Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

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

“Saint Justin, Martyr”
iconifer and date unknown

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

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

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Catechism Links[1]

 
CCC 202, 232-260, 684, 732: the mystery of the Trinity
CCC 249, 813, 950, 1077-1109, 2845: the Trinity in the Church and her liturgy
CCC 2655, 2664-2672: the Trinity and prayer
CCC 2205: the family as an image of the Trinity

“Adoration of the Holy Trinity”
by Johann Heinrich Schönfeld, 1647-49

Additional Information about the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
 
Readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
 
Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the Lord had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.
 
Having come down in a cloud, the Lord stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, " Lord."
Thus the Lord passed before him and cried out,
"The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own."
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Commentary on Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9
 
The events in this section of Exodus occurred after Moses came down the mountain with the initial tablets, found the people had fallen to idolatry, and smashed the tablets. This exchange, between God and Moses ("If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins and receive us as your own.") demonstrates that the covenant between God and the people is still intact.
 
CCC: Ex 34:5-6 210; Ex 34:6 214, 231, 2577; Ex 34:9 210
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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
 
R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
 
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
 
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
 
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
 
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
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Commentary on Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
 
The responsorial psalm is a song of praise to God taken from the Book of Daniel.  This selection is the hymn chanted by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they stood in the white-hot furnace. (Note: in Daniel 1:7 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were given the Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.) This section is part of one of the litanies contained in the hymn. In this instance, it is a doxology. “In general, this word means a short verse praising God and beginning, as a rule, with the Greek word Doxa.” [5] 
 
The three heroes were being punished by King Nebuchadnezzar for not worshiping a golden idol he had set up.  An angel of God came to them in their plight and kept them from harm, even though the furnace was so hot it burned those who tended it.
 
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Reading II: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
 
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.
 
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
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Commentary on 2 Cor 13:11-13
 
These verses, which conclude the second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians writing from the church of Macedonia, are perhaps the clearest trinitarian passage in the New Testament. It takes the form of a blessing, proposing the peace of Christ, almost ironic after the many stormy passages contained within the letter. "St. Thomas points out that this greeting includes reference to all necessary supernatural graces: 'The Grace of Christ, by which we are justified and saved; the love of God the Father, by which we are united to him; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who distributes the divine gifts to us.' (Commentary on 2 cor, ad loc.)" [6]
 
CCC: 2 Cor 13:13 249, 734, 1109, 2627
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Gospel: John 3:16-18
 
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
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Commentary on Jn 3:16-18
 
This passage is the part of St. John’s Gospel that describes Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus.  At this point it has turned into a monologue and in these verses, it is clear that the evangelist is speaking, as the promise of eternal life is made to those who believe in Jesus as the Only Son of God.
 
"Increasingly contemplating the whole of Christ's mystery, the Church knows with all the certainty of faith that the Redemption that took place through the Cross has definitively restored his dignity to man and given back meaning to his life in the world, a meaning that was lost to a considerable extent because of sin. And for that reason, the Redemption was accomplished in the paschal mystery, leading through the Cross and death to Resurrection" (St. John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 10)." [7]
 
CCC: Jn 3:16 219, 444, 454, 458, 706; Jn 3:17 2447
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Reflection:
 
Before I begin, I want to tell you that back in 1980, when I was in formation for the diaconate, Fr. Phil Gallagher (may his soul rest in peace) taught our formation class on Sacramental Theology.  On the first day of the class Fr. Phil asked the class: “Please tell me what the Trinity is.”  One by one we were asked to stand up and give our answer.  And one by one we were told, “You are a hypocrite, sit down.” It finally came to me, and I confidently responded: “It is a mystery, Father,” (thinking I had avoided hypocrisy), to which Fr. Phil responded, “You are a coward, sit down.”  The point Fr. Phil was making is that when we try to use human language to describe a supernatural relationship, we will fail.  So, I first defer to one of our great patristic fathers.
 
