Catholic Caucus; Sunday Mass Readings, 06-09-13, Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 06-09-13 | Revised New American Bible

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June 9, 2013

 

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:17-24

Elijah went to Zarephath of Sidon to the house of a widow.
The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,
and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.
So she said to Elijah,
“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?
Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt
and to kill my son?”
Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.
Elijah called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying
by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times
and called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”
The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah;
the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.
Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house
from the upper room and gave him to his mother.
Elijah said to her, “See! Your son is alive.”
The woman replied to Elijah,
“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God.
The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2 Gal 1:11-19

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were apostles before me; 
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.

Gospel Lk 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, ”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

[Salvation]

Archdiocese of Washington

A Prescription for Peace in A World of Woe. A Homily for the 10th Sunday of the Year

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

Today’s Gospel provides a kind of prescription for peace in a world of woe. Lets look at this gospel in four stages.

I. The Place -  The text says plainly: Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.

The name of the city “Nain” means “Fair” in the sense of “beautiful.” For sitting upon a high hill, it had a magnificent view.

And here is a too is an apt description of this world which has its fair beauty, its magnificent vistas, its pleasures and offerings. As men and women of faith, we ought to appreciate the beauty of what God has done. We ought not, as the old saying goes, “Walk through a field and miss the color purple.” God has given us many gifts, and the mystic in all of us is invited to wonder and awe, to gratitude and serene joy.

Yes, we, with Jesus and his disciples are journeying to a city called “Nain” with its fair beauty.

And do not miss the word “journey” in this line. For, as we go through life, we are sorely tempted to walk right past “the color purple;” to be unreflective, and ungrateful. Part of life’s task is to make the journey that sees God’s glory, and that is able to be in living conscious contact with God at all times, seeing his beauty and glory on display and being in mystical contemplation of it. We need to journey to a city called “Nain” by having our eyes open to God’s fair beauty. This is the gift of wonder and awe.

If we can make this journey, we will have in place, the first prescription for peace. For the world, with all its woe, never looses the fair beauty of God’s glory. And appreciating this, gives serene peace even in the midst of storms. God is always present and speaking to us in what He has made and is sustaining.

II. The Pain - And yet, fair though this world is, the very next thing we encounter is pain. The text says, As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her.….

For indeed, we live in a fallen world, governed by a fallen angel, and we have fallen natures. God had made paradise for us.  And while we do not fully know all the parameters of what that Paradise would have been, nevertheless, it is clear that Adam and Eve were driven from the best of what God had made.

Adam was told that the ground was now cursed on account of him, and it brought forth thorns and thistles in a kind of protest. Work for him became arduous and sweaty, and a kind of battle sets up against the forces of nature for him to get his food etc.

Eve will bring forth her children in pain. Strife and some degree of shame also went into her relationship with her husband, and he with her.

The first shedding of blood takes place as God kills an animal and clothes them in its skins. For the world is now grown cold and hostile.

And while the world is not lost all it’s fair beauty, yet still a long scarlet cord of suffering and death reaches from outside Eden’s closed gates to this moment outside the gates of Nain.

And such a pain it is! A woman, already a widow having lost her husband, has now lost her only son, and her livelihood as well.

And thus, we do well to maintain a sober perspective about this world. There is much to enjoy which comes to us from the hand of God. And yet we must also remember that we live in Paradise Lost. Its once and future glory is still on display, but it’s pain is very present.

Simple sobriety about this provides a kind of strange serenity. There are certain hard truths that, if we accept them, will set us free. And one of those hard truths is that life is hard. Joy will come with the morning light, but there are some nights of weeping to endure as we journey to a heavenly homeland where sorrows and sighs are no more.

Accepting the pain of this world is a second part of the prescription for peace in a world of woe.

III. The Portrait of Jesus - The Text says, When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her. This woman’s sorrow becomes his own. And while there is a mystery to God’s allowance of suffering, we must never think that Lord is unmoved or uncaring regarding our sorrow.

There is an old saying that “Jesus did not merely come to get us out of trouble, but first to get into trouble with us.” Yes, He takes up our pain, and experiences it to the top. And old hymn says of him, Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

Note too that the word Pity comes from “pietas” a word for family love. Jesus looks at this woman and sees a sister, a Mother, a family member and he is moved with family love.

Learning to trust in Jesus’ love for us, especially when we suffer, is a critical part of the prescription for peace. We need to pray constantly in suffering: “Jesus I trust in your love for me!” This brings peace if we pray it in the Holy Spirit.

IV. The Preview - The text says, [Jesus] said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. –

We have here a directive of Jesus not to weep, but that directive is rooted in what he plans to do. This is more than a human, “Cheer up, don’t be sad” wish. Jesus is about to give her back her son, and, based on this fact, comes his directive “Do not weep.”

She and the others standing by and weeping with her are about to get a preview of what the Lord will do for all who believe when we are delivered from “Paradise Lost” to the Kingdom of Heaven.

In a very moving line we are told simply, “Jesus gave him to his mother.”

But do you realize that one day the Lord will do this for you? Jesus will return and restore everything and everyone, which the devil and this world have stolen from us. It will all be given back, and more than we can ever imagine add unto it.

