A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 8, n. 32)
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – July 4, 2010 *
“Missionaries of Peace”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 66:10-14c // Gal 6:14-18 // Lk 10:1-12, 17-20
(N.B. Series 8 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 C from the perspective of the Second Reading. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year C based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 2. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 5.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
The Sunday liturgy, through the breaking of the bread of the Word, enables us to travel with Jesus in his resolute journey to Jerusalem. We have meditated last Sunday on the exigent demands of Christian discipleship. This Sunday, as we continue to journey with the Master-Shepherd toward his paschal destiny, he instructs us on our Christian vocation as missionaries of peace – as channels of divine mercy and grace.
The Old Testament reading (Is 66:10-14c) underlines God’s benevolence to his chosen people Israel deeply chastened by the purifying experience of the Babylonian exile. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord God consoles them with the promise: “Behold, I will spread prosperity over her like a river.” What is really offered is God’s shalom – so vast and deep in meaning – with its beautiful qualities of peace, harmony, joy, well-being as well as prosperity.
The writer James Weaver remarks: “The end of the exile, which the prophet interprets as God’s direct intervention into the common life of Israel’s people, is a profound testimony to an immanent God intimately involved in the healing and care of a people sundered from its land and home … a God whose transcendent word stands beyond comparison with anything human, able to endure forever, even as human flesh like grass must wither.”
The promise of God’s shalom continues to flow radically and marvelously to the “new people” redeemed by Christ’s blood. Jesus is the Gospel of peace and the divine mercy incarnate. The Christian disciples are called to be missionaries of God’s peace and channels of the overflowing divine mercy. The Divine Master teaches them how to be efficacious instruments of God’s mercy and peace.
The liturgical scholar Adrian Nocent comments: “We see Jesus sending his newly chosen disciples ahead of him to the places he himself intends to visit. Their mission will be chiefly to announce his coming, to present him to the crowds, to open their hearts to faith, and to arouse in them a desire for his coming … Then he goes into detail concerning the missionary activity of those he is sending. The part the missionaries must play is not an easy one, for it is that of the sheep who is sent among wolves. Despite this opposition, which at times will lead men to reject them, they are to wish peace upon every house they seek to enter. How could it be otherwise, since they are coming in order to proclaim God’s kingdom? (…) This peace, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is linked to the coming of God’s kingdom. This peace is the only thing the missionaries are to bring with them.”
Saint Paul was the ardent, zealous Christian missionary to the Gentiles. In carrying out the mission of evangelization, he participated fully in the sufferings of Jesus Christ and even bore “the marks of Jesus” in his body. He was strongly opposed in the community of Galatia, but stood his ground that salvation is from the life-giving Christ and not from mere legal observance. This Sunday’s Second Reading (Gal 6:14-18) gives us a glimpse into the sterling character of Paul as an exemplary missionary of Christ’s peace and divine grace.
The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 6, explain: “The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and it alone is the guarantee of the good news of salvation given freely by the Father to all. What was a sign of disgrace has become and remains the only boast of the believer, the only thing by which he or she can be glorified … All who follow this rule of life are assured of the supreme gifts of peace and mercy; they are the Israel of God. Paul does not hesitate to write that he bears in his flesh the mark of Christ’s sufferings, of the cross that is his only boast. Thus has he borne witness to Christ and defended the gospel of truth of the death-resurrection of the Lord. Like him he has suffered and like him he has loved.”
The following account about a man with a healing touch – named fictitiously as “Francis” to protect his identity – delineates God’s ongoing call to make his disciples missionaries of peace and channels of divine grace even in the “here and now”. Like the apostle Saint Paul and St. Francis of Assisi, this modern-day Francis bears “the marks” of the suffering Christ in his own body and promotes the saving plan of our compassionate God in today’s world (cf. Diane Morey Hanson, “Through the Wounds of Christ” in Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart, ed. Jeff Cavins, et. al., West Chester, Ascension Press, 2004, p. 147-149).
They came as much to touch as to be touched. More than one thousand people – young and old, firm and infirm – flooded into the small sanctuary of Saints Cyril and Methodius Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan. They waited in line for hours – some more than four-and-a-half hours – so that Francis, who bears the stigmata, could lay hands on them and pray over them. And much like St. Francis of Assisi, who also bore the wounds of Christ, this unassuming man does nothing on his own to draw attention to himself. Still the multitude came, many with tears streaming even before standing face-to-face with the man who bears wounds like those of Christ on his hands. They touched him and kissed his hands. A number were “slain in the spirit” and caught as they literally dropped at Francis’ feet.
