Saturday, July 12, 2008

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time


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

Commentary:

Reading 1 Isaiah 6:1-8

This selection from the book of the Prophet Isaiah (an introduction to the “Book of Emmanuel”) describes the prophet’s first vision of his encounter with God. It is set in the Temple in Jerusalem probably on a high holy day. The six winged “Seraphim” (literally “the burning ones”) are images common in art of the ancient near east and represent angelic messengers. “Each has six wings. Reverence for the divine majesty causes them to veil their faces with two wings; modesty, to veil their extremities in similar fashion; alacrity in God's service, to extend two wings in preparation for flight.”
[3]

The reference to God in the prefix “Holy, holy, holy”, describes the Father as perfect and omnipotent. (Note: in ancient Hebrew, there were no words “Holier or Holiest”, in order to express that thought it was necessary to repeat the phrase three times to express the ultimate state of perfection. This literary form is carried into the Roman Rite liturgy today.) We hear the prophet lament that he is “doomed” since it was believed that such an encounter with God would be fatal (
Genesis 32:31; Exodus 33:20; Judges 13:22.)

The image of the prophet’s mouth being purified so that God’s word might be proclaimed is also present in the modern liturgy uttered in prayer by the clergy before the Gospel is proclaimed. “Almighty God Cleanse my heart and my lips that I might worthily proclaim your Holy Gospel.” This encounter with God is important in understanding Isaiah’s entire mission and purpose. (“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ ’Here I am,’ I said; ‘send me!’”)

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

This important psalm is well described by the following statement from the notes: “The Lord is king”: literally, "the Lord reigns." This psalm, and Psalms 47; 96-99, are sometimes called enthronement psalms. They may have been used in a special liturgy during which God's ascent to the throne was ritually reenacted. They have also been interpreted eschatologically, pointing to the coming of God as king at the end-time.”

Gospel Matthew 10:24-33

Jesus concludes his instructions to the Apostles as he sends them out. Here he tells them that they go with his authority and his purpose which may be hidden from others but which they will proclaim from “the housetops.” He tells them not to fear the persecution he has told them they will face, because while the body may be killed, their souls are safe with him. He concludes this passage telling them that the Father is watching over them and they have nothing to fear.

Reflection:

We come to the close of a week filled with Sacred Scripture pushing us out the door – telling us that we are to take God’s invitation to all those we meet. We reflect back and ask ourselves; “How have we done?”

For my own part, it has been spotty. The difficulty I personally encountered was in constantly keeping Christ before me as I went about my daily work. Yes, when there were pauses in the activity of accomplishing the tasks, the Lord was there. But too often my focus was on the next task and not on how could I make that task shine to His greater glory. There is much work yet to be done on me.

Today’s scripture brings the call to reach out to others to a head; first with the wonderful passage from the book of the Prophet Isaiah. It is the prophet’s experience of his own call to holiness. We see the wonderful image of God reaching down through the angels and cleansing the prophet’s sin, making him a worthy instrument to proclaim God’s word to the world. With proper humility Isaiah then accepts the Lord’s challenge; “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” The prophet answers with the lyric “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

How often have we prayed that God’s voice might be heard so clearly, his message so succinctly? Perhaps it is because we do not listen with enough intensity. Perhaps we are so engrossed in asking God to help us that we do not hear those words – that direction. Alas, we will be patient, using the guidance of God’s Church to point us in the right direction, but always praying that our ears might detect God’s voice and praying too that we have the courage to answer as Isaiah did; “Here I am Lord. Send me.”

Pax

[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Isaiah” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1509
[3] See NAB footnote on Isaiah 6: 1-3

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