LectioDivina 202110 (EN)

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Lectio Divina
October 2021
Friday, October 1, 2021 3

Saturday, October 2, 2021 5
Sunday, October 3, 2021 7
Monday, October 4, 2021 13
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 16
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 18
Thursday, October 7, 2021 20
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Friday, October 1, 2021
Ordinary Time
St. Therese of Lisieux
Opening Prayer
Father,
you show your almighty powerin your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promise and come to share in the joys of
your kingdom.
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.
Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 13-16

Jesus said: 'Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you
had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in
sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the
Judgement than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be raised high as
heaven? You shall be flung down to hell.
'Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those
who reject me reject the one who sent me.'
Reflection
The Gospel today continues speaking about the sending out of the seventy-two
disciples (Lk 10: 1-12). At the end, after sending them out, Jesus speaks about shaking off
the dust from their shoes if the missionaries are not welcomed or accepted (Lk 10: 10-12).
Today's Gospel stresses and extends the threats upon those who refuse to receive the
Good News.
• Luke 10: 13-14: Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! The place which Jesus
travelled or covered in the three years of his missionary life was small. It measuresonly
a few square kilometers along the Sea of Galilee around the cities of Capernaum,
Bethsaida, and Chorazin. In precisely this very small space Jesus works the majority
of his miracles and presents his discourses. He has come to save the whole of
humanity, and He hardly went out of the limited space of his land. But, tragically,
Jesus had to seethat the people of those cities do not want to accept the message
of the Kingdom and are not converted. The cities fixed themselves in the rigidity of
their beliefs, traditions and customs and they do not accept the invitation of Jesus
to change their life. Alas for you, Chorazin; Alas for you Bethsaida! For if the miracle
done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes". Jesus compares the two cities with Tyre and Sidon
which in the past were unyielding enemies of Israel, ill-treating the people of God.
For this reason they were cursed by the Prophets: (Is 23: 1; Jr 25: 22; 47, 4; Ez 26: 3; 27:
2; 28: 2; Jl 4: 4; Am 1: 10). And now Jesus says that these same cities, symbols of all the
evil done to the peoplein the past, would have already converted if so many miracles
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would have been workedin them as in Chorazin and in Bethsaida.
• Luke 10: 15: And you Capernaum. "Did you want to be raised high as Heaven? You
shall be flung down to hell. Jesus recalls the condemnation which Isaiah, the
Prophet launched against Babylonia. Proud and arrogant, Babylonia thought: "I
shall scale the heavens; higher than the stars of God I shall set my throne. I shall sit
on the Mount of the Assembly far away to the north. I shall climb high above the
clouds, I shall rival the Most High" (Is 14: 13-14). That is what it thought! But it
completely deceived itself! The contrary happened. The Prophet says: "Now you
have been flung down to Sheol, into the depths of the abyss!" (Is 14: 15). Jesus
compares Capernaum with that terrible Babylonia which destroyed the monarchy
and the temple and took the people as slaves,from which it never recovered. Like
Babylonia, Capernaum thought it was something important, but it fell into the most
profound hell. The Gospel of Matthew compares Capernaum with the city of Sodom,
the symbol of the worse perversion, which was destroyed by God's anger (Gen 18: 16
to 19: 29). Sodom would have converted if it had seen the miracles which Jesus
worked in Capernaum (Mt 11: 23-24). Today, the same paradox continues to exist.
Many of us, Catholics since we were children, have such consolidated convictions
that nobody is capable of converting us. In some places, Christianity, instead of
being a source of change and of conversion, has become the refuge of the most
reactionary forces of politics of the country.
• Luke 10: 16: "Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects
me. And those who reject me reject the one who has sent me". This phrase places
the accent on the identification of the disciples with Jesus, in so far as He is despised
by the authorities. In Matthew the same phrase of Jesus, placed in another context,
underlines the identification of the disciples with Jesus accepted by the people (Mt
10, 40). In both cases, the disciples identify themselves with Jesus as total gift, and
through this gift realize their encounter with God, that God allows himself to be
found by those who seek him.
Personal Questions
• Does my city and my country deserve the warning of Jesus against Capernaum,
Corazin, and Bethsaida?
• How do I identify myself with Jesus?
Concluding Prayer
Protect me, O God, in you is my refuge.To Yahweh I say,
'You are my Lord, my happiness is in none.'
My birthright, my cup is Yahweh;
you, you alone, hold my lot secure. (Ps 16: 1-2, 5)
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Saturday, October 2, 2021
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father,
you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promiseand come to share in the joys of
your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and
Gospel Reading - Matthew 18:1-5, 10

At this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
Heaven?'
So He called a little child to Him whom He set among them. Then He said, 'In truth I tell
you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the
kingdom of Heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the
greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. 'Anyone who welcomes one little child like thisin
my name welcomes me.
"See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels are
continually in the presence of my Father in heaven."
Reflection
Today's Gospel presents a text taken from the Discourse of the Community (Mt 18: 1-35),
in which Matthew gathers together some phrases of Jesus to help the communitiesof
the first century to overcome the two problems which they had to face at that moment:
the leaving or going away of the little ones because of the scandal caused by some (Mt
18: 1-14) and the need for dialogue to overcome the internal conflicts (Mt 18: 15-35).
The discourse of the Community treats several themes: the exercise of power in the
community (Mt 18: 1-4), the scandal that excludes the little ones (Mt 18: 5-11), the
obligation to struggle to bring back the little ones, for their return (Mt 18: 12-14),
fraternal correction (Mt 18: 15-18), prayer (Mt 18: 19-20), and pardon (Mt 18: 21-35). The
accent is placed on acceptance and on reconciliation because the basis of fraternity is
the gratuitous love of God which accepts us and forgives us. It is only in this way that the
community will be a sign of the Kingdom.
In today's Gospel we meditate on the part that speaks about the acceptance of the little
ones. The expression, the little ones, or the least, does not only refer to children, but
rather to persons who are not important in society, including children. Jesus asks that
the little ones be at the center of the concern of the community, because "The Father
does not want any of these little ones to be lost" (Mt 18: 14).
• Matthew 18: 1: The question of the disciples which results in the teaching of Jesus.
The disciples want to know who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. The
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simple fact of asking this question indicates that they have not understood the
message of Jesus well. The response of Jesus and the whole discourse of the
community serves to make us understand that among the followers of Jesus the
spirit of service, dedication to pardon, reconciliation, and gratuitous love, without
seeking one's own interest, has to be a priority.
• Matthew 18: 2-5: the fundamental criterion; the one who makes himself as little as this
child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. "Then Jesus called to himself a child
and placed him in the middle;” the disciples want a reference point so as to be able
to measure the importance of persons in the community. Jesus responds that it is
the little ones! Children are not important in society; they do not belong to the world
of the great.The disciples, instead of growing towards the heights and toward the
center, should grow down and toward the periphery! In this way they will be the
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven! And the reason for this is the following: "anyone
who welcomes one little child like this, in my name, welcomes me!" The love of Jesus
for the little onescannot be explained. The children have no merit; they are loved by
their parents because they are children, not because of their position or ability or
power. This is a pure gratuitous love of God which is manifested here and which can
be imitated in the community of those who believe in Jesus.
• Matthew 18: 6-9: Do not scandalize the little ones. The Gospel today omits verses 6
to 9 and continues in verse 10. We give a brief key for the reading of these verses
from 6 to 9. To scandalize the little ones means to be a reason for the loss of their
faith in God and abandonment from the community. The excessive insistence on
the norms and observance, as some Pharisees did, caused the little ones to go away,
because they no longer found the liberty that Jesus had brought. Before this,
Matthew keeps very strong phrases from Jesus, such as the one of the mill stone put
around the neck, and the other one, "Alas for those who cause scandal!" This is a sign
that at that time the little ones no longer identified themselves with the community
and looked for another refuge. And today? In Brazil alone, every year, approximately
one million persons abandon the historical churches and go to the Pentecostal
ones. And these are the poor who do this. They leave because the poor and the little
ones do not feel at home in their house! What is the reason? To avoid this scandal,
Jesus orders to cut off the foot or the hand and take out the eye. These affirmations
of Jesus cannot be taken literally. They mean that it is necessary to be very
demanding in the struggle against scandal which drives away the little ones. It
means to remove those things in our actions and ways thatdrive the little ones away.
The hand, foot and eye were the mechanisms for action then. Today we have many
more ways to perform actions and to interact with each other. We cannot in any way
allow that the little ones feel marginalized in our community because in this case, the
community would not be a sign of the Kingdom of God. It would not belong to Jesus
Christ. It would not be Christian.
• Matthew 18: 10: The angels of the little ones are always in the presence of the Father.
"See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in
Heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in Heaven". Today we
sometimes hear the question, "But, do the angels exist or not? Perhaps they are an
element of the Persian culture, where the Jews lived for long centuries during the
Babylonian exile?” It is possible. But this is not the important thing or the principal
aspect. In the Bible the angel has a different significance. There are texts which
speak about the Angel of Yahweh or of the Angel of God and then suddenly they
speak of God. They exchange one for the other (Gen 18: 1-2. 9, 10, 13, 16: cf. Gen 13: 3,
18). In the Bible the angel is the face of Yahweh turned toward us. The face of God
turned toward me and toward you! It is the expression of the most profound
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conviction of ourfaith, that God is with us and with me - always! It is a way of making
God's love concrete in our life, even up to the smallest detail.
Personal Questions
• Are the little ones accepted in our community? Do the poorest people participate in
our community?
• The angels of God, our Guardian Angel, and many times the angel of God, is the
person who helps another person. Are there many angels in your life?
Concluding Prayer
Lord, you created my inmost self,
knit me together in my mother's womb. For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I,
and all your works are wonders. (Ps 139: 13-14)
Sunday, October 3, 2021

27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Mark 10: 2-16
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that
You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written
in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events
of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross, that seemed to be the end of all hope,
became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in creation and in the scriptures,
in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so
that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the forceof
Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of
fraternity, justice, and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us
the Father and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
Reading
A Key to the Reading:
In the text of today’s liturgy, Jesus gives advice concerning the relationship between
wife and husband and between mothers and children. In those days, many people
wereexcluded and marginalized. For instance, in the relationship between husband and
wife,male domination prevailed. The wife did not have equal rights with the husband. In
theirrelationship with the children, the “little” ones, there might be a “scandal” that
could cause the children to lose their faith (Mark 9: 42). In the relationship between
husband and wife, Jesus commanded the greatest equality. In the relationship
between mothers and children, He commanded the greatest warmth and tenderness.
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A Division of the Text as an Aid to Reading:
• Mark 10: 2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce;

• Mark 10: 3-9: Discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning divorce;
• Mark 10: 10-12: Conversation between Jesus and the disciples concerning divorce;
• Mark 10: 13-16: Jesus commands warmth and tenderness between adults and
children.
The Text:
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his
wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command
you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss
her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this
commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father andmother and be joined to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore,
what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the
disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his
wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her
husband and marries another, she commits adultery." And people were bringing
children to him thathe might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus
saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not
prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not acceptthe kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he
embraced them and blessedthem, placing his hands on them.
A Moment of Prayerful Silence
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
Some Questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
• What was the point that you liked best and which most drew your attention?
• How does the wife’s position appear in the text?
• How did Jesus wish the relationship between husband and wife to be?
• What concerned the people who brought their children to Jesus?
• What was Jesus’ reaction?
• What practical teaching can we draw from the children?
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A Key to the Reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the theme.
Comment
• Mark 10: 2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce

The Pharisees are crafty. They put Jesus to the test: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce
his wife?” This shows that Jesus held a different opinion from that of the Pharisees,
ofwhom this question was never asked. They do not ask whether it is lawful for the
wife to divorce her husband. This never crossed their minds. This is a clear sign of
strong male domination and of marginalization of the wife in the social life of the
times.
• Mark 10: 3-9: Jesus’ reply: a man cannot divorce his wife
Instead of replying, Jesus asks, “What did Moses command you?” The Law allowed
a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send the wife away (Deut 24: 1). This law
illustrates the domination of the male. The husband could divorce his wife, but the
wifedid not have the same right. Jesus explains that Moses acted thus because of the
hardness of heart of the people. However, God’s intention was different when He
created humanbeings. Jesus goes back to the Creator’s intention (Gen 1: 27; 2: 24).
He denies the husband the right to divorce his wife. He establishes on earth the
obligation of the husband towards his wife and orders the greatest equality.
• Mark 10: 10-12: Equality between husband and wife
When they go home, the disciples question Jesus again concerning this matter of
divorce. Jesus draws conclusions and reaffirms equality of rights and duties
between husband and wife. Matthew’s Gospel (cf. Mt 19: 10-12) explains a question
put by the disciples concerning this theme. They say, “If this is how things are
between husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Perhaps they prefer not to get
married rather than get married without the privilege of dominating the wife. Jesus
goesdeeper into the matter. He presents three cases when a person may not get
married: (1) impotence, (2) castration, and (3) for the sake of the Kingdom. However,
for a man not to get married because he does not wish to share equality with the
wife is inadmissible in the new law of love! Both marriage and celibacy have to be at
the service of the Kingdom and not at the service of selfish interests. Neither can be
a reason for keeping male domination of husband over wife. Jesus presents a new
type of relation between the two. It is not lawful in marriage for a man to dominate
the wife or vice versa.
• Mark 10: 13: The disciples prevent people from drawing near with their children.
Some people brought their children so that Jesus might caress them. The disciples
tried to prevent this. Why would they want to prevent this? The text does not tell us.
One possibility might be due to Jewish law. Chapter 15 of Leviticus is the basis for
the purity laws of the time during niddatah, which is a Hebrew word for “separation”
and a term used for menstruation. This rendered a woman of childbearing age
impure for 7 days each month, as well as those in physical contact with her, which
became an issue in families with children. Abnormal bleeding as well as childbirth
were included in this. Touching a woman in this state, or what she sat or had laid on,
caused ritual impurity until sunset. Even in recent times there was a saying that
“children should be seen and not heard.” They were seen as the least important and
influential in society.
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• Mark 10: 14-16: Jesus reprehends the disciples and welcomes the children
Jesus’ reaction teaches the opposite: “Let the children come to Me, do not hinder
them!” He embraces the children, welcomes them and blesses them. When it a
question of welcoming someone and promoting fraternity, Jesus is not worried
about the laws of purity; He is not afraid of transgressing the law. His gesture teaches
us that “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it!”
What does this sentence mean? 1) A child receives everything from his father. He
does not merit whathe receives; he lives in this gratuitous love. 2) Fathers receive
children as gifts from God and treat them with care. Fathers are not to be concerned
with holding dominion over their children, but with loving them and educating
them.
Added Information for a Better Understanding of the Text
• Jesus welcomes and defends the life of the little ones

On several occasions, Jesus insists on the welcome due to little ones, to children.
“Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in My name, welcomes Me” (Mark
9:37). “If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones
becausehe is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his
reward” (Matthew 10:42). He asked that no one despise the little ones (Matthew 18:10).
At the last judgment the just will be welcomed for having given food “to one of the
least of these brothers of Mine” (Matthew 25: 40).
In the Gospels the expression “little ones” (in Greek elachistoi, mikroi or nepioi).
Sometimes this means “children”, sometimes those excluded from society. It is not
easyto differentiate. Sometimes that which is “little” is the “child” and no one else. The
childbelongs to a category of “little”, of the excluded. Having said this, it is not easy
to distinguish what originates from the time of Jesus and what originates from the
communities when the Gospels were written. Taking this into consideration, we can
arrive at the context of exclusion that flourished at that time and the picture that
existed of Jesus in the first communities: Jesus takes the side of the little ones, of the
excluded,and takes on their defense. It is impressive when we look at all that Jesus
did in defense of the life of children, of the little ones.
• To welcome and not to scandalize.
This is one of Jesus’ hardest words against those who give scandal to little ones, that
is, those who are the reason for their disbelief in God. For these, it would be better if
a millstone were hung around their necks and thatthey throw themselves to the
bottom of the sea (Mark 9: 42; Luke 17: 2; Matthew 18: 6).
• To welcome and to touch.
The mothers with their children in their arms drew near to Jesus to ask for a blessing.
The apostles told them to go elsewhere. Jesus is not troubledas they are. He corrects
the disciples and welcomes the mothers and their children. He touches them and
embraces them. “Let the little children alone and let them come to Me; do not stop
them!” (Mark 10: 13-16; Matthew 19: 13-15).
• To identify oneself with the little ones.
Jesus identifies with the children. Whoever welcomes a child, “welcomes Me” (Mark
9: 37). “In so far as you did this to one of theleast of these brothers of Mine, you did it
to Me” (Matthew 25: 40).
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• To become a child once more.
Jesus asks that the disciples become children again and accept the kingdom like a
child. Failing that, it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10: 15; Matthew
18: 3; Luke 9: 46-48). Let the child be the teacher of the adult. This was not the norm.
We are used to the opposite.
• To defend the right of those who cry.
When Jesus entered the temple and upset the tablesof the money changers, it was
the children who cried. “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21: 15). Jesus was
criticized by the chief priests and the scribes, but He defended the children and in
their defense, He quotes Scripture (Mt 21: 16).
• To be thankful for the Kingdom present in children.
Great is Jesus’ joy when He hears that children, the little ones, have understood the
things of the Kingdom proclaimed tothe peoples. “I thank You Father!” (Mt 11:25-26)
Jesus recognizes that the little ones understand the things of the Kingdom better
than the doctors.
• To welcome and to care for.
Many are the children He welcomes, cares for or resurrects: the twelve year old
daughter of Jairus (Mk 5: 41-42), the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mk 7:
29-30), the son of the widow of Naim (Lk 7: 14-15) the youngepileptic (Mk 9: 25-26), the
son of the Centurion (Lk 7: 9-10), the son of the public administrator (Jn 4: 50), the
young lad with five loaves and two fishes (Jn 6: 9).
The Context of Our Text in Mark’s Gospel
Our text (Mk 10: 2-16) is part of a long instruction given by Jesus to His disciples (Mk 8:
27 to 10: 45). At the beginning of this instruction, Mark places the healing of the
anonymous blind man of Bethsaida in Galilee (Mk 8: 22-26); at the end, the healing of
the blind Bartimaeus of Jericho in Judea (Mk 10: 46-52). The two healings are symbolicof
what will take place between Jesus and His disciples. The disciples too were blind since
“they had eyes that do not see” (Mk 8: 18). They had to regain their sight; they hadto let
go of ideology that prevented them from seeing clearly; they had to accept Jesus as He
was and not as they wanted Him to be. This long instruction aims at curing the
blindness of the disciples. It is like a brief guide, a kind of catechism, using Jesus’ own
words. The following sequence shows the scheme of the instruction:
• The healing of a blind man 8: 22-26
• 1st proclamation 8: 27-38
• Teaching the disciples about the Servant Messiah 9: 1-29
• 2nd proclamation 9: 30-37
• Teaching the disciples about conversion 9: 38 to 10: 31
• 3rd proclamation 10: 32-45
• Healing of Bartimaeus the blind man 10: 46-52
As we can see, the teaching consists of three proclamations of the Passion Mk 8: 27-38;
9: 30-37; 10: 32-45. Between the first and second proclamation we have a series of
teachings to help us understand that Jesus is the Servant Messiah (Mk 9: 1-29). Between
the second and third proclamations we have a series of teachings that clarify the kind of
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conversions required at various levels of life in order to accept Jesus as the Servant
Messiah (Mk 9: 38 to 10: 31). The background of the teachings is the journey from Galilee
to Jerusalem. From the beginning to the end of this long instruction, Mark saysthat
Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem (Mk 8: 27; 9: 30, 33; 10: 1, 17, 32), where He will meet
the cross.
Each of the three proclamations concerning the Passion is accompanied by gestures
andwords of incomprehension on the part of the disciples (Mk 8: 32; 9: 32-34; 10: 32-37),
and by directives from Jesus, which comment on the lack of comprehension of the
disciples and teaches them how they must behave (Mk 8: 34-38; 9: 35-37; 10: 35-45). A
full understanding of Jesus’ teaching is not achieved only through theoretical
instruction, without any practical commitment, but by walking with Him on the journey
of service, from Galilee to Jerusalem. Those who wish to uphold Peter’s idea, that of a
glorious Messiah without the cross (Mk 8: 32-33), will understand nothing, nor will they
have the authentic attitude of willing disciples. They will go on being blind, seeing
people as trees (Mk 8: 24). Without the cross it is not possible to understand who Jesus
is and what it means to follow Jesus. The journey of the teaching is a journey of
surrender, of abandonment, of service, of availability and acceptance of the conflict,
knowing that there will be a resurrection. The cross is not a casual incident, up to a
certain point on the journey. Only love and service can be crucified! Whoever gives his
life in service for others suffers because he inconveniences those who snatch privileges.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, Climbing Calvary
The Lord is my shepherd,I shall not want;

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I fear no evil;
for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before mein the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;and I shall dwell in the
house of the Lord forever.
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the Word that has enabled us to understand the will of the
Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice what
Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to, but
also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy
Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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Monday, October 4, 2021
Opening Prayer
Father,
your love for us surpasses all our hopes and desires.Forgive our failings, keep us in your
peace and lead us in the way of salvation.

