Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Bonaventure
 
Biographical information about St. Bonaventure

“Saint Bonaventure”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 2:1-15a
 
A certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,
who conceived and bore a son.
Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.
When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket,
daubed it with bitumen and pitch,
and putting the child in it,
placed it among the reeds on the river bank.
His sister stationed herself at a distance
to find out what would happen to him.
 
Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to bathe,
while her maids walked along the river bank.
Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it.
On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying!
She was moved with pity for him and said,
"It is one of the Hebrews' children."
Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter,
"Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women
to nurse the child for you?"
"Yes, do so," she answered.
So the maiden went and called the child's own mother.
Pharaoh's daughter said to her,
"Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you."
The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.
When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter,
who adopted him as her son and called him Moses;
for she said, "I drew him out of the water."
 
On one occasion, after Moses had grown up,
when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor,
he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen.
Looking about and seeing no one,
he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting!
So he asked the culprit,
"Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?"
But the culprit replied,
"Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us?
Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?"
Then Moses became afraid and thought,
"The affair must certainly be known."
 
Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put Moses to death.
But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian.
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Commentary on Ex 2:1-15a
 
In response to Pharaoh’s order to have all Hebrew newborn male babies killed, Moses' mother places him in a basket and hides him in the river. There discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh, he is ultimately adopted by her. The passage compresses the timeline of his story moving from infancy to saying simply: “On one occasion, after Moses had grown up” It is clear that the adult Moses knows of his birthright as he sides with the Hebrews against the Egyptians. The passage concludes with Moses hiding from Pharaoh in Midian.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34
 
R. (see 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
I am sunk in the abysmal swamp
where there is no foothold;
I have reached the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me;
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
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Commentary on Ps 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34
 
Psalm 69 is an individual lament.  The psalmist sings of great trials and perils, describing the singer’s dire situation.  Faith and hope in the Lord, says the song, sustains those in need.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24
 
Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
 
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:
 
Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.
 
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
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Commentary on Mt 11:20-24
 
This passage follows the parable of the Children in the Marketplace, in which Jesus addresses those who have heard the words of both John the Baptist and himself. He accuses them of not being willing to hear that they must turn away from sin and repent.
 
In this passage he goes further, chastising the towns in which he has performed great signs. As in the parable that preceded it, this selection speaks of the punishment reserved for those who refuse to hear the word he has spoken. In addition to ignoring the Lord’s revelation, they also continue to ignore the Law and the Prophets. Their fate, he tells them, will be worse than that of Sodom.
 
CCC: Mt 11:20-24 678
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Reflection:
 
Scripture accelerates the development of faith and understanding for those who have sought to do God’s will over the millennia.  In the first reading from Exodus we see God’s plan for Moses unfold.  We hear of his birth and, with no mention of his upbringing by Pharaoh’s daughter, we find him outraged at the treatment of his kinsmen (he knew his heritage and birthright).  In response to the treatment of this member of his extended family he kills the Egyptian. 
 
Granted, this is a historical account of God’s revelation stated in human terms.   Still, are we surprised that there is no moral outrage expressed at one person killing another?  Recall that the Law of Moses (see the irony) has not yet been handed on to Israel.  Killing had not yet been defined as sin (although the implication is present in the account of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:8-13)).  As St. Paul points out, through the Law of Moses sin enters the world (Romans 5:13ff).  Not because the law was sinful but because sin was defined by the law.
 
We jump ahead now, two thousand years, to the time of Jesus.  With the law now firmly in place and sins against God clearly defined, Jesus himself has made it clear that, in God’s eyes (his eyes), the very thought of violence against one’s brother or sister is sinful.
 
This compression in understanding God who was revealed, first through the Law and the Prophets, and then completed in Christ Jesus who came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, gives us the foundation for our own moral center.  Our actions are not judged just upon the heart of the law that Moses brought, the Decalogue or Ten Commandments.  Our justification comes from following the law fulfilled in Christ.   The Lord’s commandment is this measure by which we will be judged and this measure to which we must apply all our actions.  And the Gospel lets us know that failure to learn this lesson will have consequences.
 
