Memorial of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, Bishops

(Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time) 

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus

Biographical information about St. Timothy

Biographical information about St. Titus

Sts. Timothy and Titus, 
Artist and date are unknown

Readings for the Memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus [1] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3]

(Note: the Gospel for this Memorial is from the Proper of the day) 

Reading 1: 2 Timothy 1:1-8 

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears,
so that I may be filled with joy,
as I recall your sincere faith
that first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice
and that I am confident lives also in you.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God. 

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Commentary on 2 Tm 1:1-8 

St. Paul writes to one of his key disciples, St. Timothy, from Rome where he is a prisoner. It is clear that the affection between the two of them is strong as Paul reminds him of his installation as bishop ("the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands”). Paul encourages Timothy to remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, even in the face of opposition. 

CCC: 2 Tm 1:3 1794; 2 Tm 1:5 2220; 2 Tm 1:6 1577, 1590; 2 Tm 1:8 2471, 2506

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Or: Titus 1:1-5 

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God's chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child In our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.
For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you. 

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Commentary on Ti 1:1-5 

This selection is the introduction to St. Paul’s letter to Titus. "The heading is particularly long and formal. It contains, as usual (cf. Romans 1: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:13; etc.), the sender's name--Paul; the addressee's --Titus; and the greeting--"Grace and peace". In this case, however, Paul's title (Apostle), and the prerogatives of his authority and his God-given mandate to preach are given special emphasis (v. 3). This has led some scholars to argue that the epistle was in fact written by a disciple of St Paul--who would have put in all this about the Apostle's authority in order to give the letter more weight. However, it is more reasonable to suppose that when St Paul was writing the letter he had Titus very much in mind and also the community in Crete, whom false teachers were beginning to unsettle; the solemn, official tone would be due to the serious nature of their doctrinal aberrations and to the need to ensure that the church in Crete was property organized. [4] 

In the second paragraph he lets us know what Titus’ mission is: to form the church on Crete (which according to the best scholarship, Paul himself never visited). 

CCC: Ti 1:5-9 1577; Ti 1:5 1590

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

R. (3) Proclaim God's 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 God's 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 God's 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 God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity. 
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations

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Commentary on Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10 

“Announce his salvation, day after day.” This song of praise to the Lord invites all humanity to participate in God’s salvation. “This psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Isaiah Chapters 40-55, as does Psalm 98. Another version of the psalm is 1 Chronicles 16:23-33.” [5] 

CCC: Ps 96:2 2143

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Gospel: Mark 3:31-35 

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Commentary on Mk 3:31-35  

This passage, while affirming our own adoption as brothers and sisters in Christ, does cause some confusion among those who take Scripture at face value without understanding the culture of the time. The first part of this reading from St. Mark’s Gospel is somewhat controversial in that many of the Protestant and Evangelical apologists take the term “and his brothers” to mean his familial or biological brothers. The Church teaches that Mary bore only one child – Jesus. Responding to this scripture, Catholic scripture scholars teach that “in Semitic usage, the terms 'brother,' 'sister' are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; cf. Genesis 14:16; Genesis 29:15; Leviticus 10:4.” [6] 

Another possible explanation, although it comes from an apocryphal source from the second or third century A.D., is that the Lord’s foster father, St. Joseph, had been previously married (and widowed). According to “The History of Joseph the Carpenter” from this first marriage,  “[2.] he begot for himself sons and daughters, four sons, namely, and two daughters. Now these are their names— Judas, Justus, James, and Simon. The names of the two daughters were Assia and Lydia.” These would have been the half-brothers and half-sisters of the Lord.

Because of this, when Mary comes looking for Jesus in this selection, she is, as would be expected, joined by members of the extended family. Jesus extends the family even further though his adoption of those “seated in the circle” who listen to his word and believe, telling those gathered that “whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

CCC: Mk 3:31-35 500

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Reflection: 

Today we can pause and thank God for his great gift that brought us into a new relationship with him.  If Christ had not come as the perfect offering for our sins, we would still be obliged to offer sacrifices as our Hebrew predecessors did.  We would be one step removed from the relationship we have in Christ who at once saved us and adopted us as children of God: “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

The sense of adoption contrasted with the former relationship of the Hebrew people can be analogized by examining the relationship between ourselves and our family, and ourselves and a guest.  While we treat a guest with courtesy and respect, we do not have the same love for the guest as we would for our close family member. 

