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Posted on 11/02/2013 8:36:11 PM PDT by Salvation
November 3, 2013
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Wis 11:22-12:2
Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people's sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O LORD and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Reading 2 2 Thes 1:11-2:2
Brothers and sisters:
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed
either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.Gospel Lk 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over."
And Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Wisdom 11:22-12:2 II: 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich.
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today."
6 So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."
Jesus seeks us, sees us, and saves us. In repentance, we give alms and find joy even when the whole world is against us.
| Sunday, November 03, 2013 Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time |
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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 Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Saint Martin de Porres was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima, Peru. He was the illegitimate son of wealthy Spanish knight Juan de Porres and a freed slave woman from Panama, Anna Velasquez, who was of mixed raced. At the age of fifteen, Martin became a "resident oblate" in the Dominican Friary in Lima and was accepted as a lay brother nine years later. He had a desire to be a foreign missionary somewhere to earn martyrdom, but he spent his whole life in Lima working as a barber, farm laborer, almoner (one who collects and distributes alms for the poor), and doctor's assistant, among other things.
Martin was blessed with great graces and miracles such as: curing the sick, aerial flights, and bilocation. He was very humble and called himself "Brother Broom". He treated all with love and did not discriminate against anyone who needed help. Not only did he love all people, but animals as well, even rodents, and he maintained a hospital for cats and dogs in the house of his sister. In his charity, he also started an institution for poor children to educate them and to teach them a trade so that they would have better lives; and he established an open garden planted with fig trees which was accessible to all the poor for food.
Saint Martin died on November 3, 1639 of typhus (a disease that is contracted from lice, mites, or fleas), probably contracted due to his contact with animals. He was carried to his tomb by bishops and noblemen. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 6, 1962. He was also the first Black saint of the Americas and a contemporary of Saint Rose of Lima. Saint Martin is the patron saint of nurses and health care assistants, sick livestock, and is called on against rats and mice.
Sources
Lives . . . of the Saints: For Every Day of the Year, revision of the original edition by Rev. Hugo Hoever, S. O. Cist., Ph. D., 1993-1955 by Catholic Book Publishing Co., N.Y.Saints for Young Readers: For Everyday, Second Ed., Vol. II, revised and edited by Susan Helen Wallace, fsp, 1995, Pauline Books and Media, Boston
Encyclopedia of the Saints by Clemens Jockle, Alpine Fine Arts Collection (UK) Ltd., London. 1995.)
The Order of Preachers (Dominican) Website http://www.op.org/curia/JPC/booklets/brosistr.htm#DePorres
Collect:
O God, who led Saint Martin de Porres
by the path of humility to heavenly glory,
grant that we may so follow his radiant example in this life
as to merit to be exalted with him in heaven.
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: Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:34-40
But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, to test Him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And he said to Him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
Excerpt from: LECTURE BY H.E. CARDINAL RATZINGER AT THE BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF THE REGION OF CAMPANIA IN BENEVENTO (ITALY) ON THE TOPIC: "EUCHARIST, COMMUNION AND SOLIDARITY", Sunday June 2, 2002
For complete text click here (Links to Vatican website)
Martin de Porres, Mother Teresa
The great social saints were in reality always the great Eucharistic saints. I would like to mention just two examples chosen entirely at random.
First of all, the beloved figure of St Martin de Porres, who was born in 1569 in Lima, Peru, the son of an Afro-American mother and a Spanish nobleman. Martin lived from the adoration of the Lord present in the Eucharist, passing entire nights in prayer before the crucified Lord in the tabernacle, while during the day he tirelessly cared for the sick and assisted the socially outcast and despised, with whom he, as a mulatto, identified because of his origins. The encounter with the Lord, who gives himself to us from the cross, makes all of us members of the one body by means of the one bread, which when responded to fully moves us to serve the suffering, to care for the weak and the forgotten.
In our time, we can recall the person of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Wherever she opened the houses of her sisters to the service of the dying and outcast, the first thing she asked for was a place for the tabernacle, because she knew that only beginning from there, would come the strength for such service.
Whoever recognizes the Lord in the tabernacle, recognizes him in the suffering and the needy; they are among those to whom the world's judge will say: "I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me" (Mt 25,35).
