Renungan Harian Katolik

Friday 24th week in ordinary time

"Lk 8:1-3"

Jesus went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means

How much You, Lord, must have loved these women! They were always serving You, Jesus, in all You needed; making sure that You didn't lack anything. They spent their time and money on You. In actual fact, being God, You could have gone without any help; couldn't You? You are God. But You wanted to eat and to drink what they provided and to sleep in the houses to which You were invited. For some reason, Jesus, You like to be given things instead of taking them. And these women [notice: all of them women!] were generous enough not just to give You what You needed but to follow You to make sure that You always had what was needed; You lived on earth as if obliged to depend upon generous people.

You are now in the Tabernacle and that also obliges You to depend on us. Saints have always been generous with everything that related to You. Even when they were poor, they didn't spare anything to give You the best. St John Vianney is a good example of this. He was very poor. He always used to eat just three or four boiled potatoes a day. He slept on the floor and had only one cassock... He was very austere with himself. But when it came to spending money on You, Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament, he didn't calculate. He was famous in the markets of Lyon for always purchasing the best materials for his church. When they offered him different materials he would say: "This is not good enough for God, I need the best!" Also St Francis of Assisi, known for his poverty, wanted to send brothers throughout the world with precious chalices and ciboria for the Eucharist. At times, we may not be able to provide money, but we can always serve Jesus in many other ways with devotion and affection, like these women of the Gospel. Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, make me generous with your Son in the Tabernacle. May He never be lacking anything I can provide.

Thursday 24th week in ordinary time

"Lk 7:36-50"

A woman of the city, who was a sinner...brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment...Jesus said to the Pharisee, "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

I love Your forgiveness, my Jesus. I love it because I am a sinner as well. The more sins You forgive me, the more I love You. I love it that there is no sin that You won't forgive. I love it that there is no human 'misery' that can exceed Your Divine Mercy. I love reminding all sinners that You are looking for them more than they are looking for You. I give You thanks for Your Mercy, for You are more willing to forgive us than we are willing to be forgiven; and I beg You for millions of souls to be reconciled with You this year.

There is a crucifix in St Eulalia's parish in Majorca given by Pope Innocent to King James I. It's called the 'Christ of the miracles'. The story is told that a man who had led a very sinful life decided to change and went to Confession. This crucifix was hanging in front of the confessional – a silent witness to the man's Confession. But when the priest heard his sins he was scandalized and thought that he couldn't grant the man absolution. The poor sinner left the church, devastated. But a young man found him in tears at the gates of the church, approached him and said, "Go back; try again!" The man hesitated but the young fellow insisted so he gave in and went back to the confessional. The priest was surprised to see him back and was about to send him away for a second time when suddenly the right hand of the Christ on that Crucifix came away from the nail. Showing the priest the scar from the nail, Jesus said to him, "Give him absolution. Look how much it has cost me!"

Mary, Refuge of sinners, help me to be always grateful for your Son's Mercy; help me to remind everyone that Jesus has already paid for their sins, and so they just have to come to the confessional to 'cash in' forgiveness.

Wednesday 24th week in ordinary time

"Lk 7:31-35"

"To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, 'We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.' For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."

That was a children's game in the time of Jesus. Some children would play music and others had to react appropriately. They had to adapt their dancing to the rhythm of the music that was played. This was Jesus' complaint against people who didn't react to His preaching. They didn't react to the teachings of St John the Baptist either. No one was good enough for such people. John the Baptist? 'Ah, well', they may have thought, 'too bizarre, dressed in camel skins and eating locusts and wild honey'. Jesus? 'Too rustic, just a carpenter, you know'...

They had a mental picture of the 'perfect prophet' they would follow, and no one could match that imaginary picture. Some live in that imaginary world where things and people never meet their expectations, and that serves them as an excuse not to listen to them. They don't want to complicate their lives by following Jesus. God sends everyone the help that they need, which may not be the help that they expect.

Some don't pray because they don't feel anything special when they pray. They have a mental picture of what prayer should feel like but they don't feel it! So they quit. And they even blame God for it because He doesn't 'give' them prayer. The truth is that in our prayer God is the Master and He plays the music He wants us to dance to. We need to ask God to teach us to pray as He wants us to pray and not as we would love to pray. I've no excuse for not reacting to God's promptings; no excuse for saying, 'I can't pray in this situation.' Because I don't pray for my sake and my feelings, but for God's sake.

Mary, my Mother, Master of Prayer, teach me to pray.

