Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27

David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites
and spent two days in Ziklag.
On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp,
with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.
David asked him, “Where do you come from?”
He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.”
“Tell me what happened,” David bade him.
He answered that many of the soldiers had fled the battle
and that many of them had fallen and were dead,
among them Saul and his son Jonathan.
David seized his garments and rent them,
and all the men who were with him did likewise.
They mourned and wept and fasted until evening
for Saul and his son Jonathan,
and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel,
because they had fallen by the sword.

“Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul,
slain upon your heights;
how can the warriors have fallen!

“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished,
separated neither in life nor in death,
swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!
Women of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and in finery,
who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.

“How can the warriors have fallen–
in the thick of the battle,
slain upon your heights!

“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother!
most dear have you been to me;
more precious have I held love for you than love for women.

“How can the warriors have fallen,
the weapons of war have perished!”
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Commentary on 2 Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27

The Lord’s disapproval of Saul as King of the Israelites is shown as he falls in battle with his son Jonathan. Although the selection presented does not stipulate, the courier was the individual who actually provided the final blow that killed Saul who had already been mortally wounded. His testimony could not be doubted by David and his soldiers.

Following the news and mourning ritual (“David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening”) David composed a ballad of lament to honor “God’s anointed”.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80:2-3, 5-7

R. (4b) Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
O guide of the flock of Joseph!
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth
before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with anger
while your people pray?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in ample measure.
You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors,
and our enemies mock us.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
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Commentary on Ps 80:2-3, 5-7

Psalm 80 is a communal lament. Here the community exalts the king who shepherds Israel with fidelity and calls upon God to continue to protect his special creation, the people he has called. The psalmist pleads that God’s support be given and that their enemies might be defeated with His help.

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Gospel: Mark 3:20-21

Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
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Commentary on Mk 3:20-21

This short passage provides a sense of the challenges Jesus faces in his mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. His fame had clearly spread as a consequence of his teaching, his natural charisma, and his miraculous healing power. The disbelief of even his relatives is a barrier to be overcome.

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Reflection:

It must have been very confusing for the friends and relatives of Jesus who had known him before he began his public ministry. The Holy Spirit opened the ability of the carpenter’s son to express the divinity that was his very essence and the results must have shocked his friends from Nazareth.

But why, we ask would they have thought “He is out of his mind”? It would not have been on account of the miraculous cures. These were well documented, and given the crowds that were so thick that they prevented the Lord from eating, accepted as genuine. Could it have been because people were talking? They would have expected a person with such incredible power to demand special treatment, homage and honor. Could his friends and relatives have thought that Jesus himself was demanding such treatment and thereby putting on airs?

The only explanation that makes sense is that, never having heard him take up the power of the Holy Spirit, they must have thought him delusional. They were reacting to rumor and hearsay and in doing so, they were tying to do the same things the Pharisees would later accomplish when they arrested him in the garden. With that comparison, we see the moral of this short statement, that even well intentioned people make terrible mistakes when they react to rumors and gossip.

With that lesson clearly before us we consider our call to discipleship and what that means. The Lord himself would never have accepted critical words about a person. He loves every individual. If some slander or derogatory remarks were made about an individual, he would have approached them directly to determine the truth. Of course with the Lord, a look would have sufficed, but still, even with the most undeserving “tax collectors and sinners” his intent was that of healer of souls.

Today we pray that we may never react to hearsay, rumor, or gossip but will always seek the truth and seek to love those we meet as Christ has taught us.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “The Messenger who Slew Saul is Slain” by, Bernard Picart and Abraham de Blois, Published 1728
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Vincent, Deacon, Martyr

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Vincent

Readings for Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1] [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 24:3-21

Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel
and went in search of David and his men
in the direction of the wild goat crags.
When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave,
which he entered to relieve himself.
David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.