Briefly, I would like to recall a second important New Testament text concerning the word "communion" (koinonia). It is found right at the beginning of the first Letter of John (1,3-7), where he speaks of the encounter granted him with the Word made flesh. John says that he is transmitting what he has seen with his own eyes and touched with his own hands. This encounter has given him the gift of koinonia - communion - with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. It has become a true "communion" with the living God. As John expresses it, the communion has opened his eyes and he now lives in the light, that is, in the truth of God, which is expressed in the unique, new commandment, which encompasses everything - the commandment to love. And so the communion with the "Word of life" becomes the just life, becomes love. In this way it also becomes reciprocal communion: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we are in communion one with another" (I Jn 1,6).
The text shows the same logic of communio that we already found in Paul: communion with Jesus becomes communion with God himself, communion with the light and with love; it becomes in this way an upright life, and all of this unites us with one another in the truth. Only when we regard communion in this depth and breadth do we have something to say to the world.
Martin de Porres, Saint of the “Least” [Catholic Caucus]
Litany of St. Martin de Porres (For an Election Novena - Oct.26 — Nov.3)
Saint Martin's Story [Martin de Porres]
Feast Day: November 3
Born: December 9, 1579, Lima, Peru
Died: November 3, 1639, Lima, Peru
Canonized: May 6, 1962 by Pope John XXIII
Major Shrine: Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima, Peru
Patron of: black people, hair stylists, innkeepers, mixed-race people, Peru, poor people, public education, public health, public schools, race relations, social justice, state schools, television, Peruvian Naval Aviators
St. Martin De Porres
Feast Day: November 3
Born: 1579 :: Died: 1639
Martin was born at Lima in Peru. His father was a Spanish knight and his mother was earlier an Indian slave from Panama who had been set free.
Because of his dark complexion, his father soon became ashamed of Martin and his mother. When Martin was very young, his father went away, leaving the family to look out for themselves.
As they were very poor, his mother could not support Martin or his sister and they were sent to live at a primary school for two years.
When he was just ten years old, Martin was placed with a surgeon to learn about the medical field and earn his living. He felt great joy while helping the sick. He also learned how to cure many diseases according to the practices of those days. Even as a young boy, he spent some time every night in prayer.
Martin grew up good and holy. Martin's father finally decided to take care of his son's education. But Martin wanted to give himself to God and asked for admission to a Dominican Convent.
Brother Martin soon proved to be a wonderful religious. No one was kinder or more obedient or holy. Before long, he began to work miracles, too. He was known to go through locked doors to help the sick. He was even seen in other countries helping the sick although he never left Lima all his life.
He cured so many sick people that everyone in the city of Lima would ask for Brother Martin when there was sickness. He would go to them all, whether they were blacks or whites. He loved all people as his brothers and sisters in Christ.
When he took in an old beggar who was covered with ulcers and laid him on his own bed, one of the other brothers scolded him. Martin told him that it was better to be kind that to be clean because you only needed soap to wash off dirt.
Large amounts of money were given to this good, lovable Brother for his charities. People knew how well he could organize works of charity. His sister offered her house as a hospital for the sick when there was a plague in Lima.
This kind-hearted saint was also very good to animals. He excused the comings and goings of rats and mice by saying, "The poor little things don't have enough to eat." In his sister's house, he kept a home for stray cats and dogs too.
Although he was so famous in Lima, St. Martin always had a very humble opinion of himself. His name for himself was, in fact, "Brother Broom."
When Martin died on November 3, 1639, this beloved saint was carried to his tomb by bishops and noblemen who wanted to honor the humble and holy brother.
Sunday, November 3
Liturgical Color: Green
The Church dedicates the month of
November to the remembrance of all the
holy souls in purgatory. Our prayers can
help souls in purgatory. "He made atonement
for the dead that they may be freed from this sin."
(2 Maccabees12:46)
Daily Readings for:November 03, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift your faithful offer you right and praiseworthy service, grant, we pray, that we may hasten without stumbling to receive the things you have promised. 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
ACTIVITIES
o On Preventing Pride and Vainglory in Children
PRAYERS
· Ordinary Time: November 3rd
· Thirty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: "Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today."
Don't forget to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1 to the 8th.
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the book of Wisdom 11:22, 12:2. The author of Wisdom says that although the whole universe is like a grain of dust compared with God who created it, yet he loves all the things which he has created. It is he who preserves all creation, he who forgives the sins of men, his spirit is in every creature.
