Catechism Links [1]
CCC 551,761-766: The Church prefigured in Old Testament community
CCC 783-786: The Church a priestly, prophetic, royal people
CCC 849-865: The apostolic mission of the Church
CCC 783-786: The Church a priestly, prophetic, royal people
CCC 849-865: The apostolic mission of the Church
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| “Heads and hands of the Apostles” by Raffaello Sanzio, c. 1515 |
In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp.
While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,
Moses went up the mountain to God.
Then the Lord called to him and said,
“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;
tell the Israelites:
You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians
and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself.
Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,
you shall be my special possession,
dearer to me than all other people,
though all the earth is mine.
You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”
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Commentary on Ex 19:2-6a
This passage marks the opening verses of God’s covenant with Israel following the flight from Egypt. Through Moses, God makes a divine offer (“if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession”). The offer includes the entire people of Israel, consecrated to God a “kingdom of priests.” When Christ was rejected by the Jewish leadership, the promise fell to the faithful Christians; a priestly people, guided liturgically by priests of the Aaronic tradition (like Melchizedek of old).
CCC: Ex 19-20 708; Ex 19 751, 2060; Ex 19:5-6 709, 762, 2810; Ex 19:6 63, 1539
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Responsorial Psalm Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 5
R. (3c) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
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Commentary on Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 5
Psalm 100 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. In this section we praise God because he created us. We praise God because he continues to guide us. It affirms God’s saving grace given to his sons and daughters through all generations. It is also an alternate invitatory psalm offered by the faithful in the Liturgy of the Hours as appropriate to begin the day’s prayer of the Church.
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Reading II Romans 5:6-11
Brothers and sisters:
Christ, while we were still helpless,
yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.
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Commentary on Rom 5:6-11
In this selection of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, the apostle speaks of how the love of Christ is not just for those who are righteous, but for those who are sinners as well. His love of all mankind was demonstrated vividly as he laid down his life so we might be reconciled to God.
The apostle speaks of the hope of Christians who have been made holy, sanctified, “justified” by their faith in Christ Jesus. This faith was “poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” [in baptism]. (This linkage between Christ and the Holy Spirit begins the apostle’s trinitarian theology)
Justification was not through some merit of theirs (ours) but through God’s infinite mercy. The demonstration of this mercy was Christ’s sacrifice for those who called him “enemy.” While still burdened by sin (the Law of Moses defined sin and all were sinners because of this), Jesus became the sacrifice of atonement. His blood reconciled us to the Father by removing the sin that kept us apart.
CCC: Rom 5:8 604; Rom 5:10 603, 1825
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Gospel Matthew 9:36—10:8
At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits
to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
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Commentary on Mt 9:36—10:8
This selection from St. Matthew’s Gospel includes Christ’s sense that the disciples are ready to take a more active role in proclaiming the Kingdom of God. He asks them to pray for God’s spirit and strength (“so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.").
At the beginning of Chapter 10, St. Matthew names the Twelve and calls the disciples apostles, which means “one who is sent” (the only time in St. Matthew’s Gospel this term is used). They are then sent, but only to the “chosen people.” It is not until after Christ’s death and resurrection that the Gospel is brought to the Gentiles.
CCC: Mt 9:38 2611; Mt 10:5-7 543; Mt 10:8 1509, 2121, 2443
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Reflection:
As we think about the history of God’s revelation, our readings today give us a glimpse of one of His first offers of salvation. Through Moses he tells the people he has just rescued from bondage that all they need to do is “if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession.” What an amazing offer, to be beloved of God in a special way. Moses even tells them that God created all things (“though all the earth is mine”). But they can enjoy a special relationship, consecrated, made sacred, adopted as sons and daughters of God, a holy people, a royal priesthood. What joy such attention should have brought, what love the children of Jacob should have shown for the Creator of the universe.
But like the deluded child who becomes spoiled with riches, even the small effort necessary to maintain that place of favor was too much. They could not see the Law of Moses as a path to happiness and peace; they saw it as rules of the disciplinarian. Rules any child knows can be interpreted to circumvent the intent of the one making it. If for example the rule said a young lady must be home before 10:00 PM. The young lady could easily bring her boyfriend home with her and spend as much time together as they wanted. Until, that is, the parents discovered them and sent the young man home. She had followed the letter of the rule, hadn’t she? It was the same with the Hebrews who found God’s rules could be interpreted to their advantage. Like parents who must constantly refine the rules to avoid misinterpretation and remind the child that the rules are for the child’s own good, God sent the prophets to call the people back to the love of God.
Finally, God sent His only Son. Jesus came into the world and attracted a small following. In today’s Gospel he looks around and sees how the law has been misused and how unhappy the people are “like sheep without a shepherd.” He laments “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” So, he calls the small group he has been teaching and sends them out to expedite his own mission, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” is the message he sends, and with it the signs of what that means: “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.”
Just like Moses in ancient times, Jesus offers in more eloquent and succinct terms a special relationship with God, his Father. We know, of course, that this offer too was rejected, violently, cruelly, indelibly. As a glorious consequence, the offer was extended to us, the adoption was offered to us, Christ’s love is offered to us.
We see the lesson once more unfold in Sacred Scripture. The mission begun all those millennia ago is still not completed. As Jesus pushed the apostles into the world to continue his work, we are pushed to extend the promise. What a noble and difficult path we walk. Our prayer today must be for the strength to accept the offer from Christ who reconciled us to the Father with his blood.
Pax
[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 today is “Heads and hands of the Apostles” by Raffaello Sanzio, c. 1515.
[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.
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