Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Benedict
 
Biographical information about St. Benedict

“Saint Benedict”
by Fra Angelico,1387

 
Readings for Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 6:1-8
 
In the year King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,
with the train of his garment filling the temple.
Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings:
with two they veiled their faces,
with two they veiled their feet,
and with two they hovered aloft.
 
They cried one to the other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!
All the earth is filled with his glory!”
At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook
and the house was filled with smoke.
 
Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
living among a people of unclean lips;
yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
 
He touched my mouth with it and said,
“See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”
 
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”
“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
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Commentary on Is 6:1-8
 
The prophet Isaiah tells us the story of his call “in the year King Uzziah died” (742 BC). The prophet first relates his belief that he will die, since it was the common belief that one who had not been purified could not see the face of God and live. This selection from Isaiah (an introduction to the “Book of Emmanuel”) describes the prophet’s first vision of his encounter with God. It is set in the temple in Jerusalem, probably on a high holy day. The six winged “seraphim” (literally “the burning ones”) are images common in art of the ancient Near East and represent angelic messengers. “Each has six wings. Reverence for the divine majesty causes them to veil their faces with two wings; modesty, to veil their extremities in similar fashion; alacrity in God's service, to extend two wings in preparation for flight.”[4] One of these seraphim flew to him with a coal from the fire at the altar (there would have been a fire for burning the holocaust – a sacrificial offering completely burnt as opposed to simply slaughtered).
 
With that coal, the seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips in symbolic cleansing, making the prophet worthy to proclaim God’s word. The Church remembers this event with the priest’s blessing of himself or the deacon with the words: “May the Lord open my (your) lips that I (you) may worthily proclaim the Holy Gospel.”
 
The reference to God in the prefix, “Holy, holy, holy,” describes the Father as perfect and omnipotent. (Note: in ancient Hebrew, there were no words "holier" or "holiest." In order to express that thought, it was necessary to repeat the phrase three times to express the ultimate state of perfection. This literary form is carried into the Roman Rite liturgy today.) We hear the prophet lament that he is “doomed,” since it was believed that such an encounter with God would be fatal (Genesis 32:31; Exodus 33:20; Judges 13:22).
 
This encounter with God is important in understanding Isaiah’s entire mission and purpose. (“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ ’Here I am,’ I said; ‘send me!’”)
 
CCC: Is 6:1 1137; Is 6:2-3 1138; Is 6:3 2809; Is 6:5 208, 2584; Is 6:6 332; Is 6:8 2584
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
 
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
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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.” [5]
 
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Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“No disciple is above his teacher,
no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,
for the slave that he become like his master.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household!
 
“Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
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Commentary on Mt 10:24-33
 
Jesus concludes his instructions to the apostles as he sends them out. Here he tells them that they go with his authority and his purpose, which may be hidden from others, but which they will proclaim from “the housetops.” He tells them not to fear the persecution he has told them they will face. Fear should be absent, because while the body may be killed, their souls are safe with him. He concludes this passage telling them that the Father is watching over them, and they have nothing to fear.
 
"The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his lord": How well Jesus knows the human passion to surpass, to overtake, to win, to be-greater-than! How difficult it is for us as disciples to realize the truth that real growth and movement consist in staying where we are, that is, in our condition as disciples and servants! We naturally associate advancing and growing with "going up in the world," with "becoming someone." But the Lord reveals in his person that the way that truly leads up to God must first lead downward. The eternal, divine Word "humbled himself, and in obedience accepted even death. [...] Therefore God raised him to the heights [...] so that [...] every tongue should confess ‘Jesus Christ is Lord '” (Philippians 2:8-11). [6]
 
CCC: Mt 10:25 765; Mt 10:25 765; Mt 10:28 363, 1034; Mt 10:29-31 305; Mt 10:32-33 1816; Mt 10:32 14, 2145
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Reflection:
 
“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
 
This response by the prophet Isaiah, popularized in Christian song, is the reply each Christian hopes to make when discerning a call from God.  We all hope that we can answer in the affirmative and do what God asks of us. But there are a couple of issues that confront us.
 
First, we need to have a clear idea of what, in our specific lives, God is calling us to.  Is it his voice we hear, or is it our own urging us to do something to glorify ourselves rather than God?  Discovering if the call is genuine or self-serving is frequently not an easy task but it is a question that we all must ask before undertaking any significant task in the name of the Lord.
 
