Lectio Divina June 2016

7/26/2019 Lectio Divina June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lectio-divina-june-2016 1/14

Lectio Divina: Tuesday, June 7, 2016

1) OPENING PRAYER

God of wisdom and love,source of all good,send your Spirit to teach us your truthand guide our actionsin your way of peace!e as" this through our #ord Jesus $hrist, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the %oly Spirit,one God, for ever and ever &men

2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 5 1!-1" Jesus said to his disciples' ()ou are salt for the earth *ut if salt loses itstaste, what can ma"e it salty again+ t is good for nothing, and can only-e thrown out to -e trampled under people(s feet()ou are light for the world & city -uilt on a hill.top cannot -e hidden/o one lights a lamp to put it under a tu- they put it on the lamp.stand where it shines for everyone in the house n the same way yourlight must shine in people(s sight, so that, seeing your good wor"s,

they may give praise to your ather in heaven

!) RE#LE$TION )esterday, in meditating on the *eatitudes, we passed through the

door of entry of the Sermon on the 3ountain 43t 5, 1.12 Today in theGospel we receive an important instruction on the mission of the$ommunity t should -e the salt of the earth and the light of the world43t 5, 1 .16 Salt does not e8ist for itself, -ut to give 9avour to thefood #ight does not e8ist for itself, -ut for the service of people &t thetime when 3atthew wrote his Gospel, this mission was very di:cult forthe communities of the converted Jews n spite that they were living infaithful o-servance of the #aw of 3oses, they were e8pelled from theSynagogues, cut away from their Jewish past ;egarding this, amongthe converted pagans, some said' <&fter the coming of Jesus, the #awof 3oses has -ecome o-solete= &ll this caused tension and



uncertainty The openness of some seemed to -e criticism of theo-servance of others, and vice versa This con9ict -rought a-out acrisis which led many to close up in their own position Some wanted toadvance, to go ahead, others wanted to place the light under the ta-le3any as"ed themselves' < n last instance, which is our mission+=;ecalling and updating the words of Jesus, 3atthew tries to help them

3atthew 5, 1 .16' Salt of the earth *y using images of daily life,with simple and direct words, Jesus ma"es "nown which is the missionand the reason for -eing a $hristian community' to -e salt &t that timewhen it was very hot, people and animals needed to consume muchsalt The salt, which was delivered -y merchants in great -loc"s in thepu-lic s>uare, was consumed -y the people !hat remained fell to the

ground and lost its savour < t no longer serves for anything, -ut it isthrown out and trampled under people?s feet= Jesus recalls this use inorder to clarify for the disciples the mission which they have to carryout

3atthew 5, [email protected]' #ight of the world The comparison is o-vious/o-ody lights a candle and places it under the tu- & city -uilt on thehill top, cannot -e hidden The community should -e light, it shouldenlighten t should not -e afraid to show the good that it does t does

not do it to ma"e itself seen, -ut what it does can -e seen The saltdoes not e8ist for itself The light does not e8ist for itselfA This is howthe community should -e t cannot remain enclosed in itself <)ourlight must shine in people?s sight, so that, seeing your good wor"s,they may give praise to your ather in %eaven =

3atthew 5, 17.1B' /ot one dot, not one little stro"e will disappearfrom the #aw &mong the converted Jews there were two tendenciesSome thought that it was not necessary to o-serve the laws of the Cld

Testament -ecause we are saved -y the faith in Jesus and not -y theo-servance of the #aw 4;m , 21.26 Cthers thought that they shouldcontinue to o-serve the laws of the Cld Testament 4&c 15, 1.2 n eachone of the two tendencies there were some more radical groups*efore this con9ict, 3atthew tries to Dnd a -alance, the e>uili-rium,over and -eyond the two e8tremes The community should -e thespace, where this e>uili-rium can -e attained and lived The response



given -y Jesus continued to -e very actual' < have not come to a-olishthe law, -ut to complete itA= The communities cannot -e against the#aw, nor can they close themselves up in the o-servance of the law#i"e Jesus did, they must advance forward, and show in a practical waythat the o-Eective which the law wants to attain in life is the perfectpractice of love

