Father is merciful

Thursday 9^th September

LUKE 6:27-38
(1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13; Psalm 139)
KEY VERSE: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (v 36).

A Jotting from ‘A Harmony of the Gospels’,

§                    A disciple in the Garden of Gethsemane cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant according to all four Gospels.

§                    But only John tells us the servant's name,

§                    and that it was Peter who wielded the sword.

§                    And only Luke tells us that Jesus healed the wound.

The Harmony, parallel columns, allows us to see all of this at a glance.

Commentary of the day : 

Saint Isaac the Syrian (7th Century), monk near Mosul 
Ascetical discourses, 1st series, no. 81 (DDB 1981, p. 395) 

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful"

       Make no attempt to draw distinctions between the worthy and the unworthy. In your eyes let all be equal, to love and serve. In this way you can lead all to what is good. Didn't our Lord sit at table with publicans and prostitutes without rejecting those who were unworthy? Even so should you grant the same blessings and honours to unbelievers and murderers in that they, too, are your brothers since they share in the one, human nature. Here, my son, is the commandment I give you: that mercy should always weigh down your scales until you come to feel within yourself the mercy that God feels towards the world.

         How can we tell when our heart has attained purity? When we regard all others as good without anyone seeming to us to be impure and defiled. Then, in truth, are we pure of heart (Mt 5,8)...

What is this purity? In brief, it is to have a heart of mercy towards the whole world.

And what is mercifulness of heart? 
It is the fire that enflames it for all creation, men, birds, beasts, demons, for all created things. 
Whenever he thinks about them or considers them, a man feels his eyes fill with tears out of a deep, an intense pity constricting his heart and making him unable to bear, hear or see the least harm or affliction endured by any creature. 
That is why prayer accompanied by tears reaches out at all times just as much over beings without speech as over enemies of the truth or those who harm him, to keep them and purify them. 
An immense and limitless compassion is born in the heart after the image of God.
Biblos Com

<< Luke 6:36 >>

Text Analysis Luke 6:36 Greek Study Bible (Apostolic / Interlinear) Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες καθῶς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν. KJV with Strong's  Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful Latin: Biblia Sacra Vulgataestote ergo misericordes sicut et Pater vester misericors est Greek Transliteration Strong's Morphology English Γίνεσθε ginesthe 1096 V-PMM-2P become you οἰκτίρμονες oiktirmones 3629 A-NPM merciful καθῶς kathōs 2531 ADV just ὁ o 3588 T-NSM πατὴρ patēr 3962 N-NSM Father ὑμῶν umōn 5216 P-2GP of you οἰκτίρμων oiktirmōn 3629 A-NSM merciful ἐστίν estin 2076 V-PAI-3S is

