Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest

Proper for the Memorial of St. Dominic
 
Biographical information about St. Dominic
 

"St. Dominic" by Claudio Coello,1691

Readings for Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Habakkuk 1:12—2:4
 
Are you not from eternity, O Lord,
my holy God, immortal?
O Lord, you have marked him for judgment,
O Rock, you have readied him punishment!
Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil,
and the sight of misery you cannot endure.
Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence
while the wicked man devours
one more just than himself?
You have made man like the fish of the sea,
like creeping things without a ruler.
He brings them all up with his hook,
he hauls them away with his net,
He gathers them in his seine;
and so he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net,
and burns incense to his seine;
for thanks to them his portion is generous,
and his repast sumptuous.
Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword
to slay peoples without mercy?
 
I will stand at my guard post,
and station myself upon the rampart,
And keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what answer he will give to my complaint.
 
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write down the vision
Clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash man has no integrity;
but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.
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Commentary on Hb 1:12—2:4
 
The prophet Habakkuk, in his oracle, recognizes that the Hebrew people have fallen from God’s grace.  He complains against the social abuses taking place in Judah before King Nebuchadnezzar of the Chaldean empire came to invade the region (including Jerusalem) as a perceived instrument of God’s punishment. The prophet is lamenting the Diaspora, the dispersal and enslavement of the Hebrews by its neighbors.
 
The prophet vents his confusion over, not the punishment that God has handed down, but the instrument with which he chose to do so. “Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?” He uses the analogy of the fishermen who rejoice in killing the fish to describe the merciless methods of King Nebuchadnezzar’s invading armies. The final verse is one of encouragement to those taken into slavery to hold fast to the faith, for it shall save them.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 9:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
R. (11b) You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
 
The Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has set up his throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
 
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of distress.
They trust in you who cherish your name,
for you forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
 
Sing praise to the Lord enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations his deeds;
For the avenger of blood has remembered;
he has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
R. You forsake not those who seek you, O Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 9:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
The psalm addresses loosely connected themes, the rescue of the helpless poor from their enemies, God's worldwide judgment and his kingship over the nations.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 17:14-20
 
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
“Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Jesus said in reply,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me.”
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
“Why could we not drive it out?”
He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
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Commentary on Mt 17:14-20
 
"This episode of the curing of the boy shows both Christ's omnipotence and the power of prayer full of faith. Because of his deep union with Christ, a Christian shares, through faith, in God's own omnipotence, to such an extent that Jesus actually says on another occasion, ‘he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father’ (John 14:12)."[4]
 
This story of the possessed boy is a shortened version of the story from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 9:17-27). Here there is little background given and the focus instead is on lack of faith. Jesus' comments, directed to the disciples, indicate their faith was insufficient to drive out the demon and the speech envisions a time when they may be able to “move mountains” with stronger faith.
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
There is an old saying “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”  As we listen to Jesus and see in this passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel how he takes the disciples to task, we kind of despair.  Will we ever get to the point where Jesus expects us to be?  As we envision the story of the encounter between Jesus and the man with the son who is mentally ill (it sounds strange hearing the Bible call him a lunatic- not PC) we sense the frustration in the Lord.  At this stage in their development, it seems clear that Jesus expects his students to be able to handle such encounters with illness and possession.
 
When the man comes to him and explains that the disciples were unable to help him, Jesus is frustrated.  He says in a surprising way; “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?”  The usually patient Messiah sounds almost like a father whose child comes and asks for help with their homework after that parent has spent a long time teaching them how to do the work, or the parent of an adult child who is asked for help once too often.
 
When the disciples come to Jesus after he has cured the boy, he tells them that the reason they could not help the boy was they did not have faith.  The point being made is clear.  With faith all things are possible.  That theme has been consistent throughout Sacred Scripture.  However, we are like the person who is forced to walk across a bridge.  When the bridge is wide and substantial, we can cross confidently.  But when the bridge is just a narrow plank with no hand holds, we become frightened and cannot cross.  In reality, the plank may have been the same width as that part of the bridge we walked across, but the idea that we could fall prevented us from moving forward.
 
If we use that analogy and take it further, we may see where Scripture is taking us.  Let’s ask how does one get the courage to walk across a plank suspended above a significant drop?  They start with the plank on the ground walking across it and once they are confident, gradually raise it until it is high in the air.  That is the way high-wire artists train.  They start small and, with lots of regular practice, they move it higher and higher.
 
