Homily of the Day

Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
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Whom the Lord Loves, He Disciplines

January 30, 2007

Heb 12:4-7, 11-15 / Mk 6:1-6

How often have you thought to yourself, “There’s no justice in this world. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. The evil prosper, and the good are left in outer darkness.” It surely seems that way at times, and the “why” of it all seems a great mystery. Why is that good woman who never did harm to anyone suddenly left alone as the sole support of four tiny children? Why did this freak accident cause permanent damage to the finest young dad in the parish? Why did that good priest have to suffer so much from his tormenters? So many whys and so few answers.

The mystery of evil is exactly that, a mystery. But we can gain some insight and some leverage in dealing with it by attending to a line in today’s epistle: “Whom the Lord loves, he disciplines.” Before we dash into misunderstanding, we need to clarify the meaning of “discipline.” To discipline is to teach, not to punish. What the passage suggests is that the Lord at times ALLOWS certain evils in order to draw forth some larger good — which, unfortunately, may not be immediately visible to us. God’s view is long term, and ours is so short.

If we believe that God is indeed a loving father, then the corollary is that in God’s good time all things will work for the good of those who trust him — even if we never see it clearly in our own lifetime. So make your heart open to being taught and re-formed. In the Lord, we have the greatest and most loving teacher of all.

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 138 (139)
The Lord knows all things
Lord, you have examined me, you know me: you know when I sit down and when I rise. From far away you know my thoughts: you know every step I take, when I walk, when I lie down: you have seen all that I do. Before a word even reaches my lips, you know, Lord, all that I will say. You are close in front of me and close behind me: you have laid your hand upon me. Your knowledge is beyond my understanding: it is too high, I cannot reach it. Where shall I go, to escape your spirit? Where shall I go, to flee your face? If I rise to the heavens, you are there. If I sink to the depths, you are there. If I put on the wings of the dawn itself – if I make my abode beyond the farthest sea – it is still your hand that will lead me there, it is still your right hand that will hold me. If I say “May the shadows cover me: let there be no light around me” – the shadows will not hide me from you, and the night will shine like the day: for shadows and light are the same to you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 138 (139)

The Lord knows all things

Lord, you have examined me, you know me:
you know when I sit down and when I rise.
From far away you know my thoughts:
you know every step I take,
when I walk, when I lie down:
you have seen all that I do.
Before a word even reaches my lips,
you know, Lord, all that I will say.

You are close in front of me and close behind me:
you have laid your hand upon me.
Your knowledge is beyond my understanding:
it is too high, I cannot reach it.

Where shall I go, to escape your spirit?
Where shall I go, to flee your face?
If I rise to the heavens, you are there.
If I sink to the depths, you are there.
If I put on the wings of the dawn itself –
if I make my abode beyond the farthest sea –
it is still your hand that will lead me there,
it is still your right hand that will hold me.
If I say “May the shadows cover me:
let there be no light around me” –
the shadows will not hide me from you,
and the night will shine like the day:
for shadows and light are the same to you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 138 (139)
For you created my innermost being as you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for you made me so wonderfully: so wonderful are your works, so perfect your knowledge. Even my bones were not hidden from you as I was being created in secret, put together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me before ever I was completed. All my days were written in your book before any of them came into being. Your thoughts, O God, are precious to me: precious above all things and too many to count. If I try to count them, they are more than the sand: if I come to an end, still I am with you. Look into me, God, and know my heart: examine me and know my paths. See if I am wandering on ways that lead nowhere, and set my feet on the path to eternity. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 138 (139)

For you created my innermost being
as you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise you, for you made me so wonderfully:
so wonderful are your works,
so perfect your knowledge.

Even my bones were not hidden from you
as I was being created in secret,
put together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me before ever I was completed.
All my days were written in your book
before any of them came into being.
Your thoughts, O God, are precious to me:
precious above all things and too many to count.
If I try to count them, they are more than the sand:
if I come to an end, still I am with you.

Look into me, God, and know my heart:
examine me and know my paths.
See if I am wandering on ways that lead nowhere,
and set my feet on the path to eternity.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	(Colossians 1)
Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead
Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance. He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers. All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all. For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself. Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

(Colossians 1)

Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead

Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance.
He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation,
for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
thrones and dominations, principalities and powers.

All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all.
For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself.
Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	1 John 2:3 - 6 ©
We can be sure that we know God only by keeping his commandments. Anyone who says, ’I know him’, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, refusing to admit the truth. But when anyone does obey what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him. We can be sure that we are in God only when the one who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

Let us acclaim the eternal Father, whose compassion for his people is too great to be measured: - Lord, may all who hope in you rejoice.
Lord, you sent your Son into this world not to judge the world but so that it should be saved by him:: may his glorious death bear abundant fruit in us.
You have made your priests ministers of Christ and celebrants of his sacred mysteries:: give them the gifts of faithfulness, knowledge and love.
May those whom you have called to chastity for the sake of your kingdom: follow your Son fearlessly and with faith.
From the beginning you created mankind male and female:: give all families a true and enduring love.
Through Christ’s sacrifice you took away the sins of mankind:: grant remission of sins to all those who have died.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Remember, Lord, your mercy and loving kindness.
As you fill the hungry with the good things of heaven,
so relieve our poverty with your abundant riches.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N