June 8 Monday: Mt
5:1-12: 1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when
he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught
them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when men revile you
and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my
account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. USCCB
video reflections:
The context: The “Beatitudes”
form the introductory part in Mathew’s account of the Sermon on the
Mount. They are the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, as the Sermon on
the Mount is the heart of the whole Gospel, or the “Compendium of Christian
Doctrine.” This sermon contains the most essential aspects of
Christian behavior that we need to live out, if we are to reach Christian
perfection. In essence, the Beatitudes both fulfill and complete the Ten
Commandments.
Bombshells: In both Matthew and Luke the Beatitudes have
been called a “series of bombshells” or blinding “flashes of lightning followed
by deafening thunder of surprise and shock,” because Jesus
reverses our “natural” assumption that happiness lies in riches,
power, influence and pleasure. We believe in personal pride; Jesus
blesses poverty of spirit. We seek pleasure; Jesus blesses those who mourn. We
see the prosperity of aggressive people; Jesus blesses the meek. We love good
food and drink; Jesus blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Thus, Jesus instructs his disciples in the paradoxical blessedness
of poverty, hunger, sorrow and persecution. In poverty, we recognize God’s
reign; in hunger, His Providence; in sorrow, true happiness; and
in persecution, true joy. In other words, the blessed on Jesus’ list are the
poor in spirit, the compassionate, the meek, the merciful, the clean of heart
and the peacemakers and those who are willing even to be insulted and
persecuted for their following of Jesus in action.
Life messages: 1)
We need to respond to the challenge of the Beatitudes in daily life.
The Beatitudes propose to us a way of life, inviting us to identify with the
poor, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after justice.
2) They challenge us to be compassionate people, to be men and women who
are pure in heart, and to become peacemakers in our dealings with one another,
in our families and in the society at large, even when this approach to things exposes
us to ridicule and persecution. 3) Let us remember that each time we reach
out to help the needy, the sick and the oppressed, we share with them a
foretaste of the promises of the Beatitudes here and now. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
June 9 Tuesday (St.
Ephrem, Deacon, Doctor of the Church) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-ephrem/ : Mt 5:13-16:13 “You are the
salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall
its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for
anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by
men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand,
and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in
heaven. USCCB video reflections:
The
context: Today’s Gospel passage is taken from the Sermon on the Mount where,
using two simple metaphors, Jesus outlines the role of Christians in this
world. The Christian’s task is to be the salt of society, preserving, reconciling, adding flavor,
giving meaning where there is no meaning, and giving hope where there is no
hope. Every Christian also has to reflect the light borrowed from Christ and radiate around him or her that
light in the form of love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and humble
service.
The salt of the earth: In
the time of Jesus, salt was connected in people’s minds with four special
qualities. (i) Salt was connected with purity because it was white
and it came from the purest of all things, the sun and the sea. Hence, it
was the common ingredient in the sacrifices offered to God by the Jews and
pagans. (ii) Salt was the commonest of all
preservatives in the ancient world. It was used to prevent putrefaction of
meat, fish and fruits in pickles. (iii) Salt lends flavor to food
items (Job 6:6). Salt was used to season food. (iv) Salt was also
used sprinkled on charcoal or dried horse dung to keep fire burning
evenly in an oven for a longer time.
The light of the
world: (i) A light is something which is meant to be seen.
(ii) A lamp or light is a guide to make clear the way.
iii) A light can often be a warning light, telling us to halt when there
is danger ahead. iv) Light is a source for warmth and heat.
Life messages: 1). As the
salt of the earth, the Christian must be an example of purity, holding
aloft the standard of absolute purity in speech, in conduct, and even in
thought.
2) As the salt of the earth, the Christian must have a
certain antiseptic influence on life and society, defeating corruption,
injustice and impurity and making it easier for others to be good.
3) As salt, we have to preserve Christian cultural
values and moral principles. As salt, we have to improve the tone of
society (“season” it), preserve Faith, and extend the fire of the Holy Spirit
through evangelization efforts. 4) As light of the world Christians are
expected to reflect the Light borrowed from Christ
and radiate that light in the form of love, kindness, mercy,
forgiveness, and humble service.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
June 10 Wednesday: Mt
5:17-19: 17 “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the
prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For
truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot,
will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one
of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in
the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. USCCB video reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel passage, taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, presents Jesus as giving
the highest compliments to the Mosaic Law. Ironically, Jesus himself would be
falsely condemned and crucified as a Law-breaker. Jesus says that the Old
Testament, as the word of God, has Divine authority and deserves total respect.
