L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Mt 1,1-16.18-23): 

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

The Application

This is your mother. And she will always be our mother who continues to accompany us, in these days through her Marian apparitions, where she invites us to listen to her son. The story of the incarnation reveals not only how God prepared the way for his Son, but particularly how God accompanied the chosen and consecrated individuals, including Joseph.

God needs all of us, with our limitations certainly, even today, so that the saving mission that His Son initiated in Him, continues, is completed and the world is saved. Even if we do not have a biblical account of Mary's nativity, we do have the tradition that helps us to understand the divine wonders in her.

Today's Gospel tells us, "All this happened so that the word of the Lord spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled: 'Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, to whom shall be given the name Emmanuel, which is translated "God-with-us". The imitation of her Son, Jesus Christ, even if it is difficult in human terms and perfect for our salvation, the imitation of Mary, is a perfect path to the imitation of her Son. In her we can easily reach her Son.

In all Marian feasts, the Church celebrates her victory, the victory of humanity, the victory of saved man.  Each and every one of us is called to discover in Mary how we can accomplish the divine mission, in our poverty, humility, docility to the Word of God and most importantly, in our fidelity and contemplation. God trusted in her and He continues to trust in us. Let us dare, like her, as sons and daughters of Mary, to say always YES to the Lord.

Action of the day: Believe that God is active in you.

«Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel»

+ Fr. Agustí ALTISENT i Altisent Monk of Santa Maria de Poblet

(Tarragona, Spain)

Today, Jesus' genealogy, the Savior that had to come and be born of Mary, shows us how the work of God is interwoven into human history, and how God acts in the secret and silence of every single day. At the same time, we can see his reliability to accomplish his promises. Even Ruth and Rahab (cf. Mt 1:5), foreigners, converted to the faith of the only God, were our Savior's ancestors.

The Holy Spirit, that mysteriously had to incarnate the Son in Mary, entered, therefore, into our history a long time before, and traced a path leading to the Virgin Mary of Nazareth and, through her, to her Son Jesus. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” (Mt 1:23). How spiritually delicate Mary's entrails, her heart and her will, must have been, to engage the attention of the Father and make her become the mother of “God-with-mankind”; He, who had to bring the supernatural light and grace for the redemption of all of us. In this work, everything brings us to contemplate, admire and worship, through prayer, the greatness, the generosity and the simplicity of the divine action that will extol and rescue our human lineage through our Lord’s personal involvement.

Further away, in Today's Gospel, we see how Mary was advised she would conceive God, the Savior of his People. And let us realize that this girl, virgin and Jesus' mother, had to be also our mother. The special election of Mary, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42), makes us admire God's tenderness in his way of proceeding; because He did not redeem us —so to speak— “by remote control”, but by closely binding himself with our family and our history. Who could ever imagine God to be so great and so acquiescent as to so intimately bind Himself to us?

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 1,1-16.18-23): 

Marie, la mère de Jésus, avait été accordée en mariage à Joseph; or, avant qu'ils aient habité ensemble, elle fut enceinte par l'action de l'Esprit Saint. Joseph, son époux, qui était un homme juste, ne voulait pas la dénoncer publiquement; il décida de la répudier en secret. Il avait formé ce projet, lorsque l'ange du Seigneur lui apparut en songe et lui dit: «Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre chez toi Marie, ton épouse: l'enfant qui est engendré en elle vient de l'Esprit Saint; elle mettra au monde un fils, auquel tu donneras le nom de Jésus (c'est-à-dire: Le-Seigneur-sauve), car c'est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés». Tout cela arriva pour que s'accomplît la parole du Seigneur prononcée par le prophète: Voici que la Vierge concevra et elle mettra au monde un fils, auquel on donnera le nom d'Emmanuel, qui se traduit: "Dieu-avec-nous".

L’Application

'Voici ta Mère.' Et elle sera toujours notre mère qui continue à nous accompagner, en ces jours à travers ses apparitions mariales, où elle nous invite à écouter son fils. L'histoire de l'incarnation révèle non seulement comment Dieu a préparé le chemin pour son Fils, mais surtout comment Dieu a accompagné les personnes choisies et consacrées, dont Joseph.

Dieu a besoin de nous tous, avec nos limites certes, aujourd'hui encore, pour que la mission salvatrice que son Fils a initiée en Lui, se poursuive, s'achève et que le monde soit sauvé. Même si nous n'avons pas de récit biblique de la nativité de Marie, nous avons la tradition qui nous aide à comprendre les merveilles divines en elle.

