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Opening Prayer
Keep your family, O Lord,
The Readings (alternate)
Jeremiah 18:18-20; Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16; Matthew 20:17-28
In His Steps - A Lenten Series
Today: Capernaum: Right through the Roof
Daily Meditation:
Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.
"The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
Today's Daily Reflection
by Eileen Burke-Sullivan
Jeremiah 18:18-20
The First reading from today's Mass, taken from the Book of Jeremiah, could be
the basis for the cynical saying that "no good deed goes unpunished." Jeremiah
has interceded with God and brought God's merciful response on Jerusalem. Now,
as he continues his prophetic work by challenging the people to live up to God's
demands upon them to care for the poor and to trust in God's promises, they seek
to destroy him by trapping him with his own words. This is a particularly vile
behavior because it is people who KNOW he is saying and doing the right things (
they have benefited from his intercession, after all, and they know it) – and
they still want to discredit him by twisting his own words. This is also a
particularly "modern" behavior. The "gotcha" mentality that many practice toward
political leaders, religious leaders and even ordinary folks is grounded in a
cynical conviction that no one really speaks the truth (as Pontius Pilate, the
patron of cynics, said in this paradigmatic question "What is truth?"). It is
also satisfying and entertaining to destroy other people's reputations. Ignatius
of Loyola offers an antidote to this mentality in Paragraph 23 of the spiritual
exercises which he calls a "presupposition." He offers it for those who make the
Spiritual Exercises to facilitate a trust-based sharing between the guide and
the exercitant, but the practice could make our world a far happier and safer
place if more Christians exercised it on an ordinary basis. In this paragraph
Ignatius calls on those working together toward God's grace to "put a good
interpretation on anything that is said, rather than to seek to condemn it." In
other words, assume that the other (whoever the other is) is trying his/her best
to speak the truth as he/she understands it, and help make the case for them.
The unspoken assumption is that none of us knows everything and we need to hear
(with open ears and minds) one another's insights if we want to pursue the
truth.
The Gospel from today's liturgy is a fascinating story of human interaction that
could offer days of reflection. Mark's Gospel reports this story with the two
disciples asking on their own behalf to hold special places of honor in Jesus'
kingdom. Today's reading from Matthew tells the story with the twist that the
mother of the sibling disciples asks. Matthew is not willing to cast a bad light
on the disciples, so he makes Mrs. Zebedee the source of the ambition (can't you
just imagine them standing behind their mother as she approaches Jesus?). But in
both accounts Jesus responds directly to the men by posing an interesting
challenge that many Catholics could listen well to today: "Can you drink the cup
that I am going to drink?" When I have distributed the Eucharist as a Communion
Minister over the years I have been struck by how many approach the Altar and
receive the Consecrated Bread, but pass up the "Cup of Salvation" doubtless for
a variety of reasons. To put the best interpretation upon this action one could
presume that the communicant is ill or coming down with an illness that might be
infectious for others. Or possibly the person has an allergy to wine or can't
drink alcohol for reasons of health and well-being or perhaps the person has a
compromised immune system and is fearful of "picking up a bug." Do these
genuinely good reasons account for nearly 60% of Catholics who receive
Communion, however?
It is possible that Catholics have simply not been catechized to the meaning and
importance of drinking from the Chalice as an act of communion with the Body of
Christ, head and members. It carries a slightly different symbolism from eating
the consecrated Eucharistic Bread, and thus, carries a slightly enlarged
sacramental meaning. There is clearly an Old Testament reference or number of
references, some of which imply the participation in enduring the consequences
of sin. Jesus' cup is the cup of the suffering of the created order caused by
the consequences of human sin through the centuries. The invitation to drink
Jesus' cup (not our own, by the way) is to participate in a particularly
intimate and absolute way with his work of repairing the consequences of sin for
others. It is a symbolic/real way of taking the suffering of the human community
into our own bodies through the power of the Spirit, and through that same
Spirit, to alleviate that suffering.
Now most of us are not particularly eager to deal with the suffering caused for
others by our own sins, much less take on the work of healing the suffering
caused by others' sins, and yet that above all is the "Mission" of Jesus Christ,
and therefore the Mission of His Disciples. By embracing the Chalice and
drinking of its contents, we say yes to the priestly work of Jesus that we
consented to in our Baptism in a way that is more complete than nearly any other
sacramental or spiritual activity we undertake.
