Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14
In this passage from the Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul relates his second trip to Jerusalem also related in Acts 15:1-12. It is clear from these accounts that the reason for the trip was to resolve any differences between the rules applied to Jewish Christians and those applied to Gentile Christians, especially the rule concerning circumcision. Taking with him two Gentile Christians, Barnabas (who later founded the churches of Crete) and Titus (who became a missionary also) the evangelist describes how he met with the “pillars” (styloi) of the Mother Church of Jerusalem.
St. Paul goes on to relate how St. James (The head of the Church in Jerusalem), St. Peter (Leader of the Apostles) and St. John (Son of Zebedee) all agreed; first that his message was consistent with the Gospel St. Paul had received from Christ and taught to the “uncircumcised”, and second they accepted it without changes. They further agreed that the mission of the twelve was to the Jews and St. Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles (although this should be seen as a geographical division since St. Paul frequently began his evangelization in a region by speaking first to the Jews. See also Romans 15:17-19). The symbolism of “…their right hands in partnership” establishes St. Paul on an equal footing with the Apostles.
The second part of the reading deals with St. Peter traveling to Antioch. Arriving alone he adopted St. Paul’s manners of eating communally with the Gentiles. However when a delegation from Jerusalem arrived (presumably from St. James) he seemed to revert to separating himself from them and ritually observing the dietary laws of Judaism. St. Paul confronted him on this point (again emphasizing his equality with St. Peter) and seals a breach in the unity of Christians regardless of their ancestry – Jew or Gentile. All were one in Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
Gospel: Luke 11:1-4
The Gospel from St. Luke gives us a shorter version of how the Lord passed on the “Lord’s Prayer” to his disciples. In St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-15) this discourse takes place as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In St. Luke’s Gospel it is given while the Lord is himself at prayer.
Notes on the meaning of the various parts of the prayer are numerous. The short message in the Gospel is: “This is an appropriate way to speak to God.”
Reflection:
There are generally two elements of Christian worship that are consistent regardless of denomination, tradition, or allegiance; these are, first some statement of creed (Usually the Apostles Creed – common in many protestant churches or the Nicene Creed used as part of the Catholic Mass. The second common element is the Lord’s Prayer. Some denominations say “trespasses” others say “debtors”; some end with “…deliver us from evil” others with a doxology “For thine is the kingdom…”. The message given by Christ is clear to us. We speak to God in the same way, as one people dedicated to Him in Christ.
Is it not then remarkable that the divisions between denominations can be so severe? There are places, even in the US (not to mention Ireland) where there is even violence between peoples of various denominations (in fairness to Ireland – while the protagonists are generally identified as Catholic vs. Protestant, the deeper issue there is between those wishing for independence from Great Britain and those loyal to her.).
The idea of Christian unity was one about which St. Paul was passionate as we see in his Letter to the Galatians. He fights the battle, in the reading for today that unifies Gentile Christians and those converting from Judaism. He does so by an agreement in substance that the message he and the Apostles in Jerusalem is the same consistent “Good News” and that beyond faith in Christ the other trappings of faith are individual preferences that should not divide the community of faith.
The forceful message we receive today is that one of our principle goals should be to strive for Christian unity. We talk to the same Father in the same way – our work in the world should not be a competition but a hand shake of cooperation. (Oh, and we should especially remember the poor!)
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “Sts. Peter and Paul” by Guido Reni, c. 1609
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14
In this passage from the Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul relates his second trip to Jerusalem also related in Acts 15:1-12. It is clear from these accounts that the reason for the trip was to resolve any differences between the rules applied to Jewish Christians and those applied to Gentile Christians, especially the rule concerning circumcision. Taking with him two Gentile Christians, Barnabas (who later founded the churches of Crete) and Titus (who became a missionary also) the evangelist describes how he met with the “pillars” (styloi) of the Mother Church of Jerusalem.
St. Paul goes on to relate how St. James (The head of the Church in Jerusalem), St. Peter (Leader of the Apostles) and St. John (Son of Zebedee) all agreed; first that his message was consistent with the Gospel St. Paul had received from Christ and taught to the “uncircumcised”, and second they accepted it without changes. They further agreed that the mission of the twelve was to the Jews and St. Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles (although this should be seen as a geographical division since St. Paul frequently began his evangelization in a region by speaking first to the Jews. See also Romans 15:17-19). The symbolism of “…their right hands in partnership” establishes St. Paul on an equal footing with the Apostles.
The second part of the reading deals with St. Peter traveling to Antioch. Arriving alone he adopted St. Paul’s manners of eating communally with the Gentiles. However when a delegation from Jerusalem arrived (presumably from St. James) he seemed to revert to separating himself from them and ritually observing the dietary laws of Judaism. St. Paul confronted him on this point (again emphasizing his equality with St. Peter) and seals a breach in the unity of Christians regardless of their ancestry – Jew or Gentile. All were one in Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
Gospel: Luke 11:1-4
The Gospel from St. Luke gives us a shorter version of how the Lord passed on the “Lord’s Prayer” to his disciples. In St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-15) this discourse takes place as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In St. Luke’s Gospel it is given while the Lord is himself at prayer.
Notes on the meaning of the various parts of the prayer are numerous. The short message in the Gospel is: “This is an appropriate way to speak to God.”
Reflection:
There are generally two elements of Christian worship that are consistent regardless of denomination, tradition, or allegiance; these are, first some statement of creed (Usually the Apostles Creed – common in many protestant churches or the Nicene Creed used as part of the Catholic Mass. The second common element is the Lord’s Prayer. Some denominations say “trespasses” others say “debtors”; some end with “…deliver us from evil” others with a doxology “For thine is the kingdom…”. The message given by Christ is clear to us. We speak to God in the same way, as one people dedicated to Him in Christ.
Is it not then remarkable that the divisions between denominations can be so severe? There are places, even in the US (not to mention Ireland) where there is even violence between peoples of various denominations (in fairness to Ireland – while the protagonists are generally identified as Catholic vs. Protestant, the deeper issue there is between those wishing for independence from Great Britain and those loyal to her.).
The idea of Christian unity was one about which St. Paul was passionate as we see in his Letter to the Galatians. He fights the battle, in the reading for today that unifies Gentile Christians and those converting from Judaism. He does so by an agreement in substance that the message he and the Apostles in Jerusalem is the same consistent “Good News” and that beyond faith in Christ the other trappings of faith are individual preferences that should not divide the community of faith.
The forceful message we receive today is that one of our principle goals should be to strive for Christian unity. We talk to the same Father in the same way – our work in the world should not be a competition but a hand shake of cooperation. (Oh, and we should especially remember the poor!)
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “Sts. Peter and Paul” by Guido Reni, c. 1609
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