Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, priest
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhlūf
 
Biographical information about St. Sharbel Makhlūf

“Sower with Setting Sun” by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Readings for Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Jeremiah 3:14-17
 
Return, rebellious children, says the LORD,
for I am your Master;
I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan,
and bring you to Zion.
I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart,
who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.
When you multiply and become fruitful in the land,
says the LORD,
They will in those days no longer say,
"The ark of the covenant of the LORD!"
They will no longer think of it, or remember it,
or miss it, or make another.
 
At that time they will call Jerusalem the LORD's throne;
there all nations will be gathered together
to honor the name of the LORD at Jerusalem,
and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 3:14-17
 
"The fall of the city to the armies of Nebuchadnezzar and the deportations that followed (587 BC) marked the depth of Judah's misfortune; her repeated infidelity was the sole cause. Here, as in the previous oracle, the prophet [Jeremiah] says that God is ready to receive Israel and Judah back, provided they seek his forgiveness (Jeremiah 3:12-13)." [4]
 
Jeremiah, speaking in the prophetic voice of God, introduces a new idea. Previously the Hebrew peoples saw the Ark of the Covenant as the focus of God’s presence on earth (Exodus 25:8ff). A day was coming when Jerusalem would become that focus, and the temple in Jerusalem would come to be called the Throne of the Lord. When that occurred, the people would be united in their dedication to the Lord and they would no longer be led astray.
 
CCC: Jer 2-3 1611; Jer 3:4-19 370
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13
 
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
 
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
 
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
 
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13
 
The prophet Jeremiah foresees the return of the people from exile and the joyful restoration of Jerusalem.  The people rejoice as they return to prosperity, led by the Lord, the faithful shepherd who accomplishes this saving act. As in Isaiah 42:10 and Isaiah 49:1, all nations are called to witness God’s saving hand stretched out to his people.
 
The song from Jeremiah recalls the Diaspora, the exile of the Hebrews. In these strophes, the prophet sees the salvific work of God who shepherds his people as they return from exile in the “new exodus,” and the reunification of the people. He prophesies their return to the land from which they had been driven, giving praise to God for his mercy.
 
CCC: Jer 31 1611
-------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Hear the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 13:18-23
 
This passage from St. Matthew is the explanation of the “Parable of the Sower.” This explanation is given to the disciples as St. Matthew’s way of explaining it to his broader audience. It follows Jesus’ earlier response to their question about why he teaches using parables and his lament that many will not see the message contained or hear these teachings.
 
“Jesus here acts as ‘mystagogue,’ initiating the disciples into the ‘mystery,’ or secret meaning, of the parable. The incarnate Logos, Jesus of Nazareth, is the One in whom the eternal Wisdom both devised and realized the structure of the cosmic order, the structure of man’s being, as well as the plan for our redemption. […] For this reason, only can he personally reveal the internal meaning, workings, and interconnections of these various planes of the divine creativity.” [5]
 
CCC: Mt 13:3-23 1724; Mt 13:22 29
-------------------------------------------------
Reflection
 
We reflect on the amazing imagery of the parable of the Sower. This parable is so rich for us because not only do we look at it and see ourselves as the seed (and the various circumstances of its growth) but we can also see ourselves as the sower. We can even look at ourselves as the soil in which the seed falls.
 
If we see ourselves as the seed, we concern ourselves with accepting God’s word in our hearts so we can put out deep roots. When we do so we cannot be snatched away, the sun cannot burn us and the weeds cannot choke us. As we see, the only way for us to do that is by constant care and attention. We water ourselves with the sacraments, we feed ourselves with the word of God and our roots become our prayer.
 
If we see ourselves as the Sower, we must have the attitude of Christ. He knew that the life-giving words he spoke would not generally fall on receptive ears (hence the reason for the parable in the first place). He (and we) must accept that we have a task to do as the sower. We must put the seeds of God’s love out there in that vast field that is the world and trust God to watch over it.
 