One last thought: Jesus' Cup is also a cup of pure and eternal joy (which after
all is the best remedy for suffering it seems to me) for those who receive and
exercise the graces offered through receiving the Precious Blood. So sipping
from the Chalice at Mass is one of the most grace-filled, dangerous and
rewarding actions of the Christian life. In the end, it is important to remember
that none of us is going to get out of this life alive, so we might want to be
less frightened by germs and more attentive to the possibilities of transforming
grace at any time we participate in the Eucharist.
schooled always in good works,
and so comfort them with your protection here
as to lead them graciously to gifts on high.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Jesus is telling us about his Passion, Death and Resurrection - for us.
Too often we are fighting over which of us is the greatest.
To take this journey with him, is to take a journey
that draws us to be with him in it and like him:
a servant of love for others.
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Theology Department, Creighton University
Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
Matthew 20:17-28
Preface for Meditation
The Bible is a living testimony of some of the greatest calls in history. When we
think of these calls we immediately think of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, the
prophets, and others whom God called into his service. We would like to explore
three calls in particular, which the bible highlights.
The first call we would like to explore is the call of Moses. We read in the book
of Exodus that when God called Moses, the Israelites had been enslaved for over
four hundred years. Yet even in the midst of their despair, their trials, and
their sufferings, God did not forget his people. God chose Moses to deliver his
people from the bonds of the Egyptians. Yet how did God call Moses? One day,
while tending his father-in-law's sheep, God appeared to Moses in the form of a
burning bush and called him to deliver his people. Yet Moses, even though he saw
the miracle before him, was reluctant. Moses did not listen to God at first. He
tried to evade God's call to him. Moses told God that he was incapable of
accomplishing the feat of delivering the Israelites from the hands of the
Egyptians. To that God responded, "I will be with you."
Again, Moses tried to evade God's call by saying that the Israelites would not
believe him. To that God allowed Moses to perform signs as proof-the ability to
turn his staff into a snake, to turn his hand leprous, and to make the water of
the Nile turn to blood." Even still, Moses tried to evade God's call by saying
that he was not eloquent and that he was "slow of speech and slow of tongue." In
other words, Moses, the greatest prophet of the Old Testament had a speech
impediment. To that, God told Moses that he would give him the words to speak to
Pharaoh and even allowed Moses to bring along his brother Aaron. Finally, Moses
relented and accepted God's call. God's call to Moses was quite dramatic and
came to Moses when he was about eighty years old.
Even if we heard God’s call several times in our life, our reasons are
unaccepted to hear his calls, but now God is saying to us that (1) I will be
with you (2) I will give you the God’s signs (3) I will allow you to be
strengthen in your voice and take your brothers for achieving God’s plan. We
will relent and accept God’s call.
Let us listen to God’s call and accept His call during this Great Lent.
Be ready to hear the “Second call” on next day – God bless us all
Bible Reading Passages:
Evening
Morning
Gospel Readings: Luke 9:44-50 (KJV)
Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be
delivered into the hands of men.
But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they
perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him
by him,
And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth
me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that
is least among you all, the same shall be great.
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy
name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is
for us.
And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto
him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;
but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to
go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach
the kingdom of God.
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid
them farewell, which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you
the kingdom.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old,
a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth,
neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will
return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open
unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find
watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them
to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and
find them so, blessed are those servants.
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the
thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to
be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye
think not. Bible Verse of the Day: Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes
me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least
among you all—he is the greatest." St. Luke 9:48
Intercessions:
Let us give thanks to God, our Father:
Help us to receive good things from your bounty with a deep sense of gratitude;
Closing Prayer:
God of Love,
May the Lord bless us,
Source: Portions from: Creighton University Praying Lent
by Prince Mathew
(Read all Gospels during the Great Lent)
through the power of the Spirit he purifies our heart and strengthens us in
love. Let us humbly ask him:
Lord, give us your Holy Spirit.
-and to accept with patience the evil that comes to us.
Teach us to be loving not only in great and exceptional moments,
-but above all in the ordinary events of daily life.
May we abstain from what we do not really need,
-and help our brothers and sisters in distress.
May we bear the wounds of your Son,
-for through his body he gave us life.
through this Lenten journey,
purify my desires to serve you.
Free me from any temptations to judge others,
to place myself above others.
Please let me surrender even my impatience with others,
that with your love and your grace,
I might be less and less absorbed with myself,
and more and more full of the desire
to follow you, in laying down my life
according to your example.
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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