For us the faith must be the same.  We start small, with prayers and actions we know we can take.  But we push ourselves.  We pray longer and harder, we hand more and more to God so that his peace becomes part of us. 
 
Our prayer today is that through our discipline of faith we may increase that which is so freely given and constantly seek to emulate Christ so our faith may accomplish his will among all we meet.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is "St. Dominic" by Claudio Coello,1691.
[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] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 152.

Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and His Companions, Martyrs

Proper readings for St. Sixtus II, and Companions

Biographical information about St. Sixtus II, and Companions
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Cajetan, Priest

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Cajetan

Biographical information about St. Cajetan

“Christ Carrying the Cross” (detail)
by Lorenzo Lotto,1526

 
Readings for Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7
 
See, upon the mountains there advances
the bearer of good news,
announcing peace!
Celebrate your feasts, O Judah,
fulfill your vows!
For nevermore shall you be invaded
by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.
The Lord will restore the vine of Jacob,
the pride of Israel,
Though ravagers have ravaged them
and ruined the tendrils.
 
Woe to the bloody city, all lies,
full of plunder, whose looting never stops!
The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels;
horses a-gallop, chariots bounding,
Cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash of the spear,
the many slain, the heaping corpses,
the endless bodies to stumble upon!
I will cast filth upon you,
disgrace you and put you to shame;
Till everyone who sees you runs from you, saying,
“Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her?
Where can one find any to console her?”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7
 
This passage takes excerpts from the two sections of the short book of the prophet Nahum. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, writing in about 612 BC. The focus of this selection is on the significance of the fall of Nineveh.  His oracle envisions the restoration of Judah and Israel as well as God’s just retribution against the Assyrians, whose ruthlessness was legendary.
 
‘It is very difficult to capture in translation the full impact of the Hebrew original. The prophet manages to convey the sheer terror and anguish of the Ninevites as the Babylonian army pours through the streets and squares of the great capital of Assyria.” [4]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Deuteronomy 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41
 
R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life.
 
Close at hand is the day of their disaster,
and their doom is rushing upon them!
Surely, the Lord shall do justice for his people;
on his servants he shall have pity.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
 
“Learn then that I, I alone, am God,
and there is no god besides me.
It is I who bring both death and life,
I who inflict wounds and heal them.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
 
I will sharpen my flashing sword,
and my hand shall lay hold of my quiver,
“With vengeance I will repay my foes
and requite those who hate me.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
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Commentary on Dt 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41
 
In this selection from Deuteronomy, Moses begins to describe the unique participation of the Hebrew people, the Chosen People, in God’s covenant. Moses actually presents a homily on the election of Israel, how God has shown his omnipotence through the salvific acts and signs (e.g. plagues in Egypt, saving miracles that facilitated the exodus).
 
These proofs, Moses explains, are the reason they must be faithful to God, and instruct their children to do the same. In doing so they receive the reward for their fidelity: “that you and your children after you may prosper." This section acts as a prologue to the introduction to Mosaic Law.
 
CCC: Dt 32:39 304
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Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28
 
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 16:24-28
 
This is the second time, within the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Lord instructs the disciples that if they wish to follow him, they must take up the cross (the first time is in Matthew 10:38). 
 
"Jesus' paradox at 16:25 ('whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it') is fulfilled first of all in Jesus himself, in the way his life's loss on the Cross flowers in the Resurrection and the birth of the Church." [5]
 
This passage focuses the followers of Christ on the idea that serving the Lord must come before any other purposes in life, since it is through following Jesus that eternal life is gained. It is also explicit that bringing the Word of God, the message of the kingdom of God, to the world will lead to persecution, and even the possibility of death.
 
CCC: Mt 16:24-26 736; Mt 16:24 226, 618, 2029; Mt 16:25-26 363; Mt 16:25 2232; Mt 16:26 1021
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Reflection:
 
The message that resonates with us today is the Lord calling us to “deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”  That call is different for each one of us.  Denying oneself we interpret to mean putting aside our personal desires and goals when they conflict with what we perceive God is calling us to.  This phrase, taken to extremes, has led many of our saintly predecessors in the faith to excesses of physical hardship, even to the point of death in some cases.  Each of us must look into our own heart and find there that reflexive relationship between what it means to deny our human ambitions, and answer Christ’s call to follow him.
 
