• Tuesday, March 1, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,28-31
• Wednesday, March 2, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,32-45
• Thursday, March 3, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,46-52
• Friday, March 4, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 11,11-25
• Saturday, March 5, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 11,27-33
• Sunday, March 6, 2011
  Lectio: 9th Sunday of Ordinary Time
• Monday, March 7, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 12,1-12
• Tuesday, March 8, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 12,13-17

• Wednesday, March 9, 2011
  Ash Wednesday
• Thursday, March 10, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 9,22-25
• Friday, March 11, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 9,14-15
• Saturday, March 12, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 5,27-32
• Sunday, March 13, 2011
  Lectio: 1st Sunday of Lent
• Monday, March 14, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 25,31-46
• Tuesday, March 15, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 6,7-15
• Wednesday, March 16, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 11,29-32
• Thursday, March 17, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 7,7-12
• Friday, March 18, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 5,20-26
• Saturday, March 19, 2011
  Lectio: Saint Joseph
• Sunday, March 20, 2011
  Lectio: 2nd Sunday of Lent
• Monday, March 21, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 6,36-38
• Tuesday, March 22, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 23,1-12
• Wednesday, March 23, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 20,17-28
• Thursday, March 24, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 16,19-31
• Friday, March 25, 2011
  Lectio: The Annunciation of the Lord
• Saturday, March 26, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 15,1-3.11-32
• Sunday, March 27, 2011
  Lectio: 3rd Sunday of Lent
• Monday, March 28, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 4,24-30
• Tuesday, March 29, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 18,21-35
• Wednesday, March 30, 2011
  Lectio: Matthew 5,17-19
• Thursday, March 31, 2011
  Lectio: Luke 11:14-23

• Tuesday, February 1, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 5, 21-43
• Wednesday, February 2, 2011
  Lectio: The Presentation of the Lord
• Thursday, February 3, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 6,7-13
• Friday, February 4, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 6,14-29
• Saturday, February 5, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 6,30-34
• Sunday, February 6, 2011
  Lectio: 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
• Monday, February 7, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 6,53-56
• Tuesday, February 8, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 7,1-13
• Wednesday, February 9, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 7,14-23
• Thursday, February 10, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 7,24-30
• Friday, February 11, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 7,31-37
• Saturday, February 12, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,1-10
• Sunday, February 13, 2011
  Lectio: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• Monday, February 14, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,11-13
• Tuesday, February 15, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,14-21
• Wednesday, February 16, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,22-26
• Thursday, February 17, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,27-33
• Friday, February 18, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 8,34-9,1
• Saturday, February 19, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 9,2-13
• Sunday, February 20, 2011
  Lectio: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• Monday, February 21, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 9,14-29
• Tuesday, February 22, 2011
  Lectio: Chair of Saint Peter, apostle
• Wednesday, February 23, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 9,38-40
• Thursday, February 24, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 9,41-50
• Friday, February 25, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,1-12
• Saturday, February 26, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,13-16
• Sunday, February 27, 2011
  Lectio: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• Monday, February 28, 2011
  Lectio: Mark 10,17-27

Ordinary Time

1) Opening prayer

Lord our God,

help us to love You with all our hearts

and to love all people as You love them.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel Reading - Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him and a large crowd followed him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

3) Reflection

• In today’s Gospel, we meditate on two miracles which Jesus worked in favor of two women: the first one for a woman who was considered impure because of the hemorrhage which she was suffering from for the past 12 years; the other one for a twelve year-old girl, who had died a short time before. According to the mentality of the time, anybody who would touch  blood or a corpse was considered impure. Blood and death were factors for exclusion! Because of this, those two women were marginalized people and excluded from participation in the community.

• The starting point. Jesus arrives in the boat. The people join Him. Jairus, the head of the synagogue, asks help for his daughter, who is dying. Jesus goes with him and the people accompany Him, pushing on all sides. This is the starting point of the two cases of healing which follow: the cure of the woman and the resurrection of the twelve year-old girl.

• The situation of the woman. Twelve years of suffering from hemorrhage! For this reason she lived excluded, because at that time blood rendered people impure, and the one who touched them became impure also. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors. And instead of becoming better, she got worse. A situation without a solution!

