One Among You

Minute Meditations Reciprocal Love Each time we consume the Eucharist, we are invited to enter into personal "communion" with Christ, to receive His total gift of Himself into the depths of our heart and respond by giving ourselves to Him in love and gratitude. — from Woman of Strength St. Turibius of Mogrovejo (1538-1606) Together with Rose of Lima, Turibius is the first known saint of the New World, serving the Lord in Peru, South America, for 26 years. Born in Spain and educated for the law, he became so brilliant a scholar that he was made professor of law at the University of Salamanca and eventually became chief judge of the Inquisition at Granada. He succeeded too well. But he was not sharp enough a lawyer to prevent a surprising sequence of events. When the archdiocese of Lima in Peru required a new leader, Turibius was chosen to fill the post: He was the one person with the strength of character and holiness of spirit to heal the scandals that had infected that area. He cited all the canons that forbade giving laymen ecclesiastical dignities, but he was overruled. He was ordained priest and bishop and sent to Peru, where he found colonialism at its worst. The Spanish conquerors were guilty of every sort of oppression of the native population. Abuses among the clergy were flagrant, and he devoted his energies (and suffering) to this area first. He began the long and arduous visitation of an immense archdiocese, studying the language, staying two or three days in each place, often with neither bed nor food. He confessed every morning to his chaplain, and celebrated Mass with intense fervor. Among those to whom he gave the Sacrament of Confirmation was St. Rose of Lima, and possibly St. Martin de Porres (November 3). After 1590 he had the help of another great missionary, St. Francis Solanus. His people, though very poor, were sensitive, dreading to accept public charity from others. Turibius solved the problem by helping them anonymously. Stories: When Turibius undertook the reform of the clergy as well as unjust officials, he naturally suffered opposition. Some tried, in human fashion, to explain God's law in such a way as to sanction their accustomed way of life.  answered them in the words of Tertullian, "Christ said, 'I am the truth'; he did not say, 'I am the custom.'"   Comment: The Lord indeed writes straight with crooked lines. Against his will, and from the unlikely springboard of an Inquisition tribunal, this man became the Christlike shepherd of a poor and oppressed people. God gave him the gift of loving others as they needed it.   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.         Presence God is with me, but more, God is within me, giving me existence. Let me dwell for a moment on God's life-giving presence in my body, my mind, my heart and in the whole of my life. Freedom I will ask God's help, to be free from my own preoccupations, to be open to God in this time of prayer, to come to know, love and serve God more.   Consciousness How do I find myself today? Where am I with God? With others? Do I have something to be grateful for? Then I give thanks. Is there something I am sorry for? Then I ask forgiveness.     The Word of God Reading 1 Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim, who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah; her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses. Joakim was very rich; he had a garden near his house, and the Jews had recourse to him often because he was the most respected of them all. That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as judges." These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim. When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk. When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her. They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments. One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm. Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. "Bring me oil and soap," she said to the maids, "and shut the garden doors while I bathe." As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her. "Look," they said, "the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you." "I am completely trapped," Susanna groaned. "If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power. Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord." Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her, as one of them ran to open the garden doors. When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden, they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her. At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna. When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day, the two wicked elders also came, fully determined to put Susanna to death. Before all the people they ordered: "Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim." When she was sent for, she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping. In the midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head. Through tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly. The elders made this accusation: "As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two girls and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls. A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her. When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them. We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the doors and ran off. Then we seized her and asked who the young man was, but she refused to tell us. We testify to this." The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. But Susanna cried aloud: "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me." The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: "I will have no part in the death of this woman." All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?" He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O children of Israel! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her." Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age." But he replied, "Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them." After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term: passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, 'The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.' Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together." "Under a mastic tree," he answered. Daniel replied, "Your fine lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two." Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. Daniel said to him, "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience. This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together." "Under an oak," he said. Daniel replied, "Your fine lie has cost you also your head, for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both." The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him. They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor: they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day. Or Dn 13:41c-62 The assembly condemned Susanna to death. But Susanna cried aloud: "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me." The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: "I will have no part in the death of this woman." All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?" He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O children of Israel! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her." Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age." But he replied, "Separate these two far from each other that I may examine them." After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term: passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, 'The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.' Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together." "Under a mastic tree," he answered. Daniel replied, "Your fine lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two." Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. Daniel said to him, "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience. This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together." "Under an oak," he said. Daniel replied, "Your fine lie has cost you also your head," for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both." The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him. They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor: they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day. Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 R. (4ab) Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage. R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. R. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. Verse Before the Gospel Ez 33:11 I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live. Gospel Jn 8:1-11 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more."     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation Remembering that I am still in God's presence, I imagine Jesus himself standing or sitting beside me, and say whatever is on my mind, whatever is in my heart, speaking as one friend to another. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Meditation: John 8:1-11 Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, Bishop Neither do I condemn you. (John 8:11) Imagine you're in a courtroom, listening to a case. You hear all the witnesses and observe the evidence. There's no doubt in your mind that the accused is guilty—the criminal was even caught red-handed. How would you react if the judge decided to let the criminal go free? You'd be shocked! This is exactly what Jesus does in today's Gospel. Some scribes and Pharisees catch a woman in adultery, bring her to Jesus, and in accordance with the Jewish Law, plan to stone her. What do you think? they ask. But Jesus, seeing right through them, flips the spotlight from her to them. "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7). These pointed words remind us that we all are sinners. Like the scribes and Pharisees in the Gospels, we too can forget this fundamental truth. But Jesus is clear: this woman is just as precious and valuable to God as we are. She should be forgiven just as fully as we have been. There is no difference in Jesus' eyes, and there should be no difference in ours as well. God wants us to treat everyone with the same dignity, respect, and honor that Jesus showed this woman. Rather than cast the first stone, he asks us to open our arms. Rather than talk to him about other people's sins, he urges us to repent of our own. And rather than try to trick him or look for loopholes in his commandments, he calls us to spend our energy trying to follow him unconditionally. This is the only way we will grow and prosper in the Lord. After all, the Church isn't a club to which only some are invited. Everyone is warmly invited. Everyone needs forgiveness and healing, and that's exactly what the Church is for. That's exactly what he came for! So whether we consider ourselves worthy or unworthy of God's love, let's come to the Lord and ask for a taste of his mercy so that we can extend the gift of his open heart to everyone we meet, saint and sinner alike! "Lord, give me a soft heart, just like yours. You forgive all of my sins; help me to be just as generous as you are with showing mercy."   Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 Psalm 23:1-6       One Among You- going4th-20150323090328.mp3 my2cents:  There are some interesting points in the first Holy Scripture that caught my particular attention, and it was the points that were made about the wicked elders and the accused woman, Susanna.  The points are extremely important, now listen: "...They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven".  Oh no, this is exactly what happens with sin, and evil will do this in the world, conscience goes down, evil goes up.  Yet, listen to this:  "Through tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly."  Did you catch that today?  A huge difference of salvation is made on the look.  The look is prayer, the look is seeking, the look is that of God's angels looking on His Divinity, the look is making a difference for good or for worse.  We are gearing towards that look, stay with me, because the look that stays is faith. The Psalms pray "Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage."  These things are the sort of things read at funerals or funeral vigils.  Why at death? Why only then shall we turn to Him?  Because only then we need encouragement?  Stay with me, there is more to this faith thing going on... Jesus comes into the picture, or better said, focus, because truly, He has always been there from beginning to end.  He is found on the mount of olives, where Jewish tradition said the messiah would come and bring the dead back to life.  They drag a woman "caught in adultery", hmm, just like in the supposed case of Susanna?  What evidence or court was had for her?  She was about to be stoned to death!  She was literally, as good as dead to the people.  WAIT. Pause.  How many people are "as good as dead" to you in your life?  I'm not going to answer that because immediately one or two people should've arrived at your doorstep.  Jesus comes into focus, evil brought the charges to the judge that is going to judge all of us when we are dead.  What transpires, inspires.  "What do you say?" they ask the Lord.  And what He says, is for us to say.  Mercy comes first.  Cast the first stone if you are free from sin.  Now this is hard to do if you are without sin, because being free of sin means a total fullness of Love of God, thus love of His creation, thus love of neigbor (those next to you at any given moment in life).  This scripture inspired a song I wrote a couple years ago {listen online at:https://soundcloud.com/going4th/u-know-me} (mostly bible scripture) but it should leave you with a sense of awe, wonder, and amazement at God's grace, "Wow!" you hear through the song, she was set free, she came back to life!  And God wants her to live forever and says "go and sin no more", and that's what He wants for all of us, to live free and forever with Him. There is one other time that God wrote on earth and it is found in the book of Daniel when the king desecrated the chalice using it to party and drink and get drunk in a total sign of disorder and debauchery, a turning against God, ultimately sin.  The ruined king turned white when he saw a hand, a finger writing on the wall.  Could it have been Jesus writing at the same moment?  What was written then?  3 Words: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." The same thing was happening to the devil at the moment of Jesus was writing on the plaster of the ground.  God has numbered the days of the reign of the ruler and brought it to an end, been weighed and found wanting, and your kingdom is divided and given to others.   Let's not forget that the devil is still on earth.  You will be put through tests of faith.  You will be accounted for your moments that you were found wanting, missing Jesus in your life.  Let's not forget that sin causes you to look away from Heaven.  But, at the same time, let's not forget that you can look to Heaven and trust in the Lord with your life.  There is still the battle while we live.  And remember, it is not against people, but evilness that exists.  How will we win? With Jesus, looking to Him ALWAYS.  Lose sight of Him for a split second and you become anxious, even our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph lost sight of Jesus for a moment and lost Him and became worried.  I read a quote by Padre Pio today "Pray, hope and don't worry. Anxiety doesn't help at all. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer."  Be confident that God is better than all earthly people, He listens.  He doesn't do want you want, when you want, but He does listen to what you are praying for, if it is geared towards God or not.  So get geared up.  Our days are counted.  His are not.  And that's where I want to be, beholding the face of God forever.   adrian Subscribe to the Going4th mailing list.

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