I Pray

Monday 24th week in ordinary time

"Lk 7:1-10"

A centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death. When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave...And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed."

We use these words during the Holy Mass before we receive Holy Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy." St John Vianney explained that if Jesus had taken into account our 'worthiness', He would never have instituted the Eucharist. But He took into account only His love for us. Ordinarily we can only receive Him once a day but our desire would be to receive Him many times. According to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Alphonsus Liguori, the value of a spiritual communion can be as great as Holy Communion itself. It depends, obviously, on the internal dispositions. If God can unite Himself to souls with a piece of bread, would it not be possible for Him to do the same with a strong desire? St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you." St. John Vianney taught, "If we are deprived of Sacramental Communion, let us replace it by spiritual communion, which we can make every moment...when we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God."

In 1975 the Communist Army took control of Vietnam, sending numerous bishops and priests to prison. Many disappeared, leaving no trace. A prisoner described what he found once in a cell he was moved to. It had been used by a priest who disappeared. On the wall, with a loose stone, the priest had drawn a huge Host and a Chalice. Presumably, unable to say Mass, he had spent a long time there in 'adoration', longing for the Eucharist. Lord, I know I'm not worthy, but I wish to receive You "with the purity, humility and devotion with which your most holy Mother - my Mother - received you, with the spirit and fervour of the saints."

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

"Jn 3:13-17"

No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

On one occasion, when the people of Israel were in the desert, they faced the curse of a multitude of snakes which bit and killed many of the Israelites. They prayed to the Lord and He ordered Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole. Those who looked at it were healed from the poison of the serpents. The Holy Cross of Our Lord has real healing power. Such a simple sign means a lot to us. Every crucifix reminds us of God's Love for each one of us. Every crucifix is like a label with the price of our ransom paid by Jesus with His Blood. Lovers carry with them a picture of their beloved. A father has in his wallet a picture of his wife and children. Good Christians should also carry a crucifix in their pockets.

The crucifix is an effective weapon against the poison of the enemy. The devil has been described as a roaring lion to be feared. But in the presence of a crucifix, the lion becomes a tame cat. In times of difficulty, in times of temptation or when we suffer setbacks of any kind, having a crucifix at hand which we can kiss or caress becomes the most valuable instrument.

To kiss the crucifix is a great act of love and can also be a great act of contrition. One day St Josemaría went to assist a man who was dying in hospital. He was a gipsy who had been a great sinner. After his Confession, when St Josemaría gave him his crucifix to kiss, that contrite gipsy started to shout, and no one could stop him, "I can't kiss Our Lord with this filthy, rotten mouth of mine!" St Josemaría was moved by that act of contrition and answered him, "But listen: very soon you are going to embrace him and give him a big kiss, in Heaven!"

Mary, Mother of Sorrows, teach me to meditate on the Cross and keep me always close to your Son, close to you, on Calvary.

(Good advice from St Josemaría: get a pocket crucifix and carry it with you always.)

Friday 23rd week in ordinary time

"Lk 6:39-42"

He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ...Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

How easily we see defects in others! How difficult it is to see our own mistakes! How ready we are to correct others and help them to improve! How slow we are to accept our own failures and amend them! We are sometimes like the boy who failed his maths exam. He gave the report to his dad who obviously wasn't happy at all: "This can’t be: it's unacceptable!" the dad said, "It deserves severe punishment!" "You are quite right, dad," replied the boy, "it DOES deserve SEVERE PUNISHMENT! I couldn't agree more. And... I know where the teacher lives!"

Some people don't know themselves or their defects but are, nevertheless, always ready to correct others about anything. They are 'professional critics' who always analyse everyone except themselves. The story is told of a nit–picking arts professor who was guiding his students around an art gallery. He was criticising all the portraits they were finding: the style was poor, the model inappropriate, the colours messed up... The man stopped in front of a full-length portrait of an old man. He smiled in disdain and started criticising it: "What a ridiculous lanky fellow! Look at the disproportion of the big nose and ears in a small head; do you see the slovenly clothes and lack of taste..." Someone interrupted him, "Professor! This is not a portrait, sir... it's a mirror!"

St Augustine said that we often see in others the reflection of our own defects. We need to examine ourselves to spot our faults and try to correct them. Once we strive to correct our own mistakes we won't get annoyed with the shortcomings of others and we will be able to help them improve... Mary, my Mother, help me to see those aspects that God wants me to change and obtain for me from Heaven the grace I need to change them.

