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TRÁI TIM
MẸ: NƠI CON NƯƠNG NÁU - ĐƯỜNG ĐẾN VỚI CHÚA |
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"Chúa Giêsu muốn dùng con để làm
cho Mẹ được nhận biết và yêu mến" |
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December 6, 2008
–
Saturday of
1st
Week
od Advent
DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION:
"The kingdom of heaven is at hand"
UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S):
World Needs Ethics, Says
Pope
SAINT OF THE DAY
St. Nicholas
GENERAL
MARIOLOGY
The Predestination
of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception
The
Predestination of Mary
DIVINE MERCY
On Merciful Heart of Jesus
The Heart Of My Spouse
TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION:
Synod Propositions
16-20
Monthly Index
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DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION |
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Saturday (12/6): "The kingdom of heaven is at
hand"
Scripture: Matthew 9:35-10:1,6-8
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in
their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing
every disease and
every infirmity. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them,
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; 38 pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest."10:1 And he called to him his twelve
disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them
out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. 6 but go rather to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And preach as you go, saying,
`The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give
without pay.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26
“And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of
affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your
eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you,
saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or
when you turn to the left.” (Is. 30:20-21)
Meditation: Who doesn't want a life of good health, peace, and
well-being? Isaiah foretold that God's kingdom would overcome
sorrow and adversity and bring true peace and prosperity to God's
people. Jesus understood his mission to bring the kingdom in all its
fulness to us. The core of the gospel message is quite simple: the
kingdom or reign of God is imminent! What is the kingdom of God? It's
the power of God at work in that society of men and women who trust in
God and who honor him as their King and Lord. In the Lord's prayer we
dare to ask God to reign fully in our lives and in our world: "May
your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
(Matthew 5:10 ). Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was
accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only
spiritually, but physically as well. Do you believe in the power of
God's kingdom for your life? Let his word transform your mind and heart
that he may reign supreme in every area of your life.
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did
– to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and
oppressed. Jesus said to his disciples: Freely you have received,
freely give (Matthew 10:8). What they had received from Jesus
(all free of charge) they must now pass on to others without expecting
any kind of payment or reward. They must show by their attitude that
their first interest is God, not material gain. Jesus' words are just as
relevant today. The kingdom of heaven is available to those who are
ready to receive it. We cannot buy heaven; but if we accept the
love and mercy of Jesus we already possess heaven in our hearts! The
Lord brings his kingdom or heavenly reign to those who receive him with
faith and obedience. When the Lord returns in his glory he will fully
restore his kingdom of everlasting peace and justice. Do you pray and
watch with confident hope for God's kingdom to come in all its fullness?
"Lord Jesus, rouse my spirit from complacency and stir my faith to
see you act today. Give me boldness to live and proclaim the message of
the kingdom of heaven and to be a prophetic sign of that kingdom to this
generation."
Psalm 147:1-6
1 Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for he
is gracious, and a song of praise is seemly.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their
names.
5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond
measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground.
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UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS |
World Needs Ethics, Says Pope
Addresses International Theological Commission
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 5, 2008 ( Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI believes that it is necessary to rediscover the value of natural law to lay the foundations of a much-needed universal ethics. The Pope said this today upon receiving members of the International Theological Commission in audience, who in their assembly this week took definitive steps toward elaborating a document on the topic.
The text will be titled "In Search of a Universal Ethic: New Look on Natural Law."
Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, the commission's secretary-general, advised the Holy Father during the audience that the text was approved by the assembly, though other necessary approvals are still pending before its publication.
In his address, Benedict XVI insisted on "the need and urgency, in the present context, to create in culture and in civil and political society the indispensable conditions for full awareness of the inalienable value of the natural moral law."
"Thanks also to the study you have undertaken on this fundamental argument, it will be clear that the natural law constitutes the true guarantee offered each one to live freely and in respect of his dignity of person, and to feel protected from any ideological manipulation and from all abuse perpetrated in virtue of the law of the strongest," said the Holy Father.
According to the Pontiff, "in a world shaped by the natural sciences, the metaphysical concept of the natural law is almost absent, incomprehensible."
"Seeing this fundamental importance for our societies, for human life," he added, "it is necessary to pose again and to understand this concept in the context of our thought: Being itself bears in itself a moral message and an indication for the paths of law."
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DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT |
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December 6, 2008
St. Nicholas
(d. 350?)
The absence of the “hard facts” of history is not necessarily an
obstacle to the popularity of saints, as the devotion to St. Nicholas
shows. Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is
claimed that, after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by
Christian artists. And yet, historically, we can pinpoint only the fact
that Nicholas was the fourth-century bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia, a
province of Asia Minor.