Today we rededicate ourselves to truly internalizing God’s law fulfilled in Jesus.  We pray that God will give us the strength and discipline to follow that law and bring him glory.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Saint Bonaventure” 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.

Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin (Dioceses of the United States)

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha

 
Biographical information about St. Kateri Tekakwitha
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Camillus De Lellis, Priest – Outside the United States
 
Proper for the Memorial of St. Camillus De Lellis
In the United States, this memorial is perpetually transferred to July 18^th.

“Saint Kateri Tekakwitha”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 1:8-14, 22
 
A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful
the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves!
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase;
otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies
to fight against us, and so leave our country."
 
Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel
to oppress them with forced labor.
Thus they had to build for Pharaoh
the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.
Yet the more they were oppressed,
the more they multiplied and spread.
The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel
and reduced them to cruel slavery,
making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick
and all kinds of field work—the whole cruel fate of slaves.
 
Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects,
"Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews,
but you may let all the girls live."
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Commentary on Ex 1:8-14, 22
 
The Book of Exodus takes up the story of Joseph and his descendants in Egypt continued from the Genesis account. In this passage, we hear how the “children of Israel” fell into slavery though concerns over their numbers and foreign residence status. "God, with loving concern contemplating, and making preparation for, the salvation of the whole human race, in a singular undertaking chose for himself a people to whom he would entrust his promises" (Vatican II, "Del Verbum", 14). This account also describes pharaoh’s (probably Rameses II who ruled in the 13^th century B.C.) attempt to cull their numbers through infanticide, setting the stage for the rise of Moses.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8
 
R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
 
Had not the LORD been with us–
let Israel say, had not the LORD been with us–
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
 
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept
the raging waters.
Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us
a prey to their teeth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
 
We were rescued like a bird
from the fowlers' snare;
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8
 
Psalm 124 is a song of thanksgiving. In these verses God is praised for rescuing his chosen from their enemies and natural disasters so they could live in the freedom he had promised in his covenant.
 
CCC: Ps 124:8 287
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Gospel: Matthew 10:34—11:1
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one's enemies will be those of his household.
 
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
 
"Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet's reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
 
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
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Commentary on Mt 10:34—11:1
 
The final remarks of Jesus to the apostles, as they go out to preach and heal, are given in this passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel. He reminds them that, even though the word they spread reflects God’s love, they will be badly received by many, dividing households and families.
 
The Lord goes on to tell them that those who will fully accept him and his word will undergo persecution because of him. And, even if they lose their lives on his account, they will be saved. The reward given to those who accept the Word and follow in his way will be great in heaven.
 
This discourse, recalled many years after Christ’s death and resurrection, has the advantage of seeing the persecution of those who spread the word. It demonstrates a fuller understanding of the meaning of Christ’s teaching.
 
CCC: Mt 10:37 2232; Mt 10:38 1506; Mt 10:40 858
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Reflection:
 
For the past several days (including this past Sunday’s Gospel) we have been reflecting upon the sending of the disciples into the world.  We were told that they were sent “as sheep among wolves,” without any physical means of support or protection.  To punctuate that idea, St. Matthew’s Gospel explains that the Gospel we bring to the world will not be accepted by many.  In fact, rather than instantly bringing peace and the kingdom of God to those who hear it, the message will cause division between peoples and even within families. This fact is more true today in the United States, than at any time since its founding.
 
It is said that “forewarned is forearmed.”  The Gospel serves as a warning that as we put on Christ and go into the world we face each day, be that the world of business, governance, school, or nurturing a family, we should expect the message we bring to cause discomfort to some.
 
