June 12, 2016

11th Sun., Ordinary Time

June 12, 2016:  Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

  • 'Sword' tie pin:  "You cut down Uriah with the sword....  The sword won't depart from your house." (1st reading)
  • 'Lamb' tie bar:  Ewe lamb (just before 1st reading; not 'ewe' are the man :-)
  • 'Silverware' tie bar:  Jesus invited Pharisee to dine (gospel)
  • 'Precious feet' pin:  Sinful woman wept at Jesus' feet, bathed them with tears... (gospel)
  • 'Love' suspenders sticker:  "Which debtor will love him more?..." "Her sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.” (gospel)
  • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (gospel)
  • 'Money' tie:  The two debtors (gospel)
  • Green shirt and suspenders:  Ordinary Time season
Listen


For psalm
For 2nd reading

Thanks to Ed Bolduc's blog

Pope Francis homily
The Christian life can be summed up in the dynamic of death and resurrection received at baptism.  Each of us dies and is buried with Christ, and reemerging, shows new life in the Spirit.  This rebirth embraces every aspect of our lives, giving meaning even to sickness, suffering, and death.  Each of us faces frailty and illness, ours and others'; the experiences raise the question of the meaning of life.
Human nature has limitations.  People think sick or disabled persons can't be happy, since they can't live the lifestyle our pleasure and entertainment culture holds up.  Where care for the body has become an obsession and big business, the imperfect has to be hidden, kept apart.  We're even told it's better to eliminate them, because they become an economic burden.  But life is about accepting suffering and limitations.  The world becomes better when solidarity, acceptance, and respect increase.  “God chose the weak to shame the strong”!
Today's gospel shows a situation of weakness:  the woman is judged and rejected, yet Jesus accepts and defends her:  Jesus, attentive to her suffering and plea, concludes she's shown great love; his tenderness is a sign of God's love for the suffering.  Suffering isn't just physical; many suffer in the heart, sad from lack of love, disappointment, or betrayal.  If we grow self-absorbed, we can lose the opportunity to love!  We can attain happiness only if we love.  How many disabled and suffering persons open their hearts to life when they realize they're loved!  How much love can a smile engender!  Our frailty can become a source of consolation and support.  Jesus loved us to the end.  Can we reproach God for our infirmities and sufferings when we realize his crucified Son's physical pain, mockery, and scorn?  Yet he responds with mercy, acceptance, and forgiveness:  “by his wounds we are healed.”  Jesus heals with love; he takes on and redeems our suffering.  He experienced our infirmities and so understands them.
How we experience illness, disability, suffering, and limitation measures our love and our freedom to give meaning to life’s apparently meaningless experiences.  Don't let these tribulations disturb you; in weakness we become strong and receive grace to fill what's lacking in Christ's sufferings for his body, the Church.  That body, in the image of the risen Lord’s, keeps its wounds, the mark of struggle, but love transfigures them. 
Read

  • 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13  Nathan / David:  “God says, ‘I anointed you king, rescued you from Saul, gave you your lord's house and wives, the house of Israel and of Judah, and more.  Why have you rejected the Lord and done evil?  You killed Uriah and took his wife.  The sword shall never depart from your house.’” / “I've sinned against the Lord.” / “The Lord forgives your sin.”
  • Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11  "Lord, forgive the wrong I have done."  I acknowledged my sin to you, and you took away my guilt.  You'll preserve me from distress.  Rejoice, you just.

  • Gal 2:16, 19-21  We have believed in Christ that we may be justified by faith in him, not works of the law.  I died to the law to live for God.  I've been crucified with Christ; no longer I live but Christ in me; I live by faith in the Son of God.

  • Lk 7:36-8:3  Jesus entered the Pharisee's house to dine with him.  A sinful woman bathed his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with ointment.  Pharisee:  "If this man were a prophet, he'd know this woman is a sinner."  Jesus:  "Two people were in debt to a creditor; one owed 500 days' wages, the other, 50; neither could repay him, and he forgave both.  Who will love him more?" / "I suppose the one who owed more." / "Right.  When I entered, you didn't give me water for my feet, but this woman bathed them with her tears.  You didn't give me a kiss, but she's kept kissing my feet.  You didn't anoint my head, but she anointed my feet.  Her sins have been forgiven because she's shown such love.  The one forgiven little loves little."  "Woman, your faith has saved you; go in peace." / "Who is this who forgives sins?" He journeyed, preaching God's kingdom, accompanied by the Twelve and some women cured of evil spirits and infirmities...
Reflect
    • Creighton:  Sin enslaves us, but forgiveness found through faith sets us free.  We, as individuals and society, make decisions to turn away from God.  Forgiveness leads us out of the cages that hold us captive such as pride, resentment, shoulder chips, anger, jealousy, and greed.  Sometimes we're caged by another's actions, but usually I form the bars of my prison myself.  In today’s gospel, a woman washed Jesus' feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them, and the host talks about her sin.  She showed her desire to draw close to Jesus; he showed his inability to look beyond sin and judgment.  We're invited to take steps through the cage we construct by choosing to accept and embody God’s love.  May we support one another in taking steps toward freedom from sin and separation, freedom for God’s love and forgiveness. 
    • One Bread, One Body:  "The penitential psalms":  The seven penitential psalms are 6, 32 (today's), 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143; God gives in these psalms words to pray when you're so discouraged you don't know what to say.  The Lord says: "You have collapsed through your guilt.  Take with you words, and return to the Lord."   They declare God can't resist a repentant heart.
    • Passionist:  It's easy to misinterpret and misjudge what's going on; Simon the Pharisee is a prime example.  Today’s readings deal with awkwardness, acceptance of the unpredictable, and willingness to act as a buffer in the midst of painful acting out.  Responding to the woman's expression of sorrow and amends, Jesus accepts the reality, understanding the moment's sensitivity and awkwardness, and respects her love by defending it before his judgmental host.  He stands between the repentant and the recalcitrant, respecting where they're coming from:  the woman’s need for healing and the host’s defensiveness.  Awkwardness, acceptance of the unpredictable, and buffering of painful acting out are ways the Spirit can work.  The more I can reflect and see God at work, the more I can mediate his compassion.  Whom will I welcome today?  Will I be stingy and judgmental or give of myself lovingly?
      Anointing of Jesus/ Sauber
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Who will love him more?"  Gratitude fuels love.  People who met Jesus were either attracted to him or repelled.  The Pharisee who invited Jesus was likely patronizing him because of his popularity.  He likely criticized Jesus' compassionate treatment of the woman because Pharisees shunned public sinners' company; in so doing they neglected to give needed help.  The woman's action was motivated by love for Jesus.  Loosening her hair in public was immodest; she was oblivious to all around her except Jesus. She spent her most precious possession on Jesus, an extravagant act of love and service to the one who showed her God's mercy and kindness.  The two-debtors parable Jesus then cited is similar to the parable of the unforgiving forgiven official.  Great love springs from a forgiven heart.  "Love covers a multitude of sins."  The woman's expression of love showed gratitude for Jesus' forgiveness, kindness, and mercy.  The stark contrast between the woman's and Pharisee's attitudes demonstrates how we can either accept or reject God's forgiveness....
    • Sunday-trumped saint, from Universalis:  Onuphrius, hermit
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