Readings for Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 12:1-9
In the first reading from Genesis we find the beginnings for God’s interaction with Abram. In the previous chapter Abram’s father had come east out of modern day Iraq (Ur of the Chaldians) and now God commands him with his nomadic family unit to go into Palestine and then south to the desert like region south, the Negeb. Along the way Abram sets up altars for sacrifice in thanksgiving and prays to God for direction.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20 and 22
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
The blessing given to the nation Abram was promised by God to become in the first reading is celebrated here with this song of praise. The psalm rejoices in the active help God gives to his chosen people.
Gospel Mt 7:1-5
The beginning of the seventh chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel finds Jesus teaching his disciples about being judgmental. They are told to first look at their own transgressions before judging others.
Reflection:
At the beginning of our scripture today we find Abram (not yet Abraham) being chosen by God to bring faith to the land. The Lord tells him in a vision that he will support Abram and his family. It sounds almost like Jesus blessing given to Simon Peter but it is very different. While Abram hears God tell him “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” Jesus tells Peter “What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, what you loose on earth you will loose in heaven.” (Mt 16; 19ff)
God, in both cases establishes a foundation upon which the faith is spread and in doing so identifies a chosen people, in the latter case, those who follow the only Son of God. With this revelation scripture tells us not to be cocky about our heritage. The Lord warns the disciples not to be judgmental. In essence he is saying that all have failings and all have done things that were not pleasing to God.
This teaching moment provides us with an understanding of Jesus response to people and how he could love, unconditionally, those who hated him. He, who is without sin, detests sin but loves the people who have fallen prey to it. That is the key to following the Lord, to attack sin but to love people, even though they have sinned. That is exactly what the Lord does through out his ministry. We never find him attacking a person. We see him denouncing a practice or, in the case of individuals, forgiving a sin once repented. Never do we find him attacking or even criticizing an individual. It is the one difference that sets him apart from every other human being ever born of woman.
So, we ask, how do we develop a mentality that automatically sets us on the path of Christ? How do we develop this ability to respect the person but detest the sin they have committed? That is the sixty four thousand dollar question (a reference here to an very old quiz game show; “The Sixty Four Thousand Dollar Question” taken off the TV air waves when cheating was discovered). Difficult, but once we understand that this is key to our Christian attitude we can begin separating our feelings and segregating our dislike from an attachment to a person to a dislike for the action. It is cliché, but written reminders help; such as “Attack problems not people” or “Hate the sin, love the sinner”, or even the WWJD bracelets of a number of years ago.
We have been chosen and we are to behave in such ways as to demonstrate that fact. This is a good way to start.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The picture today is “Abraham's Journey to Canaan” by Pieter Pietersz Lastman, 1814
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 12:1-9
In the first reading from Genesis we find the beginnings for God’s interaction with Abram. In the previous chapter Abram’s father had come east out of modern day Iraq (Ur of the Chaldians) and now God commands him with his nomadic family unit to go into Palestine and then south to the desert like region south, the Negeb. Along the way Abram sets up altars for sacrifice in thanksgiving and prays to God for direction.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20 and 22
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
The blessing given to the nation Abram was promised by God to become in the first reading is celebrated here with this song of praise. The psalm rejoices in the active help God gives to his chosen people.
Gospel Mt 7:1-5
The beginning of the seventh chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel finds Jesus teaching his disciples about being judgmental. They are told to first look at their own transgressions before judging others.
Reflection:
At the beginning of our scripture today we find Abram (not yet Abraham) being chosen by God to bring faith to the land. The Lord tells him in a vision that he will support Abram and his family. It sounds almost like Jesus blessing given to Simon Peter but it is very different. While Abram hears God tell him “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” Jesus tells Peter “What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, what you loose on earth you will loose in heaven.” (Mt 16; 19ff)
God, in both cases establishes a foundation upon which the faith is spread and in doing so identifies a chosen people, in the latter case, those who follow the only Son of God. With this revelation scripture tells us not to be cocky about our heritage. The Lord warns the disciples not to be judgmental. In essence he is saying that all have failings and all have done things that were not pleasing to God.
This teaching moment provides us with an understanding of Jesus response to people and how he could love, unconditionally, those who hated him. He, who is without sin, detests sin but loves the people who have fallen prey to it. That is the key to following the Lord, to attack sin but to love people, even though they have sinned. That is exactly what the Lord does through out his ministry. We never find him attacking a person. We see him denouncing a practice or, in the case of individuals, forgiving a sin once repented. Never do we find him attacking or even criticizing an individual. It is the one difference that sets him apart from every other human being ever born of woman.
So, we ask, how do we develop a mentality that automatically sets us on the path of Christ? How do we develop this ability to respect the person but detest the sin they have committed? That is the sixty four thousand dollar question (a reference here to an very old quiz game show; “The Sixty Four Thousand Dollar Question” taken off the TV air waves when cheating was discovered). Difficult, but once we understand that this is key to our Christian attitude we can begin separating our feelings and segregating our dislike from an attachment to a person to a dislike for the action. It is cliché, but written reminders help; such as “Attack problems not people” or “Hate the sin, love the sinner”, or even the WWJD bracelets of a number of years ago.
We have been chosen and we are to behave in such ways as to demonstrate that fact. This is a good way to start.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The picture today is “Abraham's Journey to Canaan” by Pieter Pietersz Lastman, 1814
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