Thursday 23rd week in ordinary time

"Lk 6:27-38"

"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also...And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them...Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you...For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Many people are convinced that the "golden rule" is 'don't do to others what you wouldn't like to be done to you.' And so, if you don't like people poking a finger in your eye, you don't poke a finger in their eye; if you don't like people calling you names... you don't call them names; if you don't like people using your stuff without permission, you don't use their things without permission either... fair enough! But that is not the 'Golden Rule.'

Because Jesus didn't say, 'Don't do to them what you don't like to be done to you.' He said instead, "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." He didn't speak about things to avoid doing to others, but about things to do to others. And in order to live the Golden Rule we need to keep our eyes open to the needs of others. Then we will see what many don't see: that people need each other. St John Henry Newman described a gentleman as someone who "has his eyes on all his company," who pays attention to the needs of others and is always ready to help.

A mother was talking with a young priest about one of her children: "He doesn't need to be told to do anything. Whenever he sees something he can do he doesn't hesitate for a second to do it. He lets me rest." Apparently, when that child was around, his entire family was at ease. That could be good food for prayer, couldn't it? Am I the kind of child, brother, sister, student or friend who lets people rest? Do people like to be around me? Do I live the Golden Rule?

Mary, Mother of Fair Love, with your intercession, may I become the kind of person who makes people feel at ease, one of those I would love to have always around me.

Wednesday 23rd week in ordinary time

"Lk 6:20-26"

Jesus lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets."

I can see You, Lord, explaining to Your disciples that they were blessed when they were poor or suffered hunger, blessed for weeping and for being hated and excluded on Your account. You explained that being poor and hungry, hated and persecuted is a sign of being 'with' You and of being 'like' You... And to be with You, my Jesus, is itself a blessing.

The example of St. Peter Claver can help us to pray. He was a Spanish Jesuit priest. While studying in Majorca, he decided to go to the Indies and save 'millions of perishing souls.' In 1610, he landed at Cartagena (Colombia), which received 10,000 slaves every year. He dedicated himself to serving the slaves and fighting for the abolition of the slave trade. In his time the great majority of people thought slavery to be a good and profitable thing for society so only a few opposed it. Fewer still stood up for those slaves whom St Peter saw as the 'people of the beatitudes': rejected, abused, hungry... Boarding the slave ships as they entered the harbour, he would hurry to serve them, care for the sick and catechise them as well; it is estimated that he personally baptised around 300,000 people.

We Christians are called to persevere and never give up in defending the innocent victims of injustice, even when everyone thinks the opposite (think about abortion, for instance). Today St Peter is a universal hero but in his time he was a revolutionary. Pope Francis is calling us today to be rebels against injustice and to defend those outcasts of society who are the present-day 'men of the beatitudes'.

Let's ask Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, to help us to be merciful as Pope Francis is asking us to be.

Tuesday 23rd week in ordinary time

"Lk 6:12-19"

He went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor

If Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray Him... why didn't He choose someone else?' The truth is that when Jesus called him, Judas must have had a beautiful soul. He was a fine young man, full of energy, practising his faith sincerely. Don't forget that Judas was able to leave everything to follow Jesus. He was a generous young lad. One day he was entrusted with carrying the money bag, paying the expenses of the group and giving money to the poor. There wasn't much money in that bag, anyway. But that clinking of the coins in his pocket started one day to bother him. Maybe one day he took just one little copper to quench his thirst with a glass of wine. Another day two coppers for a bite… never anything big, no. But venial sins make the sinner weaker and blinder. He still loved Jesus... within limits. One day they offered him thirty pieces of silver if he led them to Jesus. All would be fine - he thought - Jesus will escape as He always has done before. Thus, repeated venial sins made it so easy for Judas to justify his evil doings.

We can also betray Our Lord if we don't fight against venial sins and defects: swearing, gossiping, laziness, procrastination, wasting time, vanity in front of the mirror, sarcasm, cheating... On one occasion St John Paul II was meeting a Bishop who got carried away and suddenly used a rude word. A bit embarrassed, the Bishop immediately apologised. But after a short while another swear word came out. He apologised again, "Sorry, Holy Father. I'm like that when I get carried away." St John Paul II didn't hesitate and replied, "If you are like that, then... change!" There is no excuse. We can always change and overcome our defects. It's necessary to struggle against venial sin to avoid having to struggle with mortal sins. Mary, my Mother, help me to abhor venial sin.