Thursday February 24, 2022

Thursday of 7th Week in Ordinary Time

Protect the Weak      

                                   

Introduction

James resorts to the vehement invective of the prophets against the rich who exploit the poor, though there must have been few really rich in the early Christian communities.

In a series of not too well connected words of the Lord to his disciples, we notice for example, how Jesus shows concern for the “little ones,” that is, ordinary Christians not too well versed in doctrinal matters, who are at times confused by the more learned. With James and the Lord we too, should be concerned about the little people, the humble, ordinary Christians.

 

Opening Prayer

Lord God, our Father,
Jesus your Son, showed special concern
for the weak and the humble.
Help us too, never to become overbearing
or condescending towards the little people.
Do not allow us to confuse them
with self-conscious, learned words.
And give us a faith that is informed,
yet simple and trusting.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.

 

1st Reading – James 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

 

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 49:14-15AB, 15CD-16, 17-18, 19-20

(Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 This is the way of those whose trust is folly,
the end of those contented with their lot:
 Like sheep they are herded into the nether world;
death is their shepherd and the upright rule over them.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 Quickly their form is consumed;
the nether world is their palace.

 But God will redeem me
from the power of the nether world by receiving me.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
 For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”
 He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

Alleluia – SEE 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel – Mark 9:41-50

 Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavour? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

 

Intentions

–          For the Church, that we may not only love the poor and care for them but also speak out with courage when they are trampled upon, we pray:

–          For those who are deaf and blind to other people and their needs, that their eyes, ears and hearts may be opened to the treasures of love and sharing, we pray:

–          For all of us, that our empty hearts may become spacious and generous, like open doors to all people and all needs, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
your Son Jesus, was radical in his love
and in the demands he made on his disciples,
yet he was mild and understanding
toward the weak and the poor.
With this bread and wine,
accept our purpose to follow your Son
in his radical, demanding ways.
But be also compassionate and forgiving
when we fall short of our best intentions.
And help us to have patience
with others, and with ourselves
on account of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

Patient and merciful God,
we have heard your Son speak to us,
words of warning and a call to conversion.
May we stand the tests of the Christian life,
that we may never stand condemned.
Let this Eucharist warm our hearts
and keep us at peace with one another
and with you, our compassionate and patient God.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

 

Blessing

Never look down on others. Protect them. Jesus repeats this in many ways, regarding outcasts and sinners, regarding children, regarding the weak and simple people. We are Christians together, and God loves us all. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary 

Truth over Diplomacy

A 1937 definition (anonymous) of diplomacy goes thus: “The art of telling you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to going there.” Well, no one can accuse Jesus or apostle James of being too diplomatic. Today’s passages would suffice to prove that they liked to call a spade a spade. There are no sweeteners, no oiling the hand; just direct, in-your-face statements of truth. They were not meant to antagonize anyone, but only to ensure that the truth is boldly told. Of course, it did cost them their lives, because the world does not really like to hear the truth. In the contemporary world where even some Christian churches, taking after the corporate world, are over-conscious of their public relations image, we will do well to remind ourselves that our ultimate vocation is to witness to the truth even at the cost of our lives, and not necessarily to ensure institutional survival.

Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022;

written by Fr.Paulson Velyannoor, CMF