READING OF THE DAY First reading from the Book of Sirach SIR 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Second reading from the Letter to Hebrews HEB 12:18-19, 22-24A
Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Luke LK 14:1, 7-14
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man,' and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, 'My friend, move up to a higher position.' Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Then he said to the host who invited him, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER Let us not forget this: God pays much more than men do! He gives us a much greater place than that which men give us! The place that God gives us is close to his heart and his reward is eternal life. “You will be blessed”, Jesus says, “you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just”. (Angelus, 28 August 2016)
FAUSTI - This scene takes place at the table, with the Pharisee and the hydropic in the background. The yeast of the Pharisees leads to "having more", fills the man with possession and robbery, and reduces him to a hydropic, which turns everything he eats into dead water, and grows so much that it does not pass through the narrow door. It is the situation of every man. No one can save himself, and we all are saved. Everyone, except the proud one who rejects the outstretched hand, because he claims to make it by himself. Here Jesus illustrates the new spirit of those who are healed of dropsy. It is humility, the opposite of that protagonism of which many little hydropics that he sees choosing the first places at the banquet of life! Jesus contrasts the yeast of the Pharisees with the yeast of the Kingdom. It is not a question of rules of etiquette or tactics: it is instead the Revelation of the judgment of God, which evaluates in the opposite way to ours. This is what Jesus manifested to us and each of us is called to live. He chose the last place, he became the Servant of all and humiliated Himself. His friends are those who do likewise! In this parable we are exhorted to occupy the last place, because it is that of the Son. It is the reason why God loves the last and why we too must love them. Only these people participate in the banquet of the Kingdom, which the Mercy of the Father prepares for the lost and found son. This parable reaffirms the lesson of the Magnificat. It heals us from the swelling of the ego to live of God, it clears us of the delirium of power and cleans our eyes. So we see how God acts in history. The call of the excluded is both messianic salvation and the anticipation of definitive reality: it is our true being as God in this world. Christian choice, commitment and service for the poor are not instruments of inexpensive domination, which creates a more subtle slavery. Nor is it to liberate one's conscience from the right sense of guilt. Instead, it springs from the knowledge of God, who chose the poor and identified with them. From this comes a different way of evaluating and acting. To the guests Jesus tells them to choose the last place, to those who invite, He tells them to choose the last. The last is the place to choose and from which to choose, God does likewise. Our relationship with our brothers and sisters must reflect that of Jesus who calls us to behave with others as He behaved with us.The instruction about the gratuitousness of the banquet touches the center of Christian life, which finds its nourishment in the gift of the Eucharist. Those who observe it are truly blessed, have passed through the narrow door and belong to the world of the risen, together with the Son. The call of the excluded is both Messianic salvation and the anticipation of the definitive reality. Christian choice, commitment and service for the poor are not instruments of cheap domination, which creates a more subtle slavery. It is not even relieving oneself of guilt. Instead, it springs from the knowledge of God, who chose the poor and identified with them. The poor are the "theological place" par excellence. In him I meet my Savior who has become the last of all. His Presence always reveals me to be defaulting and recalls me to esteem and respect for Him. It is the presence of the Crucified One. That is why St. Francis kissed the leper. More than what I do for him - often just humiliating him with a little money - it is important what He does for me: He judges me and saves me!
READING OF THE DAY
RispondiEliminaFirst reading from the Book of Sirach
SIR 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
My child, conduct your affairs with humility,
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find favor with God.
What is too sublime for you, seek not,
into things beyond your strength search not.
The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,
and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.
Water quenches a flaming fire,
and alms atone for sins.
Second reading from the Letter to Hebrews
HEB 12:18-19, 22-24A
Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
LK 14:1, 7-14
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
'Give your place to this man,'
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
'My friend, move up to a higher position.'
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Then he said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Let us not forget this: God pays much more than men do! He gives us a much greater place than that which men give us! The place that God gives us is close to his heart and his reward is eternal life. “You will be blessed”, Jesus says, “you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just”. (Angelus, 28 August 2016)
FAUSTI - This scene takes place at the table, with the Pharisee and the hydropic in the background. The yeast of the Pharisees leads to "having more", fills the man with possession and robbery, and reduces him to a hydropic, which turns everything he eats into dead water, and grows so much that it does not pass through the narrow door. It is the situation of every man.
RispondiEliminaNo one can save himself, and we all are saved.
Everyone, except the proud one who rejects the outstretched hand, because he claims to make it by himself.
Here Jesus illustrates the new spirit of those who are healed of dropsy.
It is humility, the opposite of that protagonism of which many little hydropics that he sees choosing the first places at the banquet of life!
Jesus contrasts the yeast of the Pharisees with the yeast of the Kingdom.
It is not a question of rules of etiquette or tactics: it is instead the Revelation of the judgment of God, which evaluates in the opposite way to ours.
This is what Jesus manifested to us and each of us is called to live.
He chose the last place, he became the Servant of all and humiliated Himself.
His friends are those who do likewise! In this parable we are exhorted to occupy the last place, because it is that of the Son.
It is the reason why God loves the last and why we too must love them.
Only these people participate in the banquet of the Kingdom, which the Mercy of the Father prepares for the lost and found son.
This parable reaffirms the lesson of the Magnificat.
It heals us from the swelling of the ego to live of God, it clears us of the delirium of power and cleans our eyes. So we see how God acts in history.
The call of the excluded is both messianic salvation and the anticipation of definitive reality: it is our true being as God in this world.
Christian choice, commitment and service for the poor are not instruments of inexpensive domination, which creates a more subtle slavery.
Nor is it to liberate one's conscience from the right sense of guilt.
Instead, it springs from the knowledge of God, who chose the poor and identified with them.
From this comes a different way of evaluating and acting.
To the guests Jesus tells them to choose the last place, to those who invite, He tells them to choose the last.
The last is the place to choose and from which to choose, God does likewise.
Our relationship with our brothers and sisters must reflect that of Jesus who calls us to behave with others as He behaved with us.The instruction about the gratuitousness of the banquet touches the center of Christian life, which finds its nourishment in the gift of the Eucharist.
Those who observe it are truly blessed, have passed through the narrow door and belong to the world of the risen, together with the Son.
The call of the excluded is both Messianic salvation and the anticipation of the definitive reality. Christian choice, commitment and service for the poor are not instruments of cheap domination, which creates a more subtle slavery. It is not even relieving oneself of guilt.
Instead, it springs from the knowledge of God, who chose the poor and identified with them.
The poor are the "theological place" par excellence.
In him I meet my Savior who has become the last of all.
His Presence always reveals me to be defaulting and recalls me to esteem and respect for Him.
It is the presence of the Crucified One.
That is why St. Francis kissed the leper.
More than what I do for him - often just humiliating him with a little money - it is important what He does for me: He judges me and saves me!