The second reading is from the second letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 1:11, 2:2. Having encouraged the Thessalonians to persevere in their Christian faith, thus giving glory to God and Christ, St. Paul tells them not to consider that the end of the world and the second coming of Christ in glory to judge the world, is near at hand. This idea had in some way become fairly widespread among the converts and some of them just sat idly waiting for Christ's coming, refusing to do any work. Such behavior was condemned by Paul who told the offenders to work and earn their daily bread.
The Gospel is from St. Luke 19: 1-10. Zacchaeus's interest in seeing what Jesus was like was caused by something more than idle curiosity. Unknown to him, the grace of God was working within him. He thought that he just wanted to see what Jesus was like. Jesus knew already what Zacchaeus was like and intended to see him and save him from his downward rush after earthly wealth. He would offer him eternal riches. This is exactly what happened. Jesus entered the home and heart of Zacchaeus that day, and not only the home and heart of Zachaeus, but of his whole household. From that day Jesus had devoted followers in Jericho, and Christianity had a strong foothold in that ancient city.
We cannot have the slightest doubt that God wants us all in heaven. Neither can we doubt that he is sending out calls to us when we wander foolishly off the right road. Unfortunately for ourselves, we can refuse to listen to these calls. We can turn a deaf ear to God's offer of mercy and grace. If we do, one of our greatest sources of sorrow and regret in our future life, will be that, while we still had a chance to repent, our stupid stubbornness made us refuse to listen to our loving Father's calls to repentance.
Zacchaeus was not so stubborn or so foolish. The story of his conversion is put before us today, not as a matter of historical interest, but as a matter of vital spiritual interest. We are all sinners to a greater or lesser degree. Jesus is approaching each one of us today by means of this very lesson which we have read. Let each one of us try to see what Jesus is like. He is a loving brother who died that we might live, a fellowman who suffered tortures that we might have eternal joy. He was also the Son of God, the God of infinite love. At the same time, let Jesus see us as we really are. Let us expose and confess to him all our earthly weaknesses and injustices against God and neighbor. He will find a remedy for us. He will put us back once more on the straight road to heaven. Today, salvation will come to us and to our house. We will become again true sons of Abraham, true heirs to heaven.
— Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.
Indulgences for All Souls Week
An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the first to the eighth of November; on other days of the year it is partial.
A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who on the day dedicated to the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [November 2 {as well as on the Sunday preceding or following, and on All Saints' Day}] piously visit a church. In visiting the church it is required that one Our Father and the Creed be recited.
To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary also to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the visit; it is, however, fitting that communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day as the visit.
The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of the day.
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner. (Luke 19:7)
When Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, he made it clear that it is better to be humble than to consider yourself better than everyone else (Luke 18:9-14). When he forgave the sinful woman at a dinner party, he couldn’t help but teach his host, a Pharisee, how much better it is to be merciful rather than self-righteous (7:36-50). In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus goes so far as to invite himself into the home of a public sinner, a corrupt tax collector named Zacchaeus.
To the crowd surrounding him that day, Zacchaeus was a traitor who served the Roman Empire and made himself rich at the expense of his fellow Jews. But while they were focusing on who Zacchaeus was, Jesus focused on who he could be. That vision for the man’s future moved Jesus to speak kindly to him and lead him to salvation.
There are times when we can be like Zacchaeus as well. We can take advantage of other people and look out only for ourselves. Other times, we can be like the onlookers. We become self-righteous and judge people harshly. We are all capable of holding a double standard—one for ourselves and one for everybody else.
Despite our shortcomings and our double standards, Jesus continues to reach out to us just as he reached out to Zacchaeus. It’s true that Jesus loves us as we are. But it’s also true that he loves us so much that he wants to see us become everything we are meant to be.
In your prayer today, ask the Lord to show you one simple way that you can become more like the person you were meant to be: perhaps more caring or more generous, perhaps more loving toward your family or more prayerful. As he did with Zacchaeus, Jesus is always ready to help you. He is always ready to pour his grace on you whenever you turn to him.
“Lord, fill me with your love. Help me to look at the people around me the way you look at me.”