The “following Christ” part of our call may dictate what necessarily needs to be denied.  For example, there is an individual in our parish who feels called to take Holy Communion to the sick and elderly, to bring them the sacramental grace and hope in eternal life that flows from that sacrament.  Each Sunday after Mass he goes to the houses of a number of the elderly or homebound on that holy errand.  He has done this for over ten years.  In following Christ this way he has reflexively given up his leisure pursuits on that day.  In placing the mission of Christ before his own personal comfort, he has denied himself and followed Christ.
 
There is another example of a husband and wife who are actively involved in ministry to migrant workers who come to the region each summer to work in the fields.  In addition to going to the camps to minister to them, this family has spent thousands of dollars of their own funds to put together a special day for these people, the poor and burdened, that included bringing in speakers, putting on a meal (for three hundred, for which they paid) and having a Spanish-speaking bishop preside at a special Mass for them.  They denied themselves, gave up time and resources, in order to follow Christ’s call to serve the poor.
 
There is one other example that should be shared.  There is an elderly parishioner who is afflicted with osteoporosis; she can barely walk because of the pain.  Each day she comes to Mass and prays for people who have written down prayer requests in the book of intentions.  She prays for others!  She has given of her time and her own comfort to take up her cross and follow the Lord.
 
It is up to us to examine our own call to follow Christ.  What has he given us that can be used to proclaim his love to the world through our efforts?  What are we called to offer to him?  It is a question that needs to be considered constantly and we are called to do that once more today.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ Carrying the Cross” (detail) by Lorenzo Lotto,1526.
[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] The Navarre Bible, Minor Prophets (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 223-24.
[5] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume II (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2003), 543.

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 554-556, 568: The Transfiguration

“The Transfiguration” (Detail)
by Sanzio Raffaello, 1518-20

 
Readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
 
As I watched:
 
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
his throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened and the books were opened.
 
As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
 
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
 
In this vision from the book of Daniel, we see the symbols for God the Father, “the Ancient One,” seated on the Throne of Judgment (symbolized by fire), with all the faithful before him. Then comes “One like a Son of man;" this reference is a messianic vision. Jesus took that title upon himself in fulfillment of Scripture (in addition to John 1:51, see also Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69 and Matthew 26:64 all of which reference the attendance of heavenly powers).
 
In the context of the Feast of the Transfiguration, this image is consistent with that seen by the disciples in the Gospel.
 
CCC: Dn 7:10 678; Dn 7:13 440; Dn 7:14 664
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
 
R. (1a and 9a) The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
 
The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
 
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
 
Because you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
 
This song of thanksgiving rejoices in God’s rule of the earth from his heavenly throne. The images presented extol God’s supreme authority over earth and heaven.  The Heavenly Father is exalted above all of man’s deified creations. The imagery is consistent with God’s special presence (“clouds and darkness” seen but untouchable, emanating unspeakable power). The psalmist announces God’s justice and power over all creation.
 
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Reading II: 2 Peter 1:16-19
 
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
“This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
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Commentary on 2 Pt 1:16-19
 
St. Peter offers his reference to the transfiguration event, as part of an apologia; he presents his experience, claiming Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. He quotes the Gospel account of this event explicitly, saying that he was indeed present and heard the words: “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (See Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; and Luke 9:35.)
"These verses encapsulate the whole notion of biblical prophecy--its value, interpretation and divine origin. They also show the close connection between the Old and the New Testaments. ‘The books of the Old Testament, all of them caught up into the Gospel message, attain and show forth their full meaning in the New Testament (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:27; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Corinthians 3: 14-16) and, in their turn, shed light on it and explain it" (Vatican II, 'Dei Verbum', 16).’” [5]
 
CCC: 2 Pt 1:16-18 554
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Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
 
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
 
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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Commentary on Mt 17:1-9
 
In the opening paragraph of St. Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration, James, John, and Peter see Jesus take on a majestic appearance, with imagery consistent with Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7:9-14) and then be joined by Moses the giver of the law, and Elijah, first among the prophets.  Scholars agree that uniting and fulfilling the Law and the Prophets represented in this tableau was a key message of this event.
 
The suggestion by St. Peter that he erect three “booths” suggests the Jewish Feast of Booths which commemorates the revelation of the law by Moses at Mt. Sinai; a close parallel is emphasized as the ultimate revelation of God in Christ is now played out.
 
