A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 9, n. 47)
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – October 16, 2011 *
“Loved and Chosen by God”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 45:1, 4-6 // I Thes 1:1-5b // Mt 22:15-21
(N.B. Series 9 of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year A from the perspective of the Second Reading. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year A based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 3. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 6.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
We continue to be nourished by the bread of the Word and heartened by the comforting message it brings to us. This Sunday we are comforted as well as challenged by the truth that we are loved and chosen by God.
The Old Testament reading (Is 45:1, 4-6) depicts the figure of a great Persian ruler, Cyrus the Great, who defeated the Babylonians, the ruthless conquerors of Israel. The God of Israel called him by name and “anointed” him for a mission on behalf of the chosen people exiled in Babylon from 587 B.C. to 539 B.C. Though unknowing and a pagan who worshipped the god Marduk, the benevolent Cyrus was truly an instrument of the divine saving plan. The victorious and mighty King Cyrus released the Jews from captivity, allowed them to return to their homeland, and subsidized the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the city of Jerusalem. Indeed, his humane ways and enlightened practices as an earthly ruler made him a docile instrument of God’s saving plan.
The Gospel reading (Mt 22:15-21) underlines Jesus’ teaching: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” This is an invitation for us to embrace our total belonging to God. Just as the image of Caesar stamped on a Roman coin indicates that the coin belongs to Caesar, the image of God stamped on every human being asserts that each one belongs to God. Beloved and chosen by him, we live in the world as instruments of his saving plan and promote the coming of his kingdom on earth. Our total belonging to God thus enables us to have legitimate and compassionate concern for the good of human society and the well-being of all.
Bishop Fulton Sheen comments: “Jesus was saying that his kingdom was not of this world: that submission to him is not inconsistent with submission to secular powers; that political freedom is not the only freedom. To the Pharisees who hated Caesar came the command: Give unto Caesar; to the Herodians who had forgotten God in their love of Caesar came the basic principle: Give unto God. Had the people rendered to God his due, they would not now be in their present state of having to render too much to Caesar. He had come primarily to restore the rights of God. As he told them before, if they sought first the kingdom of God and his justice, all these things such as political freedom would be added unto them … The political could remain as it was for the time being, for he would not lift a finger to change their coinage. But he would give his life to have them render unto God the things that are God’s.”
In the Second Reading (I Thes 1:1-5b) we could feel the holy pride of Saint Paul bubbling with gratitude for the wonderful response of the Thessalonians to the Gospel. The community of believers in Thessalonica was marked by the work of faith, labor of love and firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Their commitment, concern and constancy moved Saint Paul to thanksgiving and declare that God loves them and he has chosen them to be his own. The exemplary response of the Thessalonians was made possible by divine initiative. The Jesuit biblical scholar George Soares-Prabhu remarks: “Both the way in which the gospel was proclaimed by Paul (with intense conviction and a power to transform others) and the way it was received by the Thessalonians (with joy in spite of persecution) witnesses to the working of the Spirit.”
The following story circulated through the Internet is beautiful and awesome. It gives us an insight into the spiritual vitality of a community that is marked by active faith, caring love and enduring hope. It also illustrates how beautiful it is to be chosen and loved by God.
In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at the 6-year-old son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible! The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son’s dream to come true.
She took her son’s hand and asked, “Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grow up? Did you ever dream and wish what would you do with your life?”
“Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grow up.”
Mom smiled back and said, “Let’s see if we can make your wish come true.”
Later that day she went to her local Fire Department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son’s final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, “Look, we can do better than that. If you have your son ready at seven o’clock Wednesday morning, we’ll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you give us his sizes, we can get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat – not a toy – one with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They’re all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast.”
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic’s van and even the fire chief’s car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.
Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy, that he lived three months longer that any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, “We can do better than that. We’ll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It’s the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?”
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy’s third floor open window --- 16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room! With his mother’s permission they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him.
With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, “Chief, am I really a fireman now?”
“Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand, the chief said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said, “I know. He’s been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing.” He closed his eyes one last time.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Like Cyrus the Great, are we willing to be docile instruments of God’s saving plan?
Are we willing to repay Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God?
Is our Christian life marked with the work of faith, labor of love and enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ? Do we realize how deeply God loves us and that we are chosen by him?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Leader: O loving God,
you have called us by name and we belong to you.
You are the Lord and there is no other.
You anointed us for a saving mission in the world.
We wish to pursue your gracious will and abiding wisdom.
We desire to respond fully to your compassionate love.
We thank and bless you for we are loved.
You have chosen by you for an awesome purpose.
May our life be deeply marked
by the work of faith, labor of love and enduring hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ
who lives and reigns,
forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“We give thanks to God always for all of you … knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.” (cf. I Thes 1:2, 4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
ACTION PLAN: Pray for world leaders and civil authorities that they may be docile instruments of the divine saving plan and promote the common good. By your work of faith, labor of love and enduring hope in Jesus Christ, enable the people around you to feel that they are loved and chosen by God.
ACTION PLAN: That we may truly be members of the Christian community loved and chosen by God, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM website (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR: A Weekly Pastoral Tool (Year A, vol. 7, # 47).
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US