Thomas Merton Entering the Silence

"Seeing your own thought objectified in the mirror of another makes you return with greater profit to your own mirror" [Merton p352]. Dear, William, You have just opened to me a window to the seven volumes of the Thomas Merton Journals. Sparking and sizzling wires come alive at a touch in Mertons writing. I am ashamed like the bus man on holiday, or the monk in solitude, the seven volumes of the Journals of Merton are opened for this first time – and thrilled at the discovered, or rather thanks to your uncovering the rich seem of gold. The secret of Merton is to open the associations and links to everything. As expressed in the quote above. As in the discussion about Luke 6:5 we feel the unwinding power of some simple word of Scripture. “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” words unfold to “Son of Man” / “Lord” / “Sabbath” into open our thought “objectified in the mirror of another in great profit in our own mirror. Seeing the Christological powerful light reflecting in our darkness. For the moment the magic of Merton oils the grinding wheels. Below, the content from the boot dust jacked of “Entering the Silence” of Merton, serves to prime me into the amazing Mertonia. Yours ... Donald ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: William J ….> To: Donald ….> Sent: Mon, 6 September, 2010 9:44:57 Subject: Sabbath - "the interior life of God" Dear Father Donald, I was struck by an amazing perspective in Thomas Merton's 2nd journal, "Entering the Silence", p 354, written by him as he contemplated St. John's Gospel, chapter 5:43, "What is implied by the expression "in the name of my Father?" Jesus came to us having nothing of His own. Not merely did He have nowhere to rest His head, not only was He poor on earth, but He explains that the very fact of His divine generation means that He has absolutely nothing of Himself and yet He is everything. In this same chapter Jesus defended Himself against the charge of violating the Sabbath by explaining that He lived in the very heart of the Sabbath, which is the interior life of God, where "The Father works and I work [5:17]" and that "the Son cannot do anything of Himself, but what He seeth the Father doing [5:19]."" ___________________________________________________ PS. There is a marvellous entry in the journal on the meaning of Scripture [p 349]: "Merely to set down some of the communicable meanings that can be found in a passage of Scripture is not to exhaust the true meaning or value of that passage. Every word that comes from the mouth of God is nourishment that feeds the soul with eternal life. Everywhere there are doors and windows opened into the same eternity, and the most powerful communication of Scripture is the engrafted word, the secret and inexpressible seed of contemplation planted in the depths of our soul and awakening it with an immediate and inexpressible contact with the Living Word, that we may adore Him in Spirit and in Truth."  ___________________________________________________ PPS. One comment from the journal tells me why TM's intimate writings are so attractive.... "Seeing your own thought objectified in the mirror of another makes you return with greater profit to your own mirror" [p352]. One Sabbath day's journey, ….  in Our Lord, William - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Journals of Thomas Merton / Volume 2: 1941-1952 / Patrick Hart O.C.S.O. General Editor. Entering the Silence. Becoming a Monk and Writer. Edited by Jonathan Montaldo. “Let me keep silence in this world, except in so far as God wills and in the way He wills it. Let me at least disappears into the writing I do. It should mean nothing special to me, not harm my recollection. The work could be a prayer; its results should not concern me.” (December 14, 1946). During his arduous days and nights in the silence of the monastery, the young Thomas Merton simultaneously advanced to priesthood and emerged as a surprising bestselling author when his spiritual autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, was published in 1948. Spanning the journal entries in an eleven year period from December 12, 1941, to July 5, 1952, Entering the Silence unfolds Merton's budding literary career and the development of his spiritual ideas in a uniquely personal literary style that would propel his writings into the mainstream. As the demands of his literary success rose, so did the tensions between remaining an observant monk and a talented, prolific writer. Faithful to both of these passions, Merton struggled with the requirements of daily monastic life while he continued to grace the world with his fresh observations and profound insights. This second volume in the Merton journals includes passionate descriptions of monastic life silence, chanting, farm work, the community of monks-and touchingly exhibits the young priest's edication to writing. "At work—writing--I am doing a little better. I mean, I am less tied up in it, more peaceful and detached. Taking one thing at a time and going over it slowly and patiently and forgetting the other jobs that have to take their turn." As Merton's talent as a writer blossomed, he eloquently reconciled his spiritual life with his writing life, drawing deep connections between the two. Long-awaited and endlessly fascinating, Merton's journals offer, as Henri Nouwen has noted, "a unique insight into the mind and heart of the most important spiritual writer of the twentieth century." THOMAS MERTON (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk, spiritual master, writer, and peace activist. His spiritual classics include New Seeds of Contemplation, The Sign of Jonas, Mystics and Zen Masters, and The Seven Storey Mountain. JONATHAN MONTALDO writes and lectures extensively on Thomas Merton and is an adviser to the Merton Seasonal Review. Religion / Spirituality "The trick is always to find the spiritual deeply embedded in this world, and to discover our own eternal dimensions in the midst of our foibles, failures, and sometimes neurotic idiosyncrasies. We have no better guide in these things than Merton, and you couldn't ask for a more lively writer.” Thomas Moore June 19, 1947 I think God does not want me to write any more the way I have written before--taking an idea and working it out in cold blood .... If God gives me something directly and spontaneously about Himself, I will write it. Otherwise I will keep quiet. That means no more volumes of poetry for a long time perhaps, and it may mean little or no variety, and it might mean complete silence. However, I see nothing for me to write that is not simply a song about His Love and about contemplation. Everything else bores and fatigues me and dries me up. I’ll write what God gives me, not as a writer, but as a lover of God and for Him alone. Then, if He wants it printed, He can take it and print it. --from Entering the Silence Book Cover. Harper Collins 1995

Mount Saint Bernard Visit

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Nivard ....>
To: donald ....>
Sent: Tue, 7 September, 2010 20:06:27
Subject: Nativity of Our Lady

,,,

Mass.

