2, Scripture Readings – Summaries of the readings of each Sunday Mass (by Chris Oliver)

Scripture Readings

Exod 22:20-26 (cf 24:9-11) Ps 17 1 Thess 1:5-10 Matt 22:34-40

After the 10 Commandments, which are rather general, the Lord gave detailed rules for living. This mini-covenant contained practical laws and punishments, as we can see from today’s reading. A covenant is a formal contract made ritually. In this case a treaty in which the Lord promises favour and the people agree to undertake certain obligations. Moses sprinkled blood on the people to seal this covenant with the Lord. They then celebrated a sacrificial meal, eating and drinking in the Lord’s presence to confirm that the people now belonged to the family of the Lord.

Continuing our reading from the earliest surviving Christian document, Paul concludes his address to the Thessalonians with fulsome praise for them. He knows that they are chosen and loved by God because he has heard from others of the example they give. Especially for their imitation of Christ, and their acceptance of the word of the risen Lord, in spite of suffering persecution.

In the Gospel it is now the turn of the Pharisees to test Jesus. But they fare no better than the Sadducees last week. Again Jesus shows that he is the authoritative interpreter of the Jewish Scriptures. Even the detailed rules given to Moses can be summed up in the requirement to love God and your neighbour.

Psalm Response: I love you, Lord, my strength.

From My Heart to Your Heart

HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU LOVE ME?

Haside Rabbi Levi Ytzhak of Ukrane was fond of saying that he had learned the true meaning of love from a drunken peasant.

While visiting the owner of a tavern in the Polish countryside, the rabi overheard the conversation of two men seated at the nearby table. Both had had a fair ammount to drink and both were feeling quite mellow. With their arms around one another, they were professing how much each loved the other. Suddenly, the older of the two, Ivan, looked at his friend and asked , “Peter tell me, what hurts me?” Bleary.eyed but slightly sobered by such question Peter looked at Ivan and answered with a question of his own: “How do I know what hurts you?” Ivan’s response came quickly. “If you don’t know what hurts me how can you say you love me?”

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. In these two commandments hang the whole law, and the prophets also. (Math. 22: 34-40)

If you knew the pain of your worst enemy, you would become his best friend.

Scripture Readings

Isa 45:1, 4-6, Ps 95:1. 3-5. 7-10 r.7, 1 Thess 1:1-5, Matt 22:15-21

Second Isaiah insists that every event, good or bad, is caused by God. The conquest and exile of Israel by Babylon contributed towards God’s purpose. And so does the freedom given them about 530 BC by Cyrus, King of Persia, whom God calls his ‘anointed’ or ‘messiah’, because he did God’s work. Thus all men, including Gentiles, though they do not know him, will know that there is only one God, the Lord.

For the last 5 Sundays of Ordinary Time we read from Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, which he founded about AD 50. Thessalonica is about 60 miles west of Philippi, and also on the road from Byzantium to Rome. Paul later sent Silvanus and Timothy back to support the new community. This letter was written from Corinth after Timothy returned to tell Paul about the church’s progress. It is the earliest Christian writing we have. Centuries before the idea of the Trinity developed, Paul distinguishes clearly between “God our Father”, “our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “the Holy Spirit”.

Over the next three weeks we hear the final three discussions in Matthew’s Gospel between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They ironically address Jesus as “Teacher”, but he silences them: he alone has the authority to interpret the Jewish Scriptures.