The second issue facing us is preparation.  Have we clearly thought out what we need to do in answer to God’s call, and what tools we will need to accomplish that work in his name?  It sounds so basic.  When we set out to do other chores, we think ahead to what we will need.  If we are going to clean out the garage, for instance, we would gather cleaning supplies (and in my case, rent a dumpster).  Yet when we embark on a mission for God, we frequently behave impulsively, like the children who went on the “Children’s Crusade,” many of whom simply stopped what they were doing and left on the quest.  Ill-prepared and under-provisioned, many died for want of simple preparation.
 
Scripturally, Jesus reminds us of this need in his parable about the two houses: one built on rock, the other on sand.  When we undertake a task for the Lord (and we’re sure it’s for the Lord), we must, first and foremost, shore up our faith foundation with prayer.  We must then ask God for his assistance and assemble the physical and spiritual tools we will need.  In Isaiah’s instance, we hear how his lips were purified and his sins purged before embarking upon his prophetic journey.  We too must make sure we have been prepared for our tasks.
 
Today, we hope to be able to respond to the Lord with a resounding: “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”  Let us remember to prepare ourselves, physically and spiritually, to undertake whatever the Lord may require.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “Saint Benedict” by Fra Angelico,1387.
[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 Isaiah 6: 1-3.
[5] NAB footnote on Psalm 93.
[6] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 573.

Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“The Scourging of Christ”
by Tiziano Vecellio, c. 1560

Readings for Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Hosea 14:2-10
 
Thus says the Lord:
Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the Lord;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the Lord,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
 
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”—
because of me you bear fruit!
 
Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the Lord,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
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Commentary on Hos 14:2-10
 
This prophetic work has an emotional motive on the part of the author. An ongoing analogy is playing out, using the backdrop of the author’s unfortunate marriage. Hosea’s prophecy paints Israel as an unfaithful wife (seduced away by idolatry and hardened by ignoring the poor), and God as the jealous husband who wants her back in spite of her faults. The language used in this selection, which is from the very end of the book, has that flavor to it. The passage can be summed up with: in spite of your sins, come back to God.
 
The prophet continues to call Israel back to faithfulness through repentance (“Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good”). God is their only salvation and their strength. The message to the people is one of complete forgiveness, if they but turn back to the Law of Moses. The conclusion of the passage is a possible inspiration for John the Baptist, for whom the message of forgiveness and repentance was central, and whose role as precursor to Messiah is echoed in the message: “Straight are the paths of the Lord, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them."
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 and 17
 
R. (17b) My mouth will declare your praise.
 
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
 
Behold, you are pleased with sincerity of heart,
and in my inmost being you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
 
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
 
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. My mouth will declare your praise.
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Commentary on Ps 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 and 17
 
Psalm 51 (one of the great penitential psalms) is an individual lament imploring God for mercy and forgiveness. We note the request is coupled with an explicit understanding that the singer has sinned in the eyes of God, and complete dependence on his mercy for the expiation of those offenses.
 
CCC: Ps 51:12 298, 431
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Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
 
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”
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Commentary on Mt 10:16-23
 
Jesus concludes his instruction to the apostles in this selection from Matthew’s Gospel. We begin to hear about the persecutions that attend the spreading of the Gospel. Those who spread that Good News are encouraged not to worry about an apologia (defense), but rather to trust in the Holy Spirit, the Father “speaking through you.”
 
Matthew’s final statement, referring to the coming of the Son of Man, has a couple of possible explanations. First it could be referring to the return of Christ after his crucifixion. It could also mean the punishment of the unbelieving Jewish people by the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD.
 
CCC: Mt 10:16 764; Mt 10:19-20 728; Mt 10:22 161, 1821
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Reflection:
 
Jesus warns his disciples that they will face extreme opposition, persecution and imprisonment.  It seems ironic that the Gospel of peace and love should be met this way.  It is, in a sense, counterintuitive.  Yet his message was not only borne out in his followers (all but one of whom were martyred), but the prediction has been true to varying degrees ever since.
 
Today we hear stories from around the world about Christians being persecuted, imprisoned, and even killed.  It is happening on the African continent as open conflict takes place between Muslims and Christians in a number of countries there.  It is happening in China where the state has dictated that individuals, not selected by Rome, be Catholic bishops.  It is taking place in virtually every country in the Middle East.  In Iraq and Syria, where ISIS is waging war, the word genocide has been used to describe this wholesale persecution. Even in Egypt, Christian groups are being systematically eliminated either by persecution or forceful conversion to Islam.  And in Israel, Catholic priests are routinely spit upon by members of the Hasidic Jewish sects.  The Christians of Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Savior, are persecuted by Arab and Jew alike.
 