The diFerent tendencies in the Drst $hristian communities The planof salvation has three stages united among themselves from the earthto life' a the Cld Testament' the path of the %e-rew eople,orientated, guided -y the #aw of God - The life of Jesus of /aHareth'it renews the #aw of 3oses starting from his e8perience of God, atherand 3other c The life of the communities' through the spirit of Jesus,

they tried to live as Jesus lived it The union of these three stagesgenerates the certainty of faith that God is in our midst The intentionto -rea" or wea"en the unity of this plan of salvation gave rise tovarious groups and tendencies in the communities'i The harisees did not recogniHe Jesus as 3essiah and accepted onlythe Cld Testament n the communities there were some people whosympathiHed with the thought of the harisees 4&c 15, 5ii Some converted Jews accepted Jesus as 3essiah, -ut they did not

accept the li-erty of spirit with which the communities lived thepresence of the ;isen Jesus 4&c 15,1iii Cthers, -oth converted Jews and pagans, thought that with Jesushad come the end of the Cld Testament rom now on, Jesus alone andthe life in the Spiritiv There were also $hristians who lived so fully the life in the li-erty ofthe Spirit, that they no longer loo"ed at the life of Jesus of /aHareth,nor the Cld Testament 41$o 12,v /ow the great concern of the Gospel of 3atthew is that of showingthat the Cld Testament, Jesus of /aHareth and the life in the Spiritcannot -e separated The three form part of the same and only proEectof God and give us the central certainty of faith' The God of &-rahamand of Sarah is present in the midst of the communities -y the faith in

Jesus of /aHareth



%) PERSONAL &'ESTIONS or you, in your life e8perience, for what does salt serve+ s your

community salt+ or you, what does light signify in your life+ %ow isyour community light+

%ow do the people of the neigh-ourhood see your community+ Ioesyour community have some attraction for others+ s it a sign+ Cf what+

or whom+

5) $ON$L'DING PRAYER )ahweh Eudiciously guides the hum-le,instructing the poor in his way

indness unfailing and constancy mar" all his paths,for those who "eep his covenant and his decrees 4 s 25,B.10

Lectio Divina:!ednesday, June K, 2016

O( ina(* Ti+e 1) O,enin ,(a*e(#ord our God,your prophets remind usin season and out of seasonof our responsi-ilities toward youand toward the world of people!hen they distur- and upset us,let it -e a holy distur-ancethat ma"es us restless, eager to do your will

and to -ring Eustice and love around us!e as" you this through $hrist our #ord2) Go.,e/ Rea in - Matt0e 5 1 -13(Io not imagine that have come to a-olish the #aw or the rophets have come not to a-olish -ut to complete them n truth tell you, tillheaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stro"e, is to



disappear from the #aw until all its purpose is achieved Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of thesecommandments and teaches others to do the same will -e consideredthe least in the "ingdom of %eaven -ut the person who "eeps themand teaches them will -e considered great in the "ingdom of %eaven !) Re4ection

Today?s Gospel 43t 5, 17.1B teaches how to o-serve the law of Godin such a way that its practice indicates in what its complete fulDlmentconsists 43t 5, 17.1B 3atthew writes in order to help the communitiesof the converted Jews to overcome the criticism of the -rothers of theirown race who accused them saying' )ou are unfaithful to the #aw of

3oses= Jesus himself had -een accused of inDdelity to the #aw of God3atthew has the clarifying response of Jesus concerning his accusers

Thus, he gives some light to help the communities solve theirpro-lems

Lsing images of daily life, with simple and direct words, Jesus hadsaid that the mission of the community, its reason for -eing, is that of-eing salt and lightA %e had given some advice regarding each one ofthe two images Then follow two or three -rief verses of today?s