Psalm Response: Give the Lord glory and power

From my heart to your heart

by Father Bernadino

DON’T CHANGE

Robert was a victim of a few addictions. He felt miserable. His family felt miserable. His friends felt miserable. Every person approached him to make him to change. He was a liar, a cheater and would make fun of all those who dared to give him advice. There were threats, bribes, promises, begging but he looked insensitive to everyone.
One day, after so many frustrations and so many friends quitting on him, and after so many prayers, Robert looked like a different man. He became sober, clean, hard worker, with a great sense of humour, a loving husband and a loving father. Nobody could believe in what was happening. All his acquaintances felt tempted to think and to say “Boy… this man looks like Robert. I wish Robert became like him”.
Finally, slowly, everyone admitted that this man was the real Robert and everyone was very happy about him.
All his friends wanted to know the secret. What happened to you and how did it happen?
Robert with a smile, where they could see a mixture of happiness and sadness, shared what had happened:
I was feeling sick. I was feeling miserable. I had no hope. Nothing mattered in my life. I had no reasons to live. When my friends greeted me they didn’t even ask me: “How are you, Robert”? The only thing they used to say was: “Change your life Robert. Please change. If you don´t change you are going to die and especially your family is going to feel happy that you have died. Please change, Robert”. Even my best friend Joe kept telling me: “Change Robert, change. I love you. I am your best friend. Do that for me, Robert”. But I could not change. I felt helpless. My self esteem was zero. It seemed that I was already doomed to hell before my death and after my death.
One day, my best friend Joe came to me and said: “Robert! I came to have a cup of coffee with you and tell you something very important: Don´t change. You don´t have to change. I love you the way you are. No strings attached. No conditions attached. I love you the way you are. I will always be here for you. Count always on me”.
Then a miracle happened. On that day I changed.
One of the slogans of People Helping People is “Only love frees”. Mother Teresa used to say that: “If you start by judging people you are too busy to love them”. And finally these are the words of a Man who inspired the project People Helping People: “Don´t judge others and God will not judge you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others” (Math. 7: 1-2). The name of that Man is Jesus.

Scripture Readings

Isa 25:6-10 Ps 22 Phil 4:12-14, 19-20 Matt 22:1-14

After the desolation of the earth and the final judgement, Isaiah describes in mouth-watering detail the great banquet the Lord will provide. It will be on Mount Zion and all peoples are invited. Not only will all sorrows be wiped away, but also the ultimate worry – death – will be destroyed. The familiar Psalm 22 repeats these assurances.

Our readings from Paul’s letter to the Philippians conclude with Paul again thanking them for their continued support and the money they had sent him. God’s help enables him to be content whatever his problems, but their thoughtfulness is especially welcome now that he is in prison. He ends his letter with a fond farewell: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”.

The first reading helps us to understand Matthew’s parable of the wedding feast. The kingdom of heaven is to be compared to a feast – the heavenly banquet to which all are invited. But if we accept the invitation we must prepare adequately and be willing to participate fully. Otherwise we may still be thrown out. Our membership must be visible to others. We must do more than just belong. Like the Philippians we must share what we have with the community we have joined, and with those in need.

Psalm Response: In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Scripture Readings

Isa 5:1-7 Ps 79 Phil 4:6-9 Matt 21:33-43

First Isaiah was writing before 700 BC, when Assryia threatened and eventually overwhelmed Israel. Isaiah insists that only being faithful to God will protect the nation from disaster. Just in case his hearers don’t get the message, Isaiah adds that the unproductive vineyard is the house of Israel, where the Lord looked for justice but received bloodshed. The Lord had lavished care on Israel but they sinned against him, especially with crimes of injustice.

In his affectionate farewell to the Philippians, Paul urges them to “rejoice in the Lord always”, not anxious, but thinking about all that is good, letting the Lord know all their needs. Paul challenges them to imitate him in the way he relies on the Lord. Then God’s grace will bring them peace. Our God is the God of peace. He not seeking to catch us out, but longs for us to accept the peace he offers and to rely on him totally.

It is easy to see where Matthew got the idea for his parable in today’s Gospel, which follows immediately after last week’s story of the two sons. Matthew has brought Isaiah’s tale up to date with the murder of the prophets and even the Lord’s son. As with Isaiah’s prediction, Israel would again be devastated, in AD70.

Psalm Response: The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel

The Day’s Readings

Jer 20:7-9        Ps 62   Rom 12:1-2    Mt 16:21-27

Jeremiah, probably before 600 BC, and so before the exile, criticised Israel for worshipping other gods. So Pashtur, the chief priest, beat Jeremiah and put him in the stocks. Next day, when he was released, Jeremiah told Pashtur that he would go to Babylon, where he and all his friends would die. Jeremiah then continued with this lament that God had misled him, because he had to suffer so much on the Lord’s behalf, and had begun to wonder – or doubt – whether his call from God was real.
After marvelling last week at the impossibility of understanding God’s plans, Paul goes on to encourage the Romans to “let your behaviour change”. Like Jeremiah, they must “not be conformed to this world”, but be “transformed by the renewal of your mind”, discovering and doing the will of God.
In Matthew’s gospel Jesus starts to instruct the disciples how he is to suffer, in accordance with God’s will. Peter objects, but Jesus turns on Peter with similar words he used to Satan after his Baptism. Poor Peter! He has just been given the power to bind and loose, but now he is told he is not on God’s side, but is thinking like the world!
 
