Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

“Prayer of the Spinner”
by Gerrit Dou, c. 1630

 
Readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Isaiah 55:10-11
 
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
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Commentary on Is 55:10-11
 
This reading represents the conclusion of Isaiah’s exhortation about the new Jerusalem. In these few verses we hear how the word of God must be soaked up by the faithful, as rain is soaked up by the earth. Once it is absorbed it produces the desired result. Similar thought is expressed in the Gospel of St. John in his exhortation on the Eucharist (John 6:32) as the Word come down from heaven.
 
“The Word comes from God, but it can be heard only when it is soaked up in human life and spoken with human accents. Deutero-Isaiah [Deutero-Isaiah refers to the second half of the book, written during the Babylonian exile] explains world history, particularly the sacred history of Israel, through the deep, omnipotent presence of the Word (cf. Wisdom 8:1; 2 Corinthians 9:10). M.-E. Boismard attributes to this text the immediate origin of the Johannine theology of the Word (St. John's Prologue [Westminster, 1957] 100). We hear its echo in John's doctrine of the Eucharist-the Word come down from heaven and received as bread (John 6:32, 35).” [4]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
 
R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
 
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
 
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
 
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
 
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
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Commentary on Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
 
Psalm 34 is a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Psalm 34:5, 7), can teach the "poor," those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone. The just cry out to the Lord and he hears them and rescues them.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
 
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
 
“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
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Commentary on Mt 6:7-15
 
This Gospel passage from St. Matthew actually interrupts the pattern in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus is clarifying the spirit of the law regarding almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. In the presentation of the Lord’s Prayer, St. Matthew differs from the presentation by St. Luke (Luke 11; 1-4) in which the Lord was asked by the disciples how to pray. This passage begins by telling the disciples, “do not babble like the pagans.” This may also be critical of the Jewish tradition of presenting long lists of petitions to God for help. The idea is the same: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
 
“Here, talk ought to be as sparse as water dripping slowly into a deep well: the echo lasts longer than the sound because the drops fall at wide intervals. Words that really count, words that are 'stored up' eternally, are always the product of slow distillation.” [5]
 
The prayer in St. Matthew has seven petitions (compared to six in St. Luke). The first three are synonymous, asking that God’s ultimate reign at the eschaton be brought to fulfillment. The request for “daily bread” has a couple of possible meanings beyond the obvious. It may be related to the petition in Matthew 6: 31-33 (“So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?'”) and it may also be referring to the Messianic banquet of the Eucharist. Using this interpretation, the fourth petition continues the intent of the first three.
 
The fifth petition, “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” is, in spite of the denominational tradition, best translated as “debts.” In St. Luke’s version, the word used is “sins,” an easier word for non-Jewish readers. Regardless of the translation, the precondition for forgiveness given is that we forgive others.
 
“Lead us not into temptation” is likely not intended to mean our daily encounter with “evil” or the “evil one.” St. Matthew would agree with St. Paul, that God could easily avoid the evil of the world (1 Corinthians 10: 13). Rather the likely meaning would be that we not be led to a great test, that is, despair at the tribulations of the eschaton (the end times). Similarly, the final petition, “deliver us from evil,” also would focus on the Christian hope of salvation rather than damnation.
 
CCC: Mt 6:7 2608, 2668, 2776; Mt 6:8 443, 2736; Mt 6:9-13 1969, 2759, 2759; Mt 6:9 268, 443; Mt 6:10 2632; Mt 6:11 1165, 2659; Mt 6:12 2845; Mt 6:14-16 2792; Mt 6:14-15 2608, 2841
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Reflection:
 
We can take the reading from Isaiah at face value and understand that the prophet was saying that his prayer would not be like sand thrown into the wind, that his prayer, his dialogue with God, would bear fruit like rain falling on the crops.  Likewise, in the psalm, we give thanks to the Lord for hearing us in our distress.  What does he hear?  He hears our prayer.  Prayers uttered at strange moments, at painful moments, even prayers uttered profanely and unintended are heard. (Think of that the next time you hit your finger with a hammer!)
 
Scripture brings us to closure on prayer with the story from Matthew about Jesus teaching his disciples to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern.  We begin by giving thanks and praise to God for all his works and all his kindness both now and in eternity.  Then we ask for what we need each day, including forgiveness and asking for mercy as we promise to be merciful. 
 