Wisdom 11:22–12:2; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11–2:2
1. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we learn of God's love for all things, his mercy for all people, and his forgiveness for repentant sinners. The psalmist goes on to say that the Lord loathes nothing that he has made: “for what you hated, you would not have fashioned” (Wisdom 11:24). What is your attitude towards people who are different from yourself? How could it be more Christlike?
2. The responsorial psalm also speaks of God's graciousness, mercy, kindness, and compassion. How important is it for our compassion to reach beyond our small circle of family or friends? What more can you do?
3. St. Paul, in the second reading, warns the early Christians to be on their guard against false “prophets” of doom. In what way is your view of the state of the world shaped by alarmists and doomsayers? How would a deeper understanding of the nature and character of God, and faith in his power to transform even the hardest of hearts, help your view to be more hopeful and Christ-centered?
4. In the Gospel, we again see Jesus reaching out to an individual who was hated and disrespected by his contemporaries. Notice that Zacchaeus “received him with joy” and the crowd “began to grumble.” Why did this happen? In what ways can you work "against the grain" to care for others, especially those who are looked down on?
5. Jesus said he came “to seek and save what was lost.” Notice that Jesus did not wait around but actively sought those in need. He also told Zacchaeus that, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). In what ways can our outreach to others be a source of “salvation” to them? How can you be less passive and more active in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others?
6. In the meditation, we hear these words: “Despite our shortcomings and our double standards, Jesus continues to reach out to us just as he reached out to Zacchaeus. It’s true that Jesus loves us as we are. But it’s also true that he loves us so much that he wants to see us become everything we are meant to be.” What steps can you take to open yourself more to the transforming love of Jesus our Lord?
7. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord for the grace to love others as He has loved you (John 13:34). Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.
Nov
TODAY SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS HOUSE
(Biblical reflection on the 31st Ordinary Sunday [Year C] – November 3, 2013)
Gospel Reading: Luke 19:1-10
First Reading: Wisdom 11:22-12:2; Psalms: Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14; Second Reading: 2Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Scripture Text:
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man name Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And He sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to Him, “Zacchaeus, make hast and came down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore if fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10 RSV)
“Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9).
What was it that moved Jesus to make this proclamation? Was it because Zacchaeus sought out Jesus so creatively? Or was it his decision to pay back any ill-gotten financial gain? Actually it was both. Jesus was glad that Zacchaeus had sought Him out and welcomed Him into his home, but He did not confirm Zacchaeus’ salvation until Zacchaeus made the commitment to change his ways. Jesus was watching for the moment when Zacchaeus’ faith would express itself in action.
Make no mistake about it: Salvation is a free gift from God. But our response to this free gift is crucial. What good is our faith, after all, if it does not lead us into a life of love in the service of others? It would have done Zacchaeus little good to accept Jesus as the Messiah, and then continue in a life of cheating others out of their tax money. The scene of Zacchaeus walking through the streets giving back handfuls of money undoubtedly said far more than a thousand words he could have uttered about how much he loved Jesus.
Today, take a moment to examine your own walk of faith. Most of us are somewhere between a life of “faith only” on one side, and “works only” on the other. If your prayer life and religious practices are strong, consider whether you could be doing more to show your love for the Lord and for others on a regular basis. Think of a way you can serve your family today, or consider a ministry in your parish that could join. St. Paul encouraged the Philippians to continue to “work out” their salvation each day (Philippians 2:12). If you are already strong on good deeds, ask if your prayer life could use a lift. Take a few moments right now to tell the Lord how much you love Him. It really is a balancing act, but our goal is always that our real, life-changing faith would express itself through works.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for the great gift of salvation You have given me. May I never take this gift for granted. May I never become complacent in my love for you or in my service for other people. Today I want to make a return to You, dear Lord, for all that You have done for me. Amen.
Daily Marriage Tip for November 3, 2013:
Today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us that God loves all that He has made. Just for today, try to see your spouse as God does—precious and lovable despite his/her faults.
November 3, 2013
Click here for USCCB readings
Opening Prayer
First Reading: Wisdom 11:22—12:2
Psalm: 145:1-2,8-11,13-14
Second Reading:
2 Thessalonians 1:11—2:2Gospel Reading: Luke 19:1-10
QUESTIONS:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 2559, 2513, 588, 2631, 2667, 2839
Before you receive Jesus Christ, you should remove from your heart all worldly attachments which you know to be displeasing to Him. -St. Augustine
The Lord Wants to Come to My House
Pastor’s Column
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 3, 2013
“Come down Zacchaeus, for today I must stay in your house.” Luke 19:1-10
Jesus wants to stay with me today. Did I hear him asking? Did I recognize his request to come in? How does he do this?
