Saturday, October 20, 2007

Saturday of the Twenty Eighth Week in Ordinary Time


Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Rom 4:13, 16-18

St. Paul continues his discourse on justification through faith. In this passage he reasserts that Abraham was given the promise, not because of adherence to the Law, but because of God’s love. In an intense theological statement, St. Paul states that the Law has the negative function of bringing the deep-seated rebellion against God to the surface in specific sins.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

In support of St. Paul’s discourse about the children of Abraham, this song of praise recounts the covenant and faithfulness of the descendents of his line.

Gospel Lk 12:8-12

Jesus, still addressing the disciples about their mission, brings in the person of the Holy Spirit. Notes on this section relate it nicely to the mission St. Luke records in Acts: “The sayings about the Holy Spirit are set in the context of fearlessness in the face of persecution (
Luke 12:2-9; cf Matthew 12:31-32). The Holy Spirit will be presented in Luke's second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, as the power responsible for the guidance of the Christian mission and the source of courage in the face of persecution.”

Reflection:

St. Luke’s Gospel provides us with a look into the mind of Christ as he instructs his disciples about their up-coming mission. He tells them that if anyone denies Jesus the “son of man” they may be forgiven but if anyone blasphemes against God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, they will be condemned.

This small set of sayings about the Holy Spirit provide us with an understanding of the power the Lord left to us, his modern day disciples. He promised that this Divine Advocate would be provided so that we could have ongoing guidance from God (recall his words “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,” (
John 14:16))

He reminds us, his faithful followers, that what he asks of us will not be easy. We like so many who have gone before us, will be resisted, persecuted and rejected by those who would rather embrace darkness. On our own we will be ineffective in overcoming this resistance. The Lord did not leave physical proof that the Kingdom of God is coming and so many who do not want to believe in the Son of God demand that physical proof. Like the unbelieving in this same Gospel, they ask for a sign.

He tells his disciples not to worry about these times of confrontation. He tells them “…the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” The faith that St. Paul speaks about in the reading from Romans taps into the power of that Holy Advocate and our words can have power beyond all reckoning. That is the hard part of course. Being so at peace with the knowledge of God’s love that we can reach in and open that indwelling source of grace, giving it the power to silence the evil one and proclaim God’s glory. Today we pray for that peace, that state of grace that will allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into instruments of God’s purpose.

Pax

[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The Picture used today is “The Holy Family with God the Father and the Holy Spirit” by Carlo Dolci, 1630

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