We may of course all wish that the Lord had raised some of our loved ones as he did for this widow. But what is done here is a powerful preview for this widow and for us. But even if you have not had this particular preview of what the Lord will do, you have surely had others.

In my own life the Lord has given me victories over sufferings, and setbacks. I have experienced healings and restorations, as I pray and am sure you have too. These are previews and down payments, if you will, on the total restoration that the Lord is going to effect in your life. What ever you have lost, you will recover it all and far more beside.

What previews have you had in your life…what victories, what healing and restoration? These are like previews of the promised and more than full restoration. What is your testimony?

It is important for your to reflect on the previews the Lord has already give, for these are another important part of the prescription for peace: the promise of complete restoration and the previews or down payments he has already made.

Here then is a prescription for peace in a world of woe:

1. Make the Journey to Nain, a place called fair and beautiful. That is let the Lord open your eyes to the beauty and blessings all around you, and come to see the magnificence of His glory on display at every moment. It will give you peace and serene joy.
2. Ask the grace to accept that we currently and for a brief time live in Paradise Lost, and that life is hard. But this sober acceptance of life’s sorrows brings a paradoxical serenity as our resentments that we do not live in a perfect world goes away. Accepting that this world, with all its beauty, also has hardships brings peace and a determination to journey to the place where joys will never end.
3. Accept the Lord’s love for you even in the mysterious allowance of suffering, accept that he is deeply moved and just say over and over, “Jesus, I trust in your Love for me.”
4. Be alert to the previews that God has already given you and is giving of the future glory that awaits the faithful. And, having accepted this evidence, this testimony from the Holy Spirit, peacefully accept the Lord’s invitation not weep and his promise that you will recover it all, and much more besides.

A prescription for peace in a world of woe.

[Salvation]

Sunday Gospel Reflections

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: 1Kgs 17:17-24 II: Gal 1:11-19

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Gospel
Luke 7:11-17

¹¹ Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
¹² As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her.
¹³ When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep".
¹⁴ He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"
¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
¹⁶ Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, "A great prophet has arisen in our midst," and "God has visited his people".
¹⁷ This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

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Interesting Details

• Context: In the Ordinary Time of Cycle C, we read selections in Luke from chapter 4 on the 3rd Sunday to chapter 21 on the 33rd Sunday. The stories in most of these selections only appear in Luke. The whole Gospel focuses on the poor. In the chapter before this reading, Jesus taught, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (6:36). Here Jesus walked his talk, "moved with pity" (v. 13).
• (v. 11) "his disciples and a large crowd" The disciples stood out among the crowd.
• (v. 12) "gate of the city" Nain was about six miles south of Nazareth, sitting high and encircled by a wall.
• (v. 12) "the only son of ... a widow" Without husband or sons, this woman had no money or social standing.
• (v. 15) "gave him to his mother" The exact expression was used in 1Kings 17:23, after Elijah raised a widow.s child from death in Sarepta.
• (v. 16) "A great prophet has arisen" God has chosen a prophet, and thus his words are God's words, as the Sarepta widow exclaimed, "it is truly the word of the LORD that you speak" (1Kings 17:24).
• (v. 16) "in our midst" The prophet is for the people.
• (v. 16) "God has visited his people." This echoes the first line of the Magnificat, "...he has visited and brought redemption to his people" (1:68).
• (v. 17) "This report" "ho logos" in Greek, is a major theological theme, from creation in the Old Testament to incarnation in the New. People get to know the transcendent God through the Word. The Gospel of Luke is from "ministers of the word" handed down to us (1:2).

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One Main Point

The Trinity gives us the compassionate Jesus as the prophet and the Word of God among us.

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Reflections

1. Who are the "widow without son" or the poor in my time and my town now?
2. Do I live out His teaching of compassion in my family and community?
3. How am I poor, and do I cry out to Jesus?
4. Do I spread the Word? What do I spread?

[Salvation]

Sunday, June 09, 2013
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

1 Kings 17:17-24 Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13 Galatians 1:11-19 Luke 7:11-17 I have found David My servant, with My holy oil I have anointed him; for My hand shall help him, and My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall have no advantage over him, and the son of iniquity shall not hurt him. -- Psalm 88: 21-23

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Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click.

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The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

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Saint Ephrem, Deacon & Doctor of the Church

Saint Ephrem, Deacon & Doctor of the Church
Optional Memorial
June 9th

The Dormition of St. Ephrem, from Iveron Monastery on the Holy Mountain

Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven. -- Saint Ephraem

Saint Ephrem was born in Mesopotamia and ordained as a deacon of Edessa in whatis now Turkey, he vigorously combated the heresies of his time by writing poems and hymns about the Mysteries of Christ and the Blessed Virgin. He had a great devotion to Our Lady, and was in large part responsible for introducing hymns to public worship.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
Pour into our hearts O Lord, we pray, the Holy Spirit,
at whose prompting the Deacon Saint Ephrem
exulted in singing of your mysteries
and from whom he received the strength
to serve you alone.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Colossians 3:12-17
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:43-45
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

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Prayer for Strength in Weakness

Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, you have power over life and death. You know even things that are uncertain and obscure, and our very thoughts and feelings are not hidden from you. Cleanse me from my secret faults, and I have done wrong and you saw it. You know how weak I am, both in soul and in body. Give me strength, O Lord, in my frailty and sustain me in my sufferings. Grant me a prudent judgement, dear Lord, and let me always be mindful of your blessings. Let me retain until the end your grace that has protected me till now.

St Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Poet and Doctor

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Related Links on the Vatican Website:

PRINCIPI APOSTOLORUM PETRO, Encyclical of Pope Benedict XV on St. Ephrem, October 5, 1920

Benedict XVI, General Audience, Paul VI Audience Hall, Wednesday, November 28, 2007, Saint Ephrem

Related Links on New Advent website:

Saint Ephraim the Syrian
- Nisibene Hymns
- Miscellaneous Hymns -- On the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh, For the Feast of the Epiphany, and On the Faith ("The Pearl")
- Homilies -- On Our Lord, On Admonition and Repentance, and On the Sinful Woman

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Saint's Days are superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Syrian Church Father St. Ephrem honored June 9
St. Ephrem the Syrian, If Christ is Not God, Our Salvation is a Lie (Rejecting the DaVinci Code)
Authority Over Demons (St. Ephrem the Syrian)
The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian
Saint Ephrem: Doctor Of The Church

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Information: St. Ephrem of Syria

Feast Day:	June 9
Born:	306 at Nisibis, Mesopotamia (in modern Syria)
Died:	9 June 373 at Edessa (in modern Iraq)
Patron of:	Spiritual directors and spiritual leaders

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Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Ephrem

Feast Day: June 09
Born: 306 :: Died: 373

Ephrem was born at Nisibis in Mesopotamia (which is now Syria) and was born in a pagan family. Pagans are people who believe in false gods. When he was a teenager, he heard St. James preach about how Jesus had died for us so we could be saved. At the age of eighteen Ephrem asked to be baptized and joined the Catholic Church.

Ephrem then went into the hills found himself a cave near the city of Edessa in Syria and became a hermit. His clothes were just patched rags and he ate any fruit, vegetable or edible leaves that he could find.

Ephrem became angry easily but prayed sincerely about it. He slowly learnt to control his temper. People who met him thought he was just naturally very calm. He often went to preach in Edessa and Nisibis. When he spoke about God's judgment, the people wept.

He would tell them that he was a great sinner. He really meant it, too, because although his sins were small, they seemed very big to him. When St. Basil met him, he asked, "Are you Ephrem, the famous servant of Jesus?" Ephrem answered quickly, "I am Ephrem who walks unworthily on the way to salvation." Then he asked for and received advice from St. Basil on how to grow in the spiritual life.

Ephrem was made deacon of Edessa and spent his time writing spiritual books. He wrote in several languages - Syriac, Greek, Latin and Armenian. These works are so beautiful and spiritual that they have been translated into many languages and are read even today.

Ephrem also wrote hymns for public worship and introduced singing during the Mass. These hymns became very popular. As the people sang them, they learned much about the faith. That is why he is called "the harp of the Holy Spirit." Because he was such a great teacher through his writings, in 1920 he was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

Ephrem died in June, 373, at Edessa (which is now in Iraq).

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: June 09, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

• Danish Black Pot
• Danish Teacake

ACTIVITIES

• Teaching Through Example

PRAYERS

• Parents' Prayer for Children

Ordinary Time: June 9th

Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: Third Sunday after Pentecost

A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst, ”
and “God has visited his people.”

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

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Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from 1 Kings 17:17:-24 and is about Elijah restoring a widow's son to life by interceding with God.

The second reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 1:11-19. The Judaizers were saying that Paul had appointed himself an Apostle, ,and that he did not have the true Gospel. This he now solemnly denies, and insists that what he taught the Galatians was not invented by him or by any other mere man.

The Gospel is from St. Luke 7:11-17. The lesson we have to learn from this story today is the real, sincere compassion which Christ had for the human sufferings of men in this life. He became man in order to bring mankind into heaven. That was the principal motive of his Incarnation. The sorrows and trials of this earthly life are of relatively small importance when compared with the unending future of happiness which is prepared for us if we conduct ourselves, as he has ordained, during our few years on this planet of ours. Knowing our human nature better than we can ever hope to, and knowing how easily we can become entangled in the affairs of this world, and especially how easily sorrows and trials can depress us and make us forget our real goal in life, he has proved to us during his sojourn amongst us that he is interested in our earthly life as well.

Although he is now at the right hand of the Father, his interest in us is just as strong, and as sincere, as it was while he was here on earth. There are Christians who at times feel that they are getting more than their due share of earth's hardships, and that the all-merciful Savior seems to have forgotten or abandoned them. It is not so. We are all inclined to exaggerate our sufferings, to forget the months, the years of health and happiness which we have had. How many of us ever stop to think of the twenty-eight useful, healthy teeth we have had for years, until one or two of them begin to ache and pain? So it is with all the other numerous gifts given us by God.

