Second Sunday of Lent

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 554-556, 568: the Transfiguration
CCC 59, 145-146, 2570-2571: the obedience of Abraham
CCC 706: God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled in Christ
CCC 2012-2114, 2028, 2813: the call to holiness

“The Transfiguration”
by Marco Benefial c. 1730

 
Readings for the Second Sunday of Lent [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 12:1-4a
 
The Lord said to Abram:
“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.
 
“I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.”
 
Abram went as the Lord directed him.
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Commentary on Gn 12:1-4a
 
The genealogy of the Hebrew generations that ended with Abram and his wife migrating to the land of Ur (Genesis 11:27ff) sets this reading as a formal introduction. Abram (later Abraham) is chosen by God to become a great leader of people in holiness. "The universalism that marked Genesis chapters 1-11 having now failed, the Lord begins anew, singling out one Mesopotamian - in no way distinguished from his peers as yet - and promising to make of him a great nation, not numbered in the seventy nations of chapter 10.  What the Lord promises Abram (his name is changed to "Abraham" only in Chapter 17) - land, numerous offspring, and blessing - constitutes to a large extent a reversal of some of the curses on Adam and Eve - exile, pain in childbirth, and uncooperative soil (Genesis 3:16-24)."[5]
 
The blessing provided here is discussed at some length in the notes on this section: “Shall find blessing in you: the sense of the Hebrew expression is probably reflexive, "shall bless themselves through you" (i.e., in giving a blessing they shall say, "May you be as blessed as Abraham"), rather than passive, "shall be blessed in you." Since the term is understood in a passive sense in the New Testament (Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8), it is rendered here by a neutral expression that admits to both meanings; so also in the blessings given by God to Isaac (Genesis 26:4) and Jacob (Genesis 28:14).”[6]
 
CCC: Gn 12:1-4 145; Gn 12:1 59; Gn 12:2 762, 1669; Gn 12:3 706, 2676; Gn 12:3 LXX 59; Gn 12:4 2570
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
 
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
Upright is the word of the Lord,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
Our soul waits for the Lord,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
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Commentary on Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
 
Psalm 33 is a song of praise and thanksgiving.  In this selection the emphasis is on faithfulness to God who has saving power combined with hope, a central component of faith in God. The sense of God’s adoption of his chosen ones is expressed as the singer rejoices in the interdependence of the people and God’s love.
 
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Reading 2: 2 Timothy 1:8b-10
 
Beloved:
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.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 1:8b-10
 
St. Paul encourages Timothy to be outspoken for the sake of the Gospel which was entrusted to him through the “imposition of my hands”(1 Timothy 4:14). He also tells his protégé not to worry because redemption is a free gift of Christ, not won by personal deeds.
 
"Four essential aspects of salvation are identified: 1) God has already accomplished salvation for everyone; 2) it is God, too, who calls all men to avail of it; 3) it is entirely a gift: man cannot merit it (cf. Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9); and 4) God's plan is an eternal one (cf. Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:11)." [7]
 
CCC: 2 Tm 1:8 2471, 2506; 2 Tm 1:9-10 257, 1021
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Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
 
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
 
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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Commentary on Mt 17:1-9
 
In the opening paragraph of St. Matthew’s account of the transfiguration, James, John, and Peter see Jesus take on a majestic appearance, with imagery consistent with Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7:9-14) and then be joined by Moses the giver of the law, and Elijah first among the prophets.  Scholars agree that uniting and fulfilling the law and the prophets represented in this tableau was a key message of this event.
 
The suggestion by St. Peter that he erect three “booths” suggests the Jewish Feast of Booths which commemorates the revelation of the law by Moses at Mt. Sinai; a close parallel is emphasized as the ultimate revelation of God in Christ is now played out.
 
The “bright cloud” is another Old Testament symbol used to represent the immediate presence of God (see Exodus 19:9 and 24:15-16).  From within it God speaks the same formula used at Jesus’ baptism (see Matthew 3:17) providing the final absolute identity of Jesus as the Christ.
 