L'Évangile d'aujourd'hui nous dit : "Tout cela est arrivé afin que s'accomplisse la parole du Seigneur prononcée par le prophète : "Voici que la Vierge concevra et enfantera un fils, auquel on donnera le nom d'Emmanuel, qui se traduit par "Dieu-avec-nous". L'imitation de son Fils, Jésus-Christ, même si elle est difficile sur le plan humain et parfaite pour notre salut, l'imitation de Marie, qui est facile, un chemin parfait vers l'imitation de son Fils. En elle, nous pouvons facilement atteindre son Fils.

Dans toutes les fêtes mariales, l'Église célèbre sa victoire, la victoire de l'humanité, la victoire de l'homme sauvé.  Chacun de nous est appelé à découvrir en Marie comment nous pouvons accomplir la mission divine, dans notre pauvreté, notre humilité, notre docilité à la Parole de Dieu et surtout, dans notre fidélité et notre contemplation. Dieu a eu confiance en elle et il continue à avoir confiance en nous. Osons, à l'image de Marie, comme fils et filles de Marie, dire toujours OUI au Seigneur.

«La Vierge concevra et elle mettra au monde un fils, auquel on donnera le nom d'Emmanuel»

+ Abbé Agustí ALTISENT i Altisent

(Tarragona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, l'arbre généalogique de Jésus, le Sauveur qui devait être mis au monde par Marie, nous illustre comment l'œuvre de Dieu est entrelacée avec l'histoire de l'humanité, et comment Dieu agit dans le secret et dans le silence de chaque jour. En même temps nous constatons qu'Il est formel dans l'accomplissement de ses promesses. Même Ruth et Rahab (cf. Mt 1,5) étrangères converties à la foi du Dieu unique (et Rahab était une prostituée!) sont des ancêtres du Seigneur.

Le Saint Esprit, qui devait accomplir en Marie l'Incarnation du Fils, a pénétré dans notre histoire depuis bien loin, depuis très tôt, et Il a tracé la route qui mène à Marie de Nazareth, et grâce à Elle à son Fils Jésus. «Voici que la Vierge concevra et elle mettra au monde un fils, auquel on donnera le nom d'Emmanuel» (Mt 1,23). Comme les entrailles, le cœur et la volonté de Marie devaient être spirituellement délicates pour attirer l'attention du Père et la choisir comme Mère de Dieu-avec-les-hommes, Lui qui devait porter la lumière et la grâce surnaturelles pour le salut de tous. Tout dans cette œuvre nous amène à contempler, admirer et adorer dans l'oraison, la grandeur, la générosité et la simplicité de l'action divine, qui exalte et rachètera notre souche humaine en s'impliquant Lui-même de manière personnelle.

Plus loin dans l'Évangile de ce jour, nous voyons comment fut envoyé à Marie le message qu'elle porterait le Sauveur du Monde. Et pensons que cette femme, vierge et mère de Jésus, serait en même temps notre mère. Ce choix spécial de Marie —«Bénie entre toutes les femmes» (Lc 1,42) fait que nous soyons dans l'admiration de cette tendresse du Seigneur envers nous dans sa façon de procéder car Il ne nous a pas sauvé “à distance” mais en traçant un lien très personnel avec notre famille humaine et notre histoire. Qui aurait imaginé que Dieu pourrait être si grand et en même temps si condescendant en se rapprochant intimement de nous?

Gospel text

(Lk 6,12-19): 

Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, He called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them whom He called apostles: Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.

Coming down the hill with them, Jesus stood on a level place. Many of his disciples were there and a large crowd of people who had come from all parts of Judea and Jerusalem and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They gathered to hear him and be healed of their diseases; likewise people troubled by evil spirits were healed. The entire crowd tried to touch him because of the power that went out from him and healed them all.

The Application

Jesus knew that Judas will betray Him. Peter was neither the strongest disciple, nor with great leadership qualities.  Did the Lord make a mistake in his discernment by choosing Judas Iscariot as one of his disciples and Peter as the head of His church?  Yet we know that this discernment is made in prayer and contemplation, totally inspired by the Holy Spirit, fully accompanied by his Father. Personally I am convinced that there is deep message for you and me. In this choice of disciples, as I look it here, I find that there is a consolation and a warning sign to us all.

A consolation because conversion is possible at any time, if we desire it. Each and every one of us, with our limits can participate perfectly in the divine mission. A warning, because the proximity, the divine knowledge does not guarantee us salvation. Each of us is personally invited to respond to this divine call, through our own positive commitment to the fulfilment of God's will.

Today's readings invite us to discern everything before God, according to the teaching we have received from the Lord. Society brings us a teaching, with rules and prohibitions. The Lord brings us a teaching filled with love and mercy, a call to holiness, conditioned by the love He expressed on the cross, for the remission of sin. Love one another as I have loved you.