Gospel 3atthew 5, 17.1K' /ot one dot, nor one stro"e is to disappear fromthe #aw There were several diFerent tendencies in the communities of the Drst $hristians Some thought that it was not necessary to o-servethe laws of the Cld Testament, -ecause we are saved -y faith in Jesusand not -y the o-servance of the #aw 4;m , 21.26 Cthers accepted

Jesus, the 3essiah, -ut they did not accept the li-erty of spirit withwhich some of the communities lived the presence of Jesus Theythought that -eing Jews they had to continue to o-serve the laws ofthe Cld Testament 4&cts 15, 1 5 *ut there were $hristians who livedso fully in the freedom of the Spirit, who no longer loo"ed at the life of

Jesus of /aHareth, nor to the Cld Testament and they even went so faras to say' =&nathema JesusA= 41 $o 12, C-serving these tensions,3atthew tries to Dnd some -alance -etween -oth e8tremes Thecommunity should -e a space, where the -alance can -e attained and



lived The answer given -y Jesus to those who criticiHed him continuedto -e actual for the communities' < have not come to a-olish the law,-ut to complete itA= The communities could not -e against the #aw, norcould they close up themselves in the o-servance of the law #i"e

Jesus, they should advance, and show, in practice, which was theo-Eective which the law wanted to attain in the life of persons, that is,in the perfect practice of love

3atthew 5, 1B' /ot one dot or stro"e will disappear from the #aw t isfor those who wanted to get rid of all the law that 3atthew recalls theother para-le of Jesus' <&nyone who infringes even one of the least ofthese commandments and teaches others to do the same will -econsidered the least in the ingdom of %eaven -ut the person who

"eeps them and teaches them will -e considered great in the ingdomof %eaven= The great concern in 3atthew?s Gospel is to show that theCld Testament, Jesus of /aHareth and the life in the Spirit cannot -eseparated The three of them form part of the same and uni>ue proEectof God and communicate to us the certainty of faith' The God of&-raham and of Sarah is present in the midst of the community -yfaith in Jesus of /aHareth who sends us his Spirit

%) Pe(.ona/ 6e.tion. %ow do see and live the law of God' as a growing horiHon of light oras an imposition which limits my freedom+

!hat can we do today for our -rothers and sisters who consider allthis type of discussion as o-solete and not actual+ !hat can we learnfrom them+ 5) $onc/6 in P(a*e(

raise )ahweh, Jerusalem,Mion, praise your God

or he gives strength to the -ars of your gates,he -lesses your children within you 4 s 1@5,12.1 Lectio Divina: Thursday, June B, 2016



O( ina(* Ti+e

1) OPENING PRAYERGod of wisdom and love,

source of all good,send your Spirit to teach us your truthand guide our actionsin your way of peace!e as" this through our #ord Jesus $hrist, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the %oly Spirit,one God, for ever and ever &men

2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 5 27-2" Jesus said to his disciples' ( or tell you, if your uprightness does notsurpass that of the scri-es and harisees, you will never get into the"ingdom of %eaven()ou have heard how it was said to our ancestors, )ou shall not "ill andif anyone does "ill he must answer for it -efore the court *ut say thisto you, anyone who is angry with a -rother will answer for it -efore thecourt anyone who calls a -rother N oolN will answer for it -efore theSanhedrin and anyone who calls him NTraitorN will answer for it in hell

DreSo then, if you are -ringing your oFering to the altar and thereremem-er that your -rother has something against you, leave youroFering there -efore the altar, go and -e reconciled with your -rotherDrst, and then come -ac" and present your oFering$ome to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still onthe way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the Eudgeand the Eudge to the o:cer, and you will -e thrown into prison n truth

tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny (!) RE#LE$TION

The te8t of today?s Gospel is placed in a lager unity' 3t 5, 20 to 3t 5,@K n this 3atthew shows us how Jesus interpreted and e8plained the#aw of God ive times he repeats the phrase' < You have heard how itwas said to our ancestors, but I say to you!” 43t 5,21 27 K @



