Priest and Doctor of the Church
Biographical Information about St. Thomas Aquinas[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Hebrews 10:11-18
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering he has made perfect forever
those who are being consecrated.
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying:
“This is the covenant I will establish with them
after those days, says the Lord:
‘I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them upon their minds,’”
he also says:
“Their sins and their evildoing
I will remember no more.”
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Heb 10:11-18
We begin today with a statement of how the levitcal priesthood’s sacrifices for the remittance of sin is ineffective compared to the sacrifice of Jesus whose one sacrifice released us for all time. Then Hebrews again hammers the New Covenant home to us. The author quotes, first Psalm 110 (Psalm 110:1) and then the book of the Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). He takes the prophecy of the New Covenant and shows how it is fulfilled in Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4
R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4
This passage from Psalm 110 supports the Hebrews reading that quotes it today. The messianic reference in the first verse gives a clear indication of Christ’s eternal nature and ultimate destiny.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 4:1-20
On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.
A very large crowd gathered around him
so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.
And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.
And he taught them at length in parables,
and in the course of his instruction he said to them,
“Hear this! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”
And when he was alone,
those present along with the Twelve
questioned him about the parables.
He answered them,
“The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.
But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that
they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”
Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The sower sows the word.
These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once
and takes away the word sown in them.
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who,
when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.
But they have no roots; they last only for a time.
Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word,
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches,
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word,
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 4:1-20
St. Mark’s Gospel begins a section of teachings on the Kingdom of God through parables. We note that Jesus is teaching from a boat which would provide a natural amphitheater with the ground sloping to the shore. Here the Lord presents the parable of the “Sower”. As in St. Matthew’s Gospel he follows the unvarnished parable with a deeper explanation to the Disciples.
In the Parable of the Sower from Mark’s Gospel, Jesus uses the rich analogy of the seed (of faith given in Baptism) to show the various courses of faith in human endeavor. Because this selection gives not only the parable but the Lord’s explanation of its meaning the only historical note we will make is that, at that point in history in that region, when planting a field, the seed was sown first and then the field was plowed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Parable of the Sower is a powerful one. It reminds us that we are both the Sower/Harvester and the seed in the parable. Initially the sower was Jesus and before him to a lesser extent the Prophets of the Old Testament. They brought us the word of God and much of what they said fell on deaf ears. That would be, according to the parable’s legend the seed that fell on the “path “. It had no chance to bear fruit because it was never planted. Similar fates awaited the seed that landed on “rocky ground” and among the “thorns”, while they germinated they never reached maturity.
The Sower’s task was handed on. It was handed from the Apostles who received it from Jesus to the Saints and especially the Doctors of the Church like St. Thomas Aquinas whose memorial we celebrate today. The task came down through all those millennia to us, the Disciples of Christ in this age. And here is where the analogy gets interesting. Today if we looked at the same agrarian analogy we would wonder why in those early days so much was wasted. Today, mechanical planters multitask to plow the fields, plant the grain, and then cover it so the birds cannot get it. No waste and the labor of a single person can produce yields that far exceed anything the farmers of Jesus’ day could have expected.
The sowers of the word today have similar automated tools that can help spread the word. But unlike the agricultural counterpart, more is wasted, not less. In the end words are cheap. Words that are not backed by action are not only cheap but they could be analogized with sterile seed. As sowers we must first be the seeds that fall on fertile ground and grow to maturity. We must make sure our roots go deep to withstand the harsh conditions that will be faced. We must insure that that stalk of grain we hope will provide the next generation of grain is well nourished with food and water that is Word and Sacrament.
Books have been written about the wondrous analogy of the Sower and the Harvester. We leave you today with a short quote from St. Thomas Aquinas whom we memorialize who was an example of what we can be:
Most loving Lord, grant me a steadfast heart which no unworthy desire may drag downards; an unconquered heat which no hardship may wear out; an upright heart which no worthless purpose may ensnare. Impart to me also, O God, the understanding to know you, the diligence to seek you, a way of life to please you, and a faithfulness that may embrace you, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen. - Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Something Of A Saint
Biographical Information about St. Thomas Aquinas[1]
Readings for Wednesday of the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Hebrews 10:11-18
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering he has made perfect forever
those who are being consecrated.
