Readings for Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Sir 35:1-12
This reading from Sirach deals with the explicit rules surrounding Jewish Sacrifice rituals and the importance of having the right mind-set when presenting gifts to God. The passage concludes by reminding the faithful that God repays sevenfold (we note here the reference to seven which in Hebrew numerology symbolizes completeness or the perfect number) that which is given by the “cheerful giver”.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
The psalm today supports the idea of ritual sacrifice to God. The psalmist refers to the practice as supporting the covenant we have made with God. From our place in the history of faith, Christ was the one sacrifice that ended the need for all sacrificial offerings.
Gospel Mk 10:28-31
Jesus continues his discourse from yesterday. After seeing the rich young man leave because he could not part with his possessions, Peter chimes in, reminding Jesus that they (the disciples) had given up everything to follow him. The Lord replies that those who have sacrificed to follow him will receive not just the sevenfold repayment promised by Sirach, but a hundred times more of what they have given up.
This reference is likely to the growth of Church under their evangelization and the communal sense of the Church in its early years. The same reference is true of his final statement where we hear “But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first." Here he is probably referring to the martyrdom many will find before joining him in his heavenly kingdom.
Reflection:
Since today the Gospel continues yesterday’s reading from the Gospel from St. Mark and is supported again by a reading from the Book of Sirach, we should extrapolate the point of our earlier reflection. Yesterday we saw the importance of placing God before the material wealth in our lives. It is easy to say that God is more important to us than material things. It is another matter to demonstrate that by giving away or donating a significant part of that wealth (which is later translated into “things”).
This is the point scripture is making today. It is not good enough to just say we love God more than wealth. We must demonstrate that love by sharing what we have with those less fortunate. The disciples did that to the extreme by walking away from their livelihoods. They gave up every material thing to follow Jesus. Peter feels he must remind the Lord of that fact today. And the Lord tells Peter (and the rest of the disciples, we assume Peter was speaking for all of them) that for what they have sacrificed, they will be rewarded.
The lesson today is that charity is something that must be an integral part of our practice of the faith. Ours must not be a faith of words but of actions and our actions must demonstrate the love of Christ. Today we pray that God will give us strength to give to others, at least in part, what he has given to us.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Sir 35:1-12
This reading from Sirach deals with the explicit rules surrounding Jewish Sacrifice rituals and the importance of having the right mind-set when presenting gifts to God. The passage concludes by reminding the faithful that God repays sevenfold (we note here the reference to seven which in Hebrew numerology symbolizes completeness or the perfect number) that which is given by the “cheerful giver”.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
The psalm today supports the idea of ritual sacrifice to God. The psalmist refers to the practice as supporting the covenant we have made with God. From our place in the history of faith, Christ was the one sacrifice that ended the need for all sacrificial offerings.
Gospel Mk 10:28-31
Jesus continues his discourse from yesterday. After seeing the rich young man leave because he could not part with his possessions, Peter chimes in, reminding Jesus that they (the disciples) had given up everything to follow him. The Lord replies that those who have sacrificed to follow him will receive not just the sevenfold repayment promised by Sirach, but a hundred times more of what they have given up.
This reference is likely to the growth of Church under their evangelization and the communal sense of the Church in its early years. The same reference is true of his final statement where we hear “But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first." Here he is probably referring to the martyrdom many will find before joining him in his heavenly kingdom.
Reflection:
Since today the Gospel continues yesterday’s reading from the Gospel from St. Mark and is supported again by a reading from the Book of Sirach, we should extrapolate the point of our earlier reflection. Yesterday we saw the importance of placing God before the material wealth in our lives. It is easy to say that God is more important to us than material things. It is another matter to demonstrate that by giving away or donating a significant part of that wealth (which is later translated into “things”).
This is the point scripture is making today. It is not good enough to just say we love God more than wealth. We must demonstrate that love by sharing what we have with those less fortunate. The disciples did that to the extreme by walking away from their livelihoods. They gave up every material thing to follow Jesus. Peter feels he must remind the Lord of that fact today. And the Lord tells Peter (and the rest of the disciples, we assume Peter was speaking for all of them) that for what they have sacrificed, they will be rewarded.
The lesson today is that charity is something that must be an integral part of our practice of the faith. Ours must not be a faith of words but of actions and our actions must demonstrate the love of Christ. Today we pray that God will give us strength to give to others, at least in part, what he has given to us.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The image presented today is “The Madonna of Charity” by El Greco, 1603-05
No comments:
Post a Comment