Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Norbert, Bishop
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Norbert
 
Biographical information about St. Norbert
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial for the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (USCCB recommends: #39. Holy Mary, Queen and Mother of Mercy)

“The Widow’s Mite”
by Gustave Doré, 1865

Readings for Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
 
Beloved:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine
but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,
will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth
and will be diverted to myths.
But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;
put up with hardship;
perform the work of an evangelist;
fulfill your ministry.
 
For I am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well;
I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Tm 4:1-8
 
The apostle begins this chapter with a solemn injunction to St. Timothy: “perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.“ St. Paul warns that the task will be difficult, and that false teachers will arise with competing doctrines and “self-serving myths.”
 
He concludes this passage with a clear view that he will soon be martyred, and feels he has done what the Lord has asked (“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith”). Confident in God’s mercy he awaits his own judgment and resurrection.
 
CCC: 2 Tm 4 2015; 2 Tm 4:1 679
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71:8-9, 14-15ab, 16-17, 22
 
R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
 
My mouth shall be filled with your praise,
with your glory day by day.
Cast me not off in my old age;
as my strength fails, forsake me not.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
But I will always hope
and praise you ever more and more.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
 
So will I give you thanks with music on the lyre,
for your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing your praises with the harp,
O Holy One of Israel!
R. I will sing of your salvation.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 71:8-9, 14-15ab, 16-17, 22
 
Psalm 71 is an individual lament (of an old person: “Cast me not off in my old age”). These strophes begin the second part of the psalm in which the singer proclaims the hope of the faithful, and trust in God’s mercy.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
 
In the course of his teaching Jesus said,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext,
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”
 
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:38-44
 
In this passage from Mark, Jesus warns against scribes (holy men) who wear their faith on the outside and accept homage for their religious acts. Their acts of charity are missing. In contrast to those who flaunt their faith and their wealth. The Lord praises the poor widow who gives alms from her need, not from her excess as the wealthy did. “The widow is another example of the poor ones in this gospel whose detachment from material possessions and dependence on God leads to their blessedness (Luke 6:20). Her simple offering provides a striking contrast to the pride and pretentiousness of the scribes denounced in the preceding section.” [5]
 
CCC: Mk 12:38-40 678; Mk 12:41-44 2444
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
We are challenged today to look at what we do in response to God’s call and ask ourselves “Am I doing these things because it looks good to others, or because it’s convenient?” St. Paul starts us down the road to that question as he gives St. Timothy a sharp kick to the backside with “perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. “It’s sort of like that old military quote often used on complaining soldiers ‘Shut up and soldier, soldier!’”
 
St. Paul warns his pupil that it will not be easy, this call to take Christ’s Gospel to the world. It is a hard path and others who claim teaching authority will offer easier roads to follow. We think of modern-day Scientology, the kind of thing he speaks of as “following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.” (We enjoyed L. Ron Hubbard’s science fiction writing and are amazed that supposedly intelligent people cannot see how his creative genius created a philosophy that now passes itself off as a “religion.” But then not too long ago we saw how some three hundred thousand people in the UK identified “Jedi” as their faith tradition.)
 
The unvarnished point St. Paul makes is that “time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine” and when that happens those who proclaim the truth will be persecuted for it. With that our thoughts are immediately drawn to Jesus’ situation in the Gospel story. He is sitting with his disciples in the temple area watching as the religious and the rich make themselves known either through their apparel or through their pompous behavior as they present their gifts to the temple treasury. Jesus’ teaching must have incensed the rich and powerful members of that Jewish community. They must have hated that this teacher from Galilee sat with his friends and made them out as hypocrites in front of the very people they are trying to impress.
 
