Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

“The Calling of St Peter and St Andrew”
by Jacob Willemsz. de Wet the Elder, c.1650

 
Readings for Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 Samuel 1:1-8
 
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her:
“Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
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Commentary on 1 Sm 1:1-8
 
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, using stories about Samuel, Saul, and David describe a one hundred year period of sacred history. This introductory passage speaks the genealogy of Samuel’s father and of the early life of his mother and family. “Polygamy deviates from the standard established at the creation (Genisis 1:27; 2:24) and yet it was tolerated in early biblical history as a concession to human weakness (Genisis 29:15-39; Deuteronomy 21:15-17).” [4]  Though Hannah, Elkanah’s first wife, was favored by her husband, she could bear him no children. This was seen at the time, at least by her rival, Peninnah, as a punishment from God.  For his part, Elkanah, her husband, attempted to console her, reminding her to look at her call as his wife.
 
CCC: 1 Sm 1 489
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19
 
R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19
 
Psalm 116 is a song of thanksgiving. This selection is an individual prayer and promise to God. The singer understands that the Lord is their salvation. A little confusing is: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” The meaning is that the death of God's faithful is painful to God, not that God is pleased with the death.
 
This selection from Psalm 116 also recalls the Passover ritual, referring to the “cup of salvation.” The psalm rejoices in God’s saving works in releasing the people from their bondage.
 
CCC: Ps 116:12 224; Ps 116:13 1330; Ps 116:17 1330
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Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
 
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
 
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
 
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 1:14-20
 
It is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospel accounts show Jesus beginning his public ministry after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. The “Voice” decreases while the “Word” increases (see John 3:30). We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples from St. Mark’s Gospel. They follow him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples. From other Gospel sources (John 1:35-42), we know that at least Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist and would have shared Jesus' status with his brother, Simon (Peter).
 
CCC: Mk 1:15 541, 1423, 1427; Mk 1:16-20 787
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Reflection:
 
Can we imagine the thoughts of the true man Jesus who walks into the Jordan, and upon coming out hears the voice of God pronouncing him, in a formal way, to be his son.  The man, Jesus was not quite ready to go into the world on his Father’s mission.  First he had to be tested in the desert and defeat his enemy by rejecting temptation. 
 
Once this was done, he had a huge task in front of him.  He was charged with bringing the whole world to God, his Father.  To do this he needed help.  He needed help because, as the great prophets had seen, the Son of God would be rejected, persecuted, and would offer his life for the life of the world. When he had fulfilled this mission, he would return to the Father.  He needed others to take the work forward on earth.
 
Again, putting ourselves into the mind of Christ the true man, he would have returned from the desert and begun to look for worthy disciples to which he could entrust God’s great plan.  He would have looked for men to do this as his Father had chosen the vessel to carry him in the womb.  He did not choose kings, princes, or even the chief priests and scribes.  He chose men who were humble, faith filled, and who feared the Lord.  It was no accident that Saints Peter, Andrew, and Zebedee’s sons, James, and John were called first.  The Lord may have even recognized Saint Andrew.  It is quite possible that Andrew was at the Jordan with Saint John the Baptist when the Lord approached him to be baptized.  He was, after all, one of John’s disciples first.
 
What is remarkable to us was not just that all these working men said yes, rather it was that the did so immediately; even to the point where James and John left their father right in the middle of processing the day’s labor.  The Lord did not promise them fame, fortune, or even comfort. All he said was: ““Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
 
With this message starting our short sojourn in Ordinary Time, we must ask ourselves: what must the Lord do for us to get us to take up his call?  We have much more knowledge of what we are getting ourselves into.  We can see what can be gained from it? Shouldn’t we be jumping at the chance to further God’s plan?  What is holding us back?
 
