Monday of the First Week of Lent
"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow man, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:17-18
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” And the king will say to them in reply, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:37-40
Piety
Heavenly Father,
Embrace our brothers and sisters devastated by the powerful quaking of the earth in Japan and regions destroyed by the resulting tsunami.
Welcome the dead into your kingdom and comfort the heartbroken.
Hear the prayers of the Catholic Relief Services' and Caritas family for those whose world came tumbling down.
Guide and speed the efforts of the rescue workers amid the destruction. Keep them safe and embrace the suffering.
For your mercy, we give you thanks.
Amen. (From www.CRS.org, “What we’re praying for this week”)
Study
On first reading today’s selection from the Hebrew Bible, the inclination may be to wonder, “What exactly did Jesus change?” In our first reading from Leviticus, Moses quotes what Jesus claimed to be the second of the two greatest commandments. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Heavenly Father,
Embrace our brothers and sisters devastated by the powerful quaking of the earth in Japan and regions destroyed by the resulting tsunami.
Welcome the dead into your kingdom and comfort the heartbroken.
Hear the prayers of the Catholic Relief Services' and Caritas family for those whose world came tumbling down.
Guide and speed the efforts of the rescue workers amid the destruction. Keep them safe and embrace the suffering.
For your mercy, we give you thanks.
Amen. (From www.CRS.org, “What we’re praying for this week”)
Study
On first reading today’s selection from the Hebrew Bible, the inclination may be to wonder, “What exactly did Jesus change?” In our first reading from Leviticus, Moses quotes what Jesus claimed to be the second of the two greatest commandments. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Although the words are the same by the time they appear in the New Testament, the context has shifted when Jesus teaches these lessons to his disciples and other followers. With Moses, the context was your “fellow countrymen.” However, with Jesus, the commandment encompasses all nations.
In the famous parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus answers the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The people hearing this parable conclude that the neighbor is the one who treats those they encounter in the world with mercy. Jesus then commands them and us to “Go and do likewise.”
Jesus also makes one further expansion of the definition of neighbor in Matthew’s gospel. He explains that our neighbor is not just those we like but those who are our enemies and who persecute us. “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45)
Rather than providing a detailed list of do’s and don’ts as in Leviticus, the New Testament approach is summarized by Matthew and Luke as the call to imitate the Father.
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)
Action
Context is everything. Sometimes, I just wish we could focus on what truly matters and of the rest that is of minor concern and importance “fugeddaboutit.”
If Jesus were to tell the story of the Good Samaritan today, perhaps he would tell us about an island nation which was devastated by an earthquake, tsunami, power outages, nuclear explosions and a plummeting stock market. Or maybe he would describe a country not very far from where he once walked, where a murderous dictator oppressed his people for more than 40 years. However, when they began to rise up against him and plea for mercy, he bombed his own people.
The first person who passed him was an NFL owner and player arguing about how to split up billions of dollars between millionaires. Then, along came a few people who were filling out their NCAA brackets. Finally, there was Charlie Sheen. People were preoccupied in following these exploits and failed to focus on the plight of the people of that island nation or those oppressed by the dictator.
Fortunately, we have organizations among us who will keep us focused on helping the oppressed. CRS, the international outreach arm of the Catholic Church in America, is one that is readying supplies for the people of Japan. Catholic Relief Service personnel throughout the Pacific are standing ready to assist those affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan early Friday morning.
You can donate to these efforts right from the link above. Consider adding support to CRS to your Lenten almsgiving and your donations to Operation Rice Bowl.