St. Thomas Aquinas famously said in his commentary on 2 Corinthians, when we invoke the Trinity with “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” we refer to all necessary supernatural graces:  The love of God the Father, by which we are united to him; the grace of Christ, by which we are justified and saved; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who distributes the divine gifts to us.
 
Our understanding of the One God in three persons is, while implicit in Holy Scripture, not explicit. All three persons are referenced only twice in the same sentence. Once in the great commissioning in Matthew 28, and in our second reading from 2 Corinthians. The word “trinity” is not found in the Bible, and it took great scholars many years to formulate an understanding that attempts to describe the relationship in essence between the three persons. The Church finally codified our concept of the trinity at the Fourth Lateran Council (1213) well before the Reformation.
 
In the early years the understanding of how there could be three persons in one God raged.  Between the Eastern Rite churches and the Church of Rome, there was the accusation of polytheism.  There was even violence as the great christological heresies were ultimately resolved.  How ironic! 
 
The end result of that painful struggle is what we believe today.  That there was a battle is evident in our creed.  The Nicene Creed we use demonstrates our need to proclaim the mystery of the Trinity in no uncertain terms:
 
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
 
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
 
And further, after we recall the Lords miraculous birth, passion and resurrection we recall the Advocate and Guide, the third person left for us:
 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Who with the Father and the Son are adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
 
We hear and say in these words the defense of the Trinity, One God, Three Persons. Hammered out in the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople so that it was absolutely clear that the three are one Triune God.
 
I was once told by a parishioner that he hated it when, on Trinity Sunday, all he could take away from a homily was that it was a “mystery.”  Unfortunately for him – that is what it is (I guess there are other cowardly clerics out there).  But what is important about our belief in the Trinity is what it says to us, as faith-filled believers.
 
The three persons of the Holy Trinity are mentioned in Scripture today.  First, we hear Moses, pleading with God to remember the covenant he had made.  Moses tells God that, yes, the people are a stiff-necked and stubborn lot, prone to sin.  Of course, God knows this.  Then Moses asks for forgiveness on behalf of all the people.  And God, the merciful Father, also acceded to that request. But there would be more; the law God gave to Moses was not enough.
 
Next, God sent the prophets, individuals directly influenced by the Father, doing their best to interpret the Father’s will to the people through the flawed mechanism of human speech and understanding.  Still, they could not grasp the unfathomable love their Father and Creator had for them.  They saw him as a child sees a disciplinarian; the punishment handed out was quick and often severe.
 
In love, he sent His Only Son, begotten but not made, into the world so we could understand the depth of his love for us.  It was not until the Son revealed the Father that we understood that he indeed had answered Moses' request for forgiveness.  It was so difficult for the people to understand this purpose that instead of raising the Son of God upon their shoulders in triumph, they raised him upon the cross in crucifixion.
 
But the revelation was made, the seed was sown and those whom the Father had given the Son were not lost.  Still they needed the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, to reside with them because they must not be alone.  So, God gave us the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, so that we could have his guidance and a palpable sense of his love for us indwelling.
 
The Holy Trinity is, in its construct and relationship, a mystery, but the unified purpose is clear.  The Trinity is God the most high, creator of all things, lover of all creation, and guide to all mankind.  It is he who offers us eternal life.
 
A thousand years have passed since Holy Mother Church, in her wisdom, proclaimed the Triune God and did so after centuries of debate and even physical violence over the doctrine.  After all, how could we worship three gods not one?  We have at last come to understand that it is a metaphysical and supernatural relationship that is a mystery, one created out of love, for our salvation. ╬ In the name of the Father…
 
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 “Adoration of the Holy Trinity” by Johann Heinrich Schönfeld, 1647-49.
[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] Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent.
[6] The Navarre Bible, Letters of St. Paul (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 348.
[7] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts, (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002),570.

Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Suggested for this date: #45 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace.

“Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple”
by Luca Giordano, c. 1675

 
Readings for Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary:[4]
 
Reading 1: Jude 17, 20b-25
 
Beloved, remember the words spoken beforehand
by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in the love of God
and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
that leads to eternal life.
On those who waver, have mercy;
save others by snatching them out of the fire;
on others have mercy with fear,
abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh.
 
