Scripture meditation for the Daily Gospel

THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 10 MARCH 2022

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment

Thursday of the First Week in Lent

Lectionary: 227

Reading I

Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God.

“And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”

Responsorial Psalm

138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8

R.        (3a)  Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
            for you have heard the words of my mouth;
            in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
            and give thanks to your name.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
            for you have made great above all things
            your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
            you built up strength within me.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
            your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
            forsake not the work of your hands.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
 

Verse Before the Gospel

Ps 51:12a, 14a

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation.

Gospel

Mt 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 9 MARCH 2022

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment

Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

Lectionary: 226

Reading I

Jon 3:1-10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.

Responsorial Psalm

51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R.        (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
            in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
            and of my sin cleanse me.
R.        A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
            and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
            and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R.        A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
            should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
            a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R.        A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before the Gospel

Jl 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart
for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel

Lk 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Into the Deep – The Secret Room

/ Michael J. Cunningham / Leave a comment

A REFLECTION FOR CENTERING PRAYER

Here we sit, in readiness for some time alone with God. Still in community, but not disturbing each other, rather respecting and enjoying each other’s space and time.

Rather like getting ready for a special treat, but one you know everyone else is going to receive as well.

We are all lined up to enter our unique, secret room, where God awaits us in silence, for some alone time together. That most special sacramental union, where all the emptiness is filled with prayer and grace, darkness and silence, love and warmth, presence and intention.

The secret room is still some distance from me. I walk through a field of others towards a lighted house where my secret room awaits.

Normally, I would bring others with me, and drop them off at the door to be welcomed by the owner, but this time I walk alone, as this now is my time to enter. Silently moving through a field of others, perhaps waiting their turn now, or for me to help them. Regardless, I have to walk on and answer this call. This is our time.

The noise of the world begins to quieten down, just the act of moving seems to make the sound dim itself. A rather strange yet wonderful feeling begins to erupt inside me. Perhaps this is grace, as I respond to the call.

Then, suddenly, I am at the door. It is slightly opened, enough for me to see, but the light which was so bright before is now just enough for me to see my way in. The room seems filled with darkness, yet is wonderfully inviting. A divine darkness which calls my entry. A seat is located in the middle of the room, a room which seems to defy size, I cannot tell if it is large or small.

I take the seat; as I relax the door closes tightly, with that reassuring thud which means I am safe.

A small chair, empty before, awaited me,

A chair of love, designed to support me, comfort me, for you to surround me, relax me.

But most of all to sit with you.

Alone in the divine darkness,

As the last parts of the other world are separated by the closing door,

Eyelids close and my heart opens to you.

As I breathe deeply and say my sacred word, the air rises and falls in my lungs, as if a symphony of mind and body. The word seems to open me up and blood rushes to my heart for another circular motion, soothing and calming me.

While eyes are closed I notice a brightness in each breath, beaming through these closed eyes, in this dark room. The rises and fall of the light matched the beat of the word, which matches the beat of the heart.

Now, all three in unison, feel good, but they are distracting me. Causing me to be attentive to the consolation of their movement. I must let them go by. Like passing cars, I let them go by and relax once more in the peace which is the presence of God. The presence of love divine.

I am again listening to the silence which will be our companion in this room of love.

Moving slowly, with eyes gently closed,

The door is closed once more,

This time bolted, to avoid distractions,

And noise from the outside world.

Now seated, the emptiness seems to engulf me,

As a divine darkness descends like a cloak,

Sealing me off,

So I may concentrate on nothing.

Except the breath of life and its source.

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