Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees”
by James Tissot, 1886-94

Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time  [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
 
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
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Commentary on 1 Thes 2:1-8
 
The apostle reminds the Thessalonians that, in his own experience, proclaiming the Word of God has caused turmoil and even persecution as he refers to his visit to Philippi (see Acts 16:19-40). St. Paul emphasizes both the content of the Gospel message and the need to present it gently, with full sincerity. He concludes this selection reminding them of the deep affection with which he holds them.
 
“All the evidence at our disposal indicates that Paul and his friends spoke the simple truth. If they had indeed aimed at wealth, power, and high repute, they would have to be dismissed as men who signally failed to achieve their aim. By secular standards they were marked to the end of their days by poverty, weakness, disrepute, and all sorts of tribulation; but they assessed their lot by other than secular standards— “as having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Cor 6:10).” [4]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3, 4-6
 
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
 
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord
 
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 139:1-3, 4-6
 
Psalm 139 is a hymn of meditation upon God’s presence in our lives. The selection carries the awe felt by the singer, that the Most High God, one so great, could love one so insignificant. “The theology of the psalm is applied theology, the meaning of God for the believer in a particular situation of stress. As in Ps 138, we find here spirituality, in the sense of theology intersecting with the realities of human life.” [5]
 
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Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26
 
Jesus said:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
 
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.”
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Commentary on Mt 23:23-26
 
This reading from Matthew continues the dialogue of the “seven woes.” In this selection we hear how the Pharisees have extended the law of tithing down to the smallest of crops, herbs. The implication is they are lost in the minutiae of the Law, and have forgotten larger faith issues. The same reference is made when he says: “Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!”
 
The final part of this section is concerned with “a metaphor illustrating a concern for appearances while inner purity is ignored.”[26]  (See also Mark 7:4.) There is a strong reference here to the lack of self-control shown by these leaders.
 
“The Pharisaical inversion of the divine scale of values, and the blindness of heart that fuels such an inversion, is captured by Jesus in a hilarious image: ‘Blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!’ The aromatic herbs, on the one hand and the soul’s virtues, on the other, represented the two qualitative extremes of the created world, material and spiritual.”  [6]
 
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Reflection:
 
“But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!”
 
Like so many little gems in Scripture this one lesson falls into our laps today. It is a reminder that we must not become so focused on one element of our faith that we lose sight of the need for a holistic or 10,000 foot view.
 
In 1984, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin published a document on “A Consistent Ethic of Life.” He referred to this ethic as a “seamless garment” in reference to Jesus' “seamless garment” for which the guards cast lots at his crucifixion. Putting it simplistically, the cardinal stated that for us to authentically follow the teaching of the Church on the dignity of life, we must support the dignity of human life at all stages of life and under all circumstances.
 
A short time later at a fairly conservative parish I delivered a homily on the Church’s position on being pro-life in which I summarized the cardinal’s teaching. In that homily I said that if one is pro-life and opposed to abortion, one must also be pro-life and reject capital punishment.
 
To my great surprise I was almost physically accosted by members of the Respect Life Committee following one of the Masses. They rhetorically asked me if I was trying to destroy their ministry by forcing people to link their objection to abortion with objection to capital punishment. When I tried to explain, they would have none of it. They had their ideas about the greatest evil in the world and nothing anyone said was going to change their minds.
 
I use this anecdote to illustrate the point made today in the Gospel. These people were so focused on one narrow aspect of an issue they had overlooked the bigger issue and fundamental tenet of our faith – love one another. They were not willing to expand their respect for life to include those who had committed grave sins against society and had resorted to straining gnats while swallowing camels.
 
The Lord calls us to view our faith lives holistically. We apply the fundamental principles to our lives in all circumstances, not just those that are convenient. While we all have special interests within the faith, we must never focus on them to the exclusion of all others. We should never focus on the minutia and ignore the huge issues confronting us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is The picture is “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees” by James Tissot, 1886-94.
[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] F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, vol. 45, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1982), 33.
[5] Leslie C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 (Revised), vol. 21, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), 331.
[6] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume III, (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2012), 636

Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Louis of France
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Louis of France
 
Biographical Information about St. Louis of France 
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Joseph Calasanz
 
