Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 210-211, 604: God’s mercy
CCC 430, 478, 545, 589, 1365, 1439, 1825, 1846: Christ’s love for all
CCC 2669: The Heart of Christ worthy of adoration
CCC 766, 1225: The Church born from the pierced side of Christ
CCC 1432, 2100: Christ’s love moves our hearts
 
Additional Information about the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart

“The Sacred Heart of Jesus”
from an ancient holy card,
artist and date unknown.

Readings for the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 7:6-11
 
Moses said to the people:
"You are a people sacred to the Lord, your God;
he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth
to be a people peculiarly his own.
It was not because you are the largest of all nations
that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you,
for you are really the smallest of all nations.
It was because the Lord loved you
and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,
that he brought you out with his strong hand
from the place of slavery,
and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Understand, then, that the Lord, your God, is God indeed,
the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant
down to the thousandth generation
toward those who love him and keep his commandments,
but who repays with destruction a person who hates him;
he does not dally with such a one,
but makes them personally pay for it.
You shall therefore carefully observe the commandments,
the statutes and the decrees that I enjoin on you today."
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Commentary on Dt 7:6-11
This passage is taken from Moses' second address to the people of Israel. He has just explained that the people of the lands which they occupy (Canaan in this case) must be held at arm’s length, and they must not intermingle their cultures or relationships. The selection presented is the rationale for that injunction. The members of God’s covenant are sacred to the Lord and the precepts of that covenant are not to be threatened by people not bound by it.
 
The intense love of God for his people is made clear in this reading with specific mention made to the heart of God: “the Lord set his heart on you and chose you.” This directly supports devotion to the Sacred Heart of God's Only Begotten Son especially: “It was because the Lord loved you.”
 
CCC: Dt 7:6 762; Dt 7:8 218; Dt 7:9 215
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10.R. (cf. 17) The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
 
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
 
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
 
Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
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Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10.
 
Psalm 103 is a song of praise to God for his mercy. It recognizes both God’s mercy and our need, as sinners, for it. It is a simple and beautiful reaction to God’s goodness. Remembering God’s promise of mercy for the innocent, these strophes praise God for his compassion and give thanks for his salvation.
 
CCC: Ps 103 304
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Reading II: 1 John 4:7-16
 
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
 
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
 
God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 4:7-16
 
Love, as we share in it, testifies to the nature of God and to his presence in our lives. A person who loves shows that they are a child of God, and they know God, for God's very being is love. A person without love is without God. The revelation of the nature of God's love is found in the free gift of his Son to us, so that we may share life with God and be delivered from our sins. The love we have for one another must be of the same sort: authentic, merciful; this unique Christian love is our proof that we know God and can "see" the invisible God.[5]
 
CCC: 1 Jn 4:8 214, 221, 733, 1604; 1 Jn 4:9 458, 516; 1 Jn 4:10 457, 604, 614, 620, 1428; 1 Jn 4:11-12 735; 1 Jn 4:14 457; 1 Jn 4:16 221, 733, 1604
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Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30
 
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
 
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
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Commentary on Mt 11:25-30
 
Jesus has just completed a fairly scathing criticism of the people in the places he has been and performed miracles, yet many have not accepted him as the Messiah. He now concludes this section as he reflects that, while the scribes and Pharisees (“the wise and learned”) have not understood who he is, those with simple faith have accepted him freely. He then issues an invitation to all who “labor and are burdened,” quoting an invitation similar to one in the book of Sirach to learn wisdom and submit to her yoke (Sirach 51:23, 26).
 
“This Q saying, identical with Luke 10:21-22 except for minor variations, introduces a joyous note into this section, so dominated by the theme of unbelief. While the wise and the learned, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected Jesus' preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, the childlike have accepted them. Acceptance depends upon the Father's revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and refused to the arrogant. Jesus can speak of all mysteries because he is the Son and there is perfect reciprocity of knowledge between him and the Father; what has been handed over to him is revealed only to those whom he wishes.”[6]
 
The final verses of this section are found only in St. Matthew’s Gospel and promise salvation to those who are downtrodden or in pain.
 