A guest would be welcomed to our home.  A family member lives with us, sharing not just our food, but all that we have.  A guest comes and stays a while and leaves, but a family member is with us and shares our lives with us, the good and the bad.  A guest does not share our pain or our joy to the extent a member of our own family does.  The guest is held at arm’s length, never quite achieving that place of familial intimacy that is part of the family’s members. 

Jesus changed that relationship for us.  He came making his Father, God, our Father.  He did not bring a guest to the table, but a bride.  He himself, out of his great love for us, provided the sacrificial meal.  He did this so we would have intimate access to him, and through that access find life eternal with the Father. 

As we remember Sts. Timothy and Titus on this feast day, we recall that, because: “Here are my mother and my brothers. (For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” 

Because of this, we should take as our prayer today the family prayer of the Church, the Lord’s Prayer.  As we say “Our Father,” let us embrace the Father who has adopted us, and through his great mercy has given us life with him. 

Pax.

[1] The Icon is of Sts. Timothy and Titus, Artist and Date are UNKNOWN.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio # 520 /#318 (Gospel)

[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: “Letters of St. Paul,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 611

[5] See NAB footnote on Psalm 96.

[6] From the reference note on Mark 6; 3 in the NAB.

 

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

Additional Information about the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul [1]

“The Conversion of St. Paul” 
by Louis the Younger Boullogne c. 1730’s

Readings for the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2] 

Readings and Commentary:[3] 

Reading 1: Acts 22:3-16 

Paul addressed the people in these words:
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,
but brought up in this city.
At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law
and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death,
binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders
can testify on my behalf.
For from them I even received letters to the brothers
and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem
in chains for punishment those there as well.

“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus,
about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’
And he said to me,
‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’
My companions saw the light
but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’
The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus,
and there you will be told about everything
appointed for you to do.’
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light,
I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.

“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law,
and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said,
‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’
And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said,
‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.’”

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Commentary on Acts 22:3-16

"St Luke gives us Paul's address to the Jews of Jerusalem, the first of three speeches in his own defense (cf. 24:10-21; 26:1-23) in which he tries to show that there is no reason why Christianity should be opposed by Jew or by Roman. Here he presents himself as a pious Jew, full of respect for his people and their sacred traditions. He earnestly desires his brethren to realize that there are compelling reasons for his commitment to Jesus. " [4] 

This is the second account given in Acts of Paul’s conversion experience. In this account Paul himself recalls his role in the Hebrew temple as an enforcer. The reason for his trip to Damascus was the persecution of Christians, whom he was to return to Jerusalem in chains. By this miraculous event, Saul, who is renamed to Paul, becomes a witness to the resurrected Christ and an Apostle. 

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Or: Acts 9:1-22 

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, AAnanias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.

He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
All who heard him were astounded and said,
“Is not this the man who in Jerusalem
ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains
to the chief priests?”
But Saul grew all the stronger
and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus,
proving that this is the Christ.

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Commentary on Acts 9:1-22 

This selection is the first of three accounts of Paul’s conversion. In this passage we are given more details about the events leading up to Saul’s actual experience, adding the mindset of Ananias and his fear of approaching Saul because of his reputation. We are also given a little Hebrew numerology as we hear that Saul neither ate nor drank for three days prior to his baptism, the same period Jesus was in the tomb.
According to these accounts, Saul, the enforcer of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, was an involuntary convert, a person of zeal and energy that the Lord turned, as scripture says, into God’s instrument. Although it is only St. Luke that gives Saul the title “Apostle” twice (Acts 14: 4; 14), this passage provides a parallel to the call of the others; Paul sees the Kyrios, the risen Lord; he is called, he is given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he proclaims Christ crucified. 

