The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
|
Posted:Mar 7, 2007 10:47 pm
Last Updated:May 12, 2024 10:23 pm 1100 Views
|
Luke 16:19-31
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, “My , remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted from here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent from anyone from crossing who might wish to go from one side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ “
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Today's Gospel ....The Request of James and John... reflect
|
Posted:Mar 6, 2007 6:35 pm
Last Updated:Mar 6, 2007 6:37 pm 1099 Views
|
The Request of James and John... reflect
In our competitive world, ambitions for success is often couched in spatial metaphors, particularly in metaphors of vertical movement from lower point to a higher one. thus, we now speak of “upward mobility,” of “climbing the corporate ladder,” of “getting to the top” of one’s profession. Success is viewed as a going up. We rejoice, for example, over a “promotion” and over a “raise” in salary, again expressions referring to an ascending process. Inversely, the word “down” often denotes a condition of inferiority. For example, we say that someone was held down by his lack of education, that someone had to step down from his position as president of the firm, etc.
Today’s gospel reading reflect all this, but in a paradoxical way, Jesus takes a position which is diametrically opposed to the wisdom of this world. His approach to success is well described by author Nenri Nouwen:
“In the gospel,” Nouwen writes, “it is quite obvious that Jesus chose the decending way. He chose it not once but over and over again. At each critical moment he deliberately sought the way downwards… In all this becomes plain to us that god has willed to show his love for the world by descending more and more deeply into human frailty… The descending way of love, the way to the poor, the broken, and oppressed becomes the ascending way of love, the way to joy, peace and new life” (Letters to Mark About Jesus, pp. 44-47)
|
|
365 Days with the Lord
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Today's Gospel ....The Request of James and John
|
Posted:Mar 6, 2007 6:30 pm
Last Updated:Mar 7, 2007 7:58 pm 1257 Views
|
Matthew 20:17-28
The Request of James and John
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves…
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one on your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.
“Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees
|
Posted:Mar 5, 2007 6:59 pm
Last Updated:May 12, 2024 10:23 pm 1113 Views
|
Matthew 23:1-12
Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees
Jesus spoke to the crowd and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on people shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one mater, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Second Week of Lent... Judging Others
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 7:07 pm
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2007 11:40 pm 1120 Views
|
Luke 6:36-38
Judging Others
[Jesus said to his disciples,] “Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out of you.”
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION...CONVERSION... Man’s Interior Conflict... Pray
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 6:54 pm
Last Updated:May 12, 2024 10:23 pm 1119 Views
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION
AFTER CONVERSION
Chapter 29
Man’s Interior Conflict
PRAY,
My God, I am glad to have Your law guide me through life. With Your help, I want to correct the evil in my life and avoid, as far as possible, those temptations which will face me in the future. True, I often follow the law of sin, obeying my feelings instead of my reason. I want what is good, but I do not always know how to achieve it. Time and again, I make good resolutions, but in my weakness I quickly fall back and give up after a feeble of resistance. At times, I know what I should be doing, but I simply fail to rise up to do it. With Your help I shall begin to act–I want to do all I can to live a life of loyalty to your holy Will. Amen
|
|
|
My
Daily
Bread
CONFRATERNETY
OF THE
PRECIOUS
BLOOD
Book 1 ‒ The Way of Purification
Part 1 ‒ Conversion
Page 55-58
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION...CONVERSION... Man’s Interior Conflict... think
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 6:49 pm
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2007 6:51 pm 1113 Views
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION
AFTER CONVERSION
Chapter 29
Man’s Interior Conflict
THINK,
Adam passed on his descendants the human mature which he himself possessed–a nature that was weakened by his disobedience. A large part of man’s weakness lies in this, that after the Fall, man’s animal nature retained its normal strength and appetites, but was no longer under the perfect control of man’s higher power of reason and free–will. God, however, made up for this weakness by giving us His grace. By the use of God’s grace, man can avoid fully deliberate sins, and thus become once more the master of his life.
