Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

“Christ Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus”
by Friedrich Overbeck 1815

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30–19:3
 
Absalom unexpectedly came up against David’s servants.
He was mounted on a mule,
and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth,
his hair caught fast in the tree.
He hung between heaven and earth
while the mule he had been riding ran off.
Someone saw this and reported to Joab
that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
And taking three pikes in hand,
he thrust for the heart of Absalom,
still hanging from the tree alive.
 
Now David was sitting between the two gates,
and a lookout went up to the roof of the gate above the city wall,
where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.
The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said,
“If he is alone, he has good news to report.”
The king said, “Step aside and remain in attendance here.”
So he stepped aside and remained there.
When the Cushite messenger came in, he said,
“Let my lord the king receive the good news
that this day the Lord has taken your part,
freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you.”
But the king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom safe?”
The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rebel against you with evil intent
be as that young man!”
 
The king was shaken,
and went up to the room over the city gate to weep.
He said as he wept,
“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”
 
Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom;
and that day’s victory was turned into mourning for the whole army
when they heard that the king was grieving for his son.
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Commentary on 2 Sm 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30–19:3
 
The tale of King David’s family continues with these verses. They describe the death of the king’s rebellious son, Absalom. It certainly must have felt like divine intervention that the leader of the rebel forces was accidentally caught by the hair as he passed under a tree. The end of Absalom was also against King David’s explicit orders. When Joab, the leader of King David’s forces, ordered the trapped prince to be killed, he did so in violation of his orders and, as we see, caused his king great grief.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
 
R. (1a) Listen, Lord, and answer me.
 
Incline your ear, O Lord; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
 
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
 
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
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Commentary on Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
 
Psalm 86 is an individual lament. It asks for mercy from God. The psalmist sings of an afflicted life, and asks God to give his servant relief. The song indicates the faithfulness of the singer, even in times of distress.
 
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Gospel: Mark 5:21-43
 
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.
 
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to him,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
 
While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
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Commentary on Mk 5:21-43
 
This selection from Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus continuing his journey of healing. The passage relates two interwoven examples of the power of faith in healing. First, it presents the synagogue official’s plea to Jesus to heal his daughter. This is important in that it is recognition of Jesus' status by the local faith community. An official from the synagogue would only consult with one widely recognized as an authority in spiritual matters.
 
On the way to the little girl, a woman with a hemorrhage that had been incurable by local physicians pressed in close and touched his cloak. She was cured; it was as if her faith reached out and touched Jesus. Unlike the others crowded around, he felt her touch among all the others. He turned and was able to specifically identify her. The Lord’s words to her were: “your faith has saved you.”
 
Arriving at the synagogue official's house, Jairus’ faith was tested a second time as he was informed his daughter had died. Jesus ignored these reports and proceeded to reward Jairus’ faith by bringing his daughter back from death, a sign of his mission to all mankind.
 
 
CCC: Mk 5:21-42 994; Mk 5:25-34 548; Mk 5:28 2616; Mk 5:34 1504; Mk 5:36 1504, 2616
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Reflection:
 
One of the many rewards of faith in a loving and merciful God is the consolation of Christ in times of grief.   Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI, expressed this much better than I could in his encyclical Spe Salvi:
 
“Indeed, to accept the 'other' who suffers, means that I take up his suffering in such a way that it becomes mine also. Because it has now become a shared suffering, though, in which another person is present, this suffering is penetrated by the light of love. The Latin word con-solatio, ‘consolation’, expresses this beautifully. It suggests being with the other in his solitude, so that it ceases to be solitude.” (Spe Salvi, II, 38.)
 
In simple language, the grief or sorrow we experience, especially at the loss of a loved one, a friend, or even a relationship, is indeed the feeling of being alone, deprived of the person whose loss we have suffered.  Into this void comes Jesus, his loving hand outstretched, bridging the gap between life and death.  In him we are never alone.  It is his consolation that lifts us out of hopelessness and gives us grace to overcome even the greatest of obstacles.
 
As Pope-Emeritus Benedict said, Christ’s consolation is expressed most visibly though his followers (that would be us).  Our compassion for those who suffer becomes a miracle in itself.  It is not easy to accept another’s suffering though, is it?  Accepting that burden necessarily means to experience the pain felt by the one who suffers.  That pain, we submit, is quantifiable.  That is, there is only so much to go around and the more who share in that suffering, the less burdensome it becomes to the group within which it is shared.  It is Christ’s (con-solatio) consolation – we are no longer alone.
 