A lawyer stood up and, to test Jesus, asked, 'Master, what must I do to inherit eternal
life?' He said to him, 'What is written in the Law? What is your reading of it?' He replied,
'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' Jesus said to him, 'You
have answered right, do this and life is yours.' But the man was anxious to justify
himself and said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' In answer Jesus said, 'A man was
once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of bandits; they
stripped him, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened
to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the
other side.
In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him and passed by on the other
side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came on him was moved with compassion when he saw
him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He
then lifted him onto his own mount and took him to an inn and looked after him.
Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper and said, "Look
after him, and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have." Which of
these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the
bandits' hands?'
He replied, 'The one who showed pity towards him.' Jesus said to him, 'Go, and do the
same yourself.'
Reflection
The Gospel today presents the parable of the Good Samaritan. To mediate on a parable is
the same thing as to look deeper into our life to discover in it the call of God. In
describing the long journey of Jesus to Jerusalem (Lk 9, 51 to 19, 28), Luke helps the
communities to better understand what the Good News of the Kingdom consists of. He
does it by presenting persons who come to speak with Jesus and ask Him questions.
These are real questions from the people of the time of Jesus and they are also real
questions asked by the communities of the time of Luke. Thus, today in the Gospel, a
doctor of the law asks: "What should I do to inherit eternal life?" The response, both of
the doctor and that of Jesus, helps us to better understand the objective of the Law of
God.
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• Luke 10: 25-26: "What should I do to inherit eternal life?" A doctor, who knew the law
wants to test Jesus and asks him: "What should I do to inherit eternal life?" The
doctor thinks that he has to do something in order to be able to inherit. He wants to
obtain the inheritance through his own personal effort. But an inheritance is not
merited. We receive an inheritance by the simple fact of being son or daughter.
"Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir by God's
own act". (Ga 4, 7) As sons and daughters we can do nothing to merit the inheritance.
We can lose it however!
• Luke 10: 27-28: The answer of the doctor. Jesus responds asking a new question:
"What is written in the Law? The doctor responds correctly. Uniting two phrases of
the Law, He says: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul,with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself".
This phrase comes from Deuteronomy (Dt 6, 5) and from Leviticus (Lv 19,18). Jesus
approves of the response and says: "Do this and life is yours!" What is important, the
principal thing, is to love God! But God comes to me in my neighbor. The neighbor
is the revelation of God for me. And because of this, I have to love my neighbor also
with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind!
• Luke 10: 29: "And who is my neighbor?" Wanting to justify himself, the doctor asks:
"And who is my neighbor?" He wants to know: "In which neighbor God comes tome?"
That is, which is the person close to me who is the revelation of God for me? For the
Jews the expression "neighbor" was linked to the clan, it was not a neighbor. Anyone
who did not belong to the clan was not a neighbor. According to Deuteronomy, they
could exploit the "foreigner", but not the "neighbor" (Dt 15, 1-3). Proximity was based
on bonds of race and of blood. Jesus has a different way of seeing which He
expressesin the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Luke 10: 30-36: The Parable.
• Luke 10: 30: The attack along the road of Jerusalem toward Jericho. The Desert of
Judah is between Jerusalem and Jericho, which is a refuge of rebels, marginalized,
andwhere one could be attacked. Jesus tells a real fact which had happened many
times. "Aman was on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands
of bandits;they stripped him, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead".
• Luke 10: 31-32: A priest passed by travelling on the same road, then a Levite passed
by. By chance a priest passed by, and immediately after, a Levite passed. They are
officials of the Temple of the official religion. Both of them saw the man who had been
attacked but passed by and did nothing. Why did they do nothing? Jesus does not
say. He allows one to guess with whom one identifies oneself. This must have
happened many times, in the time of Jesus as well as in the time of Luke. This also
happens today: a person from the Church goes by close to a poor person without
helping him. It could also be that the priest and the Levite had a justification: "He is
not my neighbor!" or, "he is impure and if I touch him, I will also be impure". And today:
"If I help him, I will miss Sunday Mass and will commit a mortal sin!"
• Luke 10: 33-35: A Samaritan passed by. Immediately after, a Samaritan who was
travelling passed by. He saw the man and moved with compassion, he got close,
bandaged his wounds, lifted him onto his own mount and took him to an inn and
looked after him during the night. The following day he took out two denarii and
handed themto the innkeeper. That was the salary of ten days and he tells him: "Look
after him andon my way back I will make good any extra expenses you have!" This
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is the concrete and effective action. It is the progressive action: to arrive, to see, to be
moved with compassion, to get close and to act. The parable says "A Samaritan who
was travelling". Jesus was also travelling up to Jerusalem. Jesus is the Good
Samaritan. The communities should be the Good Samaritan.
• Luke 10: 36-37: Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the
man who fell into the bandits' hands?" At the beginning the doctor had asked: "Who
is my neighbor?" Behind the question was the concern for him. He wanted to know:
God orders me to love whom, in a way to be able to have my conscience in peace
and be able to say, “I have done everything that God has asked me to do". Jesus asks
another question: "Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to
the man who fell into the hands of the bandits?" The condition of neighbor does not
depend on the race, on the fact that they are relatives, on sympathy, on closeness or
on religion. Humanity is not divided into neighbor and not neighbor. To know who
our neighbor is depends on us: to arrive, to see, to be moved with compassion and
to get close. If you get close, the other becomes your neighbor! It depends on you
and not on the other! Jesus overturns everything and takes away from the doctor
the security which could come to him from the Law.
The Samaritans. The word Samaritan comes from Samaria, the capital of the Kingdom
of Israel in the North. After the death of Solomon, in the year 1931 before Christ, the
ten tribes of the North separated themselves from the kingdom of Judea in the South
and formed an independent kingdom (1 K 12: 1-33). The Kingdom of the North survived
approximately for 200 years. In 722, its territory was invaded by Assyria. A large part of
its population was deported (2 K 17: 5-6) and people from otherplaces went to Samaria (2
K 17: 24). There was a mixture of races and of religions (2 K 17: 25-33), and the Samaritans
were born from these. The Jews of the South despised the Samaritans considering
them unfaithful and adorers of false gods (2 K 17: 34-41). Many prejudices existed
against the Samaritans. They were not well accepted. It was said of them that they had
an erroneous doctrine and did not form part of the People ofGod. Some even went so
far as to say that to be a Samaritan was something of the Devil (Jn 8: 48). Most likely, the
cause of this hatred was not only a question of race and of religion, but also a political-
economic problem, linked to the possession of the land. This rivalry even existed in the
time of Jesus. But Jesus places the Samaritans as a model for others.
Personal Questions
• The Samaritan of the parable was not of the Jewish people, but he did what Jesus
asks. Does this happen today? Do you know people who do not go to Church but
live what the Gospel asks? Today, who are the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan?
• The doctor asks: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus asks: "Who was the neighbor of the
man who was the victim of the bandits"? There are two different points of view: the
doctor asks starting from himself. Jesus asks starting from the needs of the other.
Whichis my perspective or point of view?
Concluding Prayer
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly. Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111: 1-2)
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Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father,
your love for us surpasses all our hopes and desires. Forgive our failings, keep us in your

In the course of their journey, He came to a village, and a woman named Martha
welcomed Him into her house.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to Him
speaking.
Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to Him and said, 'Lord, do
you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her
to help me.'
But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' He said, 'you worry and fret about so many
things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better
part, and it is not to be taken from her.'
Reflection
• Context. The journey of Jesus, undertaken in 9: 51, is surrounded by particular
encounters, among the doctors of the Law (10: 25-37), that precede the encounter
withMartha and Mary (vv. 38-42). Above all, there is a doctor of the Law who asks
Jesus aquestion and, for the reader, it becomes a convenient occasion to discover
how eternal life is inherited or gained in intimacy with the Father. One can have
access to eternal life by participating in the mission of Jesus, the first one sent who
has shown us fully God’s mercy (v. 37). In Jesus, the Father has become close to men
and has shown his paternity in a tangible way. At the end of the encounter, the
expression that Jesus addresses to the Doctor of the Law and to every reader is
crucial: “Go, and do the same yourself” (v. 37). To become a neighbor, to get close to
others as Jesus did, makes us become instruments to show, in a living way, the
merciful love of the Father. This is the secret key to enter into eternal life.
• Listening to the Word. After this encounter with an expert of the Law, while He is on
the way, Jesus enters into a village and is welcomed by old friends: Martha and Mary.
Jesus is not only the first one sent by the Father, but He is also the one who gathers
together men, and in our case, the members of the house of Bethany in so far as He
is the only Word of the Father. If it is true that there are many services to be carried
out, in welcoming attention to the needs of others, then even more is it true that
what is irreplaceable is listening to the Word. The account that Luke gives is a real
episode and at the same time an ideal. It begins with the welcome of Martha (v. 38).
Then it sketches Mary with an attitude typical of the disciple, sitting at the feet of
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Jesus and totally attentive to listening to his Word. This attitude of Mary is
extraordinary because in Judaism at the time of Jesus it was not permitted for a
woman to go to the school of a teacher, a master. Up until now we have a
harmonious picture: the welcome of Martha, the listening of Mary. But soon the
welcome of Martha will be transformed into super activism: the woman is “pulled”,
divided by performing multiple services. She is so absorbed that she is unable to
control the domestic services. The great amount of activities, understandable for
such a guest, becomes so disproportionate as to prevent her living what is essential,
precisely in the time that Jesus is present in her house. Her worry or concern is
legitimate but then it becomes anguish, a state of mind that is not convenient when
a friend is welcomed.
• Relate service to listening. Her service of acceptance, of welcome, is very positive but
it is detrimental because of this state of anxiety with which she carries it out. The
Evangelist makes the reader glimpse at this to show that there is no contradiction
between the ‘diaconia’ of the table and that of the Word, but He wants to suggest
that the service should be related to listening. Because she did not relate the spiritual
attitude of service to that of listening, Martha feels that she has been abandoned by
her sister. Instead, of dialoguing with Mary, she complains with the Master. Trapped
in her solitude she goes against Jesus who seems to be indifferent to her problem
(“Lord do you not care”...) and then with the sister, (“that my sister is leaving me to do
the serving all by myself?”). In his response, Jesus does not reproach her, nor criticize
her, but He tries to help Martha to recover that which is essential at that moment:
listening to the Master. He invites her to choose that part, unique and a priority, that
Mary has spontaneously taken. The episode invites us to consider a danger which is
always frequent in the life of Christians: anxiety, worry, super activism that can isolate
us from communion with Christ and with the community. The danger is more
underhanded because frequently the material concerns or worries carried out with
anxiety are those we consider a form of service. What presses Luke is that in our
communities the prioritythat should be given to the Word of God, and to listen to it,
should not be neglected. Before serving the others, the relatives, and the ecclesial
community, it is necessary to be served by Christ with His Word of grace. And thus
immersed in the daily tasks like Martha, we forget that the Lord desires to take care
of us... It is necessary, instead, to place in Jesus and in God all our concerns and
worries.
Personal Questions
• Do you know how to relate service to listening to the Word of Jesus? Or rather do you
allow yourself to be taken up by anxiety because of the multiple things to be done?
• Have you understood that before serving you have to accept to be served by Christ?
Are you aware that your service becomes divine only if previously you will have
accepted Christ and his word?
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh, you examine me and know me,you know when I sit, when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct. (Ps 139: 1-3)
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Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father,

Now it happened that Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when He had finished,
one of his disciples said, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.'
He said to them, 'When you pray, this is what to say: Father, may your name be held
holy, your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.'
Reflection
In yesterday's Gospel, we saw Mary sitting at the foot of Jesus, listening to his word.
Anyone who listens to the Word of God has to give a response in prayer. In this way,
today's Gospel continues with yesterday’s Gospel. This is the account in which Jesus,
because of his way of prayer, communicates to the disciples the desire to pray, to learn
to pray from him.
• Luke 11: 1: Jesus, example of prayer. "One day, Jesus was in a certain place prayingand
when He had finished one of his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John
taught his disciples'". This petition of the disciples is strange, because at that time
people learned to pray since they were children. Everyone prayed three times a day:
in the morning, at noon and in the evening. They prayed often using the Psalms.
They had their devotional practices, they had the Psalms, they had weekly meetings
in the Synagogue and daily encounters at home. It seemed that this was not
enough, however. The disciple wanted more: "Teach us to pray!" In the attitude of
Jesus he discovers that he could still advance more, and for this he needed some
initiation. The desire to pray was in all of them, but the way of praying needs help. The
way of praying attains maturity throughout life and changes through the centuries.
Jesus was a good teacher: He taught how to pray with words and with witness.
• Luke 11: 2-4: The prayer of the Our Father. "Jesus answers: "When you pray this iswhat
you have to say: Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us
each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one
who is in debt with us. And do not put us to the test". In the Gospel of Matthew, in
quite a didactic way, Jesus summarizes all of his teaching in seven petitions
addressed to the Father. Here in Luke's Gospel there are five petitions. In these five
requests, Jesus repeats the great promises of the Old Testament and asks that the
Father help us to fulfill them. The first three (or two) speak to us about our
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relationship with God. The other four (or three) speak to us about the relationships
among us.
• Mt - Lk: Introduction: Our Father who are in heaven
• Mt - Lk: 1st request: Hallowed be your Name
• Mt - Lk: 2nd request: Your Kingdom come
• Mt: 3rd request: Your will be done
• Mt - Lk: 4th request: Our daily bread
• Mt - Lk: 5th request: Forgive our offences
• Mt - Lk: 6th request: Lead us not into temptation
• Mt: 7th request: Deliver us from evil
• Father (Our): The title expresses the new relationship with God (Father). It is the basis
of fraternity.
• To sanctify the Name: the Name of Yahweh I am with you! God with us. God
made himself known with this name (Ex 3: 11-15). The Name of God is
sanctified when it isused with faith and not with magic; when it is used
according to its true objective, and not for oppression, but for the liberation
of the people and for the construction of the Kingdom.
• Your Kingdom come: The only Lord and King of human life is God (Is 45: 21;
46: 9). The arrival of the Kingdom is the realization of all hopes and promises.
It is the fullness of life, the overcoming of frustration suffered with the kings
and human governments. This Kingdom will come when the will of God is
completely fulfilled.
• The daily bread: In Exodus, the people every day received manna in the
desert (Ex 16: 35). Divine Providence passed for fraternal organization as well
as for sharing. Jesusinvites us to fulfill a new Exodus, a new way of sharing in
a fraternal spirit which will guarantee bread for all (Mt 6: 34-44; Jn 6: 48-51).
• Forgiveness of debts: Every 50 years, the Jubilee Year obliged everybody to
forgivetheir debts. It was a new beginning (Lev 25: 8-55). Jesus announces a
new Jubilee Year,"a year of grace from the Lord" (Lk 4: 19). The Gospel wants
to begin everything new! Today, the external debt is not forgiven! Luke
changes "debts" for "sins".
• Not to fall into temptation: In Exodus the people were tempted and fell
(Deut 9: 6- 12). They complained and wanted to go back. (Ex 16: 3; 17: 3). In the
new Exodus, the temptation was overcome thanks to the grace and
strength that people received from God (1Co 10: 12-13).
• The witness of the prayer of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke:
• At twelve years old, He goes to the Temple, in the House of the Father (Lk 2:
46-50).
• When He was baptized and He assumes his mission, He prays (Lk 3: 21).
• When He begins his mission, He spends forty days in the desert (Lk 4: 1-2).
• At the hour of temptation, He faces the Devil with texts from Scripture (Lk
4: 3-12).
• Jesus usually participated in the celebrations in the Synagogues on
Saturday (Lk 4: 16)
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• He looks for the solitude of the desert to pray (Lk 5: 16; 9: 18).
• On the day before He chose the twelve Apostles, He spent the night in
prayer (Lk 6: 12).
• He prays before meals (Lk 9: 16; 24: 30).
• He prays before presenting the reality and before speaking about his
Passion (Lk 9: 18).
• In time of crisis, He goes up to the mountain to pray, is transfigured while
He prays(Lk 9: 28).
• When the Gospel is revealed to the little ones, He says: "Father I thank you!"
(Lk 10: 21)
• By praying He awakens in the Apostles the desire to pray (Lk 11: 1).
• He prays for Peter so that his faith will not fail (Lk 22: 32).
• He celebrates the Paschal Supper with his disciples (Lk 22: 7-14).
• In the Garden of Olives, He prays while his sweat fell like drops of blood (Lk
22: 41-42).
• In his anguish He asks his friends to pray with Him (Lk 22: 40, 46).
• When He was nailed to the cross, He asks for pardon for the bandits (Lk 23:
34).
• At the hour of his death, He says: "Into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Lk
23: 46; Ps 31: 6)
• Jesus dies sending out the cry of the poor (Lk 23: 46).
Personal Questions
• Do I pray? How do I pray? What does prayer mean for me?
• Our Father: I go over the five petitions and examine how I live them in my life
Concluding Prayer
Praise Yahweh, all nations, extol him, all peoples,
for his faithful love is strong
and his constancy never-ending. (Ps 117: 1-2)
Thursday, October 7, 2021