When we see ourselves as the soil, ah, that is something we can control. We can easily see the seeds of faith in others. Sometimes that faith has germinated, and we will be the rich fertile soil that helps it grow. Other times when it has not even germinated, we encourage it providing examples and nurturing. Sometimes we see it choked by weeds and we do our best to move that seed to a more wholesome environment. And sometimes we see the seeds parched due to lack of nourishment and we do our best to provide it. The hardest part of the parable of the sower is being the soil.
 
Today let us pray that we have the strength to be that seed in good ground. Let us ask God to help us be good sowers of his love. And finally, we ask God to make us the best possible soil, encouraging those around us to grow and helping them build the roots of prayer that will sustain them.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “Sower with Setting Sun” by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888
[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), 313-14.
[5] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume III (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2012), 215.

Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Bridget of Sweden, Religious
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden
 
Biographical information about St. Bridget of Sweden

“Jews in the Desert” by Tintoretto, 1592-94

Readings for Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13
 
This word of the Lord came to me:
Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear!
 
I remember the devotion of your youth,
how you loved me as a bride,
Following me in the desert,
in a land unsown.
Sacred to the Lord was Israel,
the first fruits of his harvest;
Should any presume to partake of them,
evil would befall them, says the Lord.
 
When I brought you into the garden land
to eat its goodly fruits,
You entered and defiled my land,
you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
“Where is the Lord?”
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.
 
Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the Lord.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13
 
The oracle of Jeremiah recalls the how the chosen people were saved. “Following me in the desert” is a reference to the exodus and subsequent sojourn by the Hebrews in the desert as they fled Egypt. But once they arrived in the land promised by God through Moses, they turned away from God, even adopting the pagan practices of the indigenous peoples (“The prophets prophesied by Baal”).
 
This part of the oracle concludes by saying the people have rejected the living water that is God’s favor (“they have forsaken me, the source of living waters”), and they have turned to false gods (“They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water”).
 
CCC: Jer 2-3 1611; Jer 2 762; Jer 2:13 2561
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 36:6-7ab, 8-9, 10-11
 
R. (10a) With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
 
O Lord, your mercy reaches to heaven;
your faithfulness, to the clouds.
Your justice is like the mountains of God;
your judgments, like the mighty deep.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
 
How precious is your mercy, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They have their fill of the prime gifts of your house;
from your delightful stream you give them to drink.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
 
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.
Keep up your mercy toward your friends,
your just defense of the upright of heart.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 36:6-7ab, 8-9, 10-11
 
Psalm 36 is of mixed genre, having elements of wisdom and lament. In these strophes we hear the psalmist thanking God for his infinite mercy. The metaphor of God as the source of living water is captured in the second and third strophes supporting Jeremiah’s oracle in Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17
 
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
 
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.
 
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 13:10-17
 
Following the “Parable of the Sower,” the disciples approach Jesus to ask him why he does not speak more clearly to the people instead of using the parables that some find confusing. His response, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, is much softer than the same story related in Mark 4:11ff.
 
“Since a parable is figurative speech that demands reflection for understanding, only those who are prepared to explore its meaning can come to know it. To understand is a gift of God, granted to the disciples but not to the crowds. In Semitic fashion, both the disciples' understanding and the crowd's obtuseness are attributed to God.” [4]
 
Concluding, Jesus reflects upon Isaiah 6:9-10 in a lament that the people will not understand what he reveals because their hearts are hardened.
 
CCC: Mt 13:3-23 1724; Mt 13:10-17 787; Mt 13:10-15 546; Mt 13:11 546
-------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
Today the oracle of Jeremiah coupled with St. Matthew’s Gospel reminds us of our own fallibility as we once more grapple with our attempt to follow Jesus, and the realization of how often we simply forget that mission and only later realize our failure.
 
