Friday of the Second Week of Easter

“The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes”
by Lambert Lombard, 1530’s

 
Readings for Friday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 5:34-42
 
A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, "Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.
For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.
But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God."
They were persuaded by him.
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.
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Commentary on Acts 5:34-42
 
This passage concludes the apostles’ second confrontation with the Sanhedrin. Gamaliel (probably St. Paul’s mentor Acts 22:3), dissuades the Jewish leadership from killing the apostles, to let them off with scourging (probably also at the hands of the same men who scourged the Lord). St. Luke records an enlightened view from the great Hebrew teacher. Having witnessed a number of false prophets rise and fall, he tells the Sanhedrin that “if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them.”
 
Gamaliel was indeed wise, recognizing that, even before it formally existed, the blood of martyrs is the seed for new members of the Church. Even persecution had a positive effect on the faith and fervor of the apostles. (“So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”)
 
CCC: Acts 5:41 432
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
 
R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
One thing I ask of the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
 
Psalm 27 is an individual lament. Here, the singer expresses faith in God, who is the refuge of the faithful, longing to find ultimate safety and the bounty of God’s heavenly kingdom. This passage from the psalm captures the two major themes: hope in God’s mercy, and complete trust in his goodness. In these strophes, David longs for the Lord’s protection and the gift of life which flows from God's salvation.
 
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Gospel: John 6:1-15
 
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 6:1-15
 
This selection from St. John is the fourth sign from his Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves. It is the only miracle story carried in all four Gospels, and closely follows the synoptic Gospels (Mark 6:34-44, Luke 9:10-17, Matthew 14:13-21 and Matthew 15:32-39) in most details.
 
We see in this passage the strong reference to the Eucharist as well as a demonstration of God’s great love and mercy. More subtle is the reference to feeding the poor. Barley loaves were traditionally the fare of the poor. It is also interesting to note that, in the Jerusalem translation, the Lord “escaped” into the hills at the end of the story. This implied that the people were immediately aware of the great sign he had facilitated.
 
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:5-15 549; Jn 6:15 439, 559
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Reflection:
 
We are most struck today by the prophetic words of Gamaliel, the Hebrew scholar mentioned in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles.  He did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  If he had, he surely would have been standing with the apostles rather than advising the Sanhedrin.  He is typical of the unlikely fingerprints of God in the world, and we are amazed at the subtlety of the Lord’s plan of salvation.
 
We consider the climate of the scene painted by the words of St. Luke. The upstart Jesus, who had worked signs and wonders (like the multiplication of the loaves presented in St. John’s Gospel) had been taken care of by Pilate.  Yes, there had been some issues with the execution.  The body of Jesus had disappeared, and his disciples had claimed to have seen him alive.  But the Sanhedrin had already bribed the Roman guards at the tomb to say this preacher’s own disciples had stolen the body.  That was not hard since the guards did not want to admit that they had seen nothing, and the body was gone.
 
Now, some days later, the remnants of the young carpenter’s group came to the temple with the same message that this Jesus had used when he was alive, a message that resonated with the masses.  On top of that, they too had started to perform miraculous signs in the name of Jesus.  This was starting to get out of hand.  The Sanhedrin had told the apostles to stop, and they did not.  They threw a couple of them in prison, and those imprisoned somehow got free of a locked and guarded cell.  There was fear mixed with the anger. The Sanhedrin felt they were being disobeyed, having their authority flouted.
 
Standing in front of the Sanhedrin, there were not just two but eleven all saying the same outrageous things; that their rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, had risen from the dead as predicted by the prophecy of the Messiah.  Further, they were laying his blood on the august body of which they were a part, saying they had killed God.  It was outrageous. What should they do?
 
Into this emotional debate comes the cool politically motivated Gamaliel (St. Paul’s mentor and teacher).  His thoughts probably took into account the options.  They could have these eleven condemned by Pilate as they had done with Jesus.  And while Pilate probably would not mind -- killing a few more religious fanatics would likely make his life easier -- it would be a bother and there was some popular support for these people. So, money would need to be spent.  Or they could simply discipline them and let them go.  It was highly likely that Gamaliel’s analytical mind could not conceive what God had planned for these simple men.  So, he easily convinced his fellows to take the course of least resistance and have them flogged and released.
 