Opening Prayer
Father,
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Jesus said to his disciples, 'Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the
middle of the night to say, "My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine
on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him;" and the man
answers from inside the house, "Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my
children are with me in bed; I cannot get up to give it to you." I tell you, if the man does
not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and
give his friend all he wants.
'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the
door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches
finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he
asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion?
If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much
more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'
Reflection
The Gospel today continues to speak about the theme of prayer, which began with the
teaching of the Our Father (Lk 11 1-4). Today, Jesus teaches that we should pray with
faith and insistence without giving up. For this He uses a provocative parable.
• Luke 11, 5-7: The parable that provokes. As always when Jesus has an important
thing to teach, He has recourse to a comparison, a parable. Today, He tells us a
strange story which ends with a question. He addresses the question to the people
who listened to Him and also to us who today read or listen to the story. "Suppose
one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say: My friend,
lend me three loaves because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my
house and I have nothingto offer him; and the man answers from inside the house:
“Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children are with me in bed:
I cannot get up to give it to you". Before Jesus himself gives the answer, He wants
our opinion. What would you answer: yes or no?
• Luke 11, 8: Jesus responds to the provocation. Jesus gives his response: "I tell you, if
the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will
make him get up and give his friend all he wants." If not Jesus, would you have had
the courage to invent a story which suggests that God expects our prayers to see
himself free from blows? The response of Jesus strengthens the message on prayer:
God always expects our prayer. This parable reminds us of another one, also found in
Luke's Gospel: the parable of the widow who insists to obtain her rights before the
judge who respects neither God nor justice. He pays attention to the widow only
because he wants to free himself from her insistence (Lk 18: 3-5). Then Jesus draws
a conclusion to apply the message of the parable to life.
• Luke 11: 9-10: the first application of the Parable. "So I say to you: Ask, and it will be
given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds, everyone who knocks will
have the door opened." To ask, to search, to knock at the door. If you ask, you will
receive. If you search, you will find. If you knock, the door will be opened for you.
Jesus does not say how much time the request should last, this knocking at the door,
but the result is certain.
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• Luke 11: 11-12: the second application of the parable. "What father among you, if his
son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him
a scorpion?" This second application allows us see this type of public listening to the
words of Jesus and his way of teaching under the form of dialogue. He asks: "You
who are a father, when your son asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake?"
The people answer: "No!" "And if he asks you for an egg, would you give him a
scorpion?" -"No!" Through dialogue, Jesus involves the people in the comparison
and, from the responses He receives from them, the commitment to the message
of the parable.
• Luke 11: 13: The message: to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "If you then evil as you
are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!". The greatest gift that God has for
us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we were created, He breathed his spirit into our
nose, and we became living beings (Gen 2: 7). In the second creation through Faith
in Jesus, He gives us the Holy Spirit again. This is the same Spirit which made the
Word become incarnate in Mary (Lk 1: 35). With the help of the Holy Spirit, the
process of the Incarnation of the Word continues up to the hour of his death on the
Cross. At the end, at the hour of death, Jesus commits the spirit to the Father: "Into
your hands I commit my Spirit" (Lk 23: 46). Jesus promises us this Spirit as the source
of truth and of understanding (Jn 14: 14-17; 16: 13) and a help in persecutions (Mt 10:
20; Ac 4: 31). This Spirit cannot be bought with money at the supermarket. The only
way of obtaining it is through prayer. After nine days of prayer the abundant gift of
the Spirit is obtained on the day of Pentecost (Ac 1: 14; 2: 1-4).
Personal Questions
• How do I respond to the provocation of the parable? A person who lives in a small
apartment in a large city, how will she answer? Would she open the door?
• When you pray, do you pray convinced that you will obtain what you ask for?
Concluding Prayer
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,
in the meeting-place of honest people, in the assembly. Great are the deeds of Yahweh,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. (Ps 111: 1-2)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father,
your love for us surpasses all our hopes and desires. Forgive our failings, keep us in your
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Jesus was driving out a devil, but some of the people said, 'It is through Beelzebul, the
prince of devils, that He drives devils out.' Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from
heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, He said to them, 'Any kingdom which is
divided against itself is heading for ruin, and house collapses against house.
So, too, with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? - since
you claim that it is through Beelzebul that I drive devils out. Now if it is through
Beelzebul that I drive devils out, through whom do your own sons drive them out? They
shall be your judges, then. But if it is through the finger of God that I drive devils out,
then the kingdom of God has indeed caught you unawares. So long as a strong man fully
armed guards his own home, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger
than himself attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he
relied on and shares out his spoil.
'Anyone who is not with me is against me; and anyone who does not gather in with me
throws away.
'When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country
looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, "I will go back to the home I
came from." But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven
other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, and so that
person ends up worse off than before.'
Reflection
Today's Gospel speaks about a long discussion around the expulsion of a mute demon
which Jesus had performed before the people.
• Luke 11: 14-16: Three diverse reactions in the face of that expulsion. Jesus was casting
out devils. Before this very visible fact, in front of everyone, there were three different
reactions. People were surprised, astonished, and applauded. Others said: "it is in the
name of Beelzebul that He casts out devils". The Gospel of Mark tells us that it was a
question of the Scribes who had gone to Jerusalem to control the activity of Jesus
(Mk 3: 22). Others still asked for a sign from heaven because they were not convinced
by asign as evident as the expulsion done in front of all the people.
• Luke 11: 17-19: Jesus shows the incoherence of the enemies. Jesus uses two arguments
to confront the accusation of casting out the devil in the name of Beelzebul. In the
first place, if the devil casts out the devil himself, he divides himself and will not
survive. In the second place, Jesus gives them back their argument: If I cast out the
demons in name of Beelzebul, your disciples cast them out in whose name? With
these words, they were also casting out demons in the name of Beelzebul.
• Luke 11: 20-23: Jesus is the strongest man who has come, a sign of the arrival of the
Kingdom. Here Jesus leads us to the central point of his argument: "When a strong
man, fully armed, guards his own home, his goods are undisturbed. But when
someone stronger than himself attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes
away all the weapons he relied on and shares his spoil." According to the opinion of
the people of that time, Satan dominated the world through the demons. He was a
strongand well-armed man who guarded his house. The great novelty was the fact
that Jesus succeeded to cast out the demons. This was a sign that He was and is the
strongest man who has come. With the coming of Jesus, the kingdom of Beelzebul
was declining: "Butif it is through the finger of God that I drive devils out, then the
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kingdom of God has indeed caught you unawares." When the magicians of Pharaoh
saw that Moses did things that they were not capable of doing, they were more
honest than the Scribes before Jesus and they said: "Here is the finger of God!" (Ex 8:
16-19)
• Luke 11: 24-26: The second fall is worse than the first one. At the time of Luke in the
80's, a time of persecution, many Christians returned and abandoned the
community. They went back to live as before. To warn them and all of us, Luke keeps
these words of Jesus about the second fall which is worse than the first one.
• The expulsion of the demons. The first impact caused by the action of Jesus among
the people is the expulsion of the demons: "He gives orders even to unclean spirits
and they obey him!" (Mk 1: 27). One of the principal causes of the discussion of Jesus
with the Scribes was the expulsion of the devils. They slandered against Him saying:
"He is possessed by Beelzebul!" "It is in the name of Beelzebul, head of demons that
He casts out devils!" The first power that the Apostles received when they were sent
out on mission was the power to drive out demons. "He gave them authority over
unclean spirits" (Mk 6: 7). The first sign which accompanies the announcement of
the Resurrection is the expulsion of demons. "The signs that will be associated with
believers: in my name they will cast out devils!" (Mk 16: 17). The expulsion of devils
was what struck people more (Mc 1: 27). This reached the center of the Good News
of the Kingdom. By means of the expulsion Jesus restored or recovered persons
to themselves. He restored their judgment and their conscience (Mk 5: 15). Especially
in the Gospel of Mark, from beginning until the end, with words which are almost
the same, constantly repeats the same image: "And Jesus cast out devils!" (Mk 1: 26,
34: 39; 3: 11-12, 22, 30; 5: 1-20; 6: 7: 13; 7: 25-29; 9: 25-27, 38; 16: 17). It seems to be a refrain
which is always repeated. Today, instead of always using the same words, we will use
different words to transmit the same image and we will say: "Jesus overcame the
power of evil, Satan, who causes so much fear to people, He dominated him, seized
him, conquered him, cast him out, eliminated him, exterminated him, destroyed
him and killed him!" By this the Gospel wants to tell us: "It is forbidden to the
Christian to fear Satan!" By his Resurrection and by his liberating action, Jesus drives
away from us the fear of Satan, He gives freedom to the heart, firmness in our actions
and causes hope toemerge in the horizon! We should walk along the path of Jesus
savoring the victory over the power of evil!
Personal Questions
• To drive out the power of evil. Which is today the power of evil which standardizes
people and robs from them the critical conscience?
• Can you say that you are completely free? In the case of a negative response, some
part of you is under the power of other forces. What do you do to cast out this power
which dominates you?
Concluding Prayer
Full of splendor and majesty his work, his saving justice stands firm forever.
He gives us a memorial of his great deeds; Yahweh is mercy and tenderness. (Ps 111: 3-4)
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father,

It happened that as Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said,
'Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you!'
But He replied, 'More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'
Reflection
Today's Gospel is very brief, but it has a very important significance in the Gospel of
Luke in general. It gives us the key to understand what Luke teaches regarding Mary,
the Mother of Jesus, in the so-called Gospel of the Infancy (Lk 1 and 2).
• Luke 11: 27: The exclamation of the woman. "At that time, as Jesus was speaking, a
woman in the crowd raised her voice and said: "Blessed the womb that bore you and
the breasts that fed you!" The creative imagination of some apocryphal books
suggests that the woman was a neighbor of Our Lady, there in Nazareth. She had a
son called Dimas, who with other boys of Galilee at that time, went to war with the
Romans. He was made a prisoner and killed at the side of Jesus. He was the good
thief (Lk 23: 39-43). His mother, having heard about the good that Jesus did to
people, remembered her neighbor Mary, and said: "Mary must be very happy to have
such a son!"
• Luke 11: 28: The response of Jesus. Jesus responds, giving the greatest praise to his
mother: "More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it". Luke
speaks little about Mary here (Lk 11: 28) and in the Gospel of the Infancy (Lk 1 and 2).
For Luke, Mary is the Daughter of Sion, the image of the new People of God. He
represents Mary as the model for the life of the communities. In Vatican Council II,
the document prepared on Mary was inserted in the last chapter of the document
Lumen Gentium on the Church. Mary is the model for the Church. And especially in
the way in which Mary relates with the Word of God, Luke considers her as an
example for the life of the communities: "Blessed are those who hear the word of
God and keep it". Mary teaches us how to accept the Word of God, how to incarnate
it, live it, deepen it, make it be born and grow, and allow it to shape us, even when
we do not understand it, or when it makes us suffer. This is the vision which is
subjacent in the Gospel of the Infancy (Lk 1 and 2). The key to understand these two
chapters is given to us by today's Gospel: "Blessed are those who hear the word of
God and keep it!" Let us see in these chapters how Mary enters into relationship with
the Word of God:
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a) Luke 1: 26-38: The Annunciation: "Let it happen to me as you have said!"
To know how to open oneself, to accept the Word of God so that it
becomes incarnate.
b) Luke 1: 39-45: The Visitation: "Blessed is she who has believed!" To know
how to recognize the Word of God in a visit and in many other facts of life.
c) Luke 1: 46-56: The Magnificat: "The Lord has done great things for me!
To recognize the Word in the story of the people and sing a song of
resistance and hope.
d) Luke 2: 1-20: The Birth of Our Lord: "She pondered all these things in her
heart!" There was no outward place for them. The marginalized accept the
Word.
e) Luke 2: 21-32: The Presentation: "My eyes have seen the salvation!" The
many years of life purify the eyes.
f) Luke 2: 33-38: Simeon and Anna: "A sword will pierce your soul too!" To
accept and incarnate the Word in life, to be a sign of contradiction.
g) Luke 2: 39-52: At twelve years old in the Temple: "Did you not know
that I must be in my Father's house?" They did not understand what He
meant!
h) Luke 11: 27-28: The praise to the mother: "Blessed the womb that bore
you!" Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
Personal Questions
• Do you succeed in discovering the Word of God in your life?
• How do you live devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus?
Concluding Prayer
Sing to him, make music for him, recount all his wonders!
Glory in his holy name, let the hearts that seek Yahweh rejoice! (Ps 105: 2-3)

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures as You read
them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written
in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of God in the
disturbing events of Your sentenceand death. Thus, the cross, that seemed
to be the end of all hope, became for them the source of life and of
resurrection.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in creation and in the
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scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May
Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on the way to
Emmaus, may experience the forceof Your resurrection and witness to others
that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice, and peace. We
ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed theFather to us and sent us
Your Spirit. Amen.
Gospel Reading: Mark 10: 17-30

The Gospel of the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time tells the story of a young man who asks
Jesus for the way to eternal life. Jesus gives him an answer, but the young man cannot
accept it because he is very rich. Wealth gives a kind of security to people, and they
have difficulty in giving up such security. Because such people are attached to the
advantages that their possessions bring, they worry about defending their interests. The
poor person does not have such worries and thus is freer. But there are poor people with
a rich mentality. They are poor, but not “poor in spirit” (Mt 5: 3). Not just wealth, but also
the desire for wealth, can change people and make them slaves to the goods of this
world. Such people would find it difficult to accept Jesus’ invitation: “Go and sell what
you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then
come, follow Me” (Mk 10: 21) Such people will not take the step suggested by Jesus. Am
I able to leave everything for the Kingdom?
In our text, several people seek Jesus to ask Him for advice: the rich young man, the
disciples, and Peter. In our reading, let us look at the preoccupations of each of these
persons and at Jesus’ reply to them.
A Division of the Text to Help with the Reading:
• Mark 10: 17: The request of the one who wishes to follow Jesus
• Mark 10: 18-19: Jesus’ surprising and demanding reply
• Mark 10: 20-21: The conversation between Jesus and the young man
• Mark 10: 22: The young man is alarmed and will not follow Jesus
• Mark 10: 23-27: The conversation between Jesus and His disciples concerning the
rich entering the Kingdom
• Mark 10: 28: Peter’s question
• Mark 10: 29-30: Jesus’ reply
Text:
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do
you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You
shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother." He replied and said
to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him,
loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have,and
give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that
statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus
looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to
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enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again
said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier
for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the
kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is
impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God." Peter began to say to him,
"We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is
no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or
lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times
more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and
children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."

Some Questions
• What touched you most in this text? Why?
• What worried the young man and what deceived him?
• What does the following mean for us today: “Go and sell what you own and give the
money to the poor”? Can we take this literally? What do you “own”? With so many
poor in society today, how do you decide who to give to?
• How do we understand the comparison between the needle and the camel?
• How do we understand the hundredfold in this life, but with persecutions?
• How do we understand and practice today Jesus’ suggestions to the rich young
man?
• Jesus tells His disciples on His mission to go without gold or silver or much of
anything. What of those who claim to be missionaries of Jesus, while enjoying their
large estates, fancy cars, and the fame from their positions?
For Those Who Wish to Go Deeper Into the Theme

The Context of Yesterday and of Today.
• This Sunday’s Gospel describes the on-going conversion that, according to Jesus’
invitation, must take place in our relationship with material goods. To understand
fully the importance of Jesus’ instructions, it is good to remember the wider context
in which Mark places these texts. Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem, where He will be
crucified (cf. Mk 8: 27; 9: 30, 33; 10: 1, 17, 32). He is about to give His life. He knows that
He soon will be killed but does not recoil. He says, ‘The Son of Man Himself came not
to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many!’ (Mk 10: 45) This
attitude of fidelity and dedication to the mission received from the Father makes it
possible for Jesus to see what really matters in life.
• Jesus’ suggestions are valid for all times, both for Jesus’ times and Mark’s times as
well as for today in the 21st century. They are like mirrors that mirror back what is
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important in life, yesterday and today: to start again, from the beginning, the
building of the Kingdom, renewing human relationships on all levels, among
ourselves and withGod, as well as with material goods.
A Commentary on the Text:
• Mark 10: 17-19: The Commandments and Eternal Life

Someone comes and asks, “Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Matthew’s Gospel says that it was a young man (Mt 19: 20, 22). Jesus replies rather
harshly, “Why do you call Me good. No one is good but God alone!” Jesus deflects
attention from Himself to God, since He wishes to do the Father’s will, to reveal the
Father’s plan. Then Jesus says, “You know the commandments: you shall not kill, you
shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false witness, honor
your father and mother.” The young man had asked what he must do to inherit
eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus only reminds him of the
commandmentsthat concern life close to the neighbor! He does not mention the
first three commandments that talk of the relationship with God! For Jesus, we can
only be in goodstead with God if we are in good stead with the neighbor. We must
not deceive ourselves. The gate that leads to God is our neighbor. There is no other!
• Mark 10: 20: What is the Use of Keeping the Commandments?
The young man answers that he already had long observed the commandments.
What follows is strange. The young man wanted to know the way to eternal life. Now,
the way to eternal life was and still is to do God’s will as expressed in the
commandments. This means that the young man observed the commandments
without knowing why! He did not know that his practice of observing the
commandments since his youth was theway to God, to eternal life. Many Catholics
today do not know why they are Catholic. “I was born in Italy, I was born in Ireland,
so I am Catholic!” Just a habit!”
• Mark 10: 21-22: Sharing Goods with the Poor
Jesus looked steadily at him and He was filled with love for him and He said, “You
needto do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me!” Jesus does not
judge the young man, does not criticize him, but seeks to help him take one more
step in life. The conversion that Jesus asks for is an on-going one. The observance of
the commandmentsis but the first step on a ladder that goes further and higher.
Jesus asks for more! The observance of the commandments prepares us to be able
to give ourselves completely to our neighbor. The Ten Commandments are the way
to the perfect practice of the two commandments of love of God and of neighbor
(Mk 12: 29-31; Mt 7: 12). Jesus asks a lot, but He asks it with much love. The young man
does not accept Jesus’ invitation andgoes away because “he was a man of great
wealth”.
• Mark 10: 23-27: The Camel and the Eye of a Needle
When the young man goes away, Jesus comments on his decision: How hard it is
for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! The disciples are astonished.
Jesus repeats what He said and adds a proverb that was used then to say that
something was humanly impossible. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye
of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God! Each nation has its
expressions and proverbs that cannot be taken literally. For instance, in Brazil, to say
that someone must not bother other people they say: “Go and take a bath!” If one
takes this expression literally then one is deceived and is not aware of the message!
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The same may be said about the camel that has to go through the eye of a needle.
Impossible!
The disciples are astonished by what Jesus says! This means that they had not
understood Jesus’ answer to the rich young man: “Go and sell all you own, give the
money to the poor, and come, follow Me!” The young man had observed the
commandments without understanding why. Something similar was happening to
the disciples. To follow Jesus, they had left everything (Mk 1: 18, 20), without
understanding why they had left everything! If they had understood the why, they
would not have beenso astonished by Jesus’ demands. When wealth or the desire
for wealth takes over the human heart and vision, then it becomes difficult to
understand the meaning of life andof the Gospel. Only God can help such a person!
“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God, because for God everything is possible.”
When Jesus says that it is almost impossible for “a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God,” He is not referring in the first instance to entering heaven after death, but to
entering the community around him. To this day, it is very difficult for a rich person
toleave everything and enter into a small basic ecclesial community side by side with
the poor, together with them, and so to follow Jesus.
• Mark 10: 28-30: The Conversation between Jesus and Peter
Peter had understood that “to enter the kingdom of God” was the same thing as
following Jesus in poverty. So he asks, “We have left everything and followed You.
What then shall we get in return?” Despite leaving everything, Peter still had the old
mentality. He had not yet understood the meaning of service and gratuity. He and
his companions left everything to have something in return: “What then shall we
getin return?” Jesus’ reply is symbolic. He hints that they must not expect any return,
any security, any promotion. They will receive a hundredfold, yes! But not without
persecutions in this life! In the world to come they will have the eternal life of which
the young man spoke. “In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers,
sisters, mother, father, children, or land for My sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers,
children, and land – and persecutions, too – now in this present time and, in the
world to come, eternal life
Further information:
Jesus and the Option for the Poor
A double slavery marked the state of people in Galilee at the time of Jesus: (i) The
political slavery of Herod, supported by the Roman Empire, that imposed a general
organized system of exploitation and repression; (ii) The slavery of the official religion,
upheld by the religious authorities of the time. Because of this, the family, the
community, the clan were disintegrating, and most people lived excluded,
marginalized,with no fixed place, without a religion and without a society. To fight this
disintegrationof the community and the family, there were several movements, which,
like Jesus, trieda new way of life and of living together in community. Such were the
Essenes, the Pharisees and, later, the Zealots, all of whom lived in community. In Jesus’
community,however, there was something new and different from the other two
groups. This was the attitude towards the poor and the excluded.
The community of Pharisees lived apart. The word “Pharisee” means “separate”. They
lived apart from the impure people. Many Pharisees looked upon the people as ignorant
and cursed (Jn 7: 49), full of sin (Jn 9: 34). They learned nothing from the people (Jn 9:
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34). On the other hand, Jesus and His community lived among the excluded, who were
considered impure: publicans, sinners, prostitutes, and lepers (Mk 2: 16; 1: 41; Lk 7: 37).
Jesus sees the richness and value they possess (Mt 11: 25-26; Lk 21: 1-4). He proclaimed
the poor happy because the Kingdom belongs to them (Lk 6: 20; Mt 5: 3). He defines His
own mission as “proclaiming the Good News to the poor” (Lk 4: 18). He lives like the
poor. He owns nothing, not even a stone to lay His head upon (Lk 9: 58). To those who
wished to follow him he offered a choice: God or mammon! (Mt 6: 24). He tells them to
make choices in favor of the poor! (Mk 10: 21) The poverty thatcharacterizes Jesus’ life
and that of His disciples, also characterized His mission. Contrary to other missionaries
(Mt 23: 15), Jesus’ disciples could not carry anything with them, no gold, no silver, no two
tunics, no purse and no sandals (Mt 10: 9-10). They had to trust in the hospitality of others
(Lk 9: 4; 10: 5-6). And if they were made welcome by the people, they had to work like
everyone else and live on what they earned (Lk 10: 7-8). They had to look after the sick
and needy (Lk 10: 9; Mt 10: 8). Then they could say to people, “The Kingdom of God is
very near to you” (Lk 10: 9).
On the other hand, when it is a matter of administering goods, what strikes us in Jesus’
parables is the seriousness that He demands in the use of these goods (Mt 25: 21, 26; Lk
19: 22-23). Jesus wants money to be at the service of life (Lk 16: 9-13). For Jesus,
poverty was not synonymous with laziness and negligence. This different witness in
favor of the poor was what was missing in the popular movements of the times of the
Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots. In the Bible, every time a movement arises to renew the
Covenant, it begins by establishing once again the rights of the poor and excluded.
Without this, the Covenant is impossible. Thus did the prophets and thus does Jesus. He
denounces the old system that, in the name of God, excluded the poor. Jesus proclaims
a new beginning that, in the name of God, gathers the excluded. This is the meaning
and reason for the insertion of the mission of the Jesus’ community amid the poor. He
dips into the roots and inaugurates the New Covenant.
Praying with Psalm 15 (14)

