Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
Second reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1 COR 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Gospel of the day
From the Gospel according to Matthew MT 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Words of the Holy Father
To better understand these images, we must keep in mind that Jewish Law prescribed that a little bit of salt be sprinkled over every offering presented to God, as a sign of the covenant. Light for Israel was a symbol of messianic revelation, triumph over the darkness of paganism. Christians, the new Israel, receive a mission to carry into the world for all men: through faith and charity they can guide, consecrate, and make humanity fruitful. We who are baptized Christians are missionary disciples and we are called to become a living Gospel in the world: with a holy life we will “flavour” different environments and defend them from decay, as salt does; and we will carry the light of Christ through the witness of genuine charity. (Angelus 9 February 2014)
FAUSTI – The salt gives flavor and preserves from corruption,it is also a symbol of wisdom, friendship and disposability to sacrifice. The community is salt when it has the flavor of the beatitudes. They give us our knowledge and taste, (know = having the flavor), they preserve us from corruption, they give us wisdom, skills of friendship, willingness to pay its costs. They are our identity as children of the Father. Our identity is "salt of the earth". Not only it gives meaning to our personal life, but to that of every man. The filial and fraternal life is for everybody very flavor of life. If one is not son, and is not brother to anyone, it simply is not. It is easy to lose the flavor of Christ, that means to give own lif e in love and humility, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will cool off ”. The seed of the Word that makes us children, it may not take root, it may dry up just when it has taked roots, it may be suffocated after growing. The worldly wisdom is not that of the cross. In each of u sit is great the struggle between the wisdom of love and that of selfishness. The disciple who does not have the flavor of Christ doen't worth anything anymore and does not help anyone. Those who "smells " of Christ is light, identity is important. Light is the beginning of creation. Jesus is seen by Matthew as the rising of a great light on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadows of death (4.12 to 17). In Him we are enlightened, we come to the light of our reality: we are born as children. Then who is enlightened , in turn, gives light to the others. What gives flavor to the earth, enlightens the world, showing them its beauty. The word "world" means order, structure, beauty. In the New. Testament. has a negative connotation. Indeed, "this" world is structured on the greed of having possessions,, power, look (1 Jn 2:16), with its deceptive charm that makes it looking good, beautiful, desirable. The filial life unveils the deception, and restores the truth of its splendor. The community is a city, the holy city, the place where we live the relations in divine and heavenly way not in devilish and hellish way . The holy city is on top of the mountains, as the temple of the Lord (IS 2.2). Everyone sees it and says"Let's come , let us climb the mountain of the Lord, because He will teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths." The identity can not remain hidden, even if it doesn't make anything to be seen. Salt can do anything but to salt , and light but to enlighten. The question is not to salt or to enlighten, but to be salt and light. No one can give what he does not have : what you are speaks louder than what you say.
RispondiEliminaReading of the day
First reading from the Book of Isaiah
IS 58:7-10
Thus says the LORD:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
Second reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
1 COR 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
Gospel of the day
From the Gospel according to Matthew
MT 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Words of the Holy Father
To better understand these images, we must keep in mind that Jewish Law prescribed that a little bit of salt be sprinkled over every offering presented to God, as a sign of the covenant. Light for Israel was a symbol of messianic revelation, triumph over the darkness of paganism. Christians, the new Israel, receive a mission to carry into the world for all men: through faith and charity they can guide, consecrate, and make humanity fruitful. We who are baptized Christians are missionary disciples and we are called to become a living Gospel in the world: with a holy life we will “flavour” different environments and defend them from decay, as salt does; and we will carry the light of Christ through the witness of genuine charity. (Angelus 9 February 2014)
FAUSTI – The salt gives flavor and preserves from corruption,it is also a symbol of wisdom, friendship and disposability to sacrifice.
RispondiEliminaThe community is salt when it has the flavor of the beatitudes.
They give us our knowledge and taste, (know = having the flavor), they preserve us from corruption, they give us wisdom, skills of friendship, willingness to pay its costs.
They are our identity as children of the Father.
Our identity is "salt of the earth". Not only it gives meaning to our personal life, but to that of every man. The filial and fraternal life is for everybody very flavor of life.
If one is not son, and is not brother to anyone, it simply is not.
It is easy to lose the flavor of Christ, that means to give own lif e in love and humility,
"Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will cool off ”.
The seed of the Word that makes us children, it may not take root, it may dry up just when it has taked roots, it may be suffocated after growing.
The worldly wisdom is not that of the cross.
In each of u sit is great the struggle between the wisdom of love and that of selfishness.
The disciple who does not have the flavor of Christ doen't worth anything anymore and does not help anyone.
Those who "smells " of Christ is light, identity is important.
Light is the beginning of creation.
Jesus is seen by Matthew as the rising of a great light on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadows of death (4.12 to 17).
In Him we are enlightened, we come to the light of our reality: we are born as children.
Then who is enlightened , in turn, gives light to the others.
What gives flavor to the earth, enlightens the world, showing them its beauty.
The word "world" means order, structure, beauty. In the New. Testament. has a negative connotation. Indeed, "this" world is structured on the greed of having possessions,, power, look (1 Jn 2:16), with its deceptive charm that makes it looking good, beautiful, desirable.
The filial life unveils the deception, and restores the truth of its splendor.
The community is a city, the holy city, the place where we live the relations in divine and heavenly way not in devilish and hellish way .
The holy city is on top of the mountains,
as the temple of the Lord (IS 2.2).
Everyone sees it and says"Let's come , let us climb the mountain of the Lord, because He will teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths." The identity can not remain hidden, even if it doesn't make anything to be seen.
Salt can do anything but to salt , and light but to enlighten.
The question is not to salt or to enlighten, but to be salt and light.
No one can give what he does not have : what you are speaks louder than what you say.