   The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady marks the beginning of the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God.
   Since we are sons of Our Lady, on this day, we can ask of her for special graces. Many mystics, who had visions of Our Lady, said that, on her feast days, she visits Purgatory. There she releases a great number of souls, whom she takes back with her to Heaven. What happens with the Church Suffering, gives us an idea of what takes place with the Church Militant. On a feast, like today, her grace envelops us, and gains innumerable favours for us.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -  

After community Mass, Fr. Nivard set off for the National Express and travel to Mount Saint Bernard. It will be a time to meet up with the other Bamenda (Cameroon) monks at present at MSB for much needed medical care.

Nivard was, as it were, bearing gifts in the form of a large guitar. No doubt it will contribute therapy to the patients.

Apostles Twelve

Tuesday, September 7 LUKE 6:12-19. 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. MASS Intro: The Gospel today is in three movements. 1. Jesus departed to the mountain to spend the night to pray to God. 2. The calling of the Apostles. Only Luke is the one to call the disciples the Apostles, the Twelve. 3. Hoard of follows for healing – only to touch Jesus or his garments. If we ask again what is the link of the 2 Readings. St. Paul, 1 Cor. 6:1-6, might stump us to connect. If the three parts of the Gospel we see Jesus building, bonding, combining … St. Paul, by antithesis, turns the light search to the opposite, disjointing, disjunction, destruction. Every need for our Mass is to enter the spirit of the Penitential Rite. “I Confess … .” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jesus departed to the mountain to spend the night to pray to God. Silence of the Eyes Silence of the Ears Silence of Mouths Silence of our Minds In the silence of heart, God will speak. Bl. Teresa of Calcutta. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LISTS OF APOSTLES. Synoptics and Acts Matthew: First, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. [Matt 10:2-4]  Mark: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. [Mk 3:16-19] Luke: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. [Lk 6:13-16] Acts of the Apostles: Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. [Acts 1:13]

A Table for further study ...

LISTS OF APOSTLES. Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles (NAB)
Matthew: First, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;  Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. [Matt 10:2-4]	Mark: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and   Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. [Mk 3:16-19]	Luke:  Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. [Lk 6:13-16]	Acts Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.  [Acts 1:13]

Durham Martyrs?

