Priests and Martyrs, and Their Companions, Martyrs
Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest
Biographical Information about Saint John de Brébeuf[1] and Saint Isaac Jogues
Biographical Information about Saint Paul of the Cross
Readings for Friday of the Twenty Eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rom 4:1-8
St. Paul, in this passage, addresses the gift of salvation through faith in the One God. It is a gift given to Abraham and David who worked to follow God’s command but did not “earn” faith through these actions – it was a gift as was the salvation that flowed through it.
This selection may seem to contradict St. James statement that our justification or salvation comes only through faith supported by actions. However he (St. James) was speaking of extremists who used St. Paul’s argument to support moral self-determination.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1b-2, 5, 11
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Psalm 32 is a song of thanksgiving. In this selection we see support of St. Paul’s apologetic on forgiveness flowing from God as a consequence of his great mercy and love.
Gospel Lk 12:1-7
St. Luke continues to present us with a collection of sayings of Jesus passed on to his disciples. In this passage he first warns them about adopting the style and attitude of the Pharisees whose “holier than thou” attitude was a veneer for their internal sin. The Lord tells them that there is nothing that can be hidden from God and that all will be made clear in the final judgment.
He goes on to encourage them, telling them that God will watch over them. He uses the analogy of the sacrificial animals as a metaphor for the attacks they will encounter from the Jewish leadership and how God will uphold them.
Reflection:
If we looked for a single phrase to sum up the message scripture has for us today it would have to be “Do not be afraid, have faith in the Lord and he will give you his strength so that people will know He is your God.” The foundation for the message is laid with St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. In his apologetic he asks a rhetorical question; “Did Abraham earn the favor of God?” He answers that question ironically as he describes the acts of faith that Abraham is known for but says “A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.”
St. Paul is telling us that even if we demonstrate the faith of Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to God, we are doing no more that what God expects. We have earned no special place of honor (as the Lord latter tells us the Pharisees seem to expect). Rather the salvation that God gives us is a free gift, provided out of the pure love that is expressed in God’s gift of His Son.
We take that foundational message and overlay what Jesus is telling his disciples. The beginning of the Gospel tells us things are getting crazy and their popularity is growing (“So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot). The Lord takes his disciples aside and tells them they cannot have the attitude of the Pharisees who seek places of honor and hold themselves up as better than others (“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees”)
Their attitude, Jesus tells them, must be one of humility because they are not perfect and God sees all imperfections. These will be clear to everyone. In their humble powerlessness they should have no fear in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom of God, the Heavenly Father sees them, knows them, loves them, and will protect their spirits from harm.
The message, between Paul’s assurance that faith is a gift, and the Lord’s exhortation not to worry about physical harm, to humbly take God’s message to all we meet is now visible. Our prayer today is that we will fearlessly but humbly take the message of God’s love to all we meet. That the examples of courage exemplified by the Saints we memorialized today will be our inspiration, and that our day’s efforts bring greater glory to God.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is Saint John de Brébeuf by Reuben Gold Thwaites, 1897
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest
Biographical Information about Saint John de Brébeuf[1] and Saint Isaac Jogues
Biographical Information about Saint Paul of the Cross
Readings for Friday of the Twenty Eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rom 4:1-8
St. Paul, in this passage, addresses the gift of salvation through faith in the One God. It is a gift given to Abraham and David who worked to follow God’s command but did not “earn” faith through these actions – it was a gift as was the salvation that flowed through it.
This selection may seem to contradict St. James statement that our justification or salvation comes only through faith supported by actions. However he (St. James) was speaking of extremists who used St. Paul’s argument to support moral self-determination.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1b-2, 5, 11
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Psalm 32 is a song of thanksgiving. In this selection we see support of St. Paul’s apologetic on forgiveness flowing from God as a consequence of his great mercy and love.
Gospel Lk 12:1-7
St. Luke continues to present us with a collection of sayings of Jesus passed on to his disciples. In this passage he first warns them about adopting the style and attitude of the Pharisees whose “holier than thou” attitude was a veneer for their internal sin. The Lord tells them that there is nothing that can be hidden from God and that all will be made clear in the final judgment.
He goes on to encourage them, telling them that God will watch over them. He uses the analogy of the sacrificial animals as a metaphor for the attacks they will encounter from the Jewish leadership and how God will uphold them.
Reflection:
If we looked for a single phrase to sum up the message scripture has for us today it would have to be “Do not be afraid, have faith in the Lord and he will give you his strength so that people will know He is your God.” The foundation for the message is laid with St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. In his apologetic he asks a rhetorical question; “Did Abraham earn the favor of God?” He answers that question ironically as he describes the acts of faith that Abraham is known for but says “A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.”
St. Paul is telling us that even if we demonstrate the faith of Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to God, we are doing no more that what God expects. We have earned no special place of honor (as the Lord latter tells us the Pharisees seem to expect). Rather the salvation that God gives us is a free gift, provided out of the pure love that is expressed in God’s gift of His Son.
We take that foundational message and overlay what Jesus is telling his disciples. The beginning of the Gospel tells us things are getting crazy and their popularity is growing (“So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot). The Lord takes his disciples aside and tells them they cannot have the attitude of the Pharisees who seek places of honor and hold themselves up as better than others (“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees”)
Their attitude, Jesus tells them, must be one of humility because they are not perfect and God sees all imperfections. These will be clear to everyone. In their humble powerlessness they should have no fear in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom of God, the Heavenly Father sees them, knows them, loves them, and will protect their spirits from harm.
The message, between Paul’s assurance that faith is a gift, and the Lord’s exhortation not to worry about physical harm, to humbly take God’s message to all we meet is now visible. Our prayer today is that we will fearlessly but humbly take the message of God’s love to all we meet. That the examples of courage exemplified by the Saints we memorialized today will be our inspiration, and that our day’s efforts bring greater glory to God.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is Saint John de Brébeuf by Reuben Gold Thwaites, 1897
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
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