God’s Guest!
Yahweh, who can find a home in Your tent,who can dwell on Your holy mountain?
Whoever lives blamelessly,who acts uprightly, who speaks the truth from the heart,who
keeps the tongue under control,who does not wrong a comrade, who casts no discredit
on a neighbor,who looks with scorn on the vile, but honors those who fear Yahweh,who
stands by an oath at any cost, who asks no interest on loans, who takes no bribe to
harm the innocent.No one who so acts can ever be shaken.
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to understand
better the willof the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us
the strength to practicewhat Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary,
Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and
reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord,
our help and guide, make your love the foundation of our lives.
May our love for you express itself in our eagerness to do good for others. You live and
reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them, 'This is an evil generation; it is
asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah
became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be a sign to this
generation.
On Judgement Day the Queen of the South will stand up against the people of this
generation and be their condemnation, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, look, there is something greater than Solomon
here.
On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will appear against this generation and be its
condemnation, because when Jonah preached, they repented; and look, there is
something greater than Jonah here.
Reflection
The Gospel today presents a very hard accusation of Jesus against the Pharisees and
the Scribes. They wanted Jesus to give them a sign, because they did not believe in the
signs and in the miracles which He was working. This accusation of Jesus continues in
the Gospels of the following days. In meditating on these Gospels, we have to be very
attentive not to generalize the accusation of Jesus as if it were addressed to the
Hebrewpeople. In the past, this lack of attention, unfortunately, contributed to an
increase in anti-Semitism among Christians, which has caused so much harm to
humanity throughout the centuries. Instead of pointing the finger against the Pharisees
of the timeof Jesus, it is better to look at ourselves in the mirror of the texts to discover in
them thePharisee which may live hidden in our Church and in each one of us, and who
merits this criticism from Jesus.
• Luke 11: 29-30: The sign of Jonah. “At that time, the people crowed, and Jesus began
to say: This is an evil generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is
the sign of Jonah”. The Gospel of Matthew says that it was the Scribes and the
Pharisees who were asking for a sign (Mt 12: 38). They wanted Jesus to work a sign
for them, a miracle, in such a way that they could become aware if He was the one
sent by God, as they had imagined. They wanted Jesus to submit himself to their
criteria. They wanted to fit Him into the framework of their own idea of the Messiah.
There was no openness for a possible conversion in them. But Jesus did not submit
himself to their request. The Gospel of Mark says that Jesus, before the request of
the Pharisees sighed profoundly (Mk 8: 12), probably because He was upset and sad
in the face of such blindness. It serves nothing to try to show a beautiful picture to a
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person who does not want to open their eyes. The only sign that will be given is the
sign of Jonah. “For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the
Son of man be a sign to this generation “. How will this sign of the Son of man be?
The Gospel of Matthew responds: “For as Jonah remained in the belly of the sea-
monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of man be in the heart of
the earth for three days and three nights” (Mt 12: 40). The only sign will be the
resurrection of Jesus. This is the sign which will be given in the future to the Scribes
and the Pharisees. Jesus, who was condemned to death by them and to death on
the cross, will rise from the dead by God and will continue to resurrect in many ways
in those who believe in him. The sign which converts is not the miracles but the
witness of life!
• Luke 11: 31: Solomon and the Queen of the South. The reference to the conversion of
the people of Nineveh associates and recalls the conversion of the Queen of the
South: “The Queen of the South will stand up against this generation and be their
condemnation; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of
Solomon; and look, there is something greater than Solomon here”. This reminder
of the episode of the Queen of the South who recognizes the wisdom of Solomon
shows how the Bible was used at that time. It was by association. The principal rule
for the interpretation was this one: “The Bible is explained by the Bible.” Up until
now, this is one of the more important norms for the interpretation of the Bible,
especially for the reading of the Word of God in a climate of prayer.
• Luke 11: 32: And look there is something greater than Solomon here. After the
digression on Solomon and on the Queen of the South, Jesus returns to speak about
the sign of Jonah: “The men of Nineveh will appear against this generation and be
its condemnation, because when Jonah preached they repented.” The people of
Nineveh were converted because of the witness of the preaching of Jonah. He
denounces the unbelief of the Scribes and of the Pharisees because “something
greater than Jonah is here”. Jesus is greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon. For
us Christians, He is the principal key for Scripture (2 Co 3: 14-18).
Personal Questions
• Jesus criticizes the Scribes and the Pharisees who managed to deny the evidence,
rendering themselves incapable to recognize the call of God in the events. As
Christians today, personally and collectively, do we deserve the same criticism of
Jesus?
• Níneveh was converted because of the preaching of Jonah. The Scribes and the
Pharisees were not converted. Today, the calls of reality cause changes and
conversions
• in people in the whole world: the ecological threat, urbanization that dehumanizes,
consumerism which standardizes and alienates, injustice, violence, etc. Many
Christians live far away from these calls of God which come from reality.
Concluding Prayer
Praise, servants of Yahweh, praise the name of Yahweh. Blessed be the name of
Yahweh, henceforth and forever. (Ps 113: 1-2)
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord, our help and guide, make your love the foundation of our lives.
May our love for you express itself in our eagerness to do good for others.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited Him to dine at his
house. He went in and sat down at table. The Pharisee saw this and was
surprised that He had notfirst washed before the meal. But the Lord said to
him, 'You Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside
yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not He who
made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you
have and, look, everything will be clean for you.
Reflection
In today’s Gospel there is the continuation of the tense relationship between Jesus and
the religious authority of his time. But despite the tension there was a certain
familiarity between Jesus and the Pharisees. Invited to eat at their house, Jesus accepts
the invitation. He does not lose his freedom before them, and neither do the Pharisees
before him.
• Luke 11: 37-38: The admiration of the Pharisees before the liberty of Jesus. “At that
time after Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine at his house.
He went in and sat down at table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that He
had not first washed before the meal”. Jesus accepts the invitation to eat at the
house of the Pharisee, but He does not change his way of acting, sitting at table
without washing his hands. Neither does the Pharisee change his attitude before
Jesus, because he expresses his surprise at the fact that Jesus did not wash his
hands. At that time, to wash the hands before eating was a religious obligation,
imposed upon people in the name of purity, ordered by the law of God. The Pharisee
was surprised by the fact that Jesus does not observe this religious norm. But in spite
of their total difference, the Pharisee and Jesus have something in common: for
them life is serious. The way of doing of the Pharisee was in the following: every
day, they dedicated eight hours to study and to themeditation of the law of
God, another eight hours to work in order to be able to survivewith the family and
the other eight hours to rest. This serious witness of their life givesthem a great
popular leadership. Perhaps because of this, in spite of the fact of being very diverse,
both Jesus and the Pharisees understood and criticized one another withoutlosing
the possibility to dialogue.
• Luke 11: 39-41: The response of Jesus. “You Pharisees you clean the outside of the cup
and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools!
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Did not He who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what
you have and, look, everything will be clean for you”. The Pharisees observed thelaw
literally. They only looked at the letter of the law and because of this they were
incapable to perceive the spirit of the law, the objective that the observance of the
law wanted to attain in the life of the persons. For example, in the law it was written:
“Love the neighbor as yourself” (Lv 19: 18). And they commented: “We should love
the neighbor, yes, but only the neighbor, not the others!” And from there arose the
discussion around the question: “Who is my neighbor?” (Lk 10: 29) The Apostle Paul
writes in his second Letter to the Corinthians: “The letter kills, the spirit gives life” (2
Co 3: 6). In the Sermon on the Mountain, Jesus criticizes those who observe the letter
of the law put transgress the spirit (Mt 5: 20). To be faithful to what God asks us it is
not sufficient to observe the letter of the law. It would be the same thing as to clean
the cup on the outside and to leave the inside all dirty: robbery and injustice so on.
It is not sufficient not to kill, not to rob, not to commit adultery, not to swear. Only to
observe the law of God fully, beyond the letter, goes to the roots and pulls out from
within the person the desires of “robbery and injustice” which can lead to murder,
robbery, adultery. It is in the practice of love that the fullness of the law is attained
(cf. Mt 5: 21-48).
Personal Questions
• Does our Church today merit the accusation which Jesus addressed against the
Scribesand the Pharisees? Do I deserve it?
• To respect the seriousness of life of others who think in a different way from us, can
facilitate today dialogue which is so necessary and difficult. How do I practice
dialogue in the family, in work and in the community?
Concluding Prayer
Let your faithful love come to me, Yahweh, true to your promise, save me!
Give me an answer to the taunts against me since I rely on your word. (Ps 119: 41-42)

Opening Prayer
Lord,
our help and guide, make Your love the foundation of our lives.
May our love for You express itself in our eagerness to do good for others.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Lord said: "Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and
of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for
God. These you shouldhave done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you
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Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in
marketplaces. Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people
unknowingly walk." Then one of the scholars of the law saidto him in reply,
"Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too." And he said, "Woe also to
you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you
yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them."
Reflection
In today’s Gospel the conflicting relationship between Jesus and the religious authority
of the time continues. Today in the church we have the same conflict. In a certain
diocese the Bishop convoked the poor to participate actively. They accepted the
request and numerous began to participate. A great conflict arose. The rich said that
they had been excluded and some priests began to say, “the Bishop is doing politics
and forgets the Gospel.”
• Luke 11:42: Alas for you who do not think of justice and love. “Alas for you, Pharisees,
because your pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs andneglect
justice and the love of God. These you should have practiced without neglectingthe
others.” Jesus’ criticism of the religious leaders of the time can be repeated against
many religious leaders of the following centuries, even up until now. Many times, in
the name of God, we insist on details and we forget justice and love. For example,
Jansenism rendered arid the living out of faith, insisting on observance and penance
and leading people away from the path of love. Saint Therese of Lisieux grew up in
a Jansenistic environment which marked France at the end of the XIX century. After
a painful personal experience, she knew how to recover the gratuity of the love of
God with the force which has to animate the observance of the norms from within
because, without the experience of love, observance makes an idol of God.
The final observation of Jesus: “You should practice this, without neglecting the
others.” This observation recalls another observation of Jesus which serves as a
comment: “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I
havecome not to abolish but to complete them. In truth I tell you, till heaven and
earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until
all its purpose is achieved. Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of
these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the
least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them
will be considered great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you, if your uprightness
does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never get into the
Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5: 17-20).
• Luke 11:43: Alas for you, because you like to take the seats of honor. “Alas for you,
Pharisees, because you like to take the seats of honor in the synagogues and to be
greeted respectfully in the marketplaces.” Jesus calls the attention of the disciples
to the hypocritical behavior of some Pharisees. They like to go around the streets
with long tunics, and receive the greetings of the people, to occupy the first seats in
the synagogues and the seats of honor at banquets (cf. Mt 6: 5; 23: 5-7). Mark says
that they liked to enter the houses of widows to recite long prayers in exchange for
some money. Such people will be judged very severely (Mk 12: 38-40). This also
happens today in the Church.
• Luke 11: 44: Alas for you, unmarked tombs. “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees,
because you are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but
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insideare full of the bones of the dead and every kind of corruption” (Mt 23: 27-28). The
image of “whitewashed tombs” speaks for itself and does not need any comments.
Through this image, Jesus condemns a fictitious appearance of persons who are
correct, but interiorly there is the complete negation of how they want to appear to
be on the outside. Luke speaks about unmarked tombs: Alas for you, because you
are like those unmarked tombs that people walked on without knowing it.” Anyone
who walks on or touches a tomb becomes impure, even if the tomb is hidden under
the ground. This image is very strong: on the outside the Pharisee seems to be just
and good, but this aspect is deceitful because inside there is a hidden tomb that,
without people being aware, spreads a poison that kills, communicates a mentality
that leads people away from God, suggests an erroneous understanding of the Good
News of the Kingdom. It is an ideology which makes God a dead idol.
• Luke 11: 45-46: Criticism of the doctors of the Law and Jesus’ response. A lawyer then
spoke up and said, “Master, when You speak like this You insult us, too!" In His
response Jesus does not turn back, rather He shows clearly that the same criticism
is also for the scribes: “Alas for you lawyers as well, because you load on people
burdens that are unbearable, burdens that you yourselves do not touch with your
fingertips!” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expresses the same criticism which
serves as a comment: “The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You
must, therefore, do and observe what they tell you, but do not be guided by what
they do, since they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and
lay them on people’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them?” (Mt 23: 2-
4).
Personal Questions
• Hypocrisy maintains an appearance which deceives. In what ways am I hypocritical?
How far does the hypocrisy of our Church go?
• How can I address this hypocrisy? How have others in history addressed it? Is there
guidance in their example for me?
• Jesus criticized the scribes who insisted on the disciplinary observance of the
minute points of the law, as, for example, paying the tithe of mint and rue and all
sorts of gardenherbs and forgetting the objective of the Law, which is the practice
of justice and love. How does this criticism also apply to me?
Concluding Prayer
How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wickedand does not take a stand
in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics, but who delights in
the law of Yahweh and murmurs His law day and night. (Ps 1: 1-2)
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord,
Amen.

Jesus said: 'Alas for you because you build tombs for the prophets, the people your
ancestors killed! In this way you both witness to what your ancestors did and approve
it; they did the killing, you do the building.
'And that is why the Wisdom of God said, "I will send them prophets and apostles; some
theywill slaughter and persecute, so that this generation will have to answer for every
prophet's blood that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood
of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the Temple."
Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.
'Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in
yourselves and have prevented others from going in who wanted to.'
When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and
tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, lying in wait to catch him
out in something he might say.
Reflection
Once again for the one hundredth time, today’s Gospel speaks about the conflict
between Jesus and the religious authorities of that time.
• Luke 11: 47-48: Alas for you because you build tombs for the prophets. “Alas for you
because you build tombs for the prophets, the people your ancestors killed! In this
way you both witness to what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing;
you do the building”. Mathew says that these were the Scribes and the Pharisees
(Mt 23: 19). Jesus’ reasoning is clear. If the ancestors killed the prophets and the sons
built the toms, it is because the sons approved the crime of their fathers; besides
everybody knows that the dead prophet does not disturb anybody. In this way the
sons become witnesses and accomplice of the same crime (cf. Mt 23: 29-32).
• Luke 11: 49-51: To ask for an account of the blood that has been shed since the
foundation of the world. “That is why the wisdom of God said: I will send them
prophets and apostles; some they will slaughter and persecute, so that this
generation will have to answer for every prophet’s blood that has been shed since
the foundation of the world, from the blood of Able to the blood of Zechariah, who
perished between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I tell you, this generation lying in
wait to catch him out in something he might say”. Compared with the Gospel of
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Matthew, Luke usually offers a brief version of Matthew’s text. But here he increases
the observations: “shed since the creation of the world, of the blood of Abel”. He
did the same thing with the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew, who wrote for the
converted Jews, begins with Abraham (Mt 1: 1, 2, 17), while Luke goes back to Adam
(Lk 3: 38). Luke universalizes and includes the Pagans, then he writes his Gospel for
the converted Pagans. The information about the murdering of Zechariah in the
Temple is given in the Book of Chronicles: “The spirit of God then invested Zechariah
son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, ‘God says this,
‘Why transgress Yahweh’s commands to your certain ruin? For if you abandon
Yahweh, he will abandon you. Then they plotted against himand at the king’s order
stoned him in the court of the Temple of Yahweh” (2Cr 24: 20-21). Jesus knew the
story of his people to the minutest detail. He knew that he would be the next one
on the list from Abel to Zechariah; and up until now the list continues to be open.
Manypeople have died for the cause of justice and of truth.
• Luke 11: 52: Alas for you Doctors of the Law. “Alas for you lawyers who have taken
away the key of knowledge. You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented
others from going in who wanted to”. How do they close the Kingdom? They believe
that they have the monopoly of knowledge in regard to God and to God’s Law and
they impose on others they own way, without leaving a margin for a different idea.
They present God as a severe judge and in the name of God they impose laws and
norms which have nothing to do with the commandments of God, they falsify the
image of the Kingdom and kill in others the desire to serve God and the Kingdom.
A community which organizes itself around this false god “doesnot enter into the
Kingdom”, neither is it an expression of the Kingdom, and prevents its members
from entering into the Kingdom. It is important to notice the difference between
Matthew and Luke. Matthew speaks about the entrance into the Kingdom of
Heaven and the phrase is written in the verbal form in the present: "Alas for you,
lawyers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites, who close the Kingdom of Heaven
before men, because in this way you do not enter, and you prevent others from
going in who wanted to enter. (Mt 23: 13) The expression to enter the Kingdom of
Heaven could mean to enter in Heaven after death, but it is probable that it is a
question of entering into the community, around Jesus and in the communities of
the first Christians. Luke speaks about the key of knowledge and the phraseis
written in the verbal form in the past. Luke simply ascertains the pretension of the
Scribes to possess the key of knowledge in regard to God and to the law of God
prevents them from recognizing Jesus as Messiah and prevents the Jewish people
from recognizing Jesus as Messiah: You take possession of the key of knowledge.
You yourselves do not enter and you prevent others to enter.
• Luke 11: 53-54: The reaction against Jesus. The reaction of the religious authority
against Jesus was immediate. “When he left there, the Scribes and the Pharisees
began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable
questions, lying in wait to catch him out in something he might say”. Since they
considered themselves the only true interpreters of the Law of God, they tried to
provoke Jesus on questions of interpretation of the Bible to be able to surprise him
in something which he would say. Thus, the opposition against Jesus and the desire
to eliminate it continues to grow. (Lk 6: 11; 11: 53-54; 19: 48; 20: 19-20; 22: 2).
Personal Questions
• Many persons who wanted to enter were prevented from doing it and they no
longer believed because of the anti-evangelical attitude of the priests. Do you have
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any experience regarding this?
• The Scribes began to criticize Jesus who thought and acted in a different way. It is
not difficult to find reasons for criticizing anyone who thinks differently from me. Do
you have any experience regarding this?
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh has made known his saving power, revealed his saving justice for the nations
to see, mindful of his faithful love and his constancy to the House of Israel. (Ps 98: 2-3)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord,
Amen.

Meanwhile the people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on
one another. And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. 'Be on your guard
against the yeast of the Pharisees and their hypocrisy. Everything now covered up will
be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever
you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in
hidden places will be proclaimed from the housetops.
'To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that cando
no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has the power to
cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, He is the one to fear.
Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God's
sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid:
you are worth more than many sparrows.
Reflection
Today’s Gospel presents a last criticism of Jesus against the religious authority of his
time.
• Luke 12: 1ª: Thousands were looking for Jesus. “At that time people had gathered in
the thousands and were treading on one another”. This phrase allows to have a
glimpse of the enormous popularity of Jesus and the desire of the people to
encounter Him (cf. Mk 6: 31; Mt 13: 2). It makes us also see the abandonment in which
people found themselves. “They are like sheep without a shepherd,” said Jesus on
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another occasion when He saw the crowds get close to Him to listen to his words
(Mk 6: 34).
• Luke 12: 1b: Attention with hypocrisy. “Jesus began to speak first of all to his disciples:
“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – their hypocrisy”. Mark had
already spoken of the yeast of the Pharisees and of the Herodians and had suggested
that it was a question of the mentality, or of the dominant ideology of that time,
which expected a glorious and powerful Messiah (Mk 8: 15; 8: 31-33). In this text Luke
identifies the yeast of the Pharisees with hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is an attitude which
turns upside down or overturns the values. It hides the truth. It shows a beautiful
cloak or cape which hides and falsifies what is rotten inside. In this case, hypocrisy
was like theapparent cover of the extreme fidelity to the word of God which hid the
contradiction of their life. Jesus wants the contrary. He wants coherence and not
that which remains hidden.
• Luke 12: 2-3: That which is hidden will be revealed. “Everything now covered up willbe
uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever
you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered
in hidden places will be proclaims from the housetops”. It is the second time that
Luke speaks about this theme (cf. Lc 8: 17). Instead of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees
which hides the truth, the disciples should be sincere. They should not be afraid of
truth. Jesus invites them to share with the others the teachings which they learn
from Him. The disciples cannot keep these to themselves, but they should spread
them. One day, the masks will fall completely away and everything will be clearly
revealed and will be proclaimed on the housetops (Mt 10: 26-27).
• Luke 12: 4-5: Do not be afraid. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after
that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear Him who after He has killed
has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, He is the one to fear”. Here Jesus
addresses himself to his friends the disciples. They should not be afraid of those who
kill the body, who torture, who trample on and make one suffer. Those who torture
can kill the body, but they cannot kill liberty and the spirit. Yes, they should be afraid
that fear of suffering may lead them to hide or to deny the truth will lead them to
offend God, because he who separates himself from God will be lost forever.
• Luke 12: 6-7: You are worth more than many sparrows. “Can you not buy five
sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. For every hair
on hour head has been counted. Do not fear you are worth more than many
sparrows.” The disciples should not be afraid of anything, because they are in God’s
hands. Jesus asks them to look at the sparrows. Two sparrows are sold for a few
pennies and not one of them falls to the ground without the will of the Father. Even
the hair on your head is counted. Luke says that not one hair falls from your head
without the permission of the Father (Lk 21: 18). And so many hairs fall from our head!
This is why “Do not fear, you are worth more than many sparrows.” This is the lesson
that Jesus draws from the contemplation of nature (cf Mt 10: 29-31).
The contemplation of nature. In the Sermon on the Mountain, the most important
message Jesus takes is from the contemplation on nature. He says: “Have you heard
that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy; but I say: love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be children of your Father in
heaven, for He causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down
rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike. For if you love those who love you,
what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you
save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not
even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore set no bounds to your love, just
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as the Heavenly Father sets non to his” (Mt 5: 43-45, 48). The observation of the
rhythm of the sun and the rain lead Jesus to make that revolutionary affirmation:
“Love your enemies”. The same thing is valid concerning the invitation to look at the
flowers of the fields and the birds of the sky (Mt 6: 25-30). This contemplative and
surprising attitude before nature led Jesus to criticize truths apparently eternal. Six
times, one after another, He had the courage to publicly correct the Law of God: “It
has been said, but I tell you...” The discovery made in the renewed contemplation of
nature becomes a very important light to reread history for Him. A different look
which discovers lights that were not perceived before. Today there is new vision of
the universe which is circulating. The discoveries of science concerning the
immensity of the macro-cosmos and of the micro-cosmos are becoming sources of
a new contemplation of the universe. Many apparently eternal truths are now
beginning to be criticized.
Personal Questions
• What is hidden will be revealed. Is there in me something which I fear that it be
revealed?
• The contemplation of the sparrows and of the things of nature lead Jesus to have a
new and surprising attitude which reveals the gratuitous goodness of God. Do I
usually contemplate nature?
Concluding Prayer
The word of Yahweh is straight forward, all He does springs from his constancy. He
loves uprightness and justice; the faithful love of Yahweh fills the earth. (Ps 33: 4-5)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord,
Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples: 'I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the
presence of human beings, the Son of man will declare himself for him in the presence
of God's angels. But anyone who disowns me in the presence of human beings will be
disowned in the presence of God's angels.
'Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but no one who
blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. 'When they take you before
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synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend
yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you
what you should say.'
Reflection
• Context. While Jesus is on the way toward Jerusalem, we read in Luke, chapter 11,
that precedes our passage, presenting Him as having the intention to reveal the
abyss ofthe merciful acting of God and at the same time the profound misery hidden
in the heartof man. Particularly in revealing this to those who have the task of being
witnesses of the Word and of the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Jesus presents
such realities with a series of reflections which provoke effects in the reader, such as
to feel attracted by the force of his Word to the point of feeling judged interiorly and
detached from all desires of greatness which shake and agitate man (9: 46). The
reader identifies himself with various attitudes that the teaching of Jesus arouses.
Above all, he recognizes himself as follower of Christ in the disciple and sent to
precede him in the role of messenger of the kingdom, in the one who hesitates
somewhat in following him, and in the Pharisee or doctor of the Law, a slave of their
interpretations and lifestyle. In summary, the course of the reader in chapter 11 is
characterized by this encounter with the teaching of Jesus who reveals to him the
intimacy of God, the mercy of God’s heart, and the truth of his being a man.
In chapter 12, Jesus opposes the perverted judgment of man to the goodness of God
who always gives with superabundance. Man’s life enters into play here. It is
necessary to be attentive to the perversion of the human judgment and to the
hypocrisy that distorts values in order to privilege only one’s own interests and
advantages more than being interested in life, that life which is accepted
gratuitously. The Word of God gives the reader an appeal on how to face the
question regarding life: man will be judged on his behavior at the time of threats. It is
necessaryto be concerned with the men who can “kill the body” but rather to have
at heart the fear of God who judges and corrects. But Jesus does not promise the
disciples that they will be free from threats and persecutions, but He assures them
that they will have God’shelp at the moments of difficulty.
• To know how to recognize Jesus. The courageous commitment to recognize the
friendship of Jesus publicly implies as a consequence a personal communion with
Himat the moment of his return to judge the world. At the same time, the betrayal
in “who will deny me”, the one who is afraid to confess and recognize Jesus publicly,
condemns himself. The reader is invited to reflect on the crucial importance of Jesus
in the historyof salvation. It is necessary to decide to be either with Jesus or against
Him and of his Word of Grace. This decision, to recognize or to reject Jesus, depends
is critical to our salvation. Luke makes it evident that the communion that Jesus gives
at the present time to his disciples will be confirmed and will become perfect at the
moment of his coming in glory (“he will come in his glory and of the Father and of the
angels”: 9: 26). The call to the Christian community is very evident. Even if it has been
exposed to the hostility of the world, it is indispensable not to cease to give a
courageous witness of Jesus, of communion with him, to value and not to be
ashamed to show one is a Christian.
• Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Here Luke understands blasphemy as offensive
speaking or speaking against. This verb was applied to Jesus when in 5: 21 He had
forgiven sins. The question presented in this passage may give rise in the reader to
some difficulty: is blasphemy against the Son of man less grave or serious than the
one against the Holy Spirit? The language of Jesus may seem rather strong for the
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reader of the Gospel of Luke. Through the Gospel he has seen Jesus as showing the
behavior of God who goes to look for sinners, who is demanding but who knows
how to wait for the moment of return to Him, when the sinner attains maturity. In
Mark and Matthew blasphemy against the Spirit is the lack of recognizing the power
of God in the exorcisms of Jesus. But in Luke it may mean the deliberate and known
rejection of the prophetic Spirit that is working in the actions and teaching of Jesus,
that is to say, a rejection of the encounter with the merciful acting of salvation with
the Father. The lack of recognition of the divine origin of the mission of Jesus, the
direct offenses to the person of Jesus, may be forgiven, but anyone who denies the
acting of the Holy Spirit in the mission of Jesus will not be forgiven. It is not a
question of an opposition between the person of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, or of
some contrasting symbol of two diverse periods of history, that of Jesus and that of
the community after the Passover, but rather, the evangelist wants to definitively
show that to reject the Holy Spirit in the mission of Jesus is equal to blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit.
Personal Questions
• Are you aware that to be a Christian requires the need to face difficulties, deceit,
dangers, and even to risk one’s own life to give witness of one’s own friendship with
Jesus?
• Do you become embarrassed of being a Christian? Are you more concerned about
the judgments of men, their approval, are these more important for you or that of
losing your friendship with Christ?
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh our Lord,
how majestic is your name throughout the world!
Whoever keeps singing of your majesty higher than the heavens, even through the
mouths of children, or of babes in arms. (Ps 8: 1-2)