The focus remains the same.  We are called to be a people of prayer.  Whether structured like the Liturgy of the Hours or short and simple like “God help me, a sinner,” we need to be in constant communication with God.  It is the Lord who provides us continual guidance. It is the Lord who leads us down right paths, and it is the Lord who speaks to us in the silence of our heart.  It is silence that we often forget.  We must spend time listening to what God intends to tell us – as Fr. Pat Egan is fond of saying, “without bullying God into listening to what we want him to say.”
 
As we continue to grow in discipleship today, we remember that we are called to pray constantly.  We ask for the strength to do just that.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Prayer of the Spinner” by Gerrit Dou, c. 1630.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 22:49 p. 380.
[5] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I. Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996 p. 251.

Monday of the First Week of Lent

“Moses with the Tables of the Law”
by Guido Reni, c. 1624

 
Readings for Monday of the First Week of Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18
 
The LORD said to Moses,
“Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.
 
“You shall not steal.
You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.
You shall not swear falsely by my name,
thus profaning the name of your God.
I am the Lord.
 
“You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf,
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God.
I am the Lord.
 
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake.
I am the Lord.
 
“You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the Lord.”
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Commentary on Lv 19:1-2, 11-18
 
This passage describes the rules of conduct from Leviticus, the third book of the Torah or Pentateuch. The book was so named because its contents are almost entirely legislative, probably written by and for the priestly tribe of Levi.
 
This selection is part of what is known as the “Code of Legal Holiness.” Echoed here are statutes that incorporate and expand the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue. These verses establish the rules for relationships with others. They begin with a phrase that is repeated many times in Leviticus: “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.”
 
The “code” continues with the ban against stealing, lying, defrauding, or having unfair business relationships. Perhaps most significant in this passage is v. 18b: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Christ uses this section of the law in tandem with the first commandment in the Decalogue as the “Great Commandment.” While it is defined by Mosaic Law as applying only to interactions with one’s countrymen, Jesus defines it to include even our enemies.
 
CCC: Lv 19:2 2811; Lv 19:13 2434; Lv 19:15 1807; Lv 19:18 2055
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
 
R. (John 6:63b) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
 
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
 
Psalm 19 is a song of praise. It rejoices in the laws and precepts set down by God and asks the Lord to find favor in those who follow them. This part of Psalm 19 is a formulaic profession of faith. It begins with the law of God, then the rules based upon the law, and finally on faith in God. Essentially this litany says if you follow God’s law in all its fullness, salvation is yours.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
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Commentary on Mt 25:31-46
 
"This passage has a unique position within the eschatological discourse because, in addition to being a prophetic narrative like the rest of the discourse, its style suddenly becomes that of a full-fledged apocalyptic poem." [4]
 
In this reading, Jesus is telling his disciples and us what will be judged at the end times, the Eschaton. The Lord’s vision echoe’s Daniel’s “night visions” (Daniel 7:13-14 “One like a son of man…He received dominion, splendor, and kingship.”) but the tone is more immediate.  The reading gives us a vision of what will be asked and how judgment will be passed. This image is used as a teaching tool, to focus those who wish to follow Jesus on loving those who are in need of help: the hungry, the stranger, the naked, the ill, the imprisoned.
 
This reading provides yet one more example of how Christ intends the Great Commandment to be lived. Loving God and loving neighbor would be judged by: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” We note that while the general theme is broadly applied to all people, there is special emphasis placed upon the poor and marginalized. The concluding answer expands upon the Hebrew definition in Leviticus (Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18) as St. Matthew defines "neighbor" in a more inclusive sense.
 
CCC: Mt 25:31-46 544, 1033, 1373, 2447, 2831; Mt 25:31-36 2443; Mt 25:31 331, 671, 679, 1038; Mt 25:32 1038; Mt 25:36 1503; Mt 25:40 678, 1397, 1825, 1932, 2449; Mt 25:41 1034; Mt 25:45 598, 1825, 2463; Mt 25:46 1038
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Reflection:
 
One of the things we notice as we grow in faith is that the definitions of Christian or Catholic virtue we apply to ourselves change.  We see this most clearly when Scripture, like the selections given today, is proclaimed.  We have heard these passages before, both directly and in paraphrase.  For the faithful Mass-goer, they have been heard at least once a year, yet they continue to challenge us.  The reason for this is, even if we believe we have been very good, if we have carefully observed the commandments over the past year, we still hear the words once more and can see how far we still need to go to get to the high standard the Lord sets for us.
 
