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Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

September 16th, 2010


Luke 7 : 11 – 17

Today the liturgy of the Word asks us to reflect once more on the compassion of Jesus. The Gospel is a story of grief and hope ; of human grief which is lifted and transformed by the compassion of Jesus.

“Don’t cry” expression in a kind and caring voice are comforting words from anybody. Jesus spoke just these words to a broken hearted widow as she walked beside the coffin on her way to bury her only son. The loss of a husband was hard enough, but the loss of an only son meant that the poor widow was deprived of income or support. She would now have to resort to begging just to survive.

When Jesus put his hands on the funeral bier, he was breaking the laws of contamination through contact with a corpse. Compassion, however, is a virtue beyond the restriction of laws. So Jesus said ; “Young man, I tell you to get up”.

Our compassion for others should develop in us a great love for the poor, the helpless and the needy.

Prayer


Prayer : God Our Father, be compassionate and merciful to all those who are suffering and lonely. Amen.

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Just a Thought

The Eucharist

The manner in which we celebrate Eucharist and the reverence we give to it speak greatly of the sort of people we are. The following is a lovely story from the early Church which I came across recently: it might help us to understand what it means to be a member of the Church:

Cyprian of Cathage, wrote to his friend, Donatus: “It’s a bad world, Donatus, in which we live. But right in the middle of it I have discovered a quiet and holy group of people. They are people who have found a happiness that is a thousand times more joyful than all the pleasures of our sinful lives. These people are despised and persecuted, but it doesn’t matter to them. They are Christians, Donatus, and I am one of them.”

St. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, describes how those people, the early Christians, bore witness to Christ and celebrated the Eucharist – i.e. the Mass; “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions;… There was not a needy person among them…. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes…”

The Eucharist has consequences for the way we should live our lives. St. Augustine tells us that the Lord gave us these gifts of his Body and Blood so that we, too, might become these very things – i.e. his Body and Blood for the life of the world.

During the celebration of the Last Supper Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you also should do what I have done to you.” Through us Christ is made present to our world. Our sharing in the Eucharist bonds us together with our brothers and sisters who have also been immersed into the life of Christ through the waters of Baptism.

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