The “bright cloud” is another Old Testament symbol used to represent the immediate presence of God (see Exodus 19:9 and 24:15-16).  From within it God speaks the same formula used at Jesus’ baptism (see Matthew 3:17) providing the final absolute identity of Jesus as the Christ.
 
This event is recounted in all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36) confirms that Jesus is the Son of God. While some scholars point to this as possibly inserted here as a post-resurrection redaction, modern thought is that, because of Old Testament images and Jewish non-canonical apocalyptic images expressed in the brilliant light, white garments and overshadowing cloud, the event is appropriately placed in Jesus’ lifetime.
 
Especially in this account we are reminded of the Lord’s baptismal event, as God’s proclamation is similar to that recounted as Jesus came up from the Jordan “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
 
CCC: Mt 17:1-8 & par. 554; Mt 17:5 444
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Reflection:
 
Today we celebrate the gift of revelation.  In Sacred Scripture Jesus is identified by God as his Son twice.  The first time God spoke the words "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased “ was at his baptism by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan River, an event that started his public ministry.  God speaks to them again at the miraculous transfiguration.
 
There is no ambiguity in the factual statement.  God makes it absolutely clear, in front of reliable witnesses, that Jesus is his Son. 
 
Perhaps Jesus sometimes uses the older name he seems to have adopted from Daniel’s visions, “one like a son of man.”  But again, placed in the context of revelation, the Messiah does come like a son of man.  He walks among the people. He was born of woman. His human body suffered the humiliation of those he came to save and died on the cross.  While his attitudes and actions set him apart as holy, as St. Paul tells us in the Kenotic Hymn; “He was known to be of human estate.”
 
For the briefest of moments, the “One like a Son of man” is revealed as True God: “…his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.”  For that one moment, the three most privileged disciples were able to see the Lord in his essential form. 
 
And what does this flash of divinity bring to us, his disciples all these millennia later?  It is a proof that gives strength to our faith – certainty.  It is a rapturous moment to revel in as we celebrate the divine life that his radiance has shone upon us.  Ultimately it is a challenge from the Lord – in this revelation there is an implied question: “Do we believe this story?”  If we do then our actions should reflect our belief.  If we believe that God came to us to give us life and to call us to his standard, we should be doing all we can to transform ourselves.  In a sense, it’s like the encounter between Jesus and St. Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after his resurrection.  He asked Peter three times if he believed.  When the affirmative answer came, he told St. Peter to feed his sheep. 
 
God said: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him.”  If we believe, we have no option but to heed that call.
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “The Transfiguration (Detail)” by Sanzio Raffaello, 1518-20.
[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, Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters, (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 361.

Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome
 
Proper readings for the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
 
Additional information about the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major

“Christ and the Canaanite Woman“
by Juan De Flandes, c. 1500

Readings for Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Jeremiah 31:1-7
 
At that time, says the LORD,
I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel,
and they shall be my people.
Thus says the LORD:
The people that escaped the sword
have found favor in the desert.
As Israel comes forward to be given his rest,
the LORD appears to him from afar:
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you.
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin Israel;
Carrying your festive tambourines,
you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits.
Yes, a day will come when the watchmen
will call out on Mount Ephraim:
"Rise up, let us go to Zion,
to the LORD, our God."
For thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 31:1-7
 
Jeremiah addresses himself to the Israelites who have fled to the desert in the Diaspora. He likens them to those who went into the same desert following Moses as they fled Egypt (Exodus 16-18). They return to “Zion” – the New Jerusalem – with joy because of God’s great mercy toward them. The prophet envisions the great prosperity of the people as they return, delivered from their exile. Key in this passage is the great love the Father shows his people echoed in Hosea 2:21-25 and Isaiah 54:6-8.
 
CCC: Jer 31 1611
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Responsorial Psalm: Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13
 
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
 
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD'S blessings.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
 
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
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Commentary on Jer 31:10, 11-12ab, 13
 
The prophet Jeremiah foresees the return of the people from exile and the joyful restoration of Jerusalem.  The people rejoice as they return to prosperity, led by the Lord, the faithful shepherd who accomplishes this saving act. As in Isaiah 42:10 and Isaiah 49:1, all nations are called to witness God’s saving hand stretched out to his people.
 