“Why must that be?” We rhetorically ask that question to point out that if we do this correctly, if we truly put on Christ, the message we bring and the values the Gospel message requires, along with the virtue we must hold as sacred, we will meet resistance from the fallen nature of mankind.  In short, those who would rather follow another set of values, values focused on their own pleasure, on concern for their own comfort, or aimed at dominating and demeaning others will feel threatened by our purity of intent.
 
The Gospel we bring to the world is not “Good News” to those who love themselves and embrace materialism and hedonism.  The simple act of helping one less fortunate can earn the disdain of one inclined toward those self-centered values.  They feel guilt or even less noble attitudes using the rationale that the unfortunate person is in his or her situation because they were either not diligent enough or not “good” enough to take advantage of their situation.  They employ the Darwinian mentality of “survival of the fittest,” not realizing that by doing so they reduce themselves to the mentality of an animal.
 
Today we faithfully put on Christ and go into the world.  We do so with a prayer that the face others see on us is the face of Christ, and the good we do in his name will be for the greater glory of his Father and ours.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Saint Kateri Tekakwitha” 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.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 299, 381: man created in the image of God; the first-born
CCC 1931-1933: viewing neighbor as another self
CCC 2447: corporal works of mercy
CCC 1465: the priest as Good Samaritan in the sacrament of penance
CCC 203, 291, 331, 703: the Word and creation, visible and invisible

“The Good Samaritan”
by Johann Karl Loth, 1676

 
Readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary:[4]
 
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 30:10-14
 
Moses said to the people:
“If only you would heed the voice of the Lord, your God,
and keep his commandments and statutes
that are written in this book of the law,
when you return to the Lord, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul.
 
“For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.
It is not up in the sky, that you should say,
‘Who will go up in the sky to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’
Nor is it across the sea, that you should say,
‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’
No, it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dt 30:10-14
 
This section of the book of Deuteronomy is part of Moses’ last discourse. In this passage the great prophet is referring to Mosaic Law which has been chronicled earlier in the book. The gist of his challenge to the people is that the law, which in turn is an integral part of fulfilling the covenant with God, also established earlier in the book, is not difficult to keep. It is, in most cases, something they are already doing (“already in your mouths and in your hearts”).
 
"St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans (Romans 10:6-8), uses this passage, applying it not to knowledge of the law but to 'the word of faith' that is preached by the apostles: it is now that word (as previously it was the law) that makes manifest the precepts and commandments of God and (like the law in its time, too) it should be constantly on our lips and in our heart. Theodoret of Cyprus (commenting on the Greek Septuagint version, which adds in v. 14 'and in your hands') says: The mouth stands for meditation on the divine words; the heart, readiness of spirit; the hands for doing what is commanded' ('Quaestiones in Octateuchum', 38).” [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
 
R. (cf. 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
I pray to you, O Lord,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O Lord, for bounteous is your kindness:
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the Lord hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
 
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
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Commentary on Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
 
Psalm 69 is a lament.  In this passage the song asks God for help in dire straits, and expresses trust that the prayer will be answered. The concluding verses refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and Judah.
 
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Or: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
 
R. (9a) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the Lord is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
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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 to God’s gift of the law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue 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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Reading II: Colossians 1:15-20
 
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
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Commentary on Col 1:15-20
 
St. Paul, in this selection, now begins to address some confusion in teachings that have been addressed to the Colossians, specifically about angels and their place in the hierarchy. The evangelist reaffirms Christ’s primacy, and his relationship as God’s only Son with authority over all things (note: “visible and invisible”). We see in this statement a clear vision of the Lord’s authority over us, our souls, and his rule both in heaven and on earth.
 