29th Sunday of
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
God of peace and forgiveness, You have given us Christ as an example of total service,
even to giving us His very life; grant us to find favor in Your sight that we may share the
cup of Your will to its dregs and live in the generous and fruitful service of each other.
Reading
The Context:
This episode comes straight after the third prediction of the Passion (Mk 10: 32-34). Ason
the occasions of the other predictions, the disciples’ reaction is not positive: two ofthem
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are worried about who is going to be first in the Kingdom and the others become
indignant. This tells us that the disciples had difficulty accepting the painful destiny of
their Master and understanding the mystery of the Kingdom. The two who come with a
request – James and John – are brothers and are part of the group of friends of Jesus
(Mk 1: 19-20). Their nickname is boanerges (“sons of thunder” Mk 3: 17). They were a little
impetuous.
The Text:
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want
you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for
you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the
other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you
drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and
with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right
or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When
the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them
and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall
not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your
servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of
Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
A Moment of Silent Prayer

to re-read the text with our heart and to recognize in the words and structure, the presence of
the mystery of the living God.
Some Questions
to see the important points in the text and begin to assimilate them.
• Why were the disciples so anxious to take the first places?

• Does Jesus’ reply make sense?
• What does Jesus mean by the cup to drink and the baptism to be baptized?
• On what does Jesus base service in the community?
Some Deepening of the Reading

”Grant us to sit, one at Your right hand and one at Your left, in Your glory”
Even though they were careful in the way they phrased their question, they were quite
ambitious. According to tradition, they may have been cousins of Jesus,and therefore –
according to Eastern law – they had a special right, as members of the family. In any
case, it is clear they have understood nothing about what Jesus was about to do. He
was on the way to the ignominy of the cross, and they still had not understood Him.
Jesus’ true power did not consist in distributing places of honor, but in asking them to
share His tragic destiny: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?”
“The cup that I drink you will drink”
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The dialogue concerning the cup and the baptism (vv. 38-39) is obviously parallel. But it
is not easy to understand how the two disciples can drink the cup and be baptized,
unless one thinks of the martyrdom both of them suffered later. By these two images,
Jesus seems to evoke His violent death, which He foretells as an absolute obligation of
fidelity to the Father. The reply to their request to sit next to Him is evasive: but we can
understand that it means that their way is not the right way to obtain the request.
“The ten began to be indignant”
Clearly they too share the same ambition. However, this verse seems to be an editorial
addition to connect two episodes, which originally were not placed together. This
changes the subject completely. But the fact that their indignation is recorded is
probably based on some other episode where the disciples do not appear in a good
lightand is therefore authentic.
“Those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them… But it shall not
be so among you”
Jesus is referring to political leaders of His time, and really this is also the style of
political leadership in all times. On the other hand, the community of disciples must be
ruled by service. Two terms express this service in a gradual manner. Jesus first speaks
of “servant” (diakonos) and then of “slave” (doulos). One cannot choose whom one will
serve: one must be a slave of all, thus overturning the worldly order.
“For the Son of man also…”
Here we find the basis of the constitutional law of the community: to follow the Master’s
style, by giving, like Him, one’s life in the spirit of service; thus becoming truly “lords”
through the gift of one’s life, not by just pretending. It is difficult to interpret “ransom”or
redemption, as Fr. X. Léon Dufour says, we can understand this well when we reflecton
the words that Jesus speaks at the Last Supper. Then Jesus’ whole life appears in the
light of “ransom,” of fidelity to the very end for the freedom of humankind. He deprives
Himself of freedom so that He can give freedom, to ransom those who have no
freedom. Thus, the statutes of the community of disciples is characterized by service,
by a lack of ambition, by a life given and destined for the ransom of others.
Psalm 33 (32)
A Prayer for Justice and Peace
Sing to Him a new song, play skillfully on the strings,with loud shouts.
For the word of the Lord is upright; and all His work is done in faithfulness.He loves
righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.By the word
of the Lord the heavens were made,and all their host by the breath of His mouth.
He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; He put the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!
For He spoke, and it came to be;
He commanded, and it stood firm.
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the
peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all
generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His
heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven,
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He sees all the sons of men; from where He sits enthroned
He looks forth on all the inhabitants of the earth,He who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.
Closing Prayer
Lord our God, keep Your Son’s disciples from the easy ways of popularity, of cheap
glory, and lead them to the ways of the poor and scourged of the earth, so that they may
recognize in their faces the face of the Master and Redeemer. Give them eyes to see
possible ways of peace and solidarity; ears to hear the requests for meaning and
salvation of so many people who seek; enrich their hearts with generous fidelity and a
sensitivity and understanding so that they may walk along the way and be true and
sincere witnesses to the glory that shines in the crucified resurrected and victorious One.
Who lives and reigns gloriously with You, Father, forever and ever. Amen.

Ordinary Time
St. Luke the Evangelist
Opening Prayer
Lord,
Amen.

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of Him in pairs, to all
the towns and places He himself would be visiting. And He said to them, 'The harvest is
rich but the laborers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to do his
harvesting. Start off now, but look, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Take
no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.
Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a manof
peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.Stay
in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the laborer
deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.
Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is put before
you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you."
Reflection
Today, on the feast of the Evangelist Saint Luke, the Gospel presents to us the sending
out of the seventy-two disciples who have to announce the Good News of God in the
villages and in the cities of Galilee. We are the seventy-two who come after the Twelve.
Through the mission of the disciples, Jesus seeks to recover the community values of
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the tradition of the people who felt crushed by the twofold slavery of the Roman
domination and by the official religion. Jesus tries to renew and organize the
communities in such a way that again they are an expression of the Covenant, an
example of the Kingdom of God. Therefore He insists in hospitality, sharing,
communion, and acceptance of the excluded. This insistence of Jesus is found in the
advice that He gave to his disciples when He sent them out on mission. At the time of
Jesus there were other movements which, like Jesus, were looking for a new way to live
and to live together. John the Baptist, the Pharisees and others for example. They also
formed communities of disciples (Jn 1: 35; Lk 11: 1; Ac 19: 3) and they had their
missionaries (Mt 23: 15). But as we will see there was a great difference.
• Luke 10: 1-3: The Mission. Jesus sends out the disciples to the places where He
wanted to go. The disciple is the spokesperson of Jesus. He is not the owner of the
Good News. He sends them out two by two. That favors reciprocal help, because the
mission is not individual, but rather it is a community mission.
• Luke 10: 2-3: Co-responsibility. The first task is to pray in order that God sends
laborers. All the disciples must feel that they are responsible for the mission. This is
why I should pray to the Father for the continuity of the mission. Jesus sends out his
disciples as lambs in the middle of wolves. The mission is a difficult and dangerous
task because the system in which the disciples lived, and in which we live, was and
continues to be contrary to the reorganization of living communities.
• Luke 10: 4-6: Hospitality. Contrary to the other missionaries, the disciples of Jesus
should not take anything with them, no haversack, no sandals; but they should take
peace. This means that they have to trust in the hospitality of the people. This is
because the disciple who goes without anything, taking only peace, indicates that
he trusts in people. He thinks that he will be welcomed, and people will feel
respected and confirmed. By means of this practice the disciple criticizes the laws
of exclusion and recovers the ancient values of life in a community. Do not greet
anybody on the way means that no time should be lost with things which do not
belong to the mission.
• Luke 10: 7: Sharing. The disciples should not go from house to house, but they should
remain in the same house. That is, that they should live together with others in a
stable way, participate in the life and work of the people and live from what they
receive in exchange, because the laborer deserves his wages. This means that they
should trust the sharing. Thus, by means of this new practice, they recover an
ancient tradition of the people, criticizing a culture of accumulation which
characterized the politics of the Roman Empire and they announced a new model
of living together.
• Luke 10: 8: Communion around the table. When the Pharisees went on mission, they
got ready. They thought that they could not trust the food the people would give
them and that it was not always ritually “pure”. For this reason, they took with them
a haversack, a purse and money to be able to get their own food. Thus, instead of
helping to overcome divisions, the observance of the laws of purity weakened the
living out of the community values even more. The disciples of Jesus should eat
whatever the people offered them. They could not live separated, eating their own
food. This means that they should accept sharing around the table. They should not
be afraid to lose legal purity in contact with the people. Acting in that way, they
criticize the laws which are in force, and they announce a new access to purity, that
it is intimacy with God.
• Luke 10: 9a: The acceptance of the excluded. The disciples have to take care of the
sick, cure the lepers and cast out devils (Mt 10: 8). That means that they should
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accept those who were excluded within the community. This practice of solidarity
criticizes the society that excluded many and indicates concrete ways for changing
this. This is what the pastoral ministry with the excluded, migrants and marginalized
does today.
• Luke 10: 9b: The coming of the Kingdom. If these requests are respected, then the
disciples can and should shout out to all parts of the world: The Kingdom of God has
arrived! To proclaim the Kingdom is not, in the first place, to teach truth and
doctrine, but to lead toward a new way of living and living together as brothers and
sisters starting from the Good News which Jesus has proclaimed to us: God is Father
and Mother of all of us.
Personal Questions
• Hospitality, sharing, communion, welcoming, and acceptance of the excluded: are
pillars which support community life. How does this take place in my community?
• What does it mean for me to be Christian? In an interview on TV a person answered
as follows to the journalist: “I am a Christian, I try to live the Gospel, but I do not
participate in the community of the Church”. And the journalist commented: “Then
doyou consider yourself a football player without a team!” Is this my case?
Concluding Prayer
All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh,and your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might. (Ps 145: 10-11)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God,
our source of power and inspiration, give us strength and joy in serving you as followers
of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples: 'See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit. Be
like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the
door as soon as he comes and knocks.
Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you,
he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them.
It may be in the second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those
servants if he finds them ready.
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Reflection
By means of this parable, the Gospel today exhorts us to be vigilant.
• Luke 12: 35: Exhortation to be vigilant, watchful. "Be ready and have your belts done
up and your lamps lit”. To gird oneself meant to take a cloth or a cord and put it
aroundthe robe. To be girded meant to be ready, prepared for immediate action.
Before the flight from Egypt, at the moment of celebrating the Passover, the
Israelites had to gird themselves, that is be prepared, ready to be able to leave
immediately (Ex 12: 11). Whensomeone goes to work, to fight or to execute a task he
girds himself (Ct 3: 8). In the letter of Paul to the Ephesians he describes the armor of
God and he says that your waistmust be girded with the cord of truth (Ep 6: 14). The
lamps should be lit, because to watch is the task to be carried out during the day as
well as during the night. Without light one cannot go in the darkness of the night.
• Luke 12: 36: A parable. In order to explain what it means to be girded; Jesus tells a
brief parable. “Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding
feast,ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks”. The task of waiting
for the arrival of the master demands constant and permanent vigilance, especially
during the night, because one does not know at what time the master will return.
The employee has to always be attentive and vigilant.
• Luke 12: 37: Promise of happiness. “Blessed those servants whom the master finds
awake when he comes; In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at
tableand wait on them”. Here in this promise of happiness, things turn upside down.
The master becomes the employee and begins to serve the employee who becomes
the master. At the Last Supper Jesus teaches that even though He is Lord and
Master, He became the servant of all (Jn 13: 4-17).The happiness promised has
something to do with the future, with happiness at the end of time, as opposed to
what Jesus promised in the other parable when He said: “Which of you, with a
servant ploughing or mindingsheep, would say to him when he returned from the
fields, come and have your meal atonce? Would he not be more likely to say, ‘Get
my supper ready; fasten your belt and wait on me while I eat and drink. You yourself
can eat and drink afterwards? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he
was told? So with you, when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘we are
useless servants; we have done no more than our duty” (Lk 17: 7-10).
• Luke 12: 38: He repeats the promise of happiness. “And if he comes at midnight, or at
dawn, and finds those servants ready, blessed are they!” He repeats the promise of
happiness which requires total vigilance. The master could return at midnight, at
three o’clock in the morning, or at any other moment. The employee must be girded,
ready to be able to do his work immediately.
Personal Questions
• We are employees of God. We should be girded, ready, attentive, and vigilant
twenty-four hours a day. Do you succeed to do this? How do you do it?
• The promise of future happiness is the opposite of the present. What does this reveal
to us of the goodness of God for us, for me?
Concluding Prayer
I am listening. What is God's message? Yahweh's message is peace for his people.
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His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land. (Ps 85: 8-
9)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples. 'You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had
known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break
through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is
coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Peter said, 'Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?'
The Lord replied, 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will
place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?
Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that. I tell you truly,he
will put him in charge of everything that he owns. But if the servant says to himself, "My
master is taking his time coming," and sets about beating the menservants and the
servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day
he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and
send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
'The servant who knows what his master wants but has got nothing ready and done
nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash.
The one who did not know but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will
be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be
demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person
even more will be expected.
Reflection
Today’s Gospel presents again the exhortation to vigilance with two other parables.
Yesterday, it was the parable of the Master and the servant (Lk 12: 36-38). Today, the first
parable is the one of the householder and the burglar (Lk 12: 39-40) and the other one
speaks of the master and the steward (Lk 12: 41-47).
Luke 12: 39-40: The parable of the householder and of the burglar. You may be quite
sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come,
he would not have let anyone break through the walls of the house. You too must
stand ready, because the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. So just as
the householder does not know at what hour the burglar will come, in the same way,
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no one knows the hour when the Son of Man will arrive. Jesus says this very clearly: "But
as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son. No
one but the Father!” (Mk 13: 32). Today many people live worried about the end of the
world. On the streets of the cities, we see written on the walls: Jesus will return! There
are even persons who are in anguish because of the proximity of the end of the world,
and they commit suicide. But time goes by and the end of the world does not arrive!
Many times the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten people and oblige
them to go to church! After waiting and speculation about the coming of Jesus, many
people no longer perceive the presence in our midst, in the most common things of
life, or in daily events. What is important is not to know the hour of the end of the
world, but rather being capable of perceiving the coming of Jesus who is already
present in our midst in the person of the poor (cf Mt 25: 40) and in so many other ways
and events of everyday life.
Luke 12: 41: Peter’s question. “Then, Peter said, Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or
for everyone? The reason for this question asked by Peter is not clearly understood. It
recalls another episode, in which Jesus responds to a similar question saying: “To you it
is granted to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not
granted” (Mt 13: 10-11; Lk 8: 9-10).
Luke 12: 42-48ª: The parable of the householder and the steward. In the response to
Peter’s question, Jesus formulates another question in the form of a parable: “Who then
is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to
give them at the proper time their allowance of food?” Immediately after, Jesus himself
gives the response in the parable: the good steward is the one who carries out his mission
of servant, he does not use the goods received for his own advantage and is always
vigilant and attentive. Perhaps this is an indirect response to Peter’s question, as if He
would say: “Peter, the parable is really for you! It is up to you to know how to administer
well the mission which God has given you: to coordinate the communities. In this sense,
the response is also valid for each one of us. And here the final warning acquires much
sense: “When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that
person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be
expected”.
The coming of the Son of Man and the end of this world. The same problems existed in
the Christian communities of the first centuries. Many people of the communities said
that the end of this world was close at hand and that Jesus would return afterwards.
Some from the community of Thessalonica in Greece, basing themselves in Paul’s
preaching said: “Jesus will return!” (1 Th 4: 13-18; 2 Th 2: 2). And because of this, there
were even persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the coming
would be within a few days or few weeks. Why work if Jesus would return? (cf 2 Th 3: 11).
Paul responds that it was not so simple as it seemed, and to those who did not work he
would warn: “He who does not work has no right to eat!” Others remained looking up
to Heaven, waiting for the return of Jesus on the clouds (cf. Ac 1: 11). And others did not
like to wait (2 P 3: 4-9).
In general, the Christians lived expecting the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus would
come for the Final Judgment to end the unjust history of this world here below and to
inaugurate a new phase of history, the definitive phase of the New Heavens and the
New Earth. They thought that it would take place after one or two generations. Many
people would still be alive when Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1 Th 4: 16-17;
Mk 9: 1). Others, tired of waiting would say: “He will never come back!” (2 P 3: 4). Even up
until today, the final return of Jesus has not yet taken place! How can this delay be
understood? We are not aware that Jesus has already returned, and that He is in our
midst: “Look, I am with you always, yes, till the end of time”. (Mt 28: 20). He is already at
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our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. The plenitude and the fullness
has not been attained, but an example or guarantee of the Kingdom is already in our
midst. This is why, we wait with firm hope for the total liberation of humanity and of
nature (Rm 8: 22-25). And when we wait and we struggle, we say rightly: “He is already
in our midst!” (Mt 25: 40).
Personal Questions
• The response of Jesus to Peter serves also for us, for me. Am I a good administrator
of the mission which I have received?
• What do I do in order to be always vigilant?
Concluding Prayer
From the rising of the sun to its setting, praised be the name of Yahweh!
Supreme over all nations is Yahweh, supreme over the heavens his glory. (Ps 113: 3-4)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
our source of power and inspiration,give us strength and joy in serving you as followers
Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples: 'I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were
blazing already!
There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under until it is
completed! 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but
rather division. For from now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two
and two against three; father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter,
daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-
law.'
Reflection
The Gospel today gives us some phrases of Jesus. The first one on bringing fire to the
earth is only in Luke’s Gospel. The others have more or less parallel phrases in Matthew.
This leads us to the problem of the origin of the composition of these two Gospels for
which much ink has already been used throughout the past two centuries. This
problem will only be solved fully when we will be able to speak with Matthew andLuke,
after our resurrection.
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• Luke 12: 49-50: Jesus has come to bring fire on earth. “I have come to bring fire to
the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still
receive, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!” The image of fire is
frequently mentioned in the Bible and does not have just one meaning. It could be
the image of devastation and punishment, but it can also be the image of
purification and illumination (Is 1: 25; Zc 13: 9). It can also express protection as it
appears in Isaiah: “Should you pass through fire, you will not suffer” (Is 43: 2). John
the Baptist baptized with water, but after him Jesus baptized with fire (Lk 3: 16). Here
the image of fire is associated to the action of the Holy Spirit who descends at
Pentecost as the image of the tongues of fire (Ac 2: 2-4). Images and symbols never
have an obligatory sense, totally defined, which does not allow some divergence. In
this case it would be neither image nor symbol. It is proper to the symbol to arouse
the imagination of the listeners and onlookers. Leaving freedom to the listeners, the
image of fire combined with the image of baptism indicates the direction toward
which Jesus wants people to turn their imagination. Baptism is associated with the
water and it is always the expression of a commitment. At another point, Baptism
appears like the symbol of the commitment of Jesus with his Passion: “Can you be
baptized with the baptism with which I will be baptized?” (Mc 10: 38-39).
• Luke 12: 51-53: Jesus has come to bring division. Jesus always speaks of peace (Mt 5:
9; Mk 9: 50; Lk 1: 79; 10: 5; 19: 38; 24: 36; Jn 14: 27; 16: 33; 20: 21, 26). So how can we
understand the phrase in today’s Gospel which seems to say the contrary? “Do you
think that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division”. This
affirmation does not mean that Jesus himself is in favor of division. No! Jesus did not
want division. But the announcement of truth that Jesus of Nazareth was the
Messiah becomes a reason for much division among the Jews. In the same family or
community, some were in favor and others were radically against. In this sense, the
Good News of Jesus was really a source of division, a “sign of contradiction” (Lk 2: 34),
or as Jesus said: “from now on a household will be divided, father opposed to son,
son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-
in-law, daughter-in- law to mother-in-law.” That is what was happening in the
families and in the communities Much division and much discussion as a
consequence of the Good News among the Jews of that time, with some accepting
and others denying. The same thing could be applied to the announcement of
fraternity as a supreme value of humanity living together. Not all agreed with this
announcement because they preferred to maintain their privileges. And for this
reason, they were not afraid to persecute those who announced sharing and
fraternity. This was the division which arose which was at the origin of the Passion
and death of Jesus. Jesus wants the union of all in truth (cf. Jn 17: 17-23). It is like this
even now. Many times where the Church is renewed, the call of the Good News
becomes a “sign of contradiction” and division. Persons who lived very comfortably
for years in the routine of their Christian life do not want to be disturbed or bothered
by the “innovations” of Vatican Council II. Disturbed by changes, they use all their
intelligence to find arguments to defend their own opinions and to condemn the
changes, considering them contrary to what they think is their true faith.
Personal Questions
• Seeking union Jesus was the cause of division. Does this happen with you today?
• How do I react before the changes in the Church?
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Concluding Prayer
Shout for joy, you upright; praise comes well from the honest. Give thanks to Yahweh
on the lyre, play for Him on the ten-stringed lyre. (Ps 33: 1-2)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Amen.

