SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
The Seven Holy Founders
of the Servite Order
Psalter: Week 4 / (Violet)
Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth.
1st Reading: Is 58:9b-14
Then you will call and Yahweh will answer, you will cry and he will say, I am here. If you remove from your midst the yoke, the clenched fist and the wicked word, If you share your food with the hungry and give relief to the oppressed, then your light will rise in the dark, your night will be like noon. Yahweh will guide you always and give you relief in desert places. He will strengthen your bones; he will make you as a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins will be rebuilt, the age-old foundations will be raised. You will be called the Breach-mender, and the Restorer of ruined houses. If you stop profaning the Sabbath and doing as you please on the holy day, if you call the Sabbath a day of delight and keep sacred Yahweh’s holy day, if you honor it by not going your own way, not doing as you please and not speaking with malice, then you will find happiness in Yahweh, over the heights you will ride triumphantly, and feast joyfully on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.
Gospel: Lk 5:27-32
After this, Jesus went out, and noticing a tax collector named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, he said to him, “Follow me!” So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus.
Levi gave a great feast for Jesus, and many tax collectors came to his house, and took their places at the table with the other people. Then the Pharisees and their followers complained to Jesus’ disciples, “How is it, that you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” But Jesus spoke up, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do, I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to a change of heart.”
Reflections
HEALTHY PEOPLE DON’T NEED A DOCTOR, BUT SICK PEOPLE DO
One thing that self-righteous people in Jesus’ time could not understand was why Jesus seemed to be so comfortable with sinners and public offenders. This is also actually true today. I remember a co-Sister of mine who no longer wanted to talk to, or to be seen in the company of, a former friend, actually also a former Sister because now she is “living in sin” because she is with a man who is not yet her husband. I was puzzled because if you talk to her or be with her, does that necessarily mean you are condoning her action? Maybe at this point in her life, she needs friends more than ever. As Jesus said, healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I love reminding myself always what Pope Francis said the task of the Church is: TO HEAL WOUNDS AND WARM THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE. This is really what it means to be Christ-like or to be a follower of Christ – to do what he did – be with those who are shunned, judged and condemned by self-righteous people because they might need spiritual consolation or warm human companionship.
Daily Reflection 2018
Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Copyright © 2O17
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