This event is recounted in all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36) confirms that Jesus is the Son of God. While some scholars point to this as possibly inserted here as a post-resurrection redaction, modern thought is that, because of Old Testament images and Jewish non-canonical apocalyptic images expressed in the brilliant light, white garments and overshadowing cloud, the event is appropriately placed in Jesus' lifetime.
 
In this account especially we are reminded of the baptismal event as God’s proclamation is similar to that recounted as Jesus came up from the Jordan “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
 
CCC: Mt 17:1-8 & par. 554; Mt 17:5 444
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Reflection
 
We are now entering our second week of the penitential journey of Lent and, hopefully, we are getting into the rhythms of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving dictated by the season.
 
Much like our journey through the Lenten season, our journey together, as a faith community, to become what our vision articulates, is also a journey we must follow.  One in which we work diligently to help all of our brothers and sisters achieve our common goal – to get into heaven, our final destination.
 
Today is full of references to journeys. It begins with God announcing in the reading from the Book of Genesis that he has selected Abram (later Abraham) with whom he will begin anew to shape the people of God.  Recall he had failed in all those generations from our first parents, Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God and brought sin into the world. God was forced to wash sin away in the baptism of the great flood.  In the story heard today, he starts afresh calling Abram to foster his chosen people. And in our psalm response: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you,” we expressed our trust in God’s mercy as we continue our journey together as a people of God. 
 
It is worthy of note that we sing this hope and trust together!  We cannot achieve what we hope to accomplish (the gates of heaven) alone.
 
We next hear St. Paul reminding his young protégé, St. Timothy, of four central truths:
 
1) God has already accomplished salvation for everyone;
2) it is God, too, who calls all people to avail of it;
3) it is entirely a gift: we cannot merit it (cf. Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9); and
4) God's plan is an eternal one (cf. Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:11).
 
As always, St. Paul gives us practical teachings that we need to take with us as we walk our own path to Golgotha.
 
And finally, St. Matthew’s Gospel recounts the Transfiguration!  The event on Mt. Tabor was in modern language a “trailer” for those select disciples Peter, James, and John.  It gave them a preview of what was going to come very quickly as they were about to enter Jerusalem with the Lord for the last time.
 
I call it a “trailer” based upon what the disciples reported, well after the Lord had gone through his passion and resurrection. (Recall the final words of the Gospel passage – “Jesus charged them, ‘Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’”)  Those lucky disciples saw the Lord, not as the man, their teacher and friend, they had been following as he ministered to the people over the previous three years, but as the divine person who, as St. Paul says in his letter to the Philippians, “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.” (Philippians 2:7b) Peter, James, and John saw the Son of God in his divine form. Recall also the words later recorded in St. Matthew’s Gospel when the “two Marys” came to the tomb after Christ’s passion.  There they encountered another divine person, whose appearance was also described: “like lightning and his clothing was white as snow.” (Matthew 28:3)
 
We can only imagine the events that immediately followed.  Jesus and his three friends coming back down the mountain to collect the other nine disciples, with Peter, James, and John looking as if “they had seen a ghost.” The others would have immediately pulled them aside.  They would have been intensely curious: “What happened?” They would have asked. “What did you see?”
 
And Peter would have shaken his head, with that stunned look on his face and said to them: “Later, we can only tell you later.”
 
And “later” recall that these same three disciples would have been with him at Gethsemane.  And again, Jesus would ask them to come apart from the others to “watch and pray.” Their true test was just about to come, and they would be found wanting.
 
So, fair notice to all of us.  This path we see unfolding, this journey that ends at another mountain called Calvary, is the one we also walk as we follow the Lord along our own Lenten path.  This proof of the Lord’s divine identity is given to us again so we might take heart and have hope.  We will encounter the risen Lord in the Eucharist we will share, and while the host may not flash like lightning or look to be as white as snow, it is no less than that glorified body he shared with us,  our food for the journey.  Let us walk that path with hope and faith.
 
Pax.

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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 Transfiguration” by Marco Benefial c. 1730.
[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] The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford University Press, New York, NY, © 2004), 30.
[6] NAB footnote on Genesis 12:1-4.
[7] The Navarre Bible, Letters of St. Paul (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 591.

