Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 / Luke 11:1-4
Paul rebukes Peter: You are not being straightforward.
Some Jewish converts to Christianity continued to eat only
foods that were allowed by old Jewish dietary laws. Peter no longer observed
these antiquated laws. One day, when some of these conservative converts
visited Peter, he observed the laws, too, rather than rock the boat. When Paul
heard about this, he rebuked Peter for not being straightforward. Paul's
point with Peter is clear. We can't compromise ourselves simply to maintain
peace and harmony. There are times when we must act and speak out candidly.
****
How candid are we about our faith when we are around
people
who believe and act differently than we do? "If
anyone declares publicly that he belongs to me, 
I will do the same for
him before my Father in heaven." Matthew
***
Unity is indeed a very
powerful sign. In the secular sense, unity is a sign of solidarity and
brotherhood. When the Church stands united as one, it is not just a sign of
solidarity and brotherhood; it is also a sign of God's presence that unites all
in one heart and mind. Furthermore, the Church is to be a sign of unity,
uniting people with God through worship, through charity and proclaiming the
Good News of God's saving love for all people.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul understood the importance of unity especially in
the proclamation of the Good News. Hence he took the effort to meet up
with the elders of the Church, people like Peter, James and John, and he also
brought along Barnabas and Titus so that all would have a common understanding
and solidarity in the work of proclaiming the Good News.
All seemed well and good and in harmony until Peter did something which Paul
thought was wrong. Peter had been eating with pagans but he stopped and kept
away from them for fear of those Jewish Christians who would criticize him for
eating with the uncircumcised.
Needless to say, there was a confrontation between Paul and Peter. It would
seemed that the unity that was forged with so much effort was breaking up.
Yet the issue would be resolved and unity would be restored. But that would not
mean that the unity would not face any more challenges again. There would
always be challenges to the unity of the Church because the powers of evil are
out to break up the Church and to scatter the believers. But as we reflect and
pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, the very first two words "Our
Father" would would tell us that we must be united with each other because
we believe that God is our Father and we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Unity
can be achieved with forgiveness. But without forgiving each other, we would be
torn apart and scattered. So let us forgive each other, just as God has
forgiven us.
****
Saint Faustina Kowalska
Feast Day October 5
Helena Kowalska was the third of ten children of a peasant family who lived in Glogowiec, Poland. She was simple, uneducated, and attractive. As a child she began to sense God’s call, but she was twenty before she found it irresistible. In 1925, Helena entered the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. She took the name Faustina and was assigned to domestic service.
On the evening of February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to St.
Faustina. He wore a white robe, and two rays, one white and one red, flowed
from his breast. In this and subsequent visions, Christ directed Faustina to
propagate devotion to the Divine Mercy. He instructed her to make a painting of
his image, promising that anyone who honored it would be saved. He also told
Faustina that he wanted the whole church to celebrate the first Sunday after
Easter as the Feast of Mercy.
Faustina’s first efforts met with ridicule, doubt, and only
lukewarm support. However, after 1933, with the aid of her spiritual director,
Father Michael Sopocko, she made good but slow progress. By 1935 thousands in Poland
were participating in the Divine Mercy movement.
The Divine Mercy meant not only receiving mercy, but also
giving it. With Faustina we can pray that we too might become merciful:
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may
never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my
neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue. Help me, that my ears may be
merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent
to their pains and moanings. Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful,
so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of
comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled
with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbor and take upon myself
the more difficult and toilsome tasks. Help me, that my feet may be merciful,
so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and
weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Faustina died of tuberculosis in 1938. After her death the Divine Mercy devotion has grown steadily. With the support of Pope John Paul II, it became popularly established throughout the entire church. Faustina, and other saints like Margaret Mary Alacoque, Joan of Arc, and even the Virgin Mary, were simple and unassuming young women. What makes them extraordinary is God’s grace. He seems to favor ordinary folks with his mercy, which is very good news.
***
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
Named Helena at birth, this ardent promoter of the “Divine Mercy” devotion
worked as a domestic since the age of fourteen in order to help her parents
until, in 1925, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of
Mercy at Warsaw. Here, amidst the humble setting of the simple daily chores
Jesus, in a vision in 1931, made her his secretary, confidant and messenger,
instructing her to paint an image of his according to the profile she saw. She
was blessed with other innumerable and extensive mystical experiences which she
put down in her “Diary” at the behest of her spiritual director and of Jesus
himself.