What if they had killed all eleven?  Would Mary, the Mother of God, and the faith-filled women have taken up the light of Christ?  Would it have been some other unlikely hero, perhaps even one reclining among the multitudes eating barley loaves and fish?  The fact is, the apostles walked free, emboldened by the fact that they had shared some of Christ’s suffering. And the Word of God came into the world, this time through them. How amazing is our God, how incredible the working of the Holy Spirit! We pray that the Lord come into this time of strife and do amazing things as well.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” by Lambert Lombard, 1530’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.

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

“Dispute before Sanhedrin”
by Fra Angelico, 1447-49

Readings for Thursday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 5:27-33
 
When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
"We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man's blood upon us."
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
"We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
 
When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 5:27-33
 
As in the previous case when they had cured the lame beggar, the apostles (this time all of them, not just Peter and John) are brought before the Sanhedrin. It is interesting to see that the elders and scribes fear to speak the name of Jesus in these proceedings (“stop teaching in that name”).
 
Peter now assumes his role as leader of the apostles, and again boldly professes his faith that Jesus, in whose name they speak and whose name the Sanhedrin fear to speak, is the Son of God. (“We must obey God rather than man.”) The intent of the Sanhedrin at this point changes from telling the apostles to stop spreading the cult of Jesus, to seeking their death in accordance with Mosaic Law on blasphemy (Deuteronomy 13:6-10). The apostles seem to be following the path that their Savior had walked.
 
CCC: Acts 5:28 597; Acts 5:29 450, 2242, 2256; Acts 5:30 597
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20
 
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20
 
The psalm and response offer praise and thanksgiving for God’s saving works and his special care for the poor. The Old Testament God of Justice is very visible in this selection. ("The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.") The psalmist calls out to the poor in spirit inviting them to trust in God's mercy and consolation.
 
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Gospel: John 3:31-36
 
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 3:31-36
 
This selection draws a parallel with vv. 16-21 of the discourse with Nicodemus. It is almost a reflection by the Gospel writer on the preceding dialogue and monologue. The Lord is, in no uncertain terms, telling the community that the Messiah, who comes from above, is of God and with God in his kingship over all creation. He goes on to explain that all he has said and taught, since it proceeds from God's authority given to him by the Father, is true, and all who believe in this truth shall receive eternal life.
 
The passage concludes with a formula similar to the “blessings and curses” statements made in God’s covenants with Abraham and Moses. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”
 
CCC: Jn 3:34 504, 690, 1286; Jn 3:36 161
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
A question was recently posed asking how to respond to a person of another faith who believed that Jesus did not become true God until he was hanging upon the cross.  This is of course heretical from the Catholic perspective.  But it allows us to point to St. John’s Gospel in Jesus’ monologue following the acknowledgment of St. John the Baptist that "He must become greater; I must become less" (the event that immediately preceded the selection just proclaimed). 
 
The man in question, whose name was given simply as Clyde and apparently is a member of “The Church of God,” demonstrates for us what happens when schism takes place and there is no competent authority to interpret Sacred Scripture or to provide consistent teaching on the nature of God and his Only Begotten Son.  The man has either been struggling with issues (issues that were taken up and resolved by the Church in the second through fourth centuries as great thinkers like St. Cyril of Jerusalem fought the great Christological heresy of Arianism), or he was misinformed by his own pastor.  Many of the early Church Fathers debated and came to faith in the Triune God, which is a theological understanding rather than purely scriptural.  They codified these beliefs in Church councils, the last of which was the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). (For those interested in this topic, there was an excellent piece published in the Blog – Parishable Items)
 
The point is this, that when the reformation took place in the 15^th century and the Protestant sects began to spring up, they adopted the Bible as their guide and threw out the teaching magisterium of the Church and all the wisdom held faithfully by the Church since Peter and the apostles. Having discarded Church authority, they then decided to throw out the Canon of Sacred Scripture (the contents of the Bible established in the second and third centuries) as well, adopting their own, leaving the books of the “Apocrypha” in the dust.
 