&ccording to some harisees, Jesus was eliminating the law *ut it wase8actly the contrary %e said' “Do not imagine that I have come toabolish the Law and the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but tocomplete them” 43t 5, 17 *efore the #aw of 3oses, Jesus has anattitude of (6,t6(e and of contin6it*8 %e -rea"s away from themista"en interpretation which was closed up in the prison of the letter,-ut he a:rms categorically the last o-Eective of the law' to attain tothe greatest Eustice, which is #ove

n the communities for which 3atthew writes his Gospel there werediverse opinions concerning the #aw of 3oses or some, it no longerhad any sense, for others it should -e o-served even up to theminimum details *ecause of this there were many con9icts and

disputes Some said of the others that they were stupid andidiot. 3atthew tries to help -oth groups to -etter understand the truesense of the #aw and presents some counsels of Jesus to help themface and overcome the con9icts which arose within the families andthe communities

3atthew 5, 20' Your ustice should surpass that o the Pharisees. ThisDrst verse gives the general "ey to everything which follows in 3t 5,20.@K The Ovangelist indicates to the communities how they should

practice a greater Eustice which surpasses the Eustice of the Scri-esand the harisees and which leads to the full o-servance of the law Then, after this general "ey on a greater Eustice, 3atthew >uotes Dvevery concrete e8amples of how to practice the #aw, in such a way thatits o-servance leads to the perfect practice of love n the Drst e8ampleof today?s Gospel, Jesus reveals what God wanted in giving 3oses theDfth commandment, <Io not "illA=

3atthew 5,21.22' Do not "ill. “You have heard how it was said to ourancestors, you shall not "ill and i anyone does "ill he must answer orit be ore the court.# 4O8 20, 1 To o-serve fully this Dfthcommandment it is not su:cient to avoid murdering t is necessary touproot from within oneself everything which in one way or other canlead to murder, for e8ample, anger, hatred, the desire of vengeance,e8ploitation, etc < anyone who is angry with his brother will answer orit be ore the court”. That is, anyone who is angry against the -rother



merits or deserves the same punishment of condemnation -ythe co6(t which, according to the ancient law, was reserved to themurdererA *ut Jesus goes -eyond all this %e wants to uproot the originof murder' “$nyone who calls a brother %&ool' will answer or it be orethe (anhedrin) and anyone who calls him %*raitor' will answer or it inhell +re” n other words, o-serve truly the commandment </ot to "illif succeed to ta"e away from my heart any sentiment of anger whichleads to insult the -rother That is, if attain the perfection of love

3atthew 5, 2 .2@' *he per ect worship wanted by od. “I you arebringing your o-ering to the altar and there you remember that yourbrother has something against you, leave your o-ering there be orethe altar, go and be reconciled with your brother +rst, and then come

bac" sand present your o-ering”. n order to -e accepted -y God, and-e united to him, it is necessary to -e reconciled with the -rother, withthe sister *efore the destruction of the Temple, in the year 70, whenthe $hristians still participated in the pilgrimages to Jerusalem to ta"etheir oFering to the altar of the Temple, they always remem-ered thisphrase of Jesus /ow in the years K0?s, in the moment in which3atthew writes, the Temple and the &ltar no longer e8isted Thecommunity itself had -ecome the Temple and the &ltar of God 41$o ,

16 3atthew 5,25.26' To -e reconciled Cne of the points on which theGospel of 3atthew insists the most is reconciliation, -ecause in thecommunities of that time there were many tensions among the groupswhich had diFerent tendencies, without any dialogue /o-ody wantedto give in or cede -efore the other 3atthew enlightens this situationwith words of Jesus on reconciliation which demand acceptance andunderstanding *ecause the only sin which God does not forgive is ourlac" of forgiveness of others 43t 6, 1@ or this reason, he see"sreconciliation Drst, -efore it is too late