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying:
“This is the covenant I will establish with them
after those days, says the Lord:
‘I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them upon their minds,’”
he also says:
“Their sins and their evildoing
I will remember no more.”
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Heb 10:11-18
We begin today with a statement of how the levitcal priesthood’s sacrifices for the remittance of sin is ineffective compared to the sacrifice of Jesus whose one sacrifice released us for all time. Then Hebrews again hammers the New Covenant home to us. The author quotes, first Psalm 110 (Psalm 110:1) and then the book of the Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). He takes the prophecy of the New Covenant and shows how it is fulfilled in Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4
R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4
This passage from Psalm 110 supports the Hebrews reading that quotes it today. The messianic reference in the first verse gives a clear indication of Christ’s eternal nature and ultimate destiny.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 4:1-20
On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.
A very large crowd gathered around him
so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.
And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.
And he taught them at length in parables,
and in the course of his instruction he said to them,
“Hear this! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”
And when he was alone,
those present along with the Twelve
questioned him about the parables.
He answered them,
“The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.
But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that
they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”
Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The sower sows the word.
These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once
and takes away the word sown in them.
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who,
when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.
But they have no roots; they last only for a time.
Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word,
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches,
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word,
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 4:1-20
St. Mark’s Gospel begins a section of teachings on the Kingdom of God through parables. We note that Jesus is teaching from a boat which would provide a natural amphitheater with the ground sloping to the shore. Here the Lord presents the parable of the “Sower”. As in St. Matthew’s Gospel he follows the unvarnished parable with a deeper explanation to the Disciples.
In the Parable of the Sower from Mark’s Gospel, Jesus uses the rich analogy of the seed (of faith given in Baptism) to show the various courses of faith in human endeavor. Because this selection gives not only the parable but the Lord’s explanation of its meaning the only historical note we will make is that, at that point in history in that region, when planting a field, the seed was sown first and then the field was plowed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Parable of the Sower is a powerful one. It reminds us that we are both the Sower/Harvester and the seed in the parable. Initially the sower was Jesus and before him to a lesser extent the Prophets of the Old Testament. They brought us the word of God and much of what they said fell on deaf ears. That would be, according to the parable’s legend the seed that fell on the “path “. It had no chance to bear fruit because it was never planted. Similar fates awaited the seed that landed on “rocky ground” and among the “thorns”, while they germinated they never reached maturity.
The Sower’s task was handed on. It was handed from the Apostles who received it from Jesus to the Saints and especially the Doctors of the Church like St. Thomas Aquinas whose memorial we celebrate today. The task came down through all those millennia to us, the Disciples of Christ in this age. And here is where the analogy gets interesting. Today if we looked at the same agrarian analogy we would wonder why in those early days so much was wasted. Today, mechanical planters multitask to plow the fields, plant the grain, and then cover it so the birds cannot get it. No waste and the labor of a single person can produce yields that far exceed anything the farmers of Jesus’ day could have expected.
The sowers of the word today have similar automated tools that can help spread the word. But unlike the agricultural counterpart, more is wasted, not less. In the end words are cheap. Words that are not backed by action are not only cheap but they could be analogized with sterile seed. As sowers we must first be the seeds that fall on fertile ground and grow to maturity. We must make sure our roots go deep to withstand the harsh conditions that will be faced. We must insure that that stalk of grain we hope will provide the next generation of grain is well nourished with food and water that is Word and Sacrament.
Books have been written about the wondrous analogy of the Sower and the Harvester. We leave you today with a short quote from St. Thomas Aquinas whom we memorialize who was an example of what we can be:
Most loving Lord, grant me a steadfast heart which no unworthy desire may drag downards; an unconquered heat which no hardship may wear out; an upright heart which no worthless purpose may ensnare. Impart to me also, O God, the understanding to know you, the diligence to seek you, a way of life to please you, and a faithfulness that may embrace you, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen. - Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Something Of A Saint
Pax
[1] The picture today is “St. Thomas Aquinas” from the Demidoff Altarpiece by Carlo Crivelli, c. 1480
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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