Readings & Reflections: Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time & Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children & St. Vincent of Zaragossa, January 22,2020

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion. The liturgical celebrations for this day may be the Mass “For Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life” (no. 48/1 of the Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions), celebrated with white vestments, or the Mass “For the Preservation of Peace and Justice” (no. 30 of the Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions), celebrated with violet vestments (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373).

When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected. Once the human being declares independence from reality and behaves with absolute dominion, the very foundations of our life begin to crumble, for “instead of carrying out his role as a cooperator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature” (Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, May 1,1991)….

When the human person is considered as simply one being among others, the product of chance or physical determinism, then “our overall sense of responsibility wanes” (Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the 2010 World Day of Peace)….

Human beings cannot be expected to feel responsibility for the world unless, at the same time, their unique capacities of knowledge, will, freedom, and responsibility are recognized and valued….

Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties? “If personal and social sensitivity toward the acceptance of the new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable to society also wither away” (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritates in Veritate, June 29,2009).

We need to develop a new synthesis capable of overcoming the false arguments of recent centuries (Source: Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Laudato Si, Magnifat, Vol. 19, No. 11, January 2018, pp. 329-330).

Read the story of a woman behind Roe v. Wade: Helping legalize abortion was ‘the biggest mistake of my life’ click this link: http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2017/01/22/woman-behind-roe-v-wade-helping-legalize-abortion-was-the-biggest-mistake-of-my-life/

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, Of all of the sins that plague us, pride is one of the most common and among the worst.  We battle it constantly and it is so easy – almost a reflex action– to lash out against someone who criticizes us, without bothering to consider whether the other person actually has a point.  It’s hard, so very hard, for us to admit that perhaps we were wrong, or that someone else’s idea is better than ours especially when the other person is someone with whom we have a difficult personal relationship. Lord, make us always realize that our neighbor was also formed into your goodness and likeness and they, too, could do greater things than us, rather than focus on how important we are. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen

Reading I
1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

David spoke to Saul:
“Let your majesty not lose courage.
I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.”
But Saul answered David,
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David continued:
“The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear,
will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.”
Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”

Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi
and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag.
With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.

With his shield bearer marching before him,
the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.
When he had sized David up,
and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance,
the Philistine held David in contempt.
The Philistine said to David,
“Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?”
Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods
and said to him, “Come here to me,
and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field.”
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand;
I will strike you down and cut off your head.
This very day I will leave your corpse
and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field;
thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”

The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters,
while David ran quickly toward the battle line
in the direction of the Philistine.
David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.

The stone embedded itself in his brow,
and he fell prostrate on the ground.
Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone;
he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.
Then David ran and stood over him;
with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10
R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Gospel
Mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Stretch out your hand

Mark 3:6 says, “Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.”  Considering that Jesus knew that the Pharisees were setting the stage for His prosecution, when He healed the man with the shriveled hand on a sabbath, He practically asked His enemies: “Is it permitted to do a good deed on the sabbath – or an evil one?”

Most of us spend a lot of time observing from the sidelines.  A good number of us over indulge in the way things are done rather than on what is done.  We are so involved in the style rather the substance.  Those who opposed Jesus while He healed the sick on a sabbath did not have the sense to understand the goodness of what He did.

Like them, we are often blinded by what is going on and happening around us. We are carried away by our own perceptions and beliefs, which are founded on our social background, status, breeding, education and our own interests and concerns, even our position and role in community.

Broken as we are and quite focused on our own selves, we should ask our Lord for His grace so that when we see what is happening around us from a distance, we may see the truth and act on it accordingly in the Name of our Lord. So that we may react based on the general goodness on what is done by the body that is united in heart, soul and spirit and its benefit to God’s flock, rather than the dominance we seek for our own selves.

Direction

Let us not judge others but with compassion look into the goodness of their intentions.

Prayer

Dear God, help me to let go of my instinct to judge but rather open my heart to the goodness that is in everyone’s heart.  In Jesus, I pray Amen.

Reflection 2 – Hardness of Heart

St. Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower,” once recalled a dream she had when she was only four years old. In that dream, while walking in a garden, she is confronted by two terrifying demons that, when they discovered that she was not afraid of them, darted off, trying to hide from her. Reflecting on the dream, she wrote, “God allowed me to remember it for a special purpose. He wanted me to see that the soul, when in a state of grace, has nothing to fear from the spirits of evil. They are cowards.”

