Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Our Lady of Lourdes) 

Proper for the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes 

Additional information about Our Lady of Lourdes

 

“The Syrophoenician Woman”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3] 

Reading 1: Genesis 2:18-25 

The LORD God said:
"It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs
and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman
the rib that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman,'
for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.
The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.

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Commentary on Gn 2:18-25 

This selection continues the Yahwehist creation account with a description of the creation of life. It is important to note that early Near-Eastern peoples felt that the individual who named a person or thing had dominion or control over it. Here we see man naming all the animals in God’s creation, thereby having dominion over them.

The passage concludes with God’s creation of woman as the perfect companion for man. He does so by taking a rib from the man (thus also explaining why there is a “spare rib”). This passage will be familiar to those who attend weddings as it is one of the texts frequently used because of v. 24: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.”

 

CCC: Gn 2:18-25 1605; Gn 2:18 371, 1652; Gn 2:19-20 371, 2417; Gn 2:22 369, 1607; Gn 2:23 371; Gn 2:24 372, 1627, 1644, 2335; Gn 2:25 376

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 

R. (see 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

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. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 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: Mark 7:24-30 

Jesus went to the district of Tyre.
He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,
but he could not escape notice.
Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.
She came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,
and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
He said to her, "Let the children be fed first.
For it is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She replied and said to him,
"Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter."
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed
and the demon gone.

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Commentary on Mk 7:24-30 

In this selection Jesus has withdrawn from Palestine to escape the persecution of the Pharisees and scribes and to spend time training his disciples. The region they come to is predominantly Gentile and sets the scene for his encounter with the Syrophoenician woman.

The exchange recorded in St. Mark’s Gospel is intended to describe the universal nature of the messianic mission. Within the dialogue we see Jesus first refuse to accede to the woman’s request (even though she recognized his authority: “She came and fell at his feet.”). This same pattern of refusal and then acquiescence is found in St. John’s Gospel (John 2:4, John 4:48).

The metaphor being exchanged in this banter refers to the “children” being the Hebrews and the “dogs” a reference to the Gentiles (frequently referred to as such by Hebrews of the day). While this seems out of character for the Lord, our translation leaves out some conversational nuances that soften the dialogue. The word translated as “dogs” in this translation could be more accurately expressed as “pups.” It is also significant that the children and pups are eating at the same table, again expressing the universal nature of the mission of the Messiah.

As in other instances in St. Mark’s Gospel when Jesus cures a Gentile, he does so from a distance. “When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”

 

CCC: Mk 7:29 2616

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Reflection: 

In spite of the way the exchange between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman sounds, the message given is actually one of unity.  We hear Jesus refuse the woman who has come to him.  She caught him at a very bad time.  He had just traveled to Tyre, and he needed a rest, time away from the confrontations with the Pharisees in Palestine.  We are told he “wanted no one to know about it.” And here comes this woman, a Gentile, who throws herself at him.  

Jesus is true man as well as true God.  He became tired just as we do, and curing the sick and casting out demons took considerable effort on his part.  So he declines.  He has not been as successful with the children of Israel as he had hoped.  The gospel he brought had not been well received in his native land, and here comes this Gentile woman making claims on that message of salvation. 

Jesus uses a slang expression but softens it.  In scripture we hear the word used was “dogs,” however, the Aramaic expression would have been more like pups.  The woman persists and successfully uses the metaphor to her own advantage. Jesus relents, and expels the unclean spirit from her daughter. 

The clear message from this encounter is that Jesus brought the gift of salvation to everyone, not just a select few.  And his call to us is to take up his expression of love and forgiveness and pass it on to others. We find that difficult to do at times.  We even find it difficult to express that message to others who are tasked with sharing the same Gospel, our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

This then is what the Gospel calls us to do on this day: to bring the message of God’s love to those we meet.  To express it in words and actions in a way that cannot be misunderstood.  In this way we respond to the Lord as he responds to us – with love and understanding. 

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “The Syrophoenician Woman” artist and date are unknown.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

Proper for the Memorial of St. Scholastica 

Biographical information about St. Scholastica

“Saint Scholastica”
by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, c. 1650’s

Readings for Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3] 

Reading 1: Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17 

At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens
while as yet there was no field shrub on earth
and no grass of the field had sprouted,
for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth
and there was no man to till the soil,
but a stream was welling up out of the earth
and was watering all the surface of the ground
the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and he placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The LORD God then took the man
and settled him in the garden of Eden,
to cultivate and care for it.
The LORD God gave man this order:
"You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden
except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
From that tree you shall not eat;
the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die."