CCC: Mt 11:25-27 2603, 2779; Mt 11:25-26 2701; Mt 11:25 153, 544, 2785; Mt 11:27 151, 240, 443, 473; Mt 11:28 1658; Mt 11:29-30 1615; Mt 11:29 459
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Reflection:
 
We begin our thoughts of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in an odd place, remembering our first days in college (in ancient times).  Anxious to start on our curriculum of studies in biochemistry, we went to the advisor for the department, a brilliant young Doctor of Chemistry.  He immediately reviewed the options for first year students and said, “You don’t need freshman biology, let’s sign you up for zoology, and you certainly don’t need plane geometry and trigonometry – you should take calculus, and by all means we should skip freshman inorganic chemistry and go straight to organic chemistry.”  Not knowing any better we did as instructed and it almost killed us.  Study should be fun, not terrifying.
 
What does this have to do with the intense love of God expressed by our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?  In the Gospel reading today we are invited by the Lord to accept his yoke: “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."  He was contrasting his simple commandment to “Love one another as I have loved you” to the complex and difficult rules the Pharisees applied to authentic worship as defined by Mosaic Law.
 
Here is the ironic part: Jesus the Christ; the Only Son of God, is love personified.  He comes, one might say, “hard wired” to react out of love of others in all situations, the pinnacle of heroic virtue.  What he does instinctively requires of us, who struggle valiantly to follow him, tremendous discipline and faith.  It is like the brilliant young advisor who looked at difficult courses and thought them too easy for his new charge. 
 
Our comfort is this, that this day we contemplate not so much how we have failed in our attempt to be like Christ, but rather his unfathomable love for us.  If we think about how intensely a mother loves her child, and then understand that the Lord loves us even more completely, we begin to get an understating of that blessing that engulfs us.  So beyond our comprehension is this immeasurable gift that we look to the saints to describe their God-given visions of the warmth that comes from that ultimate source.
 
Today we pray once more that the Lord will help us love as he does, without judgment, without reserve, in perfect acceptance of all we meet.  We thank him for his example and ask for the strength to follow it, especially with those who most need to feel its warmth.
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time.

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “The Sacred Heart of Jesus” from an ancient holy card, artist and date unknown.
[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 1 John 4: 7-12.
[6] NAB footnote on Matthew 11:25ff.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Barnabas
 
Additional Information about St. Barnabas
 
At the Vigil for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

“Apostles Paul and Barnabas in Lystra”
by Jacob Jordaens, 1645

Readings for the Memorial of St. Barnabas [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Note: The Gospel on this memorial is from the proper readings of weekday year II.
 
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 11:21b-26; 13:1-3
 
In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.
 
Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.
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Commentary on Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3
 
The increase of believers outside of Jerusalem may be indirectly attributed to the efforts of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem by driving out many of the Hellenistic Christians in Jerusalem. These pilgrims took their faith with them and planted the seeds of faith in Antioch (and other places within the Roman Empire). To effect consistent catechesis and evangelization, Barnabas was sent to help form this informal community into a center of faith which in its turn launched others to fulfill the mission of Christ in the world.
 
Barnabas is sent by the body of the apostles to investigate the situation in Antioch and to discover what Paul is doing. Recall, Paul went through his conversion on the road to Damascus and never received guidance or direction from the apostles. The last they knew, St. Paul was still on the “other side.” Barnabas' journey therefore was, at least until he reached Antioch, tense. Barnabas finds Paul in Antioch and the two of them begin an aggressive evangelical ministry.
 
In the second section (ch. 13) we see Barnabas and Saul (St. Paul) sent out from Antioch to spread the Gospel. Saul the convert and Barnabas the apostle were set apart by the Lord for this purpose and strengthened themselves spiritually through prayer and fasting prior to their journey.
 
CCC: Acts 13:2 1070; Acts 13:3 699, 2632
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
 
R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
 
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
 
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
 
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
 
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
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Commentary on Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
 
Psalm 98 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. We see in this selection how God is praised for the strength he lends his people and the salvation he brings to those who are faithful. From our perspective, knowing that he sent us his Son for our salvation, we see clearly the reference to Jesus as God’s saving hand is extended.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
 
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
 
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Commentary on Mt 5:20-26
 
This passage is the first of six examples in St. Matthew’s Gospel of conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. The first three, including this one, take a commandment of Mosaic law and deepen the meaning. Here the Lord takes the commandment, “You shall not kill” (quoted from Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17), to a new level. He traces the logic from thought, to vulgar or abusive words, to violent action. In this translation, the Greek word "Raqa" is used to indicate deep insult. Where the Jewish law forbids the action, Christian law forbids the antecedents as well. The passage continues with the remedy for this action, and a foundation for the sacrament of reconciliation. He instructs us to be reconciled with a person with whom we have bad feelings, before coming to the altar. The consequences of failing to do so, he warns, are judgment and punishment.
 
