Ninth Week of Ordinary Time: June 4-10, 2006
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Authors
Alexander, Andy, S.J.
Issue Date
2006-06-04
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Language
en_US
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Abstract
"Let the Spirit ... continue to work in the world through the hearts of all who believe." Opening Prayer - Pentecost Sunday
The Ninth Week of Ordinary Time|Sunday, June 4 is Pentecost Sunday, as the readings and the whole Church celebrate the coming and ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit among us. Jesus breathes on his jittery followers and tells them, "Peace be with you" and fills them with courage.|Monday is the Memorial of Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr|The first readings this week are from the pastoral letters, The Second Letter of Peter and The Second Letter to Timothy.|With Pentecost Sunday we conclude the "Alleluia!" of the Easter season and resume reading Mark's Gospel, picking up where we stopped just before the beginning of Lent.|We resume reading about how Jesus is in the midst of a struggle with the religious leaders in Jerusalem who do not like them. He tells them the Parable of the tenant farmers, telling them that the stone rejected by builders has become the cornerstone. They almost arrest him. His opponents try to ensnare Jesus with question about the temple tax, but he isn't trapped by them. When they question him about the resurrection, Jesus tells a parable which teaches that God is the God of the living. When asked which is the first commandment, Jesus gives two - highlighting the equal importance of love of God and neighbor. Jesus is both Son of David and Messiah and Lord. Jesus warns of those who abuse widows on spiritual pretexts and tells his disciples to notice the widow who gave from her poverty.|Next Sunday in the US is The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity celebrating the great love God has for us, as Father, as Son, as the Holy Spirit. For the rest of the world, it is t
Daily Prayer This Week|The return to "Ordinary Time" doesn't mean we can forget about the good news of the Resurrection or the gift of the Spirit Jesus promised us. It simply means that we return to a season of reflecting upon the scriptures with "numbers" (ordinal) the next 25 weeks.|The pastoral letters set the tone. Writing to Timothy, for example, Paul is eloquent in urging him to be faithful - even to fan what he has learned into a flame. This is a good context for us to return to this season, fresh from the graces of Pentecost. The gifts of the Spirit have been given us. We can ignore them, bury them, or use them with very little life and energy. We can also fan them into a fire that gives courage and hope to others.|As we wake each morning this week, and prepare to be focused when we go about our daily tasks, we can ask the Spirit of Jesus to "enkindle within us the fire of your love." Each day, we can be more and more concrete about where we need help, grace, "fire" to heal and gather others together and be a source of unity and peace which simply aren't a part of the "world's way" of doing things.|Jesus faced terrible conflict in his final days on this earth. That's consoling for us who experience conflict in our day to day experience. This week, let's ask the Spirit to be with us in the difficult times we face. Let's ask that we might not surrender our peace. Let's ask that we be able to trust our Lord when we are asked to love others and give up "my way" of doing things, loving God and our neighbor equally.|As we give thanks each night, we prepare to celebrate the love of the Trinity - with us in the reality of our lives.
The Ninth Week of Ordinary Time|Sunday, June 4 is Pentecost Sunday, as the readings and the whole Church celebrate the coming and ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit among us. Jesus breathes on his jittery followers and tells them, "Peace be with you" and fills them with courage.|Monday is the Memorial of Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr|The first readings this week are from the pastoral letters, The Second Letter of Peter and The Second Letter to Timothy.|With Pentecost Sunday we conclude the "Alleluia!" of the Easter season and resume reading Mark's Gospel, picking up where we stopped just before the beginning of Lent.|We resume reading about how Jesus is in the midst of a struggle with the religious leaders in Jerusalem who do not like them. He tells them the Parable of the tenant farmers, telling them that the stone rejected by builders has become the cornerstone. They almost arrest him. His opponents try to ensnare Jesus with question about the temple tax, but he isn't trapped by them. When they question him about the resurrection, Jesus tells a parable which teaches that God is the God of the living. When asked which is the first commandment, Jesus gives two - highlighting the equal importance of love of God and neighbor. Jesus is both Son of David and Messiah and Lord. Jesus warns of those who abuse widows on spiritual pretexts and tells his disciples to notice the widow who gave from her poverty.|Next Sunday in the US is The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity celebrating the great love God has for us, as Father, as Son, as the Holy Spirit. For the rest of the world, it is t
Daily Prayer This Week|The return to "Ordinary Time" doesn't mean we can forget about the good news of the Resurrection or the gift of the Spirit Jesus promised us. It simply means that we return to a season of reflecting upon the scriptures with "numbers" (ordinal) the next 25 weeks.|The pastoral letters set the tone. Writing to Timothy, for example, Paul is eloquent in urging him to be faithful - even to fan what he has learned into a flame. This is a good context for us to return to this season, fresh from the graces of Pentecost. The gifts of the Spirit have been given us. We can ignore them, bury them, or use them with very little life and energy. We can also fan them into a fire that gives courage and hope to others.|As we wake each morning this week, and prepare to be focused when we go about our daily tasks, we can ask the Spirit of Jesus to "enkindle within us the fire of your love." Each day, we can be more and more concrete about where we need help, grace, "fire" to heal and gather others together and be a source of unity and peace which simply aren't a part of the "world's way" of doing things.|Jesus faced terrible conflict in his final days on this earth. That's consoling for us who experience conflict in our day to day experience. This week, let's ask the Spirit to be with us in the difficult times we face. Let's ask that we might not surrender our peace. Let's ask that we be able to trust our Lord when we are asked to love others and give up "my way" of doing things, loving God and our neighbor equally.|As we give thanks each night, we prepare to celebrate the love of the Trinity - with us in the reality of our lives.
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University Ministry, Creighton University.
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These prayer guides may not be sold or used commercially without permission. Personal or parish use is permitted.