*he ideal o greatest ustice. ive times, Jesus >uotes acommandment or a usage of the ancient law' Io not "ill 43t 5, 21 , Ionot commit adultery 43t 5, 27 , Io not -ear false witness 43t 5, ,Oye for eye, tooth for tooth 5, K , To love neigh-our and to hate theenemy 43t 5, @ &nd Dve times he criticiHes the ancient way of



o-serving these commandments and he indicates a new way to attain Eustice, the o-Eective of the law 43t 5,22.26 5, 2K. 2 5, @. 7 5, B.@2 5,@@.@K The word Justice is present seven times in the Gospel of3atthew 43t , 15 5, 6 10 20 6, 1 21, 2 The religious ideal ofthe Jews of that time was <to -e Eust -efore God= The hariseestaught' <& person attains Eustice -efore God when hePshe o-serves allthe norms of the #aw in all the detailsA= This teaching resulted in alegalistic oppression and produced much anguish in persons of goodwill, -ecause it was very di:cult for a person to -e a-le to o-serve allthe norms 4;m 7,21.2@ This is why 3atthew ta"es some words of

Jesus on Eustice showing that this leads to surpass the Eustice of theharisees 43t 5, 20 or Jesus, Eustice does not come from what do

for God o-serving the law, -ut from what God does for me, acceptingme with love, li"e a son, li"e a daughter The new ideal that Jesusproposes is this' #*o be per ect as the /eavenly &ather is per ect!” 43t5,@K That means' will -e Eust -efore God, if try to accept and toforgive persons as God accepts and forgives me gratuitously in spite of my many defects and sins

%) PERSONAL &'ESTIONS !hich are the more fre>uent con9icts in my family+ &nd in our

community+ s reconciliation easy in the family and in the community+ )es or no+ !hy+

The advice of Jesus, how can this help me to improve relationships inthe sphere of our family and of the community+

5) $ON$L'DING PRAYER#ord, you visit the earth and ma"e it fruitful,you Dll it with riches

the river of God -rims over with water,you provide the grain 4 s 65,B

Lectio Divina:riday, June 10, 2016



O( ina(* Ti+e

1) OPENING PRAYERGod of wisdom and love,

source of all good,send your Spirit to teach us your truthand guide our actionsin your way of peace!e as" this through our #ord Jesus $hrist, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the %oly Spirit,one God, for ever and ever &men

2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 5 2 -!2 Jesus said to his disciples' ()ou have heard how it was said, )ou shallnot commit adultery *ut say this to you, if a man loo"s at a womanlustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart

f your right eye should -e your downfall, tear it out and throw it awayfor it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to haveyour whole -ody thrown into hell &nd if your right hand should -e yourdownfall, cut it oF and throw it away for it will do you less harm to loseone part of yourself than to have your whole -ody go to hell ( t has

also -een said, &nyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ ofdismissal *ut say this to you, everyone who divorces his wife, e8ceptfor the case of an illicit marriage, ma"es her an adulteress and anyonewho marries a divorced woman commits adultery (

!) RE#LE$TION n yesterday?s Gospel, Jesus made a rereading of the

commandments' <Io not "ill= 43t 5, 20.26 n today?s Gospel Jesusrereads the commandment < You shall not commit adultery”. Jesusrereads the law starting from the intention that God had, which wasproclaimed centuries -efore on 3ount Sinai %e see"s the spirit of the#aw and does not close himself up in the letter %e ta"es up again anddefends the great values of human life which constitute the-ac"ground of each one of these Ten $ommandments %e insists onlove, on Ddelity, on mercy, on Eustice, on truth, on humanity 43t B,1



12,7 2 ,2 3t 5,10 5,20 #c 11,@2 1K,B The result of the fullo-servance of the #aw of God humaniHes the person n Jesus we cansee what happens when a person allows God to Dll his life The lasto-Eective is that of uniting -oth loves, the -uilding up of fraternity indefence of life The greater the fraternity, the greater will -e thefullness of life and greater will -e the adoration given -y all creaturesto God, $reator and Saviour

n today?s Gospel, Jesus loo"s closely at the relationship man.womanin marriage, fundamental -asis of human living together There was acommandment which said' <Io not commit adultery=, and another onewhich said' <&nyone who divorces his wife, has to give her a certiDcateof divorce= Jesus ta"es up again -oth commandments, giving them a

new meaning 3atthew 5, 27.2K' Do not commit adultery. !hat does this

commandment re>uire from us+ The ancient response was' mancannot sleep with some-ody else?s wife This was demanded -y theletter of the commandment *ut Jesus goes -eyond, surpasses theletter and says' “0ut I say to you, i a man loo"s at a woman lust ully,he has already committed adultery with her in his heart”.