In social media, we hear increasing cries of “tax the churches.” These comments are made by people who do not like Christianity.  The do not know that, in at least the Catholic Church, the money to support the church comes from people’s donations. Money that has already been taxed and in most cases, because of the high bar to exempt those contributions from personal taxes, is included in their income and taxed again.
 
In the United States the late Cardinal George, archbishop of Chicago, referring to the direction our country is going, said prior to his passing: “I believe I will die in bed; my successor will die in prison; and his successor will be martyred.”
 
No, things have not changed.  If we think that we are not affected because we live in a more enlightened and cosmopolitan society, we are mistaken. Our challenges are perhaps even more insidious.  At every turn supposedly tolerant people seek to destroy the values long established by our Christian heritage.  Living as Christians and spreading the word of the Lord in this day and age can be every bit as dangerous as it was in the day of our Lord.
 
We are, however, called as his disciples were called, to go into the world with his message of peace.  We are told that we must be “shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”  That means that, while we are called to spread the word in a sometimes-hostile environment, we cannot throw ourselves away.  The Lord calls us to use our God-given gifts in dealing with those who revile us.  We should use the systems shrewdly, making them work for us, but not forgetting that the Lord gave us an example of humility and gentleness.
 
It is a difficult thing we are called to be – Christians in a hostile world.  But we must be fearless in our proclamation of the Gospel and steadfast in our love of the Lord.  In this way we bring the kingdom of God promised by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
Pax

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[1] The pictured used is “The Scourging of Christ” by Tiziano Vecellio, c. 1560.
[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 Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions, Chinese Martyrs
 
Proper readings for St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions
 
Additional information about St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

“The Throne of Grace”
by an Unknown German Master,
1440s

 
Readings for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Hosea 11:1-4, 8e-9
 
Thus says the Lord:
When Israel was a child I loved him,
out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
the farther they went from me,
Sacrificing to the Baals
and burning incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
who took them in my arms;
I drew them with human cords,
with bands of love;
I fostered them like one
who raises an infant to his cheeks;
Yet, though I stooped to feed my child,
they did not know that I was their healer.
 
My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.
I will not give vent to my blazing anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again;
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One present among you;
I will not let the flames consume you.
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Commentary on Hos 11:1-4, 8e-9
 
The prophet Hosea, speaking with God’s voice, uses the metaphor of a parent’s love for a child to express God’s love for the people of Israel and Ephraim. With love, says the prophet, God sees the people as a child who turns away from their parent, turning their backs upon the Lord and sacrificing to other gods. In spite of this faithless behavior, Hosea’s oracle promises not to destroy them (again) by flames. (Note: in part d of v. 8, not included in the passage we read today, the prophet makes reference to Admah and Zeboiim: cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah (Deuteronomy 29:22)).
 
CCC: Hos 11 219; Hos 11:1-4 370; Hos 11:1 219, 441, 530; Hos 11:9 208
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16
 
R. (4b) Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
 
O shepherd of Israel, hearken.
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
 
Once again, O Lord of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see:
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted,
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
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Commentary on Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16
 
Psalm 80 is a communal lament. Here the community exalts the king who shepherds Israel with fidelity and calls upon God to continue to protect his special creation, the people he has called.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”
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Commentary on Mt 10:7-15
 
Jesus instructs the apostles, as he sends them on their mission to proclaim the kingdom of God. They are to go into the world without any provisions, and will depend upon the generosity of others. The Lord gives them authority over all manner of diseases and afflictions, but reminds them that they are not to request payment for these gifts of healing.
 
The Lord's instructions end with a warning to those who reject the proclamation of the kingdom of God.  Jesus tells the apostles that those who reject the peace they offer will suffer, like those cut off from God's grace by the judgment upon those who perished in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 19:1-26).
 
CCC: Mt 10:5-7 543; Mt 10:8 1509, 2121, 2443; Mt 10:10 2122
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Reflection:
 
Yet, though I stooped to feed my child,
they did not know that I was their healer.
(Hosea 11:4c)
 
While the prophet Hosea, speaking with the voice of God, was prophesying about Israel’s fall from grace and the knowledge of the Father, his analogy of feeding his children is apt.  We come to the house of God, this earthly building, to be fed, to be healed, because we understand that the spiritual gifts that flow from this altar in the form of bread and wine are the healing presence of the One Lord.
 
How many of our brothers and sisters have been so drained of God’s grace that they cannot see that gift?  How many do not understand, even when the Savior stoops to feed them, that they can be healed?  This is the Good News of the kingdom of God!  This is the message our Lord asks us to bring to the world.  This is what he sends us to do, just as he once sent his apostles.
 
