Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Independence Day USA

Alternate Texts may be taken from the Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, II. For Civil Needs: 13. For the Nation, nos. 882-886; or 14. For Peace and Justice, nos. 887-891.
 
Author’s selection – Independence Day.
 
On this Independence Day, for the General Intercessions one may use an adaptation of the prayer composed by Archbishop John Carroll for the inauguration of George Washington as found in the Book of Blessings (#1965): [1]
 
We [likewise] commend to your unbounded mercy
all citizens of the United States,
that we may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in
  the observance of your holy law.
May we be preserved in union and that peace which the
  world cannot give;
And, after enjoying the blessings of this life,
be admitted to those which are eternal.
 
We pray to you, who are Lord and God
for ever and ever.
 
R. Amen
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[2] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Suggested for this date: # 29. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Creation.

“Mourning the Dead Christ”
by Ortolano, c. 1522

 
Readings for Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [3]
 
Readings from theJerusalem Bible [4]
 
Readings and Commentary: [5]
 
Reading 1: Amos 9:11-15
 
Thus says the Lord:
On that day I will raise up
the fallen hut of David;
I will wall up its breaches,
raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old,
That they may conquer what is left of Edom
and all the nations that shall bear my name,
say I, the Lord, who will do this.
Yes, days are coming,
says the Lord,
When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
and the vintager, him who sows the seed;
The juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains,
and all the hills shall run with it.
I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel;
they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities,
Plant vineyards and drink the wine,
set out gardens and eat the fruits.
I will plant them upon their own ground;
never again shall they be plucked
From the land I have given them,
say I, the Lord, your God.
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Commentary on Am 9:11-15
 
The prophet speaks of God’s purpose in causing the fall of the Kingdom of Israel (in actuality all kingdoms of that region in his day). The people were sinful, and those that did not follow God’s Law were either killed or carried off into bondage. But the faithful remnant would be saved and rebuilt (“On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David”), saying that the House of Israel would be restored. The oracle predicts that it will be greater than before. All this is accomplished only through the will and might of God.
 
“In Acts 15:15-17 St. James interprets this passage in a messianic sense. Fallen hut: the kingdom. The nations that shall bear my name: the Gentile peoples who shall be converted to the Lord, that is, conquered by him, and therefore shall bear his name.” [6]

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Responsorial Psalm: 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
 
R. (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
 
I will hear what God proclaims;
the Lord –for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
 
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
 
The Lord himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
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Commentary on Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
 
Psalm 85 is a communal lament that focuses on the woes of the nation. These strophes reflect the joy of salvation at the restoration of the land following the destruction of the temple, and the Diaspora. Those faithful to God see the reward: a land restored, justice returned, and the salvation of God.
 
CCC: Ps 85:11 214; Ps 85:12 2795
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Gospel: Matthew 9:14-17
 
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth,
for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.
People do not put new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined.
Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
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Commentary on Mt 9:14-17
 
Jesus is approached by St. John the Baptist’s disciples about the Pharisaic practices of ritual fasting. In Old Testament usage this action was a token of repentance or of mourning. No fast is actually prescribed in the Law of Moses, except the fast on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29 and 23:27 and Numbers 29:7). Given this understanding of the Law of Moses, what was being practiced by the Pharisees (and St. John’s disciples) was tradition. Jesus' response, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them,” speaks to the fact that his disciples do not have anything to repent from or mourn for, as long as they are following him.
 
The next section of the reading seems to contradict an earlier statement of Jesus (Matthew 5:17-20), when he said he had not come to abolish the Law (of Moses) but to fulfill it. But, his metaphors about the wineskins and the cloth refer to a completely new understanding of God’s revelation that cannot be a “patchwork” of ideas, but rather a consistent application of Christ’s law of love, mercy, and hope.
 
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Reflection:
 
In the Gospel today, the Lord is challenged by some of the disciples of St. John the Baptist (of which at least one of his own disciples, Andrew, was formerly a member). They ask why Jesus and his disciples do not practice the Pharisaic traditions of ritual fasting. Jesus, also of the Pharisaic tradition (based upon his knowledge of the resurrection), was not following their scrupulous rules and neither were his disciples. It was important that Jesus strike just the right tone in his reply. Recognizing that the Pharisees were following a tradition developed out of their understanding of the law (not prescriptions of the law), he explains that his disciples do not need to mourn or repent while he is with them (coming as he does to fulfill the Law and the Prophets).
 