CCC: Mt 5:20 2054; Mt 5:21-22 2054, 2257; Mt 5:21 2262, 2302; Mt 5:22-39 2262; Mt 5:22 678, 1034, 2302; Mt 5:23-24 2608, 2792, 2841, 2845; Mt 5:24 1424
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Reflection:
 
St. Barnabas, whose feast day we celebrate today, is a remarkable figure in the history of Christianity. He was not one of the Twelve, yet like St. Paul, his longtime friend and confederate, bore the title “Apostle.” Scripture tells us that he was born on Cyprus and was of the tribe of Levi (Acts 4:36). Born with the name John, the Twelve renamed him Barnabas which means “son of encouragement.” He lived up to this name as we hear in the first reading, for when he arrived in Antioch and found a lively Christian community thriving there “he rejoiced and encouraged them all.”
 
In the latter part of that same account from Acts the church prays over both St. Barnabas and St. Paul and sends them on what we now know as St. Paul’s first missionary journey. And what was their first stop: Cyprus, St. Barnabas’ home of origin.
 
 As we recall the important role St. Barnabas played at the very beginning of our Church, we take away three lessons. First, we give thanks for God’s gift of St. Barnabas. He and St. Paul were the first ones who accepted the Lord’s instruction to take the Gospel to the whole world. As St. Matthew’s Gospel tells us, they were not always accepted but were challenged in their work. Yet they were courageous in the face of this opposition.
 
 Next we see in St. Barnabas, like many of those singled out by God for special purposes, one like ourselves with no special outward mark that would have caused us to take note of him. Yet, he accepted the mission to which God called him and for which the Church ordained him. His example is one that should inspire us all.
 
 Finally, we see in St. Barnabas the apostolate of encouragement. He spoke out for the faith fearlessly, yes. But he also encouraged those who faced challenges to the faith as his name implies. His encouragement of others is an important mission, one we may all accept as we encourage one another to live a more active faith.
 
 Today we ask St. Barnabas to pray for us that we might accept the portion of that mission that was entrusted to him, and like him, be an encouragement to others.

Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Apostles Paul and Barnabas in Lystra” by Jacob Jordaens, 1645.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio 580/362
[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 Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Offering of Elijah”
by Marc Chagall,1931-39

Readings for Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time  [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Kings 18:20-39
 
Ahab sent to all the children of Israel
and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel.
 
Elijah appealed to all the people and said,
“How long will you straddle the issue?
If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.”
The people, however, did not answer him.
So Elijah said to the people,
“I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD,
and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.
Give us two young bulls.
Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood,
but start no fire.
I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood,
but shall start no fire.
You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the LORD.
The God who answers with fire is God.”
All the people answered, “Agreed!”
 
Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal,
“Choose one young bull and prepare it first,
for there are more of you.
Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire.”
Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it
and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying,
“Answer us, Baal!”
But there was no sound, and no one answering.
And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.
When it was noon, Elijah taunted them:
“Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating,
or may have retired, or may be on a journey.
Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears,
as was their custom, until blood gushed over them.
Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state
until the time for offering sacrifice.
But there was not a sound;
no one answered, and no one was listening.
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.”
When the people had done so, he repaired the altar of the LORD
that had been destroyed.
He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the LORD had said, “Your name shall be Israel.”
He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones,
and made a trench around the altar
large enough for two measures of grain.
When he had arranged the wood,
he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.
“Fill four jars with water,” he said,
“and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood.”
“Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.
“Do it a third time,” he said,
and they did it a third time.
The water flowed around the altar,
and the trench was filled with the water.
 
At the time for offering sacrifice,
the prophet Elijah came forward and said,
“LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
let it be known this day that you are God in Israel
and that I am your servant
and have done all these things by your command.
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God
and that you have brought them back to their senses.”
The LORD’s fire came down
and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust,
and it lapped up the water in the trench.
Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said,
“The LORD is God! The LORD is God!”
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Commentary on 1 Kgs 18:20-39
 
This story from the “Elijah Cycle” of 1 Kings describes Elijah returning to Israel to confront the people who had fallen into Baal worship. He proposes a challenge between the false god and the Lord. The actions of the priests of Baal, the dancing, shouting, and cutting themselves as part of their prayer ritual are validated by other ancient Near-Eastern texts as being part of Baal worship.
 