David’s servants said to him,
“This is the day of which the LORD said to you,
‘I will deliver your enemy into your grasp;
do with him as you see fit.’”
So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul’s mantle.
Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off
an end of Saul’s mantle.
He said to his men,
“The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,
the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him,
for he is the LORD’s anointed.”
With these words David restrained his men
and would not permit them to attack Saul.
Saul then left the cave and went on his way.
David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul,
“My lord the king!”
When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked
Saul:
“Why do you listen to those who say,
‘David is trying to harm you’?
You see for yourself today that the Lord just now delivered you
into my grasp in the cave.
I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.
I decided, ‘I will not raise a hand against my lord,
for he is the LORD’s anointed and a father to me.’
Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold.
Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you,
see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.
I have done you no wrong,
though you are hunting me down to take my life.
The LORD will judge between me and you,
and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case.
I shall not touch you.
The old proverb says, ‘From the wicked comes forth wickedness.’
So I will take no action against you.
Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel?
Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!
The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you.
May he see this, and take my part,
and grant me justice beyond your reach!”

When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered,
“Is that your voice, my son David?”
And Saul wept aloud.
Saul then said to David: “You are in the right rather than I;
you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.
Great is the generosity you showed me today,
when the LORD delivered me into your grasp
and you did not kill me.
For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed?
May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.
And now, I know that you shall surely be king
and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession.”
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Commentary on 1 Sm 24:3-21

The relationship between Saul and David has deteriorated to a point where Saul now hunts David, intending to put him to death. David is encouraged to take Saul’s life when the king is placed within his easy reach in the cave, but he spares Saul and instead cuts off a piece of Saul’s garment.

When David later confronts Saul from a safe distance and humbles himself (“Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!”), Displaying the piece of cloth cut from Saul’s garment, David proves his own mercy and obedience to God’s will (since God had anointed Saul king). Saul recognizes David’s favored status in God’s eyes and confesses that David will assume the role of King, replacing Saul.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11

R. (2a) Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

I call to God the Most High,
to God, my benefactor.
May he send from heaven and save me;
may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;
may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
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Commentary on Ps 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11

Psalm 57 is an individual lament. In these strophes we hear the prayer for mercy and surrender to God’s salvation. The psalmist expresses praise to God whose power and majesty are beyond understanding and whose mercy is infinite.

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Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
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Commentary on Mk 3:13-19

Having called certain people to himself, Mark’s Gospel now names the apostles. He also defines the faculties that Jesus gives them – essentially giving them purpose;”… that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”

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Reflection:

We are called to walk in this world as Disciples of Christ. It is our task to understand what that means in terms of attitude and action. In the scripture we have today we see the chain of authority and how we, as followers of the Lord are to act.

In the first reading from 1 Samuel, David who was a friend of the King (Saul) has, through no fault of his, gained the enmity of the king who is seen in this passage pursuing him in the wilderness intent on killing him. The king unwittingly enters a cave to rest where David and his servants are hiding. For most people, certainly people of that age, the logical thing for David to have done would be to kill Saul and remove the treat. David’s servants beg David to do just that and it is clear he is tempted. Instead, because God granted Saul the authority as king, David withholds his hand and cuts off a piece of Saul’s garment instead. The important lesson David demonstrates is first, his obedience to God. Saul was the rightful king, anointed by God through Samuel (1 Samuel 10:1). David respected God’s choice and would not do anything to gainsay what God had ordained. In addition David demonstrated the virtue of mercy which later showed Saul that David would indeed succeed him.

The authority of God over his people is something also highlighted in the Gospel passage from St. Mark. In the selection proclaimed today, the twelve disciples of Jesus are named. In addition, we are told that Jesus passed authority to them to proclaim God’s kingdom and “to drive out demons.” It is this authority that is passed down through apostolic succession to the Bishops and delegated to their Priests. It is this same authority to which we are subject and to which we owe our obedience.

These examples demonstrate for us what we are called to do and be in the world. We use the examples from 1 Samuel to understand our need to recognize God’s authority in our lives. We also see and understand that the Lord has passed down that same authority to Holy Mother Church. Today we contemplate our call to be authentic servants of God in the world and pledge to be diligent in acceding to that authority.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Saul Attacking David” by Guercino, 1646
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Agnes, Virgin, Martyr

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Agnes

Readings for Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7

When David and Saul approached
(on David’s return after slaying the Philistine),
women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,
singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums.
The women played and sang:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought:
“They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.
All that remains for him is the kingship.”
And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.