Our Christian religion teaches us that trials and troubles are a very important part of our training for heaven. But of this we can rest assured : when God sends a cross, he also gives the strength to the one who has to shoulder it. Our part is to turn to the God of compassion and ask him for the grace and the strength to carry out his will. Such a prayer is never left unanswered. He will give us the strength. He will never let us be crushed by the cross which he sends.

We often see very sad cases where the bread-winner of the family is taken, and we may wonder why the good God allows this to happen. If we knew all the facts, however, and if we could read the divine plan, we might see that this very happening was a divine blessing for the departed one and for those left to suffer his loss.

There are divine miracles of healing going on around us today but they are not recognized as such. There are also savings from sudden death, of which those saved are utterly ignorant. It is only when we reach the future life that we shall be able to fully comprehend the divine compassion which regulated our lives from the cradle to the grave.

Be assured, then, that Christ still has compassion for all mankind. Put your trust in that compassion and thank him daily for it. He may not always save a beloved one from an early death, or save us from a long illness (a request we see as all-essential for us, and as a very apt occasion for Christ to prove his compassion), but that fervent request of ours is answered in another way, in a favor of which we had or could not have dreamed at that time.

Thank God each day for his mercies. Ask him daily for his divine compassion. Leave the decision to him who knows what our real needs are.

Excepted from The Sunday Readings, Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

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Doctors of the Catholic Church

Saint Ephraem the Syrian is the Doctor of Deacons and Poets. "Born at Nisibis, then under Roman rule, early in the fourth century; died June, 373. The name of his father is unknown, but he was a pagan and a priest of the goddess Abnil or Abizal. His mother was a native of Amid. Ephraem was instructed in the Christian mysteries by St. James, the famous Bishop of Nisibis, and was baptized at the age of eighteen (or twenty-eight). Thenceforth he became more intimate with the holy bishop, who availed himself of the services of Ephraem to renew the moral life of the citizens of Nisibis, especially during the sieges of 338, 346, and 350. One of his biographers relates that on a certain occasion he cursed from the city walls the Persian hosts, whereupon a cloud of flies and mosquitoes settled on the army of Sapor II and compelled it to withdraw. " Taken from New Advent found at the end below.

Saint Ephraem the Syrian is the Doctor of Deacons and Poets. He is the only doctor known more as a deacon than a priest. Beside being a holy man of deep prayer and apostolic works, refugees, social workers, relief agents and others might petition Ephraem for more sensitivity in dealing with others as he did.

He made great contributions with songs and hymns in public worship making them most sensuous, sonorous, and efficacious for God’s people. He was imbued with God's Ghost and had a tremendous devotion both to the humanity of Jesus and Mary, his Mother. This type of devotion was rare at that time.

"The Harp of the Holy Spirit" as he is also known was a refugee, orator, and great defender of the faith. His prolific writings reveal his holy thinking process. His poetic account of the Last Supper, it has been said, inspired Dante. He became one of the first to introduce songs into the church's public worship as a means of instructing the faithful.

His writing about Mary was one of Ephrem's favorite devotions. He stressed her virginity and held that she was a virgin before the birth of Jesus, during His birth and after His birth. Ephrem's belief in the Immaculate Conception was shown by his constant dwelling on Mary's sinlessness. To Ephrem, Mary was Mother of God. He asked, "What mother has ever called her son, Son of the Most High?" He is probably the first writer to call Mary the Bride of Christ. Ephrem also speaks of Mary as a symbol of the Church, which depends on her. In fact, Ephrem's voluminous writings on Mary prove that he deserves the title of Marian Doctor. (O'Carroll, 132-3) See what the other Doctors had to say about St Mary, The Mother of Jesus of Nazareth and our own spiritual Mother.

THE DOCTORS AND ST MARY

St Ephraem, 306-373. Doctor of Deacons and Poets, Feast June 9th.

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The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 7:11-17

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”(Luke 7:13)

Vulnerable, destitute, defenseless—the situation of a widow in ancient times could be heartbreaking. Without a husband to protect and provide for her, a widow faced danger and poverty. This is why throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, God reminded his people to go out of their way to look after widows. A widow’s great comfort, of course, was a son if she had one. Filling the role of provider and protector in the place of his father, a son could guarantee safety and security. But what would happen if a widow’s only son died?

We meet two such widows in today’s readings. Staying in the house of a widow, Elijah begged God to bring life back to her son. And in the Gospel reading, Jesus interrupted a funeral procession to bring a young man back to life and give him back to his widowed mother. The reaction after each miracle was enthusiastic and hopeful: surely God was with his people! He had come to help the weakest and most vulnerable!

Whether or not we are widows, these readings tell us something important about God. Have you ever felt vulnerable or defenseless? Have you ever felt powerless in the face of circumstances outside your control? God cares! He who raised up the widow and orphan cares for you! He looks on you with compassion and says, “Do not weep” (Luke 7:13) .

God’s heart is moved when he sees you in a difficult situation. In fact, when you can’t rely on your own powers or abilities, he can draw you even closer to his side. So let God care for you today. Let him into the situations where you feel the least in control: an illness, a job loss, the challenge of starting over after the loss of a spouse or child. Ask your Father to walk with you, put his arm around you, and take care of you.