To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you unblemished and exultant,
in the presence of his glory,
to the only God, our savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord
be glory, majesty, power, and authority
from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.
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Commentary on Jude 17, 20b-25
 
This passage from the Letter of Jude has the flavor of St. Peter’s epistles. It encourages the Christian community to continue to build itself in holiness through prayer and faith in the Holy Spirit. It goes on to enjoin them to encourage others to remain faithful. The reference to the those who deport themselves out of character with the community's conservative norms: “Outer garment stained by the flesh: the imagery may come from Zechariah 3:3-5, just as that of snatching . . . out of the fire comes from Zechariah 3:2; the very garments of the godless are to be abhorred because of their contagion.”[5]
 
CCC: Jude 24-25 2641
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6
 
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
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Commentary on Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6
 
Psalm 63 is an individual lament. In this selection we see the emotion of one who longs to be reunited with God, from whom separation is like being cast into a desert without water. The singer professes faith in God’s salvation and expresses faith that the prayers offered will be answered.
 
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Gospel: Mark 11:27-33
 
Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
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Commentary on Mk 11:27-33
 
This section of St. Mark’s Gospel begins a series of five “pronouncement stories.” This first story deals with a challenge to Jesus’ authority as Messiah and teacher. The chief priests (including Caiaphas, who was chief priest at that time) challenge the Lord, seeking to dissuade the people of his authenticity as teacher, and making it clear that they, the priestly aristocracy, have not supported his triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
 
Jesus responds to them by using John the Baptist, a popular figure and considered to be a prophet by the people, to deflect their challenge. We hear, in their internal dialogue, the difficult options they see. If they say that St. John was sent by God, they would be forced to accept his proclamation, including his pronouncement that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. If they rejected John, they would be attacked by the crowd.
 
The group of Hebrew leaders could find only one solution. They confessed they did not know if John’s baptism was holy or not. This ambiguous response allows the Lord to let the implication of his own holiness remain unchallenged.
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
The Gospel passage reminds us that there will always be those whose faith will not allow them to accept the identity of Jesus. They may even think themselves to be deeply spiritual people (the priests of the temple surely thought of themselves as such). But there is something fairly common that prevents them from accepting that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God.
 
As with the chief priests in the Gospel, faith is always challenged by a personal agenda. That agenda may be to find acceptance with some social group, or it may be to justify actions of the individual that violate the difficult precepts of faith required of the Christian. If we examine the motives of individuals who reject the faith, we generally find one of these driving factors. We exclude, of course, some of those who have never been exposed to Jesus, but instead were indoctrinated into another faith system (e.g. Buddhists, Muslims, and others who seek the truth with sincerity).
 
In the case of most members of western cultures, Jesus is rejected for personal reasons because what he asks is just too difficult, or too restrictive. As an example, there was a recent article about a noted Catholic evangelist who confronted a young man who immediately began to tell him all the things wrong with the Church, past sins of the hierarchy, hypocrisy among the faithful, and the superstition of the ignorant. The list went on. At the end of his tirade, the evangelist simply asked: “You’re sleeping with your girlfriend, aren’t you?”
 
The point the Lord makes in the Gospel is not that we should reject those who will not see, but accept that they exist and will always be there to challenge us. The letter of Jude gives us solid advice on what to do when we encounter such as these. We pray for the wisdom to act as the Lord would, constantly reaching out with love to those who stumble and fall.
 
Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by ‘BVM.’ The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] The picture is “Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple” by Luca Giordano, c. 1675.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] 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.
[5] NAB footnote on Jude 23.

Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Paul VI, Pope
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Paul VI
 
Biographical information about St. Paul VI

“The Accursed Fig Tree”
by James Tissot, 1886-94

 
Readings for Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Peter 4:7-13
 
Beloved:
The end of all things is at hand.
Therefore be serious and sober-minded
so that you will be able to pray.
Above all, let your love for one another be intense,
because love covers a multitude of sins.
Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God;
whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies,
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you,
as if something strange were happening to you.
But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Pt 4:7-13
 
“The inner life of the eschatological community” (the Christian community’s focus on the end times) “is outlined as the end (the parousia of Christ) and the judgment draws near in terms of seriousness, sobriety, prayer, and love expressed through hospitality and the use of one's gifts for the glory of God and of Christ” [4] The doxology in v.11 may have been the ending of an address or possibly even the conclusion of a baptismal celebration.
 
The concluding verses recapitulate the baptismal exhortation, and encourage the Christian community to share in the tribulations of Christ, sharing also in the salvation that flows through him. See also Romans 8:17.
 
CCC: 1 Pt 4:6 634; 1 Pt 4:7 670, 1806; 1 Pt 4:8 1434
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13
 
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
 
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
 
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
 
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
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Commentary on Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13
 
Psalm 96 is a hymn of praise to the one true God. The psalmist invites all people to come to faith and believe in God who created all things, and is above all things. He exhorts the people to praise the Lord for his wondrous works of creation. The reason for this exhortation is that God will come to rule the earth with his justice. In this passage we see the forerunner of the understanding of the New Jerusalem – the Heavenly Kingdom.
 
“What does this justice and fidelity mean?  On the day of Judgment, he will gather his chosen ones to himself and send the rest away, he will place some to his right hand and others to his left.  It is only right and fair that those who show no mercy before the coming of the judge should not then hope for mercy from him.  Whereas those who struggle to be merciful towards others will be judged with mercy.” (St Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, 95, 15) [5]
 
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Gospel: Mark 11:11-26
 
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
 
The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.
 
They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:
 
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”
 
The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.
 
Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.”
 
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Commentary on Mk 11:11-26
 
This Gospel passage has three intertwined elements. First we hear Jesus uncharacteristically “curse” the fig tree for its lack of fruit. The common thought about this incident is that it is a metaphor for the Jewish lack of faith, and acceptance of scriptures fulfilled in Christ.
 
The second element is the story of Jesus and the money changers. The Lord drives out the merchants who had set up their tables in the outermost courtyard of the Temple called the Court of Gentiles. The sacrifices for sale could only be purchased with money from Tyre; all other currency had to be exchanged at these tables.
 
Finally we come to the last part of the Gospel as Jesus instructs the disciples about prayer. The selection concludes, much like the Lord’s Prayer, with the request for forgiveness. [Note: verse 26 is omitted because it is not found in the best source documents: "But if you do not forgive, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your transgressions."]
 
CCC: Mk 11:24 2610; Mk 11:25 2841
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Reflection:
 
The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree provides us with some shock value. It is so out of character that the Lord of love would do anything like cursing a tree (or for that matter disrupting the money changers in the temple). In this case we can almost miss the real point being made by these short vignettes. 
 
In the case of the fig tree, Jesus is demonstrating the power of faith. Note, when the disciples see the results of the curse he laid upon the tree, and call it to his attention, he makes the profound response “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.”
 
It is that incredible faith, the faith of Bartimaeus the blind man whose sight was restored, that the Lord asks us to have. It is so difficult for us to accept that the use of this gift can have such an amazing effect on our lives. But there it is: we are promised that, if we do not let doubt enter in, our faith in Christ will allow almost anything to be possible.
 
Today as we recall the shock value of the cursed fig tree, let us pray in our hearts for the faith the Lord asks us to have. We have been assured, if we can approach that level of trust in God, all things are possible.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Accursed Fig Tree” by James Tissot, 1886-94.
[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] NAB Footnote on 1 Peter 4:7-11
[5] The Navarre Bible, Psalms (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 324.

Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

“Jesus Healing the Blind”
by El Greco, 1570-75

 
Readings for Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12
 
Beloved:
Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk
so that through it you may grow into salvation,
for you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
 
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
 
Once you were no people
but now you are God’s people;
you had not received mercy
but now you have received mercy.
 