Out of both the mouth of St. Paul (poured out like a libation for Jesus) and the Savior himself, we are challenged to do the right thing, without fanfare, even when it is difficult or inconvenient. We pray today that we are given the strength of character to challenge the status quo of our own society. We especially pray today for the young people – teenagers and young adults who face intense peer pressure to follow the path of “acceptability,” not realizing that the easy path is usually the wrong path. May they be given the strength of their convictions in Christ and feel the promise of the Savior.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by “BVM.” The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] The picture is “The Widow’s Mite” by Gustave Doré, 1865.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL).  This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB footnote on Luke 21:1ff.

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

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

"Saint Boniface"
by Cornelis Bloemaert, c. 1630

 
Readings for Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
 
You have followed my teaching, way of life,
purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions,
and sufferings, such as happened to me
in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra,
persecutions that I endured.
Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me.
In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted.
But wicked people and charlatans will go from bad to worse,
deceivers and deceived.
But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching,
for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Tm 3:10-17
 
St. Paul, in this passage, enjoins St. Timothy to remain steadfast because, like Paul, he will be persecuted: “all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” He warns that others will attempt to challenge the truth, or use it for their own ends.
 
To combat this attempt by false teachers, St. Paul recommends “sacred Scriptures” as giving “wisdom for salvation.” This selection, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work,” is a foundational belief of the Church used as a major support for “Dei Verbum” (The Word) from the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation.
 
CCC: 2 Tm 3:12 2847
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:157, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168
 
R. (165a) O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Though my persecutors and my foes are many,
I turn not away from your decrees.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Permanence is your word’s chief trait;
each of your just ordinances is everlasting.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Princes persecute me without cause
but my heart stands in awe of your word.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
Those who love your law have great peace,
and for them there is no stumbling block.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
I wait for your salvation, O Lord,
and your commands I fulfill.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
 
I keep your precepts and your decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 119:157, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168
 
Psalm 119, the longest of the psalms, in general is a hymn in praise of the law. It is not legalism, but rather a love of doing what is right in the sight of God. In these strophes, the psalmist proclaims his faithfulness to the law in the face of his adversaries and waits for final salvation.
 
CCC: Ps 119:160 215
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:35-37
 
As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said,
“How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?
David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:
The Lord said to my lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
until I place your enemies under your feet.’
David himself calls him ‘lord’;
so how is he his son?”
The great crowd heard this with delight.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:35-37
 
It is now Jesus’ turn to question the Pharisees. He asks them who the Messiah will be. They answer that he will be a son of David (of the lineage of David). Jesus then, while not denying their statement (as he is from the line of David), tells them, quoting Psalm 110:1, that David called the Messiah “Lord” and would he do that to his own offspring? In other words, the Messiah would be more than just true man, he would be true God as well existing before David and with David.
 
CCC: Mk 12:35-37 202
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
In St. Mark’s Gospel we see Jesus confronting the Pharisees in debate. He breaks open the word of God in Psalm 110:1. He uses the truth of scripture to identify his Messianic identity as more than what was expected. The Pharisees (and scribes) believed that the Messiah would be a man (albeit sent by God) to reestablish the power and grandeur of Israel during the reign of King David. This meant he would throw off the Roman occupation and once more give the Hebrew people autonomy. There were many assumptions about the methods that must be used to accomplish this feat, all of them wrong.
 
Jesus challenges the Pharisees. He does not challenge the prophecy that the Messiah will be of the house of King David. He is of that line. Rather he tries to get them to see God’s power in a much broader way. God does not send the Messiah so Israel can be freed of the Romans. He wants all his creation to come to him. The Pharisees are locked into a notion that, as God’s chosen people, only they will receive the benefits of faith. Jesus tries to make them see the larger plan by showing them how the scripture they understand to be the inspired word of God is telling them something different.
 
The Messiah is not simply man born of woman, although he is born of woman. Rather the Messiah existed before David as well as being from his genealogy. David described the relationship in his own writings. How many Hebrew scholars had pored over the sacred texts and missed the understanding that the Messiah would be eternal, more than simply a holy man with a mission?
 