There is some symbolic language used in describing the preparation of the altar by Elijah. Specifically, the use of the number three as the altar is drenched in water indicating it was completely drenched. The result of the test was predictable. God answers Elijah and the people come back to authentic worship of God.
 
CCC: 1 Kgs 18:20-39 2583; 1 Kgs 18:26-29 2766; 1 Kgs 18:38-39 696; 1 Kgs 18:39 2582
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11
 
R. (1b) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
 
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
 
They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
 
O LORD, my allotted portion and cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
 
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
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Commentary on Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11
 
Psalm 16 is an individual hymn of praise. The psalmist prays that God will shield the faithful from harm and expresses confidence in the Lord’s salvation, closing the passage with praise for God’s loving mercy. "It is apparent that in the earliest Christian community, the psalm was given a messianic interpretation with respect to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both Peter, in his sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:25–28), and Paul, in the synagogue at Antioch (Acts 13:35), reflect this interpretation of the psalm in their preaching." [4]
 
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Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:17-19
 
Those who believed that Jesus came to destroy the Jewish faith and laws are refuted in this passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel. The Lord tells them that he did not come to destroy the law, even though he disagreed with the way some of those laws were being implemented. Rather he came to fulfill it, essentially giving the law a reinterpretation through his own divine revelation.
 
In this early encounter between Jesus’ mission and the Law of Moses, we are told that Jesus came to “fulfill” the law, to bring it to perfection as the Messiah. He supports the rabbinical teaching of the time, which separates the 613 individual precepts of the law found in the Pentateuch into “great and small,” based upon their seriousness, when he refers to breaking the least of the commandments. It is important to understand the Hebrew view of the law: "The law was thought to be the summary of all wisdom-human and divine, the revelation of God himself, a complete and a secure guide of conduct and endowed with a sacramental assurance of good relations with God." [5]
 
The passage is concluded in almost Mosaic style by saying that those who follow the law will be great in heaven. This draws a distinction between those who would break the law being least in heaven in the previous sentence.
 
CCC: Mt 5:17-19 577, 592, 1967; Mt 5:17 2053
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Reflection:
 
When we think about the role of Elijah, described in part in the reading from the First Book of Kings, we must see his actions as being prophetic of his counterpart in the time of Jesus, St. John the Baptist. Elijah calls the people to turn away from worshiping false gods and to return to the Lord. St. John comes, as the new Elijah, also calling the people to turn away from sin and return to the Lord.
 
The Lord tells us, in St. Matthew’s Gospel, that he has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In this way, St. John calls the people to accept the fulfilled the promise of the Lord in Christ. Jesus does indeed bring to completion the work started at the very beginning of creation. Throughout the Old Testament there have been stories and signs that look forward to a time of salvation, when all of the sins of the people will be washed away. King David, the psalmist, sings laments constantly, recalling God’s might, the wonders and signs he has performed, and begging for his continued help in times of need. In Christ this wish is granted. In Christ the promise is fulfilled. In him, God’s salvation is spread over all peoples of all nations.
 
Yet, just as the ancient Jews who had fallen into worship of Baal, people of our day cannot choose life in Christ. They cannot accept that the promise was fulfilled. They worship instead a golden calf of their worldly success. They build altars many stories high to greed and hedonism.
 
The Lord calls to us, through Sacred Scripture, to continue to challenge these misguided principles and to put forward, through our words and actions, the Good News of the promise fulfilled. We pray today for the courage and strength to do so.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Offering of Elijah” by Marc Chagall,1931-39.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible except for the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed., Word Biblical Commentary vol. 19 (Nashville, TN: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2004), 158.
[5] Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 43:34, p. 70.

Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Ephrem
 
Biographical information about St. Ephrem

“The Light of the World” (detail)
by William Holman Hunt 1851–1853

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Kings 17:7-16
 
The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,
because no rain had fallen in the land.
So the Lord said to Elijah:
“Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.
I have designated a widow there to provide for you.”
He left and went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the Lord, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked;
there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the Lord, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
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Commentary on 1 Kgs 17:7-16
 
Earlier (in vv.1-7) Elijah, following Yahweh’s instruction challenges the priests of Baal, who in this instance claims to be the god of storms, fertility present in the dew and rain.  Elijah prophesied a drought saying, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.” [4] The story of Elijah and the miracle of the widow and her son follows, establishing Elijah as a man from God, a prophet. He is able to demonstrate God’s plan: “For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” God provides for Elijah in his need once more.
 