Today our prayer is this: that we will clearly hear Jesus’ call to us and understand what he wishes us to do.  We pray also that our hearts be open to sacrifice comfort and wealth for his sake, as those first disciples did.  May this year be one in which we make giant strides for the Kingdom of God, whose heralds we are called to be.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “The Calling of St Peter and St Andrew” by Jacob Willemsz. de Wet the Elder, c.1650.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Old and New Testament (Ignatius Press, © 2024, San Francisco, CA.), 421

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Catechism Links [1]
 
Baptism of Jesus by John: 438
Baptism of the Holy Spirit compared to John's baptism: 720
importance of Jesus' Baptism: 536-537, 1223
 
Additional Information about the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

“Baptism of Christ”
by Tintoretto, 1540’s

 
Readings for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
 
Thus says the Lord:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
 
I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 42:1-4, 6-7
 
This passage begins what is known as the “First Song of the Servant of the Lord.” There are three more passages considered by some to be parts of one poem (Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-7; and Isaiah 52:13—53:12). While there is some scholarly debate about the original intent of these poems, the prophetic view sees in these songs a reference to the coming messiah.
 
In this first song, Isaiah’s prediction brings us almost the exact words spoken by God as Jesus walks out of the Jordan following his baptism: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” The image of God infusing his spirit is fulfilled as the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 16:12; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22). He goes on in v. 2-4 to describe the compassionate and loving character of the messiah.
 
In v. 6-7, Isaiah focuses on the new covenant established with the people. “The expression ‘light to the nations’ (v.6) seems to find an echo in what Jesus says about his being ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12; 9:5) and also in the Benedictus of Zechariah (Luke 1:78-79). There is an evocation of v.7 in Jesus’ reply to the messengers from John the Baptist who ask him whether he is ‘he who is to come’ (cf. Matthew 11:4-6; Luke 7:18-22); […] And so St. Justin will say commenting on vv. 6-7: ‘Everything that is said here, my friends, refers to Christ and to the peoples who have been enlightened by his presence.’ (Dialogus cum Tryphone, 122, 2)” [5]
 
CCC: Is 42:1-9 713; Is 42:1 536, 555; Is 42:3 580; Is 42:6 580
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OR
Acts 10:34-38
 
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 10:34-38
 
In this selection from Acts, Peter is speaking in the house of Cornelius following the vision he was given showing him that nothing God created should be considered profane. Peter pondered this vision because it challenged the precepts of Jewish dietary laws and laws forbidding contact with Gentiles at certain times. It expands the invitation to salvation saying that God is for everyone, not just the Israelites. Peter then launches into the Good News which he starts with a description of the baptism of the Lord and how the Holy Spirit descended.  The passage concludes with Peter saying his mission is to reveal God’s love in his healing ministry.
 
CCC: Acts 10:35 761; Acts 10:38 438, 453, 486, 1289
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
 
R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
 
Give to the Lord, you sons of God,
give to the Lord glory and praise,
Give to the Lord the glory due his name;
adore the Lord in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
 
The voice of the Lord is over the waters,
the Lord, over vast waters.
The voice of the Lord is mighty;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
 
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The Lord is enthroned above the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
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Commentary on Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
 
Psalm 29 is a hymn extolling the power of God. These strophes describe the immense power of God in nature. His majesty encompasses the earth (“enthroned above the flood”) and his kingship is established over all the earth, forever. This psalm selection focuses our attention on the baptismal font as it addresses water, the symbol and source of life, in two of the three strophes.
 
CCC: Ps 29:2 2143
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Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17
 
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 3:13-17
 
The story of the baptism of Jesus from St. Matthew’s Gospel, while short, is the most complete account of the interaction between Jesus and St. John the Baptist in the Synoptic Gospels. Jesus recognizes the symbolic nature of what the Baptist is doing and tells him, over his objections, to “fulfill all righteousness.”
 
“Jesus puts John’s view of justice in a new light.  In the Old Testament, ‘justice’ meant the attribution of holiness to God and of sinfulness to man. Therefore, the Master could not possibly be baptized by the disciple. The human hand held out in a gesture of forgiveness of the all-pure and holy Head would surely incur horrendous blasphemy. Would it not whither on the spot? But what if the Master himself should request it? Jesus’ petition of baptism somehow fulfills the divine justice abundantly and more meticulously than the traditional assignation of the virtue of guilt.” [6]
 
The event unfolds with Jesus coming up from the water and the Holy Spirit descending. What God says, as reported by St. Matthew, differs slightly from the Gospels of Mark and Luke in that the address takes the form of a proclamation, as opposed to a statement to the Lord himself (“This is my beloved Son,” as opposed to “You are my beloved Son" (Mark 1:11) or (Luke 3:22)).
 
