READING OF THE DAY First reading from the Book of Isaiah IS 56:1, 6-7
Thus says the LORD: Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants— all who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Second reading from the letter to the Romans ROM 11:13-15, 29-32
Brothers and sisters: I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Matthew MT 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER That is why Jesus urges us to pray and “not to lose heart”. We all go through times of tiredness and discouragement, especially when our prayers seem ineffective. But Jesus assures us: unlike the dishonest judge, God promptly answers his children, even though this doesn’t mean he will necessarily do it when and how we would like. Prayer does not work like a magic wand! It helps us keep faith in God, and to entrust ourselves to him even when we do not understand his will. (General Audience, 25 May 2016)
FAUSTI - Jesus comes out from the place where the Pharisees and scribes honor the Lord with their lips, but with their heart that is far from Him. He withdraws Himself in the pagan area, toward Tire and Sidon. It is an allusion to the passage of salvation to the pagans (Acts 13:46). The lack of faith drived Jesus away from His regions; Faith in turn lets the pagan woman from her regions to meet Him. "She cried, saying: Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!" Prayer has the strength of the shout but also the wisdom of a precise word. It is the fundamental prayer. Have pity means, "Grant to me grace, help me." The Canaanite woman does not claim and does not assert rights : she asks the gift to Him who is whole and only gift, recognizing in Him the Lord and the Messiah. This pagan woman does her profession of faith in Jesus:she recognizes Him as Son of David according to the flesh and as Lord, Son of God, according to the Spirit, and she asks for His salvation. The daughter of the Canaanite woman represents all the sons of Adam. Prey of mistrust, they are invaded by lie, possessed by evil. Jesus, in His historical mission, replied only to Israel, that was waiting for Him. This will then convey the gift to others. It may be surprising that God has spoken to some of His sons and not to others. Of course God speaks to everyone's heart. But, in order to speaking humanly, He has assumed the conditions of human speaking in which they speak to someone for whom they are someone. It is the "scandal" of the incarnation, center of faith. This woman recalls the ten pagans from nations of every language who will take an Israelite by the sleeve (Zec 8,20 ...). Woman asks for help despite the silence of the Lord and the resistance of His disciples. Jesus' answer is the hardest than a pagan could expect . Jews called pagans 'dogs'. The bread of the childrens will be given just to them. Not for merit - it is grace and gift! - but for great faith. "Even the little dogs" the dog lives of the crumbs falling from the table of the master the man of bread coming to it from Lord's hand. The faith of this woman is great, unlike that of the disciples, which is little; it is great as that of the pagan soldier, which arouses the wonder of Jesus. For this faith many will come from east and from west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, (8,11) fed up the beatitude of those who eat the bread of the Kingdom. The Lord has come to earth to accomplish this woman's will: it is the same as the Father of Heaven (6:10), who wants to give His bread to His sons. The hour of faith is the same as of salvation, as for the son of the centurion (8.13).
The mission of Jesus among the pagans, through the Canaanite woman, brings in His strong work of conversion besides of healing. His silence to the request and His response to the mediation of the disciples, which immediately places the woman in the category of the pagans, for the Jews "dogs", is to bring her in the humble recognition of her own congenital " lowliness". But precisely because of this let herself be carried down, she is immediately praised by Jesus for her great faith and she's granted ! Ezekiel said (17,24): "I am the Lord who humbles the high tree and raises the low tree..." the confident letting himself be led by His infinite Goodness to recognize our being His creatures, and to trust only in Him, manifests His bending over us! Even Mary, because She is little, can sing the wonders of the Lord who has looked upon the humility of His Servant and Magnify Him by seeing the Great Things He has done in His history and that of all! (Lk 1:40-56). To feel so infinitely loved, does it bring joy, always, even for us?
READING OF THE DAY
RispondiEliminaFirst reading from the Book of Isaiah
IS 56:1, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants—
all who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
for my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.
Second reading from the letter to the Romans
ROM 11:13-15, 29-32
Brothers and sisters:
I am speaking to you Gentiles.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,
I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous
and thus save some of them.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
MT 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
That is why Jesus urges us to pray and “not to lose heart”. We all go through times of tiredness and discouragement, especially when our prayers seem ineffective. But Jesus assures us: unlike the dishonest judge, God promptly answers his children, even though this doesn’t mean he will necessarily do it when and how we would like. Prayer does not work like a magic wand! It helps us keep faith in God, and to entrust ourselves to him even when we do not understand his will. (General Audience, 25 May 2016)
FAUSTI - Jesus comes out from the place where the Pharisees and scribes honor the Lord with their lips, but with their heart that is far from Him. He withdraws Himself in the pagan area, toward Tire and Sidon.
RispondiEliminaIt is an allusion to the passage of salvation to the pagans (Acts 13:46).
The lack of faith drived Jesus away from His regions; Faith in turn lets the pagan woman from her regions to meet Him.
"She cried, saying: Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David!" Prayer has the strength of the shout but also the wisdom of a precise word. It is the fundamental prayer. Have pity means, "Grant to me grace, help me." The Canaanite woman does not claim and does not assert rights : she asks the gift to Him who is whole and only gift, recognizing in Him the Lord and the Messiah.
This pagan woman does her profession of faith in Jesus:she recognizes Him as Son of David according to the flesh and as Lord, Son of God, according to the Spirit, and she asks for His salvation.
The daughter of the Canaanite woman represents all the sons of Adam. Prey of mistrust, they are invaded by lie, possessed by evil.
Jesus, in His historical mission, replied only to Israel, that was waiting for Him.
This will then convey the gift to others. It may be surprising that God has spoken to some of His sons and not to others. Of course God speaks to everyone's heart. But, in order to speaking humanly, He has assumed the conditions of human speaking in which they speak to someone for whom they are someone.
It is the "scandal" of the incarnation, center of faith.
This woman recalls the ten pagans from nations of every language who will take an Israelite by the sleeve (Zec 8,20 ...). Woman asks for help despite the silence of the Lord and the resistance of His disciples.
Jesus' answer is the hardest than a pagan could expect .
Jews called pagans 'dogs'. The bread of the childrens will be given just to them.
Not for merit - it is grace and gift! - but for great faith.
"Even the little dogs" the dog lives of the crumbs falling from the table of the master the man of bread coming to it from Lord's hand.
The faith of this woman is great, unlike that of the disciples, which is little; it is great as that of the pagan soldier, which arouses the wonder of Jesus.
For this faith many will come from east and from west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, (8,11) fed up the beatitude of those who eat the bread of the Kingdom.
The Lord has come to earth to accomplish this woman's will: it is the same as the Father of Heaven (6:10), who wants to give His bread to His sons.
The hour of faith is the same as of salvation, as for the son of the centurion (8.13).
The mission of Jesus among the pagans, through the Canaanite woman, brings in His strong work of conversion besides of healing. His silence to the request and His response to the mediation of the disciples, which immediately places the woman in the category of the pagans, for the Jews "dogs", is to bring her in the humble recognition of her own congenital " lowliness".
RispondiEliminaBut precisely because of this
let herself be carried down,
she is immediately praised by Jesus for her great faith and she's granted !
Ezekiel said (17,24): "I am the Lord who humbles the high tree and raises the low tree..." the confident letting himself be led by His infinite Goodness to recognize our being His creatures, and to trust only in Him, manifests His bending over us!
Even Mary, because She is little, can sing the wonders of the Lord who has looked upon the humility of His Servant and Magnify Him by seeing the Great Things He has done in His history and that of all! (Lk 1:40-56).
To feel so infinitely loved, does it bring joy, always, even for us?