And Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr
Biographical Information about Saint Maria Goretti[1]
Readings for Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67
The various excerpts from Chapters 23 and 24 of Genesis tell the story of the death of Sarah and Abraham’s successful plan to obtain a wife for his son Isaac from the Hebrew community. This is how Rebekah (Rebecca) comes to be Isaac’s wife.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
This hymn of praise supports the story of Abraham as it rejoices over God’s gracious help to those who trust in him. We see clearly the hand of God in Abraham’s story as the psalmist proclaims “That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance.”
Gospel Mt 9:9-13
The journey of Jesus continues with the Lord’s encounter with Matthew (Levi in St. Mark’s Gospel), the tax collector. The Pharisees are scandalized because this renowned teacher has chosen to associate with “sinners” who clearly violate some of the numerous laws about ritual purity. Jesus' response “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” makes it clear that interior faith is more highly prized than purely ritualistic rigor.
Reflection:
We were given the Reader’s Digest version Abraham’s response to the death of Sarah, his first wife, and the procurement of Rebecca as wife for his son Isaac. What was left out of the story was the fact that those involved (The servant, Rebecca, Rebecca’s family) all were both guided by and gave praise to God at each new stage of the story. We were not shown the faith of the servant who prayed for a sign from God that the girl Rebecca was the one sent for Isaac by God, nor were we shown the faith of Rebecca as she prayed for guidance in going with the servant. The entire saga, with the parts we did not hear today, was a story of faith and submission to the will of God.
The Psalm used paints the larger picture of God’s gracious mercy to those who follow him. It essentially pulls the moral from the story for us and leads to the Gospel as Jesus chooses to dine with the “sinners” rather than eat in the ritualistically pure environment of the Pharisees. The Lord makes it clear that it is more important for him to reach out to those who need his spiritual example than it is for him to follow the ritually complex rules of the Pharisaic laws.
By these examples we see the importance of our own interior faith and how it must be developed and applied in the world. Is the implication here the one that so many of the “un-churched” use to rationalize their lack of participation in organized religion? Is the message that the formal celebration of the faith is unimportant?
No, that is not the message. The message, which was intended for and can only be truly understood by the organized community of faith represented by the Church, tells us that our call must be to reach out as well as maintain an interior faith, strengthened by the Sacraments.
While the example of St. Maria Goretti was directed more toward forgiveness and purity of spirit, we can use her steadfast faith as a model for our own. The strength of that faith, sustained and developed within the Church, stood strong in the face of brutal treatment and painful death. May we be given that same strength of faith as we face each day.
Pax
[1] The picture used is of St. Maria Goretti, Artist is UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
Biographical Information about Saint Maria Goretti[1]
Readings for Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67
The various excerpts from Chapters 23 and 24 of Genesis tell the story of the death of Sarah and Abraham’s successful plan to obtain a wife for his son Isaac from the Hebrew community. This is how Rebekah (Rebecca) comes to be Isaac’s wife.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
This hymn of praise supports the story of Abraham as it rejoices over God’s gracious help to those who trust in him. We see clearly the hand of God in Abraham’s story as the psalmist proclaims “That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance.”
Gospel Mt 9:9-13
The journey of Jesus continues with the Lord’s encounter with Matthew (Levi in St. Mark’s Gospel), the tax collector. The Pharisees are scandalized because this renowned teacher has chosen to associate with “sinners” who clearly violate some of the numerous laws about ritual purity. Jesus' response “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” makes it clear that interior faith is more highly prized than purely ritualistic rigor.
Reflection:
We were given the Reader’s Digest version Abraham’s response to the death of Sarah, his first wife, and the procurement of Rebecca as wife for his son Isaac. What was left out of the story was the fact that those involved (The servant, Rebecca, Rebecca’s family) all were both guided by and gave praise to God at each new stage of the story. We were not shown the faith of the servant who prayed for a sign from God that the girl Rebecca was the one sent for Isaac by God, nor were we shown the faith of Rebecca as she prayed for guidance in going with the servant. The entire saga, with the parts we did not hear today, was a story of faith and submission to the will of God.
The Psalm used paints the larger picture of God’s gracious mercy to those who follow him. It essentially pulls the moral from the story for us and leads to the Gospel as Jesus chooses to dine with the “sinners” rather than eat in the ritualistically pure environment of the Pharisees. The Lord makes it clear that it is more important for him to reach out to those who need his spiritual example than it is for him to follow the ritually complex rules of the Pharisaic laws.
By these examples we see the importance of our own interior faith and how it must be developed and applied in the world. Is the implication here the one that so many of the “un-churched” use to rationalize their lack of participation in organized religion? Is the message that the formal celebration of the faith is unimportant?
No, that is not the message. The message, which was intended for and can only be truly understood by the organized community of faith represented by the Church, tells us that our call must be to reach out as well as maintain an interior faith, strengthened by the Sacraments.
While the example of St. Maria Goretti was directed more toward forgiveness and purity of spirit, we can use her steadfast faith as a model for our own. The strength of that faith, sustained and developed within the Church, stood strong in the face of brutal treatment and painful death. May we be given that same strength of faith as we face each day.
Pax
[1] The picture used is of St. Maria Goretti, Artist is UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
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