Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time


Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time

Commentary:

Reading 1
Heb 10:1-10

The author (and we are not sure if it is Paul) continues his apologetic by comparing the Law to the fulfillment of the Law in Christ. Next, a passage from
Psalm 40:7-9 is placed in the mouth of the Son at his incarnation. This again refutes the need of Christians to follow the Hebrew Law of Sin offerings since the Lord offered his own body once and for all time.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 40:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11
R. Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.

We are given, in support of the reading from Hebrews, the very Psalm that was quoted in today’s selection. The focus God wants from us is not burnt offerings but our own faithfulness.

Gospel
Mk 3:31-35

This passage, while affirming our own adoption as brothers and sisters in Christ, does cause some confusion among those who take scripture at face value without understanding the culture of the time.

“In Semitic usage, the terms "brother," "sister" are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters.”
[1] Because of this, when Mary comes looking for Jesus in this selection, she is, as would be expected, joined by members of the extended family.

Reflection:

Today we can pause and thank God for his great gift that brought us into a new relationship with him. If Christ had not come as the perfect offering for our sins, we would still be obliged to offer sacrifices as our Hebrew ancestors did. We would be one step removed from the relationship we have in Christ who at once saved us and adopted us as children of God; “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

The sense of adoption vs. the former relationship of the Hebrew people can be analogized by examining the relationship between ourselves and family and ourselves and a guest. While we treat a guest with courtesy and respect, we do not have the same love for the guest as we would for our close family member.

A guest would be welcomed to our home. A family member lives with us sharing not just our food, but all that we have. A guest comes and stays a while and leaves, but a family member is with us and shares our lives with us, the good and the bad. A guest does not share our pain or our joy to the extent a member of our own family does. The guest is held at arms length, never quite achieving that place of familial intimacy that is part of the family’s members.

Jesus changed that relationship for us. He came making God, His Father, our Father. Be brought not a guest to the table but a bride. He himself, out of his great love for us provided the sacrificial meal. He did this so we would have the intimate access to him and through that access find life eternal with the Father.
Because of this, we should take as our prayer today the family prayer of the Church, the Lord’s Prayer. As we say; “Our Father…”, let us embrace the Father who has adopted us, and through his great mercy has given us life with him.

Pax

ALTRE
[1]
From the reference note on Mark 6; 3 in the NAB

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