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus when he encounters a man with a withered hand. He is moved with compassion, but there are those present who are watching for trouble. By the Pharisees’ understanding, no upstanding Jew is allowed to do any work – including performing healing miracles – on the Sabbath. Jesus sees certain cowardice in this position: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” he asks. The Gospel tells us that Jesus is grieved at their hardness of heart when they stand by silently. Bravely, in spite of the trouble he knew it would cause, Jesus told the man with the withered hand to hold it forth. Then Jesus healed him.

Each of us is called to live from the Gospel with compassion – the opposite of hardness of heart – and with bravery. We often will be put into positions where others would scorn us, would disapprove of our doing what we know in our hearts is right. Whether it’s standing up for the weak, the oppressed, making our view known on the right to life for those unborn or those sitting on death row, whether it’s calling out an injustice in our workplace, in the stores where we shop, in our communities or elsewhere in the world, we needn’t fear. As St. Therese said, our souls, in a state of grace, have nothing to fear. (Source: John Feister, Weekday Homily Help. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 20, 2010).

Reflection 3 – Jesus expands our horizons

There may be irony in Jesus’ saying to the man, “Stretch out your hand” (Mk 3:5). He responded and was immediately set free from his ailment. But when Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?” (Mk 3:4) they refused to respond. There was, of course, only one answer to the question, but they chose silence rather than stretch their way of thinking. Jesus wanted to expand their understanding of the law. They elected to maintain their withered way of thinking.

It is easy for us to shake our heads at the Pharisee’s stubbornness. We wonder at their rigidity. In truth it is likely that they were sincere in their conviction that Jesus had broken the law. From their childhood they heard the religious leaders insist on obedience to the Torah. The law came from God; who would dare challenge it? It was the word of God; who could change it?

Such respect for God’s word is admirable, but it fails to acknowledge that it is God’s word in human language, God’s law understood in human terms. Jesus was constantly challenging their understanding of the law, calling them to re-think their position and return to the values the law was meant to protect. The author of Hebrews (Heb 7:1-3, 15-17) argues that the old must give way to the new. The leap from one paradigm to another is risky; most people are reluctant to change their minds. Many of us retreat to the old saying, “But this is what I always heard; this is what I was taught.”

Roman Catholics experienced such a paradigm shift in the wake of Vatican II. Practices, language and even the wording of some doctrines were challenged and changed by the Council. The laity was urged to become more active in the celebration of the liturgy. Latin gave way to the vernacular. Pope John himself addressed the issue of doctrinal language, “The substance of the ancient doctrine of the deposit of faith is one thing, and the way in which it is presented is another.”

Today’s gospel (Mk 3:1-6) suggests that we reconsider some of our cherished practices and beliefs, not that we may discard them for fads and false teachings, but that we may stretch and hone in once more on the values and truths they are meant to preserve. Sometimes we lose sight of the value and the reason for the law or the practice. Today we are invited to review and reclaim them. (Source: Norman Langenbrunner, Weekday Homily Helps. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 21, 2009).

Reflection 4 – The evil of ignoring others’ needs

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus walks into a synagogue that’s full of men who are anticipating a lively discussion on the day’s scriptures. One of them, a man with a withered hand, sees Jesus and realizes that he’s the healer about whom everyone’s been talking. But today is the Sabbath, and according to the rules, no one can do any work of any sort. He doesn’t dare ask Jesus for a healing – especially in front of the legalistic Pharisees.

Do you ever stop short of asking for something that’s good and right because you think you’re not supposed to?

Jesus has noticed the man who needs a healing. He has also noted that the Pharisees are practically drooling for an opportunity to condemn him. Perhaps if they weren’t making such a big deal of it, he might wait until later for a more private moment to heal the poor fellow who’s sitting nervously but quietly in the crowd.

Have you felt the condescending attitude of someone who’s looking to find fault with you? Did you wish an advocate would come to your aid and defend you?

Jesus realizes that this is a good opportunity for a teaching. The Pharisees aren’t open to learning, but there are plenty of others here who are. Jesus faces a decision: He could either let the Pharisees teach by their attitude that it’s okay to ignore the needs of people who are hurting, or he could teach by his actions that moral law is higher than religious law, and that caring for someone is morally right and that ignoring a need is morally wrong.

