Readings for Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 1:18-22
In this selection of St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians he is making it clear that there is no ambiguity in what they have been told regarding the Lord and the Kingdom of God. There is only truth and it is not variable. The assent (Amen) they give to Christ is an assent to God since God and Christ are one. The last reference to being sealed with the Holy Spirit is a reference to the unity shared by the faithful in Baptism and Confirmation.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
The reference to “light” in this section of Psalm 119 is the light of revelation. It supports the Gospel below. Those who travel in light find the right paths and rejoice in the light.
Gospel Mt 5:13-16
In this selection from the Gospel of Matthew Jesus uses allegory to push the Word of God into the world. He tells his disciples they are an integral part of the faith of the people in God. Like seasoning is to food, so is the Word of God to the faith. They must remain steadfast so they do not loose that zeal for God that is the taste of that seasoning. It is that which sets it apart.
He uses a second allegory, light, to provide still more direction. The light of faith will be seen by all because it is reflected in the actions of those who believe. That light serves to guide others to God where they may otherwise become lost in darkness and wander in to paths of desolation. That light that pours from the disciples will be seen as a gift not from them but from the Father and the Father will be glorified because of the light.
Reflection:
There is one path to God and it lies through Jesus the Savior. There is no way around it and the path is easily recognized both by those who are on it and those who seek it. It is illuminated by the acts of those who shuffle along with Christ on that dusty road to Emmaus. Those who seek it will find it, but those who hate the light will shun the path because the light reveals them to others and they would rather follow the darkness.
I know that sounds like pious prattle. Very stilted and condescending, at least to my ears. That is what happens when we try to extract just the black and white message from scripture. The first couple of sentences try to capture St. Paul’s struggle with the Corinthians who were flagging in their zeal for the faith. They must have somehow communicated to St. Paul that part of what he said they could accept but other parts they could not. The passage we see to day says there is not “yes or no” only yes, only one path.
The second part of that initial paragraph speaks to the Lord’s analogy in the Gospel of St. Matthew. It calls the disciples to be salt of the earth and a light in the darkness. Again very clear, the works of Christ, who uses the disciples as a conduit, light the way to the Kingdom of God. There is no way to conceal the fact that the actions of the righteous flow from God and lead to him.
In spite of the crude way the message was communicated today, the impact of the words of scripture is clear; we are called to accept and act upon the truth we have been given. We can do no less. To behave otherwise would deny what we believe and who we hope to become.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The Drawing used today is “Christ as the True Light” by Hans (the Younger) Holbein, 1526
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 2 Cor 1:18-22
In this selection of St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians he is making it clear that there is no ambiguity in what they have been told regarding the Lord and the Kingdom of God. There is only truth and it is not variable. The assent (Amen) they give to Christ is an assent to God since God and Christ are one. The last reference to being sealed with the Holy Spirit is a reference to the unity shared by the faithful in Baptism and Confirmation.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
The reference to “light” in this section of Psalm 119 is the light of revelation. It supports the Gospel below. Those who travel in light find the right paths and rejoice in the light.
Gospel Mt 5:13-16
In this selection from the Gospel of Matthew Jesus uses allegory to push the Word of God into the world. He tells his disciples they are an integral part of the faith of the people in God. Like seasoning is to food, so is the Word of God to the faith. They must remain steadfast so they do not loose that zeal for God that is the taste of that seasoning. It is that which sets it apart.
He uses a second allegory, light, to provide still more direction. The light of faith will be seen by all because it is reflected in the actions of those who believe. That light serves to guide others to God where they may otherwise become lost in darkness and wander in to paths of desolation. That light that pours from the disciples will be seen as a gift not from them but from the Father and the Father will be glorified because of the light.
Reflection:
There is one path to God and it lies through Jesus the Savior. There is no way around it and the path is easily recognized both by those who are on it and those who seek it. It is illuminated by the acts of those who shuffle along with Christ on that dusty road to Emmaus. Those who seek it will find it, but those who hate the light will shun the path because the light reveals them to others and they would rather follow the darkness.
I know that sounds like pious prattle. Very stilted and condescending, at least to my ears. That is what happens when we try to extract just the black and white message from scripture. The first couple of sentences try to capture St. Paul’s struggle with the Corinthians who were flagging in their zeal for the faith. They must have somehow communicated to St. Paul that part of what he said they could accept but other parts they could not. The passage we see to day says there is not “yes or no” only yes, only one path.
The second part of that initial paragraph speaks to the Lord’s analogy in the Gospel of St. Matthew. It calls the disciples to be salt of the earth and a light in the darkness. Again very clear, the works of Christ, who uses the disciples as a conduit, light the way to the Kingdom of God. There is no way to conceal the fact that the actions of the righteous flow from God and lead to him.
In spite of the crude way the message was communicated today, the impact of the words of scripture is clear; we are called to accept and act upon the truth we have been given. We can do no less. To behave otherwise would deny what we believe and who we hope to become.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The Drawing used today is “Christ as the True Light” by Hans (the Younger) Holbein, 1526
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