It is only through God’s grace that the healing hand of the Savior can be revealed.  It is almost a Catch-22. One cannot feel the Son’s presence without the grace that comes from the Son’s presence.  But we can provide that conduit.  We can show those we meet the path to their own peace through our peace, which, in the name of Jesus, we can impart to them.
 
Today, as we go about our lives in the world, let us go with the message our Lord gave to his apostles, and give his peace to those we meet.  In this way, we announce that the kingdom of God is at hand.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Throne of Grace” by an Unknown German Master, 1440s.
[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 Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Communion of the Apostles”
by Luca Signorelli, 1512

Readings for Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12
 
Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the Lord,
what can the king do for them?
 
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
 
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
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Commentary on Hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12
 
The prophet Hosea speaks of the relationship between secular success and the erosion of faith. The people have moved away from the fidelity demanded by God’s covenant, even to a point where they seem to be seeking a king other than God (as described in 1 Samuel 8:6ff). They have adopted pagan practices, setting up pillars and altars to false gods.  The oracle of Hosea predicts the destruction of these places of false worship and finally exhorts the people to return to genuine love of God (“Sow for yourselves justice, reap the fruit of piety; break up for yourselves a new field”).
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
R. (4b) Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Look to the Lord in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the Lord, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
Psalm 105 is a historical psalm of thanksgiving in hymnic style. This selection is an introduction. It remembers God’s covenant with Abraham, the promise of the land of Canaan, and calls for continued faithfulness. Recalling this historical relationship, the psalmist calls the people to faithful worship. Reference to Abraham’s descendants also provides an image used by St. Paul providing substance to the promise fulfilled in Christ (see Philippians 3:3-8a and Galatians 3:22-29).
 
CCC: Ps 105:3 30
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Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7
 
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
 
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
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Commentary on Mt 10:1-7
 
“The authoritative power that the chosen disciples here receive extends to all diseases and all infirmities, just as Adam and Eve’s dominion in the beginning was over all wild animals on earth and all reptiles. The all-inclusive absolute in both cases means that the power received is indeed, by rights, only divine but that by an act of merciful condescension it passes intact, undiminished, from Creator to creature.” [4]
 
Following the instructions to the Twelve on how they are to evangelize given in the preceding chapter, Jesus now sends them out. St. Matthew’s Gospel does not tell the stories of how they were called but provides the names and mission of the disciples. It is only in Matthew that the Twelve are designated as apostles reflecting the mission and role they fulfill. They are then sent, but only to the “chosen people.” This focus on the Jewish audience tells us that St. Matthew’s Gospel was originally directed principally at Hebrew Christians.
 
CCC: Mt 10:5-7 543
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Reflection:
 
We get the sense that some things never change as we consider Hosea exhorting the Hebrew people.  Written between 750 and 732 BC, the prophet called on them to repent, and return to the Lord. Similarly, Jesus sent the Twelve out to the same people of his time with essentially the same mission.  The people of Hosea’s day had been successful in dealing with the secular societies surrounding the northern kingdoms of Samaria and Israel.  They had fallen away from their centralized worship of God and taken to the pagan practice of setting up local “pillars” in lip service to God’s authority.  But they truly worshiped their own success in commerce.
 
With a slightly different flavor, the Hebrews of Jesus’ day had also gotten away from God’s call to holiness and had allowed their practice to become an exterior façade rather than true worship.  The temple had become a place of commerce; its power, while symbolically and traditionally centered on historical religious traditions, was in the financial wealth it represented.  Jesus attacked this structure.  When he sent his disciples out, they were to announce that the kingdom of God was at hand, call for individual conversion and repentance, and for reuniting themselves as children of God.
 
Looking at these two examples from history, we can see how these same forces are at work today.  Secular wealth and a fundamental motivation of greed are the principal forces that move our society.  Into this environment we are sent, to call those we meet back to the Lord’s values, back to respecting and loving each person, and making human dignity a priority in how we live and interact with others.  We are asked to provide an example of what it means to live Christian values, as Jesus commended to us. 
 
Some things never change, and the mission of the Twelve is passed to us.  With all our hearts and minds, we are asked by the Lord to take his message into a world that does not want to hear it.  It is a message of peace and love, a message of faith in one who will make all things new.  We pray today that we can faithfully carry this Good News to the world and provide the path to salvation to all we meet.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Communion of the Apostles” by Luca Signorelli, 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] Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo. Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word, Vol. 1 (Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition), 650.

