Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time &
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, virgin & martyr

Biographical Information about St. Catherine

Readings for Saturday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Commentary:

Reading 1 Rev 11:4-12

We continue St. John’s Revelations with more visions full of symbolic references. Note, he begins talking about two witnesses (who later in the same section are referred to as “prophets”). He borrows his imagery this time from Zechariah 4:8-14. The powers they have are taken from Moses confrontation with Egypt (drought and water turned to blood).

Using the Old Testament imagery he now confronts his modern nemesis, Nero referring to him as the “beast that comes up from the abyss” The great city is evil referred to as Sodom and Egypt. This reference is used throughout Revelations to symbolize Babylon-Rome. Even the three and a half day period has symbolism for those interested in Hebrew numerology – (see the note on Rev 11:2).

The general sense of this reading is one of the good (followers of Christ) being persecuted by the Romans because of their testimony (“fire comes out of their mouths”). But, because of their faith, they will be resurrected (“…a loud voice from heaven say to them, ‘Come up here.’”).

Responsorial Psalm Ps 144:1, 2, 9-10
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

While the Psalm is one of thanksgiving, much of what we are given today can also be found in other psalms (sort of like paraphrasing and combining the lyrics to other songs). This thankful psalm focuses on the courage and strength given the psalmist in battle and praise for victory delivered by God.

Gospel Lk 20:27-40

The footnote from the NAB at the beginning of this passage provides an excellent summary of what takes place in this passage: “The Sadducees' question, based on the law of levirate marriage recorded in Deut 25:5-10, ridicules the idea of the resurrection. Jesus rejects their naive understanding of the resurrection (Luke 20:35-36) and then argues on behalf of the resurrection of the dead on the basis of the written law (Luke 20:37-38) that the Sadducees accept.”

Reflection:

When we take the readings from Scripture and couple them with our memorial of St. Catherine celebrated today, we come up with a very straightforward message; “Be courageous in the faith because no lasting harm can come to those who are faithful to Jesus the Christ.”

How can we who walk in the world shy away from standing firmly behind our faith in the face of resistance and persecution in the light of the message from scripture and the example of those who have been our examples though the history of the Church.

Let’s look at that example we are given today. St. Catherine, when she was 18 years old, according to tradition, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximus had her scourged and imprisoned. The empress and the leader of Maximus' army were amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximus ordered her broken by being placed on a spiked wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed (some stories say that when it came apart it killed some of the on-lookers). She was beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels.

The power of the message cannot be denied or hidden forever. It will come out to everyone if we live it boldly and abide by its precepts visibly. Our joy is in the fact that the Lord has promised that we would join him when we have accomplished what we could in this life.

Pax