Jeremiah, speaking with God’s voice, laments about how his precious possession, the people of Israel who faithfully followed him in their desert wanderings, turned away from him once they reached the Promised Land. It is like children who were promised a reward if they would only behave during a family gathering. When the parents gave them their reward early because they were doing such a great job, the children immediately forgot about their promise and misbehaved.
 
God laments, through Jeremiah, because the people he loves, in turning to false gods, have reached out for an empty cup, a broken cistern that holds no water. They have turned from life to death, and God, the loving parent, weeps for their choice.
 
In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples how blessed they are because God has made the offer of life to them, and they perceive it properly. It is because of his love for all God’s children that Christ asks us to reach out with the same message to others.
 
Think again of the parent who sees their children going in directions that will harm them. With older children (those who have learned everything there is to know) many times all we can do is tell them, plead with them to take another path. When they do not listen, all we can do is pray for God’s mercy, and that, when they find the cistern empty, they will return to the living water.
 
We pray for ourselves as well. How often do we turn away from the life-giving fountain that is God’s love to follow that which seems fairer but is not wholesome? Blessed indeed are we who see and hear God’s voice and follow. His loving mercy has saved us once more.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is “Jews in the Desert” by Tintoretto, 1592-94.
[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] NAB Footnote on Matthew 13: 10-17.

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Biographical Information About St. Mary Magdalene

“Magdalene” by Carlo Dolci, 1660-70

Readings for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene  [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible  [2]

Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Song of Songs 3:1-4a
 
The Bride says:
On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–
I sought him but I did not find him.
I will rise then and go about the city;
in the streets and crossings I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.
I sought him but I did not find him.
The watchmen came upon me,
as they made their rounds of the city:
Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
I had hardly left them
when I found him whom my heart loves.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Sng 3:1-4b
 
This passage from the Song of Songs describes by analogy the desperate search by God’s faithful, the "Bride," for the one whom she loves, the Lord. Not finding him close by, a search is made, and bystanders are consulted about his whereabouts.
 
"The speaker is the beloved. United in love with the one she loves (v. 5), she looks back, recalling her first fruitless search (v. 1), and what happened then and her second failed attempt to find him (v. 2); then, at her third attempt -- success (vv. 3-4). The canto in this way describes a trial she has undergone; she overcomes, thanks to her perseverance." [4]
 
CCC: Sng 3:1-4 2709
 -------------------------------------------
Or:
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
 
Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
 
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Cor 5:14-17
 
In this passage the apostle describes the transformation that occurs when a person accepts Christ and his mission. That Christian no longer considers Christ in terms of what was accomplished as man, but rather the spiritual dimension of the human person. Life in the spirit is forged anew in baptism. The “old things,” the old covenant, passes away, and new life and a new creation are brought forth in the one reborn in baptism.
 
CCC: 2 Cor 5:14 616, 851; 2 Cor 5:15 605, 655, 1269; 2 Cor 5:17 1214, 1265; 2 Cor 5:17-18 1999
 -------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63: 2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
 
R. (2) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
 
Psalm 63 is an individual lament. In this selection we see the emotion of one who longs to be reunited with God, separation from whom is like being cast into a desert without water. The singer professes faith in God’s salvation and expresses faith that the prayers offered will be answered.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18
 
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him."
 
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
`I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God."'
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
 
This passage is St. John’s account of the first meeting between Mary Magdalene and Jesus following the Lord’s crucifixion. In this account, we get a distinct picture that the ascension had not been completed, but the Lord is waiting to deliver his final instructions.
 
There is debate about when the Lord ascended to the Father. Clearly his last earthly appearance was fifty days following the resurrection. Most scholars believe Jesus ascended immediately following his meeting with Mary, depicted here. His return and actions from this point to the Ascension (Acts 1:1-11) were to accomplish the imparting of the gift of the Holy Spirit, as he had promised.
 