St. Paul tells St. Timothy that reading and understanding Sacred Scripture is necessary “that one who belongs to God may be competent.” We see the truth of his words in the debate between Jesus and the Pharisees. With the Holy Spirit as guide, we too must constantly be on guard against applying human limitations to the supernatural abilities of our God. We pray that our own study will make us competent to be witnesses of God to the world.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is "Saint Boniface" by Cornelis Bloemaert, c. 1630.
[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 Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

“Christ Enthroned” (detail)
by Bartolomeo Vivarini, 1450

Readings for Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 2:8-15
 
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
 
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
 
Remind people of these things
and charge them before God to stop disputing about words.
This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.
Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God,
a workman who causes no disgrace,
imparting the word of truth without deviation.
------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Tm 2:8-15
 
St. Paul begins this section with the slogan: “But the word of God is not chained.” It is believed by scholars that what follows is a quote from a hymn in common use at the time (“If we have died with him”). The reference in the hymn is to the death to sin in baptism from which the faithful shall gain the promise of eternal life (“we shall also reign with him”). The hymn quote concludes with assurance that Jesus is always faithful and constant even if those who believe in him fail.
 
The passage concludes with St. Paul telling his student to faithfully proclaim these truths without dispute. It is the principles that must be observed, not the specific language used.
 
CCC: 2 Tm 2:8 437; 2 Tm 2:11-13 2641
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
 
R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
Good and upright is the Lord;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
 
Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that God’s”ways” be made known. The request directs us to repentance and ultimately justice. The theme of guidance is continued in the psalm. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path, announced by angelic messengers, prophets, and the very Law of Moses.  It is the culmination and completion of God’s covenants. These verses are echoed later by Malachi (Malachi 3:1-4) and John the Baptist (Luke 3:1 ff), also announcing the Lord's path.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
 
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
 
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:28-34
 
In the continuing dialogue with the Sadducees from the Gospel of St. Mark, we find the scribe is impressed with the way Jesus handled the challenge by the Sadducees (found in the previous verses). The Lord answers the scribe's question about the law with the Great Commandment, the opening of the Shema, the great Jewish prayer, and then he follows that statement with the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (see also Leviticus 19:18). When the scribe clearly understands what Jesus is saying, the Lord tells him he is "not far from the Kingdom of God" (see also the commentary on Matthew 22:34ff).
 
CCC: Mk 12:28-34 575; Mk 12:29-31 129, 2196; Mk 12:29-30 202; Mk 12:29 228
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
If someone told us they did not want to read the whole Bible to figure out what Christians believe, but wanted just a few short passages, we could not recommend much better selections than those we are given today.
 
While it is important to understand the Old Testament because it reveals God’s actions in the world before Christ arrived, Jesus sums up in one short statement the most important teaching of that volume – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” -- which he quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and then goes further quoting Leviticus 19:18 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”
 
If someone asked you, “What did Jesus teach?” this is the first thing, the most important thing we could say. If they went further and asked, “And what does that get you?” we could answer with the hymn from St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy;
 
“If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.”
 
Encapsulated in this short quote from an ancient hymn is our belief that through our baptism we are adopted into the life of the spirit of God, and our adoption leads to salvation. But even if we are unfaithful, fail to love him, fail to love others, he still loves us because he is love as God is love.
 
It’s all nicely tied up for us today. The difficulty of course is living the commandment, and our prayer today is that we have the strength to do so.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “Christ Enthroned” (detail) by Bartolomeo Vivarini, 1450.
[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.

Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions
 
Additional information about St. Charles Lwanga and companions

“St. Charles Lwanga and His Followers”
by Albert Wider, 1962

Readings for Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1:2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12
 
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
 
For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God.
 
He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel,
for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.
On this account I am suffering these things;
but I am not ashamed,
for I know him in whom I have believed
and am confident that he is able to guard
what has been entrusted to me until that day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12
 
This selection contains the formal beginning of the Second Letter of St. Paul to St. Timothy. Following the formula address, the apostle exhorts his former student and traveling companion to be forthright, even outspoken in proclaiming the faith (“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control”).
 