Today as we think about the grief of King David who endures the loss of a son and Jairus, who briefly was stabbed with the pain of losing a daughter, let us remember those who grieve the loss of those they love: husbands, wives, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters.  May all those who suffer the loss be blessed with Christ’s steadfast presence and our offer to share their suffering so it might be lessened though the consolation and mercy of God.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus” by Friedrich Overbeck 1815.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

 

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. John Bosco
 
Biographical information about St. John Bosco

“St. John Bosco”
artist and date were not cited

 
Readings for Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13a
 
An informant came to David with the report,
“The children of Israel have transferred their loyalty to Absalom.”
At this, David said to all his servants
who were with him in Jerusalem:
“Up!  Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom.
Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us,
then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.”
As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing.
His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot.
All those who were with him also had their heads covered
and were weeping as they went.
 
As David was approaching Bahurim,
a man named Shimei, the son of Gera
of the same clan as Saul’s family,
was coming out of the place, cursing as he came.
He threw stones at David and at all the king’s officers,
even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard,
were on David’s right and on his left.
Shimei was saying as he cursed:
“Away, away, you murderous and wicked man!
The LORD has requited you for all the bloodshed in the family of Saul,
in whose stead you became king,
and the LORD has given over the kingdom to your son Absalom.
And now you suffer ruin because you are a murderer.”
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king:
“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
Let me go over, please, and lop off his head.”
But the king replied: “What business is it of mine or of yours,
sons of Zeruiah, that he curses?
Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David;
who then will dare to say, ‘Why are you doing this?’”
Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants:
“If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life,
how much more might this Benjaminite do so?
Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction
and make it up to me with benefits
for the curses he is uttering this day.”
David and his men continued on the road,
while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside,
all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.
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Commentary on 2 Sm 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13a
 
Recall that Nathan had said that the Lord would put enmity in the House of David for the sins of murder and adultery the king had committed when he took Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:8-12). Following this prediction, the child born to David and Bathsheba died, in spite of David’s contrite attempt to convince God to spare it. In addition, David’s eldest son Amnon was killed by another son Absalom after he (Amnon) had raped Absalom’s sister and then further dishonored her by casting her out.
 
These actions ultimately led to the situation we hear about in this passage. King David's son, Absalom, has supplanted David as king and David is forced to flee, fearing his household will be killed. He goes to the Mount of Olives, once more to beg for God’s mercy. Even though God has promised that David himself will not be killed, nothing good will come of this, and David is humiliated even further by Shimei, a bitter supporter of Saul who accuses King David of unjustly killing the former king and his sons.  David tells his guard not to hinder the rock throwing Shimei as he goes on his penitential pilgrimage explaining that he may be acting on God's orders, apparently accepting this humiliation as God's punishment.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
R. (8a) Lord, rise up and save me.
 
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
R. Lord, rise up and save me.
 
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
R. Lord, rise up and save me.
 
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
R. Lord, rise up and save me.
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Commentary on Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
Psalm 3 is a lament, singing of the plight of one attacked and oppressed by enemies on all sides. These strophes are clearly an echo of King David’s sorrow, as all that the Lord has given to him seems to be at risk with no sign that God will come to his aid. In spite of this apparent abandonment, the singer has faith that God will continue to defend his servant.
 
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Gospel: Mark 5:1-20
 
Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea,
to the territory of the Gerasenes.
When he got out of the boat,
at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.
The man had been dwelling among the tombs,
and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.
In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains,
but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed,
and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides
he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.
Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,
he ran up and prostrated himself before him,
crying out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”
(He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)
He asked him, “What is your name?”
He  replied, “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.”
And he pleaded earnestly with him
not to drive them away from that territory.
 