As with many of the saints, however, we are able to capture the
relationship which Nicholas had with God through the admiration which
Christians have had for him—an admiration expressed in the colorful
stories which have been told and retold through the centuries.
Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward
a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of
marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution,
Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on
three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married.
Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of
gift-giving on the saint’s feast. In the English-speaking countries, St.
Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus—further expanding
the example of generosity portrayed by this holy bishop.
Comment:
The critical eye of modern history makes us take a deeper look at the
legends surrounding St. Nicholas. But perhaps we can utilize the lesson
taught by his legendary charity, look deeper at our approach to material
goods in the Christmas season and seek ways to extend our sharing to
those in real need.
Quote:
“In order to be able to consult more suitably the welfare of the
faithful according to the condition of each one, a bishop should strive
to become duly acquainted with their needs in the social circumstances
in which they live.... He should manifest his concern for all, no matter
what their age, condition, or nationality, be they natives, strangers,
or foreigners” (Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 16).
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GENERAL
MARIOLOGY |
The
Predestination of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception
By
Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, F.I.
The Predestination of Mary
(7)
This
mystery has been implicit in all discussions—biblical, patristic,
scholastic—of the divine plan of salvation from its first revelation in
the book of Genesis. According to almost all the Fathers of the Church
(8), discussion of this plan is central to the interpretation of the
first words of the Bible, "in the beginning" (Gen 1:1), as denoting not
a first moment of time, but the first point in his eternal counsels,
namely the incarnate Word, Son of Mary. The first point of those
counsels is that God created heaven and earth for the sake of Jesus and
Mary. This is why the first man and woman, the high point of the work of
six days, were formed before the fall in a spousal context. Marriage as
a divinely instituted covenant between Adam and Eve typified Christ and
Mary, and through Mary, Christ and the Church. The absolute primacy of
Jesus and Mary so indicated in the work of the six days constitutes the
ontological basis both for the possibility of redemption from the
tragedy of the fall and for the perfection of that redemptive work,
namely, its character as most perfect (Bl. Duns Scotus) or
quasi-infinite (St. Thomas).
We
may call this the fact of Mary’s predestination to be the Mother of God,
of the incarnate Word, before the foundation of the world. This
fore-love of Mary by the Father may not, however, be regarded as
arbitrary or capricious, because the will of God is always ordered and
wise. Mary in some intrinsic manner pertains as no other person to the
order of the hypostatic union, the grace of graces and source of all
order and intelligibility both in the economy of salvation and in
creation. To this fact and to the special place enjoyed by Mary in the
economy of salvation, both in relation to the mystery of Jesus and of
the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, ch. 8, title), the whole of
revelation affords abundant witness (as sketched out in Lumen Gentium,
nn. 55ff.).
Foundation in Sacred Scripture
Taking this authoritative witness as the point of departure, we may
indicate how the revealed teaching on the fact of Mary’s unique place
within the predestination of all the saved before the foundation of the
world in Christ is shown in Scripture and Tradition. Because the coming
of the Messiah is via the divine maternity and therefore always Marian
in mode, the messianic revelation of the Old Testament is a progressive
realization and unveiling of the Marian mode of the divine counsels of
salvation. What is true of the prophecies, is also true of the symbols,
figures and types bearing on the Savior and his Mother. Their
fulfillment under the New and Eternal Covenant is expressly related by
St. Paul to the great mystery of predestination (cf. Eph 1:3-14; Col
1:13-20). Careful examination of Romans 1:3-4 (cf. Rom 9:4-5) and
Galatians 4:4-7 shows that the predestination of the Son of God to
become incarnate, and so son of David, and the predestination of the
saved-redeemed to adoptive sonship of the Father in Christ, both hinge
upon the woman who conceives and gives birth by the operation of the
Holy Spirit. Hence the importance of generic Pauline texts on the
predestination of all in Christ (e.g. Eph 1:3ff.), that he might be the
firstborn of many brethren, e.g., Romans 8:28-30. On these generic
references depend the more detailed explanation of the order of those
predestined to Christ and to each other, reflected in texts such as
Romans 5:12-21 (Adam—with Eve, Christ—with Mary; original sin vs.
superabundant grace), Philippians 2:5-11 (the kenosis of the Son
via the virgin birth and Cross is crowned in the glory of the Father),
Hebrews 10:4-10 (the assent of Christ to the Incarnation and counsels of
salvation, corresponding to the assent of the Virgin Mother, Luke 1:38),
Ephesians 5:21-32 (the Church as bride of Christ to the degree that she
is one with the immaculate purity of Mary: sine macula,
sine ruga—without spot or wrinkle).