There is a clear reference that St. Timothy was ordained for this task by St. Paul as is shown by his statement: “the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” This passage is also foundational to the understanding that there is an indelible change imparted by the reception of Holy Orders. The apostle concludes his introduction, summarizing the call they have both received, and his faith in salvation through Christ, important here because he (St. Paul) is in prison and his physical well-being is in question.
 
CCC: 2 Tm 1:3 1794; 2 Tm 1:6 1577, 1590; 2 Tm 1:8 2471, 2506; 2 Tm 1:9-10 257, 1021; 2 Tm 1:12-14 84; 2 Tm 1:12 149
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 123:1b-2ab, 2cdef
 
R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.
 
To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven.
Behold, as the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.
 
As the eyes of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the Lord, our God,
till he have pity on us.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 123:1b-2ab, 2cdef
 
Psalm 123 is an individual lament. In these strophes we hear the prayer of the psalmist who expresses faith in God’s love and compassion.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:18-27
 
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers.
The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:18-27
 
The Sadducees are approaching Jesus, in this passage, with a twofold attack against his teaching on the resurrection (Sadducees, as a group, do not hold with the theology of resurrection of the dead). First they ask Jesus to solve the puzzle of to whom the widow of seven husbands would be married in heaven. (It is likely this example was taken from Tobit 3:8.) Jesus chides them for their lack of understanding, telling them that life in the kingdom of heaven transcends life in the body. He then goes further, attacking their disbelief in the resurrection by quoting Exodus 3; 6, telling them the Father is the God of the living not the dead.
 
CCC: Mk 12:24 993; Mk 12:25 1619; Mk 12:27 993
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
How many times have we wilted in embarrassment when confronted with a situation where we should have boldly proclaimed our faith in Jesus Christ? Those of us called in a special way, through Holy Orders, are not exempt from this flaw. We want to fit in, be liked, be accepted as one of the guys or one of the girls. Most of us who have been active in the faith community for any periods of time actually feel uncomfortable in secular situations where we don’t know the people well.
 
Given the beginning of the Second Letter of St. Paul to St. Timothy, we see that this is nothing new. Apparently, St. Timothy, either because of social circumstances or because of natural humility, was not being as bold as St. Paul wanted him to be. The instruction points out another paradox of the Lord’s instructions to us.
 
What is the first and foremost teaching of Jesus about how he wants his disciples to lead? He told them just a few chapters earlier in St. Mark’s Gospel “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” (Mark 10: 43-44) One of the hallmarks of Christianity is the idea of servant leadership. Yet, there is a fine line that must be observed between being a humble servant and an outspoken “Prisoner of Christ.” While the servant leader must not autocratically order people about, even in Christ’s name (especially not in Christ’s name), they must not be wishy-washy when it comes to standing up for his principles in the secular world.
 
Today we examine our own faith example. We hope that others see us and know we are Christians because we love one another as he loved us. Our faith shows in how we treat others, with love and respect. We also hope that when we encounter injustice, behaviors that go against what the Lord stands for, we are not embarrassed to stand up and say, “This is not right.” Don’t we tell our children to do the same? We are reminded that we are to practice what we preach. We also know that being labeled as a Christian sometimes also labels us as uncomfortable people to be around or fanatics. If the party is going in a very wrong direction, it’s better to be the death of the party than its life.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is “St. Charles Lwanga and His Followers” by Albert Wider, 1962.
[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.

Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

 
Proper readings for Sts. Marcellinus and Peter
 
Biographical information for Sts. Marcellinus and Peter

“The Tribute to Caesar”
by Valentin De Boulogne, c. 1620

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18
 
Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
 
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
 
Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18
 
St. Peter begins this passage reaffirming the Parousia (the second coming and the apocalypse). Because they understand that the day is coming and they will be called to account for their actions, they are exhorted to watch out for false teachers (“be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled”). They are called to remain faithful to the gospel they have been given, and thereby grow in faith.
 