Jesus said again to the crowds, 'When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say
at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you
say it's going to be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the
earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times? 'Why not
judge for yourselves what is upright?
For example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle
with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over
to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get outtill
you have paid the very last penny.'
Reflection
The Gospel today presents the call on the part of Jesus to learn to read the signs of the
times. This was the text which inspired the Pope John XXIII to convoke the Church to
be more attentive to the signs of time and to better perceive the calls of God in the
events of the history of humanity.
• Luke 12: 54-55: Everybody knows how to interpret the face of the earth and of the
sky... “When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is
coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it’s going to be
hot and it is.” Jesus reports a universal human experience. Everybody in his own
country or region, knows how to read the face of the sky and of the earth. The body
itself understands when there is threat of rain or when the time begins to change.
They may say “It will rain.” Jesus refers to the contemplation of nature since it is one
of the most important sources of knowledge and of experience which He himself
had of God. It was the contemplation of nature that helped his discovery of new
aspects of faith and in the history of His people. For example, rain which falls on the
good and the bad, and the sun which rises on the upright and on the unjust, helped
Him to formulate one of the revolutionary messages: “Love your enemies!” (Mt 5, 43-
45).
• Luke 12: 56-57: ..., but they do not know how to read the signs of the time. And Jesus
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draws the conclusion for his contemporaries and for all of us: “Hypocrites!” You know
how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to
interpret these times? Why not judge for yourselves what is upright? Saint
Augustine said that nature, creation, is the first book that God wrote. Through
nature, God speaks to us. Sin mixes up the letters of the book of nature, and because
of this, we have not succeeded in reading God’s message printed in the things of
nature and in the facts of life. The bible is the second book of God, it was written not
to occupy or substitute life but to help us interpret nature and life and to learn again
to discover the calls of God in the facts of life. “Why not judge for yourselves what is
upright?” Sharing among ourselves what we see in nature, we will be able to
discover God’s call in life.
• Luke 12: 58-59: To know how to draw lessons for life. “When you are going to court
with your opponent , make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag
you before the judge and the judge will hand you over to the officer and the officer
will have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid
the very last penny”. One of the points on which Jesus insists most is reconciliation.
At that time there were many tensions and conflicts among the radical groups
which had different tendencies, without dialogue: Zelots, Essenes, Pharisees,
Sadducees, and Herodians... No one wanted to give in before others. The words of
Jesus on reconciliation which require acceptance and understanding enlighten this
situation, because the only sin which God does not forgive is our lack of forgiveness
toward others (Mt 6: 14). This is why He advises to seek reconciliation before it is too
late! When the time of judgment comes, it will be too late. When there is still time
try to change life, behavior, and way of thinking, and seek to act justly (cf. Mt 5: 25-
26; Col 3: 13; Ep 4: 32; Mk 11: 25).
Personal Questions
• Read the signs of the Times. When I listen or read the news on TV or in the newspaper
am I concerned with perceiving God’s call in these facts?
• Reconciliation: to be reconciled is the most insistent request of Jesus. Do I try to
collaborate in reconciliation between persons, the races, the people, the
tendencies?
Concluding Prayer
To Yahweh belong the earth and all it contains,the world and all who live there;
it is He who laid its foundations on the seas, on the flowing waters fixed it firm. (Ps 24: 1-
2)
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
our source of power and inspiration,give us strength and joy in serving You as followers
of Christ,who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled
with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that
because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than
all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will
all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the
tower at Siloam fell on them– do you think they were more guilty than
everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do
not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when
he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For
three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found
none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and
fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”
Reflection
The Gospel today gives us information which is only found in Luke’s Gospel. There are
no parallel passages in the other Gospels. We are meditating on the long journey from
Galilee to Jerusalem and which takes almost half of Luke’s Gospel, from chapter 9 to
chapter 19 (Lk 9: 51 to 19: 28). In this part Luke places most of the information on the life
and teaching of Jesus (Lk 1: 1-4).
• Luke 13: 1: The event which requires an explanation. “At that time some people
arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that
of their sacrifices.” When we read the newspaper or watch the news on TV, we
receive much information, but we do not always understand all its meaning. We
listen to everything, but we really do not know what to do with so much information
and news. There are terrible news items, such as tsunami, terrorism, wars, hunger,
violence, crime, attacks, etc. This is how the news of the horrible massacre which
Pilate, the Roman Governor, ordered regarding some Samaritan pilgrims had
reached Jesus. Such news upsets us, throws us off. And one asks, “What can I do?”
To assuage their conscience, many defend themselves and say, “It is their fault! They
do not work! They are lazy people!”
• Luke 13: 2-3: Jesus’ response. Jesus has a different opinion. “Do you suppose that
those Galileans were worse sinners than any others that this should have happened
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to them? I tell you ‘no,’ but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those
eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that
they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? I tell you
‘no, but unless you repent you will perish as they did.” He seeks to invite to
conversion and to change.
• Luke 13: 4-5: Jesus comments on another situation. “Or those eighteen on whom the
tower of Siloam fell, killing them all; do you believe they were worse offenders than
allthe other people in Jerusalem?”
• It must have been a disaster which was much discussed in the city. A thunderstorm
knocked down the tower of Siloam killing eighteen people who were seeking shelter
under it. The typical comment was “punishment from God!” Jesus repeats, “I tell you
‘no’, but unless you repent you will perish as they did.” They were not converted, they
did not change, and forty years later Jerusalem was destroyed and many people
died, being killed in the Temple like the Samaritans and many people died under
the debris or rubble of the walls of the city. Jesus tried to warn them, but the request
for peace wasnot accepted: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” (Lk 13: 34).
• Luke 13: 6-9: A parable to make people think and discover God’s project. “A man had
a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.
He said to his vinedresser, “for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit
on this fig tree and finding none.” Then he said to the vinedresser, “Cut it down; why
should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it one more year
and give me time to dig round it and manure it; it may bear fruit next year; if not,
then you can cut it down.” Many times the vine is used to indicate God’s affection
for His people, or to indicate the lack of response on the part of the people to God’s
love (Is 5: 1-7; 27: 2-5; Jer 2: 21; 8: 13; Ex 19: 10-14; Hos 10: 1-8; Mic 7: 1; Jn 15: 1-6). In the
parable, the landlord of the vine is God, the Father. The vinedresser who intercedes
on behalf of the vine is Jesus. He pleads with the Father to extend the space, the
time of conversion.
Personal Questions
• God’s people, God’s vineyard. I am part of this vineyard. If I apply this parable to
myself, what conclusion do I draw?
• What do I do with the news that I receive? Do I seek to form a critical opinion, or do
I continue to have the opinion of the majority and of the mass media?
• In today’s world, there are not only the traditional news sources with their political
agendas, but there is also social media – Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. They also
reinforce each other. One will pick up stories or ideas from another and spin it. Do
I have the skill to discern truth from these outlets? What can I do or learn to be able
to find the truth in world events?
Concluding Prayer
Who is like Yahweh our God? His throne is set on high,
but He stoops to look down on heaven and earth. He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the dunghill. (Ps 113: 5-7)
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30th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross, that seemed to be the end of all hope,
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures,
that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of
fraternity, justice, and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, Son of Mary, who revealed to us
Reading
This Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of the healing of Bartimaeus, the blind man from
Jericho (Mk 10: 46-52). This story includes a long instruction from Jesus to His disciples
(Mk 8: 22 to 10: 52). Mark places the healing of the anonymous blind man at the
beginning of this instruction (Mk 8: 22-26). Then, at the end, he tells us of the healing
of the blind man from Jericho. As we shall see, the two healings are symbols of what
went on between Jesus and His disciples. They point to the process and purpose of the
slow learning by the disciples. They describe a starting point (the anonymous blind
man) and an end point (Bartimaeus) of Jesus’ instruction to His disciples and to all of
us.
As we read, we shall try to look at the attitudes of Jesus, the blind Bartimaeus and the
people of Jericho, and at all that each of them says and does. As you read and meditate
on the text, think that you are looking into a mirror. Which image of you is it reflecting:
that of Jesus, of the blind Bartimaeus, or of the people?
A Division of the Text as a Help to the Reading:
• Mark 10:46: The description of the context of the episode

• Mark 10:47: The cry of the poor
• Mark 10:48: The reaction of the people to the cry of the poor
• Mark 10:49-50: Jesus’ reaction to the cry of the poor
• Mark 10: 51-52: The conversation between Jesus and the blind man and his healing
Text:
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind
man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of
Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And
many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of
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David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind
man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He threw aside his
cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me
to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go
your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed
him on the way.

Some Questions
• What did you like best in this text? Why?

• What is Jesus’ attitude: what does He say and do?
• What is the attitude of the people of Jericho: what do they say and do?
• What is Bartimaeus’ attitude: what does he say and do?
• What lesson can we learn from the healing of the blind Bartimaeus?

The Context of Jesus’ Long Instruction to His Disciples:
The healing of the anonymous blind man at the beginning of the instruction, takes
place in two phases (Mk 8: 22-26). In the first phase the blind man begins to perceive
things, but barely. He sees people as if they were trees (Mk 8: 24). In the second phase,
after the second trial, he begins to understand better. The disciples were like the
anonymous blind man: they accepted Jesus as Messiah, but they could not accept the
cross (Mk 8: 31-33). They were people who saw people as trees. Their faith in Jesus was not
strong. They continued to be blind! When Jesus insisted on service and the giving of
one’s life (Mk 8: 31, 34; 9: 31; 10: 33-34), among themselves they insisted on knowing who
was the most important (Mk 9: 34), and they continued to ask for the first places in the
Kingdom, one on the right and the other on the left of the throne (Mk 10: 35-37). This
shows that the dominant ideology of the time had taken deep root in their mentality.
After living with Jesus for a number of years, they had not yet been renewed enough to
see things and people. They looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past. They wanted Him
to be whatthey imagined He should be: a glorious Messiah (Mk 8: 32). But the aim of
Jesus’ instruction was that His disciples might be like the blind Bartimaeus who
accepted Jesus as He was, a faith that Peter did not have as yet. Thus Bartimaeus is a
model for the disciples of Jesus’ time and for the community of Mark’s time as well as
for all of us.

• Mark 10: 46-47: The description of the context of the episode: The cry of the poor
At last, after a long walk, Jesus and His disciples come to Jericho, the last stop before
going up to Jerusalem. The blind Bartimaeus is sitting by the side of the road. He
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cannottake part in the procession that accompanies Jesus. He is blind. He can see
nothing. But he shouts, calling for the Lord’s help: “Son of David! Have pity on me!”
The expression “Son of David” was the most common title that people ascribed to
the Messiah (Mt 21: 9; Mk 11: 10). But Jesus did not like this title. He criticized and
questioned the attitude of the doctors of the law who taught the people that the
Messiah would be the Son of David (Mk 12: 35-37).
• Mark 10: 48: The reaction of the people to the cry of the poor
The cry of the poor feels uncomfortable, unpleasant. Those who were following the
procession with Jesus try to keep Bartimaeus quiet. But “he shouted all the louder!”
Today too the cry of the poor feels uncomfortable. Today there are millions who
shout: migrants, prisoners, hungry people, sick people, those marginalized and
oppressed, the unemployed, without wages, without a home, without a roof,
without land, who never feel loved! Their shouts are silenced, in our homes, in the
churches, in world organizations. Only those who open their eyes to what is
happening in the world will listen to them. But many are those who have stopped
listening. They’ve gotten used to the situation. Others try to silence the cries, as they
tried with the blind man from Jericho. But they cannot silence the cry of the poor.
God listens to them (Ex 2: 23-24; 3: 7). God says: “You will not ill-treat widows or
orphans; if you ill-treat them in any way and they make an appeal to Me for help, I
shall certainly hear their appeal!” (Ex 22: 21).
• Mark 10:49-50: Jesus’ reaction to the cry of the poor
What does Jesus do? How does God hear this cry? Jesus stops and orders the blind
man to be brought to Him. Those who wanted to silence him, to silence the
uncomfortable cry of the poor, now, at Jesus’ request, see themselves bound to act
in such a way as tobring the poor to Jesus. Bartimaeus leaves everything and goes
to Jesus. Not that he possessed much, just a cloak. It is all he has to cover his body
(cf. Ex 22: 25-26). It is his security, his solid land!
• Mark 10: 51-52: The conversation between Jesus and the blind man and his healing
Jesus asks: “What do you want Me to do for you?” It is not enough to shout. One
must know what one is shouting for! The blind man answers: “My teacher! Let me see
again!” Bartimaeus addressed Jesus in a manner not at all common, even as we have
seen, with the title “Son of David” that Jesus did not like (Mk 12: 35-37). But
Bartimaeus has more faith in Jesus than in the ideas and titles concerning Jesus.
Not so the others present. They do not see what is necessary, like Peter (Mk 8: 32).
Bartimaeus knows how to give his life by accepting Jesus without any conditions.
Jesus says to him: “Go! Your faith has saved you!” At once his sight was restored. He
leaves everything and follows Jesus (Mk 10: 52). His healing is the result of his faith in
Jesus (Mk 10: 46-52). Now healed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus and goes with him up
to Jerusalem and to Calvary! Hebecomes a model disciple for Peter and for all of
us: to put our faith more in Jesus thanin our ideas about Jesus!
Further Information:
The Context of the Journey to Jerusalem
Jesus and His disciples are on the way to Jerusalem (Mk 10: 32). Jesus goes before them.
He is in a hurry. He knows that they will kill Him. The prophet Isaiah had foretold this (Is
50: 4-6; 53: 1-10). His death is not something that will come about through blind destiny
or an established plan, but as a consequence of an assumed duty, of a mission received
from the Father together with those excluded of His time. Jesus warns the disciples
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three times concerning the torture and death that await Him in Jerusalem (Mk 8: 31; 9:
31; 10: 33). The disciple must follow His master, even to suffering with Him (Mk 8: 34-35).
The disciples are taken aback and go with Him full of fear (Mk 9: 32).
They do not understand what is happening. Suffering was not part of the idea they had
of the Messiah (Mk 8: 32-33; Mt 16: 22). Not only did some of them not understand, but
they kept on cherishing personal ambitions. James and John ask for a place in the
glory of His Kingdom, one on the right hand and one on the left of Jesus (Mk 10: 35-37).
They want to go beyond Peter! They do not understand Jesus’ plan. They are only
concerned with their own interests. This reflects the fights and tensions that existed in
the communities of Mark’s time and that exist even now in our communities. Jesus
reacts decisively: “You do not know what you are asking!” (Mk 10: 38) He asks them if
they are capable of drinking the cup that He will drink and receive the baptism that He
will receive. The cup is the cup of suffering, and the baptism is the baptism of blood.
Jesus wants to know whether rather than taking a place of honor they will be willing to
give their lives even to death. They answer, “We can” (Mk 8: 39).
This seems to be an answer that comes from their lips because a few days later they
abandon Jesus and leave Him alone at the hour of suffering (Mk 14: 50). They have but a
little critical conscience; theydo not see His personal reality. In His instruction to the
disciples, Jesus stresses the exercise of authority (cf. Mk 9: 33-35). In those days, those
who held power paid no attention to the people. They acted according to their ideas (cf.
Mk 6: 17-29). The Roman Empire controlled the world and kept it submissive by force
and thus, by means of tributes, taxes and customs, was able to concentrate the wealth
of the people in the hands of a few in Rome. Society was characterized by the exercise
of repression and the abuse of power. Jesus thinks otherwise. He says: “Among you this
is not to happen. No, anyone who wants to become great among you must be your
servant!” (Mk 10: 43). He tells them to avoid privileges and rivalry. He turns the system
upside-down and stresses service as a means of overcoming personal ambition. Finally,
He gives His own life in witness of what He said: “The Son of Man Himself came not to
be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10: 45).
Faith is a Force that Transforms People
The Good News of the Kingdom says that Jesus is like a fertilizer. He makes the seed of
life grow in people, a seed hidden like fire under the embers of observance, lifeless.
Jesus blows on the embers and the fire glows, the Kingdom is revealed and people
rejoice. The condition is always the same: faith in Jesus.
When fear takes hold of a person, faith disappears and hope is extinguished. During His
moment of torment, Jesus scolds His disciples for their lack of faith (Mk 4: 40). They do
not believe, because they are afraid (Mk 4: 41). Jesus could not work miracles in
Nazareth because people there did not believe (Mk 6: 6). They did not believe because
Jesus did not measure up to their ideas of how He should be (Mk 6: 2-3). It is precisely
lack of faith that prevents the disciples from driving out the “dumb spirit” who ill-treats
a sick child (Mk 9: 17). Jesus criticizes them: “Faithless generation!” (Mk 9: 19). Then He
tells them how to re-kindle faith: “This is the kind that can only be driven out by prayer”
(Mk 9: 29).
Jesus urged people to have faith in Him and consequently created trust in others (Mk 5:
34,36; 7: 25-29; 9: 23-29; 10: 52; 12: 34, 41-44). Throughout Mark’s Gospel, faith in Jesus and
in His word is like a force that transforms people. It enables people to have their sins
forgiven (Mk 2: 5), to overcome suffering (Mk 4: 40), to have the power to heal and
purify themselves (Mk 5: 34). Faith obtains the victory over death, as when the twelve-
year-old daughter of Jairus enkindles in her father faith in Jesus and His words (Mk 5:
36). Faith makes Bartimaeus jump for joy: “Your faith has saved you!” (Mk 10: 52) If you
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say to the mountain, “Be pulled up and thrown into the sea,” the mountain will fall into
the sea, but one must not doubt in one’s heart (Mk 11: 23-24). “Because all things are
possible for those who believe!” (Mk 9: 23) “Have faith in God!” (Mk 11: 22). Thanks to His
words and actions, Jesus arouses in people a dormant force that people are not aware
of possessing. This is what happens to Jairus (Mk 5: 36), to the woman with the
hemorrhage (Mk 5: 34), to the father with an epileptic son (Mk 9: 23-24), to the blind
Bartimaeus (Mk 10: 52), and to many other people. Because of their faith in Jesus they
enabled a new life to grow in them and in others.
The healing of Bartimaeus (Mk 10: 46-52) clarifies a very important aspect of Jesus’ long
instruction to His disciples. Bartimaeus had called Jesus by His messianic title of “Son of
David!” (Mk 10: 47). Jesus did not like this title (Mk 12: 35-37). But even thoughhe called
Jesus by a title that was not quite correct, Bartimaeus had faith and was healed!Not so
Peter who no longer believed in the ideas of Jesus. Bartimaeus changed his mind,was
converted, left everything behind and followed Jesus on His journey to Calvary! (Mk 10:
52).
A full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical
instruction, but through a practical commitment, journeying with Him along the way
of service from Galilee to Jerusalem. Anyone who tries to hang on to Peter’s idea, that
is, that of the glorious Messiah without the cross, will not understand Jesus and will
never be truly a disciple. Anyone who wants to believe in Jesus and is willing “to give
his/her life” (Mk 8: 35), accept “to be last” (Mk 9: 35), “drink the cup and carry the cross”
(Mk 10: 38), like Bartimaeus, even with ideas that are not entirely correct, will have the
power “to follow Jesus along the way” (Mk 10: 52). It is in the certainty of being able to
walk with Jesus that we find the source of courage and the seed of the victory of the
cross.