Pondering texts from John 1:13 (belief in the one born virginally of
God), 1 John 4:10 (the prior love of God) and Luke 1:30 (Mary found
grace with God), we may say that the grace of predestination, viz., the
prior love of God for us, is concretely our predestination with that of
the incarnate Son. It is a mystery only brought to pass through the
unique grace found by Mary to be chosen before the foundation of the
world to be the immaculate, virginal Mother of the Savior God.
The
Witness of Tradition
The
predestination of Mary as a fact is frequently mentioned or clearly
alluded to by the Fathers from the earliest days of the Church, and so
is clearly a doctrine taught by the apostles and their immediate
successors. St. Ignatius of Antioch tells us (9) that the virgin birth
is one of the three principal mysteries of salvation hidden in the
silence of the divine counsels, and inaccessible therefore to the Devil.
The basic method of our theology, that of recirculation and
recapitulation as set forth by St. Justin and St. Irenaeus, ultimately
is grounded in the mystery of predestination. Among the many texts cited
in the repertoire of Fr. Roschini (10) are these very explicit
affirmations of Mary’s predestination:
St.
Augustine: "Before he was born of her, he knew his Mother in her
predestination" (Tractatus in Joannem, 9).
St.
John Damascene: "Mary was predestined before all time in the foreknowing
counsel …" (De fide orthodoxa).
St.
Bernard: "The angel was sent to the Virgin … not found recently or by
chance, but chosen before the ages, foreknown by the Most High" (Homilia
II super Missus est).
To
these should be added the testimony of the liturgy, for instance in
these verses from the hymn O Virgo Mater (11), used in the office
of readings for Our Lady on Saturday:
O
Virgo Mater, Filia tui beata Filii
O
Virgin Mother, blessed daughter of thy Son
Sublimis et humilisima prae creatures omnibus,
Sublimest of all creatures and humblest,
Divini tu consilii fixus ab aevo terminus,
Thou
from eternity preset goal of God’s saving counsels,
Tu
decus et fastigium naturae nostrae maximum.
Highest glory of our nature and zenith.
A
long text of St. Augustine from The Predestination of the Saints,
ch. 15, 30-31, provides an excellent summary of Catholic Tradition on
predestination, stressing the simultaneous predestination of all the
saints in that of Christ, the grace of graces. This is the point of
departure for the systematic elaboration of Scotus, perhaps the
profoundest ever achieved.
(to be continued)
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DIVINE MERCY
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On Merciful Heart of Jesus
The Heart Of My Spouse
My spirit was immersed in Him as in
its only treasure. My heart rested a while near the Heart of my Spouse (Diary,
801).
O most sweet Jesus who, in Your incomprehensible kindness, have deigned
to unite my wretched heart to Your most merciful Heart, it is with Your
own Heart that I glorify God, our Father, as no soul has ever glorified
Him before (Diary, 836).
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CATHOLIC TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY |
Synod
Propositions
16-20
Conclusions
of
Episcopal
Assembly
on Word
of God
VATICAN
CITY,
DEC.
5,
2008
( Zenit.org).-
Here
are
translations
of
the
synodal
propositions
16-20,
which
were
submitted
to
Benedict
XVI
at
the
end
of
the
world
Synod
of
Bishops
on
the
"Word
of
God
in
the
Life
and
Mission
of
the
Church,"
held
in
October
at
the
Vatican.
ZENIT
will
publish
a
translation
of
the
remaining
propositions
in
subsequent
services.
* *
*
Proposition
16
Lectionary
It
is
recommended
that
an
examination
of
the
Roman
Lectionary
be
initiated
to
see
if
the
present
selection
and
ordering
of
the
readings
are
really
adequate
to
the
mission
of
the
Church
at
this
historic
moment.
Specifically,
the
relation
of
the
reading
of
the
Old
Testament
with
the
evangelical
pericope
should
be
reconsidered,
so
that
it
does
not
imply
a
too
restrictive
reading
of
the
Old
Testament
or
the
exclusion
of
important
passages.
The
revision
of a
Lectionary
could
be
done
in
dialogue
with
ecumenical
counterparts
who
use
this
common
Lectionary.
It
is
desirable
that
an
authoritative
examination
of
the
problem
of
the
Lectionary
be
carried
out
in
the
liturgies
of
Oriental
Catholic
Churches.
Proposition
17
Ministry
of
the
Word
and
women
The
synodal
fathers
acknowledge
and
encourage
the
service
of
the
laity
in
the
transmission
of
the
faith.
