Friday, September 30, 2022

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

“Saint Thérèse of Lisieux”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
Job answered the Lord and said:
 
I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.
I have dealt with great things that I do not understand;
things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know.
I had heard of you by word of mouth,
but now my eye has seen you.
Therefore I disown what I have said,
and repent in dust and ashes.
 
Thus the Lord blessed the latter days of Job
more than his earlier ones.
For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,
a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.
And he had seven sons and three daughters,
of whom he called the first Jemimah,
the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch.
In all the land no other women were as beautiful
as the daughters of Job;
and their father gave them an inheritance
along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years;
and he saw his children, his grandchildren,
and even his great-grandchildren.
Then Job died, old and full of years.
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Commentary on Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
In these verses we find Job’s final repentance and salvation from the burden placed upon him. In reward for his faithfulness, he is given twice what was taken away in property, in family, and in lifespan. 
 
He first answers two challenges.  “To the first (v. 3) Job replies by confessing that he did speak without knowing all the facts, that is, without appreciating the harmony with which creation is imbued, the awesome fact that even seemingly useless and destructive things have their part to play. This is a sort of ‘sapiential' response. To God's second appeal (v. 4). Job's reply is full of faith: he acknowledges that God has manifested himself in person: now he has seen him with his eyes (v. 5), as Moses and the prophets saw him, Job feels consoled, and he is moved to repentance now that he has actually met God.” [4]
 
In the final blessing (v.12-17), Job has all he had lost returned to him and more. “The Fathers see Job as prefiguring Jesus; this applies also to the restoration of his fortunes: Job recovered both his health and his wealth. In the same way, the Lord, through his resurrection, brings not only good health to those who believe in him, but immortality; and he restores the whole kingdom of nature, as he himself assured us when he said: Everything has been given to me by my Father. New children are born of Job to replace those who died. Similarly, the holy Apostles are sons of the Lord in the same line as were the prophets of old. Job is filled with happiness and in the end rests in peace. And the Lord is blessed forever, as he was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be (St Zeno of Verona, Tractatus, 1, 15).” [5]
 
CCC: Jb 42:2 275; Jb 42:3 299
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may know your decrees.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
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Commentary on Ps 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
Psalm 119, in this section, is an individual lament asking for God’s support in times of difficulty. From this, the longest of the psalms, the strophes ask for the psalmist to be strengthened in the truth, and given wisdom that comes from the law. The use of v. 71 (“It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws”) provides a clear reference to the suffering endured by Job, and God’s final gift of salvation. (Job 42:1ff)
 
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Gospel: Luke 10:17-24
 
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
 
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
 
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:17-24
 
The return of the seventy (two) gives rise to the prayer of Jesus (expanding Mark 6:30), who turns the victory of the disciples into a means to glorify the Father. The Lord gives thanks that God has seen fit to reveal his identity, and pass on his power to these disciples of his. Jesus tells them of the positive effect of their mission saying: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 14:12; the evil one is defeated. The thought is concluded: “…do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This warning is a caution against becoming fixed on external signs, but exhorts the Christian to look to the positive effect on the spirit (cf 1 Corinthians 12).  The Gospel follows this with Jesus’ hymn of praise, also found in Matthew 11:25-27, and concludes the passage by telling the disciples that they are given a privilege beyond prophets and kings (see also Matthew 13:16-17). They are seeing God’s plan fulfilled in Jesus.
 
CCC: Lk 10:17-20 787; Lk 10:21-23 2603; Lk 10:21 1083
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Reflection:
 
The Gospel tells us – the hard part of God’s plan is already done!  The Lord has come, fulfilling all that was written in the Law of Moses and predicted by the prophets.  He has defeated the evil one: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” (Note – that’s past tense)  Death and sin have been conquered and the gates of heaven flung open.  Through the Apostles, led by St. Peter, the authority of the Lord is passed to us.  All we are asked to do is wield that authority in his name.
 
Ok, so it’s not that simple.  Even though the authority was given, not all of us have accepted the fact that we can cast the defeated enemy down.  We are not confident that our spiritual strength is sufficient to overcome the effects of Satan (even though beaten) in the world.  All we need to do is look at the general trend of moral decay around us to see that most of us have accepted the secular status quo. But all is not lost. We can rise to the challenge.  It is within our grasp to do so.
 
We submit that it is like a child (thank you St. Thérèse) who is learning to ride a bike.  As long as they are sure the parent is there beside them holding them steady as they learn to ride, they are fine.  But as soon as they look back and see that mom or dad’s hand is no longer on the bike holding them up, they fall.  We need to be confident; confident that, even though invisible, the Holy Spirit is there holding us up.  We need to recall that the Lord has assigned heavenly messengers to keep us safe, giving us God’s own armor against evil.
 
Today we pray for confidence.  We ask God to give us strength to do his will, and the wisdom of the disciples, who saw and heard what the ancients did not, and recognize Jesus is Lord.
 
Pax
[1] The picture is “Saint Thérèse of Lisieux” artist and date are unknown.
[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] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 152.
[5] Ibid.

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