“Lord, in my vulnerability, I ask you to come close to me and show me your love. I trust in your protection!”

1 Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; Galatians 1:11-19

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. In the first reading, we see the great compassion the prophet Elijah had for the widow from Zarapeth, with whom he was staying. We also see the power of his prayers of intercession, which resulted in the widow’s son being restored to life. How strong is your confidence and trust in the Lord when you pray for others with serious needs? What are the obstacles that keep you from interceding for others with an expectant faith that the Lord will hear and answer your prayer in some way? What steps can you take to overcome them?

2. The responsorial psalm is a heartfelt psalm of praise and thanksgiving which ends with these words: “You changed my mourning into dancing. O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks.” In what areas of your life would you like to give thanks to the Lord for changing your “mourning into dancing”?

3. In the second reading, Paul says that his understanding of the truths of the Gospel did not come about by just personal study or rote acceptance of doctrines, but “through revelation of Jesus Christ.” What about you? In what way is your faith based on an interior revelation that Jesus Christ is who he says he, that is, your Lord and Savior, who died on the Cross for your sins?

4. In the Gospel, Jesus, moved with pity, raises a widow’s son from the dead (as did Elijah in the first reading). Notice the reaction from the crowd of people who witnessed this miraculous event. “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, ‘A great prophet has arisen in our midst, and ‘God has visited his people.’” What is your reaction when you read the Gospel accounts of Jesus raising various people from the dead? Does it give you great confidence and faith that one day you will be raised from the dead, and you too will glorify God? If not. why not?

5. What is your reaction to these words from the meditation: “God’s heart is moved when he sees you in a difficult situation. In fact, when you can’t rely on your own powers or abilities, he can draw you even closer to his side.” Do you believe theses words apply to you right now? Why or why not? What about the words at the end of the meditation? “Ask your Father to walk with you, put his arm around you, and take care of you.”

6. Take some time now to pray and ask your heavenly Father to deepen your knowledge and experience of his great love for you. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

I SAY TO YOU, ARISE!

 (A biblical reflection on the 10^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C] – June 9, 2013) 

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:11-17 

First Reading: 1Kings 17:17-24; Psalms: Ps 30: 2,4-6,11-13; Second Reading: Gal 1:11-19 

The Scripture Text

Soon afterward He went to a city called Nain, and His disciples and a great crowd went with Him. As He drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” And He came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And He gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited His people!” And this report concerning Him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. (Lk 7:11-17 RSV) 

This is a story of grief and hope: of human grief which is lifted and transformed by the compassion of Jesus. Luke never tires of telling us of the immense compassion of God for the poor and broken-hearted.

The raising of the widow’s son shows Jesus to be the Lord (Kyrios) of life and death and it prepares the mind for the story of His resurrection. He is not some distant, aloof Lord, but His nearness is shown by His pity for the grieving mother. Not only was this widow bereft of family companionship but, as this was her only son, she was now utterly destitute, since she had lost all property rights which could be held only in a male name. But Jesus felt sorry for her. He was a man of compassion! And when He put His hand on the funeral bier He was breaking the laws of contamination through contact with a corpse. Compassion, however, is a virtue beyond the restriction of laws. So Jesus said: “Young man, I say to you, arise” (Lk 7:14).

The early Christians remembered the important sayings of Jesus. They stored them in their hearts, pondered on them and lovingly lingered with them. The words of Jesus are a constant source of life and inspiration. Grief is an experience that we all have to go through. But it need not mean that we cease to live inside. We are drawn down into grief at any bereavement, for when a loved one departs, part of our heart goes too. We grieve also at the temporary absence of a loved one. Or, sometimes we are so shattered by failure that we fear we cannot start ever again. Or if we are deeply betrayed, how can we ever trust again? In some instances it is a deep-seated shame or guilt which drags one down into perpetual night. When our inner self feels consigned to the grave, then we need to hear again the voice of the Lord commanding our youthful spirit to arise:  “O soul of youth, I tell you to get up.”

The mission of Jesus was to raise up the fallen, restore courage to flagging hearts and offer renewal of life. In this life there is no fall so final that it is beyond the power of Jesus to enable one to start again. There is no sinful state beyond the reach of His pure, merciful hand. And there is no such word as “hopeless” for one who believes in Jesus Christ.

“I tell you to get up …… I say to you, arise!” The words of Jesus are to be stored up and lovingly echoed in the mind.

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, may Your compassion for us fill us with compassion for others, especially those in our families and those who have knowledge of Your great love and mercy. Amen.

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

WIDOWS AND ONLY SONS

 (A biblical reflection on the 10^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [Year C]- June 9, 2013) 

First Reading: 1Kings 17:17-24; Psalms: Ps 30: 2,4-6,11-13; Second Reading: Gal 1:11-19; Gospel Reading: Luke 7:11-17 

The movie entitled WITNESS tells the story of an Amish widow and her 5-year-old son. The little boy witnesses a murder committed by a police officer and becomes a murder target himself in a police cover-up.