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Commentary on Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17 

This selection provides excerpts of the second creation account (also called the Yahwehist account because in Hebrew texts, God is referred to as "Yahweh God" instead of God). In studying the oldest copies of Genesis, it is clear that multiple authors are responsible for the texts, and this is one way scholars distinguish them. This account does not describe creation using a calendar, but rather begins with a lifeless earth and develops the creation of its detailed elements from that point. "It is historical in context but symbolic in description (CCC 362, 375)."[4] 

In this passage, the image of man in the Garden of Eden is presented. We also hear the one rule man is given: “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.” This instruction, using the words "care for it," or "keep" in other translations, instructs Adam and Eve to protect the garden, anticipating an attack on its sacredness by the serpent. 

CCC: Gn 2:7 362, 369, 703; Gn 2:8 378; Gn 2:15 378; Gn 2:17 376, 396, 396, 400, 1006, 1008

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30 

R. (1a) O bless the Lord, my soul!

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

All creatures look to you
to give them food in due time.
When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

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Commentary on Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30 

Psalm 104 is a hymn of praise to God the creator. These strophes are praising God for the bounty of the earth which supports life. In this song reference is also made of the creation of life from dust and the ultimate return of the body to dust. 

CCC: Ps 104 288;  Ps 104:27 2828; Ps 104:30 292, 703

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Gospel: Mark 7:14-23 

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
"Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile."

When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
"Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?"
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
"But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile."

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Commentary on Mk 7:14-23 

Jesus takes that first command of God to man in the Garden (Genesis 2:15-17) and interprets it. It was not the fruit of "the tree of knowledge of good and evil," but the spirit of evil which caused them to disobey God's word.
The Lord also seems to refute Jewish dietary law that declares some foods to be unclean (see also Matthew 15:11 ff.). The importance of this statement to the Christian community would not be understood until the debate about the need for Gentiles to follow Jewish law was taken up (see Acts 10:14ff; 15:28-29; Galatians 2:11-17). The point he makes is that the food that enters the body cannot destroy it but actions and words that contravene God’s law will. 

CCC:  Mk 7:14-23 574; Mk 7:18-21 582; Mk 7:21 1764

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Reflection: 

We are given some interesting scripture today. It is interesting because it seems to contradict itself. In the reading from Genesis we hear God command man not to eat from “the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Let’s think for a moment, did that tree really grow? Or was God telling man to remain innocent, childlike in faith, in their understanding of God’s will? Where did we hear that before?) So, in Genesis we are hearing, not about a real tree and real food, but rather a metaphor. God did not want man to learn from the Evil One. Unfortunately, the serpent ended up spoiling the Father’s plan anyway. (Thinking about this deeply brings us to contemplate “free will” which was given in our creation as God said, “in our [his] image, after our [his] likeness” (Genesis 1:26).  The first people were given a choice: listen to God or listen to the evil one.) 

Based on the fact that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was intended, not for the physical wellbeing of mankind, but rather the spiritual good, what we hear from Jesus in the Gospel of Mark today is completely consistent with God his Father’s will in Genesis. Jesus is making it plain that, while there were good practical reasons related to physical health for what are known as the dietary laws in the Old Testament, the health of our eternal soul is more important. 

Jesus tells us that even if our body dies, and all bodies die, the soul will not die. He came to defeat death, and where the soul goes when the body dies is determined by what comes out of the body, not what goes into it. He has prioritized our concerns. Our first and most important concern should be our spiritual health, and we can maintain that health by working toward inward purity. The Lord says that: “From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” We can avoid these if we hold fast to the moral values that God has left us. 

We take note that of the things the Lord identifies as destructive to us; only theft and murder are even considered illegal by our criminal justice system. (There is what is considered an “archaic law” in the State of Michigan that makes adultery a criminal offense. No one has been tried for it in a long time, but recent attempts to have it stricken from the criminal code failed.  Interesting.) The rest are considered either acceptable behavior or ignored as personal characteristics. Even theft refers only to certain types of stealing, and murder to only certain types of murder. We are called to a higher law. We will be held to a higher standard. We will be judged by that standard when we stand before the Lord on the Last Day. 