In You, Yahweh, I Have Taken Refuge!
In You, Yahweh, I have taken refuge,let me never be put to shame,

in Your saving justice deliver me, rescue me,turn Your ear to me, make haste.
Be for me a rock-fastness, a fortified citadel to save me.
You are my rock, my rampart;
true to Your name, lead me and guide me! Draw me out of the net they have spread
for me, for You are my refuge;
into Your hands I commit my spirit,
by You have I been redeemed. God of truth, You hate those who serve useless idols;
but my trust is in Yahweh:
I will delight and rejoice in Your faithful love! You, who have seen my misery,
and witnessed the miseries of my soul, have not handed me over to the enemy,
but have given me freedom to roam at large.
Take pity on me, Yahweh, for I am in trouble.Vexation is gnawing away my eyes,

my soul deep within me.
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For my life is worn out with sorrow, and my years with sighs.
My strength gives way under my misery,and my bones are all wasted away.
The sheer number of my enemies makes me contemptible, loathsome to my

neighbors,
and my friends shrink from me in horror.
When people see me in the street they take to their heels. I have no more place in their
hearts than a corpse,
or something lost.
All I hear is slander -- terror wherever I turn --as they plot together against me,
scheming to take my life.
But my trust is in You, Yahweh; I say, 'You are my God,'

every moment of my life is in Your hands,
rescue me from the clutches of my foes who pursue me; let Your face shine on Your
servant,
save me in Your faithful love.
I call on You, Yahweh,

so let disgrace fall not on me, but on the wicked.
Let them go down to Sheol in silence, muzzles on their lying mouths,
which speak arrogantly against the upright in pride and contempt.
Yahweh, what quantities of good things You have in store for those who fear You,
and bestow on those who make You their refuge,for all humanity to see.
Safe in Your presence You hide them,
far from human plotting, shielding them in Your tent, far from contentious tongues.
Blessed be Yahweh
who works for me miracles of His faithful love (in a fortified city)! In a state of terror I
cried,
“I have been cut off from Your sight!'
Yet You heard my plea for help when I cried out to You.
Love Yahweh, all His faithful:

Yahweh protects His loyal servants,
but He repays the arrogant with interest. Be brave, take heart,
all who put your hope in Yahweh.
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Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will
of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice
what Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to
but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the
Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Almighty and ever-living God, strengthen our faith, hope, and love.
May we do with loving hearts what you ask of us
and come to share the life you promise.

One Sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and there before Him
was a woman who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that crippled her;
she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.
When Jesus saw her He called her over and said, 'Woman, you are freed from your
disability,' and He laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she
glorified God.
But the president of the synagogue was indignant because Jesus had healed on the
Sabbath, and He addressed all those present saying, 'There are six days when work is to
be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath.'
But the Lord answered him and said, 'Hypocrites! Is there one of you who does not untie
his ox or his donkey from the manger on the Sabbath and take it out for watering? And
this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years
- was it not right to untie this bond on the Sabbath day?'
When He said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people
were overjoyed at all the wonders He worked.
Reflection
The Gospel today describes the cure of a woman who was crippled. It is a question of
one of the many episodes which Luke narrates, without too much order, in describing
the long journey of Jesus toward Jerusalem (Lk 9: 51 to 19: 28).
• Luke 13: 10-11: The situation which brings about the action of Jesus. Jesus is in the
synagogue on a day of rest. He keeps the Law respecting Saturday and participating
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in the celebration together with his people. Luke tells us that Jesus was teaching. In
the Synagogue there was a crippled woman. Luke says that she had a spirit which
crippled her and prevented her from straightening up. This was a way in which the
people of that time explained sicknesses. It was already eighteen years that she was
in that situation. The woman does not speak, does not have a name, she does not
ask to be cured, she takes no initiative. One is struck by her passivity.
• Luke 13: 12-13: Jesus cures the woman. Seeing the woman, Jesus calls her and says to
her: Woman, you are freed from your disability!” The action of freeing is done by the
word, addressed directly to the woman, and through the imposition of the hands.
Immediately, she stands up and begins to praise the Lord. There is relation between
standing up and praising the Lord. Jesus does things in such a way that the woman
stands up, in such a way that she can praise God in the midst of the people meeting
in the assembly. Peter’s mother-in-law, once she was cured, she stands up and
serves (Mk 1: 31). To praise God is to serve the brothers!
• Luke 13: 14: The reaction of the president of the Synagogue. The president of the
synagogue became indignant seeing Jesus’ action, because He had cured on
Saturday: “There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed in one
of those days and not on the Sabbath.” In the criticism of the president of the
synagogue, people remember the word of the Law of God which said: “Remember
the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work that
day”, (Ex 20: 8-10). In this reaction is the reason why the woman could not participate
at that time. The domination of conscience through the manipulation of the law of
God was quite strong. And this was the way of keeping the people submitted and
bent down, crippled.
• Luke 13: 15-16: The response of Jesus to the president of the synagogue. The president
condemned persons because he wanted them to observe the Law of God. What for
the president of the synagogue is observance of the Law, for Jesus is hypocrisy:
"Hypocrites, is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the
manger on the Sabbath and take it down for watering? And this woman, a daughter
of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to
untie this bond on the Sabbath day?” With this example drawn from everyday life,
Jesus indicates the incoherence of this type of observance of the Law of God. If it is
permitted to untie an ox or a donkey on Saturday to give it water, much more will it
be permitted to untie a daughter of Abraham to free her from the power of Satan.
The true sense of the observance of the Law which pleases God is this: to liberate
persons from the power of evil and to make them stand up, in order that they can
render glory to God and praise Him. Jesus imitates God who sustains those who are
unsteady or weak and lifts those who fall (Ps 145: 14; 146: 8).
• Luke 13: 17: The reaction of the people before the action of Jesus. The teaching of
Jesus confuses his enemies, but the crowds are filled with joy because of the
wonderful things that Jesus is doing: “All the people were overjoyed at all the
wonders He worked”. In Palestine, at the time of Jesus, women lived crippled, bent,
and submitted to the husband, to parents and to the religious heads of the people.
This situation of submission was justified by the religion. But Jesus does not want
her to continue to be crippled, bent. To choose and to liberate persons does not
depend on a certain date. It can be done every day, even on Saturday!
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Personal Questions
• The situation of women has changed very much since that time, or not? Which is
the situation of women in society and in the Church? Is there any relation between
religionand oppression of women?
• Did the crowds exult before the action of Jesus? What liberation is taking place
today and is leading the crowd to exult and to give thanks to God?
Concluding Prayer
How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wickedand does not take a stand
in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics, but who delights in
the law of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and night. (Ps 1: 1-2)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
May we do with loving heartswhat you ask of us and come to share the life you
promise.

Jesus went on to say, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It
is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and becamea
tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.'
Again, He said, 'What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a
woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.'
Reflection
• Context. Along the road that leads Him to Jerusalem, Jesus is surrounded by
“thousands” of persons (11: 29) who crowd around him. The reason for such attraction
from the crowds is the Word of Jesus. In chapter 12 one can notice how the people
who listen to his Word alternate: the disciples (12: 1-12), the crowd (vv. 13-21), the
disciples (vv. 22-53), the crowds (vv. 54-59). The scandal of death is the dominating
theme of Luke 13: 1-35. In the first part it is spoken about as the death of all (vv. 1-9),
in the second part, the death of Jesus (vv. 31-35) and then to the death avoided by
sinners because their conversion is expected. But there is another theme together
with the dominant one: the salvation given to men. The cure of the woman who was
bent, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had held during eighteen years, is
liberated by Jesus. And in the center of this chapter 13 we find two parables that
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constitute the overall theme: the Kingdom of God as compared to the “mustard
seed” and to the “leaven or yeast.”
• The Kingdom of God is similar to a mustard seed. Such a seed is very common in
Palestine and particularly close to the Lake of Galilee. It is especially known because
itis particularly small. In Luke 17: 6, Jesus uses such an image to express the hope
that He has for the disciples that they have a at least a small seed of faith: “If you had
faith like a mustard seed...” This parable, which is very simple, confronts two diverse
moments in the story of the seed: the moment when it is sown in the earth (the
modest beginnings) and when it becomes a tree (the final miracle). Therefore, the
purpose of this account is to narrate the extraordinary growth of a seed that is
thrown in one’s own garden, and to this follows an amazing growth as it becomes a
tree. Like this seed, the Kingdom of God also has its story. The Kingdom of God is the
seed thrown into the garden, the place that in the New Testament is the place of
the agony and the burial of Jesus (Jn 18: 1, 26; 19: 41). Then it follows the moment of
growth and concludes with becoming a tree open to all.
• The Kingdom of God is similar to yeast. Yeast is put into three measures of flour. In
the Hebrew culture yeast was considered a factor of corruption so much so that it
was eliminated from their houses, in order not to contaminate the feast at Passover
which begins with the week of the unleavened dough. In the ears of the Jews the
use of this negative element, to describe the Kingdom of God, was a reason to be
disturbed. But the reader is able to discover the convincing force: it is sufficient to
put a very small quantity of yeast in three measures of flour in order to get a big
amount of dough. Jesus announces that this yeast, hidden or that has disappeared
in three measures of flour, after a certain amount of time, leavens the whole dough.
• The effects of the text on the reader. What do these two parables communicate to
us? The Kingdom of God, compared by Jesus to a seed that becomes a tree, is close
to the story of God as a story of his Word: it is hidden in human history, and it is
growing; Luke thinks of the Word of God (the Kingdom of God in our midst) is
already developing but it has not as yet become a tree. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are
supporting this growth of the Word. The image of yeast completes the frame of the
seed. The yeast is the Gospel that is working in the world, as in the ecclesial
communities and in the individual believers.
Personal Questions
• Are you aware that the Kingdom of God is present in our midst and that it grows
mysteriously and extends itself in the history of every person, and in the Church?
• The Kingdom is a humble reality, hidden, poor and silent, immersed between the
competition and pleasures of life. Have you understood from the two parables, that
you will not be able to get a glimpse of the Kingdom if you do not have an attitude
of humble and silent listening?
Concluding Prayer
How blessed are all who fear Yahweh,who walk in his ways! Your own labors will yield
you a living, happy and prosperous will you be. (Ps 128: 1-2)
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Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
May we do with loving heartswhat You ask of us and come to share the life You
promise.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,who lives and reigns with You and

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to
Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered
them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to
enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and
locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door
for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.' And you will say,
'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.' Then he will say to
you, 'I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' And there
will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all
the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come
from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in
the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who
will be last."
Reflection
The Gospel today narrates an episode that took place along the road that Jesus was
going through from Galilee to Jerusalem, the description of which occupies one third of
Luke’s Gospel (Lk 9: 51 to 19: 28).
• Luke 13: 22: The journey toward Jerusalem. “Through towns and villages He went
teaching, making His way to Jerusalem”. More than once Luke mentions that Jesus
is on the way toward Jerusalem. During ten chapters he describes the journey to
Jerusalem (Lk 9: 51 to 19: 28). Luke constantly recalls that Jesus is on the way toward
Jerusalem (Lk 9: 51, 53, 57; 10:1, 38; 11: 1; 13: 22, 33; 14: 25; 17: 11; 18: 31; 18: 37; 19: 1, 11, 28).
What is clear and definitive from the beginning is the destiny or end of the journey:
Jerusalem, the capital city where Jesus suffers His Passion and dies (Lk 9: 31, 51). But
Luke rarely tells us about the places through which Jesus passed. This he says only
at the beginning of the journey (Lk 9: 51), in the middle (Lk 17: 11) and at the end (Lk
18: 35; 19: 1), and thus we know something about the places through which Jesus was
passing. In this way, Luke suggests the following teaching: the objective of our life
should be clear, and we should assume it decidedly as Jesus did. We have to walk;
we cannot stop. The places through which we have to pass are not always clear and
definitive. What is certain is the objective: Jerusalem, where the “exodus” awaits us
(Lk 9: 31), the Passion, Death, and the Resurrection.
• Luke 13: 23: The question regarding the number of those who are saved. Along the
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road all kinds of things happen: information on the massacre and the disasters (Lk
13: 1-5), the parable (Lk 13: 6-9, 18-21), discussions (Lk 13: 10-13) and, in today’s Gospel, a
question from the people: “Sir will there be only a few saved?” It is always the same
question concerning salvation!
• Luke 13: 24-25: The narrow door. Jesus says that the door is narrow: “Try your hardest
to enter by the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter but will not
succeed”. Does Jesus, perhaps, says this to fill us with fear and to oblige us to observe
the Law as the Pharisees taught? What does this narrow door signify? About which
door is He speaking? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus suggests that the entrance
into the Kingdom has eight doors. These are the eight categories of people of the
Beatitudes: (a) the poor in spirit, (b) the meek, (c) the afflicted, (d) the hungry and
thirsty for justice, (e) the merciful, (f) the pure of heart, (g) the peacemakers and (h)
those persecuted for justice (Mt 5: 3-10). Luke reduces them to four categories: (a)
the poor, (b) the hungry, (c) those who are sad and (d) those who are persecuted (Lk
6: 20- 22). Only those who belong to one of these categories mentioned in the
Beatitudes will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the narrow door. It is the new
view of the salvation which Jesus communicates to us. There is no other door! It is a
question of the conversion which Jesus asks of us. And He insists: “Try your hardest
to enter by the narrow door, because I tell you many will try to enter and will not
succeed. Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may
find yourself standing outside knocking on the door, saying ‘Lord, open to us’, but
He will answer, ‘I do not know where you come from’”. Concerning the hour of
judgment, now is the favorable time for conversion, to change our opinion, our view
of salvation and to enter into one of the eight categories.
• Luke 13: 26-28: The tragic misunderstanding. God responds to the one who knocks
at the door: “I do not know where you come from.” But they insist and argue, “We
have eaten and we drank in Your presence, You taught on our streets!” It is not
sufficient to have eaten with Jesus, to have participated in the multiplication of the
loaves and to have listened to His teachings on the streets of the cities and villages!
It is not sufficient to be in Church and to have participated in catechism class. God
will answer, “I do not know where you come from; away from Me, all evil doers!” This
is a tragic misunderstanding and a total lack of conversion. Jesus considers unjust
what others consider just and pleasing to God. It is a totally new way of seeing our
salvation. The door is truly narrow.
• Luke 13: 29-30: The key that explains the misunderstanding. “People from east and
west, from north and south, will come and sit down at the feast in the Kingdom of
God. Look, there are those now last who will be the first, and those now first who will
be last.” It is a matter of the great change which takes place with the coming of God
down to us in Jesus. All people will have access and will pass through the narrow
door.
Personal Questions
• To have a clear objective and to travel toward Jerusalem: are the objectives of my
life clear or do I allow myself to be blown around by the wind of public opinion?
• The narrow door. What idea do I have of God, of life, and of salvation?
• If “only those who belong to one of these categories mentioned in the Beatitudes
will enter the Kingdom of Heaven”, what of the Commandments? What constitutes
belonging to one of these categories? Is there a “more perfect” belonging in some
ways than in others? How does it all come together?
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Concluding Prayer
All Your creatures shall thank You, Yahweh,and Your faithful shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingship and tell of Your might. (Ps 145: 10-11)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
promise.