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.
And they pleaded with him,
“Send us into the swine.  Let us enter them.”
And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.
The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea,
where they were drowned.
The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town
and throughout the countryside.
And people came out to see what had happened.
As they approached Jesus,
they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,
sitting there clothed and in his right mind.
And they were seized with fear.
Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened
to the possessed man and to the swine.
Then they began to beg him to leave their district.
As he was getting into the boat,
the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.
But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
“Go home to your family and announce to them
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”
Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis
what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 5:1-20
 
This is St. Mark’s version of Jesus casting out the multitude of demons and sending them into the herd of swine. Swine [pigs] are considered unclean animals under Hebrew dietary laws (Leviticus 11:7-8).  This action not only reinforces Jesus’ universal mission but adds a dimension of symbolism. It is important to note that this is a pagan region, so what the Lord is doing in helping the man with unclean spirits is ministering to non-Hebrews, indicating the breadth of his mission. Also in this story, the demon addresses him as “Jesus, Son of the Most High God,” a title that identifies him clearly and without equivocation as the Messiah.
 
“Allegorically (St. Bede, In Marcum): the demoniac represents the Gentile nations saved by Christ. As pagans, they once lived apart from God amid the tombs of dead works, while their sins were performed in service of demons. Through Christ the pagans are at last cleansed and freed from Satan’s domination.” [4]
 
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Reflection:
 
Those of us who are not mystics (which means probably most of us these days) may have some belief issues with the story of Jesus casting out the unclean spirits described in the Gospel of St. Mark.  Did Jesus really cast out these unclean spirits and cause them to go into swine?  From a purely logical perspective, we see the message from the Gospel in the following way:
 
First, we understand, as St. Mark did, that Jesus has authority over all of God’s creation.  This authority is constantly being contested by the evil one who himself was cast out of God’s presence.  If we believe that God’s essence manifests itself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; can we not also believe that God’s greatest foe would not also have a spirit of evil that could find entry into the soul of humankind?
 
When Jesus encounters these manifestations, as he does in this fifth chapter of St. Mark’s Gospel, he recognizes it for what it is.  The man “had been dwelling among the tombs,” in other words, living among the dead and completely out of touch with humanity.  The encounter between this man and Jesus must have seemed surreal to the pagans who inhabited this region.  As we have seen time and again, evil recognizes good.  The spirit of evil recognizes its foe announcing: “’What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?’”  Seeing the essence of what he faced, Jesus commanded the spirit of evil to leave its human host.  The evil responds: “Swear by God you will not torture me!” (Jerusalem Bible translation).
 
The next part of the exchange has its roots in ancient lore.  It is presumed from ancient times that in order for one person to have authority over another person or thing they must use the proper name for that individual or item.  We see this from the earliest biblical references, as God gives man authority to name all of his earthly creation (Genesis 2:19-20) but withholds any name for himself (Exodus 3:13-14).  The implication is that man may not command God.  In this instance Jesus asks for the name of the unclean spirit to which he receives the reply: “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.”
 
The formula is established, Jesus knows the name of the unclean spirits, and that fact is recognized as the spirit pleads with Jesus not to destroy them outright.  The spirits ask that they be sent into the swine that are there.  For the Jewish reader, to whom swine are considered “unclean,” this would make sense, unclean spirits being sent into unclean animals, reinforcing Mosaic Law.  Clearly even the lowly hogs could not stand their presence, since we are told they rushed into the sea and were drowned.
 
We’ve spent a lot of time dissecting the incident in Gerasene territory. So, what is the lesson there for us?  First, we must come to grips with the notion that there is a spirit of evil that is ready to move into us as soon as we let our guard down.  Second, the only protection we have against such attacks is the one who has authority over them, Jesus.  We must have him thoroughly installed so that when we encounter that spirit of evil we can recognize it instantly, and it will of course recognize Jesus, Son of the Most High God, in us.
 
Our prayer today is that we may grow in faith and love of God to a point where we have the ability to resist evil in all its forms.  We also pray for those who have succumbed to that force and ask that they find the Lord who will wash away all evil.
 
Pax
 
Personal note: On this date in 2006, following a miraculous cure from what was diagnosed as stage four lung cancer, I made a promise to God (a promesa or solemn promise) to dedicate a part of each day to trying to better discern his will through an exploration of the Word of God.  That day I started this Scripture apostolate in a post on Myspace.com.  It has continued without interruption to this date.