CCC: 1 Kgs 17:7-24 2583
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 4:2-3, 4-5, 7b-8
 
R. (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.
 
When I call, answer me, O my just God,
you who relieve me when I am in distress;
Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
Men of rank, how long will you be dull of heart?
Why do you love what is vain and seek after falsehood?
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
 
Know that the Lord does wonders for his faithful one;
the Lord will hear me when I call upon him.
Tremble, and sin not;
reflect, upon your beds, in silence.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
 
O Lord, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
You put gladness into my heart,
more than when grain and wine abound.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
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Commentary on Ps 4:2-3, 4-5, 7b-8
 
Psalm 4 is an individual lament. In these strophes, we hear the trust the psalmist has in God whose saving works cause the faithful to tremble in awe of God’s mercy and whose protection brings the peace that sets hearts to rest and gives joy to life.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:13-16
 
In this selection from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses allegory to push the Word of God into the world. He tells his disciples they are an integral part of the faith of the people in God. As seasoning is to food, so the Word of God is to faith. They must remain steadfast so they do not lose zeal for God, which is the taste of that seasoning. It is that which sets it apart.
 
He uses a second allegory, light, to provide still more direction. The light of faith will be seen by all because it is reflected in the actions of those who believe. That light serves to guide others to God, when they may otherwise become lost in darkness, and wander into paths of desolation. That light that pours from the disciples will be seen as a gift, not from them, but from the Father, and the Father will be glorified because of the light.
 
“Salt and light each impart their own virtue, provided they remain fully what they are. Christians are the means whereby God wants to flavor life, to illuminate life. Do we not too often want to be receivers rather than the givers, and do we not in this way become insipid and dark? The disciple himself is responsible if the world around him remains crouching in lethargy, untransformed.” [5]
 
CCC: Mt 5:13-16 782, 2821; Mt 5:14 1243; Mt 5:16 326
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Reflection:
 
Since the earliest of times in human history God has called individuals to carry his message into the world. We see in the first reading from First Book of Kings how he guides Elijah, setting him on God’s chosen path. The miracle of the flour and oil only serve to emphasize that Elijah is a prophet sent by God.
 
In the Gospel the Lord expands the call to take God’s message into the world. He is speaking to his disciples telling them that they must be “the light of the world.” We, who offer ourselves as his modern-day disciples, hear that instruction and are called to respond to it. Christ’s use of the light metaphor gives us an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be light for the world.
 
If we think about light, specifically light coming from fire as opposed to an electric light, we can imagine a person walking into a very dark place leading others with just a lighted match to guide them. It does not put out very much light and the person must move very slowly and cautiously to avoid tripping or bumping into something. That very small light is like a person who rarely seeks to enhance their own faith though word or sacrament. A person holding a match cannot walk boldly in the world, there is not enough light, and progress is slow toward the ultimate goal. In addition, the flame of a match is vulnerable to the smallest breeze (challenges to the light) and can easily go out, plunging that person into darkness once more.
 
Let’s imagine next a person with a proper torch leading others in a dark place. The torch gives off a hundred times more light than the match and the whole group can move at a comfortable pace, safe from any hidden obstacles. No breeze or even a stronger wind can blow it out; in fact it would generally glow brighter.  This would be the person who cultivates their own faith and is able to lead others with confidence in their example and the strength of the Holy Spirit.
 
This latter example is what we all strive to be. However, there is a danger in our analogy as well.  If the torch is misused, it can set fire to things that should not burn and the very light we carry can cause others to flee in terror (errant use of dogma or perverted use of Scripture). The Lord calls us to be light for the world, not to destroy the world. Just as Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not to destroy it, we are called to build up the body of Christ, not to say: “Throw that part into the fire, it must burn.” That kind of judgment is for the Lord himself who will judge all people on the Last Day.
 
Pax

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[1] The Drawing used today is “The Light of the World” (detail) by William Holman Hunt 1851–1853.
[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 Word Biblical Commentary, 1 Kings, Volume 12, (Thomas Nelson, Inc. © 2004), 216.
[5] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 207.