Now, using metaphor, Jesus explains that his coming changes the understanding of God’s intent and character. Where the Hebrews’ understanding of God, based upon the Law and the Prophets, had been as a God of justice, humanized and given the emotions and motives of man, Christ changed all of that, as the incarnated Son shows the world God’s infinite love and compassion. His metaphors tell us that there can be no human motives assigned to God: that is old cloth, old wineskins.
 
To quote my favorite author: “If Christ and the mind of Christ are the new garment the disciple must henceforth wear more tightly and intimately than his own skin, then we can see how what the proverb calls a “patch” in the sense of a ‘complement’ or “piece added to complete and perfect’ does indeed deserve the name of Pleroma, which the Vulgate retains as plenitudo. The old garment of the law, in its interim fragility, simply cannot bear, without tearing, the energy of the fullness manifested in Christ, in whom, ‘by God’s own choice, came to dwell the plenitude (plêrôma) of God’ (Col 1:19).” [7]
 
We rejoice today as we see Christ once more reveal to us the love and promise of the Father, and the salvation he offers to those who believe in him. We pray, today, that we can be an example of that love to those we meet, and thereby bring the message of the Kingdom of God to the world. And, especially in this time of unrest, uncertainty, and fear, we pray that that message of love might heal the wounds of division that are fracturing this great country of ours.
 
Pax

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[1] Book of Blessings (he Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, MN © 1989), 747.
[2] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5.
[3] The picture is “Mourning the Dead Christ” by Ortolano, c. 1522.
[4] S.S. Commemoratio
[5] 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.
[6] NAB footnote on Amos 9:11-12.
[7] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 446.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

Biographical Information about St. Thomas the Apostle

“Saint Thomas“
by Caravaggio, 1601-02

Readings for the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ephesians 2:19-22
 
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
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Commentary on Eph 2:19-22
 
In this passage, St. Paul describes the unity brought about among all believers in Christ. This unity is formed under a common teaching flowing from the Hebrew prophets, through the apostles, to Christ himself, who is described as the “capstone” or cornerstone. This unity of spirit becomes the Church, the “dwelling place for God in the Spirit.” The Church, in turn, is the unity of all Christians, those who were formerly Jews, and those who were formerly Gentiles. They are, says the apostle, joined through Christ on the same road to the Kingdom of God. They share the same foundation of faith, transmitted to them through the apostles, and held firm by Christ the “capstone.” Together they form the “Temple of the Spirit,” the essential understanding that the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ.
 
CCC: Eph 2:19-22 756; Eph 2:20 857; Eph 2:21 797
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
 
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
 
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
 
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
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Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
 
“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.”[4] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
 
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Gospel: John 20:24-29
 
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
 
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
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Commentary on Jn 20:24-29
 
This story from St. John’s Gospel is set just after Mary Magdalene has brought news to the disciples of the Risen Christ, and his appearance to them in the locked room. He (the Lord) has departed and now Thomas returns to find his friends speaking of Jesus’ return from the dead.
 
Thomas acquires his nickname ("Doubting Thomas") by doubting what the other disciples tell him, and he persists in doing so until the Lord again comes to the locked upper room. To his credit, following the Lord’s own challenge, St. Thomas applies to Jesus the title “My Lord and my God.” It is the first time this title, reserved for God the Father, is given to the Son, proclaiming his divinity. The passage concludes with Jesus acknowledging the title, but praising those not present who will believe in him without requiring physical proof.
 
CCC: Jn 20:24-27 644; Jn 20:26 645, 659; Jn 20:27 645; Jn 20:28 448
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Reflection:
 
On July 12, 1835, or 190 years ago, about a block west of the current Kingsley St. location in Ann Arbor, Father Patrick O’Kelly celebrated the first Mass for the small Irish Catholic faith community in Ann Arbor that would become St. Thomas the Apostle Church.  Sixty-four years later, in 1899, this building was dedicated when Bishop Foley from Detroit started with this prayer:
 
O Lord God, who although the heavens and earth cannot contain Thee, are pleased to have Thy dwelling on earth, in which Thy name may be perpetually invoked; we beseech Thee, by the merits of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, of Thy apostle Saint Thomas, and all Thy Saints, visit this place with Thy benign clemency, and purify it by the infusion of Thy grace, from all defilement and preserve it undefiled; and O Thou who didst satisfy the devotion of Thy beloved David in the performance of his son Solomon, be pleased to hearken to our petitions and banish hence all spiritual wickedness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
 
I was not able to find a record of what motivated our forefathers in faith to choose St. Thomas the Apostle as patron.  But we pray that the living tradition of faith which has been handed down to us is pleasing to our parish patron, whose feast we celebrate today.
 