Its moral precepts are to be respected because they are, for the most part,
specific, Divine-positive promulgations of the natural law. But Christians are
not obliged to observe the legal and liturgical precepts of Old Testament
because they were laid down by God for a specific stage in Salvation History.
In Jesus’ time, the Law was understood differently by different groups of the
Jews to be 1) The Ten Commandments 2) The Pentateuch 3) The Law and the
Prophets or 4) The oral (Scribal) and the written Law.
Jesus’ teaching: Jesus,
and later Paul, considered the oral Law as a heavy burden on the people and
criticized it, while honoring the Mosaic Law and the teachings of the prophets.
At the time of Jesus, the Jews believed that the Torah (Law given to Moses),
was the eternal, unchangeable, Self-Revelation of God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus
says that he did not come to destroy the Torah but to bring it to perfection by
bringing out its inner meaning because He IS the ultimate self-Revelation of God, the Lawgiver. That
is why the Council of Trent declared that Jesus was given to us, “not only as a
Redeemer, in whom we are to trust, but also as a Lawgiver whom we are to obey”
(“De Iustificatione,” can. 21). Jesus honored the two basic
principles on which the Ten Commandments were based, namely the principle
of reverence and the principle of respect. In the first four
commandments, we are asked to reverence God, reverence His holy Name, reverence
His holy day and reverence our father and mother. The next set of commandments
instructs us to respect life, the marriage bond, one’s personal integrity and
others’ good name, the legal system, another’s property and spouse, and one’s
own spouse. Jesus declares that he has come to fulfill all Divine laws based on
these principles. By “fulfilling the law,” Jesus means fulfilling the purpose for
which the Law was given: that is, justice (or “righteousness,” as the
Scriptures call it – a word that includes a just relationship with God).
Life messages: 1)
In obeying God’s laws and Church laws, let us remember these basic principles
of respect and reverence. 2) Our obedience to the laws needs to be prompted by
love of God and gratitude to God for His blessings.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
June 11 Thursday (St.
Barnabas, Apostle)
:https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-barnabas/
Mt 5:20-26:20
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that
it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be
liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his
brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be
liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!’ shall be liable to the
hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there
before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and
offer your gift. 25 ..26USCCB video reflections:
The context: For
the Scribes and the Pharisees, the external fulfillment of the precepts of the
Mosaic Law was the guarantee of a person’s salvation. In other words, a man
saved himself through the external works of the Law. Jesus rejects this
view in today’s Gospel passage, taken from the Sermon on the Mount. For
Jesus, justification or sanctification is a grace, a free, strengthening gift
from God. Man’s role is one of cooperating with that grace by being faithful to
it, using it as God means it to be used. Jesus then outlines new moral
standards for his disciples.
Control of anger: Anger is the rawest, strongest and most
destructive of human emotions. Describing three stages of anger and the
punishment each deserves, Jesus advises his disciples not to get angry in such
a way that they sin.
1) Anger in the heart (“brief stage of insanity”
Cicero): It has two forms: a) a
sudden, blazing flame of anger which dies suddenly. b) a surge of anger which
boils inside and lingers, so that the heart seeks revenge and refuses to
forgive or forget. Jesus prescribes trial and punishment by the Village Court
of Elders as its punishment.
2) Anger in speech: The use of words which are
insulting (“raka“=“fool”), or damaging to the reputation (“moros”
= a person of loose morals). Jesus says that such an angry (verbally abusive)
person should be sent to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religion’s Supreme Court,
for trial and punishment.
3) Anger in action: Sudden outbursts of uncontrollable
anger, which often result in physical assault or abuse. Jesus says that such
anger deserves hellfire as its punishment. In short, Jesus teaches that
long-lasting anger is bad, contemptuous speech or destroying someone’s
reputation is worse and harming another physically is the worst.