CCC: Acts 9:3-18 639; Acts 9:4-5 598; Acts 9:13 823; Acts 9:14 432; Acts 9:20 442

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2 

R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2 

“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.” [5] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:15), the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation. 

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Gospel: Mark 16:15-18 

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

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Commentary on Mk 16:15-18 

In this passage we are given St. Mark’s version of Jesus’ final commissioning of the Apostles. This Gospel account is the final recorded meeting between Jesus and the Apostles. It is important because it supports the universal mission of the Twelve, and also the mission Paul is given at his time of conversion: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” "It is the same charge given at the end of Matthew's Gospel (28:18-20 see also Luke 24:47) and anticipated in the eschatological discourse (Mark 13:10).  The good news is no longer limited to God's chosen people, as it had been during Jesus' earthly life (7:27; see Matthew 10:6)." [6] 

CCC: Mk 16:15-16 977, 1223; Mk 16:15 888; Mk 16:16 161, 183, 1253, 1256, 1257; Mk 16:17-18 670, 1507; Mk 16:17 434, 1673; Mk 16:18 699

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Reflection: 

We recall that when St. Stephen was condemned to death, those who would execute him came and laid their cloaks at the feet of Saul (Acts 7:58).  Saul was the one identified as being the “tip of the sword” wielded by the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem in the aftermath of the resurrection of Christ.  It was he who persecuted those who believed that Jesus came fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, all that he had so laboriously studied under the great Jewish scholar Gamaliel.  For him that must have been like being trained as an astronaut and then finding out the space program was effectively cancelled.  

We observe, as we consider his journey of faith, that his heart, so intent on serving God that it led him to put to death those who would stray from the path he was taught, would require drastic action to change direction.  His encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was transformative.  The blindness he suffered was symbolic of his interpretation of all of God’s revelation up to that point.  He had seen all of the signs and completely missed the point.  His life had been directed like the person confronted with a giant puzzle.  That person was so enthralled by the pieces that they never assembled them to see the whole beautiful picture the puzzle was meant to represent. 

St. Paul came to know the truth.  He heard the words spoken by Jesus from heaven: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” But it did not begin or end there.  It was the catalyst of his conversion.  He would spend the rest of his life trying to forgive himself for what he had done before that moment.  We hear his remorse often in his self-effacing writings. 

In his life, we can all take heart.   We have all been guilty of not listening to the Lord’s call, to a greater or lesser degree.  We often hear of momentous conversion stories, generally affecting those who acted most contrary to the laws of God and Christ, those who have committed heinous crimes, people like the past president of Planned Parenthood who led the fight to legalize abortion.  Their stories of conversion are seemingly miraculous.  And it appears that those who turned most drastically are generally the loudest proponents of our faith after their life-changing encounter with Christ. 

Each of us is also called to conversion.  For many of us it is a gradual process, not requiring blindness or imprisonment to cause us to recognize we were on the wrong path.  If we are lucky, these “course corrections” are gradual and we are paying attention.  At times we may take a seriously wrong turn and be brought back sharply.  All of us are undergoing this journey to conversion.  No one has come to perfect faith except those who finally see the Lord face to face. 

Today we thank God for the gift of St. Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles.  We also ask our Heavenly Father to “deliver us from temptation” so that we need not undergo one of those sharp changes in our lives.  Rather, may God give us the strength to strive constantly to see the face of Christ in those we meet, and to look forward to the day when our journey to the Lord finds fulfillment in the perfect love of the heavenly kingdom. 

Pax 

In other years: Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

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[1] The picture is “The Conversion of St. Paul” by Louis the Younger Boullogne c. 1730’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] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 865.

[5] NAB footnote on Psalm 117.

[6] The Gospel of Mark, Mary Healy © 2008, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p. 333.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday of the Word of God

Catechism Links [1]

CCC 51-64: God’s plan of Revelation

CCC 1427-1433: Inner, ongoing conversion

CCC 1886-1889: Conversion and society

“The Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew” 
by Jacob Willemsz De Wet, the Elder, c. 1660

Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time [2] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3] 

Readings and Commentary: [4] 

Reading 1: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD'S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.