It was in this love for His Father that He was in contemplation and prayer all night. It was in this same love that He chose from among His disciples and raised them up as Apostles. It was in this love for His Father that He taught and healed. So let us also go to the mountain in this prayer, that we may imitate him in a perfect and radical way, and that his Kingdom may come. Amen.  

Action of the day: Start everything in prayer

«Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God»

Fr. Lluc TORCAL

Poblet(Santa Maria de Poblet, Tarragona, Spain)

Today, I would like to center our thoughts on the first words of this Gospel: «In those days, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God» (Lk 6:12). Introductions as this one may go unnoticed in our daily reading of the Gospel, while —in fact— they are of the maximum importance. Today, Jesus, specifically and clearly tells us that the election of the twelve apostles —central decision for our Church's future life— was preceded by a full night in prayer alone, before God, his Father.

How was the Lord's prayer? What we can deduce from his life, it must have been a prayer full of confidence in the Father, of complete surrendering to his will —«for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me» (Jn 5:30)—, of clear union to God's work of salvation. Only through this profound, long and constant prayer —supported always by the action of the Holy Spirit that, at the moment of Jesus' Incarnation, had already fallen over him in his Baptism— could the Lord receive the necessary strength and light to go on with his mission of abiding by the Father to accomplish his work of salvation for mankind. The subsequent election of the Apostles —that as St. Cyril of Alexandria says, «the same Christ affirms having given them the same mission He received from the Father»—, shows us how the rising Church was the fruit of Jesus' prayer to the Father in the Holy Spirit and, therefore, the work of the Holy Trinity. «When day came, He called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them whom He called apostles» (Lk 6:13).

If only all our life as Christians —of disciples of God— could always be immersed in prayer and led by it.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 6,12-19): 

En ces jours-là, Jésus s'en alla dans la montagne pour prier, et il passa la nuit à prier Dieu. Le jour venu, il appela ses disciples, en choisit douze, et leur donna le nom d'Apôtres: Simon, auquel il donna le nom de Pierre, André son frère, Jacques, Jean, Philippe, Barthélemy, Matthieu, Thomas, Jacques fils d'Alphée, Simon appelé le Zélote, Jude fils de Jacques, et Judas Iscariote, celui qui fut le traître.

Jésus descendit de la montagne avec les douze Apôtres et s'arrêta dans la plaine. Il y avait là un grand nombre de ses disciples, et une foule de gens venus de toute la Judée, de Jérusalem, et du littoral de Tyr et de Sidon, qui étaient venus l'entendre et se faire guérir de leurs maladies. Ceux qui étaient tourmentés par des esprits mauvais en étaient délivrés. Et toute la foule cherchait à le toucher, parce qu'une force sortait de lui et les guérissait tous.

L’Application

Le Seigneur s'est-il trompé dans son discernement en choisissant Judas Iscariote comme l'un de ses disciples ?  Pourtant, nous savons que ce discernement se fait dans la prière et la contemplation, totalement inspiré par l'Esprit Saint, pleinement accompagné par son Père. Personnellement, je suis convaincu qu'il y a là un message profond pour vous et moi. Dans ce choix, tel que je le regarde ici, je trouve qu'il y a une consolation et un avertissement pour nous tous.

Une consolation, car la conversion est possible à tout moment, si nous le désirons. Un avertissement, parce que la proximité, la connaissance divine ne nous garantit pas le salut. Chacun de nous est personnellement invité à répondre à cet appel divin, par son propre engagement positif en faveur de l'accomplissement de la volonté de Dieu.

Les lectures d'aujourd'hui nous invitent à tout discerner devant Dieu, selon l'enseignement que nous avons reçu du Seigneur. La société nous apporte un enseignement, avec des règles et des interdictions. Le Seigneur nous apporte un enseignement rempli d'amour et de miséricorde, un appel à la sainteté, conditionné par l'amour qu'il a exprimé sur la croix, pour la rémission des péchés. Aimez-vous les uns les autres comme je vous ai aimés.

C'est dans cet amour pour son Père qu'il est resté en contemplation et en prière toute la nuit. C'est dans ce même amour qu'Il a choisi parmi ses disciples et les a élevés comme Apôtres. C'est dans cet amour pour son Père qu'il a enseigné et guéri. Alors, allons nous aussi sur la montagne dans cette prière, afin de l'imiter de manière parfaite et radicale, et que son Règne vienne. Amen.  

