17^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE C – 2019   

Ø  In the last two Sundays, the theme of the liturgy was about hospitality.  The hospitality of the Samaritan and of the two sisters Martha and Mary.

Ø  Today the theme will be prayer.

FIRST READING   Gn 18:20-32

Ø  The three strangers who visited Abraham left in direction to Sodom and Gomorra, two cities that were and have always been considered corrupted.  

Ø    Abraham thinks that God is going to destroy the city of Sodom for its sins.  

Ø  I do not believe God destroys in order to punish sin, on the contrary,  I believe that God is always the Creator and He gives all of us the opportunity to renew our life; whether I understand it or not.

Ø  This reading is very interesting; it helps us to see a very close and natural relationship between Abraham and God.   Abraham knows how to bargain, maybe he was used to do it in his  businesses.    However, what is beautiful and remarkable is his closeness to God.   

Ø  First, he questions God, whether he is going to punish the just and the sinners equally, because this is not what the supreme judge are supposed to do. 

Ø  Afterwards he starts with 50 just people in the city and ends with 10 just people. 

Ø  What we can learn for our prayer is his simplicity and friendship with God, and his concern for his nephew Lot and the rest of the human beings. 

Ø  At the end of this conversation, God says that for the sake of 10 just men he will spare the city.  From history, we know that a volcano destroyed both cities. God does not use one part of creation to destroy another part of creation. On the contrary, God helps us in the difficult situations to go through them, and many human beings when they are suffering come back to God following his gentle voice calling them. 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps  138: 1-2ª. 2bc-3. 6-7ab. 7c-8

R.Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,
and the proud he knows from afar.
Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me;
against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Ø  The author of the psalm gives thanks to the Lord in the name of all human beings   

o   Because the Lord listens   

o   He is pleased with the humble and despises the proud  

o   He protects us from our enemies  

o   He will conclude in us the work he has begun. 

o   His love endures forever.   

o   We are the work of his hands.  

SECOND READING  : Col 2:12-14

·       In Our baptism we have been submerged in the death and resurrection of Christ

·       To be submerged is the meaning of the word baptism. The external sign reminds us that we have been submerged in Christ, as if he were a sea of mercy, pardon and new life.   

GOSPEL: Lk 11:1-13

Jesus is praying, and one of his disciples full of enthusiasm   observing him praying so naturally to God, wants him to teach them to pray like him.  

The reading has three themes or three teachings related to prayer: the Our Father, the friend who comes untimely,  parents and children.  

     Let us begin by the Our Father  

o   This prayer in Luke is somehow a little bit different than in Matthew   

o   He does not say where God is “in heaven” but speaks immediately of the Kingdom

o   After mentioning the Kingdom the petitions that follow have to do with that Kingdom:  

§  The bread, the opportunity to live as real human beings everyday 

§  The forgiveness of sins by God and by us, this is what we ask Him, to forgive us because we also forgive. 

§  We do not ask to be freed from temptations but the strength not to fall into them. Temptations will always exist because they come from things we like but which are not good for us, they do not help us to be better human beings. Like the toddlers when they discover the fire, the electricity, the swimming pools, and many other things which are dangerous for them. Parents continually have to protect them and forbid them to do what they would like but which is dangerous for them. 

     The friend who comes untimely

o   He comes at a time which is not appropriate for the family  of his friend  

o   However he continues knocking at the door and the door is opened and he gets what he needs  

o   It seems that the Lord wants to teach us the need to persevere knocking, why? 

o   I have always heard that God likes us to insist, to persevere asking, and they have explain this to me in very different ways.   

o   Since I did not like the explanations,  something was missing in them, I kept reflecting and asking the Lord for the meaning. I think that the Lord teaches us to repeat over and over the same petition,  not because he needs this or wants this from us, but because he knows that it is for our good. As we keep repeating the same petition, little by little we change, we start allowing  the Lord to change our heart and to mold it according to his own heart.     

     Parents and Children   

o   I find this section most reassuring  

o   God is a good father. When I look at the parents, how they do good things for their children, and reflect on the words Jesus   told us that none of us is good; I say to myself, will not the Father God who is good, do much more for each one of us his children? When I say “we” I think of all the human beings.  

