January 20

January 20, 2014:  Monday, 2nd week, Ordinary Time

Readings

• 1 Sm 15:16-23  Samuel/Saul:  “The Lord sent you to exterminate the sinful Amalekites.  Why have you disobeyed?  You pounced on the spoil.” / “I obeyed, destroying Amalek, but my men took from the spoil for sacrifice.” / “Obedience is better than sacrifice.  Because you rejected God's command, he has rejected you as ruler.”

• Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23  "To the upright I will show the saving power of God."  Why profess my covenant with your mouth but hate discipline?  I'll correct you.  Offer praise as your sacrifice; I'll save those who go the right way.

• Mk 2:18-22  People/Jesus:  “Why do John's and the Pharisees' disciples fast but not yours?” / “Wedding guests can't fast while the groom is with them, but they will when he's taken away.  No one pours new wine into old skins lest both be ruined.  New wine, fresh skins!”

Pope Francis

• Homily:  The word of God is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, visiting us, and illumining our heart and soul; it discerns.  It says what it wants, not what I expect or hope or want.  It comes as a surprise; God always does new things.  God, the Gospel, Revelation is newness.  Be docile, open to the new wine in fresh skins.  Am I, or do I do what I believe it is or pass it through an alembic to become different?  If I do, I become worse like an old garment with unshrunken cloth.

Adapting oneself to God's word, being open, takes an ascetic attitude.  King Saul forgot God is newness:  God told him to destroy everything, but Saul reasoned he could take spoils according to the old custom; Samuel rightly reproved him.  Christian freedom and obedience consist in being docile to God's word, having courage to become fresh skins, to discern what the spirit wants and where the spirit is leading me, and to obey.

• Gospel Joy (Evangelii Gaudium drill-down), continuing Chapter 4 (a series):

Communal and societal repercussions of the kerygma:  Life in community and engagement with others is at the heart of the Gospel, so the first proclamation (kerygma) has an immediate moral implication centered on charity.  (4.I, 177, p. 139) 

Reflections

• Creighton:  Be in communion with the Lord.  Samuel talks about obedience, Jesus about being present.  Relationships, with God as with others, need time, care, concern, forgiveness, and humility.

• RC.net:  Jesus said there are times for feasting and fasting, then warned about closed minds.

• Universalis:
• Pope St. Fabian, martyr
• St. Sebastian, martyr
• Bl. Cyprian Michael Tansi, priest, monk, example of patience and charity.

• Sacred Space

Music

• Psalm 50:  To the upright I will show the saving power of God/ Celoni (psalm but not all its verses)

Mary, the movie

Yesterday I saw Mary of Nazareth, kindly hosted by our parish.  CatholicMom, CatholicAuthor, and others have written much about it, but I'm compelled to add I considered the film outstanding.  Just as the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius includes a contemplation on the Risen Jesus' apparition to Mary, this movie shows things about Mary nobody can really know, but IMHO in good taste to inspire reflection, such as additional "fiat"s/"Here I am"s after the one to Gabriel (e.g., after "Woman, behold your son," earlier, and later), her strong presence during Jesus' public ministry, and her childhood.  (Try to ignore that she doesn't seem to age between being a teen mom and Golgotha.)

Apparel (sorry about the blur)

• "Grapes" pin:  new wine, fresh skins (gospel)

• "Animal sacrifice" pin:  Saul's spoils (1st reading)

Dress your life!

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