Lord of the Sabbath Saturday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time 4th Sept St. Cuthbert Memorial First Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15. “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (15). Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 6:1-5. "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath." (5) The Gospel this morning is “The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.” This is another Sabbath controversy on the Pharisees and disciples plucking the corn on Sabbath. In the great book of Benedict xvi, “Jesus  of Nazareth”, has a fine section on “The Dispute Concerning the Sabbath” (p.106ff). (The Audio Version unabridged Book is helpful to the partial sighted). I don’t quote from that book. There is sufficient from Jesus words, “The Son of Man is Lord  κύριος  of the Sabbath”. I am come to punctuate the clause: “The Son of Man is Lord, ... of the Sabbath.” And endorse, 'Christ is the Sabbath'. Another perspective!.’Christ is Rest’, Sabbath is Christ.’ Instead of the nitpicking about Pharisees and disciples plucking, Christ is at the centre. Looking for the connection of the two Readings, St. Paul is seen contending with the wayward Corinthians, 1Cor. 4:6-15. The itinerant preacher is translated as the “spiritual hobo” (astatoumen). His severe words yield to his affection for the hearers, “I became your father in Christ” (15). The two Readings, Luke and Paul, centred ON Christ, IN Christ. [Son of Man is Lord (of the Sabbath): Like Matt 12:8, Luke omits the prior statement about Sabbath being made for humans in Mark 2:27. He also omits the emphatic “even” (kai) in Mark. Nor does he have the "for" (gar) of Matthew, which makes the Christological point more explicit. His conclusion is no less emphatic, however for being abrupt. For the Son of Man and his exousia, see note on 5:24. (The Gospel of Luke, Sacra Pagina, L.T. Johnson p.102)] See blow: Benedict xvi, ‘Concerning the Sabbath.’   ------------------------------------------------------------ Today is the Memorial of Saint Cuthbert of Durham. Durham Cathedral is dedicated as the Church of Christ, Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Cuthbert. The Missal fails to name St. Cuthbert. Another Memorial failed is that of the Durham (Dunbar) Martyrs.Checking from Wikipedia: Durham Cathedral (Oliver Cromwell) After the Battle of Dunbar, September 3, 1650, Durham Cathedral was used by Oliver Cromwell as a makeshift prison to hold Scottish prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that as many as 3,000 were imprisoned of whom 1,700 died in the cathedral itself, where they were kept in inhumane conditions, largely without food, water or heat. The prisoners destroyed much of the cathedral woodwork for firewood but Prior Castell's clock, which featured the Scottish thistle, was spared. The prisoners' bodies were buried in unmarked graves. The survivors were shipped as slave labour to North America. In 1946 during work to install a new central heating system for the University, a mass grave of the Scottish soldiers was uncovered. In 1993 the Scottish Covenanter's Memorials Association discussed with the Cathedral the construction of a memorial to the soldiers, but this was inconclusive. Towards the end of 2007 a campaign was launched to commemorate the Dunbar Martyrs. Among the aims of the campaigners are to gain a Christian blessing for the dead and a memorial at the Cathedral burial site. Exhumation of the remains and reburial in Scotland is also under consideration. ----------------------------------------------------- From, “Jesus of Nazareth”, Benedict XVI, ‘The Dispute Concerning the Sabbath’, pp. 108-109. ‘…For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath’ (Mt l2:5-8). Neusner comments: "He [Jesus] and his disciples may do on the Sabbath what they do because they stand in the place of the priests in the Temple; the holy place has shifted, now being lormd by the circle made up of the master and his disciples" (pp. 83f:). At this point we need to pause for a moment in order to see what the Sabbath meant for Israel. This will also help us to understand what is at stake in this dispute. Cod rested on the seventh day, as the creation account in Genesis tells us. Neusner rightly concludes that on that day we ... celebrate creation" (p. 74). He then adds: "Not working on the Sabbath stands for more than nitpicking ritual. It is a way of imitating God (p. 75). The Sabbath is therefore not just a negative matter of nor engaging in outward activities, but a positive matter of "resting” which must also he expressed in a spiritual dimension: "So to keep the Sabbath, one remains at home. It is not enough merely not to work. One also has to rest. And resting means, re-forming one day a week the circle of family and household, everyone at home and in place" (p. 80). The Sabbath is not just a matter of personal piety; it is the core of the social order. This day "makes eternal Israel what it is, the people that, like God in creating the world, rest from creation on the Seventh Day" (p. 74). We could easily stop here to consider how salutary it would also be for our society today if families set aside one day a week to stay together and make their home the dwelling place and the fulfilment of communion in God's rest. But let us forgo such reflections here and remain with the dialogue between Jesus and Israel, which is also inevitably a dialogue between Jesus and us and between us and the Jewish people of today. For Neusner, the key word rest, understood as an integral clement of the Sabbath, is the connecting link to Jesus' exclamation immediately prior to the story of the disciples plucking the cars of wheat in Matthew's Gospel. It is the so-called Messianic Jubelreuf (joyful shout), which begins as follows: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes" (Mt. 11:25-30). We are accustomed to considering these as two totally distinct texts. The first one speaks of Jesus' divinity, the other of the dispute surrounding the Sabbath. When we read Neusner, we realize that the two texts arc closely related, for in both cases the issue is the mystery of Jesus--the "Son of Man" of the "Son" par excellence. The verses immediately preceding the Sabbath narrative read as follows: "Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Mt ]]:28-30). This is usually interpreted in terms of the idea of the liberal Jesus, that is, moralistically, Jesus' liberal understanding of the Law makes for a less burdensome life than "Jewish legalism." This interpretation is not very convincing in practice, though, for following Christ is not comfortable--and Jesus never said it would be, either.

Fisher of Souls

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 5:1-11.

---- Forwarded Message ----
From: Nivard ...>
To: ..donald...>
Sent: Thu, 2 September, 2010 10:26:04
Subject: Me, Fisher of Souls??

Mass Introduction, 22nd Thursday 2010

Fishers of Men

  "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men".


This incident tells us an important truth about how God works in and through each of us for his glory. God expects of us greater things than we can do by ourselves.  When we cooperate in his works, we accomplish far beyond what we can do on our own.