CLARETIAN CORNER

August 27 1856. During the thanksgiving to God after the Holy Communion, when I made my profession, our Lord told me to take rest from my fears, that I had written well what he had commanded me. And that my prelate was holy but he had to sanctify himself more by the means His majesty commanded me to write, that this was His will. Venerable María Antonia París, foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 68.

Ever since I was a small boy I have been attracted to piety and religion. I used to attend Mass on all feasts and holy days and on other days, too, when I possibly could. On feast days I usually attended two Masses, a Low Mass and a High Mass, always together with my father. I cannot remember ever playing, looking around, or talking in church. On the contrary, I was always so recollected, modest, and devout that when I compare those early years with the present I am ashamed because, to my great embarrassment, I must admit that even now I lack the fixed attention and heartfelt fervor that I had then. ...  Saint Anthony Mary Claret,  founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography 36.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CLARET, Saint Anthony Mary. Autobiography.

PARIS, Venerable María Antonia. Autobiography

16^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE C – 2019

ü Last week we read the parable of the “Good Samaritan.”  Who is my neighbor? 

ü  Today we continue to reflect on the theme of hospitality, which in some way was part of the Good Samaritan parable, Jesus will teach us what is the better part.   

FIRST READING  Gn 18:1-10ª

Ø  The reading begins telling us that the Lord appeared to Abraham the terebinth of Mamre.

Ø  Abraham sees three foreigners coming toward his tent; it is the hottest time of the day.   

Ø  He sees them standing by him.   

Ø  Abraham   runs toward them and offers them to stay, refresh themselves, eat, rest before going on their way.   

Ø  Abraham supplicates them to stay, to allow him to offer his hospitality as it is customary among his people.   

Ø  The foreigners accept the invitation.   

Ø  Abraham asks Sarah, his wife, and the servants to help him to prepare what is needed to welcome the foreigners.   

Ø  Abraham remains standing before them while they eat.  

Ø  They ask him about his wife, who is in the tent.   

Ø  The traveler, here the text is in the singular, assures him that he will return and then Sarah will give birth to a son.   

Ø  What did Abraham feel on hearing these words? A son, the son of the promise, so much awaited! We do not know. Maybe he thought, now that I am old I am going to enjoy a newborn son? We know by the text that Sarah, who hears the foreigner, laughs.  Now that I am old I will enjoy the birth of a son? It cannot be… Nothing is impossible for God. 

Ø  Is it not our way to look at the events, at the difficulties in our life? There is nothing that can be done. But God knows the right moment. 

Ø  Something interesting about this reading is that it speaks of the Lord at the beginning and as we continue reading, the text switches from the singular to the plural and vice versa.

Ø    Now that we know the mystery of our God, a Trinity of Persons, could that passage of Scripture be a revelation of who God is, which we would realize only after the resurrection of Jesus and in the life of the community of his followers, the Church?   

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Salmo 15

He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord

v To live in the tent of the Lord means to have an intimate relationship with the Lord. 

v Who will be so fortunate to live with our God?  

v He who practices justice, in the following verses the psalmist explains what does justice mean, what is justice for God.   

v Lord, may we always be able to live in your house.   

SECOND READING  : Col  1:24-28

     The reading for this Sunday is the continuation of the reading we had last Sunday. 

     The author says that Christ is the head of the Church 

     The reading has three paragraphs:  

     First

o   The author says that his joy is in the sufferings he endures for his people. That  he rejoices in the sufferings for the community. 

o   He is filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for his body the Church.

     Second

o   His mission is the word  

o   Through this ministry he makes manifested this mystery which was hidden from the beginning and is manifested to those he has consecrated with his death on the cross.  

o   Christ is our hope.    

     Third

o   It is Christ who  we proclaim.

GOSPEL   Luke 10:38-42

§  We continue with the theme of hospitality, of welcoming.  We will see two sisters who welcome Jesus in different ways, two women who love him dearly, but differently due to their diverse psychologies,  

§  It seems that there has been in the Church, some antagonism between these two forms of serving the Lord. I have reflected on this very often, it seem to me that we are not sincere when we praise the form we do not live, and despise the form we live.   