Revelation ended with Christ, but our understanding of that revelation has continued to grow through the ages of history.  It is for this reason that the Church sees many of the Christian denominations as possessing some truth – but only the Catholic Church, whose continuity stretches back to St. Peter and the apostolic age has the whole truth.  This statement is not a boast, but an observation made by one who was raised in a Protestant denomination.
 
To use an analogy, a Protestant denomination like the Church of God (as in Clyde’s case) claiming to be an authority on the nature of God in Christ is like a group of scientists joining together at the beginning of the twentieth century and saying that only elements they personally discovered were true elements and that while they accepted matter as being made up of atomic particles, only distinct parts they discovered must be true.  Then they would shout "eureka" when they discovered some fact known to others before they broke contact with the mainstream scientific community and threw out those findings. It could also be likened to a photograph that was copied, and then the copy copied, and so on, losing some resolution each time until the image was almost unrecognizable.
 
As St. John’s Gospel clearly demonstrates in the Lord’s monologue, Jesus knew his relationship and nature.  From his conception in the blessed womb of Mary, Jesus was true man and true God, whose essence is also present in the Eucharist we hope soon to share.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Dispute before Sanhedrin” by Fra Angelico, 1447-49.
[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.

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

“Christ and Nicodemus”
by Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, c. 1601-1645

Readings for Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 5:17-26
 
The high priest rose up and all his companions,
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
"Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life."
When they heard this,
they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.
When the high priest and his companions arrived,
they convened the Sanhedrin,
the full senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,
so they came back and reported,
"We found the jail securely locked
and the guards stationed outside the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside."
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,
they were at a loss about them,
as to what this would come to.
Then someone came in and reported to them,
"The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area
and are teaching the people."
Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,
but without force,
because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
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Commentary on Acts 5:17-26
 
This is the second time the apostles are attacked by the Sanhedrin. They have already been told by the Jewish leadership to stop teaching and have been condemned as false prophets, so there is no need for a second trial, and they are jailed. Jailing the apostles in Acts doesn’t seem to work very well (see also Acts 12:6-11; 16:25-29).  They fearlessly return to the temple area and resume their mission to proclaim Christ Crucified and Risen, forcing the Sanhedrin to act.
 
CCC: Acts 5:18-20 334; Acts 5:20 584; Acts 5:21 584
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
 
R.(7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
 
Psalm 34 is a song of thanksgiving and a favorite for celebrating the heroic virtue of the saints. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Psalm 34:5, 7), can teach the "poor," those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone. This psalm, in the words of one being unjustly persecuted, echoes hope for deliverance and freedom. The Lord in his faithful love always hears those who call to him for help and salvation.
 
CCC: Ps 34:3 716; Ps 34:8 336
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Gospel: John 3:16-21
 
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 3:16-21
 
The dialogue Jesus was having with Nicodemus has now turned into a famous monologue in this passage from the Gospel of St. John. Here, Jesus is clear about his own identity as God’s “only-begotten Son,” and his mission: “that the world might be saved through him.”
 
The Lord continues by explaining that the salvific event is dependent upon faith and acceptance by those to be saved (“whoever believes in him will not be condemned”) and those who reject this belief are already condemned. The passage concludes with the analogy of light and darkness where the Lord, who is light, comes to save the people but will be rejected by many (“but people preferred darkness to light”). Those who believe in the Lord will be identified by their good works, and the glory that those works bring to God the Father.
 
CCC: Jn 3:16 219, 444, 454, 458, 706; Jn 3:17 2447; Jn 3:19-24 2845; Jn 3:19-20 208, 1781; Jn 3:21 2778
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Reflection:
 
We come to a very sticky point with regard to our faith and its relation to the rest of the world in the Lord’s address to Nicodemus.  If, as the Gospel says: “whoever does not believe has already been condemned,” then all those who have either never heard of Jesus, those whose faith does not include Jesus, and those who have heard of Jesus but have not come to faith, are condemned to eternal death.   This one failing has the consequence of denying a person the eternal life of heaven.
 