CCC: Jn 20:1 2174; Jn 20:2 640; Jn 20:11-18 641; Jn 20:13 640; Jn 20:14-15 645, 659; Jn 20:14 645; Jn 20:16 645; Jn 20:17 443, 645, 654, 660, 2795
 -------------------------------------------
 
Reflection:
 
Much has been said about St. Mary Magdalene in Scripture, in art, and in secular media. What we know of her, and what our tradition tells us, is grounded in Sacred Scripture. For instance, we are told directly that St. Mary Magdalene was one of the first to encounter the Risen Christ following his great passion and death. While she does not at first recognize the Savior, when he calls her name, she immediately realizes what has taken place and has faith. So intense is her love for him that she is told: “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”
 
In this very human reaction on St. Mary’s part, we find great empathy with her. So intense is her love for Jesus, who walked with her as man, to whom she had listened countless times, that she did not want him to continue with what he must do. This one statement (Noli me tangere) provides an example of the love of Christ that helps us understand his true nature as true God and true man.
 
 St. Mary’s example of love for Christ and faith in him has won for her a unique place in our own history of faith. She has provided an example of fidelity, as she stood beside him when tensions with the people he loved were high. She demonstrated an image of perfect contrition, for it is thought by some that she was the adulterous woman Jesus saved from stoning.
 
 When we think of St. Mary Magdalene, we often call to mind one who is devoted to the Lord in a very individual way. Where other saints show us a face turning out to the world, Saint Mary Magdalene’s is the face turned inward toward Christ in her love and devotion to him.
 
 For our part, we hope for some measure of that very personal and intimate love of Christ. We are reminded, in this example, that a relationship, both personal and intimate, with the Lord is possible, and that his mercy and love flow to us through this connection.
 
Pax
 
In other years: Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

---

[1] The picture is “Magdalene” by Carlo Dolci, 1660-70.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, except for 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, Psalms and the Song of Songs, (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 502.

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church
 
Proper readings for the Memorial for St. Lawrence of Brindisi
 
Additional information about St. Lawrence of Brindisi

“Christ on the Cross between Mary and St John“
by Albrecht Altdorfer, c. 1512

Readings for Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
 
Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.
 
Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea
all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mi 7:14-15, 18-20
 
This is the very end of the book of the prophet Micah.  In the previous chapters he has chastised and condemned the excesses and corruption of Jerusalem and Samaria (rich exploiters of the poor, fraudulent merchants, venal judges, corrupt priests and prophets).  Now at the end, he presents the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy to those who return to him.
 
The passage begins with a prayer of Micah. He asks that the people (likely a remnant returning to the region following their exile in 537 BC) might be given back their historical lands, and live in peace. Following the two verses not used, in which the prophet proclaims that all surrounding nations will be in fear of the power of God, he continues with two petitions in a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s mercy and forgiveness. The first is a petition to Yahweh, probably dating from the time of return from exile. There is a note of longing that comes through: “and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.”
 
The second petition is Israel’s prayer for forgiveness: “Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency.” It recalls God’s pledge of faithfulness and grace. His mercy flows from his love of the people. “The book ends by recalling the promises of the covenant binding Yahweh and the patriarchs. The Lord had pledged his "faithfulness" ('emet) and "grace" (hesed) to the Israel of old, and he was not about to renege now.”  [4]
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
R. (8a) Lord, show us your mercy and love.
 
You have favored, O LORD, your land;
you have brought back the captives of Jacob.
You have forgiven the guilt of your people;
you have covered all their sins.
You have withdrawn all your wrath;
you have revoked your burning anger.
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
 
Restore us, O God our savior,
and abandon your displeasure against us.
Will you be ever angry with us,
prolonging your anger to all generations?
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
 
Will you not instead give us life;
and shall not your people rejoice in you?
Show us, O LORD, your kindness,
and grant us your salvation.
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
Psalm 85 is a national lament. The psalmist, in these strophes, recalls with thanksgiving that God has returned the people to their land and restored the inheritance of Jacob. The song asks for forgiveness and mercy from God who alone grants salvation.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel:  Matthew 12:46-50
 
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you."
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
"Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother."
------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 12:46-50
 