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Saint Scholastica” by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, c. 1650’s.
[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 - Genesis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2010, p. 20.

Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

“Creation of Adam”
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1510

Readings for Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3] 

Reading 1: Genesis 1:20—2:4a 

God said,
"Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky."
And so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
"Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.

Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds."
And so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.
Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

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Commentary on Gn 1:20—2:4a 

This passage completes the Priestly creation account in Genesis. It describes the creation of all life on earth and concludes with the establishment of the Sabbath on the seventh day, establishing the sacredness of that day. God’s creation of mankind in v. 26 represents the climax of his creative effort in that God give us dominion over the rest of creation.

"The sacred text emphasizes the special significance of this moment: God seems to stop to reflect and plan every detail of his next creation--man. Ancient Jewish interpretation (followed also by some Christian writers) saw the use of the plural 'Let us make...' as meaning that God deliberated with his heavenly court, that is, with the angels (implying that God had created them at the very start, when he 'created the heavens and the earth'). But the use of the plural should rather be taken as reflecting the greatness and power of God. A considerable part of Christian tradition has seen the 'Let us make' as reflecting the Holy Trinity, for New Testament revelation has made the Christian reader more aware of the unfathomable greatness of the divine mystery." [4] 

CCC: Gn 1:21 299; Gn 1:26-29 2402; Gn 1:26-28 307; Gn 1:26-27 1602; Gn 1:26 36, 225, 299, 343, 2501, 2809; Gn 1:27 355, 383, 1604, 2331; Gn 1:28-31 2415; Gn 1:28 372, 373, 1604, 1607, 1652, 2331, 2427; Gn 1:31 299, 1604; Gn 2:1-3 345; Gn 2:2 314, 2184

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

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Commentary on Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 

Psalm 8 is a song of thanksgiving for the creation event described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, his creation, and the life he gave us. The singer expresses the humility of a people who, through no merit of their own, God has made little less than angels and given a place of honor. Having done all this, mankind accepts great responsibility for stewardship. 

CCC: Ps 8:6 2566, 2809

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Gospel: Mark 7:1-13 

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."

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Commentary on Mk 7:1-13 

We begin the seventh chapter of Mark’s Gospel with an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples are not following strict Pharisaic laws regarding ritual purification and the Lord, who is their teacher, is taken to task for it. Jesus responds indignantly, asserting that it is the Pharisees with their man-made laws who are sinning against God. He points out that not only have they placed Pharisaic law above Mosaic Law (see also Galatians 1:14), but they have violated the Law of Moses by doing so. He gives one example about children who, under Mosaic Law, are to honor and support their parents. Instead of supporting them directly, they satisfy their obligation by contributing it to the temple and count that as support, even though it gives the parents no comfort. 

CCC: Mk 7:8-13 2196; Mk 7:8 581

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Reflection: 

Today I plagiarize myself.  The following was written ten years ago on Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time.  The person described deserves to be remembered. 

“This week I was called to do a vigil service for Dorothy H. Szyniszewski who died at 86 of cancer. As usual, when I don’t know a person well, I first read the obituary notice and then asked to speak with one of Dorothy’s daughters before the service. The picture that was painted of this woman’s life was a text book image of a lived faith. By all accounts, she lead an exemplary life, full of service, first to her children and then to the community at large. She was known as a go-to person at the retirement home where she spent the last years of her life, and was always independent of her children.” 

The reason I think of her now is that I did not know her. I have been at St. Thomas as parishioner and Deacon for over forty years and I can’t recall having met her, even though her children and one of the priests of our diocese who were present vouched for her lively and lived faith. 

Many people believe that in order to be a good church member one must be known to be pious by the clergy, and seen by other dedicated individuals as a person living a holy life by their observance of the traditions of the Church. Yet there was a person who, at 86, had a vigil on Super Bowl Sunday, during the game, and had over 30 people present. Here is a woman who had hundreds file through the home during her visitation period. Here is a woman who did not want to be a burden to her children, so she took a part time job and worked until two weeks before she died, while suffering the ravages of her cancer, never complaining. 

When we think about the Gospel today, and how Jesus challenged the Pharisees, he was not just talking about his disciples, but about the Dorothy H. Szyniszewski’s of the world, who live the spirit of God’s law in humility. Our prayer today is that we may do as well as Dorothy when our time comes. 