«Jésus s'en alla dans la montagne pour prier, et il passa la nuit à prier Dieu»

Abbé Lluc TORCAL

(Santa Maria de Poblet, Tarragona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, je voudrais centrer notre réflexion sur les premiers mots de cet Évangile: «En ces jours-là, Jésus s'en alla dans la montagne pour prier, et il passa la nuit à prier Dieu» (Lc 6,12). Des introductions comme celles-là peuvent passer inaperçues dans notre lecture quotidienne de l'Évangile, mais —de fait— elles sont de la plus grande importance. Dans le cas présent, on nous dit clairement que le choix des douze Apôtres —décision centrale pour la vie future de l'Église— fut précédé par toute une nuit de prière de Jésus, dans la solitude, devant Dieu son Père.

Comment était la prière du Seigneur? Sa vie nous permet de penser que ce devait être une prière pleine de confiance dans le Père, de total abandon à sa volonté —«ce n'est pas ma propre volonté que je cherche, mais la volonté de Celui qui m’a envoyé» (Jn 5,30), d'union manifeste à son œuvre de salut. Ce n'est qu'à partir de cette longue, profonde et constante prière, toujours soutenue par l'action du Saint Esprit, qui, déjà présent au moment de son Incarnation, était descendu sur Lui lors de son Baptême, que le Seigneur puit obtenir la force et la lumière nécessaires pour continuer sa mission d'obéissance au Père en vue d'accomplir son œuvre de service pour le salut des hommes. Le choix ultérieur des Apôtres, dans lequel, comme nous le rappelle saint Cyrile d'Alexandrie, «le Christ lui-même affirme leur confier la mission même qu’il avait reçu du Père», nous montre comment l'Église naissante fut le fruit de cette prière de Jésus au Père dans l'Esprit, et que, par conséquent, elle est l'œuvre de la Sainte Trinité elle-même. «Le jour venu, il appela ses disciples, en choisit douze, et leur donna le nom d'Apôtres» (Lc 6,13).

Que toute notre vie de chrétien —de disciples du Christ— soit toujours immergée dans la prière et prolongée par elle.

Gospel text

(Lk 6,6-11): 

On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and began teaching. There was a man with a paralyzed right hand and the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched him: Would Jesus heal the man on the Sabbath? If He did, they could accuse him. But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, «Get up and stand in the middle». Then he spoke to them, «I want to ask you: what is allowed by the Law on the Sabbath, to do good or to do harm, to save life or destroy it?». And Jesus looked around at them all. Then He said to the man, «Stretch out your hand». He stretched it out and his hand was restored, becoming as whole as the other. But they were furious and began to discuss with one another how they could deal with Jesus.

The Application

It is very sad to end a day of divine glory in a furious and sad manner, as it has happened to these teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. It all happens by the way they look at the events and the reasons that they attach to these events, which are very often conditioned by human way of looking, observing and judging.

Once we learn to look everything divinely, try to identify how God works in these events, and search in every moment of life, what He demands from me, and the fruit of this way of looking and discerning process, will certainly end in an agreeable way before God and will accord us an inner peace that we search daily. Since this process of discernment, the way of looking at people and events is very much personal, spiritual and flow from our inner-self, it is very important that we actively engage to purify our interiority, our inner consciousness, the soul that motivates everything.

Thus, for Jesus, it is not a question of doing good or evil, but a question of the divine will, the glory of his Father and a question of 'now or later'. Jesus, not wanting to be conditioned by the human way of looking at events, a gaze full of wickedness, makes us learn to discern, all before the divine will. If God agrees with me, if my action pleases God, everything is good and desirable.

It is important for us to cooperate with Jesus, and to know how to stand up when we hear his call, “Get up…….and stretch out your hand.” His call, when answered positively, not only makes us grow, but also through us, it makes the whole world grow, especially the people around us. That is why our YES, like Mary's, is so important to God.

Like those scribes and Pharisees who observed the Lord, by his actions and words, a purely human, external and so limited observance, Jesus sees them in their inner selves, their evil thoughts which are contaminated by their own perversities. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by these hypocritical people and fortunately by God's grace and guidance we are called to identify them who wear an outwardly pure garment with words that are sweet and pleasant to hear.

Like Jesus, we must invite them to be converted, not judge them. We must learn from Jesus in the face of such failure, to ignore them and continue to do the divine will, the precious mission that God has entrusted to us at our baptism; the glory of God and the salvation of the world, as Father Claret tells us. A heart filled with love will depart in peace. A heart filled with wickedness, on the other hand, will depart in fury and desolation.

Action of the day: Learn to look everything with an eye of God.

«Get up and stand in the middle (...). Stretch out your hand»

Fr. Julio César RAMOS González SDB

(Mendoza, Argentina)

Today, Jesus provides us with an example of the freedom, which we speak so much about. But, contrary to what most claim or consider as “freedom”, Jesus' freedom, is totally associated and adhered to the Father's actions. He will say: «I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; He can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does» (Jn 5:19). And the Father only does and acts out of love.