Throughout this fast-paced movie of intrigue, suspense and narrow escapes, we share in the worries and fears of the Amish widow trying to protect her only son. We find our hearts reaching out with compassions toward her: “Good Lord,” we pray, “she’s already lost her husband. Don’t let any harm come to her little boy now.”

These feelings aroused in our hearts by the movie WITNESS are the same as those felt by Elijah and Jesus in today’s readings. In parallel stories, both Elijah and Jesus encounter widows who have just lost their only sons. The hearts of Elijah and Jesus are moved with pity, and they bring the sons back to life.

To appreciate the impact of these miracles, we must recall that in the Bible the widow was a frequent symbol of the poor and the helpless. In biblical times there was no job market for women, nor was there any welfare system as we know today.

So when Elijah and Jesus come across a widow who has lost not only her husband (which is bad enough), but also (to make matters worse) her only son, they meet someone who is indeed the poorest of the poor in their time. So they are moved with compassion to restore the women’s sons.

Commentator William Barclay remarks that, on the one hand, these stories are unparalleled for their pathos and poignancy in presenting human misery. But, on the other hand, they are overpowering for their revelations of divine mercy.

If we focus on just the gospel story, we find that it is highly symbolic.

First, the two crowds which converge. One crowd is a funeral procession following a dead man. the other crowd is a group of disciples following Jesus, the Lord of life. For a moment, life triumphs over death, a foreshadowing of the more definitive  triumph that will take place later when Jesus Himself will be raised from the dead once and for all.

Second, in the opening episode of this chapter, Jesus healed a centurion’s servant who was sick to the point of death. In today’s episode, Jesus restores a young man who had passed beyond the point of death. By putting these two stories together consecutively, Luke is making a significant statement: no suffering is beyond God’s power to relieve; no death is beyond God’s power to conquer.

Third, there is the element of faith. In previous miracle stories, like that of the centurion’s servant, faith was at work in the recipients beforehand. But here, in the widow of Naim story, faith is neither demanded nor sought beforehand. Instead, it is given as a gift afterwards. The whole incident is charged with God’s gracious and unconditional love.

Is this not the way God intervenes sometimes in our lives, too, when we’ve done nothing to earn or merit His amazing grace? Even when He’s uninvited, He sometimes invades the ground of our being and brings unexpected blessings for us.

Inspiring as the widow of Naim story is, it still leaves some of us asking: “If God is so good, why didn’t He bring back to life my husband or wife when they passed away? Why didn’t He restore my son or daughter when they died?”

Perhaps the only answer is: The Lord did not raise them from the dead when we wanted – but one day, in His own time, He will.

What is needed from us are not more questions, but silence in the presence of God; not more demands or ultimatums, but trust as we place our destiny in His hands.

Note: Taken from Fr. Albert Cylwicki CSB, HIS WORD RESOUNDS, Makati, Philippines: St. Paul Publications, 1988, pages 258-259.

[Salvation]

Sunday Scripture Study

 

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

June 9, 2013

Click here for USCCB readings

Opening Prayer  

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24

Psalm: 30:2-6, 11-13

Second Reading: Galatians 1:11-19

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:1-11

• In this Sunday’s Gospel, we find Jesus along with his disciples and a large crowd entering the small Galilean village of Nain. This village, not otherwise mentioned in the Bible, was about six miles southeast from Nazareth, about a 2 hour walk.

• As they enter the village they meet a funeral cortège (also accompanied by a large crowd) on its way to bury a young man. Typically, a funeral procession of the time would include family, neighbors, hired musicians and hired mourners. This young man was the only son of a widow.

• As a widow, with the loss of her only son, she would face a life of hardship, relying on the charity of others in the community (see Deuteronomy 26:12). “Moved with pity” for the widow, Jesus takes action without waiting to be asked. He says to the widow, “Do not weep,” and to the young man, “Arise!”

• As in the account of Elijah we hear in this Sundays 1^st Reading (which is the first account in the Bible where someone is raised from the dead), this is the first time in Jesus’ ministry where we hear he has raised the dead (see also Mark 5:21-24 and John 11:1-44). Thus, soon after he raises the widow’s son, he is able to confirm to John the Baptist’s disciples his credentials as the Messiah (see Luke 7:18:23).

 

QUESTIONS:

• This Sunday’s Gospel resembles our 1^st Reading, as well as another Old Testament event involving the prophet Elisha (see 2 Kings 4:8-37). How are these episodes similar to today’s Gospel? How are they different, especially in regards to Jesus’ authority?

• In the 2^nd Reading, St. Paul testifies that he was zealous in his religion over all others his age (see Galatians 1:13–14). If you were ever lukewarm about your faith, or even fell away from it for a while, how did you relate to friends or relatives who were still active? What brought you back to a serious practice of your faith?

• In the Gospel Reading, how well witnessed was this miracle (see Luke 7:11-12) and other miracles of Jesus (see John 6:1-14 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)? How does this show that the life of Jesus (including the miracles performed by him) actually happened?

