Saint Callistus, Pope, Martyr
Biographical Information about St. Callistus[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary[3]:
Note to readers: It is a feature of the New American Bible as offered by the Vatican to emphasize the use of the word GOD and LORD when the divine name is used in the original language of Old Testament readings and psalms. This tradition has been carried into the Lectionary for Mass used in the US.
Reading 1: Galatians 5:1-6
For freedom Christ set us free;
so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
It is I, Paul, who am telling you
that if you have yourselves circumcised,
Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised
that he is bound to observe the entire law.
You are separated from Christ,
you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus,
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,
but only faith working through love.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 5:1-6
St. Paul begins addressing the concept of Christian Freedom with a prohibition against Christians accepting circumcision. His vehemence stems from his thorough understanding of Mosaic Law. He knows that circumcision to the Jew is akin to baptism for the Christian and once a person has accepted circumcision, they have taken upon themselves the burden of the law (…bound to observe the entire law.” See also James 2:10).
His visceral statement “You are separated from Christ…” provides us with a view of the emotion with which this argument is made. By accepting the sign of the Jew (circumcision) the Christian has elected a different path than the one of faith. They seek to earn Christ’s salvation through works of the law rather than the freedom brought in Christ who removes the burden of the law from them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
R. (41a) Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Let your love come to me, LORD,
salvation in accord with your promise.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Do not take the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your edicts is my hope.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I will keep your teachings always,
for all time and forever.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I will walk freely in an open space
because I cherish your precepts.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I delight in your commands,
which I dearly love.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I lift up my hands to your commands;
I study your laws, which I love.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
Psalm 119 is a hymn in praise of the law and those who keep it. While at times within its structure it takes the form of an individual lament and at others a song of praise, the strophes presented in this reading emphasize its main theme – praise for the Law of Moses and those who follow it. We see this passage as ironic given the readings that frame it today.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:37-41
After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:37-41
St. Luke regularly associates Jesus with the Pharisees; in this case he is again dining with a member of that group. The Lord is challenged for his failure to observe the strict ritual cleansing required by pharisaic law. In response, he chastises the Pharisee for mistaking external hygiene for purity of spirit, saying that it is more important to demonstrate spiritual purity, especially through giving alms for the poor, than acts of religiosity for the sake of appearance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
As we consider what is taking place in St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians and St. Luke’s Gospel description of the meal at the home of the Pharisee the hierarchy of demands of faith are laid clear for us. At times it seems it is a bit like the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”
We have a deep understanding based upon sacred scripture that we truly follow a path of righteousness when our actions and our faith operate in a fully integrated way. That is, when every action we take is driven by the principles of our faith. Those actions, so integrated, express fervent love and respect for others (even/especially) our enemies. They not only accomplish a reflection of the love that God gives us in Christ, but do so in a humble way that brings Glory to God (not ourselves) and our motives for these actions harbor no expectations for reward from mankind or God.
By the same measure, our faith in Christ, a gift from God given freely and without merit on our part, must be fed by spiritual acts of prayer, worship, and meditation upon the Word of God. Our spiritual selves seek an understanding of what God calls us to accomplish on his behalf and we use these means of communication (we to God in prayer and God to us in prayer and the Word). The understanding of God and his call to us manifests itself in actions, the visible sign of our interior faith.
Between our interior faith and our exterior actions exists our communal worship. It is in the sacred spaces that God physically communicates his love through the grace he gives in the sacraments. We are strengthened by these gifts, entrusted to be distributed by St. Peter and his apostles through the long line of successors. We are encouraged by our brothers and sisters who share our faith and call to holiness; and we are sent into the world to act upon our convictions.
All three of these components of our faith are important, but most important as St. Paul points out as he exhorts the Galatians to cling to faith and reject an instruction that tells them they may earn God’s salvation, is our gift of the Holy Spirit which guides the impulses of faith in action. Christ tells us the same thing when he ignores the requirement for ritual purification at the home of the Pharisee. He does so explicitly to demonstrate that the outward trappings of the religious do not mean any thing if the interior faith is not expressed in actions.