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. In last week’s gospel, another tax collector considered himself to be such a bad sinner that he beat his breast and couldn't even look up while praying in the temple. Tax collectors worked for the occupying enemy, the Romans, and got their income by overcharging their fellow Jews while tax collecting. When this man would come calling, people knew he was rich, and that he was planning to extort extra money to add to his wealth. I sure wouldn't ask this man to dinner, but Jesus did!
Notice that Jesus invites himself over before Zacchaeus has repented. This causes the whole town to murmur, and rightly so. Jesus knows that he is going to cause uproar by this choice and he does it anyway! Aside from divine knowledge, how does Jesus know that Zacchaeus might repent? Zacchaeus climbed a tree for a better view, which must have made him look ridiculous. Jesus knew that he was interested; and Jesus zeroes in on him.
Since the Lord also wishes to enter and stay with each one of us, he will want to prepare our house and put things in order. He is not afraid to come right into the house of a sinner to clean it up! He is not afraid to take a whip and chase the evil out if needed (as we see in the cleansing of the temple story), because he loves his house.
The Lord wants to come and stay in my house today. How might he do this? One way will be the Eucharist, where the Lord will literally come to dwell in the temple of my soul. Of course, he will want to start cleaning house right away. Of course, he will want to clean the room with all the junk in it, and throw out other “guests” we may be entertaining, like sins and disorders, like what we watch in various media and how we treat others.
Jesus will also come and stay in my house today by means of his Word. Do I meditate on the Word of God daily? Just try to keep one passage in mind every day or every week from the Sunday readings and he will be there!
Jesus will come and stay in my house through prayer. Whether I feel him or not, Jesus is always here when I pray or attend Mass! Jesus will come in surprising ways too. We invite him in when we are kind to someone, or are mindful of the poor. Have I tithed here or given to others in need? Then, although I probably didn't notice, the Lord has come in; he has entered my house. Jesus wants to stay with me today. Did I hear him asking? Did I recognize his request to come in?
Father Gary
Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 10.31.13 |
Wisdom 11:22-12
1 Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Luke 19:1-10
Our Lord is a lover of souls, the Liturgy shows us today. As we sing in today’s Psalm, He is slow to anger and compassionate towards all that He has made.
In His mercy, our First Reading tells us, He overlooks our sins and ignorance, giving us space that we might repent and not perish in our sinfulness (see Wisdom 12:10; 2 Peter 3:9).
In Jesus, He has become the Savior of His children, coming himself to save the lost (see Isaiah 63:8-9; Ezekiel 34:16).
In the figure of Zacchaeus in today’s Gospel, we have a portrait of a lost soul. He is a tax collector, by profession a “sinner” excluded from Israel’s religious life. Not only that, he is a “chief tax collector.” Worse still, he is a rich man who has apparently gained his living by fraud.
But Zacchaeus’ faith brings salvation to his house. He expresses his faith in his fervent desire to “see” Jesus, even humbling himself to climb a tree just to watch Him pass by. While those of loftier religious stature react to Jesus with grumbling, Zacchaeus receives Him with joy.
Zacchaeus is not like the other rich men Jesus meets or tells stories about (see Luke 12:16-21; 16:19-31; 18:18-25). He repents, vowing to pay restitution to those he has cheated and to give half of his money to the poor.
By his humility he is exalted, made worthy to welcome the Lord into his house. By his faith, he is justified, made a descendant of Abraham (see Romans 4:16-17).
As He did last week, Jesus is again using a tax collector to show us the faith and humility we need to obtain salvation.
We are also called to seek Jesus daily with repentant hearts. And we should make our own Paul’s prayer in today’s Epistle: that God might make us worthy of His calling, that by our lives we might give glory to the name of Jesus.
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."
Sunday Scriptures: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110313.cfm
Video Reflection: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/
The delightful story of Zacchaeus and Jesus is a lesson in perseverance. With a smile on his face, Jesus called to Zacchaeus in what he must have found a surprise: a little man, up in a big tree, despised by others but in love with the Lord.