Saul discussed his intention of killing David
with his son Jonathan and with all his servants.
But Saul’s son Jonathan, who was very fond of David, told him:
“My father Saul is trying to kill you.
Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning;
get out of sight and remain in hiding.
I, however, will go out and stand beside my father
in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you.
If I learn anything, I will let you know.”

Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him:
“Let not your majesty sin against his servant David,
for he has committed no offense against you,
but has helped you very much by his deeds.
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD brought about a great victory
for all Israel through him,
you were glad to see it.
Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood
by killing David without cause?”
Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore,
“As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed.”
So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him.
Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.
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Commentary on 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7

Following David’s defeat of Goliath, Saul, now deprived of the Lord since he failed to do as God commanded through Samuel, becomes jealous of David because the Lord is clearly with him. Saul’s plot to kill David is thwarted through the intervention of his son Jonathan. Although Saul swears that David will not be killed, the spirit of evil has entered Saul where the Lord had left and this promise is short lived.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13

R. (5b) In God I trust; I shall not fear.

Have mercy on me, O God, for men trample upon me;
all the day they press their attack against me.
My adversaries trample upon me all the day;
yes, many fight against me.
R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

My wanderings you have counted;
my tears are stored in your flask;
are they not recorded in your book?
Then do my enemies turn back,
when I call upon you.
R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

Now I know that God is with me.
In God, in whose promise I glory,
in God I trust without fear;
what can flesh do against me?
R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

I am bound, O God, by vows to you;
your thank offerings I will fulfill.
For you have rescued me from death,
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.
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Commentary on Ps 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13

Psalm 56 is a lament in which the psalmist is being pressed by enemies but has faith that God will be with them. They further pledge continuing faithfulness in thanksgiving for the Lord’s help.

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Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing,
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,
so that they would not crush him.

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.
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Commentary on Mk 3:7-12

This passage from St. Mark’s Gospel gives a summary of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. His rising popularity is a testament to the power of what he teaches and the signs he performs are a prelude to the universal spread of the Gospel message. The encounter with unclean spirits is met, as earlier, with attempts to ward off his power over them using his title “You are the Son of God”

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Reflection:

The Gospel depicts Jesus in Galilee at the height of his popularity. People are coming from all around to see him, to listen to him and to see the miracles of healing he performs. It is so intense, we are told that the disciples have to get a boat ready incase the crowd, it its exuberance crushes him.

Have you ever wondered why, when the unclean spirits identified him as the Messiah, the Lord refused to allow them to make that fact known to the adoring crowds? It would have been much easier if Jesus had proclaimed his identity in the face of this surge of popularity. The crowd that was so taken by him that there was a danger of physical injury may have even revolted against the scribes and Pharisees that hated him.

Jesus could have avoided the cross if he had told them who he was and by whose authority he came. Why didn’t he take that road? As we seek to answer that question, our first thought might be “it would not have been right.” Jesus needed to fulfill the plan God had set in motion from the beginning. The prophets had seen it and had laid the foundation for thousands of years, now the Son of God must not embrace the popular notoriety, the “rock star” status that could be his. His mission was salvation for the people, not himself.

As we think about the choice made at this critical juncture in Jesus’ ministry, we can think about our own situations as well. How often do we accept acclaim for things that we have done instead of giving credit to the Father for the great gifts he bestowed on us that allowed us to accomplish the good that we do? How often are we seduced by the secular successes we might achieve at the expense of our own spiritual growth?

That is the lesson we take away from St. Mark’s brief description of Jesus at a high point in his popularity. We see him live the humility that he asks of all his disciples. He points always to God’s greater glory even when he could have let the unclean spirits proclaim him king. Today we pray that all we are able to accomplish will point others to our Heavenly Father. May the Lord prosper the works of our hands, this day and always.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Saul and David” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn,1655-60
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr
Saint Sebastian, Martyr

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Fabian
Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Sebastian

Readings for Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

David spoke to Saul:
“Let your majesty not lose courage.
I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine.”
But Saul answered David,
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David continued:
“The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear,
will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine.”
Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”

Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi
and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag.
With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.