 “As the poetic arrangement indicates, these lines are probably an early Christian hymn, known to the Colossians and taken up into the letter from liturgical use (cf Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16). They present Christ as the mediator of creation (Colossians 1:15-18a) and of redemption (Colossians 1:18b-20). There is a parallelism between firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15) and firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18).” [6]

CCC: Col 1:15-20 2641; Col 1:15 241, 299, 381, 1701; Col 1:16-17 291; Col 1:16 331; Col 1:18-20 624; Col 1:18 504, 658, 753, 343, 792; Col 1:20-22 2305
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Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
 
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”
 
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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Commentary on Lk 10:25-37
 
In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel, we find Jesus being challenged by a person referred to as a “scholar.” It seems clear that this man has a good idea of how Jesus is likely to respond to his initial question about what he must do to inherit eternal life. As soon as the man tells Jesus what the law says, the scholar asks for still more clarification asking: “And who is my neighbor?”
 
The illustration Jesus uses in answering him does clarify the answer, and at the same time, uses a cultural tension to heighten the lesson. First a priest of the Jewish temple passes the victim of robbery (one who is most scrupulous in observing the letter of the law); next a member of the priestly class, a Levite, does the same. The one who helps the victim (presumably a Jew) is a member of the Samaritan culture, antagonists of the Jewish people. In this way, the Lord provides a moral lesson along with an explanation of the law.
 
"In this passage, Jesus praises and accepts the summary of the law given by the Jewish scribe. This reply, taken from Deuteronomy (6:4ff), was a prayer which the Jews used to say frequently. Our Lord gives the very same reply when He is asked which is the principal commandment of the law and concludes His answer by saying, ‘On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets’ (Matthew 22:40; cf. also Romans 13:8-9; Galatians 5:14).
 
 "There is a hierarchy and order in these two commandments constituting the double precept of charity: before everything and above everything comes loving God in Himself. In the second place, and as a consequence of the first commandment, comes loving one's neighbor, for God explicitly requires us to do so (1 John 4:21; cf. notes on Matthew 22:34-40 and 22:37-38)." [7]
 
CCC: Lk 10:25-37 2822; Lk 10:27-37 1825; Lk 10:27 2083; Lk 10:34 1293
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Reflection:
 
Is there anyone who doubts that we are deep into the swamp of midsummer, step outside? Yet, God’s great gift of creation needs to be celebrated always.  So we rejoice in his great gift to us, even as we celebrate the gift of his Only Begotten Son. As St. Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, “For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,” as we will shorty remind ourselves in the creed.
 
This weekend we are treated once more to the Gospel story from St. Luke of the Good Samaritan.  This familiar parable is proceeded by the great prophet Moses who reminds the Hebrew people that “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you.”  Like much of Mosaic Law, it is very straight forward.  While Moses does not explicitly say it in this passage, the Great Commandment given by Jesus is linked to it and is given once more in St. Luke’s Gospel:
 
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
 
Moses was correct, was he not? This instruction was not difficult to understand.  However, it is not always easy to live in our daily lives.
 
The Lord makes clear how difficult the Great Commandment is to live by using the parable of the good Samaritan.  To appreciate how profound this lesson is, it is really important to understand the nature of the individuals described in the parable.  First, we have the victim who is presumably Jewish.  He is beaten, robbed and left severely injured by the side of the road.  We say severely because he was not able to get up on his own and was called “half dead.”  He is first observed by a priest who passes the injured man by.  We must assume that if Jesus had asked this man what the greatest commandment of the law was, he would have responded as the “scholar of the law” who had responded to Jesus at the beginning of the reading. He knows his duty under Mosaic Law, yet he passed the injured man by.
 
Next on the scene was a Levite, also of a religious group within the Hebrew community, a countryman of the one who lay half dead by the side of the road he walked.  Likewise, he would have been very aware of his duty under the law.  Still, he passed the many by.  Where was the compassion implicit in loving your neighbor as yourself?
 
Finally, a Samaritan happens on the injured man.  Here we must understand that the use of the term “Samaritan” in modern English transforms this person as disposed to help the less fortunate.  It derives from this very parable.  In the time of Jesus, this Samaritan, a person from Samaria, would have been considered antagonistic to the Jews in the region of Jerico and Jerusalem where this story takes place. 
 