Our prayer today is that we may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit so we can continue to build our own interior faith which in turn will be strengthened through sacramental grace and expressed in all our actions.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “Pope Calixtus I Instituting the Fasts” Artist and date are UNKNOWN
[2] ALTRE
[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
Biographical Information about St. Callistus[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary[3]:
Note to readers: It is a feature of the New American Bible as offered by the Vatican to emphasize the use of the word GOD and LORD when the divine name is used in the original language of Old Testament readings and psalms. This tradition has been carried into the Lectionary for Mass used in the US.
Reading 1: Galatians 5:1-6
For freedom Christ set us free;
so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
It is I, Paul, who am telling you
that if you have yourselves circumcised,
Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised
that he is bound to observe the entire law.
You are separated from Christ,
you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus,
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,
but only faith working through love.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 5:1-6
St. Paul begins addressing the concept of Christian Freedom with a prohibition against Christians accepting circumcision. His vehemence stems from his thorough understanding of Mosaic Law. He knows that circumcision to the Jew is akin to baptism for the Christian and once a person has accepted circumcision, they have taken upon themselves the burden of the law (…bound to observe the entire law.” See also James 2:10).
His visceral statement “You are separated from Christ…” provides us with a view of the emotion with which this argument is made. By accepting the sign of the Jew (circumcision) the Christian has elected a different path than the one of faith. They seek to earn Christ’s salvation through works of the law rather than the freedom brought in Christ who removes the burden of the law from them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
R. (41a) Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Let your love come to me, LORD,
salvation in accord with your promise.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Do not take the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your edicts is my hope.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I will keep your teachings always,
for all time and forever.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I will walk freely in an open space
because I cherish your precepts.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I delight in your commands,
which I dearly love.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
I lift up my hands to your commands;
I study your laws, which I love.
R. Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
Psalm 119 is a hymn in praise of the law and those who keep it. While at times within its structure it takes the form of an individual lament and at others a song of praise, the strophes presented in this reading emphasize its main theme – praise for the Law of Moses and those who follow it. We see this passage as ironic given the readings that frame it today.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:37-41
After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:37-41
St. Luke regularly associates Jesus with the Pharisees; in this case he is again dining with a member of that group. The Lord is challenged for his failure to observe the strict ritual cleansing required by pharisaic law. In response, he chastises the Pharisee for mistaking external hygiene for purity of spirit, saying that it is more important to demonstrate spiritual purity, especially through giving alms for the poor, than acts of religiosity for the sake of appearance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
As we consider what is taking place in St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians and St. Luke’s Gospel description of the meal at the home of the Pharisee the hierarchy of demands of faith are laid clear for us. At times it seems it is a bit like the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”
We have a deep understanding based upon sacred scripture that we truly follow a path of righteousness when our actions and our faith operate in a fully integrated way. That is, when every action we take is driven by the principles of our faith. Those actions, so integrated, express fervent love and respect for others (even/especially) our enemies. They not only accomplish a reflection of the love that God gives us in Christ, but do so in a humble way that brings Glory to God (not ourselves) and our motives for these actions harbor no expectations for reward from mankind or God.
By the same measure, our faith in Christ, a gift from God given freely and without merit on our part, must be fed by spiritual acts of prayer, worship, and meditation upon the Word of God. Our spiritual selves seek an understanding of what God calls us to accomplish on his behalf and we use these means of communication (we to God in prayer and God to us in prayer and the Word). The understanding of God and his call to us manifests itself in actions, the visible sign of our interior faith.
Between our interior faith and our exterior actions exists our communal worship. It is in the sacred spaces that God physically communicates his love through the grace he gives in the sacraments. We are strengthened by these gifts, entrusted to be distributed by St. Peter and his apostles through the long line of successors. We are encouraged by our brothers and sisters who share our faith and call to holiness; and we are sent into the world to act upon our convictions.
All three of these components of our faith are important, but most important as St. Paul points out as he exhorts the Galatians to cling to faith and reject an instruction that tells them they may earn God’s salvation, is our gift of the Holy Spirit which guides the impulses of faith in action. Christ tells us the same thing when he ignores the requirement for ritual purification at the home of the Pharisee. He does so explicitly to demonstrate that the outward trappings of the religious do not mean any thing if the interior faith is not expressed in actions.
Our prayer today is that we may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit so we can continue to build our own interior faith which in turn will be strengthened through sacramental grace and expressed in all our actions.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “Pope Calixtus I Instituting the Fasts” Artist and date are UNKNOWN
[2] ALTRE
[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
No comments:
Post a Comment