Introduction to Galations[1]
AUGUST 2 Thursday
Galatians, chapter 2, verse 11-12
11
And when Cephas
(Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was
wrong. 12
For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came,
he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of
the circumcised.
Peter
was afraid of James’ crew due to his inconsistency. The Church recognized the
freedom of Gentile Christians from the Jewish law. As we study righteousness
understand that a large part of righteous is to be consistent; in season and
out of season.
Exquisite
Purity
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Thursday
Evening First Friday Stations
make a
1-hour adoration and meditate on the FIRST; SECOND and THIRD STATIONS
Pope Benedict XVI Stations of the
Cross[4]
FIRST
STATION
Jesus
in agony in the Garden of Olives
From the Gospel according to Saint Luke. 22:41-44
Jesus withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down
and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless
not my will but yours be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven
strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat
became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
MEDITATION Jesus
was in agony. Grief and anguish came upon him. The sin of all mankind weighed
on him heavily. But the greater his pain, the more fervently did he pray. Pain
always remains a challenge to us. We feel left alone. We forget to pray, and
break down. Some even take their lives. But if we turn to God, we grow
spiritually strong and go out to help our fellow-beings in trouble. Jesus
continues to suffer in his persecuted disciples. Pope Benedict XVI says that
even in our times “the Church does not lack martyrs”. Christ is in agony among
us, and in our times. We pray for those who suffer. The mystery of Christian
suffering is that it has a redemptive value. May the harassments that believers
undergo complete in them the sufferings of Christ that bring salvation.
PRAYER Lord Jesus, enable us
to delve deeper into the great “mystery of evil” and our own contribution to
it. As sufferings came into human life through sin, it was your plan that
humanity be saved from sin through suffering. May none of the little
annoyances, humiliations, and frustrations that we undergo in our daily lives
and the great shocks that take us by surprise, go to waste. Linked with your
own agony, may the agonies we endure be acceptable to you and bring us hope.
Lord, teach us to be compassionate, not only to the hungry, thirsty, sick, or
those in some special need, but also to those inclined to be rude,
argumentative and hurtful. In this way, as you have helped us in all our
troubles, we may in turn “comfort those who are in any affliction, with the
comfort that we ourselves have received”.
SECOND
STATION
Jesus
is betrayed by Judas, and restrains Peter from violence
From the Gospel according to Saint Luke 22:47-50 and according
to Saint Matthew 26:52.56
While Jesus was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man
called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to
kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a
kiss?” And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said,
“Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the slave of the
high priest and cut off his right ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword
back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Then
all the disciples forsook him and fled.
MEDITATION It
is one of his trusted friends that betrays Jesus, and with a kiss. The way
Jesus confronted violence has a message for our times. Violence is suicidal, he
tells Peter: it is not defeated by more violence, but by a superior spiritual
energy that reaches out in the form of healing love. Jesus touches the High
Priest’s slave and heals him. The violent man today too may need a healing
touch that comes from a love that transcends the immediate issues. In times of
conflict between persons, ethnic and religious groups, nations, economic and
political interests, Jesus says, confrontation and violence are not the answer,
but love, persuasion and reconciliation. Even when we seem to fail in such
efforts, we plant the seeds of peace which will bear fruit in due time. The
rightness of our cause is our strength.
PRAYER Lord Jesus, you
consider us your friends, yet we notice traces of infidelity in ourselves. We
acknowledge our transgressions. We are presumptuous at times and
over-confident. And we fall. Let not avarice, lust or pride take us by
surprise. How thoughtlessly do we fly after ephemeral satisfactions and
untested ideas! Grant that we may not be tossed to and fro and carried about by
every wind of doctrine… but speaking the truth in love, grow up in every way
into Christ the head. May truth and sincerity of purpose be our strength.
Restrain, Lord, our impetuosity in situations of violence, as you restrained
Peter’s impulsive character. Keep us unruffled in spirit before opposition and
unfair treatment. Convince us that “A gentle answer quiets anger” in our
families, and that “gentleness” combined with “wisdom” restores tranquility in
society. “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.”
THIRD
STATION
Jesus
is held guilty by the Sanhedrin
From the Gospel according to
Saint Matthew 26:62-66
And the High Priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to
make? What is it that these men testify against you? But Jesus was silent. And
the High Priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you
are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I
tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of
Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the High Priest tore his
robes, and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What do we still need witnesses?
You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgement? They answered, “He
deserves death.”
