Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings[3] and Commentary:
Reading 1: Galatians 3:22-29
But scripture confined all things under the power of sin,
that through faith in Jesus Christ
the promise might be given to those who believe.
Before faith came, we were held in custody under law,
confined for the faith that was to be revealed.
Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian.
For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendant,
heirs according to the promise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 3:22-29
St. Paul continues his discourse that compares the nature of the Law of Moses to Christian faith in Jesus. Since the law defines sin, the acts against the law became sin. However, through faith in Christ Jesus, the promise of salvation removed that burden, giving the promise through faith not actions defined according to the law.
Recalling St. Paul’s earlier statement that God would “justify the Gentiles by faith” (Galatians 3:8), he now releases them from the definition of sin carried under the law. They are now adopted children of God, freed by Baptism in Christ, equal under the eyes of God in Christ. The apostle closes his circular argument by repeating that since the Christian faithful belong to Christ they are, therefore, also Abraham’s descendents, heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven under the old covenant as well as the new.
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Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his signs and his words of judgment,
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham his servant, offspring of Jacob the chosen one!
The LORD is our God who rules the whole earth.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
This section of Psalm 105, a song of thanksgiving, recalls God’s covenant with Abraham, the promise of the Land of Canaan and calls for continued faithfulness. Reference to Abraham’s descendents is an obvious link to the reading from Galatians above providing substance to the promise fulfilled in Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:27-28
While he (Jesus) was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:27-28
This short saying of Jesus is not a contradiction of the woman who blesses Mother Mary; rather it is an assertion by the Lord that the belief in the message and reality of his revelation is more important than that biological relationship in the eyes of God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture has a way of challenging us to resolve apparent contradictions. Given the reading from St. Paul to the Galatians which apparently tells us not to worry about Mosaic Law and the Gospel saying from St. Luke in which Jesus tells us it’s more important to hear the Word of God (above our profound devotion to Mother Mary), we run in to a couple of instances of that today.
A common misunderstanding about the faith of the Catholic Church is that we “pray to Mary”. This is of course completely false. In our most common devotional to Mother Mary, the Rosary, we ask for her intercession with her Son, Jesus. When that question is asked; “Why do you pray to Mary?” after we correct the questioner we should have at our hand the Gospel saying from St. Luke given today – “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
The Lord does not deny that Mary is blessed; full of grace. Just as the Virgin Mary always points to her Son, so Jesus always points to the Father (in doing so, as the Logos, the Word of God, he points back at himself). In this passage he also adds that actions reflecting one’s belief are a necessary component of the faithful reaction to the Word of God.
For us to resolve this second apparent contradiction; Jesus telling us to follow the Word of God and St. Paul telling us we are justified in Christ alone, we must differentiate between observing the Law of Moses which we think of as part of the word of God, and hearing the Logos, the incarnate Word of God (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)) St. Paul calls the Galatians to faith in the Word made flesh. He denounces those who have told them that only through observance of the Law of Moses could the authentically be worthy of salvation.
The overriding message from scripture today is that we must both hear the Word of God and act in accordance with the message of love in all we do. So, today our prayer is for strength from the Holy Spirit to follow that call, and, as always, we ask Mary the Mother of God, to intercede on our behalf when we fail.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is Virgin and Child by Mariotto Albertinelli, 1512
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Psalm Response is from Printed source United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
November 11, 2002 Copyright (c) by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings[3] and Commentary:
Reading 1: Galatians 3:22-29
But scripture confined all things under the power of sin,
that through faith in Jesus Christ
the promise might be given to those who believe.
Before faith came, we were held in custody under law,
confined for the faith that was to be revealed.
Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian.
For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendant,
heirs according to the promise.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 3:22-29
St. Paul continues his discourse that compares the nature of the Law of Moses to Christian faith in Jesus. Since the law defines sin, the acts against the law became sin. However, through faith in Christ Jesus, the promise of salvation removed that burden, giving the promise through faith not actions defined according to the law.
Recalling St. Paul’s earlier statement that God would “justify the Gentiles by faith” (Galatians 3:8), he now releases them from the definition of sin carried under the law. They are now adopted children of God, freed by Baptism in Christ, equal under the eyes of God in Christ. The apostle closes his circular argument by repeating that since the Christian faithful belong to Christ they are, therefore, also Abraham’s descendents, heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven under the old covenant as well as the new.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his signs and his words of judgment,
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham his servant, offspring of Jacob the chosen one!
The LORD is our God who rules the whole earth.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
This section of Psalm 105, a song of thanksgiving, recalls God’s covenant with Abraham, the promise of the Land of Canaan and calls for continued faithfulness. Reference to Abraham’s descendents is an obvious link to the reading from Galatians above providing substance to the promise fulfilled in Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:27-28
While he (Jesus) was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:27-28
This short saying of Jesus is not a contradiction of the woman who blesses Mother Mary; rather it is an assertion by the Lord that the belief in the message and reality of his revelation is more important than that biological relationship in the eyes of God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture has a way of challenging us to resolve apparent contradictions. Given the reading from St. Paul to the Galatians which apparently tells us not to worry about Mosaic Law and the Gospel saying from St. Luke in which Jesus tells us it’s more important to hear the Word of God (above our profound devotion to Mother Mary), we run in to a couple of instances of that today.
A common misunderstanding about the faith of the Catholic Church is that we “pray to Mary”. This is of course completely false. In our most common devotional to Mother Mary, the Rosary, we ask for her intercession with her Son, Jesus. When that question is asked; “Why do you pray to Mary?” after we correct the questioner we should have at our hand the Gospel saying from St. Luke given today – “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
The Lord does not deny that Mary is blessed; full of grace. Just as the Virgin Mary always points to her Son, so Jesus always points to the Father (in doing so, as the Logos, the Word of God, he points back at himself). In this passage he also adds that actions reflecting one’s belief are a necessary component of the faithful reaction to the Word of God.
For us to resolve this second apparent contradiction; Jesus telling us to follow the Word of God and St. Paul telling us we are justified in Christ alone, we must differentiate between observing the Law of Moses which we think of as part of the word of God, and hearing the Logos, the incarnate Word of God (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)) St. Paul calls the Galatians to faith in the Word made flesh. He denounces those who have told them that only through observance of the Law of Moses could the authentically be worthy of salvation.
The overriding message from scripture today is that we must both hear the Word of God and act in accordance with the message of love in all we do. So, today our prayer is for strength from the Holy Spirit to follow that call, and, as always, we ask Mary the Mother of God, to intercede on our behalf when we fail.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is Virgin and Child by Mariotto Albertinelli, 1512
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Psalm Response is from Printed source United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
November 11, 2002 Copyright (c) by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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