Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]

 
CCC 543-544: Kingdom first to Israel, now for all who believe
CCC 674: Christ’s coming hope of Israel; their final acceptance of Messiah
CCC 2610: Power of invocation with sincere faith
CCC 831, 849: The catholicity of the Church

“Christ and the Canaanite Woman”
Jean Germain Drouais  1770’s

Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7
 
Thus says the Lord:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
 
The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
ministering to him,
loving the name of the Lord,
and becoming his servants—
all who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
for my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.
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Commentary on Is 56:1, 6-7
 
This passage is part of what scholars call the “Post-Exilic Torah,” or the law after the return. In this selection we see that foreigners (those living outside Palestine) are offered membership in the faith community. The other important element is that the temple is given the name “a house of prayer.” This passage was quoted by Jesus as he drove the money changers from the temple (see Mark 11:17 and Matthew 21:13).
 
“The scene defines the legacy to which this generation of YHWH’s servants fall heir. It is provided for them without cost by their gracious God. It consists of a permanent contract with the same provisions given to David in the previous age. It provides for political stability, order, and justice. It provides for economic prosperity for the people. It makes possible worship, witness, and service of YHWH in Zion, his city, and in Palestine, his land.” [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2-3,5-6, 8
 
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
 
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
 
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
 
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
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Commentary on Ps 67:2-3,5-6, 8
 
Psalm 67 is a blessing and has elements of the ancient blessing of Aaron from Numbers 6:22ff. This blessing has more of a plaintive tone (a group lament), or petition asking for a bountiful harvest. It points to the universal salvation promised by God to all the peoples.
 
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Reading II Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
 
Brothers and sisters:
I am speaking to you Gentiles.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,
I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous
and thus save some of them.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
 
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.
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Commentary on Rom 11:13-15, 29-32
 
St. Paul’s concern for the Hebrew people who have rejected Christ becomes clear in this passage as he states clearly that one of the reasons he became “apostle to the Gentiles” was to make the Jews jealous. He does so in order that they would recant their rejection of the peace and eternal life offered by salvation in Christ, and accept the promise offered by the Messiah.
 
The concluding verse makes it clear that even though the Jewish people who rejected the Gospel of Christ are “enemies on your account” (v. 28), their election as the chosen people is irrevocable – the offer of salvation is not withdrawn.
 
CCC: Rom 11:13-26 755; Rom 11:25 591, 674; Rom 11:26 674; Rom 11:28 60; Rom 11:29 839; Rom 11:31 674; Rom 11:32 1870
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Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28
 
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.
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Commentary on Mt 15:21-28
 
There was a long history of tension between the Canaanites and the Hebrews that was at a high point when Jesus encountered the woman. She clearly knew what she was doing as she addressed him as “Lord, Son of David,” identifying him by that name as a Hebrew.
 
In this selection Jesus has withdrawn from Palestine to escape the persecution of the Pharisees and scribes and to spend time training his disciples. The region they come to is predominantly Gentile and sets the scene for his encounter with a Canaanite woman (in St. Mark’s Gospel it is the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30).
 
Jesus, while the words attributed to him are harsh, did not, as most of his own contemporaries would have, begin throwing stones at her to drive her away. His disciples were begging him to do that. Jesus recognized the great gulf between them, but opened his healing touch to the woman’s child when her faith in him was demonstrated.
 
The exchange between Jesus and the woman is intended to describe the universal nature of the messianic mission. Within the dialogue we see Jesus initially refuse to accede to the woman’s request (even though she recognized his authority: “the woman came and did him homage, saying, 'Lord, help me'”).
 
This same pattern of refusal and then acquiescence is found in St. John’s Gospel (John 2:4, John 4:48). The metaphor being exchanged in this banter refers to the “children” being the Hebrews, and the “dogs” a reference to the Gentiles (frequently referred to as such by Hebrews of the day). While this seems out of character for the Lord, our translation leaves out some conversational nuances that soften the dialogue. The word translated as “dogs” in this translation could be more accurately expressed as “pups.” It is also significant that the children and pups are eating at the same table, again expressing the universal nature of the mission of the Messiah.
 
