Monday of 15th Weeks in Ordinary Time
BENEDICT, Abbot
St. Benedict’s time, between 480 and 550 A.D., was one of crisis much like ours, with the whole world of his era changing face. The Roman Empire was crumbling in the West, and whole peoples were migrating from continent to continent. Spiritual confusion was even greater. To the order of monks he founded, he gave a rule that is a model of balance and appealing to human capacities. Benedictine monasteries became for much of Europe centers of civilization and culture. Benedict is the patron saint of Europe and of Western monasticism.
First Reading: Isaiah 1:10-17
“Listen to my Message,
you Sodom-schooled leaders.
Receive God’s revelation,
you Gomorrah-schooled people.
“Why this frenzy of sacrifices?”
God’s asking.
“Don’t you think I’ve had my fill of burnt sacrifices,
rams and plump grain-fed calves?
Don’t you think I’ve had my fill
of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats?
When you come before me,
whoever gave you the idea of acting like this,
Running here and there, doing this and that—
all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?
“Quit your worship charades.
I can’t stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You’ve worn me out!
I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning.
When you put on your next prayer-performance,
I’ll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I’ll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
so I don’t have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.
Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1
“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”
John the Baptizer
When Jesus finished placing this charge before his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in their villages.
Prayer
All-wise and loving God,
St Benedict wisely told his monks
to combine work with prayer.
Never let us forget either of these two.
Let our prayer inspire what we do
to take up our task in life conscientiously
and to use our God-given talents
in the service of you and of people.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflection:
11 July 2022
Matthew 10:34-11:1
Worthy of Jesus
Today is the feast of St. Benedict. He established in the Church, a way of life rooted in the Gospel and grounded in the principles of charity, humility, stability, and faithfulness. The spirit of St. Benedict’s Rule is summed up in the motto of the Benedictine order: pax (peace) and ora et labora (pray and work). Pray and work for peace could be the message of St. Benedict for the modern world.
Faith in Jesus is never easy. Faith could be a battle within ourselves – because, our faith would demand us to do away with our selfishness. Desires for wealth, power and pleasures do not get along with our faith in God. Our faith could also be in battle against the situations and people who try to dissuade us from our faith. Our work places or work schedule may not be suitable for us to practice faith and in certain cases the society or the people in authority could prevent us from practicing faith.
In today’s Gospel Jesus warns us of this conflict. It may happen within our family, our dearest environment, misunderstanding or rejection arises because of our faith in Jesus. Today, the temptation for many in the families is not to mention about matters of faith in order to maintain peace in the family. Ironically, this absence of faith in God has become the major reason for lack of peace and happiness in our modern families, although we seldom realise it.
Through the categorical teaching of Jesus, Matthew brings home the most important message for today’s world: faith in God cannot be compromised.: He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; He who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me … Of course, Jesus loved his family, He lived in a family till he began his public ministry – with his parents, his dear and near ones. Faith should be lived as a family. But if the family-ties prevent one from believing in Jesus, the option is clear: God first. Remember the story of the mother and brothers of Jesus going to meet him at the beginning of his public ministry?
The message of Jesus is nothing light nor anything abstract. It cuts right into our family lives. How many youngsters today care the least for their faith in God, while choosing their life partners? How many Catholic parents take their kids to swimming lessons or music classes on Sundays and ignore their own life in faith and their responsibility to bring up their kids in faith? And how many Catholic couples consider it normal to terminate a pregnancy when a child is considered inconvenient?
When confronted with such challenges in life and faith, do not be discouraged, but fall back to Jesus for help. The Lord helps us make the right choices and take the right decisions.