Life messages: 1) Let us try to forgive, forget, and move toward
reconciliation as soon as possible. St. Paul advises us “Be angry (righteous
anger), but do not sin” (Eph 4: 26). 2) When we keep
anger in our mind, we are inviting physical illnesses like hypertension and
mental illnesses like depression. Let us relax, keep silence when we are angry,
and pray for God’s strength for self-control.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
June 12 Friday: Mt
5.: 27-32: But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If
your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better
that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown
into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole
body go into hell. 31 “It was also said, `whoever divorces his wife,
let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that
everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes
her and adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
USCCB video reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
The context: In
his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines a new moral code for his followers,
which is different from the Mosaic moral code. He insists that adultery, the
violation of the Sixth Commandment, is also committed through willfully
generated evil and impure looks, and evil thoughts and desires purposely
created and held in the mind.
Interpreting Jesus’ words about
self-mutilation. Our hands do not themselves sin, but are made the
mind’s agents for sin according to what we touch and how we touch, in lust or
greed or violence. Our eyes become agents of sins according to what they look
at. In recommending mutilation of eyes and hands, Jesus is not speaking
literally because we have more sins than we have body-parts. Besides, even if
all offending parts were removed, our minds — the source of all sins
— would still be intact, causing us to sin by thoughts and
desires. So Jesus teaches us that, just as a doctor might remove a limb
or some part of the body like an infected gall bladder, an inflamed appendix,
cancerous colon sections, etc., in order to preserve the life of the whole
body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to commit grave
sin or which leads to spiritual death (the “near occasions of sin.”)
Hence, these warnings are actually about our attitudes, dispositions,
and inclinations. Jesus recommends that our hands become agents
of compassion, healing and comfort, and that our eyes learn to see the
truth, goodness and beauty that are all around us.
Clear teaching on divorce: According Matthew’s account,
adultery is the only ground for sanctioning divorce. Based on the NT
teachings given in Mk 10:1-12, Mt 5:31-32; Mt 19:3-9; Lk 16:18; and
1 Cor 7:10-11, the Catholic Church teaches that Marriage is a
Sacrament involving both a sacred and legal contract between a man
and a woman and, at the same time, a special Covenant with
the Lord. “Divorce is also a grave offense against the
natural law. Besides, it claims to break the contract, to which the
spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death….” Divorce
is immoral also because it introduces disorder into the family and into
society” (CCC #2384, 2385).Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
June 13 Saturday (St.
Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-anthony-of-padua/ : Mt 5:33-37:: 33 “Again
you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not swear
falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say
to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the
throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem,
for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you
cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply `Yes’ or
`No’; anything more than this comes from evil. USCCB video reflections:
The context: Jesus
outlines a new moral code for his followers in his Sermon on the Mount,
different from, and superior to, the Mosaic moral code. According to the
teachings of Jewish rabbis, the world stands fast on truth, justice and peace;
hence, liars, slanderers, scoffers and hypocrites will not enter Heaven. The
rabbis classified two types of oaths as offensive to God: 1) frivolous oaths
using God’s name to support a false statement, because this violates the second
commandment. 2) evasive oaths using words like Heaven, Jerusalem, my
head, because God is everywhere, and He owns everything.
Jesus’ teaching: Be righteous; be men and women of integrity
and character. If one is honest in one’s words and deeds, there is no need for
one to support one’s statements and transactions with oaths or
swearing. “How forceful are honest words”! (Job 6:25). An
oath is a solemn invocation of God (“So help me, God!”) to bear witness
to the truth of what one asserts to be the case or to the sincerity of one’s
undertakings in regard to future actions. It is necessary and admissible to ask
God’s help in the discharge of an important social duty (e.g., President’s oath
of office) or while bearing witness in a court of law (“I will tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me, God”). In other cases,
Jesus teaches, “Say ‘Yes,’ when you mean ‘Yes.’ and say ‘No,’ when you mean ‘No,’
(Mt 5:37). That is, He invites us to live in truth in every
instance and to conform our thinking, our words and our deeds to the truth.
Life messages: 1) Let
us be true to God, to ourselves and to others. 2) Let us allow God’s
word of truth to penetrate our minds and heart and to form our conscience.
Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20