However, still basking in last Sunday’s reminder of the depth of God’s Divine Mercy, Holy Mother Church addresses those who, through no fault of their own, have not encountered the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  CCC 847 says explicitly: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience — those too may achieve eternal salvation. [4]
 
As Christians we are taught to follow the Lord, and that means we are constantly asking ourselves, “How would Jesus love?” in the various situations we encounter daily.  When we meet a person who rejects Christianity, or even rejects the divinity of Christ, we feel sorrow for that person who, in rejecting Christ, has invited hell.  You may be surprised at the strength of that word used to describe relatively innocent individuals.  After all, a person could be a moral person, a good person, but one who does not believe in Christ.  So why would we say that person invites hell?
 
Hell, we are taught from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, has the following attribute:
 
“Hell's principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.” (CCC 1057)
 
By rejecting Christ, who alone can offer entrance to the heavenly kingdom, that person rejects God.  How should we feel about a person who, out of ignorance, rejects a life with God?  We should feel sorrow for that person and do all we can to invite them to a deeper belief if we follow God’s law of love.
 
What we should not do is be condescending toward such a person.  It has happened many times in the history of Christianity, usually with disastrous results.  There are times, even in recent memory, when it appears that we, as Church, behaved in a superior way.  Because we have the truth, we sound condescending when we tell others that: “Oh, by the way, because you have rejected the truth we offer, you are going to hell.”  If we ever take that tone, we’ve just bought ourselves some serious time in purgatory.  That is not the attitude of Christ.
 
Today we will pray for those who, as the petitions on Good Friday recounted, do not believe in Christ, or do not believe in God.  May they be given one last opportunity to embrace the Risen Son of God when they come before the judgment seat of Christ, and by their profession gain entry into the heavenly kingdom.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Christ and Nicodemus” by Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, c. 1601-1645.
[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] Lumen Gentium 16; cf. Denzinger-Schonmetzer, Enchiridion symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum, 1965, 3866-72.

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

“Jesus and Nicodemus”
by Alexandre Bida, c.1873

Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 4:32-37
 
The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
 
Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated "son of encouragement"),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
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Commentary on Acts 4:32-37
 
This selection from Acts is the second summary describing the community of faith at Jerusalem. The description is of a community completely unified in the faith in the risen Lord. They live in accordance with the practices followed by the disciples when they were with Jesus, sharing all material possessions. The Barnabas mentioned in this selection is presumed to be the same person who later joins Paul in his missionary quests.
 
"The Church of Christ is really present in all legitimately organized local groups of the faithful, which, in so far as they are united to their pastors, are also quite appropriately called churches in the New Testament. [...] In them the faithful are gathered together through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, and the mystery of the Lord's Supper is celebrated. [...] In each altar community, under the sacred ministry of the bishop, a manifest symbol is to be seen of that charity and 'unity of the Mystical Body, without which there can be no salvation' (‘Summa Theologiae,’ III, q. 73, a. 3). In these communities, though they may often be small and poor, or existing in the diaspora, Christ is present through whose power and influence the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church is constituted." (Lumen Gentium, 26)
 
CCC: Acts 4:32 952, 2790; Acts 4:33 995
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
 
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
 
Psalm 93 is a hymn of praise commemorating Yahweh as king. The external revelation of God mentioned in Sirach 1:1-10 is celebrated in this song of praise. The image of God’s throne on high, repeated here, reinforces God’s omnipotence.
 
“'The Lord is king': literally, 'the Lord reigns.' This psalm, and Psalms 47; 96-99, are sometimes called enthronement psalms. They may have been used in a special liturgy during which God's ascent to the throne was ritually reenacted. They have also been interpreted eschatologically, pointing to the coming of God as king at the end-time.” [4]
 
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Gospel: John 3:7b-15
 
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
'How can this happen?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
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Commentary on Jn 3:7b-15
 
Jesus continues the discourse with Nicodemus started in John 3:1-8.  When Nicodemus still does not understand the resurrection to which Jesus points when the Lord says “You must be born from above,” he becomes more explicit, reminding Nicodemus of the remedy of the seraph serpents employed by Moses (Numbers 21:9).  He uses this as an analog to his own crucifixion, the salvation for all who are poisoned by sin.
 