And so "salvation" came to the house of this little man with a big heart, eager to come to know the Lord. He was most willing to live righteously: "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."
How far am I willing to go to set things right between myself and the Lord Jesus? Do I feel the need for some correction, as Zacchaeus was willing to "repay four times over" anyone to whom he may have done wrong.?
When we gather at the Lord's Supper, we receive the One who offers us salvation. Am I just sitting up in my tree observing from a distance or am I eager, hungry for the Lord and to set things right between myself and any to whom I have done harm or have offended me? How about giving someone a second, third, or fourth chance?
Almighty and merciful God,
by whose gift your faithful offer you
right and praiseworthy service,
grant, we pray,
that we may hasten without stumbling
to receive the things you have promised.
(Collect for Sunday)
"Zacchaeus in the Sycamore Awaiting the Passage of Jesus" (Zachée sur le sycomore attendant le passage de Jésus) by James Tissot, late 1800s. (Brooklyn Museum/Wikimedia Commons)
A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, November 3, 2013 | Carl E. Olson
Readings:
• Wis 11:22-12:2
• Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
• 2 Thes 1:11-2:2
• Lk 19:1-10
“That’s a good question. I’ve never really thought about it.”
The remark was made a number of years ago by a forty-year-old relative who had been asked, “What do you think is the meaning of life? Why are we here?” His honest answer shocked me. After all, he was an intelligent and well-educated man; surely he had pondered the mystery of his existence at some point in his life!
Sadly, some people do not. Or at least try not too. But most people, in some way or another, do ask the big questions of life: Who am I? Why am I here? Why do I exist? The author of the Book of Wisdom certainly pondered these questions. We don’t know his name, but he was apparently a well-educated Jewish author living in or around Alexandria, Egypt, between 50 to 180 years prior to the birth of Jesus. He tackled big issues, including exhorting fellow Jews to live holy lives, defending the existence of a just and all-powerful God, and denouncing the materialism, skepticism, and idolatry so prevalent among the pagans (and some Jews) of his day. He was educated in Greek thought and rhetoric, and he often used Hellenistic terms and ideas of defend his beliefs in a Creator, providence, and divine judgment.
In today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom, the author emphasizes two seemingly disparate qualities of God: His omnipotence, or all-powerful nature, and His love for His creation. On one hand the Lord is so great that all of creation is but a fleck of dust or drop of water; on the other hand, He loves everything that He has fashioned and He upholds it all by His loving will. He is, the author writes, both Lord and “lover of souls.”
The author then makes a point that appears several times in the Book of Wisdom: man’s disbelief in God is not a matter of intellectual weakness as much as it is a matter of moral failure. Man is a creature with a built-in need to worship someone or something. The rejection of God means the acceptance of false gods. Even those materialists who say there is no God or gods end up worshipping false idols of one sort or another, including power, science, money, or pleasure. Or even themselves.
In the face of a vast universe, what is man’s response to his own existence? The author of the Book of Wisdom says that humility, thanksgiving, and right living are the only reasonable responses to the mystery of life. Likewise, the Psalmist declares, “Let your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you.” The story of the chief tax collector Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus, found only in Luke’s Gospel, touches on similar themes.
Like the rich young ruler depicted a chapter prior (Lk 18:18-23), Zacchaeus is rich and powerful. But as a tax collector, who practiced a profession known for corruption and injustice, it would have been difficult for Zacchaeus to claim that he had kept the Law perfectly, as the rich young ruler had. Yet there was something different about Zacchaeus, who “was seeking to see who Jesus was.” The crowds, it seems, were there out of mere curiosity, but Zacchaeus had a deep desire to truly understand and know Jesus. And in seeking Jesus, this wealthy man had no qualms about making a fool of himself in public.
“He ignored the crowd that was getting in his way,” Augustine said in a sermon, “He instead climbed a sycamore tree, a tree of ‘silly fruit’.” After meeting Jesus, the tax collector promises to give generously to the poor and to repay fourfold anyone he may have defrauded.
What is the meaning of life? The answer is found when we acknowledge our Creator and seek the Savior. “Say what you like,” said Augustine, “but for our part, let us climb the sycamore tree and see Jesus.” That is something to really think about.
(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the November 4, 2007, issue of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.
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