CCC: 2 Pt 3:11-12 671; 2 Pt 3:12-13 677; 2 Pt 3:13 1043, 1405
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16
 
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong,
And most of them are fruitless toil,
for they pass quickly and we drift away.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16
 
The psalm in its entirety is a communal lament. The strophes in this selection reflect on the mortality of humanity, and the brevity of human life. (It is also an example of the human understanding that God’s immortal view of time is not like ours.) The recollection of God’s creative impulse recalls the Genesis creation event, while final strophe brings us back rejoicing for God’s great mercy.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:13-17
 
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:13-17
 
In this account (similar to Matthew 22:15-22), the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus by asking if people should pay taxes to Caesar. If he agrees with the Herodians (who would want the tax to be paid) he would be trapped because he was authorizing tribute to one who claimed to be a god, violating Jewish law. If he sided with the Pharisees against the Herodians, he would be in conflict with civil law and be taken before the Roman authorities.
 
Jesus saw the trap and avoided it, using the powerful argument for the separation of church and state by the famous statement: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
 
CCC: Mk 12:17 450
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
 
We are sure the IRS would be pleased with Jesus' response if it were made in the present day. We are also sure that many church leaders would not be, given the difficulty with stewardship that exists in so many faith communities and the general push to remove the tax-exempt status from many religious sites and activities.
 
The statement begs a question, and it is contained in the statement: “and to God what belongs to God.” What does God expect from us? We can get very literal at this point and ask simply “what belongs to God?” The answer is obvious – everything. We believe the Heavenly Father is the creator of all things, or is he? Yes, God created the heavens and the earth. We believe he created life in all its diversity (not in the neo-Darwinian sense that does not explain the beginning of life and does not account for speciation as an act of guided intent, and no, this is not Creationism).
 
As his ultimate creation, he made human beings in his own image and likeness. He gave us free will and the ability to form tools and artifacts from the earth, to mold clay and metal into useful and cunning shapes. Did God create these “things”? Are they his? It is an interesting philosophical question that we will not go further with here. The fundamental question still lies in front of us: “What do we need to give to God?”
 
That question at least is answered by Holy Scripture. There are numerous statements in the Old Testament, especially in the psalms, that God is not seeking burnt offerings placed upon an altar of sacrifice. Rather God wants our homage through deeds that show him that we have listened to him, his Son, and the Holy Spirit he left to guide us. He requires us to adopt an attitude and behaviors that bring him, our Creator, praise because all we accomplish is only through the gift of life he gave us, and the talent with which he imbued us.
 
What God requires of us is not material but is concrete. He asks us to follow the example of his Son who always points to the Father. Just as the metalworker forges a coin, and that coin is tribute to the nation whose emblem it bears, so too are our actions, as God’s creatures, a tribute to the one who created us. It is a tremendous call to receive and for our service we receive a tremendous reward.
 
Pax

---

[1] The Picture is “The Tribute to Caesar” by Valentin De Boulogne, c. 1620.
[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.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

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

“Saint Justin, Martyr”
iconifer and date unknown

 
Readings for Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Peter 1:2-7
 
Beloved:
May grace and peace be yours in abundance
through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
 
His divine power has bestowed on us
everything that makes for life and devotion,
through the knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and power.
Through these, he has bestowed on us
the precious and very great promises,
so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature,
after escaping from the corruption that is in the world
because of evil desire. For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,
self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,
devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Pt 1:2-7
 
This is the brief introduction to the Second Letter of Peter, similar in form and language to the introductions from Jude and the First Letter of Peter.  The book was admitted to the canon of the New Testament late because it is thought to have been written under a pseudonym by someone other than the apostle Peter. This first section set the stage for the principal thrust of the letter which is Christian knowledge, which should arm them against false teachers, specifically those who doubted that there would be a “second coming” of Christ.
 
The author points out that knowledge is the key to understanding and realizing the gift of the divine promises of Christ. He then goes on to present a gradation of qualities beginning with faith that leads at last to Christian love, the ultimate expression of Christ’s gift in the world.
 
