Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab
This story of the conversion of Naaman through Elisha’s office as Prophet has some interesting historical and ritual material. First, it is ironic that the King of Aram, who was an antagonist of Israel, would send one of his key people to Israel. That is why the King of Israel tore his garments
Next we see Elisha not coming out of his house to instruct Naaman, but sending word to him. He did so because to come into the presence of one with leprosy would have caused him ritual impurity. Clearly Naaman did not know this, since he complained about it. Finally, the Jordan River, from a hygienic perspective, is not as good as the clear springs of Damascus. The healing accomplished was to bring Naaman to confess there is no God but God (in Israel).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Psalms 42 and 43 are hymns of praise and express longing for God’s presence. The use of the deer (hind) longing for water links nicely back to the reading from Kings where water and the allusion to Baptism was used to bring belief out of unbelief.
Gospel Lk 4:24-30
The Gospel passage today places Jesus at his home town speaking in the synagogue. The people there were questioning his authority since they knew him as a child and knew his family. What we see here is his response to their questioning his status and authority.
We understand why the people were upset when we consider that, in his analogy explaining why he could accomplish no works from God, he used Elijah going to a widow in Sidon (not Israel) and Elisha curing Naaman (a Syrian not an Israelite). This would have placed Jesus on a par with the great Prophets, blasphemy in the eyes of his old neighbors.
Reflection:
What guidance shall we take away from our scripture today? Clearly, the story from Kings, of Naaman being cured through the intersession of Elisha links us directly to Jesus in Luke, challenging the people in his hometown synagogue. And the story there tells us that Jesus was rejected, not because the people did not know who he was, they knew him too well.
For people who delve deeply into scripture there is a clear warning here. When we break things down too far we easily forget that the whole is something totally holy while the parts may seem ordinary. Perhaps that is the lesson for all of us. Try this; let’s take a few words and define them.
-And: conjunction (used to connect grammatically coordinate words, phrases, or clauses)
-Body: noun, "the physical structure and material substance of an animal or plant, living or dead."
-Eat: verb “to take into the mouth and swallow for nourishment”
-Is: verb, "to exist or live"
-My: pronoun, the nominative singular pronoun, used by a speaker in referring to himself or herself.
-Take: verb “to get into one's hold or possession by voluntary action”
-This: pronoun (used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, or remark)”
Taken as their definitions describe them they are words, pieces of grammar, ordinary and used in many contexts and circumstances. However, when they are arranged in a certain order and under certain circumstances they take on an entirely different significance; “Take this and eat, this is my body.”
That same message speaks to faith in general. A few days ago I referenced a new book on the New York Times Best Seller List. It was written by a notable atheist scientist and titled “God, the Failed Hypothesis” I believe it is unfortunate but true that some scientists who delve so deeply in to the physical world, loose the wonder and cannot understand the miracle of what they study.
Just as Jesus was confronted by his neighbors and driven out, so do these unfortunate dupes loose their way and are deprived of the glory which is God’s creation. It is a good lesson for all of us. Let us pray that we keep that innocent perspective that allows us to see God and through that sight, receive His blessing.
Pax
[1] After 04/07
[2] The image presented today is “The Captive Hebrew Maid That Waited on Naaman's Wife” from a Bible Printed by Edward Gover, 1870s
Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab
This story of the conversion of Naaman through Elisha’s office as Prophet has some interesting historical and ritual material. First, it is ironic that the King of Aram, who was an antagonist of Israel, would send one of his key people to Israel. That is why the King of Israel tore his garments
Next we see Elisha not coming out of his house to instruct Naaman, but sending word to him. He did so because to come into the presence of one with leprosy would have caused him ritual impurity. Clearly Naaman did not know this, since he complained about it. Finally, the Jordan River, from a hygienic perspective, is not as good as the clear springs of Damascus. The healing accomplished was to bring Naaman to confess there is no God but God (in Israel).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Psalms 42 and 43 are hymns of praise and express longing for God’s presence. The use of the deer (hind) longing for water links nicely back to the reading from Kings where water and the allusion to Baptism was used to bring belief out of unbelief.