Psalm Response:         My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

MY HEART TO YOUR HEART

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

“Respect Life Sunday” in America

Today is “Respect Life Sunday” in America, where I lived and worked for 32 years. Today, I am on the mainland of Portugal taking part in a retreat for people who have gone through a tragic and traumatic experience of an abortion. It is called “Project Rachel”. Nobody will be able to forget a son/daughter who was not born. It is a compassionate and healing retreat for those who suffer the trauma of killing their babies.
It is obvious that especially today my heart is with the babies who have been destroyed in what was supposed to be the safest place in the world(the womb of their mother). But my heart is also with the mothers who, in a moment of confusion, made a decision that would become a nightmare for the rest of their lives.
From an American publication(Fr. Tony Kadavill) I got this information:
The number of unborn children slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers in the last 25 years is 1200 million in the world and 37 million in the USA(4400 per day in the US). Almost half of the women in the US over the age of 40 have undergone an abortion, with or without the consent of the baby’s father.
The Church cares about the women who have had abortions, forgives them, heals them and brings them peace with God, with their lost children and with themselves. The Church reminds us that abortion is a mortal sin, but promises any woman who has had an abortion that if she truly repents of her sin, she will find welcome and forgiveness.

Thoughts on Today’s Scripture Readings

Isa 55:6-9      Ps 144    Phil 1:20-24, 27    Matt 20:1-16a

A few weeks ago Isaiah 55 invited us to the joyful banquet the Lord has prepared for us. In every Mass before Communion we are “called to the supper of the Lamb”. Today’s reading from the same chapter of Isaiah urges us to “seek the Lord while he may be found”: hidden and unimaginably different from us, yet he is near and wanting to give us his forgiveness. The Psalm sums it all beautifully: The Lord is kind, just, and “close to all who call him”.
For the next four weeks the second reading is from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, probably written about 57 AD from Ephesus. Paul’s writes to thank the Philippians for the money they had sent him while he was in prison, and to encourage them to support each other in their pagan surroundings. Paul is very clear about his future life with Christ immediately after death. Sharing in Christ’s suffering means also sharing in the joy of the union with Christ which such suffering brings. Paul is torn between wishing to be gone and so be with Christ, or staying alive suffering in the Lord’s work.
In Matthew’s gospel even those rejected by others are swept up into the Lord’s vineyard. Justice to those hired first is balanced by mercy to the latecomers.

Psalm Response:    The Lord is close to all who call him.

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

NO OTHER PLANS

A beautiful old story tells us tells us of how Jesus, after His Ascension into Heaven, was surrounded by the Holy Angels who began to enquire about His work on earth. Jesus told them about His birth , life, preaching , death and resurrection, and how He had accomplished the salvation of the world.

The angel Gabriel asked, “Well, now that you are back in Heaven, who will continue your work on earth?”
Jesus said, “While I was on earth, I gathered a group of people around me who believed in me and loved me. They will continue to spread the Gospel and carry on the work of the Church.”
Gabriel was perplexed. “You mean Peter, who denied you thrice and all the rest who ran away when you were crucified? You mean to tell us that you left them to carry on your work? And what will you do if this plan doesn’t work?”.
Jesus said:”I have no other plan – it must work”.

Jesus has no other plan than to depend on the efforts of his followers. Jesus has no other plans than to depend on you and me. The tragedy is that you and I have power to sabotage the plans of Jesus.

Thoughts on Today’s Scripture Readings

Num 21:4-9;   Ps 77;   Phil 2:6-11;   Jn 3:13-17

The Book of Numbers carries Israel’s story forward from the giving of the covenant to Moses on Mount Sinai, to the end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. God walked with them throughout, always caring for them, often in face of their grumblings. Today we hear how they were still grumbling even as they neared the Promised Land. The rebellious people are forgiven for the last time before leaving the wilderness. Moses raised up an image of a fiery serpent on a standard which cured the serpents’ bites. Incense was later offered to a bronze serpent standing in the Temple. Serpents appeared to regenerate themselves by shedding their skins, so they were seen as symbolising life.
Paul is generally believed to have written this letter to the Philippians from Ephesus around 57 AD. The Christians in Philippi were suffering both internal divisions and antagonism from their neighbours. Paul is united with them through his own suffering, and together they are united with Christ in his suffering. He exhorts them to selflessness, encouraging them by quoting this early Christian hymn.
These readings come together in John’s Gospel: Jesus tells Nicodemus that “the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert”. Through the Cross “everyone who believes” in Jesus as God’s Son “may have eternal life”.

