Refections
In Giving
There are those who give but only on condition that they
receive something in return, and receive it immediately.
There are those who give on condition that they receive
something in return later on and with a handsome profit.
And there are those who give without expecting anything in
return now or ever: they scatter the seeds of the heart without
looking for any harvest.
These are imitating the generosity of God, who bestow His
love on good people and bad, and grants mercy to saints and
sinners.
Our First Reading: King Saul's Spear
Saul was the first king of Israel. He was anointed by the
prophet-priest Samuel about 1020 B.C. Samuel probably
thought that he could easily control the new ruler, but Saul
gradually began to take over religious duties as well. The
priest decided to replace him with the young David. When
the king discovered this he became jealous of David and
tried to kill him.
David escaped and fled with Saul in pursuit.
The youth became a guerilla leader and hid in the desert.
On one occasion he discovered the king sleeping with
his soldiers. Instead of killing his foe, he demonstrated respect.
This event is a reflection of Jesus' instruction to love
one's enemy. Challenged to examine our present situation in
the context of our ultimate horizon, the Kingdom of God.
Our Second Reading : The Last Adam
Paul has been dealing with a local issue in Corinth. There is
a group that has denied the need for a physical resurrection.
They are influenced by Greek philosophy, which believes
that anything material is of no value.
To illustrate his belief
that the body is important, he makes a connection between
the first human being and Jesus. Adam was created from
the dust of the earth. In fact, the word "adam" means "dust".
Paul notes that though Jesus came from heaven, he became
human -- the new Adam. We have all descended from the
first human, but now we begin to share divine life through
the ultimate human: Jesus, the son of God.
Preparing For Lent
This year Ash Wednesday falls on March 6th. It is the beginning
of Lent. It is the doorway into a time that calls us
to stop whatever we are doing, and enter more intentionally
into the disciplines of prayer, self-examination and repentance.
Left to ourselves, we probably would not choose
to devote a whole season to such rigorous and demanding
disciplines, but God knows we need it.
The season begins as we receive the symbolic gesture of
the imposition of ashes on our foreheads and acknowledge
our human finiteness and mortality.
The traditions of Ash
Wednesday remind us that “you are dust and to dust you will
return.” (Genesis 3:19) This is not meant to be morbid, it is
just meant to confront our grandiosity and help us to stay in
touch with the real human condition that we all share.
Additional Study Guides!
1. *** Scott Hahn's commentaries can be found here
2. *** from "Our Sunday Readings"
downloadable commentary
To understand this week's scripture readings, please refer to our Bible Study page which has several links to more bible resources and notes.
Messianic Genealogy Chart of Jesus Christ - Click here for image!