Friday, March 17, 2017

Today's readings and reflection



FIRST READING (Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28)
Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan.

They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.

They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.”

But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”

And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him” - that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ish’maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers heeded him.

Then Midianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.


GOSPEL (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46)
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, “Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.

“When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

“Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them.

“Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.’

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.


REFLECTIONS 
The stone that the builders rejected - Word of Life Community

Joseph and Jesus Sister Joyce Gadoua, CSJ

Let’s make sure that we are listening to the right people! Sacred Space


FURTHERMORE . . . from the Guidebook for Vineyard Youth Pastors
Dictionary definition: Still, ad. 1. remaining in place or at rest; motionless; stationary; to stand still. 2. free from sound or noise, as a place, persons, etc.: silent: to keep still about a matter 3. subdued or low in sound; hushed: a still small voice. 4. free from turbulence or commotion; peaceful; tranquil; calm; the still air.

Stillness is meant to be practiced as a spiritual discipline. It counts for something! Non-urban life has stillness built in (hunting or fishing for example), but stillness is missing from most of our modern existence-unless we make a point to practice it. Anthony Bloom, an Orthodox writer, says the kind of stillness to aim for is the stillness you adopt when you’re out in the woods bird-watching. Quiet and still even down to your fingers and breathing. But also alert. At any moment that bird may light on a branch near you. The practiced bird-watcher learns to love the stillness as well as the bird. Bloom was a physician and a leader in the French Resistance during World War II-a real activist, who understood the power of stillness.

Stillness and silence are regularly commended in Scripture as a way to refresh your spirit:

“He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20

“When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” Psalm 4:4

“I have stilled and quieted my soul.” Psalm 131

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46


PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ,
may my soul always revolve around thee,
seek thee, and find thee.
Help it to turn to thee, and reach thee.
Let its every thought and word be centred on thee.
Grant that my soul may sing thy praise
and the glory of thy holy Name
with humility and reserve,
with love and joy,
with ease and gentleness,
with patience and tranquility,
with success and persistence
to the very end. Amen.

- St Bonaventure (1221-1274)


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St Patrick's Day

Of course, in many places 17th March is the great festival of St Patrick's Day, especially in Ireland, and where the Irish settled in the New World. Go HERE to read St Patrick's story in his own words.

On his Facebook page today, the Most Rev'd Anthony Fisher OP, Roman Catholic Abp of Sydney, has written:

"Growing up in Australia as the son of a Basque woman who was born in China with bit of English and Italian and Romanian in her, and the son of an Aussie from more English and Scottish background than Irish, I didn’t learn all the Irish songs and customs common amongst Irish-Australian Catholics. My mother did, however, learn on arrival in Australia that the heavy fast of Lent had to be broken on St Pat’s day and so St Pat for us meant chocolate more than Guinness and shamrocks!

"St Patrick, as we all know, travelled ceaselessly up and down Ireland preaching the Gospel, such that by 461 he had completed - almost single-handedly - the conversion of the whole nation. He inspired many of the Irish themselves to become missionaries in faraway lands, including Australia. While in many ways our culture lives on its Christian heritage without knowing it, many people live from day to day as practical agnostics or indeed atheists. We need a few more Patricks of our time - men and women of passion and zeal - to bring the Gospel across our lands once again!"



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