From a scriptural perspective, not much is known about St. Thomas.  His name occurs in all the lists of the synoptics (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6, cf. Acts 1:13), but, as we heard, in St. John’s Gospel he plays a distinctive part.
 
First, when Jesus announced his intention of returning to Judea to visit Lazarus, Thomas who is called Didymus [the twin], thinking about the danger to Jesus in Judea, loyally said to his fellow disciples: "Let us also go to die with him” (John 11:16). (As a side note, Thomas is thought to have been called “the twin” because he strongly resembled Jesus, not because he was a twin.)
 
Again, it was St. Thomas who during the discourse before the Last Supper raised an objection: "Thomas said to him, ‘Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?’" (John 14:5).
 
But more especially St. Thomas is remembered for his incredulity, proclaimed on his feast, when the other apostles announced Christ's resurrection to him: "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." (John 20:25) But eight days later he made his act of faith professing “My Lord and my God.”  Even so, the Lord chided him saying: "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (John 20:29)
 
What does the scriptural record say about the faith of our patron?  He is continually saying more than he knows.  When he suggested that the disciples should go and die with Jesus in Judea, he could not have known that, in light of what was to happen, all Christians would die with Christ and rise with him at the resurrection.  He was the first to identify Christ as God in his profession of faith, even though he doubted, winning him the unfortunate nickname “doubting Thomas” that has followed him since.
 
We see in what is known of his later ministry that St. Thomas was not always in agreement with his brother apostles. According to tradition, when the apostles were planning their evangelistic directions, St. Thomas was selected to go to India.  He immediately objected, saying he could not go.  At this point, his master, Jesus, appeared in a supernatural way to Abban, the envoy of Gundafor, an Indian king, and sold Thomas to him to be his slave and serve Gundafor as a carpenter.
 
When he arrived in India, his apostolic zeal took over and he accomplished great works throughout the northern part of the continent.  He finally converted the wife and son of a local king who, again, according to tradition, had our patron executed by four of his soldiers who used spears to kill him.
 
How fortunate we are to have so human a patron.  His less-than-perfect faith allows us to identify with him.  As we heard in the Letter to the Hebrews: "Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”  And faith is a gift from God, freely given but in different measures.  It is a very fortunate few who have not had doubts about God, his presence, and his promise. For many of us logic wars with faith, and we are forced to overcome our own disbelief, fighting to force a reluctant mind to embrace what we know in our hearts is true. Yes, we believe.  But do we all not wish we could have the Lord stand in front of us so that we could see the nail marks in his hands and put our hand into his side?
 
It is a great blessing for us to know that one as flawed as we are in faith could be loved so deeply by our Lord and Savior. Today we rejoice in God’s gift of St. Thomas.  He struggled to understand and in the end received the martyr’s crown; his faith ultimately saved him.  We consider those who have worshiped in this space for the past hundred and twenty-seven years and think of all the prayers offered up, asking our patron to intercede on their behalf.  Today we add our prayers to theirs as we ask him to help our unbelief so that we, like him, might offer up the profession: “My Lord and my God.”
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
 

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[1] The picture is “Saint Thomas“ by Caravaggio, 1601-02.
[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] NAB footnote on Psalm 117.

Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Christ Healing the Paralytic”
by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, 1730-32

Readings for Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Amos 7:10-17
 
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam,
king of Israel:
“Amos has conspired against you here within Israel;
the country cannot endure all his words.
For this is what Amos says:
Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”
 
To Amos, Amaziah said:
“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Now hear the word of the LORD!”
 
You say: prophesy not against Israel,
preach not against the house of Isaac.
Now thus says the LORD:
Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,
and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
Your land shall be divided by measuring line,
and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;
Israel shall be exiled far from its land.
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Commentary on Am 7:10-17
 
This selection shows the tension between prophet (Amos) and priest (Amaziah). The latter takes Amos’ words out of context and distorts them into what appears to be an attack on the king. As a consequence, Amos is expelled from Bethel (the national sanctuary of the northern kingdom) and would no longer be providing guidance to King Jeroboam II as “court visionary” or prophet.
 