Love cannot be imposed but forces us to act, pulls us together and largely reverts to life. Jesus' command: «Get up and stand in the middle» (Lk 6:8) has the vivifying strength of he who loves and responds to the Word. And, the last part of his order: «Stretch out your hand» (Lk 6:10), that concludes the miracle, definitely restores life and strength to what was powerless and dead. “To save” is to draw from death, and this same word translates as “healing”. By healing, Jesus is saving whatever that poor ailing man had dead, and this is a clear sign of God's fatherly love for his creatures. Thus, in the new creation, where the Son does only what He sees his Father doing, the new law that will prevail will be the law of the acting love rather than that of a “dormant” relaxation, including doing good to the brother in need.

Therefore, a conjugated freedom and love is the key for today. Freedom and love conjugated Jesus' way. Today, what St. Augustine used to say: «love and do as you please», is perfectly valid to learn to totally identify ourselves with Christ our Saviour.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 6,6-11): 

Un autre jour de sabbat, Jésus était entré dans la synagogue et enseignait. Il y avait là un homme dont la main droite était paralysée. Les scribes et les pharisiens observaient Jésus afin de voir s'il ferait une guérison le jour du sabbat; ils auraient ainsi un motif pour l'accuser. Mais il connaissait leurs pensées, et il dit à l'homme qui avait la main paralysée: «Lève-toi, et reste debout devant tout le monde». L'homme se leva et se tint debout. Jésus leur dit: «Je vous le demande: Est-il permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire le bien, ou de faire le mal? de sauver une vie, ou de la perdre?». Alors, promenant son regard sur eux tous, il dit à l'homme: «Étends ta main». Il le fit, et sa main redevint normale. Quant à eux, ils furent remplis de fureur et ils discutaient entre eux sur ce qu'ils allaient faire à Jésus.

L’Application

Pour Jésus, il ne s'agit pas de faire le bien ou le mal, mais il s'agit de la volonté divine, de la gloire de son Père et d'une question de " maintenant ou plus tard ". Jésus, ne voulant pas être conditionné par le regard humain, un regard plein de méchanceté, nous fait apprendre à discerner, tout cela devant le regard divin. Si Dieu est d'accord avec moi, si mon action plaît à Dieu, tout est bon et souhaitable.

Il est important que nous coopérions avec Jésus, et que nous sachions nous lever lorsque nous entendons son appel. Son appel, lorsqu'on y répond positivement, non seulement nous fait grandir, mais aussi à travers nous, il fait grandir le monde entier, surtout les personnes qui nous entourent. C'est pourquoi notre OUI, comme celui de Marie, est si important pour Dieu.

Comme ces scribes et ces pharisiens qui observaient le Seigneur, par ses actes et ses paroles, une observation purement humaine, extérieure et si limitée, Jésus les voit dans leur for intérieur, dans leurs pensées mauvaises et contaminées par leurs propres perversités. Malheureusement, nous sommes entourés de ces hypocrites et heureusement, par la grâce et la direction de Dieu, nous sommes appelés à identifier ceux qui portent un vêtement extérieurement pur avec des mots doux et agréables à entendre.

Comme Jésus, nous devons les inviter à se convertir, et non les juger. Nous devons apprendre de Jésus, face à un tel échec, à les ignorer et à continuer à faire la volonté divine, la précieuse mission que Dieu nous a confiée à notre baptême : la gloire de Dieu et le salut du monde, comme nous le dit le Père Claret. Un cœur rempli d'amour s'en ira en paix. Un cœur rempli de méchanceté, par contre, s'en ira dans la fureur et la désolation.

«Lève-toi, et reste debout devant tout le monde (…). Étends ta main»

Abbé Julio César RAMOS González SDB

(Mendoza, Argentine)

Aujourd'hui, Jésus nous donne en exemple la liberté. Nous parlons tellement d'elle de nos jours. Mais, à la différence de ce qu'aujourd'hui on annonce et on vit comme “liberté”, celle de Jésus est une liberté totalement associée et adhérée à l'action du Père. Lui-même dira: «Je vous assure que le Fils de l'homme ne peut faire quoi que ce soit de lui-même, sinon seulement ce qu'il voit faire par le Père; ce que le Père fait, le fait le Fils» (Jn 5,19). Et le Père agit seulement par amour.