Let’s look at just one statement from the readings.  In Leviticus, the Law of Moses states, "You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him.”  On the surface this is very straightforward and although the language is not inclusive, it clearly applies to men and women alike.  We are forbidden to hate.  That means, if we feel an intense dislike for another person, we must somehow overcome it (this is especially true in family relationships where it is so easy to hate, because we have loved the family member who has harmed us).  Depending upon the relationship the other person has to us, removing hatred can be truly challenging.  Generally, the closer (more deeply loving) the relationship has been, the greater the risk that if some dispute arises between the parties, the deeper the hatred that can result.
 
The Lenten season is the perfect time to review our relationships. We should make sure we have done all we can to reconcile with anyone with whom we have had a falling-out or breaking-up. The feelings that arise from these situations can indicate we have fallen into sin. 
 
While the code from Leviticus addresses our personal and family relationships, Jesus expands this by redefining the relationships we have with the human race at large.  It turns out that we need to resolve to love (the inverse of hatred) the people in our family and immediate community of friends, and also those with whom we would choose not to associate: the marginalized, the criminals, the diseased. These forgotten or despised members of society become our direct concern if we choose to follow Jesus.  The bar for us has been raised. (If we wanted to be even more to the point, although somewhat premature, we could say it has risen.)
 
Each year we can look back and see if we have done well in following Christ’s law of loving others.  Each year we can see that we have grown some, but still have a long way to go.  Today we are reminded once more that the rhetorical question asked by Cain, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” has been answered by God, and the answer is “Yes!”  We pray for the strength to follow these simple laws and to become more like the saints who have gone before us.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “Moses with the Tables of the Law” by Guido Reni, c. 1624.
[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] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume III, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2012 p. 711.

First Sunday of Lent

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 394, 538-540, 2119: the temptation of Jesus
CCC 2846-2949: “Lead us not into temptation”
CCC 1505: Christ frees from evil
CCC 142-143, 309: faith as submission to God, response to God, answer to evil
CCC 59-63: God forms his priestly people through Abraham and the Exodus

“Temptation of Christ”
by Michael Pacher
(St Wolfgang Altarpiece) 1479-81

 
Readings for the First Sunday of Lent [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
 
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“The priest shall receive the basket from you
and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,
‘My father was a wandering Aramean
who went down to Egypt with a small household
and lived there as an alien.
But there he became a nation
great, strong, and numerous.
When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits
of the products of the soil
which you, O LORD, have given me.’
And having set them before the Lord, your God,
you shall bow down in his presence.”
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Commentary on Dt 26:4-10
 
Moses gives the people a ritual formula to pronounce when making their offering to the temple (previously required in Exodus 22:28ff.; Exodus 23:19). While the date is not stated explicitly, it is probably to occur at the spring festival of Azymes. The rite recalls the nomadic nature of the people. (Aramean: either in reference to the origin of the patriarchs from Aram Naharaim (cf. Genesis 24:10; 25:20; 28:5; 31:20, 24), or merely in the sense of "nomad," in the same way as "Arab" was later used; cf. Jeremiah 3:2. [5])  The rite then follows the Hebrew enslavement in Egypt and the release from bondage to be brought into the land of Israel, essentially recalling the Lord’s mercy and salvation. The offering referenced is from the first fruits of their harvest.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.
 
R. (cf. 15b) Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
 
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
 
No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
 
Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
 
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
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Commentary on Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
 
Psalm 91 is especially important in that it contains the quote Satan uses on the Lord in the desert when he tempts him to throw himself down from a high place so the angels of the Lord God might rescue him: “For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” (Luke 4:10-11) The psalm is a song praising God for his saving works.
 
CCC: Ps 91:10-13 336
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Reading II: Romans 10:8-13
 
Brothers and sisters:
What does Scripture say?
The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
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Commentary on Rm 10:8-13
 
The author of the Letter to the Romans (probably from the Pauline community) provides a confession of faith in Jesus and the view of the universal invitation to Christ. Anyone who calls on Christ in sincerity and believes in his divinity has access to his mercy and salvation.
 
