Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, priest, Martyrs
Biographical Information about St. Pontian
Biographical Information about St. Hippolytus
Readings for Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Dt 10:12-22
Continuing Moses’ discourse to the tribes, he reminds them of the articles of the Covenant under which they are bound; to love and serve the Lord because he is above all that is. He goes on to remind them that God created the universe and selected the children of Israel as his special people. He watches over them and has allowed them to thrive and become numerous.
Key to this passage is the statement “Circumcise your hearts…”. We note that during this period circumcision was not practiced by the Hebrews as they were nomadic. But once installed in the promised land the tradition was reestablished and has inclusive significance into the faith community. The term applied here enjoins the tribes to mark themselves visibly as attached to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Psalm 127 is a hymn of praise. It links to the first reading with its reference to the people being the special chosen ones by God most high.
Gospel Mt 17:22-27
Jesus begins this passage with his second Passion Prediction. It is followed by a unique exchange between Jesus and Peter regarding the payment of the temple tax. (Each Jewish male over 19 was required to pay a half shekel tax for temple upkeep before 70 AD). While this section probably addresses an issue within the early Church about whether Jewish Christians should pay such a tax, we look at the miraculous means by which the Lord proposed that tax be paid and note that it was not just for himself but Peter, the Rock, as well.
Reflection:
Today’s scripture is very complex theologically. We choose therefore to reflect today upon Christ’s instruction to Peter and how Peter was to go and purchase a fish. We note that the fish was an early Christian symbol for Jesus. And inside that fish would be a coin that would pay for not only the Lord’s temple tax but Peter’s as well. The price he paid was in essence for all of us.
There is no way of telling if we should assume there was a practical meaning for the early Church as it related to the temple or post 70 AD when he Romans reintroduced the tax to pay for the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. We can however be assured, especially as this discourse immediately follows the Lord’s prediction of the passion, that the price he paid for us was extreme and for all time.
If there were one like Moses here today, he would be standing in front of us (as Moses did with the tribes) reminding us that we are called to be the Lord’s chosen people. We were redeemed by His blood and that through him our tax was paid. Moses would tell us, as he told those ancient forefathers to “circumcise our hearts” become visibly attached to the faith we profess and the faith we were given with so high a price.
Today we pray that we are worthy to be called Christian, followers of the Lord, the Only Son of God who, for our sins, paid twice the tax that we might have life.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is Christ Predicts His Passion by Hesdin of Amiens 1450-55
Biographical Information about St. Pontian
Biographical Information about St. Hippolytus
Readings for Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Dt 10:12-22
Continuing Moses’ discourse to the tribes, he reminds them of the articles of the Covenant under which they are bound; to love and serve the Lord because he is above all that is. He goes on to remind them that God created the universe and selected the children of Israel as his special people. He watches over them and has allowed them to thrive and become numerous.
Key to this passage is the statement “Circumcise your hearts…”. We note that during this period circumcision was not practiced by the Hebrews as they were nomadic. But once installed in the promised land the tradition was reestablished and has inclusive significance into the faith community. The term applied here enjoins the tribes to mark themselves visibly as attached to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Psalm 127 is a hymn of praise. It links to the first reading with its reference to the people being the special chosen ones by God most high.
Gospel Mt 17:22-27
Jesus begins this passage with his second Passion Prediction. It is followed by a unique exchange between Jesus and Peter regarding the payment of the temple tax. (Each Jewish male over 19 was required to pay a half shekel tax for temple upkeep before 70 AD). While this section probably addresses an issue within the early Church about whether Jewish Christians should pay such a tax, we look at the miraculous means by which the Lord proposed that tax be paid and note that it was not just for himself but Peter, the Rock, as well.
Reflection:
Today’s scripture is very complex theologically. We choose therefore to reflect today upon Christ’s instruction to Peter and how Peter was to go and purchase a fish. We note that the fish was an early Christian symbol for Jesus. And inside that fish would be a coin that would pay for not only the Lord’s temple tax but Peter’s as well. The price he paid was in essence for all of us.
There is no way of telling if we should assume there was a practical meaning for the early Church as it related to the temple or post 70 AD when he Romans reintroduced the tax to pay for the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. We can however be assured, especially as this discourse immediately follows the Lord’s prediction of the passion, that the price he paid for us was extreme and for all time.
If there were one like Moses here today, he would be standing in front of us (as Moses did with the tribes) reminding us that we are called to be the Lord’s chosen people. We were redeemed by His blood and that through him our tax was paid. Moses would tell us, as he told those ancient forefathers to “circumcise our hearts” become visibly attached to the faith we profess and the faith we were given with so high a price.
Today we pray that we are worthy to be called Christian, followers of the Lord, the Only Son of God who, for our sins, paid twice the tax that we might have life.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is Christ Predicts His Passion by Hesdin of Amiens 1450-55
No comments:
Post a Comment