The song from Jeremiah recalls the Diaspora, the exile of the Hebrews. In these strophes, the prophet sees the salvific work of God who shepherds his people as they return from exile in the “new exodus,” and the reunification of the people. He prophesies their return to the land from which they had been driven, giving praise to God for his mercy.
 
CCC: Jer 31 1611
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Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
 
At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
He said in reply,
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour.
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Commentary on Mt 15:21-28
 
There was a long history of tension between the Canaanites and the Hebrews that was at a high point when Jesus encountered the Canaanite woman in the Gospel. She clearly knew what she was doing as she addressed him as “Lord, Son of David,” identifying him by that name as a Hebrew.
 
In this selection Jesus has withdrawn from Palestine to escape the persecution of the Pharisees and scribes and to spend time training his disciples. The region they come to is predominantly Gentile and sets the scene for his encounter with this woman (in St. Mark’s Gospel it is the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30).
 
Jesus, while the words attributed to him are harsh, did not, as most of his own contemporaries would have, begin throwing stones at her to drive her away. His disciples were begging him to do that. Jesus recognized the great gulf between them but opened his healing touch to the woman’s child when her faith in him was demonstrated.
 
The exchange between Jesus and the woman is intended to describe the universal nature of the messianic mission. Within the dialogue we see Jesus initially refuse to accede to the woman’s request (even though she recognized his authority “the woman came and did him homage, saying, 'Lord, help me'”).
 
This same pattern of refusal and then acquiescence is found in St. John’s Gospel (John 2:4, John 4:48). The metaphor being exchanged in this banter refers to the “children” being the Hebrews, and the “dogs” a reference to the Gentiles (frequently referred to as such by Hebrews of the day). While this seems out of character for the Lord, our translation leaves out some conversational nuances that soften the dialogue. The word translated as “dogs” in this translation could be more accurately expressed as “pups” or “little dogs.” It is also significant that the children and pups are eating at the same table, again expressing the universal nature of the mission of the Messiah.
 
CCC: Mt 15:22 439, 448; Mt 15:28 2610
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Reflection:
 
In spite of the way the exchange between Jesus and the Canaanite woman sounds, the message given is actually one of unity. We hear Jesus refuse the woman who has come to him. She caught him at a very bad time. He had just traveled to Tyre; he needed a rest, time away from the confrontations with the Pharisees in Palestine. And here comes this woman, a Gentile, who throws herself at him. It is interesting to note that each, Jesus and the woman, are both turning their backs on their native lands.  Each of them is moving toward an encounter arranged by the Father.
 
Jesus is true man as well as true God. He became tired just as we do. Curing the sick and casting out demons took much effort on his part. So, he declines. He has not been as successful with the “children of Israel” as he had hoped. The gospel he brought to his native land had not been well received, and here comes this Gentile woman making claims on that message of salvation.
 
Jesus uses a slang expression but softens it. In Scripture we hear the word he used was “dogs”; however, the Aramaic expression would have been more like pups. The woman persists and uses the metaphor to her own advantage, and the Lord expels the unclean spirit from her daughter.
 
It is clear from this encounter that Jesus brought the message to everyone, not just a select few. And his call to us is to take up that message and pass it on to others. We find that difficult to do at times. We even find it difficult to express that message to others who are tasked with sharing the same message, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
 
This then is what the Gospel calls us to do on this day: to bring the message of God’s love to those we meet, to express it in words and actions in a way that cannot be misunderstood. In this way we respond to the Lord as he responds to us, in love and understanding.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ and the Canaanite Woman“ by Juan De Flandes, c. 1500.
[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.

Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest

Proper for the Memorial of St. John Mary Vianney

 
Biographical Information about St. John Vianney

“St. John Vianney”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
 
The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
 
For thus says the Lord:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
 
Thus says the Lord:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the Lord.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
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Commentary on Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
 
This passage from the book of the prophet Jeremiah speaks of the restoration of Israel. The first verses, following the introduction, describe the terrible hardship visited upon the country using the metaphor of a person severely wounded. This was caused, according to the oracle, because the people had turned away from God, following practices that were anathema to the Lord (“Because of your great guilt, your numerous sins, I have done this to you.”).
 