With his shield bearer marching before him,
the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.
When he had sized David up,
and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance,
the Philistine held David in contempt.
The Philistine said to David,
“Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?”
Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods
and said to him, “Come here to me,
and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field.”
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand;
I will strike you down and cut off your head.
This very day I will leave your corpse
and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air
and the beasts of the field;
thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”

The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters,
while David ran quickly toward the battle line
in the direction of the Philistine.
David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.
The stone embedded itself in his brow,
and he fell prostrate on the ground.
Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone;
he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.
Then David ran and stood over him;
with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath
he dispatched him and cut off his head.
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Commentary on 1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

We are presented with one of the more famous bible stories from the Old Testament in the first reading as Samuel relates the defeat of Goliath by David. In this somewhat condensed version an alternative account of how David came to undertake the combat is omitted (1 Sam 17:12-31). What is important for salvation history is that David had the support of God which gave him strength and courage to conquer a foe against great odds. This event demonstrates how in preparation, David is faith-filled giving him courage. And in victory he praises God. His motives were morally sound.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144:1b, 2, 9-10

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

My refuge and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
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Commentary on Ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10

Psalm 144 is a song of thanksgiving and praise. In these strophes we find David’s faith provides the courage needed to be victorious in battle. We see the response as ironic if not humorous given the story it follows.

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Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
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Commentary on Mk 3:1-6

Jesus is again shown in contention with the Pharisees over their laws on the observance of the Sabbath. “Here Jesus is again depicted in conflict with his adversaries over the question of sabbath-day observance. His opponents were already ill disposed toward him because they regarded Jesus as a violator of the sabbath. Jesus' question Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil? places the matter in the broader theological context outside the casuistry of the scribes. The answer is obvious. Jesus heals the man with the withered hand in the sight of all and reduces his opponents to silence; cf John 5:17-18.”[4]

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Reflection:

The Gospel of St. Mark describes another instance in which the Lord must try to differentiate between the correct observance and the spirit of the Law. It is always difficult and dangerous to understand when the law as stated in scripture and when one must look past the words to the spirit of the law. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the differences between the doctrines of the various Christian denominations. Too frequently, the schisms that have occurred are the result of an individual or group deciding that the laws and precepts of our faith were too difficult to follow as written and therefore must be over turned or re-written.

For us, we have basic guidelines for the practice of our faith. These are called the “Precepts” of our faith and are the basic rules we are called to follow.

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

There are other rules in the Church contained in the Code of Canon Law and the General Instructions of the Roman Missal. These rules govern how the members of the Church behave in the secular world and how we behave in worship. Coupled with the teaching Magisterium of the Church which reflect on the practical implications of what and how we believe, these works constitute the general norms under which all one billion of us relate to each other and God.

When we think about the size and scope of the universal Church, this is not really a lot. But, it’s enough to stimulate tension. There are those among us who do not think the Church should condemn abortion, infanticide. There are those who believe the Church should bring women into the ordained ranks and there are those who believe that all the Church has done to change itself since the Second Vatican Counsel ended in 1964 is a travesty.

What we hear in the Gospel today is the story of a group of individuals so focused on the rules that they have forgotten the spirit of the Law. In our own Code of Canon Law this lesson is not forgotten. The last words in it are; “Can. 1752 …servata aequitate canonica et prae oculis habita salute animarum, quae in Ecclesia suprema semper lex esse debet “ (“…the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes.”)

The problem that most often surfaces is the belief on behalf of some that “traditions” in the local Church community are somehow the perfect reflection of the Church’s precepts, rules, and dogma. As a consequence when changes are made we become uncomfortable and sometimes even indignant. This cannot be what we are about lest we fall into the trap of the Pharisees. We must focus on the spirit of God’s Law, perfectly exemplified by His Son. Jesus said first and foremost, love one another.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “David with the Head of Goliath” by Guido Reni, c. 1605
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[4] See NAB Footnote on Mark 3:1-6

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1] [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The LORD said to Samuel:
“How long will you grieve for Saul,
whom I have rejected as king of Israel?
Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”
But Samuel replied:
“How can I go?
Saul will hear of it and kill me.”
To this the LORD answered:
“Take a heifer along and say,
‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’
Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do;
you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.”

Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him.
When he entered Bethlehem,
the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired,
“Is your visit peaceful, O seer?”
He replied:
“Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.
So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet.”
He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves
and invited them to the sacrifice.
As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.”
But the LORD said to Samuel:
“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because he sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel,
who said, “The LORD has not chosen him.”
Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said,
“The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said to Jesse,
“The LORD has not chosen any one of these.”
Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse replied,
“There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send for him;
we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”
Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
and making a splendid appearance.
The LORD said,
“There–anoint him, for this is he!”
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed him in the midst of his brothers;
and from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.
When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.
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Commentary on 1 Sm 16:1-13

As the story of Samuel the Seer continues (we are still not calling him a prophet), we find him deeply troubled over God’s decision to remove Saul as King of Israel. God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next king whom God has now found.

After going through all of Jesse’s sons the Lord finally instructs Samuel to anoint the youngest, David, who is not present but tending the sheep. This anointing is the first of three David will receive. The other two will come after the death of Saul.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28

R. (21a) I have found David, my servant.

Once you spoke in a vision,
and to your faithful ones you said:
“On a champion I have placed a crown;
over the people I have set a youth.”
R. I have found David, my servant.

“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
R. I have found David, my servant.

“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
And I will make him the first-born,
highest of the kings of the earth.”
R. I have found David, my servant.
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Commentary on

Ps 89:20, 21-22, 27-28

Psalm 21 is a hymn of praise celebrating the identification of King David as king of Israel. The song alludes to his future role as a champion in battle.

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Gospel: Mark 2:23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
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Commentary on Mk 2:23-28

In this passage from St. Mark’s Gospel the Lord has another conflict with the Pharisees over laws they have implemented. In this case the laws are about doing no work on the Sabbath. The disciples of Jesus were hungry and as a result gathered and ate grain on the Sabbath. Strictly speaking this was labor and that is what the Pharisees were objecting to.

Jesus responded by reminding them (the Pharisees) about a story form the first book of Samuel (1 Sam 21:2-7) in which restrictions not included in Mosaic Law but established by men were relaxed at need. The example can be seen as a link between Jesus’ own genealogy (coming from the line of David) and the mission as Savior, the Anointed One, and the Messiah. It also teaches a more pragmatic lesson about the Sabbath being created for man and not as the rules of Pharisaic law had restricted it.

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Reflection:

Jesus, in the passage from St. Mark’s Gospel heard today, is once again taking issue with the overly restrictive interpretation of Mosaic Law practiced by the Pharisees. He challenges their notion that, in order to please God, one must abstain even from doing those things that would sustain him if they fell into the category of tasks labeled as “work” under the Law. The Lord makes his famous statement: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Unfortunately, in secular society the idea of the Sabbath has been lost almost completely.

There was a time and not that long ago, when our Sabbath, Sunday, was seen as the Lord’s Day – a day of rest. The predominately Christian society of the West saw the day as one set aside for going to Mass and leisure time spent with family and friends. It was seen as the appropriate way to keep the commandment “'Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the LORD, your God, commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 5:12ff) and “"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.” (Exodus 20:8). As with many of the secular expressions of our faith, this one fell prey to the idea that Sunday was a great day to make money and Holiness has nothing to do with it.

For the most part we have lost our reverence for the day. We have accepted that when we need to work on Sunday we work. The time set aside to give thanks to God for his creation has been for the most part abandoned as an anachronism. For those of us who see our faith as guiding us rather that us guiding our faith, we should see this as a lapse of discipline.

While the Pharisees took the idea of making the sabbath a day only for God, we are still bound to give our Father the obedience he asks for. We, as a people of faith should do our very best to keep the sabbath as the Lord’s day and not simply another day of commerce or labor. Granted, the secular world no longer respects the idea of “a day of rest in honor of the Lord”. That is the reason for the Vigil Mass. However, we should do our best to keep the day holy. While the sabbath was made for man, it is still a day when man must respect God’s will.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Samuel Anoints David” by Caspar Luiken (1672-1708), Published 1712
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 15:16-23

Samuel said to Saul:
“Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”
Saul replied, “Speak!”
Samuel then said: “Though little in your own esteem,
are you not leader of the tribes of Israel?
The LORD anointed you king of Israel and sent you on a mission, saying,
‘Go and put the sinful Amalekites under a ban of destruction.
Fight against them until you have exterminated them.’
Why then have you disobeyed the LORD?
You have pounced on the spoil, thus displeasing the LORD.”
Saul answered Samuel: “I did indeed obey the LORD
and fulfill the mission on which the LORD sent me.
I have brought back Agag, and I have destroyed Amalek under the ban.
But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen,
the best of what had been banned,
to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal.”
But Samuel said:
“Does the LORD so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as in obedience to the command of the LORD?
Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission than the fat of rams.
For a sin like divination is rebellion,
and presumption is the crime of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the command of the LORD,
he, too, has rejected you as ruler.”
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Commentary on 1 Sm 15:16-23

Saul had been sent by God through Samuel to destroy utterly the Amalekites. However, Saul did not do so, rather his forces did not wish to destroy the wealth and slaves they might take and so despoiled the Amalekites and spared the life of King Agag. In doing this Saul committed the sin of “divination” (predicting the will of God without authority).

As a consequence of this disobedience (and in spite of Saul’s apparent repentance) God decrees that he is to be rejected as ruler and king of Israel. This opens the way for the appointment of King David and the messianic dynasty.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23

R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
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Commentary on Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23

Psalm 50 is didactic in explaining that God does not want sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice or praise that is just lip service. Rather he wants genuine obedience and sincere praise. He rebukes the hypocritical worshiper. Placed behind the reading from 1 Samuel, we can see this as a pronouncement against Saul’s rationalization about the will of God.

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Gospel: Mark 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.
People came to Jesus and objected,
“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”
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Commentary on Mk 2:18-22

Jesus is confronted by “some of the people” about why his disciples do not fast as the disciples of St. John and the Pharisees do. Ritual fasting is done as a sign of mourning or repentance which is why Jesus makes the remarks he does – the time for mourning has not yet come.

Jesus uses an Old Testament metaphor in which God’s relation to his covenant people is a marriage (see Hosea 2:16-20, Isaiah 54:5-6, Jeremiah 2:2, Ezekiel 16:32 ff) “Can the wedding guests fast?: the bridal metaphor expresses a new relationship of love between God and his people in the person and mission of Jesus to his disciples. It is the inauguration of the new and joyful messianic time of fulfillment and the passing of the old. Any attempt at assimilating the Pharisaic practice of fasting, or of extending the preparatory discipline of John's disciples beyond the arrival of the bridegroom, would be as futile as sewing a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak or pouring new wine into old wineskins with the resulting destruction of both cloth and wine (Mark 2:21-22). Fasting is rendered superfluous during the earthly ministry of Jesus; cf Mark 2:20.”[4]

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Reflection:

As we listen to St. Mark’s Gospel we find Jesus doing his best to use human language to explain the new revelation he brings. Before Jesus came there was always difficulty in understanding what God wanted from his people. Even those early servants of Israel, as we see in the reading from 1 Samuel, had difficulty in understanding what God wanted from them

In the story of Saul and Samuel, Saul was clearly instructed by Samuel, who carried prophet-like status, to destroy the enemy of the people – the Amalekites. This was to be done because of the sinful nature of that nation. But Saul interpreted Samuel’s instructions differently and greed caused him to rationalize that God didn’t really want all the Amalekites owned destroyed. He would want the soldiers to reap the benefit of their effort (not to mention Saul’s personal fortune). So when he was confronted he first said that the spoils were taken to be ritually sacrificed to God. Thinking that would deflect the Lord’s anger. For his duplicity and disobedience to God, Saul looses God’s favor.
In the Gospel, the Jewish rituals and fasting have also failed to understand what God wants from his people. There has been something new added and the Jews have failed to grasp it. Jesus, who is God, is among them and they expect his disciples, who recognize this fact, to fast as Moses taught because they needed to sacrifice to God; in atonement for their sins. Jesus tries to explain in parables that the old sacrifices are counter productive. That kind of sacrifice is not needed while God walks in their midst. Further, using the analogy of the wineskins, he points out that once they understand what God reveals to them in Christ, they will no longer need the sacrifices they now perform. Jesus becomes the sacrifice; made once for the whole human race, for all time.