Biographical Information about St. Joseph Calasanz 

“The Blind Leading the Blind”
by Pieter van der Heyden, 1561

 
Readings for Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8b-10
 
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
 
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.
For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.
In every place your faith in God has gone forth,
so that we have no need to say anything.
For they themselves openly declare about us
what sort of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God and to await his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead, Jesus,
who delivers us from the coming wrath.
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Commentary on 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10
 
This is the introduction to St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. It is also the first mention by St. Paul of the three theological virtues: faith, love, and hope. “Paul recalls the time he first spent with his readers. What stands out in his mind are the theological virtues that changed their lives: in faith they abandoned their idols and embraced the living God (1:9); in hope they endured suffering and expressed longing for the final salvation that Jesus will bring when he returns (1:10; 5:9); and in love they served one another in generous and sacrificial ways (4:9-10). These will protect them like armor in the challenging days ahead (5:8).” [4]
 
In this selection from St. Paul’s first letter to the church he founded in Thessalonica, St. Paul also speaks in general terms of themes he will develop later, the Christian adoption by God and his own authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
 
CCC: 1 Thes 1:10 442
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
 
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Sing to the Lord a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia!
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
 
Psalm 149 is a communal song of praise, rejoicing in God’s kingship and inviting the faithful to celebrate his saving works. We rejoice because God brings victory to the lowly and hope to the oppressed. The psalmist calls to the faithful to give praise in the assembly of the people – to give witness to their faith publicly – communally, as God’s chosen ones.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22
 
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
 
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
 
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it.”
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Commentary on Mt 23:13-22
 
This selection from St. Matthew’s Gospel lays down the first three of the “seven woes” in which Jesus condemns Pharisaic practices. The first condemnation directly attacks their authority as shepherds tasked with leading the people to God. He accuses them of “locking the kingdom of heaven” (recall earlier Jesus gave St. Peter the keys to that lock Matthew 16:19). The inference is that they lack the authority, principally because their own actions do not merit them entry into God’s kingdom.
 
The second “woe” is probably a reflection about the vehemence with which new converts to Judaism persecuted the early Christian church. The inference is that, in the conversion process, the Pharisees' teaching closed the minds of those converts to the truth, and thereby took them off the path to salvation. The Lord goes on to ridicule these “false guides” because what they do does not match what they teach.
 
The third “woe” attacks the whole concept of the language used in making a binding oath. The essence of the Lord’s attack is that, if one makes a promise, the underlying honesty of the person should be the bond, not some legal construct based upon the exact language used. If one swears an oath based upon an object that points to God, they have sworn on God himself. Though Jesus forbids his disciples from making oaths of any sort, he tells the Jewish leaders that, because they only value oaths associated with the value it brings to the temple, their reward will be in Gehenna.
 
CCC: Mt 23:16-22 2111; Mt 23:21 586
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Reflection:
 
St. Paul is generally known as the pragmatist when it comes to instructions on how to live one’s faith in God and Christ. Yet today, we see him wax theologically on Christian virtues of faith, hope and love, while the Lord himself, in his criticism of the Pharisees, provides us with valuable images of what it means to follow him authentically.
 
The first three of the seven woes found in St. Matthew’s Gospel speak to conduct that makes us worthy of the name Christian. (Note: if you read the biblical text and not just the readings from the lectionary you may have noticed that v. 14 is not there. It is missing because in the very first manuscripts of Matthew that verse was absent.  It was inserted later and was taken almost verbatim from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 12:40). The syntax and content were clearly of a different style than the rest of St. Matthew’s work, so it has been left out of modern texts.) In the first of these “woes,” Jesus takes issue with the conduct of the Pharisees as they exercise the authority of their office. To paraphrase this woe, we might say: “Because you tell everyone who does not do exactly as you say that they are going to hell, you have closed the gates of heaven for yourselves.” In other words, if we assume we have somehow been given the authority to judge others in God’s name, we have judged ourselves and woe to us.
 
In the second woe, we are warned, again through the Lord’s condemnation of the Pharisees, that leading others into that elitist attitude described in the first woe leads the converted to condemnation. That’s kind of convoluted, but let’s say it this way: if we bring a person to share our faith (this is especially important for parents to understand), and tell that converted person that anyone who disagrees with them (and us) about the faith is going to hell, we have placed them on a path that leads to the very place to which we have condemned those who may disagree with us. Logically this means we cling to truth but do not presume to condemn or judge. Judgment is reserved to Jesus alone.
 