|
|
|
My
Daily
Bread
CONFRATERNETY
OF THE
PRECIOUS
BLOOD
Book 1 ‒ The Way of Purification
Part 1 ‒ Conversion
Page 55-58
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION...CONVERSION... Man’s Interior Conflict
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 6:39 pm
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2007 6:44 pm 1097 Views
|
THE WAY OF PURIFICATION
AFTER CONVERSION
Chapter 29
Man’s Interior Conflict
CHRIST,
MY , when I created the first man and woman, I gave them many gifts to make their earthly life as easy and peaceful as possible. They were free from pain, labor sickness, and death. they immediately knew the answers to what ever problems came along. They had complete command over the appetites and desires of body and soul. Over and above these gifts, they were given grace to live a supernatural life. Dwelling within their souls, I gave more than natural light to their minds, and more than natural strength to their wills.
2. None of these gifts really belonged to human beings. I added them over and above the gift of human life along with the natural human powers of body and soul. At any time I could take away these extra gifts, and man would still have all that naturally belonged to him. I left it up to Adam to decide whether he and his were to keep these extra gifts forever. As the representative of the human race, Adam was to make one intelligent and free act, an act of obedience to My Will. By this act he would be acknowledging the supreme truth of his existence–that he is a creature completely dependent on Me, his Creator.
3. In disobeying My commandment in the Garden of Eden, Adam refused to acknowledge the supreme truth. The external act of eating the fruit was a small act, bur the interior rebellion against My Will was serious matter. Adam wanted to be equal to Me, as the rebel angels did in Paradise. As a result of Adam’s disobedience, I took away My extra gifts, except that he might still obtain grace to earn Heaven.
4. Man now has to bear an inner conflict, a conflict quite natural to him. His animal appetites now go after their wants without regard for his better judgment and free will. Even when man wishes to follow his intelligence and strive after better things, he must fight for control of his unreasoning appetites and blind desires. He no longer has infused knowledge, but must learn the answers to his daily problems by labor and experience.
5. So often this interior conflict brings confusion to the mind and indecision to the will. Yet man’s natural reason is still able to judge good and evil, still able to distinguish truth from falsehood. To save you from all serious doubts, I have given you My Church to guide your mind and strengthen your will.
6. As long as you have a human body on earth, you cannot be entirely free from venial sins, nor can you live without some sorrow and weariness. Yet you must do your best with patience and determination, regardless of failures. All to soon this present state of disorder will pass away. Then will your earthly life melt away into the perfect life which I have promised to those who keep My commandments.
|
|
|
My
Daily
Bread
CONFRATERNETY
OF THE
PRECIOUS
BLOOD
Book 1 ‒ The Way of Purification
Part 1 ‒ Conversion
Page 55-58
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
The Transfiguration of Jesus... reflect
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 6:19 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2007 6:33 pm 1285 Views
|
The Transfiguration of Jesus... reflect
Today’s gospel scene can help us to hold on to the Church’s constant belief in Christ as true man and true God. For there he appears fully human at the beginning of the scene. When he climbs up a mountain with his three disciples, he has to exert just as much muscular effort as they do. His sweat and tiredness and body odor are just as real as theirs. In fact, their difficulty is to go beyond Jesus’ so painfully obvious humanity and perceive something of his other nature.
In a great gesture of compassionate concession to their spiritual blindness, Jesus lifts a corner of the veil hiding his divinity. To their astonished eyes, he gives them a glimpse of what his other nature is all about: for a few minutes he allows his divinity to overflow into his human nature and transfigure it with incredible beauty. As the gospel text says in stark simplicity, “becoming fully awake, they saw his glory,” his dazzlingly white clothes and his entire body radiating light from within.
Now, why did Jesus at this particular point in time allow his disciples to catch sight of his inner being? He wanted to strengthen them in preparation for the ordeal awaiting them in Jerusalem. He hoped to help them resist the temptation of despair when they would see him arrested, tried, and crucified. Perhaps, when they saw his mangled body hanging on the cross, they would remember the transfiguration scene and understand that it was really God who was dying on the cross, and not just any good man.
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
Luke 9:28b-36 .... The Transfiguration of Jesus
|
Posted:Mar 4, 2007 6:12 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2007 6:12 am 1059 Views
|
Luke 9:28b-36
The Transfiguration of Jesus
[Jesus] took Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen ; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
|
|
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