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Le Christ Guerissant un Malade”
[Christ Healing the Sick]
by Mathieu Ignace van Bree (1773-1839)

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
 
Thus says the Lord:
They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority;
they established princes, but without my approval
. With their silver and gold they made
idols for themselves, to their own destruction.
Cast away your calf, O Samaria!
my wrath is kindled against them;
How long will they be unable to attain
innocence in Israel?
The work of an artisan,
no god at all,
Destined for the flames—
such is the calf of Samaria!
 
When they sow the wind,
they shall reap the whirlwind;
The stalk of grain that forms no ear
can yield no flour;
Even if it could,
strangers would swallow it.
 
When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin,
his altars became occasions of sin.
Though I write for him my many ordinances,
they are considered as a stranger’s.
Though they offer sacrifice,
immolate flesh and eat it,
the Lord is not pleased with them.
He shall still remember their guilt
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
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Commentary on Hos 8:4-7, 11-13
 
The prophet Hosea, speaking with the voice of God, condemns the people of Israel, Samaria, and Ephraim for falling away from the Law of Moses, and taking up the worship of Baal and other false practices (probably those of the local majority population). The prophet is eloquent in describing how these practices not only displease God but will not bring the result hoped for. (“When they sow the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind.”) He beckons them back to “innocence” in the precepts of the Lord.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10
 
R. (9a) The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
They have hands but feel not;
they have feet but walk not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10
 
Psalm 115 is a hymn of praise to our God who is above all things and creator of all. While he is not seen, all creation is evidence of his power and salvation. The singer attacks those who worship false gods and idols, promoting the first of the Ten Commandments: "You shall not have other gods beside me. You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or serve them." (Exodus 20:4-5)
 
CCC: Ps 115:3 268, 303; Ps 115:4-5 2112; Ps 115:8 2112
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Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38
 
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
 
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
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Commentary on Mt 9:32-38
 
In this selection Jesus continues his healing practice as he travels from town to town. We see growing opposition from the Pharisees as he does so. Almost ironically, Jesus looks with compassion upon the people ("his heart was moved with pity for them") as he sees that the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, have not led them to God but abandoned them, seeking instead their own selfish ends.  The Lord recalls the prophecy of Ezekiel, predicting someone from the line of David as a new shepherd. This prophetic statement was fulfilled in himself (Ezekiel 34:23). And, using the same language we heard in Luke 10:1-9, Jesus prepares to send out the disciples to proclaim the Good News; the disciples are to become laborers.
 
CCC: Mt 9:38 2611
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Reflection:
 
Do you recall having your parents tell you that, before you could go out and play, you had to clean your room (or some other equally difficult chore)?  If it was something that you should have been doing right along, and now it had become a huge task, you might get an idea of what Jesus must have been feeling as he went from town to town trying to get people to understand what he meant by “the kingdom of God is at hand.”
 
Just as when we were children, and wanted to do something important, like go and play with our friends, and Saturday had only so many hours, Jesus was anxious to get his task accomplished, but there was so much to do.  He says (and we can almost hear the exasperation in him) “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”  In other words, there is much good to be gained in announcing the kingdom of God, but too few will take up the call, and too many are resisting.
 
While the call has been taken up by others over the two thousand years since Christ walked among us, there is still much to be done and too few to do it.  Each of us is enlisted in the battle, and it is a battle.  In Jesus’ day, the Gospel tells us that there were many who resisted his message, and many denied his identity.  Today the resistance is, if anything, stronger, and the message of the enemy more seductive.
 
Everyone is called, baptized into this mighty work.  So how do we serve?  God has given each of us gifts.  Those gifts vary from person to person, and each is valuable.  Some have the gift of persuasion, others the gift of a pious spirit.  St. Augustine put it well when he said at his consecration as bishop:
 
“The turbulent have to be corrected, the faint-hearted cheered up, the weak supported; the Gospel's opponents need to be refuted, its insidious enemies guarded against; the unlearned need to be taught, the indolent stirred up, the argumentative checked; the proud must be put in their place, the desperate set on their feet, those engaged in quarrels reconciled; the needy have to be helped, the oppressed to be liberated, the good to be encouraged, the bad to be tolerated; all must be loved.
“The Gospel terrifies me.” – St. Augustine
 
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”  Today we are called again to pick up the standard of Christ and carry it into the world.  Today we pray for the strength of character to labor in God’s harvest.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “Le Christ Guerissant un Malade” [Christ Healing the Sick] by Mathieu Ignace van Bree (1773-1839).
[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.