Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time[1]
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10
What we are given today is the condensed version of God’s commands to Noah in preparation for the great flood that is God’s punishment for the sins of man. This passage is full of numerological symbolism. Seven is the number of completeness, 40 the period of a generation. The story itself probably relates a real event. There are numerous mentions of a great flood in other ancient near eastern texts although no specific archeological proofs have been found.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
This song of praise alludes to the impending event from Genesis as it reveres God’s might and control over the “vast waters”.
Gospel Mk 8:14-21
The leaven of the Pharisees and Herod probably refers to their inability to accept Jesus as who he is, the Messiah. They take the message of hatred and spread it though all the people like yeast in bread.
The disciples don’t get it, which is more or less typical in St. Mark’s Gospel. Jesus tries to show them their error again using Hebrew numerology – the 12 baskets of fragments – he came for the twelve tribes of Israel; the 7 baskets – the perfect number for completeness. Almost ironically he asks after all this; “Do you still not understand?”
Reflection:
Once again today we are shown the contrast between the old and new covenants; the God of Justice vs. the God of Mercy. In the first reading we hear God if finally fed up with man, after first man fell and was thrown out of the garden, then their sons committed even more heinous crimes. He vows to wipe our all the life he has created with a great flood.
However, he looks upon Noah and his family and sees that not all that he has created his evil. He tells Noah to build an ark and save the life he has created so that all might not be lost. While the story probably describes an actual event (a great flood has been described in other sources from the period), it serves to set the stage for God’s covenant with Noah (the one sealed with the rainbow).
The recognition and remembrance of the Hebrew people of God’s reaction to sinfulness is apparent as they sing songs about how mighty God is and how he alone controls the vast waters and lives above the flood they view as being held in check only though his power. Psalm 29 of which we were given a piece today is such a remembrance.
In the Gospel we see Jesus trying to teach his disciples what he came to do. He speaks of leaven or yeast as we call it in modern usage. He tells them they must not be like the Pharisees or the Herodians who wield power and punishment over the people. They just don’t seem to get it so he tries to explain using the symbolism buried in the miracles he has performed. He must have sighed to himself as he said; “Do you still not understand?”
We must understand what he meant. We are called to be a different kind of leaven in the world. God sent his Son to show us what we must be. Where the Pharisees and Herodians used discipline and punishment to drive the people, we must use compassion and forgiveness to lead the people we meet. Where the Pharisees and Herodians set themselves in positions of power and placed burdens on the faithful, we must be humble servants who take away their burdens.
We look at the contrast between the God of Justice and the God of Mercy today and choose to follow the Lord of Love, Jesus our Savior, Son of the Ever Living God.
Pax
Readings for Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time[1]
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10
What we are given today is the condensed version of God’s commands to Noah in preparation for the great flood that is God’s punishment for the sins of man. This passage is full of numerological symbolism. Seven is the number of completeness, 40 the period of a generation. The story itself probably relates a real event. There are numerous mentions of a great flood in other ancient near eastern texts although no specific archeological proofs have been found.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
This song of praise alludes to the impending event from Genesis as it reveres God’s might and control over the “vast waters”.
Gospel Mk 8:14-21
The leaven of the Pharisees and Herod probably refers to their inability to accept Jesus as who he is, the Messiah. They take the message of hatred and spread it though all the people like yeast in bread.
The disciples don’t get it, which is more or less typical in St. Mark’s Gospel. Jesus tries to show them their error again using Hebrew numerology – the 12 baskets of fragments – he came for the twelve tribes of Israel; the 7 baskets – the perfect number for completeness. Almost ironically he asks after all this; “Do you still not understand?”
Reflection:
Once again today we are shown the contrast between the old and new covenants; the God of Justice vs. the God of Mercy. In the first reading we hear God if finally fed up with man, after first man fell and was thrown out of the garden, then their sons committed even more heinous crimes. He vows to wipe our all the life he has created with a great flood.
However, he looks upon Noah and his family and sees that not all that he has created his evil. He tells Noah to build an ark and save the life he has created so that all might not be lost. While the story probably describes an actual event (a great flood has been described in other sources from the period), it serves to set the stage for God’s covenant with Noah (the one sealed with the rainbow).
The recognition and remembrance of the Hebrew people of God’s reaction to sinfulness is apparent as they sing songs about how mighty God is and how he alone controls the vast waters and lives above the flood they view as being held in check only though his power. Psalm 29 of which we were given a piece today is such a remembrance.
In the Gospel we see Jesus trying to teach his disciples what he came to do. He speaks of leaven or yeast as we call it in modern usage. He tells them they must not be like the Pharisees or the Herodians who wield power and punishment over the people. They just don’t seem to get it so he tries to explain using the symbolism buried in the miracles he has performed. He must have sighed to himself as he said; “Do you still not understand?”
We must understand what he meant. We are called to be a different kind of leaven in the world. God sent his Son to show us what we must be. Where the Pharisees and Herodians used discipline and punishment to drive the people, we must use compassion and forgiveness to lead the people we meet. Where the Pharisees and Herodians set themselves in positions of power and placed burdens on the faithful, we must be humble servants who take away their burdens.
We look at the contrast between the God of Justice and the God of Mercy today and choose to follow the Lord of Love, Jesus our Savior, Son of the Ever Living God.
Pax
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