Did you ever witness an attitude that was hurtful and wish you had the courage to speak up against it?

Jesus calls to the man: “Stand up here in front!” The room quiets. Jesus has everyone’s attention. The Pharisees move in closer, their eyebrows raised authoritatively. Jesus turns to them and says, “Is it lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath – or an evil one? To preserve life – or to destroy it?”

We know that anything that destroys life is evil (war, pollution, abortion, smoking, driving while intoxicated, and everything else that endangers life). But less obvious is the evil of inaction. God’s law – the Law of Love – requires us to take action when we recognize the needs of others and we have the ability to do something about it. Helping others is an act of preserving life; ignoring a person’s suffering is destructive and evil.

What are you doing that contributes to the preservation and improvement of life? Will you dare to care like Jesus? – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2019-01-23

Reflection 5 – Can you feel God’s touch?

Reflection 6 – Is it lawful… to save life or to kill?

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 Mark the Evangelist tells us that Jesus looked at them with anger, and grieved at their hardness of hearts (Mark 3:5).

God’s purpose and intention for the Sabbath commandment
The legal scholars and religious-minded Jews were filled with fury and contempt for Jesus because they 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 for the Sabbath commandment (remember the Sabbath day – to keep it holy – Exodus 20:8).. Jesus shows 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 (Mark 3:3).

Commemorating Christ’s resurrection and work of redemption on the Lord’s Day 
Since the time of the first Apostles, Christians have traditionally celebrated Sunday as the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10; Acts 20:7; Luke 24:30; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2) to worship together around the table of the Lord (the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper) and to commemorate God’s work of redemption in Jesus Christ and the new work of creation accomplished through Christ’s death and resurrection.

Taking “our sabbath rest” is a way of expressing honor to God for all that he has done for us in and through Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer. 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. Do you honor the Lord in the way you celebrate Sunday, the Lord’s Day and in the way you treat you neighbor?

“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/2020/jan22.htm

Reflection 7 – Day of Penance for violations of human life

Catholics in the United States observe today as a day of penance “for violations to the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.” That was an adaptation of the Roman Missal, requested by our bishops and approved by Holy See. We pray the “Mass for Peace and Justice,” recalling the famous words of Pope Paul VI, “If you want peace, work for justice.”

Clearly, as Pope John Paul II taught, there is a clear link among all of the life issues: sanctity at the beginning of life, along the way and at the end of life. We want a society without abortion or cloning, a society that protects the dignity of every person, and a society that does not take life, either through capital punishment or through euthanasia.

But abortion, in particular, is an enormous issue, much of which is hidden behind the scenes. Well over a million children are willfully aborted each year. It’s estimated that, on average, over 40% of women will have at least one abortion before age 45. Yet we Catholics, among many other people, believe that life begins at conception, and that human life is sacred. We simply cannot, as society, ignore this.

On this day of penance, we are called to examine our own lives. In what ways have we been complacent? Or in what ways have we done harm to the cause for life by acting in ways that do not attract support? Are we pro-life in some areas and not in others? Do we support programs to help young women who become pregnant and need help?

This is a day of prayer, too. Our Mass today has special prayers for peace and for justice. The two are closely linked. We pray for God’s justice to reign, not only in our hearts, but in society. In our Eucharist we pray to be more closely united with God’s will.

God is calling all of us to live life, and to live it more abundantly. Let us pray today that we can be witnesses of abundant life, of overflowing charity, of love of justice, especially for those unborn, who are completely dependent upon us for protection. (Source: John Feister. Weekday Homily Help. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 22, 2010).

Reflection 8 – Respect for life

January 22 is the anniversary of the Supreme Court Decision Roe v. Wade. The Family Life + Respect for Life Office had sent information concerning the March for life in Washington, DC to defend the rights of the unborn baby on January 27. Here’s a Medical Journal Report: Diary of an unburned baby.  Nov. 1: My mother and my father showed how much they love one another. They slept together and my life began. Nov. 15: My blood circulation system is beginning now. My body is beginning to grow. I am now big enough to be seen. Nov. 28: My two hands and two feet have begun to grow. I can now stretch and straighten my back. Dec. 15: Today my mother felt me moving around and she is sure that I am inside her. How happy I am! Jan 6: Now hair is starting to grow on top of my head and above my eyes. Now I am starting to make myself pretty. Jan 19: My heart is really beating strong now. I am growing in all directions. I am happy and contented. Jan 20: Today my mother killed me.