“The first section (vv 3–4) establishes the basis for Christian living, in what God in Christ has done for us. By the divine power evident in Christ’s life, death and resurrection he has called men and women to be Christians, and when they come to knowledge of Christ in Christian conversion they also receive through that knowledge the grace of Christ which will enable them to live a life of obedience to God.” [4]
 
CCC: 2 Pt 1:3-4 1996; 2 Pt 1:4 460, 1129, 1265, 1692, 1721, 1812
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 14-15b, 15c-16
 
R. (see 2b) In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he
acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
I will deliver him and glorify him;
with length of days I will gratify him
and will show him my salvation.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 91:1-2, 14-15b, 15c-16
 
The hymn of thanksgiving that is Psalm 91 gives praise to God for the salvation of his people. He saves those who believe in him from distress and fear.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 12:1-12
 
Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes,
and the elders in parables.
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants
to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard.
But they seized him, beat him,
and sent him away empty-handed.
Again he sent them another servant.
And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully.
He sent yet another whom they killed.
So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed.
He had one other to send, a beloved son.
He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
So they seized him and killed him,
and threw him out of the vineyard.
What then will the owner of the vineyard do?
He will come, put the tenants to death,
and give the vineyard to others.
Have you not read this Scripture passage:
 
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?”
 
They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd,
for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them.
So they left him and went away.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 12:1-12
 
In the first part of the Gospel, we hear the Parable of the Vineyard. Since this story is directed to the chief priests and scribes, we understand that the vineyard represents the kingdom of God and the tenants are the Sanhedrin. They should have been working on behalf of God, but instead they misused their power and disregarded the prophets, killing some, beating others. And when the son of the owner comes and is killed, Jesus prophesies his own death.
 
The final section of the reading uses the image found in Psalm 118; 23-24, “the stone rejected.” Jesus uses this Scripture quote to drive home his point: that the Sanhedrin had completely missed God’s intent, and that the one they rejected, Jesus himself, the Messiah, was to be the cornerstone of the New Jerusalem, God’s kingdom on earth and in heaven.
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
There is an ongoing struggle, even within our Christian ranks, to discover how best to follow Jesus’ teachings. Some argue that “I don’t need a church. I am a spiritual person and I read the Bible. I am a good person.” We would not argue with the last statement. There are many people who are good; look at Gandhi who was a very good person. An individual, doing their best to follow their impulses to do “good,” is not what Christianity is about. It is the sum of its members responding together to challenge the status quo and transform the world, driven by their faith and belief that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God, and it is his example Christians follow.
 
Christ’s mission was not to introduce an individual form of self-improvement. He came so that salvation might be given to those who could find the strength to follow him. An individual doing “good” things, reading the bible, praying to God, has found a selfish expression of faith that will make them feel good, and not require any effort to change, either what they do (they have excluded from their circle anyone who would challenge them), or how they interpret “good” from what they read. That individual might rationalize excellent reasons for rejecting “organized religion.” Most commonly heard are things like: “I don’t need them to know what’s right or how to pray,” or “They are all a bunch of hypocrites.” It is like a soldier saying: “I know that our side is right in going to war, but I’ll fight when the enemies are at my front door,” or “Soldiers are supposed to be brave; the ones I met were all scared.”
 
The expression of faith lived in the world is something that Christ calls us to. It is difficult to do what he asks, and if we find ourselves comfortable in the pew, content with the faith, we probably need to fire ourselves up. The Second Letter of Peter pushes us hard in that direction, and the Gospel reminds us that when we push as he wants us to, others will almost certainly push back (“So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed.”).
 
Our prayer today is that we will not be complacent in the faith we share; that we will take that faith boldly into the world and demonstrate the love Christ calls us to share as our badge of Christianity.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture used is “Saint Justin, Martyr” iconifer and date unknown.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Richard J. Bauckham, 2 Peter, Word Biblical Commentary vol. 50 (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1983), 192.