Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori
 
Biographical information about St. Alphonsus Liguori

“St. Alphonsus Liguori,”
artist and date unknown

 
Readings for Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
 
The LORD said to Moses,
"These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate
at their proper time with a sacred assembly.
The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,
at the evening twilight.
The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD's feast of Unleavened Bread.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.
On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.
Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work."
 
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:
When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest,
you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD
that it may be acceptable for you.
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.
 
"Beginning with the day after the sabbath,
the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,
you shall count seven full weeks,
and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,
you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.
 
"The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,
when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
 
"The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD's feast of Booths,
which shall continue for seven days.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no sort of work.
For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,
and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.
 
"These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD
on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,
and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,
sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
 
This reading from the Book of Leviticus comes from the section identified as “Code of Legal Holiness.” It is a calendar of celebrations paralleled by another calendar from the priestly tradition, in Numbers 28–29. Non-priestly backgrounds of festal and holy observances are found in Exodus 23:10–17; 34:18–24 and Deuteronomy 16:1–17. [4] The prescriptions of celebrations mentioned recall the various saving works of God either generally through his act of creation and the gift of life, or actively through intervention on behalf of the faithful.
 
"It deals first with the sabbath, which becomes the paradigm for all the other feasts, especially as far as rest is concerned. Such importance was given to what could or could not be done on the sabbath that all sorts of absurd and formalistic exaggerations developed. More than once Jesus criticized the severe interpretations devised by the scribes  ̶  a complicated and intolerable casuistry (cf. Matthew  15:1-9; 23:41; Acts 15:10)." [5]
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
 
R.(2a) Sing with joy to God our help.
 
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
 
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
 
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
 
Psalm 81 is a song of thanksgiving. These strophes celebrate the gift of the Law of Moses and its prescriptions, recalling also the salvation brought about by God.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58
 
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?"
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house."
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 13:54-58
 
This story from Matthew’s Gospel focuses on the people most familiar with Jesus, the boy growing up among them. They are seeking the “Royal Messiah,” one coming with great power and majesty, and are disappointed because of the Lord’s familiar and humble beginnings. Matthew’s story tells us that because of their lack of faith, the Lord did not perform any signs in their midst, ending the passage with the often quoted “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." (See also John 1:11; those who were overly familiar with Jesus could not place their faith in him.)
 
CCC: Mt 13:55 495, 500
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
We have heard the lesson from today’s Gospel many times before in Scripture.  Perhaps the time it was most clearly stated was when Elijah was told to look for God as he stood on the mountain (1 Kings 19: 9-12).  God does not come in the way or form we expect.
 
One of the most surprising things we learn from not only this Gospel story  ̶  the lesson behind it  ̶  is that when we fully expect God to manifest his presence in a certain way we completely miss him as he presents himself genuinely.   In this respect, the Gospel story is a perfect example.  Jesus comes to his home town.  He has just finished the Sermon on the Mount and has fed the multitudes.  If ever there were fingerprints of God left stunningly on the face of the earth, what the Lord did in the multiplication of the loaves was clearly that evidence.  Yet, the people of Nazareth don’t see the Messiah who has come to save the world.  They were expecting a person of great power to raise an army, throw off the yoke of the Roman occupiers, and reestablish a Davidic kingdom.
 
To us it seems amazing that they could not recognize Christ for who he was.  But we do the same thing.  We miss God’s involvement in our lives.  We are so intent on him working some miracle, like helping win the lottery or transforming a bad situation into one we can easily deal with, that we miss his subtle hand gently pushing here and prodding there.  It is not until much later, usually as we meditate upon our lives, that we can clearly see his purpose or involvement.
 
It is like the metal worker who, in order to make some useful tool, must first destroy the impurities by melting it, taking away its natural form in the smelting furnace, so that it can be molded into its final useful form.  It’s like the potter who first must pound the clay to remove any air pockets that might later create unwanted flaws in the vase to be created.  Taken apart from the final act of creation, such actions cannot be understood except as part of the creative process.
 
This is where our faith must carry us.  Unlike the neighbors of Jesus, we must be faith-filled and patient so the Lord might work his signs through us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. Alphonsus Liguori,” artist and date 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] NAB footnote on Leviticus 23:1ff.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 495.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola
 
Biographical information about St. Ignatius of Loyola

“Saint Ignatius of Loyola”
by Francisco Zurbaran (1598-1664)

 
Readings for Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38
 
Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.
 
Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 40:16-21, 34-38
 
The conclusion of the Book of Exodus gives the details of the establishment of the meeting tent referred to earlier in the story of the journey of the children of Israel. The Ark of the Commandments is placed in the tent, and the image of God's presence in the form of a cloud is established.  This image will be used again in Numbers 9:15ff. The people will follow the will of God as symbolized by the cloud over the tent; they are guided on the path God has chosen for them.
 
"The Fathers also saw this cloud as a figure of Christ: 'He is the pillar who, keeping himself upright and strong, cures our infirmity.  By night he sheds light, by day he becomes opaque, so that those who do not see are enabled to see and those who see become blind' (St. Isidore of Seville, Quaestiones in Exodum, 18, 1)" [4]
 
CCC: Ex 40:36-38 697
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
 
R.(2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
 
Psalm 84 gives thanks for the courts of the temple in Jerusalem. It supports the story of the establishment of the “meeting tent” (Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38). The praise given to the temple may also be applied to the less permanent symbol of God’s guiding presence. It also recalls Jeremiah’s oracle that the temple would not be a refuge for the wicked, and that the great gift of his presence in the temple was for the faithful.
 
Those who find a home in God's temple are blessed. They find strength flowing from the Lord, sustaining them. The timelessness of heaven is reflected in the service of God's house, his dwelling place.
 
CCC: Ps 84:3 1770
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Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53
 
Jesus said to the disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
 
"Do you understand all these things?"
They answered, "Yes."
And he replied,
"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old."
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 13:47-53
 
Jesus concludes his discourse about the kingdom of heaven with a final parable about the fisherman’s net. He then makes reference to the disciples’ (and their successors') role as “Christian scribes” or teachers of the kingdom of God. In his description, he refers to the “new and the old” being brought out. This reference is to the new teaching from Jesus and the old from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
 
CCC: Mt 13:50 1034; Mt 13:52 1117
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Reflection:
 
The sacred history recorded in Exodus depicts a people seeking to follow God’s will for them.  Exodus explicitly states that “Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.” 
 
Indeed, Scripture is filled with stories of people seeking to do God’s will, sometimes succeeding, and sometimes failing.  The parable of the Fisherman’s Net is laid in our hands today.  It gathers up all of the examples of earlier generations struggling to follow the will of God and tells us that the challenge of discerning God’s will and helping others to do so is our struggle as well.
 
The Lord reminds us, by his very existence among us how precious we are to him.  We quote St. Peter Chrysologus here, whose feast we recently celebrated, who said of the incarnation of Christ:
 
“Why then man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God? Why render yourself such dishonor when you are honored by him?  Why do you ask how you were created and do not seek to know why you were made?”
– St. Peter Chrysologus from a homily on the incarnation of Christ
 
All of us are precious in the eyes of Christ whose love for us cascades from the altar of his sacrifice.  All of us were given life and purpose by him who loves and supports us with his Holy Spirit.  We are asked to be the net as well as the catch in this parable.
 
Today our prayer is that we are constantly vigilant, and prepared to be what the great lover of souls has called us to be.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Saint Ignatius of Loyola” by Francisco Zurbaran (1598-1664).
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, except for 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: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 409.

Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St, Peter Chrysologus 
 
Biographical information about St. Peter Chrysologus

“Moses with the Ten Commandments”
by Philippe de Champaigne, 1648

 
Readings for Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 34:29-35
 
As Moses came down from Mount Sinai
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant
while he conversed with the LORD.
When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses
and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,
they were afraid to come near him.
Only after Moses called to them did Aaron
and all the rulers of the community come back to him.
Moses then spoke to them.
Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,
and he enjoined on them all that the LORD
had told him on Mount Sinai.
When he finished speaking with them,
he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,
he removed the veil until he came out again.
On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel
all that had been commanded.
Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 34:29-35
 
Moses returns a second time (see Exodus 32:19) bearing the tablets of the law to his charges, the children of Israel whom he has led out of Egypt. The startling change in Moses' appearance (“the skin of Moses’ face was radiant”) will later be remembered as Jesus is transfigured in front of his disciples (Matthew 17:1-9, Luke 9:28b-36, and Mark 9:1-8). The episode concludes with Moses veiling his face. “St. Paul sees in this a symbol of the failure of the Jews to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah: the true spiritual meaning of the writings of Moses and the Prophets is still veiled from the unbelieving Jews. Cf. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.” [4]
 
CCC: Ex 34:29 2058
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 99:5, 6, 7, 9
 
R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
 
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
 
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
 
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
 
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9
 
This psalm of praise and thanksgiving holds up the traditions of Moses and Aaron. The praise and respect given to the Law of Moses extolled here stands between Paul’s assertion that the New Covenant superseded the covenant of Moses and Jesus' assurance that the Law of Moses stands firm. The psalmist recalls the great boon given to the children of Israel as God gave the Law to Moses on the holy mountain.
 