Samaritans were considered heretics by Jews of the region outside of Samaria.  The source of this antagonism was similar to the schism between the Christians of Constantinople and the Christians of Rome during the Crusades.  Stemming from historic actions found in the First book of Samuel, Eli (1 Samuel 1:24ff) chose to build a temple in Shiloh with himself as high priest, rather than the historic site of Mount Gerizim. Later, the Shiloh temple was moved to the temple mount in Jerusalem.  The Samaritans, who preferred to call themselves Israelite Samaritans and were in fact part of the historical Hebrew people.  We have all observed how seemingly minor differences in religious practice and beliefs can establish long-term riffs.  This was the case between the Jews of Jerusalem and the Israelite Samaritans.
 
Back to our parable.  So, a Samaritan comes upon the injured man.  Presumably, because the two would have been antagonistic toward each other, it was expected that the Samaritan would also pass the man by, yet he stopped to help.  Beyond simply helping the man, Scripture tells us that:
 
“He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.’”
 
And beyond that the Samaritan told the innkeeper if more money was needed the Samaritan would stand good for that amount as well.  This was compassion, mercy, and generosity which would have been expected as if the injured man was a friend, a neighbor, or even a relative.  The point of the parable is made, and the question is answered. Who is your neighbor?  The person you are to love as yourself is any person in desperate need of help.  Jesus makes the point of God’s law.  If we which to follow the Lord as he has invited us to do, we are called to help those less fortunate with whom we come in contact, not pass them by.
 
Now I know at least some of us are thinking about those standing by the side of the exit ramps asking for money and thinking are these the people we need to help?  Let’s take a page from our good Samaritan.  Did he stop and put the silver coins in the hand of the half dead Jew by the side of the road?  No, he went much further. 
 
So, if you are traveling and happen to see someone needing help, and if you feel compelled to help them out of compassion and mercy, don’t simply hand them a five-dollar bill and drive on.  Pull over and ask them if they need a meal or a place to stay.  If they say yes, take them to a restaurant or a hotel and pay for a meal or a night. (I suspect most of those standing at the roadsides asking for money will not take you up on your offer but be prepared if they do. Oh, and never put yourself at risk, always have someone with you if you do decide to help someone in those circumstances.)
 
A better way to follow the Lord’s command would be to take advantage of out-reaches from Washtenaw Catholic Charities who do help the homeless with meals and places to stay.  There are other charities as well that would welcome your time and participation, especially when many government-sponsored programs are being cut.
 
The moral of the parable of the good Samaritan is to listen to God’s law and follow it with your heart not just your lips.  It is a great lesson for us all.
 
Pax
 
In other years on July 13^th: Optional Memorial for Saint Henry

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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 today is “The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676.
[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: “Pentateuch,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.
[6] See NAB Footnote on Colossians 1:15-20.
[7] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 423.

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for 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. [1] 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. (USCCB recommends: #42 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians )

“Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”
by Abel Penn, c. 1920’s

 
Readings for Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary [4]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
 
Jacob gave his sons this charge:
"Since I am about to be taken to my people,
bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies
in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
the cave in the field of Machpelah,
facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan,
the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite
for a burial ground.
There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried,
and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah,
and there, too, I buried Leah–
the field and the cave in it
that had been purchased from the Hittites."
 
Now that their father was dead,
Joseph's brothers became fearful and thought,
"Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us
and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!"
So they approached Joseph and said:
"Before your father died, he gave us these instructions:
'You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you
to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers,
who treated you so cruelly.'
Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we,
the servants of your father's God, committed."
When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears.
Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him
and said, "Let us be your slaves!"
But Joseph replied to them:
"Have no fear. Can I take the place of God?
Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good,
to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
Therefore have no fear.
I will provide for you and for your children."
By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.
 
Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father's family.
He lived a hundred and ten years.
He saw Ephraim's children to the third generation,
and the children of Manasseh's son Machir
were also born on Joseph's knees.
 
Joseph said to his brothers: "I am about to die.
God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land
that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued,
"When God thus takes care of you,
you must bring my bones up with you from this place."
Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
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Commentary on Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
 
In the passage from Genesis today we hear the final chapters of the life of Jacob and then Joseph. We see, following the death of Jacob, the fidelity of Joseph to God’s rule as he forgoes any thoughts of retribution against those brothers of his who had sold him into slavery. God’s plan was clearly revealed and the actions of Joseph’s brothers were forgiven. The line of Abraham continues as Joseph, on his death bed, predicts the exodus from the land of Egypt to come. (“God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.")
 
CCC: Gn 50:20 312
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7
 
R. (see Psalm 69:33) Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
 
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
 
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
 
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
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Commentary on Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7
 
Psalm 105 is a song of thanksgiving. In this section, the singer gives thanks to God for the tradition of Abraham’s descendants and the salvation that is shown through their story.
 
CCC: Ps 105:3 30
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Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"No disciple is above his teacher,
no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,
for the slave that he become like his master.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household!
 
"Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."
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Commentary on Mt 10:24-33
 
Jesus concludes his instructions to the apostles as he sends them out. Here he tells them that they go with his authority and his purpose, which may be hidden from others, but which they will proclaim from “the housetops.” He tells them not to fear the persecution he has told them they will face. Fear should be absent, because while the body may be killed, their souls are safe with him. He concludes this passage telling them that the Father is watching over them, and they have nothing to fear.
 
"The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his lord.  How well Jesus knows the human passion to surpass, to overtake, to win, to be-greater-than! How difficult it is for us as disciples to realize the truth that real growth and movement consist in staying where we are, that is, in our condition as disciples and servants! We naturally associate advancing and growing with ‘going up in the world,’ with ‘becoming someone.’ But the Lord reveals in his person that the way that truly leads up to God must first lead downward. The eternal, divine Word ‘humbled himself, and in obedience accepted even death. [...] Therefore God raised him  to the heights [...] so that [...] every tongue should confess Jesus Christ is Lord’ (Philippians 2:8-11). [5]
 
CCC: Mt 10:25 765; Mt 10:25 765; Mt 10:28 363, 1034; Mt 10:29-31 305; Mt 10:32-33 1816; Mt 10:32 14, 2145
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Reflection:
 
Today in St. Matthew’s Gospel we find the paradox of our faith clearly exemplified. Like the friends of Jesus (his disciples), we are called to him and sent into the world. Like the Twelve, we are uncertain and feel unworthy to accept this great task. On top of our feelings of inadequacy, we are afraid. What if we fail to speak the right words? What if we are rebuffed and rejected? What if our very mission brings us into a situation where we can be physically harmed?
 
These feelings were all present in the disciples. To calm those fears, Jesus explains to them that, going in his name, they go with his authority. In addition, the Lord points out that they should not fear physical harm. First, they should not fear it because the important part of who they are is safe from any harm. They (we) belong to him and our spirits are thus guarded from eternal death which should be their (and our) greatest fear. They are also told that since they go in the Lord’s name, the Father watches over them and will keep them from harm.
 
As we see in Genesis as God’s plan for Jacob and Joseph comes to a close, God will watch over us as he did our brothers and sisters gone before us in faith. The great covenant made with Abraham has been overshadowed by Christ’s covenant with us – the new covenant. Through that covenant a promise was made, that we who love God and our neighbors as Christ taught us would not perish.
 
We are called and sent like the first disciples of Christ. We go into the world now to carry the good news especially to those who live in darkness. May we never fear in this effort, confident that God is with us, watching over us. In him is our strength and hope.
 
Pax
 

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by ‘BVM.’ The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] The picture is “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” by Abel Penn, c. 1920’s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996 p. 573.