In reply to the savage rebuke of the high priest, Amos lists his credentials. He denounces the professional prophets and disclaims any connection with them. Amos had no interest in being a prophet for the purpose of earning money. "[He was] a dresser of sycamores: This insipid fruit, which grows especially in the lowlands of Palestine, is related to, but smaller than, the fig; it was the food of the poor." [4]
 
Amos has the last word (v.17). He gives Amaziah the dooming prophecy for the king and his family. The reference to death “in an unclean land” is a reference to Assyria.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
 
R. (10cd) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
 
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
 
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
 
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
 
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
 
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage, we give praise for God’s gift of the law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn extols the virtues of obedience and steadfastness to the law and its precepts. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8
 
After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
“This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”—
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
 
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Commentary on Mt 9:1-8
 
Jesus continues his saving works in the healing of the paralytic. He leaves the territory of the Gadarenes, having been rejected out of fear.  He comes once more to his own town and is confronted with a singular demonstration of faith.  We are told, "And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher." Note, there was no outcry or plea from those who lovingly brought the paralytic to Jesus; rather, an unspoken faith in the Lord that moved Jesus to remove his burden.
 
 The leaders of the synagogue hear Jesus forgive the man’s sins, which in their thinking caused the man’s affliction (cf. John 9:1-3), and could only be taken away by God (cf. Luke 5:21). To demonstrate that he was from God, and acting for God, Jesus took away, not only the man’s sins, but what the scribes believed were the consequences of those sins, his paralysis. The crowds, if not the scribes, immediately understood and gave thanks to God for his mercy.
 
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Reflection:
 
Jesus first forgives the sins of a young paralytic then heals him, in the Gospel for today. In Hebrew thought, these two actions are linked. It was the Jewish belief that if something terrible happened, like being paralyzed, it was because the person did something wrong, sinned against God. They believed that God, in retribution, caused the affliction. This belief did not just attach to the one afflicted either; it attached to the whole of the person’s family, including extended family.
 
So, by saying first: “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven,” Jesus demonstrated that he spoke with the authority of God, since only God could forgive one so afflicted. That is why the scribes who were present were thinking that Jesus was blaspheming.
 
It got better though. Jesus, sensing the thoughts of the scribes, demonstrated that he could not only forgive sins, but also remove the outward signs of interior sin when he says:
 
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”—
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
 
No one present missed the revelation. Only God could forgive sins, and the outward sign of that sin was the paralysis. Jesus first removed the cause, then the effect, in the eyes of the witnesses.
 
This revelation is very important to us. Christ has told us that sin does not result in immediate and physical punishment from God as the Jews believed. The Lord’s coming changed that forever. He delivered us from sin and death.  Jesus starts us on our journey of faith in the forgiving bath of baptism, where all sins are washed away. He strengthens us with the gift of the Holy Spirit and adopts us as his children.
 
Through his gift to Peter of the keys of the kingdom, he has passed on to his Holy Church the faculty to continue his loving forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation. He has permanently removed the source of our temporal pain and disfigurement as a consequence of sin.
 
Finally, again through the gift of the sacraments, he has provided us with the instrument of healing in the anointing of the sick, again removing barriers to God and the kingdom of Heaven.
 
Indeed, today’s Gospel is an important one for us. We see in it our own salvation. The only price we are asked to pay is faith and love of him who loves us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ Healing the Paralytic” by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, 1730-32.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 14:34, 251.

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of Saint Junipero Serra, Priest [In the Dioceses of the United States]
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Junipero Serra
 
Biographical information about St. Junipero Serra

“Pigs Rush To the Sea”
by James Tissot, 1886-96

 
Readings for Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Amos 5:14-15, 21-24
 
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
Then truly will the Lord, the God of hosts,
be with you as you claim!
Hate evil and love good,
and let justice prevail at the gate;
Then it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.
 
I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the Lord,
I take no pleasure in your solemnities;
Your cereal offerings I will not accept,
nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings.
Away with your noisy songs!
I will not listen to the melodies of your harps.
But if you would offer me burnt offerings,
then let justice surge like water,
and goodness like an unfailing stream.
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Commentary on Am 5:14-15, 21-24
 
The prophet continues his pronouncement of “Woes to Israel” with what is called the "Third Word."  “The Lord condemns, not ritual worship in itself, but the cult whose exterior rites and solemnity have no relation to interior morality and justice. The Israelites falsely worshiped him as neighboring nations adored Baal or Chamos, deities which were thought to protect their respective peoples against their enemies in return for ritual observances, without any relation to right conduct.” [4]
 
CCC: Am 5:21-5 2100; Am 5:24 1435
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17
 