• The attitude of the woman. She heard people speak about Jesus. Hope sprang  up in her. She told herself, “If I can just touch His clothes, I will be saved”. The catechism of the time said, “If I touch His cloak, He will become impure”. The woman thinks exactly the contrary! This is a sign that women did not agree with all that religious authority taught. The woman gets in through the crowd, in the midst of the people, and without being noticed, she touches Jesus, because everybody was touching Him and pushing Him. At that same moment she noticed in her body that she had been cured.

• The reaction of Jesus and that of the disciples. Jesus, aware of the power that had gone out from Him, asked, “Who touched My clothes?” The disciples said to Him, “You see how the crowd is pressing round You; how can You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” So now comes the clash between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus had a sensitivity which the disciples did not perceive. The disciples reacted like everybody else; they did not understand the different reaction of Jesus. But Jesus did not pay attention and continued to investigate.

• Healing through faith. The woman became aware that she had been discovered. It was a difficult and dangerous moment for her, because according to the belief of the time, an impure person like herself got in among the people and contaminated everyone who touched her. All would become impure before God  (Lev 15:19-30). For this reason, the punishment could be stoning. But the woman had the courage to accept the consequences of what she had done. The woman “frightened and trembling” fell at Jesus’ feet and told Him the whole truth. Jesus has the last word: “My daughter, your faith has restored you to health, go in peace and be free of your complaint.”

(a) “Daughter”, with this word Jesus accepts the woman into the new family, into the community which was gathering together around Him. (b) What she thought through faith became a reality. (c) Jesus acknowledges that, without that woman’s faith, He would not have been able to work the miracle.

• The news of the death of the little girl. At that moment some people arrived from the house of Jairus to inform him that his daughter had died. It was no longer necessary to disturb Jesus. For them, death was the great barrier. Jesus will not be able to overcome death! Jesus listens, looks at Jairus, and applies what He had just seen, that faith is capable of realizing what the person believes. And He says, “Do not be afraid, only have faith!”

• In Jairus’ house. Jesus allows only three of His disciples to go with Him. Seeing the commotion of the people weeping and wailing because of the death of the child, He said, “The child is not dead; she sleeps!” The people laughed. They know how to distinguish between a person who is sleeping and when the person is dead. It is the same laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, of those who are unable to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17:17; 18:12-14; Lk 1:37). For them, death was a barrier which nobody could overcome or go beyond! The words of Jesus had a very profound meaning. The situation of the persecuted communities at the time of Mark seemed to be a situation of death. They needed to hear, “She is not dead! You are sleeping! Wake up!” Jesus does not pay attention to the laughter and enters into the room where the child is, alone, and with the three disciples and the parents of the child.

• The resurrection of the child. Jesus takes the child by the hand and says: “Talitha kum!” She rises. There is a great commotion! Jesus keeps calm and asks that they give her something to eat. Two women are cured! One is twelve years old, the other one twelve years of hemorrhage, twelve years of exclusion! The exclusion of the child begins at twelve years of age, because her menstruation begins; she begins to die! Jesus has the greatest power and resurrects: “Get up!”

4) Personal questions

• What is the point in this text which pleased you or struck you the most? Why?

• One of the women was cured and once again integrated so that she could live in the community. A child was raised from her death bed. What does this action of Jesus teach us for our life in the family and for our community today?

5) Concluding Prayer

From You comes my praise in the thronged assembly;

I will perform my vows before all who fear Him.

The poor will eat and be filled;

those who seek Yahweh will praise Him.

May your heart live for ever.  (Ps 22:25-26)

1. Prayer

 Lord, Father of goodness and mercy, You have sent Your Son Jesus from heaven to reveal to us the authority and the sweetness of Your love. Send us Your Holy Spirit as He descended upon Christ at the baptism in the Jordan River. The heavens open with Your voice of salvation: "You are my Son, my beloved." May our hearts not  close, but in full confidence, may we welcome Your light and the embrace of the Father, now and forever. Amen.

2. Reading

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me." They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say, 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"– they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."