§  Looking around   we see that activity attracts us more than quiet and silence.  

§  I do not think that Luke wants to put the two sisters one against the other in relation to their welcoming the Lord.   

§  I think that there is nothing wrong about activity, which the Lord himself has put in us. 

§  What is not good is an activity in our ministries, which we say is for God but does not allow us to listen, take care, “loose our time” with people, our brothers and sisters who need us.  In them the Lord awaits to be welcomed with love.  

§  In some place of the Gospel we read that people were seeking Jesus to be cured, healed, comforted, in such numbers that neither him nor the apostles had time to eat. 

§  And, in another occasion they leave in order to have some time to rest and when they arrive they see the crowd waiting for Him, and they began to minister to them.  

§  Each one of us is like these two sisters, sometimes we are one, sometimes we the other. Sometimes we listen to the Lord like Mary, some other times  we listen to his voice in the voice of our brothers and sisters.  

CLARETIAN CORNER

When this holy man was elected archbishop of this island, my confessor brought me the news, very worried considering it impossible to put a hand to the work. But I was so sure of what he had said to me-“not to doubt that the work would be done that way” – I was so certain of this as if it were God who has told it to me through the mouth of this holy soul. So, I told the confessor to be happy that certainly this was convenient to the realization of the work. So it happened. Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography 63.

My God, you have been so good to me! I have been very late in understanding the many great graces you have given me. I have been a useless servant and have not properly invested the talent you have entrusted to me. But Lord, I give you my word that I will work. Be a little patient with me. Don't take my talent away; I'll invest it wisely now. Give me your holy grace and your divine love and I give you my word that I will work. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 35.

BIBLIOGRAFÍA

CLARET, Saint Anthony Mary. Autobiography.

PARIS, Venerable María Antonia. Autobiography

PRIONS EN ÉGLISE, Juillet 2019 (edition mensuelle)

 

 

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15th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE C - 2019  

Ø  The readings on the two last Sundays were about calling and sending. 

Ø  Today the Lord will teach one of his best and more beautiful lessons “who is my neighbor?”   

FIRST READING   Deut 30:10-14

ü  Moses invites the people to turn back to the Lord, to listen and to obey his voice.   

ü  The commandments or the words of love pronounced by the Lord to his people are  

o   Neither too difficult that we cannot understand them  

o   Nor beyond our own reach that we cannot fulfill them.   

ü  The commandments, the words of love, the voice of God is within each one of us.   

ü  And, through them the Lord teaches us to become more and more human. 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM - Salmo 69, 14 y 17. 30-31. 33-34. 36ab y 37

R.  Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I pray to you, O LORD,
 for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness, answer me
 with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness:
 in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am afflicted and in pain;
 let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
 and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
 you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
 and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
For God will save Zion
 and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
 and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live

ü  The refrain is like a background music that invites us to turn back to the Lord, in order to live   

ü  The Lord is good, tender, generous, he hears all those who are afflicted in some way

ü  The whole psalm is an invitation to trust lovingly in the Lord our God.

SECOND READING  . Col  1:15-20

§  The biblical scholars do not agree on the origin and author of this letter  

§  Some looking at the vocabulary, the theology of the author and from the context of the letter thing that it was written by Paul towards the end of the 50’s.    

§  Others, for almost the same reason think that it had been written by a disciple of Paul, in this case the date might be around the year 80.  

§  The Christological hymn, that we will read is a work of art or a great beauty  

§  He is the visible image of the Father   

§  The first to be raised from the dead 

§  He is the head of the Church.    

§  By his blood shed on the cross he has reconciled us.   

§  This reconciliation, this peace reaches all the beings, the whole creation.  

GOSPEL – Lk 10:25-37

     A teacher of the law wants to know which one is the greatest or most important commandment 

     Luke explains that he makes the question to put Jesus to the test.  

     Jesus turns the question on him, what do you read in the Law?   

     The teacher recites the first commandment “you shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” 

     Good answer, but the teachers wants to show that he is righteous but does not know 

     And, who is my neighbor?   

     Jesus tells him, tells us one of the most beautiful parables, to explain, “who is my neighbor?”   

     A man had been wounded and robbed and left half dead on the road.   