CCC: Mt 15:22 439, 448; Mt 15:28 2610
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Reflection:
 
We are reminded in Scripture that God’s mercy and salvation came for all and is generously given, even if sometimes our prayers are answered with silence.  Isaiah reminds us of the universal offer as he speaks to the people of Israel who are returning to their homes in Judah and Israel following the years of their exile.  We might think of it as a parallel to our own situation. For were we too not forced into exile by the necessity of halting the spread of this horrible virus which had taken so many lives?
 
We, like those ancient Jews are returning to our community of faith after forced separation.  We can feel God’s mercy as we do so and those words, “sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,” allows us to identify more closely with people so separated, refugees from our faith.
 
Into our attempt to retain our sense of community comes the familiar story of the Canaanite woman.  It is a story daily Mass-goers will recall hearing only a few weeks ago.  It is repeated here because the need for us to recall God’s promise is set in this story in an unusual way – a pragmatic example of our own prayers for God’s help when we face severe challenges.
 
We are invited to consider the scene.  Jesus has experienced what St. Paul laments in his letter to the Romans also proclaimed today.  The Lord was rejected by the leaders of his own faith, even after performing the miracle of feeding the multitudes with just a few loaves and fishes.  He is tired and, even the Son of Man must feel somewhat depressed, certainly saddened because those he came to save rejected that salvation. (St. Paul tells the Gentiles that, perhaps in their jealousy, some Jews may be saved as they see that same gift offered to their non-Jewish (goy) neighbors.)
 
God shows his hand as the Lord encounters another person who has turned her back on her own people, the Canaanite woman.  God brings these two, Jesus and the woman, together so that we might see that persistent faith will help us understand that God’s mercy and love persists as we persist in our faith. The woman is desperate in her situation and Jesus is tired, dejected and traveling in a foreign land. The woman “screams” at him in desperation.  For those of us who have had dogs (to borrow from an image used later), it is like leaving your beloved pet and hearing the plaintive barking of your pet, not wanting to be left behind. She comes to him like a persistent and perfect prayer of petition. “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!”
 
Now at this point, those of us who have developed a view of Jesus as the perfect vision of God’s love incarnate would expect a compassionate response.  We actually feel there is something not right in what comes next.  The woman’s pitiable cry is met, not with immediate compassion, but with silence! How unlike a similar encounter with the blind beggar named Bartimaeus (literally "Son of Timaeus") in Mark 10:46-52, who, using the same entreaty, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me,” received almost instant mercy and healing.
 
We invite you to think for a moment about times when you have prayed insistently to God asking for needed help but hear nothing. This woman, motivated by the love of her child, persists even more intensely. So intense are her cries that the disciples come to Jesus and ask him to do something about her.  It is time for one of St. Matthew’s “teaching moments” for the disciples. Instead of turning aside to deal with the woman, he tells his disciples: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (In the depths of our own desperation, have we not all wondered at some point: “Am I worthy of God’s mercy? Have I not failed in so many ways, and sinned in God’s eyes? Does God only help those whose loyalty makes them deserving of God’s mercy?”).
 
The woman must have overheard this comment and driven by her need, she again approached Jesus. As we enter into this part of Jesus’ uncharacteristically harsh dialogue, we should remind the reader that while the reference to “little dogs” might sound like a softening of Jesus’ comments regarding Gentile children, in most cultures there is not the same affection for dogs as in the west.  Hence, using the term “dog,” as in other parts of Scripture is still meant as a derogatory term. In this final exchange to the woman’s persistence is rewarded and the Lord demonstrates again his perfect reflection of God’s love for all people.
 
The entire encounter is, for us, an important reminder that our prayer must be sincere and persistent.  And that God’s mercy knows no limits.  We must never be shaken from our faith even in desperate times and situations, having faith the Lord will answer.
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: Optional Memorial for St. Stephen of Hungary

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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 “Christ and the Canaanite Woman” Jean Germain Drouais  1770’s.
[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] John D. W. Watts, Isaiah 34–66, Revised Edition, vol. 25, Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2005), 821–22.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mass during the Day

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 411, 966-971, 974-975, 2853: Mary, the New Eve, assumed into heaven
CCC 773, 829, 967, 972: Mary, eschatological icon of the Church
CCC 2673-2679: at prayer with Mary
 
Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
Background on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Assumption of the Virgin”
by Balthasar Beschey c.1752

Readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
 
God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
 
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.
 