The third woe is aimed at being honest with ourselves and with God. When we make a promise, we should not behave like children who might quibble over the exact language used when assigning a task. A child might say: “You told me to pick up my room and I did. You didn’t say I had to clean under my bed.” I would hate to be a lawyer and have to live up to this woe. The point is, when we make a promise, most especially a sacred promise, we must mean what we say and act on that promise in good faith. Woe to us if we do not.
 
Today we have been given three very practical instructions that will lead us closer to the peace of Christ. They may not always be appreciated by the world, but for us the world is not where we place our hope. It is in Christ’s salvation we hope.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “The Blind Leading the Blind” by Pieter van der Heyden, 1561.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2010), 373.

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 543-546: all called to enter the Kingdom
CCC 774-776: the Church as universal sacrament of salvation
CCC 2825-2827: do the Father’s will to enter the Kingdom
CCC 853, 1036, 1344, 1889, 2656: the narrow way

“’Eye of the Needle Gate’
at Alexander Nevsky Compound, Jerusalem”
Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN.

 
Readings for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 66:18-21
 
Thus says the Lord:
I know their works and their thoughts,
and I come to gather nations of every language;
they shall come and see my glory.
I will set a sign among them;
from them I will send fugitives to the nations:
to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan,
to the distant coastlands
that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory;
and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations.
They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations
as an offering to the Lord,
on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries,
to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the Lord,
just as the Israelites bring their offering
to the house of the Lord in clean vessels.
Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the Lord.
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Commentary on Is 66:18-21
 
This selection from Isaiah is a section of the conclusion of the book (the final five verses are a parallel hymn). It acts as a second bookend to the work with its complementary passage being Isaiah 2:2-4. Scholars are somewhat divided on the intent. Some see it as the historical call to the Jewish people, scattered to the ends of the earth in the Diaspora, the great Babylonian exile; while others view it as a clear prediction of the Messiah, coming to call all peoples of all nations, literally from the ends of the earth. “Tarshish [Southern Spain (Ezekiel 27:12)], Put and Lud [In Africa (Genesis 10:6,13)], Mosoch, Tubal [near the Black Sea] and Javan [in the Ionian Islands (Ezekiel 27:13,19) generally indicating Greece]." Scholars are also divided about whether “Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the Lord” foresees Gentiles functioning as priests.[5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1, 2
 
R. (Mk 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Praise the Lord all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 117:1, 2
 
“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.”[6] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:15), the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
 
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Reading II: Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
 
Brothers and sisters,
You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:
“My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges.”
Endure your trials as “discipline”;
God treats you as sons.
For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time,
all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.
 
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.
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Commentary on Heb 12:5-7, 11-13
 
St. Paul encourages the Hebrew Christians to look at the persecution they endure, not as a fall from favor, but rather as a means by which the Lord strengthens them as his adopted children.  “This teaching is supported by Proverbs 3:11-12, taken from a long discourse in which a father exhorts his son to acquire true wisdom. In the present passage the father is identified with God and we with the sons whom he is addressing.” [7] "The proverb teaches that divine discipline is inspired by divine love. Without this wisdom, one might mistake the trials of life (such as persecution; Hebrews 10:32-36) for signs of God’s anger hammering down on every fault and failure.  On the contrary, God is a wise and caring Father who desires only to make his children better. It is because he loves them too much to overlook their sins and selfishness that he sends difficulties to train them in righteousness and to raise them to spiritual adulthood.  In point of fact, the sons of God are being forged in the image of God the Son who ‘learned obedience through what he suffered.’ (5:8) (CCC 2825)" [8]  He calls them to remain faithful in the face of these trials so that God’s work may continue in them.
 
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Gospel: Luke 13:22-30
 
Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”
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Commentary on Lk 13:22-30
 
Jesus has just told the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast.  Here, the questioner asks if many will be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus’ answer has two levels of meaning. Entering through the “narrow gate” implies that there is but one set of directions that must be followed to achieve heaven. He says many will attempt to follow these directions but will not be able to because they are difficult.
 
The Lord’s example of the master locking the door is an analogy for the end times, the eschaton, when final judgment will be leveled against those who seek entry to the heavenly kingdom. We hear that people from all over the world will be called (see also Matthew 22:14). He concludes saying that some of the last (called to discipleship) will be first (have higher places of honor) and vice versa (similar in intent to Matthew 20:16).
 