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners
to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles,
so that if they speak of you as evildoers,
they may observe your good works
and glorify God on the day of visitation.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 2:2-5, 9-12
 
St. Peter uses Old Testament imagery to encourage his audience. He begins with “you have tasted that the Lord is good,” borrowed from Psalm 34:8, and continues with the cornerstone image from Isaiah 28:16. He tells them to simply follow God’s call, letting themselves be built (not an active image but passive) into what God wishes.
 
The prerogatives of ancient Israel mentioned here are now more fully and fittingly applied to the Christian people: "a chosen race" (cf Isaiah 43:20-21) indicates their divine election (Ephesians 1:4-6); "a royal priesthood" (cf. Exodus 19:6) to serve and worship God in Christ, thus continuing the priestly functions of his life, passion, and resurrection; "a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6) reserved for God, a people he claims for his own (cf. Malachi 3:17) in virtue of their baptism into his death and resurrection. This transcends all natural and national divisions and unites the people into one community to glorify the one who led them from the darkness of paganism to the light of faith in Christ. From being "no people" deprived of all mercy, they have become the very people of God, the chosen recipients of his mercy (cf. Hosea 1:9;2:23).[4]
 
CCC: 1 Pt 2:1-10 2769; 1 Pt 2:4-5 1141, 1179; 1 Pt 2:4 552; 1 Pt 2:5 756, 901, 1268, 1330, 1546; 1 Pt 2:9 709, 782, 803, 1141, 1268, 1546
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:2, 3, 4, 5
 
R. (2c) Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Know that the Lord is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him;
bless his name.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
The Lord is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 100:2, 3, 4, 5
 
Psalm 100 is a communal song of thanksgiving. In this selection the psalmist gives thanks for God’s favor and his unending support in all good things. It affirms God’s saving grace given to his sons and daughters through all generations.
 
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Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
 
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
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Commentary on Mk 10:46-52
 
In St. Mark’s story of the cure of the blind man (see also Matthew 20:29-34 and Luke 18:35-43), it is the way he addresses Jesus that becomes the focus. We are told he address him as, “Son of David.” This is the messianic title applied by Jewish tradition to the one who comes to “heal the blind and the lame and set the prisoners free” (Isaiah 42;6-7). In response to the blind man’s request, “Master, I want to see,” in an almost casual way, Jesus tells him his faith has saved him and the blind man sees. Not surprisingly the now-sighted man follows Jesus.
 
CCC: Mk 10:46-52 2667; Mk 10:48 2616; Mk 10:52 548
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Reflection:
 
What would we ask Jesus if we were sitting beside the road when he came walking by?  It is a good question to think about.  In the case of the Gospel story, when Bartimaeus approached Jesus, is there anyone who could not have known what he wanted?  It was predictable that when Jesus was asked: “What do you want me to do for you?”  The blind man would answer: “Master, I want to see.”
 
If we approached Jesus and he asked us the same question, what would we want him to do for us?  Notice, he does not leave it open-ended.  We cannot ask for some boon for another person, he asks specifically what he can do for us.  So, what would you like him to do for you?  Remember, he can do anything, as long as we have faith in his identity, and the power that goes along with it.
 
This is such a personal question that we will not try to go further with it now by using examples.  We will however point out a few things.  First, as you are imagining yourself sitting there and Jesus is walking by and asking you to come to him, understand that in his presence in the Eucharist he is doing just that.  Next, because he is truly here in his glorified body and blood, he wants to give us what we truly need.  He loves us more deeply than we can comprehend.  So if we ask, in faith, for some gift in our lives, as the blind man did, if our faith is strong enough and the gift we ask for is requested with pure intent, it will be given.
 
As we recall once more the story of Jesus healing Bartimaeus, let us ask the Lord in prayer for what we truly want and need.  Let us also pray that our faith is strong enough to heal us of our inadequacies so that we might see as clearly as the one who was blind.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “Jesus Healing the Blind” by El Greco, 1570-75.
[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] NAB footnote on 1 Peter 1: 9-10.