Objective of the week: Learning from the hidden life of Jesus as a time to live a spirituality of the most ordinary events of daily life.
IntroductionLast week we celebrated the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. This is the solemn commemoration of the institution of that sacrament. It is the Church’s official act of homage and gratitude to Christ, who by instituting the Holy Eucharist gave to the Church her greatest treasure. The body and blood of Jesus being broken and shared made Him a free person living in a community of men. As Pope Francis said, “Jesus speaks in silence in the Eucharist and each time reminds us that following Him means coming out of ourselves and making our life not our own but a gift to Him and to others”. This week we will deepen and learn more on how Jesus lived in His ordinary daily life. Jesus’ hidden life comprise more than 50% (18 of His 33 years) of his earthly life where He lived as an ordinary person doing ordinary things like anybody else around His time. But then we see a glimpse of how He lived it extraordinarily, drawing life as it leads to this encounter with God’s love. 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin… 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, (Matthew 6:26-30) Here Jesus showed us that in His hidden life, He was living a spirituality of ordinary life. The best spiritual guides all insist that spirituality is about being present to the real as it surrounds us in ordinary time and place. As John Ruskin once put it: “The secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of ordinary daily life and elevating them into an art. MondayOrdinary events in life even its hard can turn to be a blessing1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12) TuesdayJesus draws out our great influence in this world through basic things(Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church) 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16) WednesdayObedience to ordinary details of the commandments of God is a cause for our greatness17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19) ThursdayThe Kingdom of God is being realized in the most ordinary miracles that we see and hear around us. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’d8* Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.9e Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;10f no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep.11g Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave.12As you enter a house, wish it peace.13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.* (Matthew 10:7-13) FridayThe ordinariness of Jesus dying as human but with outmost love testifies his divinity31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”[a] 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” (John 19:31-37) SaturdayMama Mary’s faithfulness in the ordinary moments bears the awakening of the awareness of Jesus as the Son of God(Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary/ St Anthony of Padua, priest and Doctor of the Church) 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:41-51) Sunday11th Sunday in Ordinary Time1st Reading: Ez.. 17:22-24
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 92 2nd Reading: 2 Cor. 5:6-10 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 Comments are closed.
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