She took the name Maria Faustina at her veiling in the Novitiate in 1926 and
made her final profession in 1933. In 1934, she visited the artist, E.
Kazimirowski, in connection with the proposed painting.
Despite ill-health and humiliation, she was ever obedient to the dictates of
conscience, superior and Lord. Suffering in silence, she prayed fervently for
priests, for the Church and her needs, and for the world at large. The Lord for
his part, made his satisfaction known to her thus: “My child, you are my
delight. You are the comfort of my heart. I grant you as many graces as you can
hold. As often as you want to make me happy, speak to the world about my great
and unfathomable mercy.”
Sr Maria Faustina Kowalska was canonized by her compatriot, Pope Saint John
Paul II, in the Jubilee Year, 2000.
Reflection: “Jesus, source of life, sanctify me. O my strength, fortify me. My
commander, fight for me. Only light of my soul, enlighten me. My Master guide
me” (St Maria Faustina Kowalska).
***
Wednesday of 27th Week
LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY
Introduction
Though he had received his mission from Jesus and worked mainly among pagans,
Paul was in union with those who worked among the Jews; they approved of his
work, but asked him to help the poor Christians of Jewish origin. Paul tells
the Galatians also how he stood up to Peter the time when the latter did not
eat from the table of Christians coming from paganism under pressure from
Christians from Jewish origin. That’s hypocrisy, said Paul.
The disciples must have admired Jesus when he prayed, for when he had finished,
they asked him to teach them to pray. This is indeed what we too should ask him
in this Eucharist, that our prayer may be wide and deep like his, giving honor
to the Father and bringing to him the stream of the needs and concerns of all.
And like him too, in our prayers we try not to bend God’s will to ours, but
ours to God’s will and Intercessions.
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
you tell us today how Jesus prayed
and taught his disciples to pray
first and foremost for the glory of your name,
for the coming and growth of your kingdom,
and for heaven and earth to do your will.
We know that this will is a Father’s will
and so we ask of you with trusting faith:
Let your will be ours,
let your glory be ours,
let your kingdom of peace and justice,
of love and forgiveness be ours
and let it grow among us now and for ever.
Commentary
Paul makes no apology for his belief that Christians were free from the Jewish
law. He himself had excellent Jewish credentials, born and raised a Jew,
educated well beyond his peers, an opponent of the Christians even to the point
of persecution. But called from birth by God, he realized that God’s Son had
been revealed to him and that he was sent to proclaim him to the Gentiles. He
went up to Jerusalem and conferred with Peter and James. He was completely
confirmed in his mission. The question of die Jewish law for the Gentiles had
been resolved.
And yet Peter, when he came to Antioch, ate freely with the Gentile Christians.
But when Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem, Peter pulled back and would not
eat with the Gentile Christians. For Paul this was pure hypocrisy, and he did
not hesitate to confront Peter about it directly. In the midst of conflict,
Paul asks Peter, How can we ask Gentiles to live as Jews?
We no longer live under the Jewish law. But does that mean that we are lax and
indifferent? The Christian ethos goes far beyond the law in calling us to be
perfect as is our heavenly Father. Its demands are great. In the love of God
and neighbor, we are called to go beyond the law. We go wherever charity calls
us. The fact is that the Jewish law has been supplanted by the law of love.
Points to Ponder
Paul and the law
Peter’s equivocation
The Christian ethic and the law
Intercessions
– That we may be praying people, so that the source of our strength may never
run dry and that we may live and work in the presence of God, we pray:
– That for Christians and for all people prayer may not become a flight from
life or from involvement with people in need, we pray:
– That we may learn from Christ to place first things first when we pray, to
give priority to things that really matter: the coming of God’s kingdom and the
good of the People of God, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
the gifts here in our hands
express the prayers of all those present
and also of those who are not here.
Help us to grow in depth and width
in a life of faith and prayer.
Teach us to pray like your Son,
that you may accept us with him
who is our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
keep us listening to your word,
as we have done here in the presence of your Son.
Keep us in constant dialogue with you,
that we may also be capable of dialogue
with the world and with our brothers and sisters.
Let prayer be to us a source of commitment
that never dries up.
We ask you this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
It is good to remember that as Christians we have the task to pray for all people. It is our role to be mediators, just as we are also mediators of peace and reconciliation. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