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Reflection:
 
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate.”
 
We have all heard that the Lord’s yoke is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30). One might see this statement as paradoxical when we consider how we are to enter through the “narrow gate,” or as the image presented in Matthew 19:24, a camel going through the eye of a needle.  If we wish to finally reach the heavenly kingdom, Scripture tells us we must unburden ourselves, physically relinquishing those material things of earth, and spiritually giving up our human desires and aspirations in favor of a way that denies self-serving pleasures at the expense of others.
 
Perhaps a good analogy would be of a person trapped by fire in a tall building.  They rush to the window and see below them a rescue net supported by firemen.  The rescuers are calling out: “Jump, jump, we will catch you.”  Fear of that fall is overcome only by the fire that is approaching.  The person must leave the historical safety of their rooms, surrounded by their possessions, and take a leap of faith.  In the same way we must recognize (ironically with fire at our backs as well) that we must take that same leap of faith, saving what is important, our lives, and leaving behind what will return to its elements when consumed by fire.
 
The spiritual and behavioral “narrow gate” is also referred to in common usage as “the straight and narrow.” The image and moral tell us that we are to follow Christ’s teachings in our lives, unburdening ourselves of such things as greed, envy, vanity, and gluttony.  For most of us, this spiritual unburdening is much more difficult than the physical.  We seem to be constantly picking up this baggage, even as we try to put it down.  For this reason, our efforts, as we approach the “narrow gate,” must be ongoing lest we get to the gate and find that we have somehow become overburdened and cannot pass.
 
We are all on a spiritual journey, growing in our knowledge and understanding of the mind of Christ. As we travel, we are better able to see the traps that offer us burdens to carry. Growing in our understanding of the mind of Christ is key.  He showed us that even life itself was less important than his love and obedience to the Father.
 
There are some rare moments in a disciple’s life when they get the feeling that finally they have glimpsed that Christ-like ideal.  It is in those moments that their mind’s voice calls out, “Lord, I’m ready, take me now!”  Surely the saints were able to stay in that moment and act upon it.  We fellow travelers must strive constantly, through prayer and awareness, to approach that ideal, always recalling that all we do that is good is only through the grace of God.
 
Our prayer today is that we may find our way at last to that gate and pass through without undue pain in unburdening ourselves and that we can take that leap of faith with confidence, knowing our Savior stands ready to catch us if we fall.
 
Pax
 
In other Years on August 25^th: Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

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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 “’Eye of the Needle Gate’ at Alexander Nevsky Compound, Jerusalem” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 22:70, p. 386.
[6] NAB footnote on Ps 117.
[7] NAB Footnote for Hebrews 12:18.
[8] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA., © 2010), 434.

Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Rose of Lima
 
Biographical Information about St. Rose of Lima
 
Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Suggested #22 Holy Mary Handmaid of the Lord)

“Ruth and Naomi”
by Jan Victors, 1653

 
Readings for Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
 
Naomi had a prominent kinsman named Boaz,
of the clan of her husband Elimelech.
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi,
“Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field
of anyone who will allow me that favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter,” and she went.
The field she entered to glean after the harvesters
happened to be the section belonging to Boaz
of the clan of Elimelech.
 
Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter!
Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field;
you are not to leave here.
Stay here with my women servants.
Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them;
I have commanded the young men to do you no harm.
When you are thirsty, you may go and drink from the vessels
the young men have filled.”
Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, Ruth said to him,
“Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your notice?”
Boaz answered her:
“I have had a complete account of what you have done
for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death;
you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth,
and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.”
 
Boaz took Ruth.
When they came together as man and wife,
the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son.
Then the women said to Naomi,
“Blessed is the LORD who has not failed
to provide you today with an heir!
May he become famous in Israel!
He will be your comfort and the support of your old age,
for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you.
She is worth more to you than seven sons!”
Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nurse.
And the neighbor women gave him his name,
at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi.
They called him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
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Commentary on Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
 
The story of Ruth is continued as she and her mother-in-law return to the Hebrew lands around Bethlehem. As is customary, widows without support of any other male relatives glean in the fields – follow the harvesters and pick up any leftover grain not collected by them. Boaz, seeing in Ruth humility and grace, takes her as his wife. This story celebrates the piety and fidelity of Ruth, a Moabite (non-Hebrew) who becomes attached to Israel through marriage. Out of that union we find the beginnings of King David’s line and hence the line that produced Jesus in Bethlehem.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
 
R. (4) See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
 
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
 
You wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
 
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
 
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
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Commentary on Ps 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
 
Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins here with the typical blessings given to those following and having faith in the Lord. This selection uses the analogy of the family and the blessing it brings to the faithful, using the symbolism of vines and olives, imagery commonly used in Sacred Scripture.
 