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

“The Trials and Calling of Moses” (detail)
by Sandro Botticelli, 1481-8

 
Readings for Saturday of the First Week of Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:16-19
 
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”
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Commentary on Dt 26:16-19
 
This reading from Deuteronomy is the final agreement in Moses’ Covenant.  In it the Israelites are told by Moses that for their part they must always follow God’s commandments and statutes.  The recitation of the laws that God revealed to Moses is now complete and attention now shifts to the covenant relationship between God and his chosen people. [4] For his part, the Lord has made them his special possession, favored above the other nations he has made.
 
"By treating man in this way, God shows himself to be both near to man and far above him. The mutual commitment of God and men in the Covenant is not a simple business-like transaction; it is something enduring, something which is being renewed all the time: for man, and particularly for the Christian, every day is a renewal of the Covenant, a new beginning (cf. Isaiah 43:19)." [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
 
R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
 
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
 
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
 
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
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Commentary on Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
 
Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem.  Each of the eight verses of the first strophe begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph). Each verse of the second strophe begins with the second letter (beth), and so on for all 22 letters of the alphabet. The entire work is in praise of the law, and the joys to be found in keeping it. It is not "legalism" but a love and desire for the word of God in Israel's law, which is the expression of the Lord's revelation of himself and his will for man. In these opening verses, the psalmist establishes that a desire to keep the law is a prerequisite to offering sincere praise.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:43-48
 
This passage is the second of six examples in St. Matthew’s Gospel of conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. The Lord extends the understanding of Mosaic Law. He first quotes Leviticus 19:18. Jesus tells the disciples once more that their behavior must be reflected in how they treat others, and must go beyond what was customarily understood. He tells his friends directly to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (not curse them as was customary, also echoed in Romans 12:17-21). This exhortation differentiates Christians, who love even their enemies based upon requirements of their faith. When the Lord uses the phrase "pray for those who persecute you" he allows that there is evil in the world, but this does not excuse the Christian from loving enemies, because we are "υιοί τοΰ Πατϱός  ̶  Sons of the Father.”
 
Jesus continues to reinterpret Mosaic Law.  Here, he goes after the closed community.  He tells the disciples, consistent with the instruction to “turn the other cheek,” to love not just those who love us but those who are our enemies as well.
 
He goes on to contrast the response expected from his disciples to the response customarily given (e.g. loving those who love you, greeting only one’s friends), asking: “Do not the pagans do the same?” The passage concludes with “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” He points out that to do less than that is human nature, but the Christian calling is to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect. Only in St. Matthew’s Gospel is the word “perfect” used. In St. Luke’s Gospel the word is “merciful.”
 
CCC:  Mt 5:43-44 1933, 2844; Mt 5:44-45 2303, 2608; Mt 5:44 1825, 1968, 2262; Mt 5:45 2828; Mt 5:46-47 2054; Mt 5:47 1693; Mt 5:48 443, 1693, 1968, 2013, 2842
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Reflection:
 
Sometimes when we are in discussions with friends or family who see the faith as “non-inclusive” we may hear retorts like: “The best Christian that has ever been was Gandhi;” or some other epithet intended to challenge the notion that belief in the supremacy of Christ is key to our salvation.  People taking this approach have missed something very important that St. Matthew’s Gospel makes clear in the passage we are given today.
 
There is a difference between being a good and moral person and being a good Christian.  To use an analogy, it is like saying: “I have a rowboat in a pond and am therefore a sailor. This makes me just like the maritime seamen who take huge ships on the seas of the world.”  Some of the ingredients are the same, both have boats (although the scale is drastically different), and both are in a body of water; however the size and hazards are tremendously different. 
 
The principal differences between the good and moral person and the good Christian are, first, what they believe about God, and second, how they are motivated and what they expect from their lives.  We draw this distinction here because many of our brothers and sisters who claim to be Christian are in fact good moral people who have not taken a leap of faith. 
 
As the Gospel tells us, the Christian follows God in loving all his creation, that which is pleasing to the eye, to touch, to smell and to taste and that which is not pleasing. All of the physical reality we perceive is created by him and is therefore to be respected by us.  That includes our fellow travelers, whether they love us or not.  All were created by God, all are loved by God, and as God’s only Son shows us time and again, all are loved equally.
 