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Commentary on Jon 3:1-5, 10 

Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish, the Prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of his people, the Jews. He is sent to spread the news that the city would be destroyed unless all of the residents of the city repented of their ways. It is not mentioned in this reading, but Jonah was sure he would fail and the city would be destroyed. This reading describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption. 

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 

Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that “your ways” be made known. This request directs us to repentance and ultimately guides us to justice. In the first strophe of this hymn, we hear support for our belief that God answered the prayers of our ancient ancestors. Their trust was justified. The song continues as an individual prayer asking for guidance and salvation. 

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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31   

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

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Commentary on 1 Cor 7:29-31   

St. Paul is answering questions put to him by the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:1-11:1). In this short passage we see the Apostle's vision that the Eschaton is coming soon, that Christ’s second coming is imminent, to take place before their deaths (“For the world in its present form is passing away.”). His advice here has two levels of meaning. Understood from the perspective of the imminent return of Christ, the members of the community are to rejoice in the coming salvation. “The world . . . is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.” [5]  Understood in a later period, he is echoing Christ’s urgency to reform, not to delay for “you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13). 

CCC: 1 Cor 7:31 1619

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Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

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Commentary on Mk 1:14-20 

It is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospel accounts show Jesus beginning his public ministry after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. The “Voice” decreases while the “Word” increases (see John 3:30). We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples from St. Mark’s Gospel. They follow him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples. From other Gospel sources (John 1:35-42), we know that at least Andrew was a disciple of St. John the Baptist and would have shared Jesus' status with his brother, Simon (Peter). 

CCC: Mk 1:15 541, 1423, 1427; Mk 1:16-20 787

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Reflection: 

Sacred Scripture places before us the stories of how God calls individuals to his service.  In the first reading from Jonah, the prophet has gone through a conversion experience. He has been rescued by God from certain death, and sent on a specific mission – to call the people of Nineveh to repentance.  Earlier in the story, when Jonah heard the call to go to Nineveh, we are told that Jonah is skeptical of his success.  The people of Nineveh are traditional enemies of the Hebrews and we can almost hear Jonah’s thoughts: they will reject the demand of the Lord and God’s justice will wipe them from the earth.  However, when they hear the word of God, the call is answered. The people are saved. 

The Gospel tells us about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sounds very similar to the call of John the Baptist, at least at first. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” 

However, we immediately see something amazing. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does not give us the relationship between St. Andrew and St. John the Baptist that we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel. In Mark we are just told that he calls to them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They “left their nets”; they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. There is no explanation, just “he called them,” and they left their father, their family and followed him. 

We begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be convinced by rhetoric, or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, their professions. and their families, to follow him. 

The lessons we hear today take what we have built during the previous seasons of this year and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, before work and even before family, in our hearts. 

Pax 

In other years on this date: Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor

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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 used is “The Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew” by Jacob Willemsz De Wet, the Elder, c. 1660

[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] NAB footnote on 1 Cor 7:29-31.

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr) or 

Proper for the Memorial of St. Vincent 

Biographical information about St. Vincent 

 

(Optional Memorial for Saint Marianne Cope, Virgin) or 

Author’s selection of texts and reflection

Additional texts for the Memorial of St. Marianne Cope may be taken from the Common of Virgins.

Biographical information about St. Marianne Cope

 

(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)  

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (USCCB recommends: # 18 The Blessed Virgin Mary/ Queen of Apostles)

“Communion of the Apostles” 
by Luca Signorelli, 1512

Readings for Saturday of the Second Week on Ordinary Time [2] 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3] 

Readings and Commentary: [4] 

Reading 1: Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14 

A tabernacle was constructed, the outer one,
in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering;
this is called the Holy Place.
Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be,
passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands,
that is, not belonging to this creation,
he entered once for all into the sanctuary,
not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood,
thus obtaining eternal redemption.
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes
can sanctify those who are defiled
so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the Blood of Christ,
who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

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Commentary on Heb 9:2-3, 11-14 

The Letter to the Hebrews contrasts the tradition of Jewish animal sacrifice or sin offering with what Jesus has done for us. The author describes, in detail, how Christ becomes the sacrifice of atonement and seals the new covenant. Using this specific Mosaic Law and imagery, he explains how the Lord came as the ultimate offering for our salvation. 