• Why do you think Jesus felt it was necessary to touch the funeral bier? How can Jesus tell the widow who just lost her son not to weep (verse 13)? Is this a rebuke to her for showing sorrow in the face of tragedy—or does he mean to en-courage her and confirm that, in the Kingdom of God, death does not have the last word (1 Corinthians 15:51-58). How can we comfort those who are experiencing hardship and sorrow?

Closing Prayer

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 994, 1503 (Gospel), 2583 (First Reading), 442 (Second Reading)

 

“If men go to so much trouble and effort to live here a little longer, ought they not strive so much harder to live eternally?”  --St. Augustine

[Salvation]

The Widow of Nain

Pastor’s Column

10^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 9, 2013

 

“As he grew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.… When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘do not weep.’” 

                                                                   Luke 7:12–13

 

          In almost no other story do we see Jesus with more compassion than in this account of a poor widow who has just lost her only son.  In the culture of the times, this woman would have been left without support of any kind.  Jesus and the disciples just happen to encounter this woman, her dead son, and a very large group of villagers. The village itself is not far from both Nazareth and Capernaum, so Jesus must have travelled here often. So Jesus and the disciples were just passing by.

 

          What is the first thing that Jesus does? Jesus is moved with pity and tells this widow that she does not have to weep anymore.  Here in this story we see the pathos of human existence fully displayed, for what is more tragic than a parent who loses both their only child and their spouse?  Luke is careful to note twice that this is a young man – in other words, he has been cut down in the prime of life.  In fact, this widow and her son here represent every parent who has lost a child, every person who has lost a spouse, every tragic human condition.  Notice that the widow does not ask for help! In this case, Jesus, who has seen everything, is moved with pity. He can’t wait to help and even comes without being asked!

 

          We learn so much about how God acts in our lives by studying these stories.  Jesus usually waits for an invitation before he comes in or for a request before he heals.  Yet there are so many times when Christ has acted in our lives without being asked, without our even noticing, without any thank you from us! Here in this story Jesus merely has to see this tragedy and he immediately is moved to help.

 

          But notice that Jesus’ help comes only after the young man has died!  In the same way, God often acts immediately when we pray, though he is more likely to wait, and often he waits until it seems like it’s too late.  Even in Jesus’ own life the resurrection of the dead came only after the cross.  Though it seems at times that God does not see the tragedies of our lives, or that he does not care, or that he does not answer, in fact, God sees everything; God knows everything; God can’t wait to come to our aid.  If he delays, it will yet work to good in the end.  There will be a resurrection of the dead, and after this we will see how much God cares! We will be surprised that he wept every time we did, that suffering was never what he wanted, but was, in fact, the best, or he would never have allowed it in our lives.  We know from this story that when we weep, God weeps with us. We know this because of the way his son, Jesus, died. And, like the widow of Nain, even if he seems to delay, or appears not to hear, God will be there for us in the end.

                                                                                                          Father Gary

[Salvation]

St. Paul Center Blog

Restored to Life: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 06.07.13 |

Readings:
1 Kings 17:17-24
Psalms 30: 2,4-6,11-13
Gal 1:11-19
Luke 7:11-17

Jesus in today’s Gospel meets a funeral procession coming out of the gates of the town of Nain.  Unlike when he raised Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5) or Lazarus (John 11), no one requests his assistance.  Moved by compassion for the widow who had lost her only son, Jesus steps forward and, laying his hand on the bier, commands him to arise.

The onlookers were reminded of the story of Elijah in the first reading who raised the dead child of the widow of Zarephath and “gave him [back] to his mother.”  They proclaimed that “a great prophet has arisen in our midst.”

Jesus of course is more than a prophet; he is the ruler over life and death.  In the Mosaic law, contact with a dead body renders an Israelite unclean for a week (Numbers 19:11-19).  Jesus’ touch and word reverses that; instead of being defiled by contact with death, he gave life.

Like the physical healings that he performed, Jesus’ raising people from the dead is a sign of the Messiah’s arrival (Luke 7:22).  But it is more than that; these healings are visible signs of the awakening and liberating of men from the spiritual death caused by sin (see Mark 2:1-12).

The Church Fathers return to this theme again and again.  St. Ambrose writes, “the widow signifies Mother Church, weeping for those who are dead in sin and carried beyond the safety of her gates.  The multitudes looking on will praise the Lord when sinners rise again from death and are restored to their mother.”

When we are dead in sin, it is the outstretched hand and the words of Christ spoken by his priest, that raise us from spiritual death and restore us to the arms of our mother, the Church.  With the Psalmist, then, we can sing “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.  You brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from those going down into the pit.

[Salvation]

Toward Sunday: A model for compassion

 

1 Kg 17: 17 – 24
Gal 1: 11-19
Lk 7: 11-17

It may be a somewhat unscientific study to say the older you get the more often you read the obituaries. While that in itself may seem a bit macabre, what might be even more informational is to note the survivors of the listed deceased.  We read, “wife of” or “husband of,” or “survived by,” then a list of family and friends that are left behind.  If you’re in the habit of at least an occasional look at the obituaries, you may take note of those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. It is ancient tradition to pray for the dead but what about family and friends?  It might be good to also pray for those “survivors” of the deceased that their sadness may be healed.