Some returned to tell others of the man with the healing touch, and more people came – even past midnight. That word-of-mouth communication is how most learned of Francis. While numerous physical and spiritual healings have been reported after contact with this humble, otherwise-ordinary man, he remains obedient to his spiritual advisors in shunning publicity and agreed to a brief interview only to benefit others.
Walter “Jack” Casey, an ex-policeman, was appointed by the bishop in Francis’ diocese to travel with him. “He (the bishop) did not want me to be alone – ever”, said Francis, the seventy-four-year-old devout Michigan man who is father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
“On Ash Wednesday in 1993 he was asked by Jesus if he would accept suffering, and forty days later the stigmata appeared”, Casey said. “On Good Friday, the swelling on the top and bottom of his hands broke open and bled profusely.” Casey further explained that every morning, sometime between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m., 365 days a year, Francis suffers the passion of Christ. He suffers for the conversion of sinners and for those who have gone away from the sacraments to return. “Our Blessed Mother has come to him nineteen times”, Casey said. “Seven of those times she has told him, ‘I will bring my people to you and you to my people’.”
Francis, who spoke only briefly, explained, “Jesus said to me, ‘Use my hands to touch my people’.” “I ask Jesus to put His healing hands on all of you. I know there are going to be healings and it might not be tonight, but something is going to happen to you. Please don’t say, ‘Francis healed me’; say, ‘The Lord healed me. He is the only Healer. He is the only One’.”
Fr. Robert Fox, founder of the Fatima Family Apostolate in South Dakota, has written a book about the Michigan man, Francis. “I felt it was important to explain the spirituality behind all this because a charism is not for oneself, but for others”, Fr. Fox said. “A charism is a ‘gift of grace’ described by St. Paul in chapter twelve and fourteen of his first letter of the Corinthians.” Fr. Fox has been with Francis during and after his intense suffering. “His hands are extended up high as on the cross”, Fr. Fox recounted. “After he has been some time in suffering, I see his hands slowly come down and rest on his chest. But the fact that he is still breathing is scarcely perceptible. I got very scared the first time I was with him and thought he had died. He was actually in ecstasy.”
While there have been healings associated with Francis and documented in Fr. Fox’s book, the priest is careful to point out that even amazing healings cannot be considered a supernatural miracle if there has been even one modern medical treatment.
Francis’ humility and acceptance of the direction of his bishop are also a powerful testimony to his authenticity. In a letter to Fr. Fox, the bishop wrote, “I can find no fault with the activity that he is exercising. It seems to be helpful to many people. I was happy to give him my blessing.” Francis keeps no money given or sent to him. “He doesn’t accept a penny”, said Fr. Fox.
But just how does this elderly gentleman stand for five or six hours without even sitting down? “The Lord protects me and I don’t get tired”, Francis explained. “Our Lord gave me this”, he added, exposing his hands with the purple-black blotches on his palms. “He’s protecting me.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
In moments of difficulties and purification, do we trust that the compassionate God loves us and that he will make his peace flow to us like a river?
Are we resolute in our missionary vocation to bring the Gospel to all? Do we realize that God’s call to evangelization is urgent and impelling? Are we truly messengers of peace and channels of divine grace?
Do we imitate St. Paul in relying on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as the means of salvation? Are we willing to suffer for the sake of those who yearn for the healing touch of Christ and his gift of salvation? Do we bear “the marks of Jesus” in our body and consider them as means of participation in his redeeming work?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: Loving Father,
we thank you for your abundant love.
You are full of mercy and compassion.
Shalom flows like a mighty life-giving river
from the wounded side of your Son Jesus Christ,
the divine mercy fully revealed.
You likewise call us to be missionaries of peace
for those who seek the fullness of salvation.
Make us channels of your grace
for a fragmented, wounded world.
Help us to be efficacious instruments
of your healing and forgiving love.
Let the marks of Christ’s broken body be imprinted in our bodies
that we may become efficacious instruments
of your kingdom of love, justice and peace.
May we share the Good News
accomplished by Christ in the paschal mystery.
Give us the strength of the Holy Spirit.
Enable us and assist us
to bring your gift of well-being, prosperity and peace to all nations.
Let our own sufferings with Christ
be a means of redemption for all creation.
We adore you, Father.
In the name of Jesus,
we give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.” (Gal 6:18)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
ACTION PLAN: Pray that everyone may understand the appeal of Jesus: “The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send good laborers into his harvest." Pray also that in every person a deep vocational consciousness may be formed: all Catholics with all the means, for all vocations and apostolates. By your acts of charity and solidarity, by your preferential concern for the weak and vulnerable, allow yourselves to be instruments of God’s mercy and peace for them.
ACTION PLAN: That we may have the grace to respond to our Christian vocation to be missionaries of peace, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR: A Weekly Pastoral Tool (Year C, vol. 6, # 32).
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