If it had happened to you, you would not be listening this story today of an unborn baby. The story of an unborn baby is a reality that the crooks are still with us. The oppressors are still doing their evil work. We are as miserable as ever. This situation needs our attention and concern for action. Thus the Church organizes this march for life to Washington, DC to defend the rights of the unborn baby.

The teaching of the Church says, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (CCC:2270).

“Since, it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible like any other human being (CCC:2274).

“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life (CCC:2272).

“There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss” (CCC:1864). God gives grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God. The love and mercy of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are freely given to those who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus by driving out the demons and make God’s kingdom felt: wherever life is enhanced or broken life restored; wherever we defend the rights of the unborn baby; wherever we find joy and true happiness; wherever people build community with vital life-giving relationships, there the kingdom of God has taken its roots.

Day of Prayer

“Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this. Frequently, as a way of ridiculing the Church’s effort to defend their lives, attempts are made to present her position as ideological, obscurantist, and conservative.

“Yet this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development. Human beings are ends in themselves and never a means of resolving other problems. Once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundations for the defense of human rights, which would always be subject to the passing whims of the powers that be.

“Reason alone is sufficient to recognize the inviolable value of each single human life, but if we also look at the issue from the standpoint of faith, ‘every violation of the personal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offense against the creator of the individual’” (Christifideles Laici 37) – Source: From the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel) published by Pope Francis in 2013; Magnificat, Vol. 18, No. 11, January 2017, pp. 328-329).

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Reflection 9 – St. Vincent of Zaragossa (d. 304 A.D.)

When Jesus deliberately began his “journey” to death, Luke says that he “set his face” to go to Jerusalem. It is this quality of rocklike courage that distinguishes the martyrs.

Most of what we know about this saint comes from the poet Prudentius. His Actshave been rather freely colored by the imagination of their compiler. But St. Augustine, in one of his sermons on St. Vincent, speaks of having the Acts of his martyrdom before him. We are at least sure of his name, his being a deacon, the place of his death and burial.

According to the story we have (and as with some of the other early martyrs the unusual devotion he inspired must have had a basis in a very heroic life), Vincent was ordained deacon by his friend St. Valerius of Zaragossa in Spain. The Roman emperors had published their edicts against the clergy in 303, and the following year against the laity. Vincent and his bishop were imprisoned in Valencia. Hunger and torture failed to break them. Like the youths in the fiery furnace (Book of Daniel, chapter three), they seemed to thrive on suffering.

Valerius was sent into exile, and Dacian, the Roman governor, now turned the full force of his fury on Vincent. Tortures that sound very modern were tried. But their main effect was the progressive disintegration of Dacian himself. He had the torturers beaten because they failed.

Finally he suggested a compromise: Would Vincent at least give up the sacred books to be burned according to the emperor’s edict? He would not. Torture on the gridiron continued, the prisoner remaining courageous, the torturer losing control of himself. Vincent was thrown into a filthy prison cell—and converted the jailer. Dacian wept with rage, but strangely enough, ordered the prisoner to be given some rest.

Friends among the faithful came to visit him, but he was to have no earthly rest. When they finally settled him on a comfortable bed, he went to his eternal rest.

Comment:

The martyrs are heroic examples of what God’s power can do. It is humanly impossible, we realize, for someone to go through tortures such as Vincent had and remain faithful. But it is equally true that by human power alone no one can remain faithful even without torture or suffering. God does not come to our rescue at isolated, “special” moments. God is supporting the super-cruisers as well as children’s toy boats.

Quote:

“Wherever it was that Christians were put to death, their executions did not bear the semblance of a triumph. Exteriorly they did not differ in the least from the executions of common criminals. But the moral grandeur of a martyr is essentially the same, whether he preserved his constancy in the arena before thousands of raving spectators or whether he perfected his martyrdom forsaken by all upon a pitiless flayer’s field” (The Roman Catacombs, Hertling-Kirschbaum).

Read the source:   http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1268

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