So it seems with the Gospel this Sunday.  Jesus encounters an unexpected funeral procession as he enters the town of Nain. It may be interesting to note that Jesus was accompanied by an eager crowd as he entered the city.  Likely they were engaged in lively conversation or debate about some teaching or parable that Jesus had shared with them; a crowd very much alive.

As that crowd enters the city with Jesus, they face another throng.  This group is likely filled with mourners who are wailing the death of the only son of a widow.  As the mood suddenly changes from lively to somber, Jesus now turns his attention away from his crowd to that of the mourners and in particular to the widow herself.  He is filled “with pity for her” as Luke tells us. This scene may have indeed brought to the mind of Jesus his own mother and the fact that he too was her only son and that she too would feel the grief of this widow, yet even more due to the nature of Jesus’ death.

His compassion moves him to action.  He raises this young man back to life and returns him to his mother.  Her security is regained, her grief is healed, and her hopeless state is given a restored vision. While there is much of ancient Jewish culture here about the relationship between a Jewish mother and her first born son, the greater lesson may center on Jesus himself as the hope of all people. 

Our first reading this Sunday from Kings has a similar yet significantly different story. The prophet Elijah faces an irate widow who fears that the prophet may “kill my son” since he arrives at the moment her son stops breathing.  The timing for poor Elijah could not have been more awkward but as a prophet, he pleads with God that the “life breath return to the body of this child . . .” (1 Kg: 17).  Elijah does not heal the boy, he pleads with God to do so.

The parallel with the Gospel is obvious except that it is Jesus himself, considered by many to be a great prophet, who heals the widow’s son. Of his own power and authority Jesus brings new life and hope.  No intermediary prophet but Jesus himself.

This miracle story, as they all are, calls us to place our faith and hope in the person of Christ Jesus.  To see him as our ultimate hope in time of sadness and difficulty. But it also gives us a model of how we should live.  Every day the unmistakable “me first” culture of our time is evident.  We see and hear it in advertising, we encounter such attitudes in the out of control law suits filed for frivolous things and we may even recognize it in ourselves as we find great impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic for example. 

Here, in Jesus, we see the model of compassion and mercy.  While we may not be capable of raising the dead or healing a blind man, we are able to perform miracles of mercy and empathy with others. 

As we journey towards this Sunday, it might be good for all of us to examine our own behavior.  Do I write others off who may be in need of a kind word or some simple assistance because I’m too busy or just don’t feel I have the time to stop what I’m doing?

Do I have a prayer life that centers on myself, praying for my own needs and wants only or does my prayer include the needs of others?  Have I ever prayed for a more compassionate heart? 

More to come . . .

 

Fr. Tim

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for June 9, 2013:

We remember what we want to hear. When my husband asked me to take out the compost after dinner, I unintentionally but conveniently “forgot” because it was cold and I figured it could probably wait another day. Sound familiar?

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Not noisy in speech

By

Dom Mark

 on June 9, 2013 5:18 AM |

 

CHAPTER VII. Of Humility

8 Feb. 9 June. 9 Oct.

The eleventh degree of humility is, that when a monk speaketh, he do so gently and without laughter, humbly, gravely, with few and reasonable words, and that he be not noisy in his speech, as it is written: "A wise man is known by the fewness of his words."

A Preference for Quietness

For Saint Benedict, humility is closely -- I should rather say -- inseparably bound up with one's speech, and with a marked preference for quietness. First of all, he would have his monk's speech be gentle. Our Lord says: "It is from the heart's overflow that the mouth speaks; a good man utters good words from his store of goodness" (Matthew 12:34-35). So too will the gentle-hearted man utter gentle words from his store of gentleness. Thus must a Benedictine return again and again to Our Lord's sweet invitation: "Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened; I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon yourselves, and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Shrill Laughter

Secondly, Saint Benedict would have his monk speak without laughter. The kind of laughter that Saint Benedict condemns is the laughter of cruel sarcasm; the mocking laughter of the worldly and the jaded; the shrill laughter of the shallow-minded and superficial; the idiotic laughter of one who makes a joke of everything, even of things sacred.

The Loud and Boisterous

Thirdly, Saint Benedict teaches that it is not fitting that a monk be boisterous and loud-mouthed. We have all, I think, at one time or another witnessed the unpleasant arrival of a loud and boisterous person in a room of people. This is the kind of demeanour often affected by certain politicians and would-be-people-pleasers. Such behaviour, while it may be thought to put people at ease, has the opposite effect. It assaults the soul and makes one want to run for cover.

Few Words

Fourthly, Saint Benedict would have his monk learn to speak with few and reasonable words. The need to expatiate on every subject is a sure indicator of unchecked pride.

Quietly

Fifthly, Saint Benedict would have his monk speak quietly. The prideful man raises his voice so as to drown out every other speaker by dint of sheer volume. He seeks to impose himself in conversation by speaking more loudly than anyone else. Very often, people are so wearied by the proverbial "loud-mouth" that they instinctively recoil in his presence. A raised tone of voice is a sure indicator of pride; it is a attempt to control others and to impose oneself in a given situation.