Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Biographical Information about St. Teresa of Jesus[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Galatians 5:18-25
But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 5:18-25
St. Paul in this selection reminds the Galatians that with freedom in Christ comes a higher calling. He contrasts “works of the flesh” with “fruit of the Spirit”, providing a catalogue of sins and of virtues. The evangelist gives the community a clear warning that those who follow the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God but those who “belong to Christ” have experienced an inner conversion. Those “crucified in their flesh” are able to rise above worldly desires and live in the spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (see Jn 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked,
Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy;
God's law they study day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
They are like a tree planted near streams of water,
that yields its fruit in season;
Its leaves never wither;
whatever they do prospers
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
But not the wicked!
They are like chaff driven by the wind.
The LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As is usual, this selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the punishment of the wicked
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:42-46
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:42-46
In this passage the Lord continues his criticism of those who believe that ritual practice is more important than the spirit of God’s law. He points at their contributions to the temple and their neglect of the needy as symbolic of this lack of understanding. In teaching this type of faith, focused only on religious practice, they lead others astray and in doing so they are doing the evil one’s work (“You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk” touching human remains, according to Hebrew Law caused ritual impurity).
Likewise, when questioned by the scholar of the law (probably referring to a scribe), the Lord points at his questioner and says that those who focus only on the minutia of Hebraic Law are missing its intent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Who will receive the harsher punishment when coming before the judgment seat of Christ; the people who never went to church but lead lives dedicated to the noble virtues catalogued by St. Paul (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”), or those who went to daily Mass but engaged in the “works of the flesh”? The answer seems pretty obvious. Those whose actions are at odds with their outward practice will find a hash penalty indeed. Not only did they fall prey to sins of the flesh but they did so with full knowledge of the wrongness of those actions.
Those who are given the gift of faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit, are held to a higher standard. The difficulty many of us face is the more deeply we seek the Lord, the more difficult it is to conform our lives to what we see in His example to us.
Spiritual growth is like looking at our selves in a mirror to which we are walking closer. From a long way off we see our image and it seems pretty good. Our cloths appear to be stylish and well coordinated, our hair neatly groomed. That distant image seems alright (of course our shoes could use a shine). As we draw closer we notice that we really need to press our slacks. At a distance we did not notice they were wrinkled; and we also need a hair cut. That too was not obvious from a distance.
Growing closer still, we see that we should probably go back and start over. A close look at our face reveals we have toothpaste residue at the corner of our mouth; there is also an ugly spot on the jacket we chose, and the cuff of the shirt we are wearing is frayed. No, on close inspection this is not good at all. Worse still, the closer we get the more imperfections we find. Is it any wonder why so many of the saints became even more humble as they grew in their ministries?
In spite of the fact that we know, the closer we look at ourselves through the lens of faith the more work we will see needs to be done, our great hope is the one who sits on that seat of judgment does not look at all our faults, he took them from us. He looks at us with love, seeing only the wondrous creation of the Father who gave us life.
We notice that nothing has been said about the people whose actions were noble but who had not come to faith. For these people there is perhaps a more difficult road ahead. At the end of their journeys they must recognize at last who it was that fashioned them, who helped them along their journey. Those people will lament never knowing the loving Father who was with them, unseen throughout their lives, and the brothers and sisters they never knew they had.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “Teresa of Avila” by Peter Paul Rubens, 1615
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Psalm Response is from Printed source United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
November 11, 2002 Copyright (c) by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Biographical Information about St. Teresa of Jesus[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Galatians 5:18-25
But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Galatians 5:18-25
St. Paul in this selection reminds the Galatians that with freedom in Christ comes a higher calling. He contrasts “works of the flesh” with “fruit of the Spirit”, providing a catalogue of sins and of virtues. The evangelist gives the community a clear warning that those who follow the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God but those who “belong to Christ” have experienced an inner conversion. Those “crucified in their flesh” are able to rise above worldly desires and live in the spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (see Jn 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked,
Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy;
God's law they study day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
They are like a tree planted near streams of water,
that yields its fruit in season;
Its leaves never wither;
whatever they do prospers
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
But not the wicked!
They are like chaff driven by the wind.
The LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As is usual, this selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the punishment of the wicked
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 11:42-46
“Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 11:42-46
In this passage the Lord continues his criticism of those who believe that ritual practice is more important than the spirit of God’s law. He points at their contributions to the temple and their neglect of the needy as symbolic of this lack of understanding. In teaching this type of faith, focused only on religious practice, they lead others astray and in doing so they are doing the evil one’s work (“You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk” touching human remains, according to Hebrew Law caused ritual impurity).
Likewise, when questioned by the scholar of the law (probably referring to a scribe), the Lord points at his questioner and says that those who focus only on the minutia of Hebraic Law are missing its intent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Who will receive the harsher punishment when coming before the judgment seat of Christ; the people who never went to church but lead lives dedicated to the noble virtues catalogued by St. Paul (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”), or those who went to daily Mass but engaged in the “works of the flesh”? The answer seems pretty obvious. Those whose actions are at odds with their outward practice will find a hash penalty indeed. Not only did they fall prey to sins of the flesh but they did so with full knowledge of the wrongness of those actions.
Those who are given the gift of faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit, are held to a higher standard. The difficulty many of us face is the more deeply we seek the Lord, the more difficult it is to conform our lives to what we see in His example to us.
Spiritual growth is like looking at our selves in a mirror to which we are walking closer. From a long way off we see our image and it seems pretty good. Our cloths appear to be stylish and well coordinated, our hair neatly groomed. That distant image seems alright (of course our shoes could use a shine). As we draw closer we notice that we really need to press our slacks. At a distance we did not notice they were wrinkled; and we also need a hair cut. That too was not obvious from a distance.
Growing closer still, we see that we should probably go back and start over. A close look at our face reveals we have toothpaste residue at the corner of our mouth; there is also an ugly spot on the jacket we chose, and the cuff of the shirt we are wearing is frayed. No, on close inspection this is not good at all. Worse still, the closer we get the more imperfections we find. Is it any wonder why so many of the saints became even more humble as they grew in their ministries?
In spite of the fact that we know, the closer we look at ourselves through the lens of faith the more work we will see needs to be done, our great hope is the one who sits on that seat of judgment does not look at all our faults, he took them from us. He looks at us with love, seeing only the wondrous creation of the Father who gave us life.
We notice that nothing has been said about the people whose actions were noble but who had not come to faith. For these people there is perhaps a more difficult road ahead. At the end of their journeys they must recognize at last who it was that fashioned them, who helped them along their journey. Those people will lament never knowing the loving Father who was with them, unseen throughout their lives, and the brothers and sisters they never knew they had.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “Teresa of Avila” by Peter Paul Rubens, 1615
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Psalm Response is from Printed source United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
November 11, 2002 Copyright (c) by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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