February 25, 2017

Feb. 25

February 25, 2017:  Saturday, 7th week, Ordinary Time

See 15 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

For Psalm 103
Pope Francis
To Comunità di Capodarco:  You make a better society by choosing to be on the side of people who are less protected and offer them hospitality, support, and hope.  A society's quality of life is measured by how it includes its weakest members and respects their dignity.  Even the disabled and frail must be able to participate in society and be helped to implement their potential.  Society shouldn't just have room for fully functional, independent people; discrimination based on efficiency is as deplorable than that based upon by race or religion.
In the face of economic problems and negative consequences of globalization, you help people not to feel excluded or marginalized but to walk tall with the witness of personal experience; this promotes the dignity and respect of each person, making life's "losers" feel God's tenderness.  Those with physical or mental impediments have a special place in the Church; their participation opens the way to simple and fraternal relations, and their prayer invites us all to pray.
To volunteers:  Promote a culture of mercy, where no one looks to the other with indifference or runs away from suffering.  Walk the streets of fraternity and build bridges between peoples.  You render visible a poor Church, one that empathizes with the suffering, marginalized, and excluded.
Solidarity is more than generous acts.  We need a new mindset that thinks in terms of the community where everyone is respected.  Thinking in this way contributes to an ecological conversion recognizing the dignity, value, creativity, and ability of every person.  Be at the service of a Church that allows everyone to recognize God's closeness, compassion, and love and welcome the strength he gives us in Christ.
Read
  • Sir 17:1-15  God made man in his own image, endows him with strength, gives him power over everything else on earth, fear of God, an inventive heart, the discipline of understanding, knowledge of the spirit, wisdom, precepts. He made an everlasting covenant with them, revealed his justice and glory. He tells them to avoid evil, knows their ways, places rulers over them,.
  • Ps 103:13-18  "The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him."  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him....
  • Mk 10:13-16  “Let the children come to me; the Kingdom belongs to such as these. Whoever doesn't accept the Kingdom like a child won't enter it.” Then he embraced and blessed the children.
Reflect
    • Creighton:  Jesus seems irritated in today’s gospel; maybe he's mobbed by children and their parents and the disciples shoo them away so he could be left alone.  But the children, innocent and vulnerable, are exactly the ones he wants to be with.  Jesus wants us to protect the fragile and to become like them.  Children rely on us for food, love, and protection; Jesus wants us to have that trust in God, even though we've learned not to trust so willingly.  Jesus asks us to care for the vulnerable, the poor, the marginalized, and strangers.  Am I open to those dependent on me?  Do I see myself as brother/sister of the poor?  Do I protect and show loving concern to each person, especially those in need?  Who do I consider my brothers and sisters?
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Completely known, perfectly loved":  God knows all our ways.  So thank him for his love, live to please him, and ask him to help us understand ourselves and make us holy.  Today, with countless threats to immigrants, refugees, safety nets for the poor, and the environment, we too must be indignant.
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Receive God's kingdom like a child":  The parents wanted Jesus to lay his hands on and heal their children; Jesus rebuked his disciples for keeping the kids away.  God comes to each person to touch them with healing love and power.  Do you show kindness, interest, and care for young people and pray for them?  In Jesus' time children were at the bottom of the ladder, without rights, privileges, or resources, totally dependent on their parents, as we are on God.  Jesus teaches us to honor and respect God and trust him for all we need, as children trust their parents.
    Dress legend
    • 'Children around the earth' tie:  God from the earth created us, makes us return to earth (1st reading); "let the children come to me"; "accept God's kingdom like a child" (gospel)
    • 'Bird,' 'beast' pins:  God gives us rule over beasts and birds (1st reading)
    • 'Ruler' tie bar:  God places a 'ruler' over every nation (1st reading)
    • 'Sun' pin:  Our actions are clear as the sun to God (1st reading)
    • 'Hands' pin:  Jesus placed his hands on the children (gospel)
    • Green shirt:  Our days are like those of grass (psalm), Ordinary Time season
    • 'Clock' pin:  God gives us limited days of life (1st reading)
    • Flesh-colored suspenders:  God puts fear of him in all flesh (1st reading)
    • 'Eyeball,' 'heart' pins:  God created eyes and an inventive heart for us; our eyes behold his glory (1st reading)
    • 'Flowers' pin:  Like a flower of the field we bloom (psalm)
    • 'Owl' tie pin (oops; forgot to pack):  God fills our heart with wisdom (1st reading)
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