Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs
Biographical Information about Saints Cosmas and Damian[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Ez 9:5-9
This passage from the Book of Ezra is a prayer of atonement. It recalls the unworthiness of the Jews in all of their sinful acts and praises the mercy of God who brought them back to Jerusalem and Judah.
Responsorial Psalm Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
This hymn of praise from Tobit recalls the Diaspora and the Restoration of Israel. Echoing the prayer of Ezra, it recalls that it was through God’s mercy that these things were accomplished rather than the merit of a sinful people.
Gospel Lk 9:1-6
From the NAB footnote on this selection we hear “Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry:” They are to rely completely on the Lord, being part of the world but set apart from it.
Reflection:
We hear from St. Luke’s Gospel the story of the sending of the Twelve. We ask ourselves a very fundamental question; what were they sent to do? The Gospel tells us that “…he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (A reference here to the brother’s Cosmas and Damian whose memorial we celebrate today) The “heal the sick” part is actually the easy part to understand. What does it mean to proclaim the Kingdom of God? It’s a good question.
The Church’s understanding of the Kingdom of God can be best understood in the following passage from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as the Lord’s Prayer is examined:
2819 "The kingdom of God [is] righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit.
Other places in scripture support the view that the Kingdom of God, in its fullness is our home in the eternal life of heaven. Proclaiming the Kingdom of God, therefore, is to recognize that to prepare for that homecoming we must make changes in our lives and attitudes. Our residence there requires that we become perfected by the Lord’s standards. Would any of us, after all, wish to come into the Lord’s presence at the end of our time on earth wearing the garment we fashioned in our earthly lives? It is the Lamb’s High Feast we attend upon our entrance there.
This insight has shaped our faith’s understanding of the process of entering into the presence of God, into the Kingdom of God, at the end of time. Our process of complete perfection is only possible when we go through a transformation. That process we recognize as Purgatory.
The Kingdom of God that we, like the twelve, are called to proclaim is an intense reminder. We tell others that citizenship in that kingdom requires our effort in this life and atonement in the next before we reach that final place of light, meeting the Father face to face. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer today, let us remember what a bold request we make when we say; “Thy Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Pax
[1] The icon is of St.s Cosmas and Damian, artist and date are UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
Biographical Information about Saints Cosmas and Damian[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Ez 9:5-9
This passage from the Book of Ezra is a prayer of atonement. It recalls the unworthiness of the Jews in all of their sinful acts and praises the mercy of God who brought them back to Jerusalem and Judah.
Responsorial Psalm Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
This hymn of praise from Tobit recalls the Diaspora and the Restoration of Israel. Echoing the prayer of Ezra, it recalls that it was through God’s mercy that these things were accomplished rather than the merit of a sinful people.
Gospel Lk 9:1-6
From the NAB footnote on this selection we hear “Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry:” They are to rely completely on the Lord, being part of the world but set apart from it.
Reflection:
We hear from St. Luke’s Gospel the story of the sending of the Twelve. We ask ourselves a very fundamental question; what were they sent to do? The Gospel tells us that “…he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (A reference here to the brother’s Cosmas and Damian whose memorial we celebrate today) The “heal the sick” part is actually the easy part to understand. What does it mean to proclaim the Kingdom of God? It’s a good question.
The Church’s understanding of the Kingdom of God can be best understood in the following passage from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as the Lord’s Prayer is examined:
2819 "The kingdom of God [is] righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit.
Other places in scripture support the view that the Kingdom of God, in its fullness is our home in the eternal life of heaven. Proclaiming the Kingdom of God, therefore, is to recognize that to prepare for that homecoming we must make changes in our lives and attitudes. Our residence there requires that we become perfected by the Lord’s standards. Would any of us, after all, wish to come into the Lord’s presence at the end of our time on earth wearing the garment we fashioned in our earthly lives? It is the Lamb’s High Feast we attend upon our entrance there.
This insight has shaped our faith’s understanding of the process of entering into the presence of God, into the Kingdom of God, at the end of time. Our process of complete perfection is only possible when we go through a transformation. That process we recognize as Purgatory.
The Kingdom of God that we, like the twelve, are called to proclaim is an intense reminder. We tell others that citizenship in that kingdom requires our effort in this life and atonement in the next before we reach that final place of light, meeting the Father face to face. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer today, let us remember what a bold request we make when we say; “Thy Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Pax
[1] The icon is of St.s Cosmas and Damian, artist and date are UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
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