L'amour ne s'impose pas, mais fait agir, mobilise rendant généreusement la vie. Cet ordre de Jésus: «Lève-toi, et reste debout devant tout le monde» (Lc 6,8) a la force de recréer de celui qui aime, et qui par la parole agit. Encore davantage: «Étends ta main» (Lc 6,10), qui termine par un miracle, rétablit définitivement la force et la vie à ce qui était faible et mort. “Sauver” signifie arracher à la mort, et c'est la même parole qui se traduit par “guérir”. Jésus en guérissant, sauve ce qu'il y avait de mort en ce pauvre homme malade, ce qui constitue un signe, on ne peut plus claire, de l'amour de Dieu le Père pour ses créatures. Ainsi, dans la nouvelle création dans laquelle le Fils ne fera autre chose que ce qu'il voit faire par le Père, la nouvelle loi qui règnera sera celle de l’amour qui se manifeste à travers l'action, et non celle d'un repos “inactif” incluant pour faire le bien à un frère qui a besoin d'aide.

En conséquence, conjuguer liberté et amour est la clef d’aujourd’hui. Conjuguer liberté et amour à la façon de Jésus. Ce que disait Saint Augustin est maintenant pleinement en vigueur pour apprendre à ressembler pleinement au Christ Sauveur : « Aime et fait ce que tu veux».

The readings of the day invite us to discover the divine work, especially in a pagan terrain where Jesus opens his ears and makes his Word heard. An exceptional event is produced by a community commitment that has recognised in Jesus, the Saviour, the Envoy of the Father, like many other pagans contemporaries of Jesus.  Certainly, the people of his country could not recognise his presence, as a divine presence.  Today, the presence of Jesus in this land has moved everyone to make the most of a great teacher.  This recognition of his presence by a community makes all burst into joy which requires a resemblance of all, with an open and welcoming approach. It is in this gathering and openness that Jesus chose to act, so that through this man the whole world would discover the divine power, the universal salvation, a God who comes to us, to save all. 

He will not take the whole world. He will take him alone, apart from the crowd, with a particular attention that is nevertheless palpable and visible to all. By this gesture, he makes us discover how God restores a divine closeness, totally unknown in this world.  He looks at him with a look full of tenderness and compassion. In this look, he is not alone. He will associate himself with his Father and the Holy Spirit. He will repeat the same gesture of his Father, "He breathed and said to him. The Word becomes a flesh. Let man hear the Word and proclaim it. A gesture that the Church imitates perfectly and rightly in baptism, "Effata, open up.

Jesus invites us with this man to listen to the Word of God, open our hearts and to proclaim it to the whole world. Go to the whole world and proclaim the Good News and baptise them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are going to announce not only our experience and the feelings, rather the PERSON, Jesus, God Man. In Jesus we recognise, like Mary, the wonders done by our God. He comes to visit us in Jesus.

Today we are invited to imitate Jesus, our Master, in welcoming, in closeness and in service. Like Jesus, we must turn our heads towards heaven, invoking the Holy Spirit, so that our words and actions are life-giving words, words that open our ears and make us hear the truth. Very often our words are not right before God, very far from the truth. In Jesus God Himself comes to remove the evil, the injustice in our society. In this way, He will accomplish the will of the Father.

Let us open our ears to hear the good words, that the Word of God may enter into the depths of our being and purify our conscience. Let us open our mouths, so that this Word of life may come out of our mouths and save the people of God. God needs us, so that the promise made to Abraham may be fulfilled in us. Let us praise the Lord while we live, Amen.

Gospel text (Lk 6,1-5): 

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the corn fields and his disciples began to pick heads of grain crushing them in their hands for food. Some of the Pharisees asked them, «Why do you do what is forbidden on the Sabbath?». Then Jesus spoke, «Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry?. He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread». And Jesus added, «The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the Sabbath».

The Application

Today's gospel shows us that it is the presence of Jesus that saves his disciples. Somewhere along the line, he asks me this profound question; am I standing before the divine presence or am I walking away from his presence? If I stay with Him, He will certainly save me.

Jesus reveals to us that He is the Master of the Sabbath. From the beginning of creation He was there and this Word is with us in the form of the Eucharist. Adoration of the Eucharist would help me to live this closeness in a real way. Since He gave us the law, through Moses, we must always consult Him, for its right application in daily life, including our brothers and sisters.  

To do or not to do, must be discerned not according to the regulation of the present society, which is harsh and unwise with the poor and wretched. Whatever is good and right for me, does not necessarily have to be good and right for the other. God alone can help me to discern the truth.  Therefore, every word that comes out of our mouths and every act that we would like to do, must be born out of our relationship with Jesus and according to his will. There we will be just before God and in this righteousness, we will give glory to God.

Action of the day: Let your word and act glorify God.