CCC: Mt 3:13-17 535, 1286; Mt 3:13 1223; Mt 3:14-15 608; Mt 3:15 536, 1224; Mt 3:16-17 1224; Mt 3:16 536; Mt 3:16 & par. 701; Mt 3:17 444, 713
-------------------------------------------
Reflection
 
The baptism of Jesus, like our own baptisms, marks a beginning and an end. For the Lord, it is the end of his preparation. He was born to a task. His self-imposed incarnation was for a purpose. He was to reveal God’s love to all creation. All that we have been talking and hearing about since the Nativity of the Lord a few short weeks ago has pointed to this moment.
 
The story we have heard about the Lord’s humble but miraculous birth to a virgin in Bethlehem was to fulfill the prophecy of his coming. The whole weight of the prophets was thrown behind that starlit birth in a manager. The world’s anticipation was recognized as the magi came bearing gifts. It was not just to the Jews that the Light came into the world, but to the whole of mankind.
 
In Scripture, during those days immediately following the angelic proclamation that the Prince of Peace had come to us, we heard how his father, St. Joseph, listened to those heavenly messengers and fled to Egypt with Mary, the Mother of God, and their new son. The story continues with details of how Herod’s plot to stop God’s plan was foiled through the cries of the first martyrs, the Holy Innocents.
 
Those early years of the Lord’s life were not shared with us. He comes to the baptismal bath now as a man of thirty, prepared to take up the mantle of the Messiah. He submits to the symbolic bath of St. John the Baptist, his cousin, and emerges, at once crowned with the Holy Spirit. Now, joined with the "substance," "person," or "hypostasis”[7] that is the Holy Spirit he would later leave as a gift, the beginning is at an end and the work of the Lord is at hand.
 
For us too, the gift of new life in baptism was both an end and a beginning. We were given as a gift of new life and a share in God’s creative work to our parents. If we were baptized, as most of us were, as infants, our parents stood up in front of the faith community to which they belonged and promised, as our proxies, in our place, that the faith we share would be the faith of their child.
 
We were brought to that bath as human children and came out of it changed, altered in essence. Like a piece of steel that is tempered in fire, in its raw form we cannot see a difference between the metal and the finished product. But when tested, there is strength in that tempered steel not found in it before it passed through the fire. When we received that baptism, the heart that beat within us was strengthened with the Holy Spirit. Just as Christ welcomed the Spirit at his baptism we were given that same gift.
 
Something else happens as well. There is a drowning, sin is washed away. Again, as the impurities of metal are removed during the fabricating process, the soul is washed clean. The sins no longer exist, something new rises out of that water, freed from the nature that allowed Adam and Eve to be deceived by Satan. We are freed from that fallen nature of disobedience to the Father. The old self dies in that bath, drowned in the love of God for his children.
 
Once transformed in the waters of baptism, we were anointed with holy chrism. Upon our crowns was placed that sacred oil which set us aside, now as something holy, something of God. Changed in character, we were then offered as a gift to the Son who saved us.
 
Next, we were presented with the Light of Christ from the new fire of the Easter candle, and clothed in a white garment, making us as new creations, now reborn in Christ.
 
For those of us baptized as infants we do not remember the event that opened the gates of heaven for us. For those of us lucky enough to have been “made new” later in life, those effects were no doubt felt as they occurred. Whether we were old or young, when we passed through that holy bath we were set upon a new course. Like Jesus, that mission was placed before us and we are called to follow his example.
 
Today as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are reminded of our own call to holiness. In Jesus’ life, this event marked a new beginning. We now embark upon our own continued journey. As we reflect upon our lives to this point, we are called once more to ask ourselves if we have done what God has called us to do. We are called, as a holy people, set aside for Christ, to take up the message given by the angels at the Lord’s birth. We are called, as the adopted sons and daughters of God, to bring that message of love and peace to all we meet. That is what the journey upon which the Lord embarks is about; that is our mission as well.
 
