Readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11
Since it’s short, here is what the Jerome Biblical Commentary says about this section of Isaiah:
“10-11. The Word comes from God, but it can be heard only when it is soaked up in human life and spoken with human accents. Dt-Is explains world history, particularly the sacred history of Israel, through the deep, omnipotent presence of the Word (cf. Wis 8:1; 2 Cor 9:10). M.-E. Boismard attributes to this text the immediate origin of the Johannine theology of the Word (St. John's Prologue [Westminster, 1957] 100). We hear its echo in John's doctrine of the Eucharist-the Word come down from heaven and received as bread (Jn 6:32, 35).”
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
We are given a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. The just cry out to the Lord and he hears them and rescues them.
Gospel Matthew 6:7-15
We are given St. Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (see also Luke 11:2-4). We are told not to pray like the “pagans” notice he is not saying the hypocrites here – pagans of that era “babbled” long lists of names hoping one of them would be effective. The written commentary on this section is rich and I recommend reading the footnotes on this section for a good explanation of the various sections within the prayer.
Reflection:
While we used the Jerome Biblical Commentary above for the reading from Isaiah, we can take it a face value as well and understand that what the Prophet was saying was that his prayer would not be like sand thrown into the wind; that his prayer, his dialogue with God would bear fruit like rain falling on the crops.
Likewise, in the psalm, we give thanks to the Lord for hearing us in our distress. What does he hear? He hears our prayer. Prayers uttered at strange moments, at painful moments, even prayers uttered profanely and unintended are heard (think of that the next time you hit your finger with a hammer!)
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11
Since it’s short, here is what the Jerome Biblical Commentary says about this section of Isaiah:
“10-11. The Word comes from God, but it can be heard only when it is soaked up in human life and spoken with human accents. Dt-Is explains world history, particularly the sacred history of Israel, through the deep, omnipotent presence of the Word (cf. Wis 8:1; 2 Cor 9:10). M.-E. Boismard attributes to this text the immediate origin of the Johannine theology of the Word (St. John's Prologue [Westminster, 1957] 100). We hear its echo in John's doctrine of the Eucharist-the Word come down from heaven and received as bread (Jn 6:32, 35).”
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
We are given a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. The just cry out to the Lord and he hears them and rescues them.
Gospel Matthew 6:7-15
We are given St. Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (see also Luke 11:2-4). We are told not to pray like the “pagans” notice he is not saying the hypocrites here – pagans of that era “babbled” long lists of names hoping one of them would be effective. The written commentary on this section is rich and I recommend reading the footnotes on this section for a good explanation of the various sections within the prayer.
Reflection:
While we used the Jerome Biblical Commentary above for the reading from Isaiah, we can take it a face value as well and understand that what the Prophet was saying was that his prayer would not be like sand thrown into the wind; that his prayer, his dialogue with God would bear fruit like rain falling on the crops.
Likewise, in the psalm, we give thanks to the Lord for hearing us in our distress. What does he hear? He hears our prayer. Prayers uttered at strange moments, at painful moments, even prayers uttered profanely and unintended are heard (think of that the next time you hit your finger with a hammer!)
Scripture brings us to closure on prayer with the story from Matthew about Jesus teaching his disciples to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern. We begin by, first, giving thanks and praise to God for all his works and all his kindness both now and in eternity. Then we ask for what we need each day, including forgiveness and asking for mercy as we show mercy (?).
The focus remains the same. We are called to be a people of prayer. Whether structured like the Liturgy of the Hours or short and simple like “God help me.” We need to be in constant communication with God. It is the Lord that provides us constant guidance, the Lord who leads us down right paths, and it is the Lord who speaks to us in the silence of our heart.
As we continue to grow in discipleship today, we remember that we are called to pray constantly. We ask for the strength to do just that.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “The Lord’s Prayer” by Stephen S. Sawyer, contemporary artist
1 comment:
Your reflection reminds me of a time I whacked my knee cap with the swing of a hammer, you could think of all the things i might say! but even to my surprise i said" Lord bless my clumsinesses!" And I pulled up my pant leg , sure to see some gash or lump, there was not a scratch , not a pain or problem whatsoever!
I love your reflection. I pray that we all take it to heart, for what will will reap from prayer, the fruit of relationship with our FATHER, will lead us to eternal joy . In Hope, PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS, TOM M
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