Gospel Lk 4:24-30
The Gospel passage today places Jesus at his home town speaking in the synagogue. The people there were questioning his authority since they knew him as a child and knew his family. What we see here is his response to their questioning his status and authority.
We understand why the people were upset when we consider that, in his analogy explaining why he could accomplish no works from God, he used Elijah going to a widow in Sidon (not Israel) and Elisha curing Naaman (a Syrian not an Israelite). This would have placed Jesus on a par with the great Prophets, blasphemy in the eyes of his old neighbors.
Reflection:
What guidance shall we take away from our scripture today? Clearly, the story from Kings, of Naaman being cured through the intersession of Elisha links us directly to Jesus in Luke, challenging the people in his hometown synagogue. And the story there tells us that Jesus was rejected, not because the people did not know who he was, they knew him too well.
For people who delve deeply into scripture there is a clear warning here. When we break things down too far we easily forget that the whole is something totally holy while the parts may seem ordinary. Perhaps that is the lesson for all of us. Try this; let’s take a few words and define them.
-And: conjunction (used to connect grammatically coordinate words, phrases, or clauses)
-Body: noun, "the physical structure and material substance of an animal or plant, living or dead."
-Eat: verb “to take into the mouth and swallow for nourishment”
-Is: verb, "to exist or live"
-My: pronoun, the nominative singular pronoun, used by a speaker in referring to himself or herself.
-Take: verb “to get into one's hold or possession by voluntary action”
-This: pronoun (used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, or remark)”
Taken as their definitions describe them they are words, pieces of grammar, ordinary and used in many contexts and circumstances. However, when they are arranged in a certain order and under certain circumstances they take on an entirely different significance; “Take this and eat, this is my body.”
That same message speaks to faith in general. A few days ago I referenced a new book on the New York Times Best Seller List. It was written by a notable atheist scientist and titled “God, the Failed Hypothesis” I believe it is unfortunate but true that some scientists who delve so deeply in to the physical world, loose the wonder and cannot understand the miracle of what they study.
Just as Jesus was confronted by his neighbors and driven out, so do these unfortunate dupes loose their way and are deprived of the glory which is God’s creation. It is a good lesson for all of us. Let us pray that we keep that innocent perspective that allows us to see God and through that sight, receive His blessing.
Pax
[1] After 04/07
[2] The image presented today is “The Captive Hebrew Maid That Waited on Naaman's Wife” from a Bible Printed by Edward Gover, 1870s
1 comment:
I noticed today that the readings published at Universalis were different from those at the USCCB site so I sent a note to Martin Kochanski, the founder of the site. He took the time to respond this morning and I wanted to post it as a comment. Dcn. Jim
There are no "the" readings for Monday of the 3rd week of Lent, in the United States or anywhere else: there are in fact two alternative options, both of which are equally valid. For the Gospels these are Luke 4:24-30 and John 4:5-42. I think that the former may be designated as "Monday" in missals and the latter as "Any day in the week".
The reason for this is that John 4:5-42 is the "living water" gospel and has to be read every year. In year A it is read on the Sunday, and in years B and C it is read on some day of the 3rd week.
There are thus six valid possibilities: John 4:5-42 on Monday, John 4:5-42 on Tuesday, John 4:5-42 on Wednesday, John 4:5-42 on Thursday, John 4:5-42 on Friday, or John 4:5-42 on Saturday. What is not valid is the complete omission of John 4:5-42.
We've chosen to display John 4:5-42 on the first available day, but it is in fact everyone's choice as to which day it should appear - as long as it does in fact appear.
I'm saying this all from memory because I'm away from my books this week; but I'll confirm it all when I've looked it up. I think there is one other week in Lent when the same sort of thing happens.
- Martin Kochanski.
Post a Comment