It also supports the creation of woman and the marriage theme in Genesis 2:18-25. It is the logical extension of the two becoming one flesh and the children flowing from that union.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
 
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Commentary on Mt 23:1-12
 
This passage is the introduction to the invective against the scribes and Pharisees. It sets the stage for the “seven woes” which follow in the chapter. St. Matthew uses Jesus' teaching about the leaders of the Jewish faith as counter-examples of what the leaders of the Christian faith must be like. The scribes and Pharisees led from the authority given by the temple. According to the Gospel, they did not practice what they taught and performed their worship for others to see rather than out of true faith and worship of God.
 
St. Matthew continues the theme of authentic worship (that is, worship that changes the actions of the faithful). The author gives us Jesus' discourse that upholds the Law of Moses and, at the same time, chastises those who misuse it. He describes in detail how the scribes burden the people with ritual, but do not practice that same law. The complaint is twofold: first is the rigor with which the law is interpreted (“They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders”), and second is the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees: “All their works are performed to be seen” (see also Matthew 6:1-8).
 
The selection promotes an interpretation of Christian leadership which is one of humility and compassion rather than one of prideful superiority. “These verses, warning against the use of various titles, are addressed to the disciples alone. While only the title 'Rabbi' has been said to be used in addressing the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:7), the implication is that Father and 'Master' also were. The prohibition of these titles to the disciples suggests that their use was present in Matthew's church. The Matthean Jesus forbids not only the titles but the spirit of superiority and pride that is shown by their acceptance. Whoever exalts . . . will be exalted: cf. Luke 14:11.” [5]
 
CCC: Mt 23:9 2367; Mt 23:12 526
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Reflection:
 
Why should children be forced to learn arithmetic in school?  Why should they be forced to learn adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing skills?  Anyone today can afford electronic calculators (and now voice activated devices like Amazon’s Echo) that do these functions (and many more) faster and more accurately than even the greatest mathematicians. So, why should they suffer the constant repetition necessary for learning their times tables?  There is so much more to learn for children today than there was even fifty years ago.  Shouldn’t the teachers just skip that part of the curriculum, take a day or so to teach them to use the calculator, and move on to something more important like learning to use the internet for research (inserted dry irony).
 
It is an interesting question but fundamentally the answer is children need to use their own “organic computer” before they are given access to one that does things for them.  There was a line in the novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton that states that the scientists that did the genetic engineering that, in the book, resulted in the re-creation of dinosaurs “stood on the shoulders of giants.”  That is, they took science that existed, without having developed the discipline to appreciate what had gone into creating it and extended it without thinking about possible consequences.
 
In the Gospel, Jesus pronounces a “woe” to the Pharisees because they likewise “stood on the shoulders of giants.”  They took the Law of Moses and the prophecies of Elijah and created complex rules for following their words but without the faith or understanding of God’s intent.  They focused so much on their ritual that they forgot the basics.  Like a child (or in some cases the local cashier) who only knows how to use a calculator, the underlying spiritual process is lost on them.
 
In his criticism of the Pharisees Jesus calls us to be sure we understand why we do what we do for God.  We don’t just say grace before meals to see how quickly we can get through it.  We don’t go to Mass just because it’s a requirement.  We pray so that we might hear God as well as having our petitions heard.  We go to Mass so that God can touch us with his sacramental grace, not just to impress others, or to satisfy a guilty conscience.
 
Christ asks us today to practice what we preach; to be the people commanded by love that he calls us to be, not simply going through the motions.  Our prayer today is that we might, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, become what God calls us to be, a light to the world.
 
Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by ‘BVM.’ The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] The picture is “Ruth and Naomi” by Jan Victors, 1653.
[3] S.S Commemoratio
[4] 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.
[5] NAB footnote on Matthew 23:8-12.