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[1] The picture is “St. John Bosco” artist and date were not cited.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p.74.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Catechism Links [1]
CCC 436, 1241, 1546: Christ as prophet
CCC 904-907: Our participation in Christ’s prophetic office
CCC 103-104: Faith, the beginning of eternal life
CCC 1822-1829: Charity
CCC 772-773, 953: Communion in the Church
CCC 314, 1023, 2519: Those in heaven behold God face to face

“Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1630

 
Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading I: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19
 
The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
 
But do you gird your loins;
stand up and tell them
all that I command you.
Be not crushed on their account,
as though I would leave you crushed before them;
for it is I this day
who have made you a fortified city,
a pillar of iron, a wall of brass,
against the whole land:
against Judah’s kings and princes,
against its priests and people.
They will fight against you but not prevail over you,
for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
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Commentary on Jer 1:4-5, 17-19
 
This is the beginning of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. It is clear that the author sees the call of the prophet from before his birth (See Isaiah 49:1, 5; Luke 1:15; Galatians 1:15-16. I knew you: I loved you and chose you. I dedicated you: I set you apart to be a prophet.)
 
Moving forward several verses Jeremiah is told to prepare himself for his mission. The prophet is commanded to proclaim the Lord to the nations. He is given the protection of the Lord who will overcome all obstacles. (“They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.”) The passage concludes with a warning that his prophetic vision will not be easily accepted, but he will be successful with God's help.
 
CCC: Jer 1:5 2270
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
 
R. (cf. 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
 
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
 
Psalm 71 is an individual lament. In this section we hear a profession of faith in the saving power of God. In the third strophe we also find a link to the call of Jeremiah before his birth (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19). In both cases the servant is known by God and prepared for his service from the womb.
 
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Reading II
 
Longer Form:
1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13
 
Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
 
If I speak in human and angelic tongues,
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy,
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
It is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
 
Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 12:31—13:13
 
St. Paul shifts his focus from the diversity of the different functions within the Body of Christ (which is the Church), to the gifts common to those enlightened by Christ. First among these gifts is love which informs all reason, directing the Christian to the love of Christ.
 
“In speaking of love, Paul is led by spontaneous association to mention faith and hope as well. They are already a well-known triad (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:3), three interrelated features of Christian life, more fundamental than any particular charism. The greatest . . . is love: love is operative even within the other members of the triad, so that it has a certain primacy among them. Or, if the perspective is temporal, love will remain (cf. "never fails,") even when faith has yielded to sight and hope to possession.” [5]
 
CCC: 1 Cor 12 1988, 2003; 1 Cor 13 735, 800; 1 Cor 13:1-4 1826; 1 Cor 13:4-7 1825; 1 Cor 13:5 953; 1 Cor 13:8 773; 1 Cor 13:12 163, 164, 314, 1023, 1720, 2519; 1 Cor 13:13 1813, 1826, 1841
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Or
Shorter Form: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
 
Brothers and sisters:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
 
Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 13:4-13
 
This shorter version of St. Paul’s discourse on the characteristics of Christian love (faith and hope) omits the beginning verses but retains focus on the unselfish and selfless nature of the relationship between members of the community, imitating Christ’s love for the Church.
 
CCC: 1 Cor 13 735, 800; 1 Cor 13:1-4 1826; 1 Cor 13:4-7 1825; 1 Cor 13:5 953; 1 Cor 13:8 773; 1 Cor 13:12 163, 164, 314, 1023, 1720, 2519; 1 Cor 13:13 1813, 1826, 1841
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Gospel: Luke 4:21-30
 
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say,
‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said, “Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
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Commentary on Lk 4:21-30
This Gospel passage places Jesus at his hometown speaking in the synagogue. Some of those present, presumably those less familiar with Jesus’ local origins, praised him. Others there were questioning his authority since they knew him as a child and knew his family. This selection is his response to their questioning his status and authority.
 
We understand why the people were upset when we consider that, in his analogy explaining why he could accomplish no works from God, he used Elijah going to a widow in Sidon (not Israel) and Elisha curing Naaman (a Syrian not an Israelite). This would have placed Jesus on a par with the great prophets, blasphemy in the eyes of his old neighbors. Perhaps even more upsetting to the people would have been that their God would not reveal himself to them because of their lack of faith.
 