«The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the Sabbath»

Fr. Austin Chukwuemeka IHEKWEME

(Ikenanzizi, Nigeria)

Today, responding to the Pharisees' accusation, Jesus explains the correct meaning of the Sabbath, while quoting an example from the Old Testament (cf. Deut 23:26): «Have you never read what David did (...)?. He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread» (Lk 6:3-4).

David's behaviour anticipates the doctrine Christ teaches in this passage. God had already established in the Old Testament an order for the precepts of the Law, whereby those of less rank would yield to the main ones.

In the light of all this, it can be understood that a ceremonial precept (as the one we are commenting) yields to a precept of the natural law. The precept of Sabbath, likewise, is not more important than the elementary needs of subsistence.

In this passage, Christ teaches which was the meaning of the divine institution of the Sabbath: God had instituted it to man's benefit, so that he could rest and devote his time with peace and joy to the divine cult. However, the Pharisees' interpretation had transformed this day into a day of anguish and worrying because of the many directions and prohibitions.

The Sabbath had been set up not only for man's rest, but also to glorify God: this is the actual and true meaning of the expression «The Sabbath was made for man...» (Mk 2:27).

Furthermore, by declaring himself “Lord of the Sabbath” (cf. Lk 6:5), He openly manifests that He is the very same God who gave the precept to the people of Israel, thus confirming his divinity and his universal power. For this reason, other laws can be established, just as Yahweh did in the Old Testament. Jesus can therefore be called “Lord of the Sabbath”, because He is God.

Let us beg the Virgin Mother of God to help us believing and understanding that the Sabbath belongs to God and that it is a way —adapted to our own nature— to glorify and honour the Almighty. As Saint John Paul II has written, «our rest is a “sacred”» thing and an occasion «to realize that everything is the work of God».

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 6,1-5): 

Un jour de sabbat, Jésus traversait des champs de blé; ses disciples arrachaient et mangeaient des épis, après les avoir froissés dans leurs mains. Des pharisiens lui dirent: «Pourquoi faites-vous ce qui n'est pas permis le jour du sabbat?». Jésus leur répondit: «N'avez-vous pas lu ce que fit David un jour qu'il eut faim, lui et ses compagnons? Il entra dans la maison de Dieu, prit les pains de l'offrande, en mangea, et en donna à ses compagnons, alors que les prêtres seuls ont la permission d'en manger». Jésus leur disait encore: «Le Fils de l'homme est maître du sabbat».

L’Application

L'évangile de ce jour nous montre que c'est la présence de Jésus qui sauve ses disciples. Quelque part, il me pose cette question profonde : est-ce que je me tiens devant la présence divine ou est-ce que je m'éloigne de sa présence ? Si je reste avec Lui, Il me sauvera certainement.

Jésus nous révèle qu'il est le maître du sabbat. Dès le début de la création, Il était là et cette Parole est avec nous sous la forme de l'Eucharistie. L'adoration de l'Eucharistie m'aiderait à vivre cette proximité de manière réelle. Puisqu'Il nous a donné la loi, par Moïse, nous devons toujours Le consulter, pour sa juste application dans la vie quotidienne, y compris pour nos frères et sœurs.  
Faire ou ne pas faire, doit être discerné non pas en fonction de la réglementation de la société actuelle, qui est dure et peu sage avec les pauvres et les misérables.  Ce qui est bon et juste pour moi, ne l'est pas nécessairement pour l'autre. Dieu seul peut m'aider à discerner la vérité.  C'est pourquoi chaque parole qui sort de nos bouches et chaque acte que nous voudrions faire, doit naître de notre relation avec Jésus et selon sa volonté. Là, nous serons justes devant Dieu et dans cette justesse, nous rendrons gloire à Dieu.

«Le Fils de l'homme est maître du sabbat»

Abbé Austin Chukwuemeka IHEKWEME

(Ikenanzizi, Nigeria)

Aujourd'hui, face à l'accusation des pharisiens, Jésus explique le sens correct du repos sabbatique, en prenant un exemple dans l'Ancien Testament (cf. Dt 23,26): «N'avez-vous pas lu ce que fit David (…), [qui] prit les pains de l'offrande, en mangea, et en donna à ses compagnons?» (Lc 6,3-4).

La conduite de David anticipa la doctrine que le Christ enseigne dans ce passage. Dans l'Ancien Testament, Dieu avait déjà établi un ordre dans les préceptes de la Loi, pour que ceux de rang inférieur cèdent le pas aux principaux.

L'on s'explique ainsi qu'un précepte cérémoniel comme celui que nous commentons soit écarté lorsqu'il entre en conflit avec un précepte de la loi naturelle. Le précepte du sabbat n'est pas supérieur aux nécessités élémentaires de la subsistance.