Therese of Lisieux wrote to a friend: "..Jesus has so tremendous a love for us that he wills that we have a share with him in the salvation of souls. He wills to do nothing without us. The Creator of the universe awaits the prayer of a little soul, to save other souls redeemed, like it, at the price of his precious Blood."  

 

Prayer

    Almighty God, every good thing comes from you. Fill our hearts with love of you, increase our faith, and by your constant care, protect the good you have given us.                      

    We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

 

Bidding Prayer:

 

Father, fill our hears with love and compassion for those who do not know you or follow you.

     We ask this through Christ our Lord.

 

                             Let us pray

Prayer after Communion

  

      Lord, you renew us at your table with the bread of life. May this food strengthen us in love and help us to serve you in each other.  

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

 

Mother Regina ocso - Hijacked

Nigeria
Mother Regina - Hijacked

Friday, 27 August 2010 18:19

On Mother Regina’s return trip from Nigeria on August 19th after assisting at two Visitations, visiting the third Community and spending a few days with her own Community and family, she had a most grueling experience.

Traveling on a fourteen passenger public transportation vehicle from Enugu to Abuja to catch the plane for Rome, they were hijacked about four hours into an eight hour trip. About 11.00 AM, a large Peugeot car with dark windows stopped in front of the bus and six armed men shooting in the air, demanded entry into the bus; severely beat the driver and threw him, literally, into the back of the bus. A hijacker drove the bus on to a side road, was waved through two police check points and travelled for about an hour until they were stuck in the mud. Meanwhile the hijackers went through the bus taking the passengers money and valuables. At that point all were ordered off the bus. Each was thoroughly searched and everything of value was taken from them. Mother Regina’s passport and soggiorno fell to the ground from her purse. She was able to retrieve them unnoticed. All the baggage was taken from the bus, opened and the contents strewn around in search for valuables. Mother Regina was with another Sister who happened to be on the bus. As the passengers were being herded deeper into the woods one of the robbers who spoke Igbo, Mother Regina’s language, beckoned the nuns and two young law students to go into a wooded area while the rest went on. (Two days later there still was no information concerning the passengers marched into the woods.) After waiting in the woods for a couple hours Regina and her three companions went back to the place where all the belongings were strewn and gathered what they could and started in the direction of the main road, carrying her positions on her head, in the pouring rain. Some local villagers met them but were hostile toward them. They received a couple of short rides but anyone who offered a ride wanted money up-front and they had none. They were warned by one person who gave them a ride and a bit of money that they must get out of the territory before night-fall, or else. With it still raining, Mother Regina collapsed when they reached the highway. Her companions revived her with some water from a passerby. They flagged a bus of the same company who would only give them a ride when they produced their tickets from the bus that was hijacked. It was 11:30 PM when Mother Regina reached a convent where she had stayed the week before. Everything was locked. Fortunately a priest retreatant was out late and brought her inside the compound and with his cell phone finally woke the Sister in charge who came and cared for Mother Regina.

The first thing the robbers had done was take all the cell phones. Mother Regina’s Prioress phoned Regina’s number about 4:00 PM when Regina should have been at the airport. A very gruff masculine voiced responded, “Your church person is lost”. Regina’s family also tried to phone her and received the message that the owner of this phone had been killed! This caused great consternation. Especially considering the family’s history that Regina’s younger brother had been shot dead in an armed robbery about eight years before in almost the same spot. Then two months ago another of her brothers was dragged from his truck and severally beaten because he could not produce sufficient money. He has still not been able to return to work.

The Sisters at the retreat house were very good to Mother Regina; loaning money; giving her first-aid medical care. KLM was very efficient and took a personal interest – at a price – in getting Mother Regina to Rome Sunday morning at 9:05 via Lagos. Mother Regina has entered the usual flow of the Viale Africa Community. Whatever will assist her to integrate her experience will be available to her. Let us thank the Lord for protecting Mother Regina’s life and pray for the other victims and that the hijackers can find a new vision of life.

Five days later, the hijackers continue to phone the numbers on Mother Regina’s cell phone demanding that a ransom be paid.  The caller does not realize that she has escaped!  It must have been very disturbing for the nuns and her family to continue receiving such calls.  It was only with great difficulty that they were finally able to have the number cancelled.

From Generalate Rome: www.ocso.org