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One.”
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Commentary on Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
 
John’s Book of Revelation provides an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is Queen of Heaven. In the passage, the eschatological symbolism shows Mary giving birth to her son, Jesus. It also depicts Satan, who, knowing the nature of the Lord, puts forces in motion to destroy the child. This portrayal, with images taken from Genesis, and symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel, shows the Christ being born of Mary, and recalls her flight to Egypt. The dragon (which is the first symbol to be depicted) represents the secular governments at the time, Herod and Rome. The final verse of the passage proclaims Jesus as the Christ, “his Anointed.”
 
CCC: Rv 12 1138
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
 
R. (10bc) The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your Lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
 
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
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Commentary on Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16
 
Psalm 45 is a royal psalm, originally sung in honor of the king’s marriage to a queen (of foreign extraction). The queen identified in this passage is Jerusalem, central to the Jewish faith. Offered here, we see her (Jerusalem) as an analog to Mary who brought forth the Christ.
 
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
 
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for “he subjected everything under his feet.”
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Commentary on 1 Cor 15:20-27
 
St. Paul is reminding us that Christ is the King in heaven and on earth, and that all things (including his mother, who will be Queen of Heaven) are subject to him. He begins speaking of Jesus as “firstfruits,” which, in the culture of the time, was that offering from the harvest which consecrated the entire harvest. In this case, Jesus' own sacrifice is the salvation of all those who have suffered death in his name. Death entered the world through Adam, and through his sin, the gates of heaven slammed shut. Through Jesus' own resurrection, he was victorious over the final enemy, death itself, and once more flung open the heavenly gates.  Hence, we believe he has sovereignty over the living and the dead.
 
CCC: 1 Cor 15:20-22 655; 1 Cor 15:20 632, 991; 1 Cor 15:21-22 411; 1 Cor 15:24-28 2855; 1 Cor 15:24 668; 1 Cor 15:26 1008; 1 Cor 15:27-28 668
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Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
 
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
 
And Mary said:
 
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
 
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
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Commentary on Lk 1:39-56
 
The Gospel selection from St. Luke gives us the story of Mary’s journey from Nazareth over the mountains to Hebron, south of Jerusalem, to visit her cousin St. Elizabeth, who was also with child. St. Elizabeth’s greeting gives us substance for the “Hail Mary,” and Mary’s response is the great Canticle of Mary, which exemplifies her faith and faithfulness appropriate for the mother of Jesus, who is the Christ.
 
Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth follows the annunciation by Gabriel that she would carry the Son of God, which proclaims the coming of the Lord, and the faith of Mary before the nativity event. We note that Elizabeth is first to identify Jesus as Lord as she says: “how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” She not only professes the identity of the infant, but foreshadows Mary’s leadership standing, elevating the stature of her much younger cousin with reverence. Elizabeth continues her praise of Mary by establishing that her (Mary’s) faith had allowed her to accept even the incredible role God had offered her.
 
In response we hear Mary’s humility as she gives us the Magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” This opening phrase establishes that the Blessed Mother gives herself to God eternally (her eternal self or soul) and completely (the very core of her being or spirit). What follows in her great song is an abject expression of faith in the Father’s omnipotence, and her own humility and awe in the face of his request of her to carry God’s only Son.
 
CCC: Lk 1:41 523, 717, 2676; Lk 1:43 448, 495, 2677; Lk 1:45 148, 2676; Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422
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Reflection:
 
As disciples of Christ, we take this day to reflect on the singular honor bestowed on the Mother of God, Mary. We believe, as an article of our faith, that because of her pure faith that accepted God’s will so lovingly, she was taken bodily to heaven. There she assumes a place of honor above all the saints as Queen of Heaven.
 