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1510.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 40.

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

 (Optional Memorial for Saint Jerome Emiliani, Priest) 

Proper for the Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani

Biographical information about St. Jerome Emiliani 

or

 

(Optional Memorial for Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin) 

Proper for the Memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita

Biographical information about St. Josephine Bakhita

“Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants”
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1511

Readings for Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3] 

Reading 1: Genesis 1:1-19 

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,
while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

Then God said,
"Let there be light," and there was light.
God saw how good the light was.
God then separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."
Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day.

Then God said,
"Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
to separate one body of water from the other."
And so it happened:
God made the dome,
and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
God called the dome "the sky."
Evening came, and morning followed—the second day.

Then God said,
"Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear."
And so it happened:
the water under the sky was gathered into its basin,
and the dry land appeared.
God called the dry land "the earth,"
and the basin of the water he called "the sea."
God saw how good it was.
Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth vegetation:
every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it."
And so it happened:
the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth that
bears fruit with its seed in it.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the third day.

Then God said:
"Let there be lights in the dome of the sky,
to separate day from night.
Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth."
And so it happened:
God made the two great lights,
the greater one to govern the day,
and the lesser one to govern the night;
and he made the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth,
to govern the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day.

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Commentary on Gn 1:1-19 

This selection is the beginning of Genesis, the first book in the Bible. Here we see the first four days of the first of two creation accounts. This, the Priestly account, shows how God creates order out of chaos. There are several important concepts referenced in this selection that are used or referenced by later authors. Reference to the “abyss” in v. 2 was, according to Semitic cosmology, the gathering of all water. In the creative act, God separated the waters into seas (salt water) and springs  ̶  fresh water from under the earth (see Psalm 33:7; Ezekiel 31:4). Another portion of water is held in the dome of the sky (“the upper water” see Psalm 33:7; Ezekiel 31:4) to fall as rain (Genesis 7:11; 2 Kings 7:2, 19; Psalm 104:13).

 

CCC: Gn 1:1-2:4 337; Gn 1:1 268, 279, 280, 290; Gn 1:2-3 292; Gn 1:2 243, 703, 1218; Gn 1:3 298; Gn 1:4 299; Gn 1:10 299; Gn 1:12 299; Gn 1:14 347; Gn 1:18 299

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c 

R. (31b) May the Lord be glad in his works.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
With the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

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Commentary on Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c 

This section of Psalm 104 is praising God for the creation of all things, which supports Genesis’ creation accounts Genesis 1:1-2:25. It reminds us not to take that first gift for granted, but to constantly thank God for the wonders of his works.

 

CCC: Ps 104 288; Ps 104:24 295

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Gospel: Mark 6:53-56 

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

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Commentary on Mk 6:53-56 

This selection takes up the account of Jesus' healing ministry immediately following the account of the feeding of the multitudes (Mark 6:35-44), and his encounter with the disciples as he walked upon the waters (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus continues his journey, and cures many people who come to him. This is the same location in which Peter, Andrew, James, and John had lived and was, in fact, the location where Jesus had called them. It is for this reason he was so quickly recognized.

The benefactors plead that their sick friends might 'only touch the fringe of his garment'. Is this plea a beautiful confession of humility, or, rather, does it betray a superstitious belief? Perhaps it would be unfair to force the answer one way of the other. Let us say the needy crowd sees in Jesus of Nazareth an embodiment of power and goodness of God and that consequently they simply rush at him, wanting to come into contact with God incarnate, to touch the flesh of God with their own flesh." [4]

 

CCC: Mk 6:56 1504

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Reflection: 

“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) One may wonder why we begin this homiletic reflection with scripture not used in the readings today.  It is placed here at the beginning because faith is so necessary to understand what takes place in the other scriptures presented. 

The first reading from Genesis, the very beginning of the Bible and all that follows, has caused great controversy in the world.  Those who look at the world with purely rational eyes point to the creation account as proof that all we believe is myth – a fable for those unable to see the logic of science.  Others take the words recorded in Genesis and use them to deny scientific findings, going to the complete opposite end of the spectrum.  And what is the truth? 

The truth is that those who claim to know the scientific facts about earth and its origins run into a big problem when they start tracing creation back to its roots.  At some point those rooted in the rational, although many choose not to accept it, run squarely into God and the need for faith.  There is no scientific evidence for creation, only God’s fingerprints. 