In this selection from St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the importance of the family of faith over the biological family. It is likely a parallel to the situation found in Mark 3:21. It is important to note that the Catholic Church holds that Mary bore only one child, Jesus. The reference in this passage to “your brothers” (the word “brethren” is used in most other translations) refers to kinsmen, other relatives of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Similarly, other scriptural references to Jesus’ relatives find this same interpretation issue. The Aramaic term for brother/sister referred to relationships within the extended family (see notes on Mark 3:31ff). In apocryphal literature, specifically the History of Joseph the Carpenter, it is indicated that Mary was Joseph’s second wife, his first having died previously.  From this union, the document explains, Joseph had four sons and two daughters; Judas, Justus, James, and Simon. The names of the two daughters were Assia and Lydia. This is one more possibility driving the language of the Gospel.
 
In Galatians 1:19 we find: “But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord.” “James the brother of the Lord: not one of the Twelve, but a brother of Jesus (see note on Mark 6:3). He played an important role in the Jerusalem church (see note on Galatians 2:9), the leadership of which he took over from Peter (Acts 12:17). Paul may have regarded James as an Apostle.” [5]
 
To further support this point, logic tells us that if Mary had other biological children, Jesus would not have entrusted her to St. John as he hung upon the cross. (John 19:26-27)
 
Jesus’ initial indication that the disciples are his family is clarified by the statement: “whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother." Through his acceptance of the will of God, Jesus provides a natural continuation of our adoptive status as his brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29 ; 1 John 3:1).
 
CCC: Mt 12:49 764, 2233
------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
Today’s Gospel focuses our reflection on the importance of the faith community to which we belong. Jesus makes a very sweeping statement. He says that his family is not limited to his biological family, “his mother and brothers,” but rather those who join him in doing the will of the Heavenly Father.
 
Without getting into the sociological issues surrounding the development of group structures, we look at our own sphere of friends. If we are lucky, this sphere includes individuals who feel like extended family. They share major parts of our values and faith. If a person lacks a faith community, they generally associate with people who either share life experiences or a passion (e.g. people with whom we work or play).
 
Our true passions tend to yield our closest bonds of friendship. If we are deeply committed to our faith community, we generally find our closest friends are those who share that commitment. By the same token, if our passion is golf, our closest friends will be other golfers. If work is our life’s passion, our closest friends will be our co-workers. The larger numbers of links between us, the closer the ties become.
 
We ask ourselves, what importance do the bonds of friendship we forge have in our faith lives? The answer is, they are huge. The outward sign of our faith is rooted in our behaviors. Our behaviors tell the all those we meet what is important to us. If we dedicate our energies to forging friendships with individuals whose behaviors are hedonistic or self-destructive, what does that say about our own passions? If we devote our energy to improving our skill at some sport and ignore other aspects of familial or spiritual duty, what does that say about our commitments?
 
We do not recommend, as part of our reflection, the complete and myopic focus on our spiritual pursuits unless one feels called to either the priesthood or religious life. In those vocations, that kind of dedication will not twist one’s commitments out of balance. However, we do recommend a close look at where our closest bonds are formed, and if there is not some shared commitment to faith values, there may be room to rebalance our lives in that direction.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “Christ on the Cross between Mary and St John“ by Albrecht Altdorfer, c. 1512.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 17:33, 289.
[5] NAB footnote on Galatians 1:19.

Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Apollinaris
 
Additional Information about St. Apollinaris

“Christ Suffering”
by Pedro Fernández, 1510s

Readings for Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Micah 6:1-4, 6-8
 
Hear what the Lord says:
Arise, present your plea before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice!
Hear, O mountains, the plea of the Lord,
pay attention, O foundations of the earth!
For the Lord has a plea against his people,
and he enters into trial with Israel.
 
