(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Suggested #22 Holy Mary Handmaid of the Lord)
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| “Ruth and Naomi” by Jan Victors, 1653 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Commentary on Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
The story of Ruth is continued as she and her mother-in-law return to the Hebrew lands around Bethlehem. As is customary, widows without support of any other male relatives glean in the fields – follow the harvesters and pick up any leftover grain not collected by them. Boaz, seeing in Ruth humility and grace, takes her as his wife. This story celebrates the piety and fidelity of Ruth, a Moabite (non-Hebrew) who becomes attached to Israel through marriage. Out of that union we find the beginnings of King David’s line and hence the line that produced Jesus in Bethlehem.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
R. (4) See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Commentary on Ps 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins here with the typical blessings given to those following and having faith in the Lord. This selection uses the analogy of the family and the blessing it brings to the faithful, using the symbolism of vines and olives, imagery commonly used in sacred scripture.
It also supports the creation of woman and the marriage theme in Genesis 2:18-25. It is the logical extension of the two becoming one flesh and the children flowing from that union.
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Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
Commentary on Mt 23:1-12
This passage is the introduction to the invective against the Scribes and Pharisees. It sets the stage for the “Seven Woes” which follow in the chapter. St. Matthew uses Jesus' teaching about the leaders of the Jewish faith as counter-examples of what the leaders of the Christian faith must be like. The scribes and Pharisees lead from the authority given by the Temple. According to the Gospel, they did not practice what they taught and performed their worship for others to see rather than out of true faith and worship of God.
St. Matthew continues the theme of authentic worship (that is, worship that changes the actions of the faithful). The author gives us Jesus' discourse that upholds the Law of Moses and, at the same time, chastises those who misuse it. He describes in detail how the scribes burden the people with ritual, but do not practice that same law. The complaint is twofold: first is the rigor with which the law is interpreted (“They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders”), and second is the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees: “All their works are performed to be seen” (see also Matthew 6:1-8).
The selection promotes an interpretation of Christian leadership which is one of humility and compassion rather than one of prideful superiority. “These verses, warning against the use of various titles, are addressed to the disciples alone. While only the title 'Rabbi' has been said to be used in addressing the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:7), the implication is that Father and 'Master' also were. The prohibition of these titles to the disciples suggests that their use was present in Matthew's church. The Matthean Jesus forbids not only the titles but the spirit of superiority and pride that is shown by their acceptance. Whoever exalts . . . will be exalted: cf Luke 14:11.”[5]
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Reflection:
Why should children be forced to learn arithmetic in school? Why should they be forced to learn adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing skills? Anyone today can afford electronic calculators (and now voice activated devices like Amazon’s Echo) that do these functions (and many more) faster and more accurately than even the greatest mathematicians. So, why should they suffer the constant repetition necessary for learning their times tables? There is so much more to learn for children today than there was even fifty years ago. Shouldn’t the teachers just skip that part of the curriculum, take a day or so to teach them to use the calculator, and move on to something more important like learning to use the internet for research (inserted dry irony).
It is an interesting question but fundamentally the answer is children need to use their own “organic computer” before they are given access to one that does things for them. There was a line in the novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton that states that the scientists that did the genetic engineering that, in the book, resulted in the re-creation of dinosaurs “stood on the shoulders of giants.” That is, they took science that existed, without having developed the discipline to appreciate what had gone into creating it and extended it without thinking about possible consequences.
In the Gospel, Jesus pronounces a “Woe” to the Pharisees because they likewise “stood on the shoulders of giants.” They took the Law of Moses and the prophecies of Elijah and created complex rules for following their words but without the faith or understanding of God’s intent. They focused so much on their ritual that they forgot the basics. Like a child (or in some cases the local cashier) who only knows how to use a calculator, the underlying spiritual process is lost on them.
In his criticism of the Pharisees Jesus calls us to be sure we understand why we do what we do for God. We don’t just say grace before meals to see how quickly we can get through it. We don’t go to Mass just because it’s a requirement. We pray so that we might hear God as well as having our petitions heard. We go to Mass so that God can touch us with his sacramental grace, not just to impress others, or to satisfy a guilty conscience.
Christ asks us today to practice what we preach; to be the people commanded by love that he calls us to be, not simply going through the motions. Our prayer today is that we might, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, become what God calls us to be, a light to the world.
Pax
[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5
[2] The picture is “Ruth and Naomi” by Jan Victors, 1653
[3] S.S Commemoratio
[5] See NAB footnote on Matthew 23:8-12
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