Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time[1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis[2]
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 9:1-13
In the first section of this reading we are given God’s blessing and instructions to Noah and his sons who are to no repopulate the earth. They receive first dominion over all life as did man at the creation and no dietary restrictions save one, don’t eat raw meat or living flesh. Dire consequences are given for violating that law.
There follows a short statement that echoes Mosaic Law – thou shall not kill.
The Lord then goes on to establish and seal his covenant with the earth in the person of Noah, using as an eternal symbol, the rainbow. In this covenant, God promises not to destroy the earth using a great flood.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
Psalm 102 gives us a prayer of thanksgiving for the restoration of the people to Israel after the Diaspora. God brought them back from their captivity and reestablished them in Zion. The prayer prefigures God’s salvation offered in the New Jerusalem – God’s heavenly kingdom.
Gospel Mk 8:27-33
At this point in Mark, Jesus first asks the disciples what the popular belief is about his identity. He then asks them the same question and Peter, apparently spokesperson for the twelve, answers, “You are the Messiah.” Because the popular expectations about the Messiah differed greatly from the image and demeanor of Jesus, the Lord instructs them not to broadcast his true identity.
He goes on to explain that “the son of man”, using his true humanity as a title, must go through suffering and humiliation before his final victory. Peter, again exerting his leadership, takes the Lord aside to convince him to follow the expected path of the Messiah and Christ, seeing this as temptation lashes out; “Get behind me Satan.”
Reflection:
“Who do you say that I am?” That question is on that is asked of us each day. It is so easy to answer with the “right” answer – like Peter; our lips announce that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, the Savior of the world predicted by the prophets. What follows from that profession of faith, however, says what we really think.
I was listening to a motivational speech by Jerry Linenger recently as he described his mission to the MIR Space Station. He was saying that after he came back to earth following having been in space for 5 months he had difficulty adjusting to the presence of gravity. He would, when finished writing for instance, simply set his pen in the air beside him, expecting it to just float there as it did in space. He was always surprised to hear it dropping. He joked that he broke a bunch of glasses at home that way and his wife ended up making him drink out of one of his son’s sippy cups.
The point of this anecdote is that if he were asked; “Is there gravity?” His answer would be; “Of course there is gravity.” However, his reactions were not consistent with his words. His subconscious memory of the lack of gravity caused him to behave as if things were weightless.
“Who do people say that I am?” We must look at our reactions, our instinctive behavior and understand our answer from the heart. Our goal must be to subconsciously act as Christ would have us act. When that happens we know that we have succeeded in putting on the mind of Christ.
It is difficult, we know. It may be impossible (like lifting your right foot and moving it in a clock wise direction and trying to write the number six with your right hand – your foot will reverse directions against your conscious will. – Don’t waste too much time trying to prove me wrong). We continue to strive for that goal.
Pax
Readings for Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time[1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis[2]
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 9:1-13
In the first section of this reading we are given God’s blessing and instructions to Noah and his sons who are to no repopulate the earth. They receive first dominion over all life as did man at the creation and no dietary restrictions save one, don’t eat raw meat or living flesh. Dire consequences are given for violating that law.
There follows a short statement that echoes Mosaic Law – thou shall not kill.
The Lord then goes on to establish and seal his covenant with the earth in the person of Noah, using as an eternal symbol, the rainbow. In this covenant, God promises not to destroy the earth using a great flood.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
Psalm 102 gives us a prayer of thanksgiving for the restoration of the people to Israel after the Diaspora. God brought them back from their captivity and reestablished them in Zion. The prayer prefigures God’s salvation offered in the New Jerusalem – God’s heavenly kingdom.
Gospel Mk 8:27-33
At this point in Mark, Jesus first asks the disciples what the popular belief is about his identity. He then asks them the same question and Peter, apparently spokesperson for the twelve, answers, “You are the Messiah.” Because the popular expectations about the Messiah differed greatly from the image and demeanor of Jesus, the Lord instructs them not to broadcast his true identity.
He goes on to explain that “the son of man”, using his true humanity as a title, must go through suffering and humiliation before his final victory. Peter, again exerting his leadership, takes the Lord aside to convince him to follow the expected path of the Messiah and Christ, seeing this as temptation lashes out; “Get behind me Satan.”
Reflection:
“Who do you say that I am?” That question is on that is asked of us each day. It is so easy to answer with the “right” answer – like Peter; our lips announce that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, the Savior of the world predicted by the prophets. What follows from that profession of faith, however, says what we really think.
I was listening to a motivational speech by Jerry Linenger recently as he described his mission to the MIR Space Station. He was saying that after he came back to earth following having been in space for 5 months he had difficulty adjusting to the presence of gravity. He would, when finished writing for instance, simply set his pen in the air beside him, expecting it to just float there as it did in space. He was always surprised to hear it dropping. He joked that he broke a bunch of glasses at home that way and his wife ended up making him drink out of one of his son’s sippy cups.
The point of this anecdote is that if he were asked; “Is there gravity?” His answer would be; “Of course there is gravity.” However, his reactions were not consistent with his words. His subconscious memory of the lack of gravity caused him to behave as if things were weightless.
“Who do people say that I am?” We must look at our reactions, our instinctive behavior and understand our answer from the heart. Our goal must be to subconsciously act as Christ would have us act. When that happens we know that we have succeeded in putting on the mind of Christ.
It is difficult, we know. It may be impossible (like lifting your right foot and moving it in a clock wise direction and trying to write the number six with your right hand – your foot will reverse directions against your conscious will. – Don’t waste too much time trying to prove me wrong). We continue to strive for that goal.
Pax
[1] After 04/07
[2] The readings offered at Universalis differ somewhat from the USCCB in that they follow the Canadian calendar. I find them useful as an alternate scripture translation for study purposes.
1 comment:
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