O my people, what have I done to you,
or how have I wearied you? Answer me!
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
from the place of slavery I released you;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
 
With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow before God most high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with myriad streams of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my crime,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
You have been told, O man, what is good,
and what the Lord requires of you:
Only to do the right and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mi 6:1-4, 6-8
 
We hear in these verses, from the prophet Micah, a lament by God against the impious people of Israel. His complaint (often read as part of the Stations of the Cross) reminds the listener of the great love God has shown in delivering the people from cruel bondage in Egypt. The prophet then switches to the voice of the people who ask what it is that will please the Lord. He lists greater and greater sacrifices, culminating in the sacrifice asked of Abraham, the sacrifice of the supplicant’s first born. The passage ends with God’s response, for the listener to repent from evil and love what is good. He closes with the phrase made popular in song: “and to walk humbly with your God.” This is one of the best expressions of the prophetic teaching on religion, the preparation for such New Testament passages as James 1:27.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
 
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
 
Psalm 50 is a “covenant lawsuit.” It is a lament against those who have violated God’s law, and the covenant made with him upon which the law was based. Echoing the charges leveled against Israel by the prophets, the psalmist condemns empty rituals and sacrifices that are not reflected in external actions and internal faith.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42
 
Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 12:38-42
 
In this passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees demand a sign, even though the Lord has been performing cures and exorcisms in front of them. Jesus replies, and tells them in no uncertain terms that no sign will be given to them.
 
Calling them unfaithful (literally adulterous) in their failure to understand that he is sent by God and his mission, and using a reference first to Jonah, he tells them that just as Jonah “was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights” (Jonah 2:1ff),  the Messiah will also be in the tomb of the earth for the same period. In this way, Jonah prefigured Jesus' death on the cross. He tells the Pharisees that, on the last day (the Day of Judgment), the people Jonah was sent to call to repentance would be raised because they had repented (Jonah 3:5ff). The Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection, believed that the “justified” or “just” would be raised on the last day, see Acts 23:6ff). The Lord concludes his comparison saying, in reference to his identity as the Son of God, “there is something greater than Jonah here.”
 
Jesus uses a second example, comparing the Pharisees' lack of understanding to the faith of the Queen of Sheba in the wisdom of Solomon. She (“the queen of the south“) was queen in Ethiopia (or western Arabia). She traveled a great distance to hear God’s wisdom from Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-10), who himself followed King David, the line that ultimately produced the Savior. Jesus calls them unfaithful in their failure to understand that he is sent by God, again concluding that: “there is something greater than Solomon here.”
 
CCC: Mt 12:39 994; Mt 12:40 627, 635, 994; Mt 12:41-42 590, 678
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus challenges the Pharisees whose lack of faith demands a sign, something they can see in order for them to believe his identity.  So many times, we see this happening in Scripture.  Even St. Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples who was present with him when this confrontation took place, would later fall into the same trap as he demanded proof of the Lord’s resurrection (John 20:24-25).
 
And what of us?  What do we believe, and what signs do we demand so that we may accept the Lord?  We may say: “I firmly believe and demand no sign from Jesus.”  But in our prayers, do we not, in the back of our minds, hope the Lord will answer us miraculously so that our faith may be increased?  It is part of our training that we should doubt what we cannot see, touch, or hear.  We are conditioned to demand proof, lest we be dubbed as gullible and taken for being foolish.
 
It is good that we are constantly reminded in Scripture that we are not alone in our doubts and secret desires for signs and wonders.  It gives us hope that, even with our failings, the mercy of God will ultimately prevail, and we will be rescued from our human frailty.  We take today’s reminder as a challenge, a challenge that we will not be like these doubt-ridden Pharisees, who saw Jesus’ acts of healing and could not come to believe.  We look to the altar and see there the wonder the Lord left us, and renew our faith in the Only Begotten Son of God.
 
Today, even as we hear the words, “this is my body,” and “this is my blood,” we reaffirm our love and faith in him who is not seen, but whose hope is realized as he feeds us.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is “Christ Suffering” by Pedro Fernández, 1510s.
[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.