Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Mal 3:13-20b
The Book of Malachi is placed after the Jews return from the Babylonian exile (probably around 445 B.C.) but before the appearance of Ezra and Nehemiah. Because of his severe criticism of the leadership, the author created a pen name, Malachi, which means in Hebrew “The Messenger”.
In the passage we are given today, Malachi’s oracle envisions a time when God will make an accounting of those who had remained faithful and those who had ignored God’s law. He envisions the day when the punishment of God will be applied to those evil ones and the faithful will bask in the healing rays of the “sun (Son) of justice.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. We observe that the same dichotomy of “the good receiving blessings” and “the evil receiving punishment” is demonstrated here as in Malachi above.
Gospel Lk 11:5-13
In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel the Lord continues his response to the disciple’s request to “teach them how to pray.” The Lord, using the story of the one friend asking another for bread (a strong Eucharistic reference) in the middle of the night as an instrument to tell them that God will always answer prayers, but in his own time (“I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.”) He makes his message clear in the verses that follow “ask and you will receive.”
Reflection:
We are struck today by how important it is for us to remain in God’s grace. When teaching the faith to others, a question that is frequently raised is; “What is grace.” The Catechism of the Catholic says the following:
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.
In more general terms, being in a state of grace opens the door to communicating with God. That does not mean that, if one has fallen from grace, prayer is not possible. Anyone may address words to God at any time. It is like saying anyone may write a letter to the President of the United States. Anyone can, however, we know he does not read them and even if someone does, they do not communicate back to those he does not know (unless of course it is a treat).
No, God’s Grace, given in Baptism and nourished through the Sacraments, opens two way communications with our heavenly father. Through that door flow our fears and weakness, our hopes and needs. And through that door flow the love and compassion, peace and forgiveness of God through his only Son. Through that door our prayers are answered, in God’s time.
Today we thank God for his gift of Grace. We knock persistently on the door through prayer in the comforting knowledge that the Lord will answer and His will, not ours, will be done.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today Praying Hands by Albrecht Dürer, 1508
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Mal 3:13-20b
The Book of Malachi is placed after the Jews return from the Babylonian exile (probably around 445 B.C.) but before the appearance of Ezra and Nehemiah. Because of his severe criticism of the leadership, the author created a pen name, Malachi, which means in Hebrew “The Messenger”.
In the passage we are given today, Malachi’s oracle envisions a time when God will make an accounting of those who had remained faithful and those who had ignored God’s law. He envisions the day when the punishment of God will be applied to those evil ones and the faithful will bask in the healing rays of the “sun (Son) of justice.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. We observe that the same dichotomy of “the good receiving blessings” and “the evil receiving punishment” is demonstrated here as in Malachi above.
Gospel Lk 11:5-13
In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel the Lord continues his response to the disciple’s request to “teach them how to pray.” The Lord, using the story of the one friend asking another for bread (a strong Eucharistic reference) in the middle of the night as an instrument to tell them that God will always answer prayers, but in his own time (“I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.”) He makes his message clear in the verses that follow “ask and you will receive.”
Reflection:
We are struck today by how important it is for us to remain in God’s grace. When teaching the faith to others, a question that is frequently raised is; “What is grace.” The Catechism of the Catholic says the following:
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.
In more general terms, being in a state of grace opens the door to communicating with God. That does not mean that, if one has fallen from grace, prayer is not possible. Anyone may address words to God at any time. It is like saying anyone may write a letter to the President of the United States. Anyone can, however, we know he does not read them and even if someone does, they do not communicate back to those he does not know (unless of course it is a treat).
No, God’s Grace, given in Baptism and nourished through the Sacraments, opens two way communications with our heavenly father. Through that door flow our fears and weakness, our hopes and needs. And through that door flow the love and compassion, peace and forgiveness of God through his only Son. Through that door our prayers are answered, in God’s time.
Today we thank God for his gift of Grace. We knock persistently on the door through prayer in the comforting knowledge that the Lord will answer and His will, not ours, will be done.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today Praying Hands by Albrecht Dürer, 1508
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