October 5, 2015: Monday, 27th week, Ordinary Time
- 'Whale' tie pin: The Lord sent a large fish to swallow Jonah (1st reading)
- 'Sailboat' tie bar: Jonah found a ship to go away from the Lord (1st reading)
- 'Gambling' tie: They cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with the tempest (1st reading)
- 'Blood drop' pin: "Don't charge us with shedding innocent blood" (1st reading)
- 'Scroll' pin: “What is written in the law?" (gospel)
- 'Girl with heart' pin: "Love the Lord with all your heart..." (gospel)
- 'Coin' tie pin: The Samaritan gave the innkeeper coins to take care of the victim (gospel)
- Green shirt: Ordinary Time season
We make the Synod journey together, with parrhesia, zeal, wisdom, and frankness, mindful of the good of the Church, of families, and the salvation of souls. The synod isn't a convention, parliament, or a place to negotiate, deal, or compromise; it's an expression of the Church reading reality with faith and God's heart. The Church's deposit of faith isn't just something to view or safeguard but a living source to drink from to satisfy our thirst and enlighten our life.
In the Synod we move as servants of the Church, in a protected space infused with the Holy Spirit. We must act with courage, humility, and in prayer so that God will guide and enlighten us and keep us faithful. Thank you all.... We invoke the Spirit's help and Holy Family's intercession.Read
- Jon 1:1–2:1-2, 11 Lord to Jonah: “Set out for Nineveh, and preach against it.” But he boarded a ship to flee from the Lord. The Lord hurled a violent wind, and the ship was at the breaking point. The mariners, frightened, cried to their gods; they threw cargo out to lighten the ship. Jonah had gone down and fallen asleep. Captain: “Rise; call on your God!” Mariners / Jonah: “Let's cast lots to find out who's responsible.” The lot fell to Jonah. “Where are you from, and what's your business?” / “I'm a Hebrew; I worship the Lord.” / "How could you!" They knew he was fleeing the Lord. “What shall we do with you?” / "Throw me into the sea, and the sea will quiet down." / “Lord, let us not perish for taking his life.” They threw him in, and the sea quieted. They offered sacrifice to the Lord. The Lord sent a large fish to swallow Jonah; he remained in its belly three days and three nights and prayed to the Lord. Then the Lord commanded the fish to spew him onto the shore.
- Jon 2:3-5, 8 "You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord." Out of my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. You cast me into the sea. I said, “I'm banished from you but want to look upon your temple again.” My prayer reached you....
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| Animate the whale |
- Lk 10:25-37 Law scholar, to test Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” / “How do you read the law? / “Love the Lord with your heart, being, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” / “Correct; do this and you'll live.” / “Who's my neighbor?” / “A man fell victim to robbers who left him half-dead. A priest going down the road saw him and passed by. A Levite saw him and also passed by. But a Samaritan who saw him was moved with compassion, approached him, bandaged his wounds, took him to an inn, cared for him, and gave the innkeeper money and asked him to care for him. Which of these do you think was the victim's neighbor?” / “The one who treated him with mercy.” / “Go and do likewise.”
Reflect
- Creighton: The priest and Levite weren't the victim's neighbors; only the despised Samaritan moved with compassion who lived the great commandments of love. For whom do I lack compassion? For whom have I not yet become neighbor?
- One Bread One Body: "Climate control": Jonah refused to obey God's call, and the weather becomes progressively nastier till he was thrown overboard. God has called us to the inner-city, the poor, the missions, youth, and elsewhere, but we can instead flee and do our own thing. As we remain selfish, the moral, social, and spiritual weather gets worse. Going to sleep like Jonah isn't the answer; we can't change the weather without changing ourselves. May I jump off the boat of disobedience....
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| The Good Samaritan/ Rembrandt |
- Passionist: We can "fall asleep" listening to familiar Bible stories like today's. If the Lord were to tell me what to do like he did Jonah, would I also flee? As we read about the Good Samaritan, may we grow in love of neighbor, of those we refuse to invite to our table: those with different views, homeless, those who make me squirm...
- DailyScripture.net: Jesus' parable about the highway robbery helps answer the question of why a loving God permits suffering and evil. A devout Jew basically said, "I want to love God and neighbor, but how do I know I'm fulfilling my duty?" The parable shows how wide God's love is. Many wealthy Jews had winter homes in Jericho, but the road from Jerusalem went through a narrow winding valley known for robbers. Jesus makes the supposed villain, the Samaritan, the merciful one as an example for Jews. The priest probably didn't stop because of the risk of ritual impurity; his piety got in charity's way. If the Levite feared bandits were using a decoy, he put personal safety ahead of saving his neighbor. We must be willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves. Our help must be concrete, beyond good intentions or empathy. Our love must be as wide and inclusive as God's, ready to do good to others for their sake. True compassion not only identifies with the one in pain but takes that pain on oneself to bring freedom and restoration; Jesus on the cross is our best example.
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