Pax

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[1] The Homiletic Directory does not provide links for the Baptism of the Lord.  These references are taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (United States Catholic Conference, Inc. – Libreris Editrice Vaticana, © 1994), 756.
[2] The picture is “Baptism of Christ” by Tintoretto, 1540’s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 186.
[6] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 130.
[7] CCC 249-256.

Saturday after Epiphany

“St John the Baptist”
by Anton Raphael Mengs, c. 1760s

 
Readings for Saturday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 5:14-21
 
Beloved:
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,
he should pray to God and he will give him life.
This is only for those whose sin is not deadly.
There is such a thing as deadly sin,
about which I do not say that you should pray.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
 
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one begotten by God he protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch him.
We know that we belong to God,
and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true,
in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against idols.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 5:14-21
 
The concluding passage of St. John’s first letter begins by expressing the faith Christians have in prayers being heard. It moves immediately into the response of the community to those who have sinned, but not deadly sins. Given the main purpose of this letter, this probably refers to apostasy as a result of false teachers. In summarizing the themes St. John has dealt with in the letter, a contrast is drawn between the members of the community of faith (those “begotten by God”) and the secular world belonging to the evil one. Those who are faithful to Jesus find eternal life in him. It ends rather awkwardly with one last exhortation to be on guard against idols, almost an afterthought.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 5:14 2778, 2827; 1 Jn 5:16-17 1854; 1 Jn 5:18-19 2852; 1 Jn 5:19 409; 1 Jn 5:20 217
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
 
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Sing to the Lord a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
 
Psalm 149 is a communal song of praise, rejoicing in God’s kingship and inviting the faithful to celebrate his saving works. We rejoice because God brings victory to the lowly and hope to the oppressed. The psalmist calls to the faithful to give praise in the assembly of the people – to give witness to their faith publicly – communally, as God’s chosen ones.
 
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Gospel: John 3:22-30
 
Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 3:22-30
 
In this passage from St. John’s Gospel, it appears that Jesus is personally baptizing those who are coming to him. We learn later, in John 4:2, that it is just his disciples who are doing this. This section has only one purpose in being placed here, and that is to mark the end of the mission of St. John the Baptist and the ascendancy of Christ (“He must increase; I must decrease”). This is the end of the beginning of St. John’s Gospel .
 
"It is necessary for Christ to grow in you, for you to progress in your knowledge and love of him: for, the more you know him and love him, the more he grows in you. [...] Therefore, people who advance in this way need to have less self-esteem, because the more a person discovers God's greatness the less importance he gives to his own human condition" (St Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on St John, in loc.").
 
CCC: Jn 3:29 523, 796; Jn 3:30 524
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Reflection:
 
From the beginning of God’s plan St. John the Baptist has been inexorably linked to Jesus.  Even before their first meeting in the womb, the Baptist’s role was made clear.  God sent Elijah the prophet to call the people to faithfulness and to herald God’s revelation.  It was prophesied that he would return bringing with him the Messiah and it was the Baptist who fulfilled that prediction.
 
His entire life was spent with a single purpose, to prepare the people for the coming of the Christ.  From the first time we meet him as an adult, he is calling the people to reform their lives and to return to faith.  It was the call to repentance that attracted large crowds and the Baptist himself gained a following, having his own disciples. 
 
We see him in the Gospel of St. John at his zenith. He has baptized Jesus and will soon be arrested by Herod.  In the first chapter of this Gospel, we know the Baptist was considered as a possible incarnation of the Messiah himself.  Then, as in the current passage, he points to Jesus and tells us: “You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ.”  In a moment of realization, in order for Jesus to gain the prominence he must, St. John knows that his ministry must end, that it is a distraction from the light that has come into the world.  In that moment, the Gospel recounts how he told his disciples (who now see themselves in competition with Jesus and his disciples), “He must increase; I must decrease.”
 
His humility and praise of Christ in this statement demonstrates the degree to which God’s grace rests upon him.  He rightly sees his purpose accomplished, but for one more heroic action.  (Through his life he has preceded Jesus – he did so in birth and in assuming his ministry – he soon goes to precede him in death.)  But for now, his lesson is established for us.  He has done great things in the name of the Father and there were those who would have carried him off as chief prophet of the age.  That example of humility, in stepping back from prominence, is the one we must take from this passage.
 