"Nicodemus had not yet savored this Spirit and this life. [...]. He knew but one birth, which is from Adam and Eve; that which is from God and the Church, he did not know; he knew only the paternity which engenders to death; he did not yet know the paternity which engenders to life. [...]. Whereas there are two births, he knew only of one. One is of earth, the other is of Heaven; one is of the flesh, the other of the Spirit; one of mortality, the other of eternity; one of male and female, the other of God and the Church. But the two are each unique; neither one nor the other can be repeated" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 11, 6).
 
CCC: Jn 3:7 526, 591; Jn 3:9 505; Jn 3:13 423, 440, 661; Jn 3:14-15 2130
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Reflection:
 
The dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus points out a paradox that has long driven different people to express the lived faith differently.  We see this expressed in St. Luke’s description of the early church in the Acts of the Apostles selection heard as the first reading today.
 
Christians are asked to follow what Jesus taught:  accepting the Lord as the Son of God, as the one who came from heaven to earth bringing the revelation of God’s love, and knowing that he died and rose again, returning to the Father.  They are told to try to emulate the perfect unity with Christ that exists in his heavenly kingdom.  To do this the Christian is called to remain separate from the world but, paradoxically, is sent into the world to bring the Good News to all the people they encounter.  In the very early Church we see that some Christians remain very isolated from the world. They attempt the communal life that insures that the love of the poor is expressed, and, at the same time, insulates the community from secular mores and attitudes.
 
This idyllic expression of compete devotion to Christ is expressed in this day and age by monastic communities and the cloistered life of religious brothers and sisters.  It is also expressed by some movements within the greater faith community, people who feel they need to completely align themselves with specific practices in order to express their faith and love of God. 
 
There is an inherent difficulty with these communities.  It is difficult to remain balanced.  There is a balance between remaining separate from the world and being a part of it.  The model of the apostles was extraordinary because of the strength of the Holy Spirit that was given to them.  Many times, in attempts to imitate that beautiful communal existence of a large family unified in faith, the weaknesses of human character are exposed. Individuals selfishly take advantage of the willingness of the community to support all equally. Some members might feel they contribute too much while others not enough and vice versa.
 
We have seen the lengths to which these abuses of power and the willingness of some to take advantage of the generosity others can go, unfortunately. We must always remember that our only true head is Christ, and our informed conscience must always measure the direction given by human leaders according to that standard.  The fact remains that we are called to follow Christ as best we can by remaining apart from the world and its secular values yet bring Christ to it by our witness.  We pray today for the strength of the Holy Spirit to provide us with the guidance to place those two commands in balance.
 
Pax

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[1] The Picture is “Jesus and Nicodemus” by Alexandre Bida, c.1873.
[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 Ps 93.

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

Optional Memorial for Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Martin I
 
Biographical information about St. Martin I

“Visit of Nicodemus to Christ”
by John La Farge, 1880

 
Readings for Monday of the Second Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 4:23-31
 
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
 
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
 
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
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Commentary on Acts 4:23-31
 
“This prayer of the Apostles and the community provides Christians with a model of reliance on God's help. They ask God to give them the strength they need to continue to proclaim the Word boldly and not be intimidated by persecution, and they also entreat Him to accredit their preaching by enabling them to work signs and wonders.” [4]
 
This selection from Acts continues describing the efforts of Peter and John after they return from being threatened by the Sanhedrin for proclaiming Jesus and performing signs in Jesus' name. They sing Psalm 2: 1-3, implying that those in power oppose the true mission of God. The passage concludes with their prayer for strength in continuing their work. The occurrence of an earth tremor is understood to symbolize God’s presence and affirmative response.
 
