Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Lectionary: 491
Reading 1
Wisdom 1:1-7
Love justice, you who judge the earth;
think of the Lord in goodness,
and seek him in integrity of heart;
Because he is found by those who test him not,
and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him.
For perverse counsels separate a man from God,
and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy;
Because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not,
nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin.
For the holy Spirit of discipline flees deceit
and withdraws from senseless counsels;
and when injustice occurs it is rebuked.
For wisdom is a kindly spirit,
yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips;
Because God is the witness of his inmost self
and the sure observer of his heart
and the listener to his tongue.
For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world,
is all-embracing, and knows what man says.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 139:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Alleluia
Philippians 2:15d, 16a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 17:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,'
you should forgive him."
And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Loving Every Sinner
Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.” Luke 17:1–2
Having a millstone placed around your neck and thrown into the sea is very descriptive. Jesus is using very evocative language. A millstone was a large round stone with a hole in the center. If it were placed around someone’s neck and they were thrown into the sea, they would obviously sink to the bottom and die. Thus, Jesus is clearly stating that this awful fate is actually better than the fate of those who cause “one of these little ones to sin.”
First of all, it should be clarified that no one can actually cause us to sin. Sin is our own free choice, and we, and we alone, will be held accountable for our own sin. One thing that Jesus is pointing out here is that even though every person must take responsibility for their own actions and their own sins, we must also take responsibility for the ways that we act as tempters of others. We are all sinners. Therefore, by our sin, we will all tempt others to sin also. Sometimes we will tempt people to sin by provoking them to anger. At other times we will tempt others to sin by setting a poor example. And on the contrary, we also have the ability to “tempt” people to virtue. Or more properly speaking, to inspire and encourage them.
With that said, Jesus explains that the fate of those who act as tempters of others, especially the “little ones,” will suffer consequences graver than an untimely death. The little ones of which Jesus speaks should be understood as those who are weak in faith, overly sensitive, particularly vulnerable at that time in their life, and susceptible to outside influence. This could be a child, or it could be someone who is currently teetering on the edge of despair, confusion, anger, or any serious sin. When you encounter people like this, how do you treat them? Jesus has a deep heart of compassion for these people and wants us to have the same depth of compassion. But sometimes we fail. We may be negligent in our duty to reach out to them. Even this negligence could be a form of causing “one of these little ones to sin.” Of course, it is even far worse if we were to actively agitate them, harshly judge them, provoke their anger, draw them into some sin of weakness and false consolation by our temptation, etc. The simple truth is that Jesus loves those who are weak, vulnerable and sinful, and He wants us to love them with His heart. When we fail to do so, Jesus will hold us accountable for their further fall from grace.
Reflect, today, upon the person or persons in your life that appear especially vulnerable, sinful, confused and lost at this time. Who is it that struggles with anger, or an addiction or some sinful lifestyle? Ponder your attitude toward them. Are you judgmental, condemning, belittling and the like? Do you tempt them to fall further into any sins of weakness they commit in a vulnerable state, thus leading them into further sin? Or, when you encounter someone who is greatly struggling, do you turn to them with the deepest compassion and mercy, forgiving any ways that they may sin against you, and work hard only to be there for them in their need, no matter how hard it is on you? Commit yourself to a profound love of all of God’s “little ones” and seek to serve them with the heart of Christ so that one day they will eternally rejoice with you in Heaven.
Reflection 2
By Fr. Pedro-José YNARAJA i Díaz
(El Montanyà, Barcelona, Spain)
“And if he wrongs you seven times in one day… you should forgive him”
Today, the Gospel speaks of three important topics. First, our behavior with children. If on other occasions childhood has been praised, on this one we are warned of the evil we can cause them.
To scandalize is not to make lots of noise, as sometimes we understand it; the Greek word which the evangelist uses is “skandalon”, meaning something which makes you stumble upon or slip, like a stone or a banana peel, to say it more clearly. We must highly respect infants, and woe to the one who brings them to sin, in any way! (cf. Lk 17:1). Jesus anticipates the great punishment that waits for him and He does it with very vivid images. In the Holy Land we can still find some very old millstones; they are great round stones with a hole in the midst (they may also remind us, on a larger scale, of the cervical collars we wear when suffering a trauma). Putting the stone around the scandalous one's neck and throwing him into the sea expresses a most terrible punishment. Jesus uses an almost dark humor language example here. Woe to us if we cause one of these little ones to fall! And there are many ways to cause them to sin: to lie, to be ambitious, to be unjustly triumphant. To devote oneself to tasks that will satisfy their vanity...