On
this
point,
women
especially
have
an
indispensable
role
above
all
in
the
family
and
in
catechesis.
In
fact,
they
are
able
to
awaken
interest
in
the
Word,
the
personal
relationship
with
God,
and
to
communicate
the
meaning
of
forgiveness
and
evangelical
sharing.
It
is
desirable
that
the
ministry
of
the
lector
be
open
also
to
women,
so
that
the
Christian
community
will
recognize
their
role
as
heralds
of
the
Word.
Proposition
18
Celebrations
of
the
Word
of
God
The
celebration
of
the
Word
of
God
is
recommended
according
to
the
different
forms
received
from
the
liturgical
tradition
(cf.
SC
35).
Many
ecclesial
communities,
which
do
not
have
the
possibility
of
the
Sunday
Eucharistic
celebration,
find
in
the
celebration
of
the
Word
the
food
for
their
faith
and
for
Christian
testimony.
The
celebration
of
the
Word
is
one
of
the
privileged
places
of
encounter
with
the
Lord,
because
in
this
proclamation,
Christ
makes
himself
present
and
continues
to
speak
to
his
people
(cf.
SC
7).
Even
in
the
midst
of
today's
noise,
which
makes
effective
listening
very
difficult,
the
faithful
are
encouraged
to
cultivate
a
disposition
of
interior
silence
and
of
listening
to
the
Word
of
God
that
transforms
life.
The
Synodal
Fathers
recommend
that
ritual
directories
be
formulated,
based
on
the
experience
of
Churches
in
which
formed
catechists
regularly
lead
Sunday
assemblies
round
the
Word
of
God.
The
purpose
is
to
avoid
such
celebrations
being
confused
with
the
Eucharistic
liturgy.
Reception
of
the
Word,
the
prayer
of
praise,
thanksgiving
and
petition,
which
make
up
the
celebration
of
the
Word
of
God,
are
manifestations
of
the
Spirit
in
the
heart
of
the
faithful
and
in
the
Christian
assembly,
gathered
round
the
Word
of
God.
The
Holy
Spirit,
in
fact,
makes
the
proclaimed
and
celebrated
Word
of
God
fruitful
in
the
heart
and
life
of
those
who
receive
it.
We
also
believe
that
pilgrimages,
celebrations,
different
forms
of
popular
piety,
the
missions,
spiritual
retreats
and
special
days
of
penance,
reparation
and
forgiveness
are
a
concrete
opportunity,
offered
to
the
faithful
to
celebrate
the
Word
of
God
and
enhance
their
knowledge.
Proposition
19
Liturgy
of
the
Hours
The
Liturgy
of
the
Hours
is a
privileged
way
to
hear
the
Word
of
God
because
it
puts
the
faithful
in
contact
with
sacred
Scripture
and
with
the
living
Tradition
of
the
Church.
Hence,
the
Synod
hopes
that
the
faithful
will
participate
in
the
Liturgy
of
the
Hours,
above
all
in
lauds
and
vespers.
Hence,
it
would
be
useful
to
prepare
a
simple
form
of
the
Liturgy
of
the
Hours
where
it
does
not
exist
yet.
Bishops,
priests,
deacons,
religious
and
those
already
delegated
to
it
by
the
Church
must
remember
their
sacred
duty
to
pray
the
Liturgy
of
the
Hours.
This
is
very
much
recommended
to
the
lay
faithful,
so
that
this
liturgy
becomes,
in
an
even
greater
sense,
the
prayer
of
the
whole
Church.
Proposition
20
Word
of
God,
marriage
and
family
The
Word
of
God
is
at
the
origin
of
marriage
(cf.
Genesis
2:24).
Jesus
himself
inscribed
marriage
among
the
institutions
of
his
Kingdom
(cf.
Matthew
19:4-8),
giving
it a
sacramental
statute.
In
the
sacramental
celebration,
the
man
and
woman
pronounce
a
prophetic
word
of
reciprocal
self-giving,
being
"one
flesh,"
sign
of
the
mystery
of
the
union
of
Christ
and
the
Church
(cf.
Ephesians
5:32).
Through
the
fidelity
and
unity
of
family
life,
spouses
are
to
their
children
the
first
heralds
of
the
Word
of
God.
They
must
be
supported
and
helped
in
developing
prayer
in
the
family,
the
domestic
celebration
of
the
Word,
reading
of
the
Bible
and
other
forms
of
prayer.
Spouses
must
remember
that
the
Word
of
God
is a
valuable
support
also
in
the
difficulties
of
conjugal
and
family
life.
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