MEDITATION In every land, there
have been innocent persons who suffered, people who died fighting for freedom,
equality or justice. Those who struggle on behalf of God’s little ones are
promoting God’s own work. For he presses for the rights of the weak and the
oppressed. Whoever collaborates in this work, in the spirit of Jesus, brings
hope to the oppressed and offers a corrective message to the evildoer himself. Jesus’
manner of struggling for justice is not to rouse the collective anger of people
against the opponent, so that they are led into forms of greater injustice. On
the contrary, it is to challenge the foe with the rightness of one’s cause and
evoke the good will of the opponent in such a way that injustice is renounced
through persuasion and a change of heart. Mahatma Gandhi brought this teaching
of Jesus on non-violence into public life with amazing success.
PRAYER Lord, often we judge others in
haste, indifferent to actual realities and insensitive to people’s feelings! We
develop stratagems of self-justification and explain away the irresponsible
manner in which we have dealt with “the other”. Forgive us! When we are
misjudged and ill-treated, Lord, give us the inner serenity and self-confidence
that your Son manifested in the face of unjust treatment. Keep us from an
aggressive response which goes against your Spirit. On the contrary, help us to
bring your powerful word of forgiveness into situations of tension and anxiety,
so that it may reveal its dynamic power in history. “In His will is our peace.”
·
Friday arise before the "cock crows"
(2 hrs. before sunrise)
meditate
on the FOURTH STATION
FOURTH
STATION
Jesus
is denied by Peter
From the Gospel according to
Saint Luke. 22:54-62
Then they seized Jesus and led him away, bringing him into the
high priest’s house. Peter followed at a distance; and when they had kindled a
fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among
them. Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said,
“This man was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”
And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still
another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man was also with him; for he is a
Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying.” And
immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned
and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said
to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he
went out and wept bitterly.
MEDITATION Peter claimed to be
strong, but he broke down before a servant girl. Human weakness takes us by
surprise, and we collapse. That is why Jesus asks us to watch and pray. He
urges self-renunciation and closeness to God. There is a rebellious “self”
within us. We are often of “two minds”, but we fail to recognize this inner
inconsistency. Peter recognized it when his eyes met the eyes of Jesus, and he
wept. Later, Thomas, encountering the Risen Lord, acknowledged his own
faithlessness and believed. In the light of Christ, Paul became aware of the
inconsistency within himself, and he overcame it with the Lord’s help. Going
deeper still, he discovered: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who
lives in me.”
PRAYER Lord, how easily do we allow
a distance to grow between what we profess to be and what we really are! How
often do we fail to carry out our own decisions, or even fulfil our most solemn
promises! And as a result we often hesitate to make any permanent commitment,
even to you! We confess that we have failed to bring into our life that inner
discipline that is expected of any adult person and required for the success of
any human endeavor. Give sturdiness to our inner determination; help us to
bring every good work we have begun to a successful conclusion. Enable us to
stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, “in complete obedience to
God’s will”.
·
Friday after sunrise
meditate
on the FIFTH STATION
FIFTH
STATION
Jesus
is judged by Pilate
A third time Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I
have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and
release him”. But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be
crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their
demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison
for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to
their will.
MEDITATION It was not the
rightness of an issue that mattered to Pilate, but his professional interests.
Such an attitude did not help him, either in this case or in his later career.
He was so unlike Jesus, whose inner rectitude made him fearless. Nor was Pilate
interested in the truth. He walks away from Jesus exclaiming, “What is truth?”
Such indifference to truth is not uncommon these days. People are often
concerned about what gives immediate satisfaction. They are content with
superficial answers. Decisions are made based not on principles of integrity,
but on opportunistic considerations. Failing to make morally responsible
options damages the vital interests of the human person, and of the human
family. We pray that the “spiritual and ethical concepts” contained in the word
of God will inspire the living norms of society in our times.
PRAYER Lord, give us the courage to
make responsible decisions when rendering a public service. Bring probity (correctness) into public life and
assist us to be true to our conscience. Lord, you are the source of all
Truth. Guide us in our search for ultimate answers. Going beyond mere partial
and incomplete explanations, may we search for what is permanently true,
beautiful and good. Lord, keep us fearless before the “slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune”. When shadows grow deep on life’s wearisome paths, and the
dark night comes, enable us to hearken to the teaching of your Apostle Paul:
“Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.”
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
29. 'Pray that I may never be satisfied with what is easy.' I have
prayed. Now it is up to you to carry out that fine resolution.
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
[1]http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Galatians&ch=
[3]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1129
[5]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
Comments
Post a Comment