CCC: Lk 4:16-22 1286; Lk 4:16-21 436; Lk 4:18-19 695, 714; Lk 4:18 544, 2443; Lk 4:19 1168
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Reflection:
 
While it does not seem possible, the beginning of Lent is only a month away.  Given the temperatures of the past week, that does not seem possible, does it?  Here in the depths of winter’s grip, it is difficult to think about spring being right around the corner.  I think that’s why those who developed the calendar made this such a short month – just to speed up our time sense.  The progression of the seasons is frequently used as an analogy for our lives. Spring – Summer – Fall – and Winter are frequently attached to the stages of our lives.  It is the march of time.
 
Today as we bask in the return of above zero temperatures, we can be reminded that our lives are also measured in terms of spiritual growth.  It is extraordinary to reflect upon the series of texts we have been given on this Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 
 
Our spiritual lives start with baptism.  Most of us were baptized as infants and in that sacrament we were formally called, even though God made us in our mother’s wombs and gave us the great gift of life.  In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, we were told how the prophet was also called from his first moments of life. 
 
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
 
Even though we believe the gift of adoption by God was initiated in the sacrament of baptism, we were each called by God, invited to participate in his creation.
 
Of course, as newly baptized most of us could not understand that call or what it meant.  We needed to be taught what it meant to be God’s children and again, for most of us, that duty fell to our parents.  It was from the very beginnings of our memory that we saw God’s love for us in the arms of our parents.  It was in our mother’s arms that carried us and nurtured us that we felt God’s first embrace; it was our father’s protecting hands that showed us that God’s love was unselfish and steadfast.
 
While we hear the wonderful love song from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians mostly at weddings, it has a special place in our hearts as we see it in the relationship between first, parents and their children, then later between members of the extended family in the domestic church – the church of the home.  While it is difficult, we need the constant reminder that our attitudes toward our family members must also reflect the litany:
 
 
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
It is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
 
Love never fails.”
 
Learning the lesson of love is one of the hardest things we do as Christians.  It needs to have a constant reminder and, in our prayer and worship, the Great Commandment is constantly stressed for that purpose.  Not only does our adoption by God fortify us to receive this message, it compels us to proclaim that invitation through our words and actions, just as the prophet Jeremiah was compelled, and just as Jesus was compelled.
 
In the Gospel from St. Luke, we find Jesus’ first visit home after he was baptized by St. John in the Jordan, driven into the desert to be tempted, and then returned to take up his public ministry.  He performed many signs and wonders in the region of Galilee and his fame grew.  The verses immediately preceding the Gospel passage just proclaimed described his success:
 
“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.” (Luke 4:14-15)
 
So when he returned home expectations were high.  He had been baptized and the Holy Spirit had been experienced by those who had seen him.  It must have surprised him when the people he had known since he was a boy, were not affected the same way.  He quickly understood the reality that even with the help of God and in spite of the intense love he felt for them, his message and its miraculous effects would not be felt by those who knew him too well.
 
This understanding is part of our own spiritual growth as well.  We are baptized and infused with God’s love and sent to participate in his gift to mankind but the message, like the Lord’s, will be rejected by many, especially those who know us well.  They cannot understand that their parents or siblings or aunts and uncles can be God’s instruments.
 
For us, this is where it gets difficult.  We cannot give up.  To do so would be like withholding a miracle cure from one who was dying.  So, we must not only continue to try but we must also work to equip ourselves to be more effective in bringing the message of love to others.
 
Today’s Scripture reminds us that we were called by God, just like Jeremiah and St. Paul who said similar words in his letter to the Galatians. We were strengthened by baptism and taught the great lesson of love by our parents.  Now we find that the message we are to deliver is not going to be easily accepted. What do we do?
 
First, we rely on the basics, personal and family prayer, communal worship, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, sacraments of reconciliation and healing, and actively growing our own faith.  We are fortunate to have many opportunities to do this.  We have the Alfa program which has done wonders in our own parish as well as internationally.  We have prayer groups and fraternal groups such as the Knights of Columbus. We have small faith sharing groups including a vital Christian Family Movement within our parish.  All of these opportunities are directed to build our greater faith community into a vibrant assembly dedicated to the mission of building and equipping each of us to do the work we were called to do from our mothers’ wombs.
 
Perhaps the hardest part is making the commitment to take that step.  Consider this your personal invitation to help save a life.
 
We have been called, we have been loved, we have been sent.  Let us not forget and let us commit to serve God who loves us.
 
Pax
 

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[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 is “Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1630.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] See NAB footnote on 1 Corinthians 13:13.