Secondly, forgiveness. Jesus asks us to forgive, as many times as needed, even in the same day, if the other is sorry, even if our soul resents it: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” (Lk 17:3). Our capacity to forgive is the measuring stick of our charity.
Lastly, faith: more than mind wealth (in a strictly human meaning), is a “mood”, the outcome of God's experience, is to be able to act by leaning on his confidence. St. Ignatius of Antioch says: “Faith is the beginning of true life”. Who acts with faith may attain true wonders; this is how the Lord expresses it when He says: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Lk 17:6).
Reflection 3
By David Crawford
Creighton University - retired
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!
A few days ago, I was at the airport to pick up my son, who was flying in from out of town for a short visit. While I was waiting for him to arrive, I had a wonderful opportunity to watch a mother working to keep her 2-year-old daughter from getting bored while the father was at the rental car counter. Mom’s efforts were all teaching related – how to climb into a big chair and sit properly, identifying colors and shapes, pronouncing strange words, etc. I was impressed at the mother’s positive, encouraging and patient attitude, especially given the little girl’s short attention span and varying levels of interest. At one point, Mom tried to get Dad’s attention. “Nick.” No answer. “Nick.” Again, no answer. Mom tried once more, this time with a little frustration and an emphasis on each syllable: “Nicholas!” Delightedly, the little girl started chanting “Ni-cho-las! Ni-cho-las!” over and over as she marched in a circle, ignoring her mother’s attempts to quiet her and to instruct how to address her “Daddy.”
Now, I am not suggesting that Mom did anything wrong or that the 2-year-old was being sinful. What I noticed, though, is that the little girl seemed to learn and embrace what was said – pretty mildly, I might add – in an unguarded moment of frustration. What are we teaching our little ones in our unguarded moments? For that matter, what are we teaching them with how we go about our everyday lives, at home and in public? Can they tell that we love God with all our hearts, souls and minds (Matthew 22:37), or do we teach them that loving God is something we do at church, certain holidays, and then only if there is not something more “important” (like sports or extra sleep)? Can they tell that we love our neighbors (Matthew 22:39), but not when they make us mad, do something we don’t like, or give us something to gossip about? Do they know that we love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), or do we teach that anger and hostility are the ways to respond to people with whom we disagree (many of whom we have never met and only know through the media) about local, state, national and international issues, parties or persons in politics, labor, culture, etc., etc.? When we are right about something, is love apparent or are we, to paraphrase Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 13, just making dissonant, unpleasant noise with no great value? Do we seek justice for the oppressed, even for those with whom we find ourselves in opposition and even when the person doing the injustice is someone we like; do we love mercy, even when it means someone we dislike may not be punished severely; and do we walk humbly with our God, even when it may mean something is not done the way we want (Micah 6:8)?
There are so many things in our daily lives that challenge us, and we so many examples of people responding to hatred with hatred, to violence with violence. We who follow Christ are called to respond differently, lovingly. What Dr. King professed so many years ago is still true today: “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” We just need faith, no bigger than a mustard seed, that love, which comes from God and is God (1 John 4:7-8), is ours.
Prayers
My most compassionate Lord, You love the sinner and deeply desire that they turn to You in their need. Please give me Your heart of compassion so that I will be free to love them as You love them. May I never become an instrument of temptation for them to fall further away from You but, instead, become an instrument of Your unfailing mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord, please free me from having a judgmental heart. You and You alone probe the minds and hearts of all Your children. Give me insight into my own soul so that I may continually examine my life in the light of Your Truth, and give me a heart of mercy that I may love others with the Mercy of Your Divine Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, you give us victory over the destructive forces of sin and harmful desires that keep us from doing your will. Give me the strength to always choose what is good and to reject what is wrong. May your love and truth rule my heart that I may give good example to others and guide those who need your wise instruction and help.
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