-------------------------------------------
GOSPEL: Matthew 13:44-46
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 13:44-46
 
The parable of the buried treasure and the parable of the pearl have the same point. One who understands the kingdom of heaven and sees its worth joyfully places obtaining that promise before all else. It is the primacy of Christ’s teaching that guides the disciple in all things. While these two parables have generally the same meaning, it is interesting to note they have some subtle differences. The parable of the hidden treasure which is found by accident refers to an abundance of gifts.  The parable of the pearl sought out through diligence refers to the beauty of the kingdom of God.
 
“Anyone who understands the kingdom which Christ proposes realizes that it is worth staking everything to obtain it […]. The kingdom of heaven is difficult to win.  No one can be sure of achieving it, but the humble cry of the repentant man can open wide its doors” (St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 180). [5]
 
CCC: Mt 13:44-45 546
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
We reflect today on the outward signs of inner conversion.  In the first reading today we hear how Moses, after having a close encounter of the holiest kind, came down the mountain and “he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant.”  It was as if he had stepped across the threshold and had entered the kingdom of God.  From that point, the light of his spirit burst out and his physical appearance to those who knew him changed.
 
So remarkable was this change that his friends asked him to veil his face so they would not see it.  Why would they ask such a thing?  It could have been because they were afraid that by looking upon one who had been so thoroughly converted by God they might die, which is what they thought would happen if they ever saw God, face to face. 
 
Their fear could also have been because they recognized their own sinfulness.  Like placing a poor copy of a beautiful painting next to the original, the contrast became so apparent that they could not accept their own flaws.  As a result, they asked Moses to cover himself so he would not shame them.
 
Faith and conversion have that effect.  Internal conversion manifests itself externally.  It is something we must all remember.  A wise person once said, “The person who can remain calm in the face of a heated argument has already won.”  This true statement has a side effect.  The person who cannot remain calm in the face of an emotional argument will become even more incensed and irrational in the face of that calm.  The same is true of the outward peace of conversion in the face of the enemy.  That wondrous peace of Christ can stir up resentment and mistrust in those who do not understand it.  I will quote St. Augustine who famously said: “Resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies.” It is something we must be at least aware of because resentment can blindside us if we are not aware that our inner peace has an exterior affect.
 
Nonetheless, today we pray for that complete conversion that will cause us to glow with the light of our spirit.  May all who encounter us see that light and be comforted by it.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Moses with the Ten Commandments” by Philippe de Champaigne, 1648.
[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] NAB footnote on Exodus 34:33.
[5] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.136.

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Proper readings for the Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
 
Additional Information about St. Martha
 
Additional information about St. Mary of Bethany
 
Additional information about St. Lazarus of Bethany

“Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany”
iconifer and date are unknown

 
Readings for the Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus  [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
(For this memorial, the Gospel is taken from the proper.)

 
Reading 1: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
 
The tent, which was called the meeting tent,
Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp.
Anyone who wished to consult the LORD
would go to this meeting tent outside the camp.
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise
and stand at the entrance of their own tents,
watching Moses until he entered the tent.
As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down
and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.
On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would rise and worship
at the entrance of their own tents.
The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
as one man speaks to another.
Moses would then return to the camp,
but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun,
would not move out of the tent.
 
Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;
yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,
but punishing children and grandchildren
to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O LORD,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people;
yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”
 
So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights,
without eating any food or drinking any water,
and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant,
the ten commandments.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
 
The excerpts from the Book of Exodus paint a picture of Moses' relationship with God. It is clear from this and previous readings about Moses that he had a unique relationship with the Lord, and was able, as he did in this passage, to intercede on behalf of the people. The construction of the meeting tent described in this passage is taken up in later Scripture. The Ten Commandments are restored to the people following their destruction in Exodus 32:19 as Moses fasts. We note the duration of his fast is of the same duration as Christ’s fast in the desert following his baptism by John.
 
CCC: Ex 33:9-10 697; Ex 33:11 2576; Ex 34:9 210; Ex 34:28 2056
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
Psalm 103 echoes in gratitude the gift of Mosaic Law from Exodus, and the relationship of Moses to God the Father. Though we are unworthy, God shows us love and compassion.
 
