Thoughts on Today’s Scripture Readings
Acts 12:1-11 Ps 332 Tim 4:6-8; 17-18 Matt 16:13-19
This chapter of Acts is the last about the Jerusalem church before Paul’s missionary journeys. We hear about Peter’s third arrest, this time by Herod who is the grandson of the Herod when Jesus was born. The story of Peter being freed from prison is so lovingly told that the parallels with Jesus’ arrest may be missed. Like Jesus, Peter was arrested during the Passover, and was also taken for a ghost, here by the maid, Rhoda, who shuts the door in his face. The angel who proclaimed Jesus to be risen, and who frees Peter, goes on to strike Herod dead.
A rather lonely Paul, abandoned in prison in Rome, writes these encouraging words to Timothy. Paul has solemnly commissioned Timothy to take over his ministry, and Paul urges him to keep on preaching the true Christian message in its entirety. But this will inevitably lead to similar suffering and Timothy will need always to rely on the Lord’s strength.
Today’s gospel is Matthew’s version of Jesus asking who people say he is. It is similar to Luke’s version. But Matthew inserts the well-known commissioning of Peter to be the rock of the Church, the only reference in all the gospels to the whole Church, and probably added later.
Psalm Response: From all my terrors the Lord set me free
FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
THE POOR ARE POOR BECAUSE THEY LIKE IT
Kazimerz Symanski of Poland was a prisoner of war during World War II.
There is no record of what happened to Symanski in the prison camp, but his experiences there obviously changed him. In his later years, Symanski seemed bent on reliving his prison experience. He even turned his small apartment into a prison cell. He put bars over the windows and constructed a small cage in which he slept. He refused to allow electricity or running water in his apartment. He seemed determined to live in the most primitive and confining conditions. Symanski died in 1993 from effects of his living conditions.
(Told by Fr. Tony Kadavil).
Did Symanski died in this dungeon because he liked it? Was it his choice? I would love to hear a group of psychologists and sociologists discussing this matter. Working with the poor during my entire life this has been one of the biggest accusations I have heard against the poor.
«They are poor because they like to be poor. They like to beg. They like an easy life».
When I ask help for the poor and people start lecturing me and giving me their «deep knowledge» about the poor accusing them of being lazy, abusers, liars, judging them and accusing them with all these kind of information, I just feel like saying «Thank you for your expertise about the poor. Don´t worry. But if one day you need help here is my phone number. I am part of a project called People Helping People. You can count on us. We are not experts in the field but we will be happy to help you if we have the money. I promise we will not humiliate you and call you names».
«LOVERS ALWAYS LOOK INSANE FOR THE NON LOVERS».
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