     Jesus uses a great deal of irony in this parable   

     By the same road, two other persons, men, were coming down. These two men were professionals of religion; probably they knew all the laws included the laws of hospitality.  

     The first sees and moves to the other side of the road, the second does the same. Why? How sad if it is to arrive on time to the temple to be able to glorify God, because the glory of God is the man alive.  

     Now, a third man comes, an outcast because he is a foreigner and thus he is considered to be dangerous, maybe even criminal, or thief.   However, this man does neither harm nor robe anyone. 

     He is a Samaritan, a semi-pagan for the Jews. This man sees and acts. He cleans and puts oil in the wounds of the man on the road,  he puts him on his donkey and takes him to the inn.   

     He stays with him that night to take care of him, and the following morning he gives money to the innkeeper asking him to take care of the wounded man.  

     Who is my neighbor of the man wounded on the road?  We know the answer   

     I think that this parable speaks clearly to us in our present political and social situation. It teaches us to trust and do not condemn the foreigner because he or she is a foreigner, someone different from us, of a different color, nationality, status, belief, political association, different customs, language….. 

     We are invited to have an open heart where any human being may be welcome,,may find shelter, love…     “Let us go and do likewise”. 

CLARETIAN CORNER

 In this year, 1854, our Lord gave me a continuous communication with his Divine Majesty that it seems that a creature would not be able to live in this miserable life with such intimate communication with God. I do not know if I would be able to explain how it was. It seems  that our Lord had my soul inside in the most sacred place of his heart, and there he was communicating his eternal dispositions, with so much grace and love, like a best friend treats his equal; and if these two friends have not seen each other for so long, they  have many things to tell each other; and they need time to talk alone. It seems that our Lord would look for hidden moments to talk to my soul; and enjoy with it in intimate communication. I do not know if I am saying nonsense, but there is nothing that can compare with how our Lord treated my soul with such love and familiarity during that time. What I saw especially in the divine secret was the state of the church, and the ways and means determined by the Blessed Trinity in order that the Divine commandments be followed faithfully. This is what took much of attention of our Lord; he would present it to me now in this way, then in another, but always was the same. This communication our Lord did it with much gentleness and speed that in spite that my soul was so much inside the Divine secret, that in my understanding I did not get out of it, I never understood why our Lord communicated those thing to me, until at the end of the year our Lord deigned to give me the following vision. Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 48.  

Mi padre me ocupó en todas las clases de labores que hay en una fábrica completa de hilados y tejidos, y por una larga temporada me puso juntamente con otro joven a dar la última mano a las labores que hacían los demás. Cuando teníamos que corregir a alguno, a mí me daba mucha pena y, sin embargo, lo hacía, pero antes observaba si había en aquella labor alguna cosa que estuviese bien, y por allí empezaba haciendo el elogio de aquello, diciendo que aquello estaba muy bien sólo que tenía este y este defecto, que, corregidos aquellos defectillos, sería una labor perfecta.

My father set me to work on every job available in his well-equipped little thread and textile factory. For a long time I and another young man were in charge of putting the finishing touches on the work of everyone else in the shop. Whenever we had to correct anyone, it upset me a great deal; yet I did my duty. I always tried to find something good to say about the piece of finished work. I would praise its good points, saying that this or that about it was very good but that it had such and such a defect and if these little defects were corrected, it would really be a perfect job.

I didn't know why I did things this way, but in time I came to see that it was the result of a special grace of kindness that the Lord had granted me. This is why the workers always took correction from me and mended their ways. My friend, however, who was a better worker than I but lacked this gift of kindness, always got upset when he had to correct anybody. He would scold the workers harshly and they would get angry, and often they wouldn't know what it was they were supposed to correct. I learned from this that everyone, even the rudest people, should be treated kindly and affably and that much more may be gained by kindness than by harshness and irritability. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 33-34.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

CLARET, Saint Anthony Mary. Autobiography.

PARIS, Venerable María Antonia. Autobiography

 US Conference of Catholic Bishops, usccb.org

 SAGRADA BIBLIA, Versión oficial de la Conferencia episcopal española.

Comentario al Nuevo Testamento. La Casa de la Biblia.