Today we pray that we may be like St. John the Baptist, faithfully serving the Lord Jesus in all we do.  We pray also that, if we accomplish that purpose and acclaim is offered, we may redirect it where it belongs, to the one we serve, our Savior and Lord, Jesus who is the Christ.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St John the Baptist” by Anton Raphael Mengs, c. 1760s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Friday after Epiphany

“Christ Healing a Leper”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1655

Readings for Friday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 5:5-13
 
Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
 
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
 
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 5:5-13
 
St. John’s first letter provides a unique understanding of Jesus' baptism and baptismal theology in general. His reference to “water” is a reference to the Lord’s baptism. The “Spirit” is a reference to the Holy Spirit descending upon the Lord as he came out of his baptismal bath. Finally, he refers to blood which is a symbol of the cross. In that baptismal event was also God’s own testimony about the identity of his Only Son (Matthew 3:16-17). St. John’s logic in this passage teaches that if one does not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, they call God a liar because he testified to the identity of his Son.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 5:6-8 1225; 1 Jn 5:8 694
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
 
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
 
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise. In these strophes the singer celebrates God’s gifts to his people, the gift of faith to the patriarch Jacob, and the gift of his presence in the holy city Jerusalem. These strophes are from the third section; each section offers praise for a different gift from God to his special people. This section focuses on the gift of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as its spiritual center. We see the call to praise Jerusalem, the holy city, because in it was revealed the Word of God and a call to holiness. The Lord is praised for sending food that sustains the people. The final strophe also rejoices that the law was handed on to them through Jacob.
 
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Gospel: Luke 5:12-16
 
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
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Commentary on Lk 5:12-16
 
In this account of Jesus curing the leper, we see two remarkable details. First, Hebrew law stated that those designated as “unclean” could not approach anyone closer than about ten feet. This leper was clearly much closer. He was so close to Jesus that he “stretched out his hand, touched him.” Not just with a word was this leper made clean. The Lord touched him, which by Hebrew law was taboo. In one action the Lord demonstrates his power over the disease and his authority over the law. The crowds throng him once again because of his holiness and, once more, he withdraws to speak with the Father (“but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray”).
 
"This new mighty deed of Jesus causes word of him to spread yet further. And as the word goes out the crowds come in. Jesus teaches them and heals them, as he had the leper. Nevertheless, he will not place himself at their disposal or be taken possession of by them. To be a successful preacher and healer does not achieve the goal of Jesus’ ministry: he must continue to move on." [4]
 
CCC: Lk 5:16 2602
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Reflection:
 
We are fast approaching the feast of the Baptism of the Lord which signals the conclusion of the Church’s celebration of Christmas.  The Christmas season is so full of portent for what is to come.  Even today as we look back at the Epiphany (the kings assemble and the remarkable light that shone down on the manger in Bethlehem) and forward to the Lord’s immersion in the waters of the Jordan (which make all waters holy for us) we find cause for great hope and joy.
 
In the midst of our reverie comes the story of Christ healing the leper.  There are several remarkable facets of this story beyond the obvious healing miracle.  The first of these is the impact Jesus’ healing touch had on the life of this man.  Identified as “a man full of leprosy,” he could have been suffering from any of several skin diseases that would have caused him to be outcast. In our terminology, we would say he was excommunicated from his faith community.  This would have been done, in accordance with Mosaic Law, to protect other members of the community if the disease were contagious.  It was also done because it was presumed that one so afflicted must have committed a great sin against God.
 
When the Lord cured him, he brought him back to God. He lifted the excommunication and brought the man back into the grace of God.  The story tells us that Jesus instructed him: “show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed.” Presumably this would have been a sin offering, one of the many sacrifices demanded under the law.  Jesus would later become the sin offering for us all, removing any future need for such rituals.
 
A second remarkable thing that happened in this story was Jesus touched him!  The Gospel says: “Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him.”  A Jewish reader of the time when this Gospel was first written would have reacted like we would if we saw a person jump into a pit full of poisonous snakes or spiders.  Jesus violated a strict taboo by touching one who was called “unclean.”  By law, these outcasts were to keep a distance of at least ten feet away from others who were not so afflicted.  Jesus touched him!
 
