Catechism Links[1]
CCC 547-550: Jesus accompanies words with miracles
CCC 447, 438, 550: Jesus’ power over demons
CCC 64, 762, 2595: The role of the prophet
CCC 922, 1618-1620: Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom
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“Jeremiah Denounces the Priests” by Max Lieberg, c. 1898
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Commentary:
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Commentary on Dt 18:15-20
In this passage from Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to the people presenting an oracle that predicts the coming of the Prophet (“A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen.”). Moses' own prophetic place was unique, having been established at Mount Horeb. It first launched him on his mission to save Israel from bondage (Exodus 3:1ff); then save them from dying of thirst (Exodus 17), and finally to give them the Law (Exodus 19).
The oracle promises that others will follow Moses. They will authentically guide the people as God intendeds. The end of the passage contains a warning to any who claim to speak for the Lord falsely. Those who make such false statements will die.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Commentary on Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
Psalm 95 is a hymn of praise to God recalling his creative hand and omnipresent guidance. The final strophe (v. 7-9) recalls periods of salvation history where the people challenged God and demanded proofs of his continued support. (“Meribah: literally, "contention"; the place where the Israelites quarreled with God. Massah: "testing," the place where they put God to the trial. Cf Exodus 17:7; Numbers 20:13.[5])
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Commentary on 1 Cor 7:32-35
In this selection from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians the Apostle is attempting to answer questions posed to him by the community. Here he speaks further on marriage. "There is clearly no question of trying to deceive anyone by encouraging him to dedicate himself to a way of life in which he cannot persevere. All St Paul is doing is pointing out that the unmarried person is more available to the service of the Lord."[6] The attitude reflects the Apostles' expectation that the Parousia will happen soon. (We see in v. 29, just prior to this reading “I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.”) The emphasis being placed here is the need of the Christian to focus on things pleasing to God rather than the flesh.
CCC: 1 Cor 7:32 1579, 1618; 1 Cor 7:34-36 922; 1 Cor 7:34-35 506
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Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Commentary on Mk 1:21-28
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. “The account of a single day's ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus' teaching with authority, making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the ancient prophets, not of the scribes.”[7] First the Lord astonishes the people with the “authority” of his teaching in the tradition of the prophets, as opposed to the scribes, and then proceeds to demonstrate the effectiveness of his authority by casting out an unclean spirit.
He encounters an “unclean spirit,” so called because it does not recognize the authority of God. Jesus commands the spirit to leave and it obeys. God in the person of Christ, after all, has authority over all things. In this way we see once more the assurance that Jesus is true God. The exchange between the Lord and this “unclean spirit” is instructive. The spirit attempts to gain mastery over Jesus by using his full name, “Jesus of Nazareth.” The address used by the one possessed, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God,” is an attempt to ward off the power of Jesus, not a profession. Jesus rebukes the spirit and orders it out. The event stirs fear as well as awe in those present.
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Reflection:
The Gospel story gives us a clear picture of Jesus during his healing ministry on earth. We see in the exchange between the Lord and the “unclean spirit” recognition, if not a profession, that Christ has power over all things. We recognize that Jesus, the Messiah, is more than what Moses described in his discourse from Deuteronomy. He predicted the great prophets who would follow in his footsteps. Jesus was not “like Moses.” His mission was not to act as an intermediary between God and the people, he was God reaching out directly to them.
The warning that comes at the end of the passage from Deuteronomy should give us pause for thought. We are told in other scripture passages (cf. Matthew 7:15) that there will be people coming who claim to speak in the Lord’s name but, in fact, make that claim falsely. The likes of Jim Jones and David Koresh who claimed divine guidance but were delusional met the fate promised in Deuteronomy. Unfortunately they took many innocent people, including women and children duped by them, to their deaths. There are others, perhaps less sensational from a news standpoint, but more insidious nonetheless. They claim some special relationship with God or some special insight that allows them to lead others in places where they should not go.
This is one reason the Church is so important. She gives us guidance from truth passed on from Christ to Peter and his successors. She is the repository for both the mystical and rational understanding of God’s intent for us. It is through that age-old wisdom that we are guided to the more intimate relationship with Christ that we seek.
Like the old patent medicine salesman of a past age who promised that their product could cure all that ailed you for a mere dollar, the message given by these false teachers that sounds too good to be true certainly is just that – not true! When we go looking for easy answers, especially when times are hard, we will almost always find a person who will offer us an easier way. In the final analysis we must remember, Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” And his way is not the easy way, but it offers the reward that makes the difficult journey worthwhile.
Pax
In other years on this date: Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[2] The picture used is “Jeremiah Denounces the Priests” by Max Lieberg, c. 1898
[5] See NAB footnote on Ps 95:8
[6] Letters of St. Paul , The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003, pp. 232
[7] See NAB footnote on Mark 1:21-45
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