This understanding of our faith is arrived at through deduction and tradition, rather than Holy Scripture. Yes, we see today the holiness of the Mother of God. We see how she humbly accepts the servant role with which she is honored by God. We hear the imagery with which St. John paints her as Queen in Heaven, and we can see in the psalms, much as we see signs of Christ, portents of St. Mary’s role.
 
While we see all the signs in Holy Scripture of Mary’s special stature and reward, there is nothing explicit about her dormition (but then there is nothing explicit explaining the Trinity either; our understanding of the Triune God was also deduced by prayer and revelation in the early Church). There are written works that speak of the event we celebrate. Two excellent resources are The Assumption of Mary from the Apocrypha and Cyril of Jerusalem, Homily on the Dormition.
 
What is important for us on this holy day is to remember that Mary, in her life, gave us an example of the servant’s role, surpassed only by her son, who is the Son of God. She accepted the potential humiliation and death possible for an unwed mother of her time. She did not look for a place of honor and showed us that her greatest honor was also her greatest sorrow as she stood at the foot of the cross.
 
We hear in her song today all the reasons she was accorded the singular honor of being taken bodily to heaven as tradition holds. The truly important part of this celebration is for us to see her example of faith in God, and faith in her son, Jesus, and, to attempt to follow that example (O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary).
 
Pax
 
In other years:  Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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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 “Assumption of the Virgin” by Balthasar Beschey c.1752.
[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.

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe 
 
Biographical Information about St. Maximilian Kolbe

“St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe”
 photographer and date are unknown

Readings for Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
 
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born.
 
Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you:  Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD.
 
But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became.
 
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63
 
Ezekiel once more calls the people of Jerusalem to repentance. In this discourse, he describes God’s relationship to the people as an allegory to a marriage. He begins by reminding them of their origins. Jerusalem was first established by Canaanites, and was conquered by the Israelites under Joshua. When King David established Jerusalem as the center of Judaism, he brought the Ark of the Covenant to the temple there. Solomon, in his turn, made her beautiful, adorning her with all manner of riches. But the people were not faithful. They “played the harlot” adopting pagan rituals (see also Hosea 4: 13-14 and 2 Kings 21:1-18). Because of this, she was captured and despoiled, but even so, Yahweh gives her pardon and extends his hand of forgiveness.
 
CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Or: Ezekiel 16:59-63
 
Thus says the LORD:
I will deal with you according to what you have done,
you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you.
Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamed
when I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,
and give them to you as daughters,
even though I am not bound by my covenant with you.
For I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:59-63
 
In this shorter form, the prophet extends the hand of forgiveness as he speaks with God’s voice. Continuing the allegory of an unfaithful wife who is cast out by her lover, he tells the people of Jerusalem that in spite of all they have done, God will reestablish his covenant with them. God forgives them (an act that, because of their shame, they cannot understand).
 
CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
 
R. (1c) You have turned from your anger.
 
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You have turned from your anger.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You have turned from your anger.
 
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You have turned from your anger.
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Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
 
This hymn of praise is a profession of faith: “My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” It also does something interesting in that it challenges those who profess their faith in the Lord to proclaim it in the world: “among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.”
 
This canticle emphasizes the peace and confidence found in his servant, enjoying the salvation of God. He sings his praise to God and exhorts all of Israel to praise him as they see his constant presence among them in the blessings they receive.
 
CCC: Is 12:3 2561
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Gospel: Matthew19:3-12
 
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
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Commentary on Mt 19:3-12
 
This passage from Matthew’s Gospel is foundational to our understanding of the sacrament of matrimony. Here we find Jesus challenged by Pharisees (possibly being asked to take sides in an argument but more likely to be tricked). Jesus' comments on the origins of marriage and its sanctity are attacked again using Mosaic Law. Jesus once more goes back to the Father’s intent but does give an out – “unless the marriage is unlawful,” that is, the sacramental bond did not exist from the beginning.
 
The discourse then switches to one between Jesus and his disciples as they discuss the idea of living the celibate life. Again, the Lord tells them that this is not for everyone but “only for those to whom that is granted.” The Gospel links the call to marriage and celibacy; both are gifts from God.
 