In the concluding verses the oracle predicts the restoration of the land, a return to favored status in the eyes of God (scholars seem to agree that this does not refer to the reestablishment of the temple but of an earlier reversal of fortunes, probably after the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC). The references to leaders being chosen from their own people was probably not a reference to the Messiah in this context, but rather a return to Hebrew rulers. The conclusion (“the deadly risk of approaching me”) is a reference to the earlier tradition, that seeing God in person would cause death (see Leviticus 16:1-2). This chapter from Jeremiah and the next (Jeremiah 31) are considered to be the climax of the prophet's oracle, dealing as they do with salvation through God’s mercy and forgiveness.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
 
R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
 
The nations shall revere your name, O Lord,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the Lord has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
 
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the Lord:
“The Lord looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
 
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the Lord may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
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Commentary on Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
 
Psalm 102 is an individual lament. In these strophes, we find the cry of the people in the desert once more being directed to the Lord. The psalmist, expressing trust in the mercy of God, asks for a release from suffering and bondage for the people (“The Lord looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”). The singer gives us a prayer of thanksgiving for the restoration of the people to Israel after the Diaspora. God brought them back from their captivity and reestablished them in Zion. The prayer prefigures God’s salvation offered in the New Jerusalem – God’s heavenly kingdom.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36
 
Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
 
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
 
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
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Commentary on Mt 14:22-36
 
This passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel follows the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples return to the boat that brought them to this remote site, while Jesus stays alone to pray (recall he had just gotten word of the murder of St. John the Baptist by Herod and had come to this place to mourn him).
 
The events that follow, Jesus’ approach to the boat and walking on the water, support the Lord’s earlier demonstration that he has power over the sea and elements (see Matthew 8:26). St. Peter’s response to the Lord is to try to do as the Lord wishes, but his fear prevents him from accomplishing what the Lord has called him to do. This entire episode has one purpose, to allow the readers to share in the awe of the disciples as they make their profession of faith: “Truly, you are the Son of God." This is account stands in stark contrast to St. Mark’s account of their response (see Mark 6:51).
 
CCC: Mt 14:30 448
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Reflection:
 
This story of the disciples caught in a storm at sea is not the first time this setting has been seen.  Recall in Matthew 8:23-27, there was another storm, but this time Jesus was in the boat with the disciples (although asleep).  Still his presence was a calming influence and his reaction to the storm was one of almost casual dismissal. (“Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.”) This time, however, Jesus is a distance away.  He was up on a mountain praying.  The result of his absence is stunning.  The disciples, many of them fishermen and used to sailing, were terrified.  It was as if the evil one had chosen that moment, as the light waned and darkness descended, to strike fear and doubt into their minds. It as if the lake itself is at war with God.
 
Does this example of fear’s ability to overcome rational thought, and even at times faith, strike a chord? I’d like to tell you a personal story that some of you may resonate with.  In 2022 I went through hip replacement surgery. This was not my first bout with the surgeon’s knife.  But something was different that time. In my previous illness, even though it was considered much more life threatening, I was at peace.  Indeed, the Lord was with me, and even though highly qualified doctors had indicated that if their diagnosis was verified through the surgery, my life would soon be at an end (the diagnosis was stage 4 lung cancer).  But as I said, I was at peace and the Lord granted me a miracle – this was 2005.
 
This time the surgery was considered almost routine and the surgeons doing the work were some of the best in the world.  The difference was, at that time, I had been fighting one of those spiritual bouts.  I was having difficulty praying (especially for myself) and did not feel I was walking at peace with the Lord.  That feeling had started almost a year previously when my father died, and I was left with the responsibility of making his end-of-life decisions.  Additionally, he died following a fall at home which broke his hip and the last procedure he went through was a hip replacement.
 
In a sense I felt I was alone in a storm without our Savior’s presence.  I received an anointing prior to the surgery and was told it went very well.  I continued to recover well and was back in the liturgical saddle in a few months.  It was the fear that made the lead-up to those two experiences so different.  Faith and trust that the Lord’s will is being accomplished was present in one and lacking in the other.  I am glad I was not put to St. Peter’s test, for I would have been sunk (literally).
 
Today’s story provides us further proof of our Lord’s divinity and power.  It also is a caution about letting loose of our faith and forgetting we are not alone; the Lord is with us.  It was a lesson I needed to be reminded of and one I now leave with you.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture today is “St. John Vianney” artist and date are unknown.
[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.