·
The first reading
and the Gospel speak to us of giving thanks to God for his care over us, his
gifts, for all.
·
The second
reading invites us to remember Jesus Christ raised from the dead, because he is
our salvation and our glory
·
I have read in a
commentary that both the first reading
and the Gospel are about a stranger who receives a favor from God.
·
He also reminds
us that the political and economic worldwide situation in Europe and in America
cause that many men and women migrate to other countries, where they suffer
loneliness, humiliation, and all sorts of hard times which come with immigration.
·
During this week
we may spent some time learning about the situation of all these brothers and
sisters who have migrated to our country
·
Let us open our
heart to listen to their cry, and let
love and compassion move us to do something to alleviate these
sufferings, to change this situation.
SECOND BOOK OF KINGS.
Ø
It is one of the
historical books: Samuel, Kings, Chronibles, Nehemiah, Esraz, Maccabees.
Ø
In the Greek
translation of the Hebrew bible and in the Latin translation "The
Vulgate" the two books of Samuel and the two books of Kings are called
First, Second, Third and Fourth book of Kings.
Ø
The concept of
history that we find in the Bible is very different from our Western scientific
concept. For us history is based on accuracy: time, place, persons.
Ø
For Israel
history is important because God acts in a concrete time and in concrete places. The events of
history are important because they reveal to us the presence of God acting in
our life.
Ø
The theology
inspiring these books is the same as the one we find in the Book of
Deuteronomy.
Ø
This theology has
three important points: sin, punishment(exile), return (from exile) with the
condition that the people come back to God, convert from their evil ways.
FIRST READING 2Kgs 5:14-17
ü
Naaman the Syrian
general who has been sent by his king to the king of Israel to be cured from
his leprosy, plunges seven times into the Jordan, as the man of God Elisha has
told him
ü
Some verses
before this scene we are told that Naaman does not want to bath himself in the
Jordan, that he is offended because the prophet had not come to touch his
skin...
ü But he is also a man who knows how to listen, and he listens
the words of his servants who tell him to do what the prophet has told him. He
does it and his flesh becomes like the flesh of a little child. He is cured.
ü
His reaction is
one of gratefulness toward the prophet "who has cured him."
ü
Maybe we are
surprised to read that the prophet does not accept any of the gifts that Naaman
comes to offers him.
ü
But the truth is
that Elisha wants Naaman to give thanks to God who has cured him.
Elisha wants that what has happened to Naaman help him
to discover the real God and adore him.
ü
And this is what
happens, faced with the reaction of the prophet Naaman asks him to be able to
take with him to his country some earth...
ü
Why? to be able
to have a concrete place to adore the real God, the God of Israel.
ü
How is our
gratefulness? To whom do we give thanks for all the good things that happen in
our life?
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 98: 1,2-3, 3-4
THE LORD HAS REVEALED TO THE NATIONS HIS SAVING POWER
Sing to the Lord a new song
for he has done wondrous deeds
his right hand has won victory for him
his holy arm.
The Lord has
made his salvation known
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his
justice
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel .
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God
Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands
break into song, sing praise
§
This psalm is an
invitation to sing to God for his wonderful works, because he has revealed his
justice, because he remembers his love and, his fidelity overcomes evil.
GOSPEL Lk 17:11-19
Luke offers to us
a story that we find only in his Gospel: 10 lepers are cured by Jesus.
The lepers cry
out to Jesus from afar they ask to be cured from their leprosy. When Jesus sees
them he tells them to "go to the priest."
On their way they
realize they have been cured.
Like Naaman they
have to do something that seems irrelevant for their need, but when they do it
they receive what they have been asking for.
Why, go to the priest?
On chapter 14 of
the book of Leviticus we read that when someone is cured from his or her
leprosy they have to go to the priest who will testify of the cure after carefully
examining them.
On their way one
of them, a Samaritan, a foreigner realizes that he has been cured and comes back to give
thanks.
He hears from the
mouth of Jesus words of consolation and peace "go your faith has saved
you."
As we read on a
commentary, all were cured, one of them was saved.
SECOND READING 2 Tm 2:8-13
v
The author of the
letter invites Timothy to remember Jesus Christ raised from the dead.
v
For this Christ,
to announce his paschal mystery (death and resurrection) he is in prison.
v
But the word of
God can never be imprisoned, because it is free.
v
He (the author of
the letter) suffers all sorts of hardships for the sake of the elected.
v
After that the
author writes several sentences which may be summed up saying " if we
accept to go through the same hardships that Jesus has suffered, we will always
be in him, and he in us. .
CLARETIAN CORNER
I did not mind all this because it did not seem to
me as he said: other novices had left and nothing like that happened. What
worried me most was that the days of the exercises were coming to an end and
they were urging me to prepare the clothes and all the things necessary for the
profession for Mo. Prioress not to notice anything and leaving me in doubt
whether they will allow me to profess or
to go out. Blessed be God in all his eternal designs, who permit such
things to test the fidelity of his servants.
Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress
of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 102.
Thus far I have described the means I considered
essential for me to use and the virtues I must possess if I were to achieve any
success in the towns to which bishops sent me (for I desired to go nowhere
unless under obedience). Now I will say something about the towns I went to and
what I did there.
From early in
1840, after my return from Rome, until early in 1848, when I left Madrid to go
to the Canary Islands with His Excellency Msgr. Codina, the bishop of those
islands, I preached in the following towns: Viladrau, Seva, Espinelvas, Artes,
Igualada, Santa Coloma de Queralt, Prats del Rey, Calaf, Calldetenas,
Vallfogona, Vidra, San Quirico, Montesquiu, Olot, Olost, Figueras, Bai;olas,
San Feliu de Guixols, Lloret, Calella, Malgrat, Arenys de Mar.
Arenys de Munt, Mataro, Teya, Masnou, Badalona,
Barcelona, San Andres, Granollers, Hospitalet, Villanueva, Manresa, Sampedor,
Sallent, Balsareny, Horta, Calders, Moya, Vich, Gurb, Santa Eulalia, San Feliu,
Estany, Olo, San Juan de Olo, Pruit, San Feliu de Pallarols, Piera, Pobla de
Lillet, Baga, San Jaime de Frontanya, Solsona, Anglesola, San Lorenzo del
Piteus, Lerida, Tarragona, Torredembarra, Altafulla, Constanti, La Selva, Valls,
Alforja, Falset, Pont de Armentera, Barbara, Montblanch, Vimbodi, Vinaixa,
Espluga de Francoli, Cornudella, Prades, Vilanova de Prades, and many, many
more. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian
Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 454-455.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLARET, Antonio María Claret, Autobiografía.
PAGOLA,
José A. Following in the Footsteps of
Jesus. Meditations on the Gospels for Year C.
PARIS, María Antonia, Autobiografía
RAVASI, Gianfranco, Según
las Escrituras, Año C.
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