CCC: Mt 19:1-12 2364; Mt 19:3-12 1620; Mt 19:3-9 2382; Mt 19:4 1652; Mt 19:6-12 2053; Mt 19:6 796, 1605, 1614, 1644, 2336, 2380; Mt 19:7-9 2382; Mt 19:8 1610, 1614; Mt 19:10 1615; Mt 19:11 1615; Mt 19:12 922, 1579, 1618
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Reflection:
 
The Gospel passage from St. Matthew is so important that volumes have been written about its implications to the sacraments of marriage and holy orders. It is interesting that these two sacraments are joined even in Scripture.
 
Central to our understanding of the sacramental bond celebrated in both sacraments is the idea of indelibility. If a sacrament exists it cannot be broken; it cannot leave. Jesus, in this passage, speaks the words used in the sacrament of marriage to describe the permanent nature of the bond (“what God has joined together, man must not separate”).
 
It is the understanding of the Church when it witnesses the sacrament of marriage, or when a bishop confers holy orders, that they cannot be undone. Rather, if, at a later time, it is found that the call to the sacrament of marriage is untenable or not present, or if laicization of one in holy orders is necessary, a mistake was made at the onset, and the sacraments were not present in the first place (although actions that have taken place under the auspices of that bond or those faculties are presumed valid). This is the reason for the existence of the marriage tribunals and the mechanisms of laicization at the Vatican to make certain the mistake was made, and it is something not taken lightly. God’s instruments of grace are not to be casually understood.
 
Today we thank God for the gift of marriage and the gift of holy orders. We ask the heavenly Father to strengthen the gifts of grace provided in these sacraments and pray that those so called will be faithful to their callings.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe” photographer and date are unknown.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of Saint Pontian, pope and martyr,
and Saint Hippolytus, priest and martyr
 
Proper for the Memorial of Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus
 
Biographical information about St. Pontian
 
Biographical information about St. Hippolytus

“Ezekiel” (detail)
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1510

 
Readings for Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ezekiel 12:1-12
 
The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house;
they have eyes to see but do not see,
and ears to hear but do not hear,
for they are a rebellious house.
Now, son of man, during the day while they are looking on,
prepare your baggage as though for exile,
and again while they are looking on,
migrate from where you live to another place;
perhaps they will see that they are a rebellious house.
You shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime
while they are looking on;
in the evening, again while they are looking on,
you shall go out like one of those driven into exile;
while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it;
while they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness;
cover your face that you may not see the land,
for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.
 
I did as I was told.
During the day I brought out my baggage
as though it were that of an exile,
and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand
and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness,
shouldering my burden.
 
Then, in the morning, the word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house,
ask you what you were doing?
Tell them: Thus says the Lord God:
This oracle concerns Jerusalem
and the whole house of Israel within it.
I am a sign for you:
as I have done, so shall it be done to them;
as captives they shall go into exile.
The prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden
and set out in darkness,
going through a hole he has dug out in the wall,
and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone.
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Commentary on Ez 12:1-12
 
As a consequence of their rebellion against the Law of Moses, the prophet Ezekiel predicts the nature of the defeat and exile of the Israelites from Jerusalem. Ezekiel is told to reenact the exile as “a sign” of what is to come. He is told to “dig a hole” in the wall, a symbol of the broken walls of Jerusalem, and to hide his face, a symbol of shame or grief (see Jeremiah 14:4). 
 
"Ezekiel's symbolic action stands for what will happen to King Zedekiah (v. 10: cf. 2 Kings 25:2-7), who is not mentioned here by either name or title of king. He is called 'the prince in Jerusalem,' not 'prince of Judah', to indicate that catastrophe will befall the city and its inhabitants." [4]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62
 
R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
 
They tempted and rebelled against God the Most High,
and kept not his decrees.
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers;
they recoiled like a treacherous bow.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
 
They angered him with their high places
and with their idols roused his jealousy.
God heard and was enraged
and utterly rejected Israel.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
 