Taken in the context, this reading is part of a larger apologetic discourse about Christ being the one who brings salvation, as opposed to the view held by some Jews that salvation came from the Law of Moses. In those circumstances and at that time in history, this reading takes on a different meaning: professing Christ openly could result in persecution and even death.
 
CCC: Rom 10:9 343, 186, 449; Rom 10:12-13 2739; Rom 10:13 2666
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Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
 
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written:
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
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Commentary on Lk 4:1-13
 
The story of Jesus being led into the desert to be tempted by the devil is consistent with the other synoptic Gospels of Matthew 4:1-11 and Mark 1:12-13. Jesus is “filled with the Holy Spirit” as he is emerging from the baptismal waters. Forty days is symbolic of the forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert during the exodus.
 
The story serves to help us understand that the temptations we face were also faced by Jesus who was totally human, like us in all things but sin. The Lord overcame the temptation of food when he was hungry, and power when he was powerless. We note that the devil used Scripture to support these temptations, twisting what was good to evil purpose.
 
CCC: Lk 4:1 695; Lk 4:5-6 2855; Lk 4:8 2096; Lk 4:9 2119; Lk 4:13 538
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Reflection:
 
On a day when we celebrate the goodness of God in giving us his Only Son, it is appropriate that we understand that all God created that was good, can also be used by the evil one to lead us down the wrong path.  Today we hear the story of Jesus who is led into the desert following his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.  He wanders for forty days, and when he is weak from lack of food, the evil one comes to him and offers him what his human self must want the most.  Further, the devil uses the Lord’s own identity to tempt him.  Had Jesus wished, he could have grasped at the devil’s rationalization (using Scripture, no less) and satisfied his hunger.
 
More tempting to the Lord must have been the second temptation.  Jesus had a mission to lead all the people of the world to God.  The devil offered him all of that in one instant.  All Jesus had to do was give homage to Satan.  We can almost imagine him, weak from hunger, challenged by one who seemed so fair but felt so foul.  He offered Jesus everything his heart desired.  But the Lord was stronger.  He drove the devil away with his words, “for a time.”
 
With all the cunning and power of Satan, is it any wonder that we are sometimes tricked into actions that we know are not in keeping with God’s commandment to us?  This time of Lent is our chance to look back at our lives and see there the fingerprints: the fingerprints of God who supports us in time of distress, and the fingerprints of Satan who takes advantage of our weakness and even provides rationalizations using Scripture.
 
The Lord came to help us distinguish between God’s will and Satan’s traps.  He gave us commandments that help us identify whose voice we are hearing.  His Great Commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you,” which he tells us is superseded only by loving God the Father, becomes our litmus test.
 
Let’s look at an example.  If we are wronged, unjustly treated by another person, we hear in our heads: “Even the Bible says ‘eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot’ (Exodus 21:23). I should get even with that other person by doing to them what they did to me.”  We hear in that voice justice.  We might even rationalize our actions saying: “How will that person understand what they did was wrong if they go unpunished?”
 
When we step back and look at the same situation through the eyes of Christ, we instantly hear the words of the evil one whispering: “I shall give to you all this power and glory,” as he did to Jesus in the desert. 
 
We are asked to respond as the Lord would have responded, as he did respond time and again when insulted, humiliated, and maligned.  The Lord gave love for hate, compassion for pain, and forgiveness even in death.  That is the model we have chosen to follow.
 
Today let us ask God to show us those times when we were buoyed up by his presence and ask him to forgive us for those times we were weak.  Let us pray that he might strengthen us so that we might, in the future, be more aware of the difference.
 
Pax
 
In other years on March 9^th: Optional Memorial for Saint Frances of Rome, Religious

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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 “Temptation of Christ” by Michael Pacher (St Wolfgang Altarpiece) 1479-81
[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] NAB footnote on Deuteronomy 26:5.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

(Optional Memorial for Saint John of God, Religious)

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. John of God
 
Biographical Information about St. John of God

“The Tax Collectors”
by Marinus Roejmerswaelen, 1550

 
Readings for Saturday after Ash Wednesday [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Isaiah 58:9b-14
 
Thus says the LORD:
If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation and malicious speech;
If you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday;
Then the LORD will guide you always
and give you plenty even on the parched land.
He will renew your strength,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,
and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;
“Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you,
“Restorer of ruined homesteads.”
 