The distinguishing element here is that the good and moral person may love and respect creation too, but does so only so far as it is seen to be in that person’s best interests or the best interests of society in general.  Here’s an example.  There is an organization called PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).  While it is certainly a Christian ideal to treat animals humanely, certain radical members of this group have gone so far as to kill people whom they thought were treating animals inhumanely.  Their reverence for the life of animals actually exceeded their reverence for human life.
 
This is just one example of how morality may be misconstrued as being analogous to Christianity.  The Christian is driven by love, and that is the underlying difference.  We are asked to love God first (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and then love others (all others, not just those who love us).  To do less would be a betrayal of Christ, who showed us what Christian love means.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Trials and Calling of Moses” (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1481-82.
[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, Deuteronomy 21:10-34:12, Volume 6B, (Thomas Nelson, Inc © 1997), 647.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Pentateuch (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 763.

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Optional Memorial for Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church
 
Proper readings for the Memorial for St. Gregory of Narek
 
Biographical information for St. Gregory of Narek

“Saint Peter Penitent” (detail)
by Gerard van Honthorst (1592–1656)

Readings for Friday of the First Week of Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Ezekiel 18:21-28
 
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?
 
And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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Commentary on Ez 18:21-28
 
The prophet Ezekiel expounds upon the concept of individual responsibility (see also 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29ff, and Deuteronomy 24:16). He begins this passage by saying that if an evil person turns away from their sins they will receive redemption. Speaking for God, he says that the Lord does not enjoy punishing those who disobey; rather he rejoices when repentance leads to redemption. The reading continues saying that if a virtuous person falls into sin and turns from the righteous path, that person will die because of their sin. It has been postulated that this may have been part of a liturgical rite that was an act of contrition prior to entering the temple in that it brings into consideration the code of the law and the code of holiness.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
 
R. (3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
 
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
 
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
 
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
 
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
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Commentary on Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
 
Psalm 130 is a song of lament. The psalmist cries out to God to hear the voice of the one who calls, and to forgive the sins they have committed. The second verse, which is also the refrain, sums up the lament, saying that if there is no forgiveness all will fall because all have sinned.
 
CCC: Ps 130:3 370
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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.
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. In this context "raqa" (Greek: ῥάκα; Aramaic: רְקָא) refers to an Aramaic term, used as a derogatory insult, signifying "empty-headed" or "worthless person." 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:
 
As we listen to Sacred Scripture, we can easily recall Ash Wednesday and the beginning of this Lenten season. We remember the words used when the ashes were applied: “Turn away from sin [repent] and believe in the Gospel!” Those words are repeated by Ezekiel and amplified by Christ in Matthew’s Gospel.
 
The words of repentance have, from the very earliest times, resulted in forgiveness. It is one of God’s great gifts to us. He forgives. After love, forgiveness (which is a characteristic or element of love if we really think about it) is the most obvious characteristic of the Father (who is love).
 
God’s forgiveness is not like our forgiveness. Let’s say a salesman at a store purposely overcharged us, and we discover the mistake and confront him. He says, “I’m sorry.” And we forgive him, right? But we probably don’t like him and will probably never do business with him again. In fact, we may never trade with the firm where he works again. God, on the other hand, forgives like a loving parent. He not only forgives the deed but accepts the flaw in us that allowed us to commit such an act, no matter how heinous. We hear the understanding predicted by the prophet Ezekiel:
 
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
 
We hear the forgiveness. We also hear that the key to forgiveness on our part is repentance (“If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed”). What Ezekiel tells us is that if we sin (we define sin as a conscious failure to love), and knowingly continue, unrepentant (this means we will probably repeat the act), we are not in a state of grace or forgiveness. We have not turned away from our sin, but away from God.
 
Jesus tells us in the Gospel that it goes even further. If we sin in our thoughts, we have committed that sin in the eyes of God. This statement binds us to vigilance and prohibits us from the hypocritical path of the Pharisees who, because of their rigid adherence to the letter of rabbinic law, felt they were somehow better than those who were not so outwardly scrupulous. We are called to a higher standard (some might say an impossible standard) of spirituality. Our thoughts and actions must coincide. What is seen must be genuine.
 