And he surrendered his strength into captivity,
his glory in the hands of the foe.
He abandoned his people to the sword
and was enraged against his inheritance.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
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Commentary on Ps 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62
 
Psalm 78 is a recital of historical events in the experience of Israel. In these verses the psalmist once more recounts the idea that the people had turned away from God, and in consequence received his punishment, defeat, and exile.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 18:21–19:1
 
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
 
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed,
and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
 
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee
and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
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Commentary on Mt 18:21–19:1
 
This selection from the Gospel from St. Matthew provides a teaching moment, as Jesus explains how his followers must forgive others. Peter asks Jesus how many times a person who sins must be forgiven. Jesus responds that forgiveness must be without limits. Jesus uses Hebrew numerology in this illustration. Seven in Hebrew terms is the perfect or complete number. So when Peter asks “how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” he is asking if he must forgive him completely. The metaphor the Lord uses in reply “seventy times seven” would imply an absolute forgiveness. "Jesus contrasts the behavior expected of the apostles with the boundless vengeance of Lamech in Genesis 4:24 (LXX), where the same figures of 'seven' and 'seventy times seven' are contrasted (CCC 982)." [5]
 
Jesus illustrates the requirement for Christian forgiveness with the parable of the unmerciful servant. As in many of the parables, the one who does what is wrong, in this case failing to show mercy and forgiveness even when it was shown to him, suffers a much worse fate in the final judgment.
 
CCC: Mt 18:21-22 982, 2227, 2845; Mt 18:23-35 2843; Mt 19:1-12 2364
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Reflection:
 
How many times have we been told: “Jesus forgave us our sins and we must forgive those who sin against us?”  Each time we say the Lord’s Prayer that request is made: “Forgive us our trespasses”; and we in turn make a promise, “as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Perhaps it’s the word “trespass” that throws us off.  The first definition found in most dictionaries is something like: “an unlawful act causing injury to the person, property, or rights of another, committed with force or violence, actual or implied.” [6]  We note that here trespass means sin or offense, rather than the common usage where we think of trespassing as meaning simply “an encroachment or intrusion.”[7]
 
When we pray we ask God to overlook our sins, to forgive them.  We do so with confidence because we have come to believe that Jesus came and offered himself as the sacrifice to God that atones for those sins.  In the Gospel, St. Peter asks Jesus how often he must forgive: “As many as seven times?”  His question is couched in symbolic terms using the Hebrew symbol for completeness, “7”.  In response Jesus says, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”  It is interesting that he says 77 times and not 777 times.  The implication of only using two sevens rather than three is that we will never perfectly forgive, only God can do that (three sevens would be ultimate perfection just as Holy, Holy, Holy is perfect holiness and 666 is the ultimate evil).
 
But rather than dwell on the interesting subject of Hebrew numerology and symbolism, let’s ask ourselves what Jesus wants of us.  While his answer was directed at St. Peter, his instruction, followed by a parable, is clearly meant for us as well.  Forgiveness can be given at different levels.  When a stranger inadvertently bumps into us and says, “Excuse me,” we forgive that person without really taking offense.  It would be a different story if that person stole our wallet during that bump and later returned it to us saying, “I’m sorry I stole your wallet.”  And different still if that person did not return the wallet and we later realized it was missing.  Would we still find it in our hearts to forgive that person, completely?
 
The Lord is asking us to forgive as a parent forgives.  When a child does something wrong, knowingly “trespasses,” a parent will forgive that child with an added flavor to that forgiveness.  The parent accepts that their child has erred, and accepts that child’s humanness, knowing that the child will sin again, but nonetheless loving that child completely.  That is forgiveness at the 77 level.  When Christ offered himself on the Cross for our salvation, that was forgiveness at 777.  No human person can achieve such perfection.
 
Today our prayer is simple.  May we be given the grace to forgive those who trespass against us, and accept that we share in their failings.  Today we thank God for his Son who died, showing us forgiveness.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Ezekiel” (detail) by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1510.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible, Major Prophets (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 637.
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. © 2010), 8
[6] trespass. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trespass (accessed: August 11, 2020).
[7]Iibid