June 26, 2015

June 26

June 26, 2015:  Friday, 12th week, Ordinary Time


  • 'Walker' tie pin:  Blessed are you who walk in the Lord's ways!... (psalm)

  • 'Fruits' tie with grapes:  ...For you'll eat the fruit of your handiwork.  Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine... (psalm)

  • 'Hand' tie pin:  Jesus stretched out his hand and cleansed leper.  (gospel)

  • Green shirt and suspenders for Ordinary Time
Listen


Pope Francis homily:  Get dirty
Jesus heals the leper in front of the doctors of the law who considered the man ‘unclean.’  Leprosy was like a life sentence; curing a leper was thought to be like raising someone from the dead.  Lepers were social outcasts, but Jesus shows what it means to be close to such people.  We can’t be a community, make peace, or do good without being close to people.  Jesus could have just told the leper, ‘You're healed’ but instead touches him, becoming ‘unclean’ himself. This is the mystery of Jesus, that he takes upon himself our uncleanliness, sin, and exclusion to become close to us.
Jesus asks the man to show himself to the priest and ‘offer the gift Moses prescribed’; he not only gets his hands dirty but also tells the man to go to the priest so he could be included in the Church and society again.  Jesus never excludes anyone but rather excludes himself in order to include us sinners.  People around Jesus are amazed at his words and follow him.  Others criticize and condemn him, while others want to draw close but lack the courage.  Jesus holds out his hand to them, as he does to us, taking on our sins to become one of us.  Do we draw near to people?  Do we have the strength and courage to touch those who are excluded?  This is the meaning of Christian community.
Read

  • Gn 17:1, 9-10, 15-22  God to Abram (99) : “Walk in my presence and be blameless.  Keep my covenant:  circumcise every male.  Call your wife Sarah, not Sarai; I'll give you a son by her and bless him.  I'll maintain my covenant with your son Isaac and will also bless Ishmael....
  • Ps 128:1-5  "See how the Lord blesses those who fear him."  You'll eat the fruit of your handiwork, your wife shall be fruitful, and your children like olive plants....

  • Mt 8:1-4  Leper / Jesus:  “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” / “I do.  Be made clean.  Tell no one, but show yourself to the priest...”
Reflect
      Christ cleansing a leper/ Doze
    • Creighton:  Today trust is in short supply, so we erect more barriers.   Trust can also be eroded in our relationship with God.  We've all felt abandoned, lost, or hurt, but the barrier approach doesn't work for long.  Amid Abraham's doubts, he prostrated himself and honor God with his behavior.  Outward behavior can lead our interior disposition.  The leper also did Jesus homage, then with trust invited Jesus to cleanse him. 
    • One Bread One Body:  "Changing names":  The leper wanted Jesus to heal him.  Sometimes we want things to change by appearing, as Abram and Sarai wanted a child.  We usually want exterior changes, but interior change often comes first.  Great interior change is expressed by a name change.  After Abram and Sarai received new names, Sarah conceived.  When Jesus changes our names, we're changed outside and in, as when he changed Simon to Peter and Saul to Paul.  The name of the game is the change of the name.
      St. Josemaria Escrivá
    • Passionist:  Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob became Israel, Saul became Paul, and Simon became Peter.  Today we take a new name at the sacrament of Confirmation, and Benedictine monks receive new names when they profess their vows.  We take on a new identity and mission when we take or receive a new name.  The minister of baptism asks, “What name have you given this child?”not because he can't read the form but because naming marks a new beginning of Christian life.  Today's readings herald a new covenant: “Your wife [renamed] Sarah will bear you a son; call him Isaac [named by God, not by recently renamed Abraham].  I'll maintain my covenant....”  God calls you by name, and in doing so reminds you of your mission to receive and share God's unconditional love....
    • DailyScripture.net:  Jesus approached the unapproachables and touched the untouchables. Lepers were outcasts of society, regarded as dead even by family.  The leper approached Jesus confidently and humbly; he wasn't stoned for doing so but rather met with Jesus' compassion, tenderness, and touch.  The Holy Spirit inflames our hearts with Christ's love that we may reach out to others with compassion and kindness.  Do you allow the Spirit to fill me with love for others?
    Saint of today
    Josemaria Escrivá de Belaguer, priest, Opus Dei founder; read his writings online.

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