Dans ce passage, le Christ enseigne quel est le sens de l'institution divine du sabbat: Dieu l'avait établi pour le bien de l'homme, pour qu'il puisse se reposer et se dédier dans la paix et la joie au culte divin. L'interprétation des pharisiens avait fait de ce jour une occasion d'angoisse et de préoccupation de par la foule des prescriptions et des prohibitions.

Le sabbat avait été établi non seulement pour que l'homme se reposât, mais aussi pour qu'il rendît gloire à Dieu: c'est là le sens authentique de l'expression «le sabbat a été fait pour l'homme» (Mc 2,27).

De plus, quand Il se déclare “maître du sabbat” (cf. Lc 6,5), Jésus manifeste ouvertement qu'Il est ce même Dieu qui a donné ce précepte au peuple d'Israël, affirmant ainsi sa divinité et son pouvoir universel. Aussi peut-Il établir d'autres lois, tout comme Yahvé dans l'Ancien Testament. Jésus peut bien se dire “maître du sabbat”, car Il est Dieu.

Demandons son aide à la Vierge pour croire et comprendre que le sabbat appartient à Dieu et qu'il est une manière —adaptée à la nature humaine— de rendre gloire et honneur au Tout-Puissant. Comme l'a écrit Saint Jean-Paul II, «le repos est une chose “sacrée”» et une occasion de «prendre conscience que tout est œuvre de Dieu».

Gospel text

(Lk 5,33-39): 

Some people asked Jesus, «The disciples of John fast often and say long prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why is it that your disciples eat and drink?». Then Jesus said to them, «You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. But later the bridegroom will be taken from them and they will fast in those days».

Jesus also told them this parable, «No one tears a piece from a new coat to put it on an old one; otherwise the new will be torn and the piece taken from the new will not match the old. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed as well. But new wine must be put into fresh skins. Yet no one who has tasted old wine is eager to get new wine, but says: The old is good».

The Application

The society where live gives us certain regulations, so that a common life be agreeable to all. It is here that some of us get so obsessed (in the family, society, office etc.) and when they have certain authority and power, wish to impose, what they think as ideal and good to everyone, without taking the sensibility or priority of the other into consideration.

Jesus invites us to look our life not in comparison of the other in the society where we live, rather, fix our attention in Him and in the will of the Father. For this, Jesus asks us to discern life and evaluate the way we manage it. He wishes that everything begins and ends in God. In God we will find stability, for the whole of creation depends on Him. Even though the world He has created is good, everything in it is not good for all.

Thus, He warns us that it is not wise for us to format our lives according to the desires or orientation of this world. It must be formatted according to the divine will and the talents and capacity that God has showered on us, to accomplish His will. The divine wisdom will help us to discern and choose well. So, it is not a question of fasting or not fasting, nor is it a question of the new or the old. For God, the whole creation is good in Him and in Him, everything is fine for us. The rest are secondary in nature and we should learn to ignore the unimportant elements of life.

Action of the day: Discern according to the divine will.

«You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them»

Fr. Frederic RÀFOLS i Vidal

(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, while pondering over the Gospel, we can detect the trap prepared by the Pharisees and masters of the Law, when they twist an important question: they simply oppose the fasting and praying of the Pharisees and John’s disciples to the eating and drinking of Jesus' disciples.

Jesus Christ tells us there is a time to pray and fast and a time to eat and drink. Which means the same person that prays and fasts is who eats and drinks. We can appreciate that in our daily life: let us watch the simple joy of a family, maybe our own family. But, later on, tribulations may visit them. The persons are the same, but circumstances differ: «You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. But later they will...» (Lk 5:34).

Timing is everything; there is a time under the sky for everything: «A time to rend, and a time to sew» (Eccles 3:7). These words uttered by a learned man of the Old Testament, certainly not the most optimistic one, almost coincide with the simple parable of the torn coat. And, to a certain extent, they probably coincide with our own experience. Our mistake appears when at the time of sewing, we tear and at the time of tearing, we sew. Then, everything goes wrong.

We are aware that, along with Jesus Christ, we shall reach the glory of Resurrection through his passion and death, and that no other way is God's way. Precisely, Simon Peter is scolded when he tries to lead the Lord away from the only way: «You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men» (Mt 16:23). If we can enjoy a few moments of peace and joy, let us make the most out of it. There will probably come other moments when we shall have to fast for good. The only difference is that, thanks God, we shall always have the bridegroom beside us. And this is what the Pharisees did not know and, maybe, this is why in the Gospel they always appear as such bad-tempered persons. Therefore, and as far as we are concerned, let us avoid being bad-tempered, while admiring the Lord's soft irony, which can be gathered from today's Gospel.