Readings for Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
You will notice we have started Ordinary Time today. This period will last until February 5th this year, the day before Ash Wednesday. According to the General Norms, 43; “Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character, there remains in the yearly cycle those weeks (33 or 34) that do not celebrate a specific mystery of Christ. Rather, especially on Sundays, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its fullness. This period is known as Ordinary Time.”
Reading 1 1 Samuel 1:1-8
The season (Ordinary Time) begins with a passage from the first of the “Historical Books” in the Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, using stories about Samuel, Saul, and David describe a one hundred year period of sacred history.
This introductory passage speaks the genealogy of Samuel’s father and of the early life of his mother and family. Though Hannah was favored by her husband, she could bear him no children. This was seen at the time, at least by her rival, Peninnah, as a punishment from God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
Or
R. Alleluia.
Psalm 116 is a song of thanksgiving. This selection is an individual prayer and promise to God. The singer understands that the Lord is his salvation. A little confusing is -“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.”- The meaning is that the death of God's faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death.
This selection from Psalm 116 also recalls the Passover ritual referring to the “cup of salvation”. The psalm rejoices in God’s saving works in releasing the people from their bondage.
Gospel Mark 1:14-20
It is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospel accounts show Jesus not beginning his public ministry until after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples from St. Mark’s Gospel. They follow him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples.
Reflection:
The grand Christmas celebration has ended and we begin our worship of the fullness of Christ, the reason for the designation “Ordinary Time”. The Church uses the word differently than it is applied in common day usage. The easiest way to understand it is actually to invert the definitions of Ordinary and Extraordinary with “Ordinary” having the elevated or special place where Extraordinary would be a less prestigious exception. Perhaps the best example of this terminology is when we look at the example of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The “Ordinary” minister of the sacrament is the Bishop of the diocese in which the sacrament takes place. He can (and often does) delegate this authority to the priests of his diocese who are “Extraordinary” ministers of the sacrament. We can see that Ordinary Time is far from ordinary in the common use of the term.
We begin this consideration of the fullness of Christ with beginnings. First we hear the beginning of the Historical Books in the Old Testament where we are introduced to the life and times of Samuel’s parents. It is important that we understand how our distant ancestors in faith understood the Lord God. We see in this opening passage the view of the God of Justice. Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah (Samuel’s father), was barren, that is she apparently could not have children. In this period of time, that appearance was considered to be a punishment from God for either sins committed by the individual or for something done by her parents or ancestors. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, uses this against her rival when this nomadic family traveled to a temple or place of worship where priests are present. Because they are a devout family, Peninnah’s spiteful remarks about that view of punishment were particularly hurtful. As we shall see in these historical stories, those who are unjustly accused are frequently vindicated in a spectacular way, demonstrating how God’s plan uses ordinary means to bring about extraordinary results (we are now using those words in their typical usage as opposed to their liturgical or ecclesial usage). Scripture does give us a hint that there will be vindication for Hannah as the Psalm reminds us that God loves the underdog in Psalm 116.
The Gospel tells us of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sound very similar to the call of the Baptist at least at first. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
We immediately see something amazing though. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does not give us the relationship between Andrew and St. John the Baptist we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel, we are just told that he calls to them “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They “left their nets”, they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. No explanation, just “he called them”, and they left their father, their family and followed him.
We begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be convinced by rhetoric or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, profession and family, to follow him.
The lessons we hear today take what we have built during Advent and the Christmas season and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, in front of work and in front of even family in our hearts.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “Call of the Sons of Zebedee” by Marco Basaiti, 1510
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
You will notice we have started Ordinary Time today. This period will last until February 5th this year, the day before Ash Wednesday. According to the General Norms, 43; “Apart from those seasons having their own distinctive character, there remains in the yearly cycle those weeks (33 or 34) that do not celebrate a specific mystery of Christ. Rather, especially on Sundays, they are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its fullness. This period is known as Ordinary Time.”
Reading 1 1 Samuel 1:1-8
The season (Ordinary Time) begins with a passage from the first of the “Historical Books” in the Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, using stories about Samuel, Saul, and David describe a one hundred year period of sacred history.
This introductory passage speaks the genealogy of Samuel’s father and of the early life of his mother and family. Though Hannah was favored by her husband, she could bear him no children. This was seen at the time, at least by her rival, Peninnah, as a punishment from God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
Or
R. Alleluia.
Psalm 116 is a song of thanksgiving. This selection is an individual prayer and promise to God. The singer understands that the Lord is his salvation. A little confusing is -“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.”- The meaning is that the death of God's faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death.
This selection from Psalm 116 also recalls the Passover ritual referring to the “cup of salvation”. The psalm rejoices in God’s saving works in releasing the people from their bondage.
Gospel Mark 1:14-20
It is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospel accounts show Jesus not beginning his public ministry until after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples from St. Mark’s Gospel. They follow him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples.
Reflection:
The grand Christmas celebration has ended and we begin our worship of the fullness of Christ, the reason for the designation “Ordinary Time”. The Church uses the word differently than it is applied in common day usage. The easiest way to understand it is actually to invert the definitions of Ordinary and Extraordinary with “Ordinary” having the elevated or special place where Extraordinary would be a less prestigious exception. Perhaps the best example of this terminology is when we look at the example of the Sacrament of Confirmation. The “Ordinary” minister of the sacrament is the Bishop of the diocese in which the sacrament takes place. He can (and often does) delegate this authority to the priests of his diocese who are “Extraordinary” ministers of the sacrament. We can see that Ordinary Time is far from ordinary in the common use of the term.
We begin this consideration of the fullness of Christ with beginnings. First we hear the beginning of the Historical Books in the Old Testament where we are introduced to the life and times of Samuel’s parents. It is important that we understand how our distant ancestors in faith understood the Lord God. We see in this opening passage the view of the God of Justice. Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah (Samuel’s father), was barren, that is she apparently could not have children. In this period of time, that appearance was considered to be a punishment from God for either sins committed by the individual or for something done by her parents or ancestors. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, uses this against her rival when this nomadic family traveled to a temple or place of worship where priests are present. Because they are a devout family, Peninnah’s spiteful remarks about that view of punishment were particularly hurtful. As we shall see in these historical stories, those who are unjustly accused are frequently vindicated in a spectacular way, demonstrating how God’s plan uses ordinary means to bring about extraordinary results (we are now using those words in their typical usage as opposed to their liturgical or ecclesial usage). Scripture does give us a hint that there will be vindication for Hannah as the Psalm reminds us that God loves the underdog in Psalm 116.
The Gospel tells us of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sound very similar to the call of the Baptist at least at first. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
We immediately see something amazing though. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does not give us the relationship between Andrew and St. John the Baptist we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel, we are just told that he calls to them “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They “left their nets”, they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. No explanation, just “he called them”, and they left their father, their family and followed him.
We begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be convinced by rhetoric or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, profession and family, to follow him.
The lessons we hear today take what we have built during Advent and the Christmas season and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, in front of work and in front of even family in our hearts.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “Call of the Sons of Zebedee” by Marco Basaiti, 1510
No comments:
Post a Comment