At the same time, those who claim that God’s creation took six days, made up of 24 hours each, have attempted to put God in a box.  They have attempted to understand the unknowable using human language and concepts.  Ironically, they even ignore scripture passages that point to this fact (for example Psalm 90: 4, “A thousand years in your eyes are merely a yesterday”). 

We believe that God, who is all powerful and omnipresent, is known to us only when we are ultimately transformed, and join him in his heavenly kingdom.  We cannot fully grasp his purpose or plan. We can only do our best to come to know him through the Word he left us, the incarnate Word which we consume in the Eucharist, and the Word of God left to us in Sacred Scripture.  We are enjoined to use all the faculties of intelligence and faith the Lord gave us to understand his will and intent, delving into the miracle of his creation. 

There is of course a caution here.  Life, especially human life, is God’s alone to give or take.  Mankind is cautioned that delving too deeply, pretending that like God, man can create life, places him in great peril.  We have already seen the result of some of these excesses.  In spite of our best efforts to the contrary we are likely to see more.  We must pray that reason will prevail against arrogance and megalomania in the years to come. 

Today our prayer is this: That we might come to know God more completely, and be given the grace to understand all that is possible about God’s creation and our place within it.  May we be given the wisdom to know that which can be known, and the faith to accept that which cannot. 

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1511.

[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 II, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2003 p.395.

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Catechism Links[1]

CCC 547-550: Healing as a sign of messianic times

CCC 1502-1505: Christ the Healer

CCC 875, 1122: The urgency of preaching

“The Patient Job”
by Gerard Seghers, c. 1620

Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3] 

Readings and Commentary: [4] 

Reading 1: Job 7:1-4, 6-7 

Job spoke, saying:
Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.

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Commentary on Jb 7:1-4, 6-7 

Job is responding in the first of several exchanges between himself and his “friends,” lamenting the terrible situation that has befallen him. His friend Eliphaz has just commented in an optimistic way about Job’s possible future, having been surprised that Job felt that his life should just end instead of hoping for restored health and prosperity. To his friend's comments Job responds with both logic and poetry. This selection is part of his first soliloquy.

In this selection Job first compares life on earth to military service (drudgery being derived from that environment). He complains of the boredom, servitude and pain – without hope of respite; indeed, he concludes, with no hope whatsoever. 

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 

R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.

He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 

This hymn of praise anticipates the coming of the Messiah who restores what is lost and gives hope to the poor.   It is the poor upon whom he lavishes special blessings: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." 

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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23 

Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

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Commentary on 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23 

St. Paul continues to exhort the church at Corinth to follow his example. He begins this selection with a restatement of his own imperative call: to proclaim the Gospel is a “divine compulsion.” His reward for responding to that call is that he “too may have a share in it.” His clear message is that the Gospel he proclaims and the work he accomplishes should bring glory to Christ, not to himself. 

CCC: 1 Cor 9:5-18 2122; 1 Cor 9:19 876; 1 Cor 9:22 24

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Gospel: Mark 1:29-39 

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

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Commentary on Mk 1:29-39

Jesus comes to the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew from Capernaum. He continues to heal the sick and to cast out demons. This episode is somewhat different in that it occurs in a private setting, attended by the three privileged disciples. Scholars speculate that this, like other such accounts (Mark 4:10, 34; 5:37-40; 6:31-32), is an eyewitness report of the Lord’s revelation in the privacy of a home setting. 

It is noteworthy that Mark tells us that as Jesus cast out demons, he was “not permitting them to speak because they knew him.” Demons presumably had supernatural powers and were therefore able to recognize the nature of Jesus. Because of this, he silenced them. He did so, it is proposed, because he needed to show the people (and his disciples) that he was not the “Royal Messiah,” but something unexpected. [5]

The Gospel tells us that the Lord then went off to a deserted place to pray, and it was only when Simon and his companions came and found him that he continued his mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. 

CCC: Mk 1:35 2602

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Homily: 

There is a wonderful adage handed down to us by our forebears in Christianity.  Some attribute it to St. Ignatius of Loyola (I suspect it’s the Jesuits who originally made the claim) and others to my favorite Church Father, St. Augustine of Hippo.  When we are confronted with a seemingly insurmountable task or challenge, stated simply it says: “We must pray as if it is all up to God but work as if it is all up to us.” I submit that in our current pandemic-driven siege, the saying is appropriate. 

