January 29, 2018

Jan. 29

January 29, 2018:  Monday, 4th week, Ordinary Time

See 17 connections with today?Legend below
Listen
For gospel
Pope Francis
Homily:  David was a great man:  he overcame Goliath, and he didn't kill Saul when he could have.  But he was also an adulterer and arranged a murder.  Yet we venerate him as a saint because he recognized himself as a sinner, accepted forgiveness, repented, and let the Lord transform him.  In the 1st reading, David is humiliated by defeat, flight, and insult.  His ascent up the Mount of Olives foreshadows Jesus’ climb up Calvary to give life: he too was insulted and discarded.  Sometimes we think humility is to go quietly, perhaps head down, but it isn't; even pigs walk head down.  Humility isn't justifying yourself and trying to look good.  Fake humility neither saves nor guards the heart.  There's no true humility without humiliation; if you can't tolerate humiliation, you're not truly humble, even if you pretend to be.
David and Jesus, both saints, burden themselves with sins and are humiliated.  There's always the temptation to counter slander and oppose whatever humiliates us, but they both said no.  The path is the one Jesus took and David foreshadowed:  bearing humiliation.
There's no humility without humiliation.  Ask the Lord for humility, with humiliations.  And if you're brave, ask the Lord to send humiliations so you may be more like the Lord [Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises 167].
At conference on responsibility in the fight against anti-Semitism:  We're responsible when we can respond.  It's not only a question of analyzing the causes of violence but of being prepared to respond to them.

Indifference:  We fight not only against hatred but even more fundamentally, indifference; indifference paralyzes and impedes us from doing right.  Indifference is a contagious virus in this time when we're connected with others but increasingly less attentive to them.
Memory:  To recover our humanity, our understanding of reality, and apathy towards others, we need memory.
Formation:  Memory is the key to accessing the future.  We're responsible to hand it on in a dignified way.  To foster a culture of responsibility, memory, and closeness, we need to educate young generations to struggle against hatred and discrimination, overcome past conflicting positions, and always to seek the other.

Reforming Catholic higher ed:  Today Pope Francis released Veritatis gaudium, updating Sapientia Christiana