The o-Eective of the commandment is reciprocal Ddelity -etween man

and woman who assume life together, as a married couple &nd thisDdelity will -e complete only if -oth will "now how to -e faithful to oneanother in thought and in the desire and, will "now how to reach a totaltransparency -etween them

3atthew 5, 2B. 0' *ear out your eye and cut o- your hand. Toillustrate what Jesus has Eust said, he states a hard word of which heserves himself on another occasion when he spo"e of the scandal tolittle ones 43t 1K, B e 3c B, @7 %e says' f your right eye should -eyour downfall tear it out and throw it away' for it will do you less harmto lose one part of yourself than to have to have your whole -odythrown into hell= &nd he a:rms the same thing concerning the hand

These a:rmations cannot -e ta"en literally They indicate the radicalnature and the seriousness with which Jesus insists on the o-servanceof this commandment



3atthew 5, 1. 2' *he 1uestion o divorce. 3an was permitted togive a certiDcate of divorce to the woman n the discourse of thecommunity, Jesus will say that 3oses permitted this -ecause thepeople were hard hearted 43t 1B, K < 0ut I say to you2 anyone whodivorces his wi e, give her a certi+cate o divorce) but I say to you2anyone who divorces his wi e, e3cept in the case o concubinage,e3poses her to adultery and anyone who marries a divorced woman ,commits adultery”. There has -een much discussion on this theme*asing itself on this a:rmation of Jesus, the Criental $hurch permitsdivorce in case of <fornication=, that is of inDdelity Cthers say that herethe word fornication is the translation of an &ramaic or %e-rewword 4enuth which indicated a valid marriage among people who were

relatives, and which was for-idden t would not -e a valid marriage #eaving aside the correct interpretation of this word, what is

important is to see the o-Eective and the general sense of thea:rmation of Jesus in the new reading which is done of the Ten$ommandments Jesus spea"s a-out an ideal which should always -e-efore my eyes The deDnitive ideal is' <to -e perfect as the %eavenly

ather is perfect= 43t 5, @K This ideal is valid for all thecommandments reviewed -y Jesus n the rereading of the

commandment <Io not commit adultery=, this ideal is translated astransparency and honesty -etween hus-and and wife Oven more,no-ody can say' < am perfect as the %eavenly ather is perfect= !ewill always -e -elow the measure !e can never merit the reward-ecause we will always -e -elow the measure !hat is important is tocontinue wal"ing on the road, turn our loo" toward the ideal, alwaysA*ut at the same time, as Jesus did, we have to accept persons with thesame mercy with which he accepted persons and directed them towardthe ideal This is why, certain Euridical e8igencies of the $hurch today,for e8ample, not to permit communion to those divorced persons livinga second marriage, seem to -e more in agreement with the attitude ofthe harisees than with that of Jesus /o-ody applies literally thee8planation of the commandment <Io not "ill=, where Jesus says thatanyone who says idiot to his -rother deserves hell 43t 5, 22 *ecauseif it was li"e that we would all have the entrance into hell guaranteed



and no-ody would -e saved !hy does our doctrine use diFerentmeasures in the case of the Dfth and the ninth commandments+

%) PERSONAL &'ESTIONS

Io you succeed in living honesty and transparency totally withpersons of the other se8+

%ow is this to -e understood' <to -e perfect li"e the %eavenly atheris perfect+=

5) $ON$L'DING PRAYERCf you my heart has said,(See" his faceA( )our face, )ahweh, see"do not turn away from me

Io not thrust aside your servant in anger,without you am helpless/ever leave me, never forsa"e me, God, my Saviour4 s 27,K.B

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Lectio Divina June 2016