Sacred Scripture given to us by the Church today gives us some great insights about facing the calamities resulting from physical illness to which we can apply this saying.  In the first reading from the Book of Job, we hear Job responding to his friends following an incredible series of travesties heaped upon the hapless hero of the story (Eliphaz has just commented in an optimistic way about Job’s possible future).  He has had everything taken away from him by Satan in the Evil One’s attempt to cause him to turn away from God.  He has lost his material possessions, his wife and children, and even his health. (The tragic saga included “So the satan […] struck Job with severe boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head,” at which point even his wife supposed Job had offended the Lord and told him he should just roll over and die. Job 2:7ff)  As an aside, if you ever feel like you the Lord has forsaken you, read the Book of Job. If you do [spoiler alert], you should know it has a happy ending. 

What we hear in the passage from Job is instructive.  It is easy when faced with “when it rains it pours” events, when everything seems to be going wrong, to feel that God has abandoned you or worse that God is even punishing you (as Job’s wife did).  We must never forget that Satan, as was also repeated in Job’s second chapter is still “roaming the earth and patrolling it.” We will reiterate that point when we pray the St. Michael prayer at the conclusion of Mass.  There is not just the spirit of good in the world, there is also a spirit of evil and we must be cautious (although masking and social distancing alone will not protect us). 

Let’s not dwell on Job though or we might get depressed.  We’ll skip to the happy ending and remember that we have a Gospel given to us, as God sent his Son to prove once and for all how much he loves us and cares for us.  Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians, shouts at us that we, like him, should feel compelled to proclaim the Gospel with our lives.  It is the Gospel that is our vaccine against the sickness of the world that can strike at us.  It is our hope in Jesus Christ’s saving power that can raise our spirits, essentially giving us spiritual antibodies that protect us from the spiritual illness that is a true pandemic infecting the spiritual health of our race. 

That brings us to the incident described in Mark’s Gospel.  Jesus comes to the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew and finds Simon’s mother-in-law ill with a fever.  The Hebrews of Jesus day called it a “fire in the bones.”  I don’t know how many of you watched the first season of “The Chosen,” which is really an excellent dramatization of parts of the life of Christ.  The series actually portrays this miracle, inferring that Christ healed Simon’s mother-in-law to free him from worry so he could follow the Lord with single-minded purpose.  The series had actually set up this moment by showing the woman afflicted with long suffering at various times earlier in the series.  We submit that this was one of those points of speculation we can chalk up to “creative license.”  From a purely scriptural perspective, Jesus would not have needed a motive other than his infinite mercy to restore the woman to health.  (I’ll just add that, contrary to the opinions of some, I was not there when it happened so I can’t say for sure the series got it wrong.  Just saying…) 

Jesus demonstrates, with his act of mercy, that when Simon, in faith, brings Jesus into his home, he brings salvation to those present, including and in this case especially to Simon’s mother-in-law.  It is in this act of bringing the Lord with him that Simon gives us an example of our mission as disciples.  We do the same when we bring our faith in the Lord with us into a place.  Jesus is always with us in spirit.  He comes with us when we go into our home or to work.  Through our faith and actions the Lord is introduced into our environment and can bring that sense of love and spiritual healing to those with whom we have contact. 

If we are willing to proclaim the Gospel with our lives as St. Paul exhorts us to do, following his example, we bring the Lord with us wherever we go.  Our discipleship is clearly evident without effort on our parts beyond our constant faith in Jesus, acting through the Holy Spirit. 

We all face a changed world and we don’t know for how long or how deeply these changes will impact us and our lives.  What we do know is that our Lord and Savior loves us deeply, incredibly, infinitely.  And our faith brings that love and healing power with us.  It will not necessarily protect us from the virus “roaming about the world seeking the ruin of souls.”  We still need to work as if it is all up to us, taking appropriate precautions but at the same time praying to God to help us, knowing that he hears those prayers as well. 

Today we hear a message of hope in the Gospel.  We recall that, unlike the people of Job’s time, we do not believe that bad things come because God is punishing us. No, we are confident that God loves us and his mercy is always present for us.  We give thanks for all the many blessings he has given us, and as missionary disciples, pledge to take Jesus with us into the world. 

Pax

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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 today is “The Patient Job” by Gerard Seghers, c. 1620.

[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] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 230.