We can only imagine what that must have felt like.  It would have been a feeling like being washed in clean water that would wash away a burning, itching and painful coating.  But that touch would have done more.  It would have caused an interior transformation as well.  The very soul of the man would have become sparkling clean.  That would have been the effect of the touch of one who takes away the sins of the world.
 
As we continue our Christmas celebration again this day, we pray to be touched by the one who makes us whole.  We ask our Lord and Savior, through the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar to reach out and touch us, making us one with him.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ Healing a Leper” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1655.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] John Nolland, Luke 1:1–9:20, vol. 35A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, © 1989), 229.

Thursday After Epiphany

“Christ Preaching”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1652

 
Readings for Thursday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 4:19–5:4
 
Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 4:19–5:4
 
This passage from St. John’s first letter drives home the original purpose for the letter. “The fullness of Christian life as fellowship with the Father must be based on true belief and result in charitable living; knowledge of God and love for one another are inseparable, and error in one area inevitably affects the other.” [4]
 
The link forged by the Great Commandment of loving God and loving neighbor is strengthened by St. John who places Christ as an integral part. If a person loves God, then, perforce, they must also love one another. If they do not love one another they do not love God.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 4:19 604, 1828; 1 Jn 4:20 2840; 1 Jn 5:1 2780, 2790
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17
 
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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Commentary on Ps 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17
 
The royal psalm, Psalm 72, a song of adoration, continues as the promise of justice is extended from only the poor and marginalized to the promise to deal with those who prey upon the upright. The passage concludes with a blessing of God’s kindness and mercy proclaiming the universal peace that will flow to all mankind. Once again, while originally this psalm was sung for the king, we see in it God’s promise and the eternal rule of peace and justice brought by the Messiah.
 
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Gospel: Luke 4:14-22
 
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
 
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
 
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.  
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Commentary on Luke 4:14-22
 
This selection from St. Luke’s Gospel takes place immediately following the Lord’s baptism by St. John and trial in the desert. Jesus' return to Galilee is also documented in St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12-17). Here the Lord begins his public ministry with a straightforward statement of his identity and mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” This announcement of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-2) being fulfilled tells the audience he is the Messiah who came bringing them salvation.
 
"These phrases, according to Luke (verses 18-19), are His first messianic declaration. They are followed by the actions and words known through the Gospel. By these actions and words Christ makes the Father present among men." (St. John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia" 3)
 
CCC: Lk 4:16-22 1286; Lk 4:16-21 436; Lk 4:18-19 695, 714; Lk 4:18 544, 2443; Lk 4:19 1168
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Reflection:
 
The great Feast of the Epiphany continues to shine its light on the Nativity of the Lord.  The magi from the East continue their praise and homage of the Savior who has entered the world.  Even as we join them, imagining the Holy Family in the humble manger in Bethlehem, the revelation of Christ in Scripture requires us to think in more pragmatic terms about the faith we profess and the event at which we rejoice.
 
As much as we would like to linger with the Christ Child, St. Luke calls us to take up his mission.  The Gospel reminds us that the baby born in Bethlehem came to fulfill God’s promise.  In Luke we hear the now adult Christ taking up the prophet’s mantle.  He quotes the prophet Isaiah saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” It is time for us to spread that word and St. John the Evangelist notes in his letter how that should be done.
 
He reminds us that if we have faith in Christ then our love of others will be clearly seen.  It is a bold statement, punctuated with human action that supplements our prayer and sacramental grace.  If we love Christ we must love others; the two are inseparable.  It is like the sacrament of marriage.  If that sacrament exists it cannot be broken.  The bond between those so joined is unbreakable.  If we love Christ, we must express that love as he did, loving all with whom we have contact.
 
The chain of theological logic stretches out its hand to us today and shows us that even as we recall the magi and the Christ Child, we must express our love for that moment by loving even those who hate us.  Our prayer today is that God gives us the strength to do just that.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Christ Preaching” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1652.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] From “Introduction to the Epistles of John” New American Bible (NAB).