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“For mine are all the animals of the forests,
beasts by the thousand on my mountains.
I know all the birds of the air,
and whatever stirs in the plains, belongs to me.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“If I were hungry, I should not tell you,
for mine are the world and its fullness.
Do I eat the flesh of strong bulls,
or is the blood of goats my drink?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
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Commentary on Ps 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17
 
Psalm 50 is a “covenant lawsuit” that is a lament against those who have violated God’s law, and the covenant made with the Lord upon which it was based. Echoing the charges leveled against Israel by the prophet Amos (Amos 5:14ff), the psalmist condemns empty ritual and sacrifice that is not reflective of external actions and internal faith.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34
 
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
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Commentary on Mt 8:28-34
 
Jesus comes to a region about five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee and encounters the two demoniacs (people taken over by demons). He drives the demons out into a herd of swine. The symbolism here for the Jewish audience would be powerful, as swine were unclean animals. By casting themselves into the sea, they showed that even they preferred death to the presence of evil. The Gentile population, probably very superstitious, was afraid of Christ’s power over evil and did not want any more damage as a result of his presence.
 
"Not only do the Demons confess Jesus’ identity as Son of God; they go on to reveal their vision of his appointed function as Messiah, who in the end will judge all spiritual beings. The spirit of evil can lie to everyone but God himself. Truth spouts from these filthy mouths as a parody of praise. But the disciples stand by as beneficiaries of the encounter." [5]
 
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Reflection:
 
At the risk of offending some of the “flock,” we focus our attention today on the plight of the swine from the Gospel story, and ironically identify with them. In St. Matthew’s Gospel we see great symbolism as Jesus casts out evil. He identifies it, masters it, and removes if from its human hosts. The swine, now burdened with this evil choose to kill themselves rather than endure the evil that befalls them. In ironic symbolism (given the secular holiday) they say: “Give me liberty or give me death” (being swine, animals without souls, their suicide cannot be interpreted as sin). However, what they have done is clearly a message to us that forces threatening our personal liberty cannot be tolerated.
 
When the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Health Care Act in 2012, it also upheld the HHS Mandate that is repugnant to Catholics. It is repugnant, not because it continues to allow the use of medical procedures and drugs that we find morally objectionable. Rather it is repugnant because we, who find these contraceptive, sterilization, and abortifacients morally reprehensible, are going to be forced to pay for them and cover, through health insurance programs, their use by others.  Fortunately the Supreme Court has found that closely held corporations (that is a majority of the company’s stock is held by 5 or fewer members) whose religious beliefs contradict the mandated coverage of contraceptive, sterilization, and abortifacients are not required to pay for them.  There have been other court decisions supporting religious freedom but the attack on our beliefs is coming in many forms.  In spite of attempts, legal and congressional, to remove these requirements, they are still in place for most Catholics, and we all pay for these provisions with our taxes.
 
As we approach the celebration of the birth of our nation, we find these attempts to erode religious freedom in our country abhorrent. We ask ourselves, if a mandate were announced stating that each person would have some small percent of their taxes sent to support the Catholic Church, would there not be a hue and cry about separation of church and state?  We are reminded that the principle of the separation of church and state does not mean “removal of church from state.”  It seems that understanding has been forgotten.  We are guided by the Lord God and his Son, Jesus Christ; nothing can change that, and the government cannot mandate it.
 
As the bishops have said and continue to say, we have a long hard fight against this blatant attempt to force the faithful members of the Church to violate their moral beliefs. As we approach Independence Day, we once more recall the great price paid for the freedoms we enjoy and call upon those whom we have elected to insure those liberties are not trampled upon.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture today is: “Pigs Rush To the Sea” by James Tissot, 1886-96.
[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] NAB footnote on Amos 5:21.
[5] Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo. Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word, Vol. 1 (Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition), 472.

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
 
Additional information about the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

“Sleep of Jesus During the Storm”
by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12
 
Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the Lord pronounces over you,
over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:
 
You alone have I favored,
more than all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you
for all your crimes.
 
Do two walk together
unless they have agreed?
Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den
unless it has seized something?
Is a bird brought to earth by a snare
when there is no lure for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground
without catching anything?
If the trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not be frightened?
If evil befalls a city,
has not the Lord caused it?
Indeed, the Lord God does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants, the prophets.
 
The lion roars—
who will not be afraid!
The Lord God speaks—
who will not prophesy!
 