The call to repentance and the pledge of God’s forgiveness for true contrition are the connected messages we take with us today. As always, the doing is much more difficult than the saying. We pray today that we may come to true contrition through our repentance, and by doing so, come into the peace of Christ.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Saint Peter Penitent” (detail) by Gerard van Honthorst (1592–1656).
[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 First Week of Lent

“Esther and Ahasuerus”
by Bernardo Cavallino,1645-50

Readings for Thursday of the First Week in Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1*: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
 
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God.
“And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”
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Commentary on Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25
 
In this prayer from the Book of Esther we find the queen in great distress. She is praying for the deliverance of the people of Israel.  They have been condemned to be slaughtered by her husband, the king, who was influenced by his trusted adviser (Haman).  She hopes to go before the king to plead for them.  But going into the presence of the king without an invitation from him is forbidden, on pain of death. She places all of her trust in God’s mercy, confident that he will intercede. This open and direct prayer form is similar in style to those found in the New Testament.
 
CCC: Est 4:17b 269
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
 
R. (3a) Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
 
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
 
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
 
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
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Commentary on Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
 
Psalm 138 is a psalm of thanksgiving. It contains the same sense as if it were a continuation of the prayer of Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25. It praises God for his saving works and expresses confidence in his saving help. It also supports the rescue of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:22ff) who prayed and whose prayers were answered by divine intervention. (“When I called, you answered me.”)
 
CCC: Ps 138 304; Ps 138:2 214
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Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”
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Commentary on Mt 7:7-12
 
In this passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew Jesus explains that, if the faithful pray to the Father, what they ask for will be given (within the context of “good gifts”). This universal truth, he explains is because of God’s infinite love for us. In this case, he uses the analogy of a father feeding his child, and how even sinful parents give good things to their children.
 
Almost as an afterthought, the Lord then delivers what has been called since the 18th century the “Golden Rule.” No Old Testament quote exactly correlates to this quote so we must accept it as an interpretation by the Lord, probably of the Mosaic Law in Leviticus.
 
CCC: Mt 7:7-11 2609; Mt 7:12-13 2821; Mt 7:12 1789, 1970
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Reflection:
 
We all know the Golden Rule.  We have heard it since we were children.  It is similar in intent to the more recent: “What would Jesus do?” We have all heard it, we all know it.  Then why is it so difficult to do in practice?
 
The difficulty we have in treating others as we want to be treated comes from a couple of different sources within us.  First, we take a look at our own motives in life.  We want to have the very best of everything.  We want to have the best material things.  We want to do the best at school, at work, and in our social settings.  In other words, we want to be first, and if we are first others must be second.  How can we treat others with deference when we really want deference from them?  Sitting behind that motive are greed and gluttony.
 
“The same person who is insistent in knocking at his Father’s door is the one who simultaneously is running to open his door to his neighbor, anticipating his approach. The same person who hopes his Father will give him a loaf of bread and a fish, even when, perversely, he nurses a fetish for stones and snakes, is the one who sees through his neighbor’s hostility or indifference and recognizes there the same indigence that gapes in his own heart before God. Prayer opens the gate of my heart to admit the bountiful presence of God.” [4]
 
Next we must look at our natural impulses.  When a person treats us badly, even though Jesus says “turn the other cheek,” we do not enjoy being put in that situation.  Do we treat others who treat us badly the way we want to be treated?  It is unlikely; our natural impulse is to avoid them, or worse, reciprocate with the way we were treated, a kind of inverse application of the Golden Rule. Treat others as you have been treated by them.  Behind these impulses we find wrath and pride.
 
This being the Lenten season we need to hold ourselves up to a mirror of faith and ask God, first of all, for forgiveness.  We then must ask him for the strength to do as his Son would do, to be so dominated by our love of others that greed, gluttony, wrath, and pride find no place in us.  We pray that out of our love for others, we find the grace and strength to receive hatred and bitterness with compassion, looking always for the good in others.
 
