Tuesday, October 15, 2013

XXVIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - CYCLE C - OCTOBER 13, 2013


·         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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