Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Romans 8:18-25
Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rom 8:18-25
“The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God's people (Romans 8:19-22).
After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the Spirit's presence will be realized. On earth believers enjoy the first-fruits, i.e., the Spirit, as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Romans 8:23).”[4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Psalm 126 recalls God’s salvation as the people scattered and enslaved are brought back out of exile. The restoration of the land and the people is seen as a foreshadowing of the salvation to come.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 13:18-21
These two parables describe the humble beginnings and the ultimate growth of the Kingdom of God presented through Jesus’ ministry. While they have parallel passages in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark (Matthew 13:31-33 and Mark 4:30-32) they are especially powerful for the Gentile population to which St. Luke ministers because of the inclusive nature of the stories.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
There is a comedic theatrical device wherein the hero or heroin is facing a seemingly overwhelming group of adversaries when suddenly the attackers stop and flee. The hero is surprised since defeat was certain. Then the camera view pulls back to reveal an even larger threat to the attackers (a huge number of reinforcements, a monster {as in the case of Abbot and Costello, Lou was frequently in this situation.}). The viewer was generally surprised with the hero when the attackers ran away and then, when the supporting force was seen, everyone laughs because it was not the hero his attackers fled, it was the unseen force supporting or behind him or her.
We us this familiar movie ploy to emphasize the underlying meaning contained in Jesus’ parables of the “Mustard Seed” and the “Leaven”. The use of these stories was to tell the followers of Jesus that from that small group of faithful believers, the Gospel would spread to every part of the world. But there is something deeper. It spreads not because the disciples are superhuman. Quite the contrary, they are ordinary men; we might even call them average. Yet when they are handed the Gospel of the Lord and he gives them his authority and the Holy Spirit, it is as if there were suddenly a host of reinforcements standing behind them. The enemies of the Word of God cannot stand against that host no matter how insignificant their numbers may seem or how weak they appear physically.
It is this very idea that makes our pride in spreading the Word of God laughable. When we believe that what we accomplish in the name of the Lord occurs because of our efforts, we are like Lou Costello facing down a group of killers thinking he has intimidated them it to running away when all along the huge giant behind him was what caused their flight.
Today we pray that we may be like the leaven that continues the spread of the Gospel of the Lord but that we never assume that we do so out of our strength. May we look to the Lord for that strength today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The photograph is “Mustard Tree in the Mist” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[4] See NAB footnote on 8:18-25
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Romans 8:18-25
Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rom 8:18-25
“The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God's people (Romans 8:19-22).
After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the Spirit's presence will be realized. On earth believers enjoy the first-fruits, i.e., the Spirit, as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Romans 8:23).”[4]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Psalm 126 recalls God’s salvation as the people scattered and enslaved are brought back out of exile. The restoration of the land and the people is seen as a foreshadowing of the salvation to come.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 13:18-21
These two parables describe the humble beginnings and the ultimate growth of the Kingdom of God presented through Jesus’ ministry. While they have parallel passages in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark (Matthew 13:31-33 and Mark 4:30-32) they are especially powerful for the Gentile population to which St. Luke ministers because of the inclusive nature of the stories.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
There is a comedic theatrical device wherein the hero or heroin is facing a seemingly overwhelming group of adversaries when suddenly the attackers stop and flee. The hero is surprised since defeat was certain. Then the camera view pulls back to reveal an even larger threat to the attackers (a huge number of reinforcements, a monster {as in the case of Abbot and Costello, Lou was frequently in this situation.}). The viewer was generally surprised with the hero when the attackers ran away and then, when the supporting force was seen, everyone laughs because it was not the hero his attackers fled, it was the unseen force supporting or behind him or her.
We us this familiar movie ploy to emphasize the underlying meaning contained in Jesus’ parables of the “Mustard Seed” and the “Leaven”. The use of these stories was to tell the followers of Jesus that from that small group of faithful believers, the Gospel would spread to every part of the world. But there is something deeper. It spreads not because the disciples are superhuman. Quite the contrary, they are ordinary men; we might even call them average. Yet when they are handed the Gospel of the Lord and he gives them his authority and the Holy Spirit, it is as if there were suddenly a host of reinforcements standing behind them. The enemies of the Word of God cannot stand against that host no matter how insignificant their numbers may seem or how weak they appear physically.
It is this very idea that makes our pride in spreading the Word of God laughable. When we believe that what we accomplish in the name of the Lord occurs because of our efforts, we are like Lou Costello facing down a group of killers thinking he has intimidated them it to running away when all along the huge giant behind him was what caused their flight.
Today we pray that we may be like the leaven that continues the spread of the Gospel of the Lord but that we never assume that we do so out of our strength. May we look to the Lord for that strength today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The photograph is “Mustard Tree in the Mist” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[4] See NAB footnote on 8:18-25
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