If you hold back your foot on the sabbath
from following your own pursuits on my holy day;
If you call the sabbath a delight,
and the LORD’s holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways,
seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice-
Then you shall delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
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Commentary on Is 58:9b-14
 
This selection from Isaiah in the post-exilic period is part of the second in a series of poems. The prophet continues exhorting the people to understand that God desires a spirit of compassion and generosity. He tells the people that if they follow this course they will be greatly rewarded and will receive rich blessings from God.
 
In verses 10-14 Isaiah explains what it means to keep the Sabbath day holy. Again, following this command brings the faithful rich rewards from God. Paraphrasing the passage, Sabbath observance means finding joy in worshiping the Lord on the one day set aside from all other days as a day of worship in communion with the Holy One of Israel and putting God above all other things in one's life.
 
"The scene addresses a troubled time. The people are pious, and the temple is in use, but violence, dissension, oppression, and trouble testify to a lack of peace and blessing. The people do not understand why their pious acts of worship, which God recognizes, are not rewarded.
 
"The answer is that they worship in ways that seem good only to themselves. They do the things they like to do, including fasting, ostentation, and self-humiliation (cf. Jesus’ words in Matt 6:5; 23:6; Luke 11:42–43; 20:46), in order to forget their troubles and ignore their problems though violence is all around them." [4]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
 
R. (11ab) Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
 
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
 
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
 
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. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
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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: Luke 5:27-32
 
Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
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Commentary on Lk 5:27-32
 
The story of the call of St. Matthew in Luke’s Gospel immediately follows Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees that culminated with the cure of the paralytic lowered through the roof. “A man named Matthew: Mark names this tax collector Levi (Mark 2:14). No such name appears in the four lists of the twelve who were the closest companions of Jesus (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13 [eleven, because of the defection of Judas Iscariot]), whereas all four list a Matthew, designated in Matthew 10:3 as 'the tax collector.'"
 
The evangelist may have changed the "Levi" of his source to Matthew so that this man, whose call is given special notice, like that of the first four disciples (Matthew 4:18-22), might be included among the Twelve. Another reason for the change may be that the disciple Matthew was the source of traditions peculiar to the church for which the evangelist was writing. [5] It is much more focused on the reaction of the Pharisees than the same story in Matthew (Matthew 9:9). The message, however, is clear. Jesus came so that we (who are all sinners) might understand that God’s love is for sinners as well.
 
CCC: Lk 5:30 588; Lk 5:32 588
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Reflection:
 
As we struggle to understand what our faith calls us to do and to be in the world, one of the most difficult areas to put into practice is our attitude of compassion.  You might think to challenge that statement saying, “I am always compassionate.”  But, in Jesus, the depth of compassion goes much further than what most of us can accomplish consistently.
 
God tried to convey the need for those who follow him to show compassion and consolation to those less fortunate from the beginning of his revelatory work with humankind.  The book of the prophet Isaiah demonstrates this. In the first reading the prophet exhorts the Hebrews to “remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; … bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted.”  He calls on the people to show compassion to the poor and the downtrodden.  If they do this consistently, they become a light in the darkness, a people God will abundantly reward as only he can.
 
Jesus takes that notion to a higher level with his example in the Gospel of St. Luke.  Following his call of a controversial disciple, St. Matthew (the tax collector), he chooses to dine, not in the pious halls of the Pharisees, but with “sinners.”  When those zealous Pharisees complain that he has sullied himself by doing so, he tries once more to explain the meaning of compassion, of loving one’s neighbor.  We can see how much this must disturb them. Later they will engage in the plot to have the one who is compassion incarnate put to death.
 
The lessons taught by Isaiah and Jesus are very clear for us.  We are to extend the loving hand of compassion and generosity to those who are less fortunate.  The Lenten discipline of almsgiving is clearly expressed today.  We may not be able to take in the homeless or the afflicted, but we must not ignore them, avert our eyes so we do not see them, or rationalize that we cannot help.  We are reminded that when we perform acts of mercy and charity in God’s name, the Lord is glorified and “He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden.”
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Tax Collectors” by Marinus Roejmerswaelen, 1550.
[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] John D. W. Watts, Isaiah 34–66, Revised Edition, vol. 25, Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2005), 845.
[5] NAB footnote on Matthew 9:9.