Now it happened in those days that Jesus went onto the mountain to pray; and he
spent the whole night in prayer to God.
When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called
them 'apostles': Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the
Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.
He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there
was a largegathering of his disciples, with a great crowd of people from all parts of
Judaea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to
hear him and to becured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were
also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came
out of him that cured them all.
Reflection
Today the Gospel speaks about two facts: (a) to describe the choice of the twelve
Apostles (Lk 6: 12-16) and (b) it informs that an immense crowd wanted to meet Jesus
to listen to him,to touch him and to be cured (Lk 6: 17-19).
• Luke 6: 12-13: Jesus spends the night in prayer and chooses the twelve apostles.
Before the definitive choice of the twelve Apostles, Jesus goes up to the mountain
and there spends the whole night in prayer. He prays in order to know whom to
choose, and he chooses the Twelve, whose names are given in the Gospels. And then
they received the title of Apostles. Apostle means one sent, missionary. They were
called to carry out a mission, the same mission that Jesus received from the Father
(Jn 20: 21). Mark concretizes the mission and says that Jesus called them to be with
him and to send them out on mission (Mk 3: 14).
• Luke 6: 14-16: The names of the twelve Apostles. With little differences the names of
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the Twelve are the same in the Gospels of Matthew (Mt 10: 2-4), Mark (Mk 3: 16-19)
and Luke (Lk 6: 14-16). Many of these names come from the Old Testament: Simon is
the name of one of the sons of the Patriarch Jacob (Gn 29: 33). James (Giacomo) is
the same name as Jacob (Gn 25: 26). Judas is the name of the other son of Jacob (Gn
35: 23). Matthew even if he had the name of Levi (Mk 2: 14), the other son of Jacob
(Gn 35: 23). Of the twelve Apostles, seven have the name which comes from the time
of the Patriarchs: two times Simon, two times James, two times Judas, and one
time Levi! That reveals the wisdom of the pedagogyof the people. By the names of
the Patriarchs and the ‘Matriarchs’, given to the sons and daughters, people
maintained alive the tradition of the ancients and helped their own children not to
lose their identity. Which are the names that we give today to our sons and
daughters?
• Luke 6: 17-19: Jesus comes down from the mountain and people look for him.
Comingdown from the mountain with the twelve, Jesus encounters an immense
crowd of people who was seeking to listen to his word and to touch him because
they knew that from him came out a force of life. In this great crowd there were Jews
and foreigners, people from Judaea and from Tyre and Sidon. They were abandoned,
disoriented. Jesus accepts all those who seek him, Jews and Pagans! This is one of
the themes preferred by Luke who writes for the converted Pagans.
• The persons called by Jesus are a consolation for us. The first Christians remembered
and recorded the names of the Twelve Apostles and of the other men and women
who followed Jesus closely. The Twelve, called by Jesus to form the first community
with him, were not saints. They were common persons, like all of us. They had their
virtues and their defects. The Gospels tell us very little about the temperament and
the character of each one of them. But what they say, even if it is not much is a
reason of consolation for us.
• Peter was a generous person and full of enthusiasm (Mk 14: 29, 31; Mt 14: 28-
29), but in the moment of danger and of taking a decision, his heart
becomes small and he turns back (Mt 14: 30; Mk 14: 66-72). He even got to
be Satan for Jesus (Mk 8: 33). Jesus calls him Pietra- Rock (Pietro). Peter of
himself was not Rock, he becomes Rock (roccia), because Jesus prays for
him (Lk 22: 31-32).
• James and John are ready to suffer with and for Jesus (Mk 10: 39), but they
were very violent (Lk 9: 54). Jesus calls them “sons of thunder” (Mc 3: 17). John
seemed to have a certain jealousy. He wanted Jesus only for his group (Mk
9: 38).
• Philip had a certain welcoming way. He knew how to get others in contact
with Jesus (Jn 1: 45-46), but he was not too practical in solving problems (Jn
12: 20-22; 6, 7). Sometimes he was very naïve. There was a moment when
Jesus lost patience with him: Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and
you still do not know me? (Jn 14: 8-9)
• Andrew, the brother of Peter and friend of Philip, was more practical. Philip
goes to him to solve the problems (Jn 12: 21-22). Andrew calls Peter (Jn 1: 40-
41), and Andrew found the boy who had five loaves and two fish (Jn 6: 8-9).
• Bartholomew seems to be the same as Nathanael. He was from that place
and could not admit that something good could come from Nazareth (Jn 1:
46).
• Thomas was capable to maintain his opinion for a whole week, against the
witness of all the others (Jn 20: 24-25). But when he saw that he was
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mistaken he was not afraid to recognize his error (Jn 20: 26-28). He was
generous, ready to die with Jesus (Jn 11: 16).
• Mathew or Levi he was the Publican, the tax collector, like Zacchaeus (Mt 9:
9; Lk 19: 2). They were persons committed in the oppressing system of the
time.
• Simon, instead seems belonged to the movement which was radically
opposed to the system that the Roman Empire imposed on the Jewish
people. This is why they also called it Zelots (Lk 6: 15). The group of the Zelots
succeeded in provoking an armed revolt against the Romans.
• Judas was the one who was in charge of the money of the group (Jn 13: 29).
He betrayed Jesus.
• James of Alphaeus and Judas Thadeus, of these two the Gospels say
nothing except the name.
Personal Questions
• Jesus spends the whole night in prayer to know whom to choose, and he chooses
these twelve. What conclusions do you draw from this gesture of Jesus?
• The first Christians remembered the names of the twelve Apostles who were at the
origin of their community. Do you remember the names of the persons who are at
the origin of the community to which you belong? Do you remember the name of
some catechist or professor who was significant for your Christian formation? What
do you especially remember about them: the content of what they taught you or
the witness that they gave you?
Concluding Prayer
The Lord is good,
his faithful love is everlasting,
his constancy from age to age. (Ps 100: 5)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
promise.
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It happened that on a Sabbath day Jesus had gone to share a meal in the house of one
of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. Now there in front of him was a
man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees with the words, 'Is it
against the law tocure someone on the Sabbath, or not?'
But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away.
Then he said to them, 'Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not
pull him out on a Sabbath day without any hesitation?' And to this they could find no
answer.
Reflection
Today’s Gospel narrates an episode of the discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees,
which took place along his journey from Galilee up to Jerusalem. It is very difficult to
situate this fact in the context of the life of Jesus. There are similarities with a fact
narrated in the Gospel of Mark (Mk 3: 1-6). Probably it is a question of the many stories
transmitted orally and, in the oral transmission; they were adapted in accordance with
the situation, the need and the hopes, of the people of the communities.
• Luke 14: 1: The invitation on a Saturday. “On a Sabbath day Jesus went to share a
meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees and they watched him closely”.
This initial information on the reception in the house of a Pharisee gives Luke the
possibility to present several episodes which speak about welcoming, accepting to
have a meal: the cure of the sick man (Lk 14: 2-6), choice of places where to eat (Lk
14: 7-11), choice of the guests invited (Lk 14: 12-14), those invited who do not accept
the invitation (Lk 14: 15-24). Many times, Jesus is invited by the Pharisees to share a
meal. Perhaps the reason for inviting him was out of curiosity and some malice,
wishing to observe Jesus to see how he observes the prescriptions of the law.
• Luke 14: 2: The situation which brings about the action of Jesus. “There was a man
with dropsy”. It is not said how a man with dropsy could enter the house of the head
of the Pharisees. But if he is in front of Jesus it is because he wants to be cured. The
Pharisees observe Jesus. It was a Saturday, and it is forbidden to cure on a Saturday.
What to do? Can it be done or not?
• Luke 14: 3: The question of Jesus to the Scribes and the Pharisees. “Jesus addressing
the lawyers and the Pharisees asked, Is it against the law to cure someone on the
Sabbath or not? With his question Jesus explains the problem which they had
before them: “Can one cure or not on Saturday? Does the law permit this, yes or no?
In Mark’s Gospel the question is even more provocative: “Is it permitted on the
Sabbath day to do good, or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” (Mk 3: 4).
• Luke 14: 4-6: The cure. The Pharisees do not respond and remain in silence. Before
the silence of the one who neither approves nor disapproves, Jesus takes the man
by the hand, cures him and sends him away. After, to respond to a possible criticism,
he explains the reason that has moved him to cure: “Which of you here, if his son
falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a Sabbath day without any
hesitation?” With this question Jesus shows the incoherence of the lawyers and of
the Pharisees. If one of them has no problem, on Saturday, to help his son or even
an animal, so Jesus also has the right to help the man with dropsy. Jesus’ question
recalls the Psalm, where it is said that God himself helps men and animals (Ps 36:
8). The Pharisees “Could not respond anything to these words”; because before the
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evidence, there are no arguments which can deny it.
Personal Questions
• The liberty of Jesus before a situation. Even though he is being observed by those
who donot approve him, he does not lose his liberty. Which is the liberty that I have?
• There are difficult moments in life, in which we are obliged to choose between the
immediate need of our neighbor and the letter of the law. How should we act?
Concluding Prayer
I give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart, in the meeting-place of honest people, in the
assembly. Great are the deeds of Yahweh, to be pondered by all who delight in them.
(Ps 111: 1-2)

Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
May we do with loving hearts what you ask of us and come to share the life you
promise.
Gospel Reading - Luke 14: 1, 7-11

It happened that on a Sabbath day Jesus had gone to share a meal in the house of one
of the leading Pharisees and they watched Him closely. He then told the guests a
parable because He had noticed how they picked the places of honor. He said this:
"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of
honor. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person
who invited you both may come and say, "Give up your place to this man." And then, to
your embarrassment, you will have to go and take the lowest place.
No, when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that when
your host comes, he may say "My friend, move up higher." Then, everyone with you at
the table will see you honored.
For everyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself
will be raised up."
Reflection
• Context. The Word of grace that Jesus visibly rendered with His teaching and the
curesHe worked runs the risk of being suppressed. For Jesus, the event of death is
always closer, like all the prophets who have preceded him. Such a reality which
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Jesus is going toward shows not only God’s patience, but man’s rejection b. By
rejecting Jesus as the one sent, the Father’s only Word of grace , man condemns
himself and closes the possibility that the Father has given him access to
salvation. However, hope is not extinguished. It is possible that some day man will
recognize Jesus as “the one” who comes from the Lord and that will be a reason to
rejoice. Therefore, the conclusionof chapter 13 of Luke’s Gospel makes us understand
that salvation is not a human enterprise, but can only be received as an absolutely
gratuitous gift. Let us see, then, how this gift of salvationis fulfilled while always
keeping in mind this rejection of Jesusas the only one sent by God.
• The invitation to lunch. In the face of the danger of being reduced to silence it might
have been suggested to Jesus that He flee. Instead, He accepts the invitation to
lunch. The attitude of Jesus makes one understand that He does not fear the
attempts of aggression against His person, they Him . Inviting Him is “one of the
heads of the Pharisees”, a person who has authority. The invitation takes place on a
Saturday, an ideal day for a festive lunch which was usually taken around noon after
all had participated in the liturgy in the Synagogue. During lunch, the Pharisees
“were observing him” (v. 11): an act of supervision and control that refers to the
suspicion regarding His behavior. In other words, they observe Him, expecting that
He will do some inappropriate action regarding their law. Finally, they corner Him,
not to safeguard the observance of the law, but rather to catch Him in some gesture
of His. Inthe meantime, on Saturday, having cured the one suffering from dropsy
before the Pharisees and the Doctors of the Law, He expresses two reflections on
how it is necessary to accept an invitation to table and in the spirit in which the
invitation is to be given (vv. 12-14). The first one Luke calls a “parable”, that is to say,
an example, amodel or a teaching to be followed. Above all, it is necessary to invite
with gratuity and with freedom of spirit. Frequently, men go ahead and ask to be
invited instead of waitingto receive an invitation. For Luke, the point of view of God
is the contrary. It is that of humility: “He has pulled down princes from their thrones
and raised high the lowly”. The call to participate in the “great supper” of the
Kingdom has, as a result, an improvement in the level of life for the one who is
capable to accept the invitation of salvation with gratitude .
• The last place. It is true that to cede or give up one’s own place to others is not
gratifying. It could be humiliating and is a limitation of one’s pride. It is even more
humiliating and a reason to feel embarrassed when one has to move to the last
place because it is a dishonour in the eyes of all. Luke thinks of all those humiliating
and painful situations of shame in which the believer can find himself, in the place
reservedfor one who lives these events before the eyes of God and His Kingdom.
The proud, those who seek to have first places, and the important gratify themselves
because of their social position. On the contrary, when Jesus came to live among us,
“there was no place for him” (2, 7) and He decided to remain, choosing a place among
the poor and humble people. This is why God raised Him and exalted Him. From
here comes the precious suggestion to choose His attitude, considering the last
place as a privilege. The reader may remain disturbed by these words of Jesus that
undermine theutilitarian and egoistic sense of life, but in the long run His teaching
reveals itself to benecessary to ascend on high and the way of humility that leads to
glory.
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Personal Questions
• In your friendships with others, does the calculation of interest and the expectation
to receive something in exchange, prevail?
• In your relationship with others, is there always and everywhere your “I”, even when
you do something for the brothers and sisters? Are you ready to give yourself in what
you are?
Concluding Prayer
I thirst for God, the living God;
when shall I go to see the face of God?I have no food but tears day and night,
as all day long I am taunted, "Where is your God?" (Ps 42: 2-3)

31st Sunday of Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope
Create in us silence so that we may listen to Your voice in creation and in the scriptures,
that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of
fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us
Gospel Reading: Mark 12: 28b-34

In this Sunday’s Gospel one of the doctors of the law, who were responsible for the
teaching of religion, wants to know from Jesus, which commandment is the greatest.
Today, many people want to know what is most important in religion. Some say it is
baptism, others going to Mass or some other Sunday liturgy, others say to love one’s
neighbor! Some are only worried about externals or positions in the Church. Before
reading Jesus’ reply, try to look into yourself and ask: “For me, what is the most
important thing in religion and life?”
The text gives us the conversation between Jesus and the doctor of the law. As you read,
try to focus on the following: “What does Jesus praise in the doctors of the law and what
does He criticize in them?”
A Division of the Text to Help with the Reading:
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• Mark 12: 28: The doctor of the law’s question concerning the greatest
commandment
• Mark 12: 32-33: The doctor approves Jesus’ reply
• Mark 12: 34: Jesus confirms the doctor
Text:
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the
commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is
Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with
all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than
these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and
there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your
understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth
more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered
with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no
one dared to ask him any more questions.

Some Questions
• What struck you most in the text? Why?

• What did Jesus criticize in the doctor of the law and what did He praise?
• How should our love of God be according to verses 29 and 30? What do the following
words mean in these verses: “heart, mind, strength”? Do all these words point to the
same thing?
• What is the relationship between the first and second commandments? Why?
• Are we closer or further away from the Kingdom of God today than the doctor who
was praised by Jesus? What do you think?

The Context:
• When Jesus began His missionary activity, the doctors in Jerusalem even went to
Galilee to observe Him (Mk 3: 22; 7: 1). They were disturbed by Jesus’ preaching and
already accepted the disparagement that said He was possessed by the devil (Mk 3:
22). Now, in Jerusalem, they again start arguing with Jesus.
• In the 70’s, when Mark was writing his Gospel, there were many changes and
persecutions, so the life of the Christian communities was precarious. In times of
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change and uncertainty there is always the risk or temptation to seek security, not
to trust in the goodness of God towards us, but rather, to trust in the rigorous
observance of the law. Faced with this kind of thinking, Jesus insists on the practice
of love that softens the observance of the law and gives it its true meaning.
• Mark 12: 28: The doctor of the law’s question

Just before the doctors put the question to Jesus, Jesus had had a discussion with
the Sadducees on the matter of faith in the resurrection (Mk 12: 18-27). The doctor of
the law, who was present at the discussion, liked Jesus’ reply, and realized that He
was someone very intelligent, so he makes most of the occasion and asks a question
of his own for clarification: “Which is the greatest of all the commandments?” In
those days, the Jews had very many laws to regulate the practice of the observance
of the Ten Commandments of the Law of God. Some said, “All these laws carry the
same weight, because they come from God. It is not up to us to make distinctions in
the things of God.” Others replied, “No! Some laws are more important than others
and so are more binding!” The doctor wants to know Jesus’ opinion: “Which is the
first of all the commandments?” This matter was hotly debated in those days.
Jesus replies by quoting from the Bible, which says the first commandment is “you
must love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength!” (Dt
6: 4-5). These words formed part of a prayer called the Shemá. In Jesus’ days, the
Jews recited this prayer twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. It was as well
known to themas the Our Father is to us today. Then Jesus adds, still quoting the
bible: “The second is this: ‘You will love your neighbor as yourself’ (Lev 19: 18). There is
no commandment greater than these.” A short and very deep answer! It is a
summary of all that Jesus taught about God and life (Mt 7: 12).
• Mark 12: 32-33: The doctor of the law’s reply
The doctor agrees with Jesus and concludes, “Yes! To love Him with all your heart,
with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, this
is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.” In other words, the
commandment of love is more important than all the commandments that have to
do with cult or sacrifices in the Temple. This statement comes from the prophets of
the Old Testament (Hos 6: 6; Ps 40: 6-8; Ps 51: 16-17). Today we would say: the practice
of love is more important than novenas, vows, Masses, prayers and processions. Or
rather, novenas, vows, Masses, prayers, and processions must be the result of the
practice of love and must lead to love. This a fine and subtle distinction, and worthy
of reflection.
• Mark 12: 34: A summary of the Kingdom
Jesus affirms the conclusion drawn by the doctor and says, “You are not far from the
Kingdom!” Indeed, the Kingdom of God consists in recognizing that the love of God
and neighbor are the most important things. If God is Father, then we all are
brothers and sisters and we must show this in practice by living as a community.
“On these two commandments hang the law and the Prophets!” (Mt 22: 40) Jesus’
disciples must engrave this great law on their memory, their intellect, their heart:
only thus can we attain God in the total gift of self to the neighbor!
• Mark 12: 35-37: Jesus criticizes the teaching of the doctors of the law on the Messiah
The official propaganda of the state and of the doctors of the law stated that the
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messiah would come as Son of David. This was meant to teach that the messiah
would be a glorious, strong and dominating king. This is what the crowd shouted on
Palm Sunday: "Blessed is the coming kingdom of David, our Father!" (Mk 11: 10). The
blind man from Jericho also cried out: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” (Mk 10:
47). But here Jesus questions this teaching of the doctors. He quotes a psalm of
David: “The Lord said to my lord, take your seat at my right, till I make your enemies
your footstool!” (Ps 110: 1) Then Jesus goes on, “If David himself says my Lord, how
can the Messiah be his son?” This means that Jesus did not agree with the idea of a
glorious king Messiah, who would come to dominate and impose his reign on all his
enemies. Jesus prefers being the servant Messiah proclaimed by Isaiah (Is 42: 1-9).
He says: “The Son of Man Himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give His
life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10: 45).
• Mark 12: 38-40: Jesus criticizes the doctors of the Law
Jesus then draws the disciples’ attention to the one-sided and hypocritical attitude
of some of the doctors of the law. These doctors liked to walk about in squares
wearing long tunics, being greeted by people, taking first place in the synagogues
and places of honor at banquets. They liked going into the homes of widows and
preaching long sermons to get money! Then Jesus ends by saying, “The more severe
will be the sentence they receive!” It would be good for us also to make an
examination of conscience based on this text to see whether we can see ourselves
mirrored in there! Jesus has harsh words for those who mislead others (Mt 18: 6, 23:
3-5), and so we should be careful how our actions and words influence and lead
others.
Further Information:
• The Greatest Commandment

The greatest and first commandment is and ever will be “love God with all your
heart, with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12: 30). At the times when
the people of God, throughout the centuries, deepened their understanding of and
gave importance to the love of God, then they became aware that the love of God
would be real only when it becomes concrete in the love of neighbor. That is why
the second commandment, to love the neighbor, is similar to the first, to love God
(Mt 22: 39; Mk 12: 31). “Anyone who says “I love God’ and hates his brother, is a liar” (1
Jn 4: 20). “On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets
too” (Mt 22: 40). At first, it was not clear what the love of neighbor entailed.
Concerning this point, there was an evolution in three stages in the history of the
people of God:
• 1st Stage: “Neighbor” is kindred of the same race
The Old Testament already taught the obligation to “love your neighbor as
yourself!” (Lev 19: 18). In those long distant days, the word neighbor was
synonymous with kindred. They felt obliged to love all those who were
members of the same family, clan, tribe and people. As for foreigners, that
is, people who did not belong to the Jewish people, Deuteronomy says, “You
may exact remission of debt from foreigners, but you must remit whatever
claim you have on your brother (kindred, neighbor)!” (Dt 15: 3).
• 2nd Stage: “Neighbor is anyone I approach or who approaches me”
Gradually, the concept of neighbor grew. Thus, in Jesus’ time there was a
great discussion as to “who is my neighbor?” Some doctors said that the
concept of neighbor had to be extended beyond the limits of race. Others,
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however, would not hear of this. That is why a doctor went to Jesus with the
debated question: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with the parable of
the Good Samaritan (Lk 10: 29-37), where the neighbor was not a relative,
nor a friend, nor a nobleman, but the one who approached you,
independent of religion, color, race, sex, or language. You must love him!
• 3rd Stage: The measure of our love of “neighbor” is to love as Jesus loves
us
Jesus had said to the doctor of the Law: "You are not far from the kingdom
of God!" (Mk 12: 34). The doctor was already close to the Kingdom because
in fact the Kingdom consists in uniting the love of God with the love of
neighbor, as the doctor had solemnly declared in Jesus’ presence (Mk 12: 33).
But to enter the Kingdom he still needed one more step. The criterion for
loving the neighbor as taught in the Old Testament was “as yourself.” Jesus
stretches this criterion and says: “This is My commandment: love one
another as I have loved you! No one can have greater love than to lay down
his life for his friends!” (Jn 15: 12-13). The criterion in the New Testament then
is: “To love one’s neighbor as Jesus has loved us!” Jesus gave the true
interpretation of the Word of God and showed the sure way to attain a more
just and fraternal way of life.

God, Revealed in Jesus, is Our Strength!
God is both refuge and strength for us, a help always ready in trouble;
so we shall not be afraid though the earth be in turmoil, though mountains tumble into
the depths of the sea, and its waters roar and seethe,
and the mountains totter as it heaves.
There is a river whose streams bring joy to God's city, it sanctifies the dwelling of the
Most High.
God is in the city, it cannot fall;
at break of day God comes to its rescue. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are tumbling,
when He raises His voice the earth crumbles away.
Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.
Come, consider the wonders of Yahweh,
the astounding deeds He has done on the earth;
He puts an end to wars over the whole wide world, He breaks the bow,
He snaps the spear,
the shields He burns in the fire.
“Be still and acknowledge that I am God, supreme over nations, supreme over the
world.”
Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.
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Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to understand better the
will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to
practice that which Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, Your mother, not
only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the
unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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ocarm.

Friday, October 1, 2021 3

Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 13-16

Gospel Reading - Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Sunday, October 3, 2021

• Mark 10: 2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce;

• Mark 10: 2: The Pharisees’ question concerning divorce

• Jesus welcomes and defends the life of the little ones

The Lord is my shepherd,I shall not want;

Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 25-37

Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 38-42

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 1-4

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Friday, October 8, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 27-28

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Gospel Reading: Mark 10: 17-30

A Moment of Prayerful Silence

For Those Who Wish to Go Deeper Into the Theme

• Mark 10: 17-19: The Commandments and Eternal Life

Praying with Psalm 15 (14)

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 29-32

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 37-41

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 42-46

Gospel Reading - Luke 11: 47-54

Friday, October 15, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 1-7

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 8-12

Sunday, October 17, 2021

A Moment of Silent Prayer

• Why were the disciples so anxious to take the first places?

Some Deepening of the Reading

Monday, October 18, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 10: 1-9

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 35-38

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 39-48

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 49-53

Friday, October 22, 2021

Gospel Reading - Luke 12: 54-59

Gospel Reading - Luke 13: 1-9

• Mark 10:46: The description of the context of the episode

A Moment of Prayerful Silence

• What did you like best in this text? Why?

For Those Who Wish to Go Deeper Into the Theme

A Commentary on the Text:

Praying with Psalm 31 (30)

In You, Yahweh, I have taken refuge,let me never be put to shame,

Take pity on me, Yahweh, for I am in trouble.Vexation is gnawing away my eyes,

The sheer number of my enemies makes me contemptible, loathsome to my

But my trust is in You, Yahweh; I say, 'You are my God,'

I call on You, Yahweh,

Love Yahweh, all His faithful:

Monday, October 25, 2021