CCC: Heb 9:11-28 1476, 1564; Heb 9:11 586, 662; Heb 9:12 1085; Heb 9:13-14 2100; Heb 9:14 614

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

For king of all the earth is God:
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne.
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 

Psalm 47 is a hymn of praise celebrating God’s enthronement and kingship over the people. The imagery in the second strophe (v. 6) strongly suggests the movement of the Ark of the Covenant being processed and installed as part of this celebration. The song concludes with a proclamation of the universal claim of God – King of all the earth. 

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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 

Jesus returns to his home and is greeted with disbelief by some his own relatives. They likely believe, because of his excessive focus on his mission and the claims made about his actions, that he has become delusional. 

This short passage provides a sense of the challenges Jesus faced 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 by even his relatives is a barrier to be overcome. 

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Reflection: 

The Gospel begs a question of us today.  If we took the Gospel completely to heart, and lived it so diligently that every suggestion the Jesus made about how life was to be lived was followed completely, would our families think we had lost our minds?  The answer that may have popped into our minds may have been: “No, I try to do that now and no one thinks I am insane.”  

We are invited to consider more closely the circumstances surrounding Jesus that would have caused that kind of reaction from those with whom he had grown up.  We can only suppose that he had been apprenticed to his father (foster father), Joseph, during his adolescent and early years, before we encounter him at the Jordan with the Baptist.  

He was no doubt thought to be a bit strange by his peers – probably too good.  The adults would have loved him because he seemed to be mature beyond his years.  Perhaps suddenly, or with little discussion with his mother (after his foster father’s death), he decides that he is called to begin something important, and goes out to see John, baptizing at the Jordan River.  Even if he had been accompanied by some of his relatives, what happened at the Jordan must have stunned everyone.  But Jesus did not stay there to be questioned.  He was led or driven into the desert, by himself.  He remained there, alone, for an extended period of time.  His family and friends would have wondered what had happened to him. 

Upon his return, the first person to recognize that event was St. John the Baptist, who sees him and tells his disciples: “Behold the Lamb of God” (John1:29).  What a strange title to use.  Yet some of John’s disciples follow him.  This leads to the call of the first four of Jesus’ own disciples, and quickly that number grows to twelve (symbolic of the number of tribes of Israel perhaps). 

Some of these “disciples” were of questionable character, and there would have been news of him having developed a power to heal.  There would also be some rather disturbing news about confrontations with the religious leadership.  His cousins would have heard that he had been challenging the Pharisees and scribes – not a good thing and highly uncharacteristic of the good and gentle young man they had known growing up. 

This would have been the prelude to Jesus coming home.  His excessive preoccupation with the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, and the crowds that were following him around would have caused them to think that perhaps his sojourn in the desert had caused him to go mad.  His unbending idealism would have been at odds with the person they thought they knew. 

It’s fairly clear how these two short verses came about.  Have we not seen similar situations in our own lives?  Have we not known people who went off on a retreat or perhaps made a Cursillo weekend, and had come back changed, significantly changed, not the same person?  Did we think of them as fanatics or religious zealots?  We now come back to our original question.  If we took the Gospel completely to heart, and lived it so diligently that every suggestion the Jesus made about how life was to be lived was followed completely, would our families think we had lost our minds?  The answer might be yes.  And if we did, would that be such a bad thing?  

Conversion comes in stages to most people.  It is a process rather than an event.  What is clear is that even a gradual change will be met with resistance.  The attitudes and values of Christ are not welcome in many parts of our society, and attempts will be made to silence those who shout too loudly. 

Today our prayer is that we too might be thought of as being a bit mad, if it is Christ’s madness we proclaim. 

Pax 

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by “BVM.” The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

[2] The picture used today is “Communion of the Apostles” by Luca Signorelli, 1512.

[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.