June 5, 2015

Boniface

June 5, 2015:  St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

  • 'Eyeball' pin:  Tobit's sight restored (1st reading); the Lord gives sight to the blind (psalm)
  • 'Fish' tie pin:  Tobiah smeared fish gall onto Tobit's eyes... (1st reading)
  • 'Hands' tie:  ...with his hands; no one was leading Tobit by the hand (1st reading); "sit at my right hand..." (gospel)
  • 'Precious feet' pin:  ...till I place your enemies under your feet (gospel)
  • Red in shirt, 'blood drop' pin:  St. Boniface's martyrdom
Listen

Pope Francis

Corpus Christi homily (we wait till Sunday, but the Vatican celebrated it yesterday):  Jesus gave his body and blood in bread and wine, leaving us a memorial of his sacrifice of love and giving us light and strength for our journey to extend God's kingdom to everyone.
We're torn from Jesus when we disobey, race to occupy the first places, don't live as brothers and sisters, or don't offer hope.  The Eucharist, bond of communion, fulfillment of the Covenant, sign of Christ's sacrificial love, allows us to be not torn from him.  By participating in the Eucharist, we're inserted into a way that doesn't admit divisions.  Christ present in our midst requires that the power of love exceed every laceration and become communion with the poor, support for the weak, attention to the burdened.  Cowardice (svilirci) is letting our Christian dignity be watered down, is letting ourselves be affected by idolatries of appearance, consumption, selfishness, competitiveness, arrogance, or the idea I don't need to admit my mistakes or my need; it demeans us, makes us mediocre, lukewarm, insipid Christians.
Jesus shed his blood as ransom and lavacrum (cleansing agent) that we might be purified of sin and not fall into cowardice, despair, or weakness.  Look to him, be preserved from corruption, and experience the grace of transformation:  we remain sinners, but he'll deliver us and give us back our dignity.  We can humbly bring God's love to others, being his eyes looking for Zacchaeus and the Magdalene, his hand helping the sick, and his heart loving those in need.  The Eucharist makes present the Covenant that unites us with God.
Read
  • Tb 11:5-17  Tobiah arrived at Tobit and Anna's house.  Raphael had told him to smear fish gall on Tobit's eyes and peel off his cataracts.  Tobit's sight was restored, and he embraced his son and praised God.  He welcomed his daughter-in-law Sarah with great joy.
  • Ps 146:1b-2, 6c-10  "Praise the Lord, my soul!"  The Lord keeps faith, secures justice, feeds the hungry, frees captives, restores sight, raises those bowed down, loves the just, protects strangers, sustains the fatherless and widows....
  • Mk 12:35-37  Jesus:  “How do the scribes claim the Christ is the son of David?  David, inspired by the Spirit, called him ‘lord’, so how is he his son?”
Reflect
    • One Bread One Body:  "Jesus is Lord":  Demons believe in God and address him as Son of God, and Holy One of God but never as Lord (since they'd rebelled against his Lordship).  "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' except in the Holy Spirit."  Am I living in the Spirit, obedient to Lord Jesus? 
      St. Boniface
    • Passionist:  I may have eyesight but sometimes lose sight of people I live, work, or otherwise interact with, not seeing them as they really are, ironically because we're familiar with them.  In the gospel Jesus sheds new light on a familiar passage.  Lord, open my eyes...
    • DailyScripture.net:  When David was anointed king, God established a covenant with him and promised that his dynasty would last. The Jews referred to the Messiah (Christ, the Anointed) as Son of David and looked forward to the Savior who would come from David's line.  Jesus asked his hearers about the Jews' claim that the Messiah would be son of David so they'd understand the Messiah is more than son of David.  Jesus, who took our human nature for our sake, is not only son of David but Son of God.  Jesus established his kingdom differently from what the Jews were expecting, ruling hearts and minds, not lands....
    • Universalis:  St. Boniface AKA Wynfrith, Benedictine monk, teacher, preacher, missionary, bishop, martyr
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