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Elijah Fed by Ravens” by and unknown Dutch potter 1577-78

Readings for Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Kings 17:1-6
 
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab:
“As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve,
during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.”
The Lord then said to Elijah:
“Leave here, go east
and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
You shall drink of the stream,
and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.”
So he left and did as the Lord had commanded.
He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning,
and bread and meat in the evening,
and he drank from the stream.
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Commentary on 1 Kgs 17:1-6
 
This passage begins the section from 1 Kings called “Stories of the Prophets.” “Elijah the Tishbite: one of the most important figures in Old Testament history. As his name indicates ("Yahweh is my God"), Elijah was the successful leader in the struggle to preserve the knowledge and worship of Yahweh against the encroaching worship of Baal introduced into Israel by Jezebel, the Tyrian wife of Ahab.“ [4]
 
“Ahab with his Phoenician in-laws may believe all their myths about Baal and may participate with fervor in his rites, but he is no living God in the sense that Yahweh is. Can he truly guarantee fertility? Can he give life the way Yahweh does? As Yahweh’s minister, Elijah delivers a challenge, actually framed as a threat, to the effect that Yahweh, and he alone, can withhold the water on which all growing things depend, and will bring it back again only when he tells his prophet to say so.” [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
R. (see 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
The Lord will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
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Commentary on Ps 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
Psalm 121 is a hymn of blessing given prior to a long and difficult journey. These strophes explain that God is faithful, and will protect the traveler from harm – God is always with us (“he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night”). The imagery in the opening strophes reminds us of Moses in Exodus 17:8-13 as he stood upon a high place so that the Israelites could see that God was with them. In this song of blessing we are reminded of God’s continuing guidance and the salvation he provides us through his Son.
 
CCC: Ps 121:2 1605
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Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
 
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:1-12
 
This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”(Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:13; Sirach 25:8-9) This designation identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God. (This distinction is for the devout poor.) The discourse continues, blessing those who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
 
The litany of praises for those to be blessed by the Lord has an overarching theme. It holds up the spiritual strength of complete dependence on God for life, health, and prosperity. St. Matthew captures the strength in that dependence, and God’s promise of salvation through the words of the Savior.
 
It is noteworthy that the word “Blessed” [μακάριοι (makάrios) in Greek and Beati in Latin] is translated “Happy” in many Old Testament texts.  The idea of happiness or peace as a blessing from God is an important understanding about the intent of this discourse.
 
CCC: Mt 5:1 581; Mt 5:3-12 1716; Mt 5:3 544, 2546; Mt 5-7 2763; Mt 5-6 764; Mt 5:8 1720, 2518; Mt 5:9 2305, 2330; Mt 5:11-12 520
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Reflection:

“Those who practice the Beatitudes are imitators of God, of the divine nature. The Beatitudes are no longer now negative commandments that forbid sin, as the first Decalogue largely was, in keeping with its nature as the minimum necessary to obey God. The Beatitudes are the carta magna, as it were, that invites poor mortals to be like God here and now in this world, to live on the other side of sin, to incarnate the divine holiness, to become children of God in truth, begotten by the Word of Truth who, sitting on this mountain, is now dispensing life through his words.” [6]

 

The final reference in the Beatitudes from St. Matthew (“Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”) is exemplified by the situation unfolding in 1 Kings for the prophet Elijah. Elijah is told by God to flee to the “Wadi Cherith” to avoid being killed by the worshipers of Baal. God protects the great prophet by keeping him safe and fed during his sojourn. The Lord blesses Elijah for his faithful witness in the face of persecution.
 
Jesus’ litany of blessings is so necessary. He extols Christian virtue, which flies in the face of the wisdom of the world. He holds up those who are powerless as beloved of God. He expresses his abiding love for those who seek the face of God, and encourages those who face the most difficult path. Faith in Christ is not an easy path, and Jesus’ support in this passage assures us of his unfailing faithfulness.
 
This great discourse provides hope and consolation for all of us. And, each of us goes through different times in our life of faith that bring us from being the “poor in spirit,” to being “peacemakers,” to being “persecuted.” In each stage the Lord extends his blessings. And how do we experience his love? We find it in the sacraments, where it is extended through his visible presence in the world, the Church. We also find his reassurance in prayer, hearing his voice of consolation, reminding us we are not alone in our struggles, that he is with us.
 
Today we hear once more the words of comfort and challenge in the Beatitudes. We are called once more to rededicate ourselves to the principles of Christian virtue and accept the blessings of our loving Father.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is of a plaque “Elijah Fed by Ravens” by and unknown Dutch potter 1577-78.
[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 1 Kings 17:1.
[5] Simon J. DeVries, 1 Kings, 2nd ed., Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 12 (Dallas: Word, Inc, 2003), 218.
[6] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996),184.