Psalm Response:Never forget the deeds of the Lord

MY HEART TO YOUR HEART by Father Bernadino Andrade

HAPPINESS IS MY DECISION

A 92 year old, petit, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by 8 o’clock, with his air fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. 
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he manoeuvred his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
“I love it”, he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year old having just been presented with a new puppy.
– “Mr. Jones, you haven’t seen the room; just wait”, I replied. Happiness is something you decide ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you have put in.
So my advice to you would be to to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. (Anonymous)

Thoughts on Today’s Scripture Readings

Ezek 33:7-9 Ps 94 Rom 13:8-10 Matt 18:15-20

Ezekiel says the authority of religious leaders comes with a daunting responsibility – and penalty for getting it wrong. If religious leaders fail to instruct the people correctly, they will suffer the same fate as the sinners they have failed to guide wisely, just as God threatened Israel’s leaders during the exile for leading the people astray. After the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, Ezekiel promises hope for a future return to Jerusalem – but only if the people accept individual responsibility for sins and purify themselves of false gods.
Paul’s advice to the Romans on Christian living continues: obey secular authorities, whose authority comes from God, and pay the taxes and respect that is their due. Above all “love your neighbour as yourself”.
The first reading helps us to understand the Gospel. But the awesome authority of the Church to bind and loose on God’s behalf is put into context by the last verse of the Gospel reading. “Where two or three meet in Jesus’ name”, Jesus will be in their midst – and by implication he will be guiding their decision-making, so their decisions will be in tune with God’s will. The Church’s power to include or exclude individuals is not to be exercised carelessly, but only after due deliberation by the whole Christian community.
Psalm Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! “Harden not your hearts”.

MY HEART TO YOUR HEART by Father Bernadino

WEDDING RINGS SOLD FOR LOVE

It happened just a few hours ago. My eyes are still wet and my heart still bleeding. For the first time I saw this young couple inside the Chapel of the Hospital to attend my 12:00 o´clock Mass. He is 26 years old and she is 25. His mother attended Mass with them. After Mass they entered my office with a special request. They wanted me to bless their «Wedding Rings». They have been married for six years. As a normal couple they exchanged their wedding rings during the ceremony and were very happy with their marriage and with their wedding rings. This was six years ago.

After three years of a happy marriage both lost their jobs. No food, no medicine, no money no hope. But there was love and their wedding rings.They had a few pieces of gold – among them their wedding rings. What to do when there is not a glass of milk, a slice of bread, an egg? When there is not a spoon of rice, a slice of potato? When there is nothing to eat. Among other things this precious young couple decided to sell their wedding rings. It was the only way they had to buy food and survive.

It happened that his sister had an engagement ring. The relationship with her fiancée didn´t work. Both engagement rings were offered to her brother and her sister in law. They were golden rings. In my office this precious young couple exchanged their wedding rings «as a sign of their love and fidelity» with a special blessing of the church. Three years with their wedding rings. Three years without wedding rings. A life to share their commitment to love each other for better and for worse.

Thoughts on the Days Readings

Jer 20:7-9        Ps 62   Rom 12:1-2    Mt 16:21-27

Jeremiah, probably before 600 BC, and so before the exile, criticised Israel for worshipping other gods. So Pashtur, the chief priest, beat Jeremiah and put him in the stocks. Next day, when he was released, Jeremiah told Pashtur that he would go to Babylon, where he and all his friends would die. Jeremiah then continued with this lament that God had misled him, because he had to suffer so much on the Lord’s behalf, and had begun to wonder – or doubt – whether his call from God was real.
After marvelling last week at the impossibility of understanding God’s plans, Paul goes on to encourage the Romans to “let your behaviour change”. Like Jeremiah, they must “not be conformed to this world”, but be “transformed by the renewal of your mind”, discovering and doing the will of God.
In Matthew’s gospel Jesus starts to instruct the disciples how he is to suffer, in accordance with God’s will. Peter objects, but Jesus turns on Peter with similar words he used to Satan after his Baptism. Poor Peter! He has just been given the power to bind and loose, but now he is told he is not on God’s side, but is thinking like the world!
 