I brought upon you such upheaval
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah:
you were like a brand plucked from the fire;
Yet you returned not to me,
says the Lord.
 
So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel!
and since I will deal thus with you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
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Commentary on Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12
 
The prophet Amos issues a warning to Israel (the Northern Kingdom). He begins his address by explaining that, because the people of Israel are God’s chosen ones, the Lord will hold them to a higher standard of behavior (under the Law of Moses). Then he starts with his own divinely inspired compulsion to exhort them with his prophetic vision using a series of everyday events with which his listeners would have been familiar. (“Do two walk together unless they have agreed?” Agreement goes before harmony. “Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey?” The answer would be understood as no, etc.) The prophet therefore must also speak: “The Lord God speaks—who will not prophesy!” The concluding remarks in this selection indicate the Lord’s judgment is at hand.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8
 
R. (9a) Lead me in your justice, Lord.
 
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
 
You hate all evildoers;
you destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the Lord abhors.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
 
But I, because of your abundant mercy,
will enter your house;
I will worship at your holy temple
in fear of you, O Lord.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8
 
Psalm 5 is a lament, pleading for rescue from those who are evil and do not follow the statutes of God. The love of God is for his faithful people, and those who do not follow his law “the Lord abhors.”
 
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Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27
 
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
"Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?"
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?"
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Commentary on Mt 8:23-27
Jesus calming the sea is the first of this set of miracles recorded in St. Matthew’s Gospel. There are notable differences between St. Matthew’s account and that of St. Mark (Mark 4:35-41). First we note that Jesus leads the disciples into the boat, rather than the disciples taking him there. We also see a more reverent attitude on the part of the Twelve as they wake him, contrasted with the accusatory tone in St. Mark's Gospel (“do you not care that we are perishing?"). This account of the disciples' experience, in both cases, points directly at the identity of Jesus as the Son of God, and serves as a proof for the reader.
 
“Does this icon of Jesus asleep in the midst of a storm with his distraught disciples not dramatize the leap from hopeless despair to tested faith? […] Faith makes us aware of God’s ‘absent presence’ by the very force of the trials faith’s self-surrender brings on. The disciples would not be weathering this storm if they had not followed Jesus.  And yet he sleeps.” [4]
 
CCC: Mt 8:20 2444; Mt 8:26 2610
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Reflection:
 
Beyond the obvious proof of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, the Only Begotten Son of God, the story of Jesus calming the sea has another important lesson for us, his modern-day followers.  Simply stated, the story is: Jesus beckons, and the disciples are compelled to follow.  A storm threatens them, and Jesus calms both the storm and their fears.  The story encapsulates one of the many gifts Christ offers those who trust in him: the Lord’s peace and consolation.
 
The peace of Christ is something so valuable, so cherished by his faithful, that we should thank God for it daily.  It is the peace of Christ that gave the early martyrs the courage to stand up under torture.  It is the peace of Christ which opened the hearts of many of the saints to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  When the storm rages around us and all seems to be chaotic, our natural emotional state tends to imitate the chaos in which we find ourselves, and cloud our vision.  But the peace of Christ calms those turbulent waters, and allows us to see clearly into the very depths of the sea, as is so beautifully stated by Diadochus of Photice in his Treatise on Spiritual Perfection.
 
The peace of Christ requires something of the believer.  To attain serenity in the face of calamity, it is necessary to place our trust, our complete trust, in the Lord our Savior.  We are reminded of an old movie called “The Court Jester” with Danny Kaye.  In one scene Danny, a bumbling minstrel, was hypnotized by a minion of the beguiling princess (Angela Lansbury) and was transformed into a champion fencer.  While he was under the influence of the suggestion, he fought bravely and with skill against the evil Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone).  But when the trance was broken he became the terrified jester flailing wildly.  Without trust and faith in Christ, our human emotions betray us and, like horses fleeing fire, we can be led to do exactly the wrong thing.
 
When we are faced with crises, it is so important that we pause and place our trust in Christ.  Allow him to take on the fearful situation, as he did with the storm in the Gospel, and he will calm our fears, bring us peace, and show us the way.  Does that mean he will intervene and change our physical reality?  No, but he can change our mental state, providing the comfort, consolation, and peace that will make all the difference in how we react and how others perceive God acting through us.
 
Our prayer today is that God will strengthen us and give us his peace, calming the storms that rage about us, that we might boldly proclaim his name to all we meet this day.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “Sleep of Jesus During the Storm” by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875.
[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] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I, (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 364.