The Golden Rule is a difficult rule for us.  We are challenged by the Lord to put on his mind, to banish self-serving thoughts and actions, thinking always of God’s greater glory instead of our own.  We pray for the strength and courage to make strides in that direction. It is that path that leads to the Father.
 
Pax
 
* Alternate notation from the published index: Esther 4:17, n; p-r; aa-bb, gg-hh

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[1] The picture is “Esther and Ahasuerus” by Bernardo Cavallino,1645-50.
[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] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA © 1996), 302-03.

Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

“Jonah Preaches to Ninevites”
by Gustave Doré, 1866

Readings for Wednesday of the First Week in Lent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Jonah 3:1-10
 
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
 
When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
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Commentary on Jon 3:1-10
 
Jonah had tried to run from God after the first time the word of God came to him. He was swallowed by a giant fish and spewed out on dry land. Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish, the prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of the Jews.  He is sent to spread the news that, unless they repented their ways, the city would be destroyed. It is not explicit in this reading, but Jonah was sure he would fail, and the city would be destroyed.
 
This selection, then, describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption. In v.5 we find a stunning response to Jonah’s call to repentance “and the people of Nineveh believed God.”  They repented of their wickedness which later would be referenced by Jesus in Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32 as he rebukes his own generation for rejecting his Gospel, referring to himself as “one greater than Jonah.” [4]
 
Placed in the context of the season of Lent, the reading reminds us of the need for repentance and the promise of God’s mercy.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
 
R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
 
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
 
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
 
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
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Commentary on Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
 
Psalm 51 is the most famous of the seven penitential psalms. These strophes are consistent with the theme from Jonah 3:1-10 pleading for the remission of sins. This selection from the great penitential psalm is a lament. It expresses sorrow for sin and an understanding of the need to reform the heart.
 
CCC: Ps 51:12 298, 431; Ps 51:19 1428, 2100
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Gospel: Luke 11:29-32
 
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
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Commentary on Lk 11:29-32
 
Jesus is asked again for a sign that would prove to his audience that he is what he claims to be. His response is vehement: the only sign that will be given to them will be the sign of Jonah, the message that they are under a condemnation from God unless they repent and return to faithfulness. This is followed by another reference to the Old Testament “queen of the south,” a reference to the queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10: 1ff),  who came seeking the wisdom of Solomon. Using this imagery, the Lord refers to himself as God’s wisdom incarnate.
 
The final verse of this passage summarizes the message. Christ’s call to repentance carries more weight than Jonah’s call did for the Ninevites (Jonah 3:1-10) and his wisdom is greater than that of Solomon.
 
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Reflection:
 
We continue our inward search to become more effective disciples of Jesus. One critical element of that search is to look at our character through the lens of the perfect example, the Lord himself, and see what needs to be changed. Frequently, the changes we discover require repentance.
 
When all is said and done, repentance has two components. First there is recognition that the behavior that requires forgiveness is something for which we are sorry. There cannot be repentance without that sense of sorrow or contrition. If we commit a sinful act and feel no remorse or sorrow, then we do not recant that action. It would be like going to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and at the end of our act of contrition feeling that there is really nothing to be contrite about.
 
The second element of repentance is our reaction to that sense of contrition, sorrow, or remorse. We must change our behavior in such a way that our previous actions, which have offended God, do not have an avenue to return. We must be mindful that the evil one is constantly looking for ways to turn good intentions into evil outcomes.
 
In order for us to truly change ourselves, to repent and move toward God, we must look carefully at what we do and how we act. We must see there the fundamental weakness and use God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to bolster that area of our character. This has been a theoretical kind of examination of the repentance theme; we must make repentance personal for it to be effective in our lives.
 
So let’s sum up repentance in one short, personal, statement: Repentance is our recognition that we have pierced God with our failure to love God, ourselves, others, and his creation.  Once we have recognized our failures, we express true contrition for them, followed by a pledge and action to prevent its reoccurrence, or in the words that accompanied our ashes: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Jonah Preaches to Ninevites” by Gustave Doré, 1866.
[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] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Old and New Testament  (Ignatius Press, © 2024, San Francisco, CA), 1547