CCC: Acts 4:26-27 436; Acts 4:27-28 600
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
 
R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
 
Psalm 2 is one of the “Royal Psalms.” In this passage we are reminded that God has adopted us as his sons and daughters. The language used is the formal adoption language of the time. The selection focuses on the true ruler of heaven and earth - the Lord - not, as the psalmist points out, worldly kings who do not fear the Most High God.  There is an image used in Psalm 149 in which the Lord empowers the people to cast off their fetters, and use them to bind the secular rulers who oppress them (Psalm 149:8). The song sings of their steadfast commitment to bring this word to the Gentiles, freeing them from their idols. The first strophe is quoted by the apostles in Acts 4:23ff.
 
CCC: Ps 2:1-2 600; Ps 2:2 436; Ps 2:6-7 745; Ps 2:7-8 2606; Ps 2:7 441, 653, 2836
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Gospel: John 3:1-8
 
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
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Commentary on Jn 3:1-8
 
“Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem (cf. John 7:50). He must also have been an educated man, probably a scribe or teacher of the Law: Jesus addresses him as a ‘teacher of Israel’. He would have been what is called an intellectual--a person who reasons things out, for whom the search for truth is a basic part of life. He was, naturally, much influenced by the Jewish intellectual climate of his time. However, if divine things are to be understood, reason is not enough: a person must be humble. The first thing Christ is going to do in His conversation with Nicodemus is to highlight the need for this virtue; that is why He does not immediately answer his questions: instead, He shows him how far he is from true wisdom: ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?’” [5]
 
During the Passover Feast, Jesus instructs Nicodemus on the need to turn away from the world of the flesh and focus instead on life in the spirit of God. This passage is filled with the images of the Christian baptismal calling: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Placed in the Easter season, this can be seen as a reference to the Lord’s resurrection in the Spirit. It further points out that the Holy Spirit is a mystery that cannot be fully fathomed by human understanding but whose effects are quite apparent.
 
CCC: Jn 3:2 581; Jn 3:3-5 782; Jn 3:5-8 691, 728, 1287; Jn 3:5 432, 720, 1215, 1225, 1238, 1257, 1262, 2790; Jn 3:7 526, 591
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Reflection:
 
Even as we turn away from the events immediately following the resurrection, we are pulled back to that blessed night when so many were baptized and joined us in our adoption as “Children of God.”  We look closely at the Gospel exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. 
 
Nicodemus is a member of the Sanhedrin, and one of those “secret disciples” who are afraid to openly follow Jesus.  He comes to Jesus at night, perhaps curious, perhaps compelled by something within him.  He professes his belief that Jesus is “a teacher who has come from God,” implying that he has come to learn at Jesus' feet.
 
Seeing the turmoil within Nicodemus, a man at once drawn to Christ’s holiness, and at the same time afraid of expressing that desire because of the loss of social acceptability that would accompany that expression, Jesus calls him to conversion.  He tells him that unless he follows his heart and repents from the things of the world to embrace the spiritual life, he will not find what he seeks.  The language used in Jesus' discourse is strikingly similar to St. John the Baptist’s testimony as he baptized the repentant faithful beside the Jordan.
 
The language makes it clear that Jesus believes Nicodemus must become the “new creation” referenced by Ezekiel 36:24ff.  He must relinquish his “stony heart,” and let God replace it with a heart full of the love of God and all that he created.  It is only through this rebirth that the kingdom of God may be achieved.
 
If St. Peter were there with them, he probably would have asked a question like: “Lord we have already been converted, how many times must we accept you as Lord; seven times?”  And Jesus would answer: “seventy times seven.”  Even though we have been baptized, and this can only happen once because once the change is made it may never be undone, we must constantly look to conversion.  Our human nature listens to the sweet-sounding words of temptation, whispered by the evil one from time to time. The veil of holiness slips, and we fall away from the love of God.  We all must constantly look to the spiritual rebirth the Lord speaks of as a means of access to his great love.
 
Today, even as we recall with filial love our brothers and sisters reborn in the baptismal waters of Easter, we recognize our own call to constant conversion.  Our prayer today is that we might always recognize this need and respond to God’s call to rebirth.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Visit of Nicodemus to Christ” by John La Farge, 1880.
[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), 746.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 657