3. Meditation

* "By what authority?" The word "authority" is central to this short passage and contains the secret of the faith journey and spiritual growth that we can attain if we let ourselves be guided by the Word, in meditation on this Gospel. The provocative question addressed to Jesus by the scribes and chief priests makes us understand  how much distance there is between Him and them and why there can be no answer. For the priests and scribes "authority" is "power," "strength,” "dominion,” "capable of enforcing laws and judging." But for Jesus, “authority” is another thing. In Hebrew, this word “authority” is from a root of the word that also means "similar to." In fact, Jesus makes it clear in the place where He was walking (v. 27), and that would lead us to understand that “authority” is similarity with the Father, the relationship of love with Him, as between Father and Son. It is no coincidence that He immediately points to the baptism of John.

* "The baptism of John ...." Jesus leads us now clearly to the starting point, the source, where we really find ourselves in the encounter with God on the banks of the River Jordan where He was baptized.  He also prepared our place, because like Him, we go down into the water and allow ourselves to be marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit. Let us reach out, gather, and visit with these words: "You are my Son, the beloved" (Mk 11). Jesus tells us that there is no other authority, or other greatness or riches than this.

* "From heaven or from human origin?" Do we want to be with God or with men, to follow God or men, or do we want to enter into the light of the opened heavens (Mark 1:10) or remain in the darkness of our loneliness?

* "Answer me." It's a beautiful phrase from Jesus, repeated forcefully twice (vv. 29 and 30). He calls for a clear choice, a clear decision, sincere, authentic, and profound. The verb "answer" in Greek means to express the attitude of an ability to distinguish and to separate things well. The Lord wants to invite us to enter into the deepest part of ourselves, to let His words enter and so, in this strong relationship with Him, learn more and more to make the important decisions of our lives and throughout our days.

But there is something more to this word, so simple and so beautiful. The Hebrew root expresses at the same time response as well as misery, poverty, grief, humility. That is, there can be no real answer, without humility, without listening. Jesus is asking the priests and scribes, and us, to enter into this dimension of life, this attitude of the soul: to be humble before Him and others, recognizing our poverty, our need for Him, because only this may be the real answer to His questions.

* They argued among themselves.” Another important verb that helps us to understand a little more about our inner world. This discussion is in fact a "talk through" as we sense from a literal translation of the Greek word used by Mark. These people in this passage are broken inside, are scarred by an injury, are not all in one piece in front of Jesus while talking to each other, bringing together a number of reasons and considerations instead of entering into a relationship and a dialogue with the Father which was inaugurated with the baptism of Jesus.  They remain outside and at a distance, as the son of the parable who refuses to join in the feast of love (cf. Lk 15:28). They also do not believe in the Word of God, once again repeated: "You are my Son, my beloved, in You I am well pleased" (Mk 1:11) and continue to seek and desire the strength of  “authority” and power rather than the weakness of love.

4. Questions for Reflection

* The Lord teaches me His authority, even in my life, not domination, oppression or force, but love, and the ability to be alike, to be near. I would like to accept this authority of Jesus in my life.  I would truly enter into this relationship of resemblance with Him. Am I ready to engage in this choice? Am I determined to follow this through? Can I do this in all aspects of my life? What is my next step to get there?

* Maybe, approaching this Gospel, I did not expect to come back to the episode of Baptism and the experience so fundamental and the source of the relationship with God the Father. Instead, once again, the Lord wanted to reveal His love so immense, that He does not shirk any effort, any obstacles just to reach me. Is my heart, right now, before Him? Can I hear the voice of the Father speak to me and call me "son,” saying my name? Can I accept this statement of love? Do I trust Him, believe Him, and give myself to Him? Do I understand that this involves change and action from me, and does not stop with words and feelings?

* I cannot reflect on this meditation without giving my answer. Jesus asks me specifically, that "answer me" is also addressed to me today. I learned that there can be no answer without a real hearing and listening that can only come from true humility. Do I want to take these steps or just want to continue to respond with my own convictions, my old ways of thinking and feeling, from my conceit and self-sufficiency? What exactly do I need to change within me and around me to answer the way I am invited to?

* One last thing. Looking inside my heart, do I feel divided, as an enemy of Jesus? Is there any wound in me that will not allow me to be a whole Christian, or a friend of Christ, or His disciple? What is there in my life that is broken, that separates me from Him?

5. Final Prayer

The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The statutes of the LORD are true, all of them just;
More desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold,
Sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb.