Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Innocence” by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1790

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

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Sirach 2:1-11

Commentary on Sir 2:1-11

The son of Sirach begins the second chapter of his work with an instruction to those who would serve the Lord, that they remain faithful and steadfast in God. He asks that we not waver in the face of adversity which will come. He also uses that analogy from Zachariah 13:9 of being tested as gold and silver are tested.

The second paragraph begins with a litany for the faithful, first to wait for the Lord, then to trust him, to hope in him, and finally to love him. He reminds the reader of God’s compassion and mercy in the past and assures his forgiveness to those who seek it.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

R. (see 5) Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Commentary on Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

This didactic selection from Psalm 37 promises the salvation of those who hear God’s voice and trust in him.  Central to this passage is the fidelity of God to those who are faithful.  Salvation for them is assured if they trust in him and take refuge in their faith. The author responds to the question: why do the wicked prosper? In these strophes, it continues the plea to be faithful to God, and remain steadfast in the time of adversity. The psalmist adds that those who turn away should return, and God will give them salvation.

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Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Commentary on Mk 9:30-37

This selection describes Jesus’ interaction with the disciples following the cure of the boy with the mute spirit. Jesus and his disciples continue their journey through Galilee, and he teaches them in private about what is to come. It begins with the second prediction of the passion Jesus is to face. The disciples, characteristic of St. Mark’s description, do not understand, and begin to debate among themselves who was greatest. Jesus tells them directly that their role (and by extension the role of all Christian disciples) is one of service.

The Lord sees that they do not understand. When they don’t respond to his direct question, he gives them the example of first a servant, and then a child, so they can understand that it is through humility and innocence that God’s servants lead. He probably uses the example of children to represent the “anawim,” the poor in spirit, the most vulnerable of the Christian faithful.

CCC: Mk 9:9-31 649; Mk 9:31-32 557; Mk 9:31 474; Mk 9:37 1825

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Reflection:

The Son of Sirach reminds us at the outset of the Liturgy of the Word that we will be tested if we remain faithful to God.  What does it mean to be faithful to God and his Only Begotten Son?  That is the question we try to understand today.

Faithfulness to God means following his commandments, his law.  His law is not simply the one that the son of Sirach understood.  Sirach’s son saw the law as the Torah which contains the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and the associated laws from Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers.  We have that set of laws, but they were interpreted for us by God’s only Son who placed a law above the Law of Moses (the Torah); his law of love in the Great Commandment.

When Jesus wrapped God’s Law in love, he transformed it from a burden to be borne on bowed back, into a garment to be worn lightly, protecting us.  When we consider the purpose of the Lord’s incarnation, we see in the Gospel an armor like that needed by ancient soldiers.  They put on that armor, not because it was comfortable or fashionable, but because they knew they were going into battle and the armor protected them. 

The Anointed One took away the strict but purposeless discipline of the Pharisees, and replaced it with a life that naturally conforms itself to God’s own.  Suddenly the face of mercy is truly revealed and the giant Hammer of Justice is replaced with the Cross of Salvation.

The words of Sirach remind us that we are called to be a people who  wait for the Lord; who trust in him, hope in him, and finally  love him with all our hearts, all our strength, and all our spirit.  This goal is filled in with Jesus’ reminder from Mark’s Gospel, that if we wish to lead others to him, we must first be servants, and finally form our faith as an innocent child.  In this way we are faithful to him; this is our goal.

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Innocence” by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1790

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Jesus Casts out Unclean Spirit” 
by Gustave Doré, 1865

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

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Sirach 1:1-10

Commentary on Sir 1:1-10

This passage begins the Book of Sirach. Written in about 175 B.C., this sacred text’s author, the son of Sirach, writes extensively about the Law of Moses and the people's relationship to it. It is not considered to be part of the Jewish Bible after the first century, and is not contained in the Protestant canon either. The church has always considered it sacred, and it has been included in the Catholic canon since it was first established.

In these opening verses, the author explains that the wisdom of God is poured out on all God’s creation through the Holy Spirit. Wisdom, the author notes, can come only from God, and there is, of course, only one God. The wisdom spoken of here is God’s external revelation of himself, present in all his creation.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Commentary on Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

Psalm 93 is a hymn of praise commemorating Yahweh as king. The external revelation of God mentioned in Sirach 1:1-10 is celebrated in this song of praise. The image of God’s throne on high, repeated here, reinforces God’s omnipotence.

“'The Lord is king': literally, 'the Lord reigns.' This psalm, and Psalms 47; 96-99, are sometimes called enthronement psalms. They may have been used in a special liturgy during which God's ascent to the throne was ritually reenacted. They have also been interpreted eschatologically, pointing to the coming of God as king at the end-time.” [4]

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Gospel: Mark 9:14-29

Commentary on Mk 9:14-29

In this selection from St. Mark’s Gospel, the Lord encounters a “situation.” When he comes down from the mountain where Peter, James, and John had just witnessed the transfiguration of the Lord, he discovers the rest of the disciples being challenged by scribes and Pharisees because they cannot cast out a “mute spirit.”

Jesus’ reaction seems a bit exasperated. He remarks on the faithlessness of the crowd (including the scribes and Pharisees) and proceeds to cure the boy. He then explains to the disciples (possibly chastising them as well) that in such cases, cure can only be effected through prayer. In some texts “fasting” is added to this account.

CCC: Mk 9:9-31 649; Mk 9:23 1504, 2610; Mk 9:24 162

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Reflection:

The Gospel tells a story of what happens when people try to do something without enlisting God’s help.  The son of Sirach explains in the first reading that all wisdom (and grace) comes from God, and resides in God in fullness.  When the disciples, who were not with Jesus as he was being transfigured and revealed to Peter, James, and John, are confronted with a request to cure a possessed boy, they fail.  Recall, Jesus already “gave them authority over unclean spirits,” and sent them out with successful results (cf. Mark 6:7-13).  They fully expected to be able to cure the boy.  When they failed, it reflected poorly on their teacher, Jesus.

When Jesus returns and finds them embroiled in an argument with the people (including the scribes and Pharisees), he recognizes the situation at once.  First, the people who came with the boy did not have faith that the boy could be cured (by God), and second, his disciples, under pressure, had failed to ask God for assistance, and tried to accomplish the task by human will alone.

In the Gospel Jesus rebukes both groups and the crowd with: "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?”  And later, privately, he rebukes the disciples with what must have been for them a pretty scathing testimony from their teacher: "This kind can only come out through prayer."  The implication was they had not been praying, they had forgotten that grace and wisdom from God must flow through them if good is to be accomplished.

That same lesson is the one we walk away with today.  It is one about which we need to be constantly reminded.  We are not asked to perform miracles on a daily basis.  But we are confronted and challenged to proclaim the Good News.  When we try to do this on our own, forgetting that it is only through Christ Jesus who left us the Holy Spirit that this can be accomplished, we fall into the same trap as the disciples who forgot to pray.

This then is our challenge for today.  That we be a people of prayer, constantly asking God for aid, and glorifying his name though our actions.  May all we do this day be a song of praise to him.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Jesus Casts out Unclean Spirit” by Gustave Doré, 1865.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] See NAB footnote on Psalm 93.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links[1]

CCC 210-211: God of mercy

CCC 1825, 1935, 1968, 2303, 2647, 2842-2845: Forgiveness of enemies

CCC 359, 504: Christ as the New Adam

“Saul and David” Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1655

Readings for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Commentary:

First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

Commentary on 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

This passage depicts the last meeting between King Saul and David, his ultimate successor. David’s king-like character is shown here as he prevents Abishai, a rather violent person (2 Samuel 19:22) and a son of David’s sister (see 1 Chronicles 2:16), from killing Saul as he slept. This encounter shows not only the positive trait of mercy in David, but also God’s favor on him as Abner, Saul’s body guard, and the king are put into a deep sleep, presumably by God. This refusal on the part of David to harm “the LORD’s anointed” echoes his earlier statement in chapter 24 (1 Samuel 24; 7).

“The text once again shows David’s compassion and mercy (‘the Lord gave you into my hand today…’: v. 23); we can see in him the future king, because mercy is a perfection proper to God and therefore a virtue to be expected of any representative of his and of everyone who wants to be like God (cf. Luke 6:36).” [5]

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.

Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

Psalm 103 is a hymn of praise (and thanksgiving). It is a simple and beautiful reaction to God’s goodness. Remembering God’s promise of mercy for the innocent, these strophes praise God for his compassion and give thanks for his salvation.

CCC: Ps 103 304

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Reading 2: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Commentary on 1 Cor 15:45-49

St. Paul uses the analogy of the creation of the first earthly being Adam, and compares that physical form to the first born of the dead in Christ, who had both earthly form and became the “New Adam” in the resurrection.

St. Paul is eloquent in describing the difference between the earthly form and the resurrected body. Where the earthly form may be flawed, the spiritual body in the resurrection will be perfect. He envisions a resurrected body with the qualities of glory, power, and spirituality which is a creation in God’s heavenly image.  “The contrast between Adam and Christ shows that by nature we get a body from Adam that is physical, earthly, and mortal; and by grace we expect a body from Christ that is spiritual, heavenly, and immortal (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).  Paul draws on Genesis 2:7 to hint that Adam’s creation bears a certain likeness to Christ’s Resurrection.  Just as Adam’s body was raised from the earth by the breath of natural life, so Christ’s body was raised from the earth by the Spirit of supernatural life.  It is this life-giving Spirit, now channeled to the world through the sacrament of Christ’s risen humanity, that will raise our bodies also (Romans 8:11).” [6]

CCC: 1 Cor 15:44-45 364; 1 Cor 15:44 999, 1017; 1 Cor 15:45 411, 504; 1 Cor 15:47 504

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Gospel: Luke 6:27-38

Commentary on Lk 6:27-38

This passage from St. Luke’s Gospel continues the Sermon on the Plain. In this section, Jesus extends the commandment to love one’s neighbor to include one’s enemy, breaking new ground in the interpretation of Mosaic Law. What follows is an extension of each of the laws governing hospitality and continues by extending even the judicial laws that govern dispute resolution. In the conclusion of this section, the Lord exhorts the disciples to embrace forgiveness, saying, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

CCC: Lk 6:28 1669; Lk 6:31 1789, 1970; Lk 6:36 1458, 2842

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Reflection:

There are times when most Christians wish that God had created us without free will; that he had given us a perfect sense of obedience the way the angels were created.  If that were the case, there would be no crime, no want, and no war.  Why? Because every person would love God and obedience to God’s law would dominate their will.  Such a world, however, would not be the paradise we might imagine.  Rather, it would be like a slave camp, every person doing what they must do with no sense of freedom of thought.

It is for this purpose that the author of 1 Samuel wrote about the virtue of mercy so eloquently expressed by David.  Saul, his archenemy and would-be assassin, was lying asleep at his feet. He only needed to accept his servant's offer to kill Saul and that danger and his persecution would end.  Yet King Saul was anointed by God and David would not betray his God through disobedience.  We should be mindful of the quote from the Navarre Commentary on this passage, which in turn points to our Gospel: “because mercy is a perfection proper to God and therefore a virtue to be expected of any representative of his and of everyone who wants to be like God.”

If we were created without free will, the Lord would not have found it necessary to clarify the words of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and Leviticus 19:18  which were combined to create his Great Commandment: Love God and love others. And this is exactly what he does in Luke’s account of his “Sermon on the Plain.” We are reminded that we must not only love those who love us, but love those who hate us.  We must not only be generous to those who would reciprocate and be generous to us, but give freely to those from whom we should expect no repayment.

This is the great challenge of discipleship.  Oh, we may find it easy to be virtuous to the poor whom we do not know personally, or charitable to organizations that serve them.  But what about the son-in-law who beats your daughter, or the neighbor who screams obscenities at your children?  Where is your Christian love when these kinds of personal attacks occur? And I don’t think I have to mention the political divisions that are common now.  Where is our love for those who oppose our views?

The Lord's words need to strike a chord within our hearts today.  We were not created with absolute obedience to God, but our Savior expects us to develop that attitude of our own free will.

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 is “Saul and David” Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1655.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[5] The Navarre Bible: “Joshua-Kings”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 301

[6] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 308.