CCC: Ps 103 304
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GOSPEL
 
First Option
 
John 11:19-27
 
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you." Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 11:19-27
 
Within the story or the death and resurrection of Lazarus, we see the very human emotions of Jesus. They range from confidence in his relationship with the Father at the end of the story, to the all too human grief and fear, as he expresses his concern at what this revelatory event has cost his close friends, Martha and Mary, as they see their brother die. The encounter describes how Martha’s fear and remorse change to faith as she makes her profession of faith (“I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”). This exchange of fear for faith, seen in the witnesses, is the same conversion the Gospel attempts to initiate in the Christian faithful in response to these events.
 
CCC: Jn 11 994; Jn 11:24 993, 1001; Jn 11:25 994; Jn 11:27 439
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OR
 
Second Option
 
Luke 10:38-42
 
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 10:38-42
 
In this encounter with Martha and Mary in St. Luke’s Gospel we see two distinct messages. First, we see the importance of the role of women and Jesus’ attitude toward them. Second we see the importance of listening to the word of God "Mary has chosen the better part."
 
The selection emphasizes the importance of listening to the teachings of the Lord. While in some early texts the Lord tells Martha there is “need for only a few things” or of one, the message is clear, Mary, in assuming the role of disciple (listening at the master’s feet) has chosen the correct or better role. Martha, concerning herself with the requirements of hospitality (old law) has chosen the lesser.
 
“Mystically (St. Gregory the Great, Moralia 2, 6): the two women signify two dimensions of the spiritual life. Martha signifies the active life as she busily labors to honor Christ through her work. Mary exemplifies the contemplative life as she sits attentively to listen and learn from Christ. While both activities are essential to Christian living, the latter is greater than the former. For in heaven the active life terminates, while the contemplative life reaches its perfection.” [4]
 
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Reflection:
 
St. Martha’s role in the life of Christ resonates with those who have chosen to take an active role in service to the Church. Whether that role is in the form of lay or ordained ministry, active participation means we have chosen to assist with the labor involved in ministering to God’s people. When we choose that role, we frequently (especially over time) take ownership of the tasks, and when disruptive forces come along, or when it seems we have taken on more than our share, we assume the Martha persona we see in the Gospels.
 
To place this tendency in the form of analogy, Martha’s sister Mary represents the congregation we serve. They sit at the Lord’s feet, without all the turmoil and distraction of the tasks necessary to serve the guests in which Martha (representing those of us who serve) is involved. There are times when we long for that peaceful place at the Master’s feet. There are times when we would like to go to them and say, “Would you mind helping? There is much work to do here.”
 
It is at these times we must remember that other role that Martha had in the life of Christ. When Mary and the other mourners were sitting with their brother Lazarus who had died, it was Martha who met the Lord (she met the Lord!) and spoke with him. Not only that, but after she chastised him (completely out of place to complain to the Lord, right? We would never do that), it was Martha who was honored to make the great profession of faith. What an exalted role she played in Christ’s life.
 
The life and ministry of St. Martha should be a constant reminder to all of us who work for Christ in our time on earth. There will be times when we too become tired and frustrated; when we pray for a little help in doing what we have set our hearts to do for God. Like St. Martha, we are very human and prone to these outbursts. Let us pray that when our work is done, and we at last are face to face with the Lord, we too many be allowed to proclaim to the heavens and earth “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God the one who is coming into the world.”
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany” iconifer and date are unknown.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio 402 / 607
[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. 129.

Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Moses and the Golden Calf”
Domenico Beccafumi, 1536-37

 
Readings for Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34
 
Moses turned and came down the mountain
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
tablets that were written on both sides, front and back;
tablets that were made by God,
having inscriptions on them that were engraved by God himself.
Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting,
he said to Moses, “That sounds like a battle in the camp.”
But Moses answered, “It does not sound like cries of victory,
nor does it sound like cries of defeat;
the sounds that I hear are cries of revelry.”
As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing.
With that, Moses’ wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets down
and broke them on the base of the mountain.
Taking the calf they had made, he fused it in the fire
and then ground it down to powder,
which he scattered on the water and made the children of Israel drink.
 
Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people ever do to you
that you should lead them into so grave a sin?”
Aaron replied, “Let not my lord be angry.
You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.
They said to me, 'Make us a god to be our leader;
as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,
we do not know what has happened to him.’
So I told them, 'Let anyone who has gold jewelry take it off.’
They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
 
On the next day Moses said to the people,
“You have committed a grave sin.
I will go up to the LORD, then;
perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin.”
So Moses went back to the LORD and said,
“Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin
in making a god of gold for themselves!
If you would only forgive their sin!
If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written.”
The LORD answered, “Him only who has sinned against me
will I strike out of my book.
Now, go and lead the people to the place I have told you.
My angel will go before you.
When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
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Commentary on Ex 32:15-24, 30-34
 
In this passage from Exodus, Moses has gone up Mt. Sinai and has been absent from the people for some time.  In their ignorance, the people are afraid that they have no leadership in the wilderness and ask Aaron to make for them an image of God. (Most scholars agree that the calf was intended to be an image of God rather than a false god.  Graven images of God were forbidden.) Moses smashing the tablets upon which the law had been engraved by the hand of God was a symbol that the covenant between the people and God had been broken through their sinful actions.
 
Moses' actions in destroying the idol and then having it ground to powder, put in water and drunk by the people creates an ordeal by which the innocent would be spared and the guilty would be punished (see also Numbers 5:11-28). Note also the weak argument Aaron provides.  In Exodus 32:4 he fashions the idol from gold, here he states he simply melted down the gold and the calf miraculously appeared.
 
God’s response to Moses' intercession is that those who committed the sin would be punished on the Day of Judgment. Moses offers his own life as an atonement saying: “If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written.” This statement presupposes God has a list of names, a book of life (see also Psalm 69:29) from which a name may be struck and that person shall die.
 
CCC: Ex 32 210; Ex 32:1-34:9 2577
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
 
R. (1a) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
Our fathers made a calf in Horeb
and adored a molten image;
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bullock.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
Then he spoke of exterminating them,
 but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
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Commentary on Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
 
Psalm 106 is a national lament remembering the events from Exodus 32:7-14, where the Jews brought out of Egypt by Moses fell into idol worship, even as he received the law on Mt. Horeb. The psalmist reminds the people that Moses interceded and turned away God’s wrath.
 
CCC: Ps 106:23 2577
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Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35
 
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”
 
He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
 
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
 
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
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Commentary on:  Mt 13:31-35
The Lord continues his descriptions of the kingdom of heaven using two parables. The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast have the same point. What appears to be small grows to miraculous size. What has been insignificant is vastly important; what cannot be seen is unknowingly immense. The parables of the mustard seed and yeast (see also Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-21) emphasize that from the smallest of beginnings with the proclamation of the word, the kingdom of God expands to encompass all peoples.
 
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Reflection:
 
We see the events that took place in the Exodus couched in the language of the Hebrew author who recorded them after they had been passed down orally from generation to generation for two thousand years. We marvel at the truth contained in God’s interaction with humankind.  The children of Israel had been led out of Egypt with great hopes and expectations by Moses (accompanied by Aaron and Miriam).  They had come to Horeb at the base of Mount Sinai footsore and hungry from their journey.  Things were not turning out as they had expected. They had anticipated a quick and easy journey to a land that flowed with milk and honey.  Instead, they find a harsh desert, hardship, and in this passage, Moses disappears up the mountain and is gone for a good deal of time.
 
In easier situations in the modern times, people would act the same way.  Deprived of leadership, a new leader would be selected or self-proposed.  Deprived of God, a new god would be selected as the object of adoration.  We see it time and again, those searching for God and failing to find him. In spite of all attempts to show them the kingdom of God, the face of Jesus, they pick the golden calf instead.  The calf may be represented by material wealth, or perhaps a passionate pursuit of a hedonistic lifestyle, completely self-engrossed.  Failing to find God or dissatisfied by what God stands for, they invent a personal god that ultimately is unsatisfying, hollow, and in the end denies them the love, comfort, and peace they are seeking.
 
We might ask how and why supposedly bright people can be seduced by the golden calf.  It does not take long to understand that those who give free reign to their desires for only their own pleasure can easily see and reject God, who tells us that only when all are comforted can we find comfort, only when no one is thirsty can our thirst be satisfied.  The golden calf represents the selfish and shallow side of human nature.  The standard-bearer is Satan, and its golden invitation is to eternal damnation.
 
It is always good to recall that ancient time when the Hebrew people, our predecessors in faith, fell prey to their basest impulses and turned to a false god.  We are reminded of the frailty of our own wills and cautioned to be on guard lest we begin to build our own version of the golden calf.  Our standard is the Cross.  We have the Lamb of God who calls us to holiness.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Moses and the Golden Calf” Domenico Beccafumi, 1536-37.
[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.