Read
  • 2 Sm 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13  David, informed Israel is now loyal to his son Absalom, takes flight and weeps.  His kinsman Shimei curses and throws stones at him.  “God told him to curse; leave him alone.  Maybe God will make it up to me.”
  • Ps 3:2-7  "Lord, rise up and save me."  You, my shield, answer and sustain me.
  • Mk 5:1-20  Jesus / Gerasene with unclean spirit:  “Come out of him!” / “What have you to do with me, Son of the Most High?  Don't torment me!” / “What's your name?” / “Legion; we're many.  Send us into the swine.”  They entered the swine and drowned all 2,000.  All saw and were amazed.  “Announce all the Lord has done for you.”
Archbishop Gomez at Archdiocesan assembly:  Our journey has led us to this cross, where Jesus in his merciful love wants to draw near to each of us and go with us.  Every life must become a "cross-road," a "way of the cross," where we encounter Jesus as the disciples on the road to Emmaus did.  Like those disciples, sometimes we're distracted—wounded by life’s disappointments—and we can't recognize Jesus, but he does draw near.  Wherever we are, even lost or despairing, Jesus seeks us out.
As Jesus comes to us today, give him your heart and invite him into your life, as the disciples did when they said, “Stay.”  Allow his words of love to burn in your heart.  Join your life to his in the Eucharist, to let him open your eyes to know him.  Take up your cross and walk behind Jesus, following him as he carries his cross.
This cross symbolizes the national Encuentros sponsored by the Catholic bishops.  The Encuentro experience has inspired the faith of many and given us a sense of our responsibility to be leaders in the Church and in the new evangelization.  This is what this Fifth Encuentro is all about....  Let us answer our call to go tell everyone of our encounter with Christ, as the disciples at Emmaus did.
Follow Jesus and bring people to a new encounter with him and God's mercy and love.  Reach out especially to those on the “peripheries”:  the homeless, immigrants, prisoners, the sick, the suffering, the child waiting to be born....  Let us walk together with Jesus and bring our nation and our world — to the new encounter with Jesus Christ.  Angelus News article
  • Creighton:  The man in the gospel was possessed, homeless, naked, screaming, crazy, bloody, likely smelly.  How would you have responded to him?  When he couldn't be tamed, he was chained, shunned, ignored, and marginalized.
How is God calling us to respond to the "unlovable"?  Jesus saw beyond what the man was to what he could be and drew him to serve God's kingdom.  It's natural to love lovable people, but it takes the Holy Spirit's work in us for us to love the "unlovable."  Christ can change anybody once his love is shared and received.  May we manifest his love to those the world considers unworthy.  And do I accept Christ's love and believe he can change me, sinner that I am?
  • One Bread, One Body:  "Love the captives into Jesus":  Shimei behaved toward David like Satan behaves toward God's people, kicking him while he was low, trying to drive him out.  The Gerasenes likewise drove Jesus, a greater king, out.  People choose hell over God's kingdom because they don't know Jesus; they fear him more than the devil. The Gerasenes knew the devil's terror, but Jesus' power and love "terrorized" them more.  They chose the familiar terror over the "terror" of Jesus' love that would require them to change.  Today the thought of holy living brings terror to many:  forgiveness, chastity, generosity, discipleship....  Though many been captive in abuse, fear, and sin, they choose the familiar over the presumed terror of God's kingdom.  God has put you into their lives so they may know Jesus' loving mercy....
    Medieval illustration of Jesus healing the Gerasene
  • Passionist:  Words can lift someone up, heal, soothe, or harm.  Words are hard to take back once they leave our mouths.  David gives us an example of not reacting to words spoken out of anger.  Jesus’ healing of the demoniac gives us an example of how what needs to be said to one person may not help others.  “Where words are many, sin is not wanting; but those who restrain their lips do well.”  How do I use my words?
  • DailyScripture.net:  "Tell them how much the Lord has done for you":  A 'legion' is an army over 5,000 strong, capable of committing atrocities.  Our age has also witnessed mass destruction at the hands of possessed rulers and their armies.  God's word reminds us no destructive force can keep anyone from the peace God offers to those who seek him.  Jesus took pity on the man who was overtaken by a 'legion' of evil spirits.  After Jesus freed him, the people feared Jesus and begged him to leave, perhaps because the price for liberation was more than they wanted to pay.  Jesus is ready to free us from whatever binds us and keeps us from his love.  Are you willing to part with it?
Dress legend
  • 'Blood drop' pin:  "The Lord has requited you for all the bloodshed..." (1st reading)
  • 'Crown' tie bar:  "...and given over the kingdom to your son Absalom." (1st reading)
  • 'Airplane' pin:  "Let us take flight" (1st reading)
  • 'Feet' pin:  David was walking barefoot (1st reading)
  • 'Dogs' tie:  “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” (1st reading); “Legion is my name, for we are many (gospel, since there are many dogs on the tie)
  • 'Stone' tie pin:  Shimei throws stones at David and his officers (1st reading); demoniac bruised himself with stones (gospel)
  • 'Phone' tie bar:  When I call out to the Lord,... (psalm)
  • 'Alps' pin:  ...he answers me from his holy mountain (psalm)
  • 'JC' chain:  Jesus Christ expels Legion; nobody could restrain the possessed man, even with a chain (gospel)
  • 'Boat' tie bar:  Jesus got out of the boat, then got in (gospel)
  • 'Pigs' suspenders:  Jesus let the evil spirits enter into the swine (gospel)
  • '?' tie pin:  "What is your name?" (gospel)
  • Green shirt:  Ordinary Time season
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