Psalm Response:         My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

MY HEART TO YOUR HEART .. by Father Bernadino

SIX O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING

Mrs. Smith was an elderly and lonely lady living by herself in a big and almost empty house. One day she decided to call the nearest hotel. On the other end of the line a receptionist answered with a tender and kind voice.
Good morning. May I help you?
Good morning, said Mrs. Smith, also with a sweet and frail voice. Could you please tell me, what time is it?
It’s six o’clock in the morning.
Thank you. You are so kind. Have a beautiful day.
Have a beautiful day too.
The following morning Margaret repeated what started being her daily ritual. She called again the same number. On the other end of the line the same receptionist, the same kindness. Again, the following morning, the same call, from the same person with the same question.
Good morning. May I help you?
Yes. Would you please tell me what time is it?
At this point, the receptionist became inpatient, changed the tone of her voice and answered:
It’s six o’clock in the morning. Can’t you buy a clock and see the time by yourself without bothering other people every day?
I am so sorry for bothering you. I am really sorry. Please forgive me. In my house I have three alarm clocks, three wrist watches and two hall clocks But when I wake up in the morning not one of them tells me «good morning» the way you do. I am sorry. Have a wonderful day.
At this point it was the receptionist who, keeping the receiver in her hand for long time, felt very sorry. God is in every corner and every place and every person we find in our lives, but He is especially present in those who are lonely, who are excluded, in those who bother us, who don’t know how to follow rules. Yes. He is especially present in those who are most repugnant and are good for nothing. (Math. 25)

Thoughts on Today’s Scripture Readings

Is 22:19-23      Ps 137 Rom 11:33-36            Mt 16:13-20
A good example of the Old Testament helping us to understand the New. In Matthew’s gospel reading today Jesus gives Peter power to “bind and loose”. Isaiah, predicting the expulsion of self-seeking officials, describes what this power means: Eliakim, newly appointed as “master of the palace”, is given complete authority to decide who may enter the House of David – and who may not. And he is to be “a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the House of Judah”. Like Eliakim, Peter, and – in chapter 18 – all the apostles, are given authority to make eternal decisions, which will be upheld by God. In last Sunday’s reading from chapter 11 of Romans, Paul suggested that he was sent as the apostle to the pagans “in order to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them”. Israel, even while attacking the gospel, is still God’s “beloved”, since God never takes back his promises. This week Paul brings us to gasp in awe and wonder at the daring brilliance of God’s plan, which we can never fully comprehend.
This chapter of Matthew’s gospel began with Jesus finally breaking off discussions with the Jewish authorities. Now recognised as divine, Jesus, begins to form his disciples into a community to continue his work after his death.
 
Psalm Response: Your love, O Lord, is eternal: discard not the work of your hands.

MY HEART TO YOUR HEART

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

NOW CARRY ME

Bob was a busy sales man. He used to travel a lot but his marriage and his family were always first. Every time he travelled Bob would bring home special gifts for his wife and children. Bob’s little daughter was paralized. One day when he came home Bob brought a big box for his wife and greeted his daughter seated on the floor waiting for him.
    – What’s that daddy? 
    – A special gift for your mother.
    – Daddy, she asked, give it to me and let me take it to mommy.
    – It is too heavy, darling. You can’t carry this weight.
    – Pease, Daddy. Give it to me. I want to take it to mommy. 
    – Sweet heart, you know that you can not walk. Your legs are very week. You have no strength in your arms and legs to carry this box.
    – Please, please give it to me. 
    – OK. I will give it to you and you will immediately see that you will not be able and have no strength to carry this box by yourself and give it to your mother. Then Bob gently put the box on her daughter’s knees.
    Bob’s little girl grabbed the box with her arms and, smiling, looked at her father and said:
      – Now daddy you carry me.
    Somtimes the burdens and the decisions in life look to heavy for us. The solution is to look to God in intimate prayer and say:
    – Abba, Father, now carry me.