In our own day, we also fall in to the trap of greed that destroyed the favored status of Saul. We rationalize that God would want us to be happy so we should do what makes us feel good, even though we know what he has commanded.

It is a difficult thing to do, understanding what God truly wants from us. But this we know. The test for figuring it out is straightforward. If what we do is for God’s greater glory, not our own, we are headed in the right direction. If what we choose demonstrates a love of God and our neighbor (and self), we have obeyed Christ’s great commandment. On the other hand, if what we do (or consciously fail to do) places us above God or is injurious to our neighbor (or our self), we join Saul in the Lord’s disfavor and need to seek reconciliation and forgiveness.

Our prayer today is that we may be graced to see clearly the path God has placed before us and given the strength to do what we know is pleasing in his sight.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Saul is Rejected by Samuel” Artist and Date UNKNOWN
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[4] See NAB footnote for MK 2:18-22

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you “Forsaken, “
or your land “Desolate, “
but you shall be called “My Delight, “
and your land “Espoused.”
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
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Commentary on Is 62:1-5

Isaiah prophesies the coming of the Messiah with several references and images. The Messiah is identified as the vindication of Israel. Once the Messiah has delivered his salvation the land will be called the Lord’s delight. Finally the image of the bridegroom and the bride are used as a common metaphor for the Messiah and the people of God.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

R. (3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
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Commentary on Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

The psalm selection is one of praise and worship. It begins with songs of proclamation then moves to imploring praise and honor and finally an instruction on attire and demeanor.

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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 12:4-11

St. Paul associates different gifts within the community to the same Holy Spirit. He thus calls out the beauty of diversity and the need for it within the community of faith. All gifts serve the same purpose; the greater glory of God. All gifts are needed within the body of Christ which is his Church.

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Gospel: John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
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Commentary on Jn 2:1-11

St. John gives us the story of Jesus first revelatory action following his Baptism by John in the Jordan. He and his disciples are invited to a wedding, the wine runs out, and Jesus’ mother lets her son know that the time has come for his revelation, even though Jesus does not think so.

Ironically the stone water jars were there for the ceremonial cleansing, the very Hebrew custom John the Baptist took and created the call to repentance. The Hebrew custom was symbolic; the Lord would later make it efficacious.

The final statement in this story; “…his disciples began to believe in him” is the only time in John where there was any doubt about the Lord’s true identity on their part.

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Reflection:

Today we celebrate the great wedding feast of the Church. We have heard in St. John’s Gospel the story of the Wedding at Cana, one of what has been called the “Wow” miracles of the Lord because it is so spectacular. The Lord, along with his disciples goes to Cana to a wedding. While he is there, the host runs out of wine. It would be very embarrassing for the couple to have this happen so Jesus’ mother brings it to the Lord’s attention.

We see the Lord struggle with this. He tells his mother; “My hour has not yet come.” But she tells the servants; “Do whatever he tells you.” She knows, somehow, that something remarkable is about to take place. The Lord then tells the servants to fill six large stone jars with water and somehow that water becomes wine.

It is almost difficult for us to look past the miracle to see all that this event says to us. We see the image of Jesus stepping out of time.

-He at once is the wine; his blood poured out for us.
-He is the groom who takes the church as his bride.
-He stands with our Priest as once more water and wine become our salvation.

-And we have a part too. We stand as the servants who hear Mary say; “Do whatever he tells you.”
-We stand as the servants who know where that “Best” wine came from and how it came to be in those stone jars.
-We know there were only six and not seven because it was not yet His time.

