birth, she didn’t hear a sound until she was 11, when she received a cochlear implant. Now able to hear about 30% of the sounds around her, Chelsea understood the deaf in ways other students could not. She had true empathy.

Empathy is a strong emotion. It can drive us to come alongside those who are in similar situations. It can cause us to care in a deeper way for those with whom we share a concern or a difficulty.

The most important example of empathy is the Lord Himself. He became one of us. Because He did, He understands our struggles and weaknesses. Jesus knows what we are going through, for He endured this life Himself. As we receive His grace in our time of need, we are better able to come alongside others.

God lived as man, as one of us, and understands our need for grace; He is not distant or detached from all the trials that we face. No one understands like Jesus.

Reflection 4 – Is it lawful to save life or to destroy it?

What is God’s intention for the commandment, keep holy the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12)? The scribes and Pharisees wanted to catch Jesus in the act of breaking the Sabbath ritual so they might accuse him of breaking God’s law. In a few penetrating words Luke records that Jesus knew their thoughts. They were filled with fury and contempt for Jesus because they had put their own thoughts of right and wrong above God. They were ensnared in their own legalism because they did not understand or see the purpose of God. Jesus shows them their fallacy by pointing to God’s intention for the Sabbath: to do good and to save life rather than to do evil or to destroy life.

Christ’s healing power raises hands and hearts towards heaven
What is the significance of Jesus’ healing the man with the withered hand? Ambrose (337-397 AD), the 4th century bishop of Milan who was instrumental in bringing Augustine of Hippo to the Christian faith, comments on this miracle:

“Then you heard the words of the Lord, saying, ‘Stretch forth your hand.’ That is the common and universal remedy. You who think that you have a healthy hand beware lest it is withered by greed or by sacrilege. Hold it out often. Hold it out to the poor person who begs you. Hold it out to help your neighbor, to give protection to a widow, to snatch from harm one whom you see subjected to unjust insult. Hold it out to God for your sins. The hand is stretched forth; then it is healed. Jeroboam’s hand withered when he sacrificed to idols; then it stretched out when he entreated God (1 Kings 13:4-6).”

Receive God’s gift of sabbath rest and restoration
Why do Christians celebrate Sunday as the Lord’s Day? Most importantly we celebrate it to commemorate God’s work of redemption in Jesus Christ and the new work of creation accomplished through Christ’s death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17). God’s action is a model for us. If God “rested and was refreshed” on the seventh day, we, too, ought to “rest” and let others, especially the poor, “be refreshed” as well (see Exodus 31:17; 23:12). Taking “our sabbath rest” is a way of expressing honor to God for all that he has done for us. Such “rest” however does not exempt us from our love for our neighbor. If we truly love the Lord above all else, then the love of God will overflow to love of neighbor as well. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said: “The charity of truth seeks holy leisure; the necessity of charity accepts just work.”

How can we make Sunday a day holy to the Lord? First, by refraining from unnecessary work and from activities that hinder the worship we owe to God. We can also perform works of mercy, such as humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the neglected. And we ought to seek appropriate relaxation of mind and body as well. The joy of the Lord’s Day is a great gift to refresh and strengthen us in our love of God and of neighbor (Nehemiah 8:10). Do you know the joy of the Lord and do you find rest and refreshment in celebrating the Lord’s Day?

“Lord Jesus, in your victory over sin and death on the cross and in your resurrection you give us the assurance of sharing in the eternal rest of heaven. Transform my heart with your love that I may freely serve my neighbor for his good and find joy and refreshment in the celebration of Sunday as the Lord’s Day.” – Read the source: http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2019/sep9.htm

Reflection 5 – Healing and suffering for God’s kingdom

I believe in miracles that bring an end to pain, not only in biblical times but also for today’s needs. I have witnessed them and I have experienced them personally. I have also learned the value of a different kind of miracle: the mystical union with Christ that comes from “offering up our sufferings” — what Saint Paul describes in today’s first reading as filling up, through our own flesh, “what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.”