Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Jesus’ teaches His apostles a total dependence on Him


February 4, 2016

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day: (Saint Jane of Valois, Queen and Religious (†1505) 

Reading 1

1When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon:[1] 2“I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man.
3Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following His ways and observing His statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, 4and the LORD may fulfill the promise He made on my behalf when He said, ‘If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to Me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.’”

10David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, with his sovereignty firmly established.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (12b) Lord, you are exalted over all.

10“Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.”

R. Lord, you are exalted over all.

11a“Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory.”

R. Lord, you are exalted over all.

11b“LORD, you are exalted over all. 11cYours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; 11dyou are exalted as head over all. 12aRiches and honor are from you.”

R. Lord, you are exalted over all.

12c“In your hand are power and might; 12dit is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.”

R. Lord, you are exalted over all.

Alleluia Mark 1:15 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

7Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.[2] 8He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick –no food, no sack, no money in their belts.[3] 9They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.

10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.[4] 11Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.”

12So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. 


Notes on Readings:

[1] 1 Kings 2:1-6,8-9 - Solomon is expected to remove from his father's family the imputation of blood guilt brought upon it by Joab in the unwarranted killings of Abner (2 Samuel 3:27-29 and Amasa ( 2 Samuel 19:9-10; and likewise to punish Shimei for his curse, the effects of which David had pledged himself not to avenge in person (2 Samuel 19:21-23). The standards of morality presumed in these verses are far from the Christian ones. 

[2] Mark 6:7-13 - The preparation for the mission of the Twelve is seen in the call (1) of the first disciples to be fishers of men (Mark 1:16-20), (2) then of the Twelve set apart to be with Jesus and to receive authority to preach and expel demons (Mark 3:13-19). Now they are given the specific mission to exercise that authority in word and power as representatives of Jesus during the time of their formation. 

[3] Mark 6:8-9 - In Mark the use of a walking stick (Mark 6:8 and sandals (Mark 6:9) is permitted, but not in Matthew 10:10 nor in Luke 10:4. Mark does not mention any prohibition to visit pagan territory and to enter Samaritan towns. These differences indicate a certain adaptation to conditions in and outside of Palestine and suggest in Mark's account a later activity in the church. For the rest, Jesus required of His apostles a total dependence on God for food and shelter; compare with Mark 6:35-44; 8:1-9.

[4] Mark 6:10-11 - Remaining in the same house as a guest (Mark 6:10) rather than moving to another offering greater comfort avoided any impression of seeking advantage for oneself and prevented dishonor to one's host. Shaking the dust off one's feet served as testimony against those who rejected the call to repentance.

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.