July 24, 2017

July 24

July 24, 2017:  Monday, 16th week, Ordinary Time

See a dozen connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

  • Look beyond/ Ducote ("Give us a sign that we might believe in you..." for gospel)
    For canticle and 1st reading
    • Ex 14:5-18  When the king found out the Israelites fled, he sent his army to pursue them.  When they caught up, the Israelites in fear cried to the Lord and complained to Moses, who answered, “Fear not!  You'll see the victory the Lord will win for you; just keep still.”  Lord to Moses:  “Tell them to go forward.  Lift up your staff and split the sea in two, that they may pass on dry land.  I'll make the Egyptians so obstinate that they'll go in after them; then I'll receive glory through Pharaoh and his army, and the Egyptians shall know that I'm the Lord.”
    • Ex 15:1bc-6  "Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory."  My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.  I extol him.  Your powerful right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.
    • Mt 12:38-42  Scribes and Pharisees / Jesus:  “We wish to see a sign from you.” / “No sign will be given to this evil generation but the sign of Jonah.  As Jonah was in the whale three days, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth.  At the judgment, the men of Nineveh, who repented, will condemn this generation; something greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the south, who came to hear Solomon's wisdom, will condemn this generation; something greater is here.”
    Pope Francis Amoris Lætitia capsule:  Marriage and virginity (continued)
    Virginity symbolizes a love that has no need to possess the beloved; it reflects the freedom of God's Kingdom.  It encourages married couples to live conjugal love against the backdrop of Christ’s definitive love, journeying together towards the Kingdom's fullness.  Conjugal love symbolizes other values; it reflects the Trinity's unity in distinction.  The family is also a sign of Christ, manifesting God's closeness.  Each spouse becomes “one flesh” with the other as a sign of willingness to share everything till death.  Virginity is an eschatological sign of the risen Christ; marriage is a historical sign, a sign of the earthly Christ who became one with us and gave himself up for us.  Virginity and marriage are different ways of loving.  Without love our life is senseless; we can't live.

     Celibacy can become a comfortable single life with independence, freedom to move, work or spend money and time as one sees fit.  When those called to virginity see in some marriages a sign of God’s fidelity, they can be moved to more generous availability to others.  Many couples remain faithful when one spouse has become physically unattractive, or doesn't satisfy the other’s needs, despite voices that might encourage them to be unfaithful or leave.  A wife can care for her sick husband and, drawing near the Cross, renew her commitment to love; in such love, the lover's dignity shines; it's more proper to charity to love than to be loved.  Parents are also a sign of Jesus' selfless love when they serve when children prove troublesome and ungrateful; such cases encourage celibates to live their commitment to the Kingdom with greater generosity.  Since secularization has obscured the value of lifelong union and the beauty of marriage, we must deepen an understanding of the positive aspects of conjugal love.  (IV:161-62)
    Reflect
      • Creighton:  Imagine the Israelites' fear when Pharaoh’s chariots attacked them, threatening annililation.  You can hear hints of fear in the Scribes and Pharisees asking Jesus to prove himself by performing signs but scared of his power beyond their control.  God’s good news can be summarized as "liberation"; the path begins inside all who let God help liberate them paralyzing fear.  “My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.”
      • One Bread, One Body:  "Grand stand":  If we stand our ground, we'll see the victory of the Lord, who fights for us.  Moses made this promise before the Lord rescued his people by drowning the Egyptians in the Red Sea.    Through Baptism we're new creations in Christ, God's children, redeemed by Jesus, temples of the Spirit, members of the Church, Christ's Body.  If we instead stand on our own power, plans, or importance, we won't see the Lord's victory.  God's victory comes to those standing on God's ground....
      • Passionist:  The Greek for 'repent' is metanoeō, formed from meta (after, along with), and nous (mind, thought); it means 'think differently.'  At Jonah's preaching, people were astonished and turned to God, but Jesus says a greater person is with them now.   At Jesus' first talk he proclaimed, “Repent....”  Perhaps the best we can render metanoeō is 'convert,' turn from sin to God.  It takes a lifetime to turn completely to God; we see the journey in Exodus.  The journey begins with God’s promise to clear our way.  The story is told of guards stopping a priest with a large crucifix at the airport:  “We have to x-ray it; there might be a bomb inside.”  The priest thought:  if they only knew how explosive the crucifix really is!...
      • DailyScripture.net:  "An adulterous generation seeks for a sign":  Jesus warned his generation when they demanded a sign from him, faulting them for "spiritual adultery;" adultery was a scriptural image for infidelity to God.  When religious leaders pressed him to prove his claim to be Messiah, he says he himself is all the sign they need.  The Ninevites recognized God's warning through Jonah and repented, and Queen of Sheba recognized God's wisdom in Solomon, but these leaders didn't accept the signs before them:  John the Baptist and Jesus.  Simeon prophesied Jesus was destined for the fall and rise of many, and a sign to lay bare the thoughts of many.  Jesus confirmed his message with miracles in preparation for the sign of his resurrection; he offers us freedom, wisdom, and understanding if only we accept and submit to it....
        • St. John Boste, missionary priest, martyr: “My function is invading souls, not meddling in temporal invasions.”

      Dress legend
      • 'Horse' and 'chariot' tie pins:  Pharaoh's army, horses, and chariots got stuck in the sea (1st reading, psalm)
      • '?' tie pin:  All the Israelites' questions to the Lord (1st reading)
      • 'Stone' tie pin:  Pharaoh's army sank like a stone (psalm)
      • 'Hand' tie pin:  Your powerful right hand shattered the enemy (psalm)
      • 'Signs' tie:  "We need to see a sign from you" / "You'll only get the sign of Jonah" (gospel)
      • 'Whale' tie pin, 'clocks' suspenders:  "As Jonah was in the whale's belly 3 days and 3 nights..."  (gospel)
      • 'Crown' tie bar:  The queen of the south will condemn this generation... (gospel)
      • 'Owl' tie pin:  ...because she came to hear Solomon's wisdom (gospel)
          • Green in tie:  Ordinary Time season
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