Is this just an Ordinary sequence of events in the life of Jesus? What a wondrous gift he has given. And all he asks in return is our acceptance of that gift, accepting our role as the children of that marriage of the Lord and His Church.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is ” The Marriage at Cana” by Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, c. 1530
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading I: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1

There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish,
who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror,
son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.
He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.
There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul;
he stood head and shoulders above the people.

Now the asses of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off.
Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you
and go out and hunt for the asses.”
Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim,
and through the land of Shalishah.
Not finding them there,
they continued through the land of Shaalim without success.
They also went through the land of Benjamin,
but they failed to find the animals.

When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him,
“This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people.”

Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said,
“Please tell me where the seer lives.”
Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer.
Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today.
In the morning, before dismissing you,
I will tell you whatever you wish.”

Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head;
he also kissed him, saying:
“The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage.
You are to govern the LORD’s people Israel,
and to save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout.

“This will be the sign for you
that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage.”
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Commentary on 1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1

We are introduced in this passage to Saul. Saul, while on a journey of three days to try to recover livestock that went missing from his home, encounters Samuel who is called Seer as opposed to Prophet at this point in history. Samuel is told by God that this is the person he is to appoint as King of Israel. He invites Saul to dine with him and the next day anoints his head with oil as a sign that he is commander over the heritage given to the Jewish people by God.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (2a) Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
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Commentary on Ps 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Psalm 21 is a song of thanksgiving. The thanks being offered is by the king who was first given the position by God’s authority and rules at his pleasure. All accomplishments of the king are to God’s glory.

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Gospel: Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
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Commentary on Mk 2:13-17

This passage from St. Mark’s Gospel documents the call of Matthew, here named Levi. The Gospel of St. Matthew renames Levi to Matthew so this tax collector, whose call is given special notice, will be included with the special status of the call of the first four disciples.

We also note that the conflict with the Scribes and Pharisees continues as they see in Jesus’ association with “tax collectors and sinners” actions which threaten his status as teacher. The Lord uses the famous analogy of a doctor not being needed by those who are well in response.

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Reflection:

Today we take notice of St. Mark’s record of Jesus’ ironic reply to the scribes and Pharisees regarding his mission. He tells them “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” The probable reaction to this statement by those he addressed it to was –“Oh, he’s on a mission to save those poor sinners” excluding themselves from the population that needed calling since they were self-righteous.

We, of course, having been exposed to the full ministry of Jesus, recognize that the Son of God came into the world for all peoples and that no one is free from sin except he who came to wipe away sin and the vessel from which he was delivered. Still we see these pious Jews thinking that by consorting with those who had been marginalized, Jesus was contaminating himself; being pulled down to their level – himself being made unfit for their righteous company.

We think to ourselves; “How blind these scribes and Pharisees must have been, not to have seen that they themselves were sinful.” But we are pulled up short. Are we not guilty of the same condescension that we see in those who looked down on Jesus’ actions in calling Levi, a tax collector? Do we not see the poor and those trapped in sin and feel (even secretly) that we are better than they are, more righteous, more grace-filled, and closer to God?

The great gift of the Gospel is that it holds up God’s mirror to our faces and tells us to look closely at ourselves. It calls us to see if we are truly conforming ourselves to the Lord or simply giving lip service to the one who came to save all who had sinned – even those of us who believe we are righteous and free from the worst ravages of sin. If we fall into this latter category it is probably more difficult for us to find that intimate closeness with the Lord than one who is fully aware of their great failings. For that tax collector or sinner, society helps them by pointing out their sins and humiliating them and in their humility they can find Christ. While those who cling to their righteousness find humility elusive and Jesus who dines with the sinners is difficult to find in the lofty palaces of self-righteousness.

We learned long ago not to pray for humility because, as Monsignor Robert Lundsford was fond of reminding us – those who pray for humility should expect God to find a way to humiliate them. We do pray that we may always be reminded that Christ came to call sinners and that we are all in that category. When ever we start to think that we have somehow avoided sin and have come closer to Jesus, may we look at the Blessed Mother, the Apostles, and all the saints and see how far we have yet to go.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “The Calling of St Matthew” by Hendrick Terbrugghen, 1621
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.