Readings for Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Jeremiah 18:18-20
"Come, let us (people of Jerusalem)
contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word."
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 18:18-20
Today’s scripture comes from that part of Jeremiah referred to as “Oracles in the Days of Jehoiakim” The good king, Josiah, has died and with him the reforms Jeremiah was supporting. Now, in Jeremiah’s time, idolatry is creeping back in and the prophet is becoming unpopular. We hear the forces gathering against him in this reading. We also hear him pray to God that he might be remembered for his faithfulness
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R. (17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
Psalm 31 is a lament in the face of adversity. Placed here, it could be a continuation of Jeremiah’s prayer from the first reading, asking for protection from those who would persecute.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve (disciples) aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day."
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, "What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 20:17-28
St. Matthew’s Gospel reading gives us the third and most detailed description of the coming passion. Emphasizing the lack of understanding of this event, James and John have their mother ask Jesus to elevate them to places of honor in his kingdom. The Lord questions the two, asking if they can drink the cup he will drink (accept the fate of martyrdom). When they answer in the affirmative, the Lord almost pronounces their acceptance as a sentence of death.
The squabbling that occurs between the disciples following this exchange prompts the Lord to define Christian leadership again, saying that those who would lead must be servants; they cannot be like the scribes and Pharisees.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
There was a study done a number of years ago by the Harvard University Business School that asked its graduate alumni to explain how they had learned to manage in the private sector. To the academicians their answers must have been disappointing. The respondents broke their answers down this way. They said only five percent of their knowledge came from formal education, fifteen percent came from watching and talking with their peers, another thirty percent came from seeing how they were managed by their own supervisors, and a full fifty percent of their knowledge came from trial and error. This, of course is not surprising. It also applies to a business setting. What is important to note is the top two teachers of leadership were experiential.
We are all called to be disciples of Jesus. That call, in its self, means we are called to be examples to others, an important part of leadership and one frequently overlooked. Even parents often forget that an important element in their children’s education is the example they provide. Parents can talk to their children until they are blue in the face about the importance of, for instance, praying; but unless the child sees and hears their parents praying, they are unlikely to develop that important ability.
We are all called to lead by example and even the quietest of Christians who sits in the back pew silently asking for God’s mercy provides that leadership. The one who works tirelessly, without reward for the wellbeing of others is recognized as the best of Christian witnesses. It is they who provide the rest of us with an understanding of unselfish love and humility, two of Christ’s key attributes.
This kind of leadership is what Jesus was talking about when he said “whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave”. Our prayer today is that we may be the servant leader who provides an example to others and thereby brings glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Jeremiah 18:18-20
"Come, let us (people of Jerusalem)
contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word."
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer 18:18-20
Today’s scripture comes from that part of Jeremiah referred to as “Oracles in the Days of Jehoiakim” The good king, Josiah, has died and with him the reforms Jeremiah was supporting. Now, in Jeremiah’s time, idolatry is creeping back in and the prophet is becoming unpopular. We hear the forces gathering against him in this reading. We also hear him pray to God that he might be remembered for his faithfulness
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R. (17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
Psalm 31 is a lament in the face of adversity. Placed here, it could be a continuation of Jeremiah’s prayer from the first reading, asking for protection from those who would persecute.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve (disciples) aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day."
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, "What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 20:17-28
St. Matthew’s Gospel reading gives us the third and most detailed description of the coming passion. Emphasizing the lack of understanding of this event, James and John have their mother ask Jesus to elevate them to places of honor in his kingdom. The Lord questions the two, asking if they can drink the cup he will drink (accept the fate of martyrdom). When they answer in the affirmative, the Lord almost pronounces their acceptance as a sentence of death.
The squabbling that occurs between the disciples following this exchange prompts the Lord to define Christian leadership again, saying that those who would lead must be servants; they cannot be like the scribes and Pharisees.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
There was a study done a number of years ago by the Harvard University Business School that asked its graduate alumni to explain how they had learned to manage in the private sector. To the academicians their answers must have been disappointing. The respondents broke their answers down this way. They said only five percent of their knowledge came from formal education, fifteen percent came from watching and talking with their peers, another thirty percent came from seeing how they were managed by their own supervisors, and a full fifty percent of their knowledge came from trial and error. This, of course is not surprising. It also applies to a business setting. What is important to note is the top two teachers of leadership were experiential.
We are all called to be disciples of Jesus. That call, in its self, means we are called to be examples to others, an important part of leadership and one frequently overlooked. Even parents often forget that an important element in their children’s education is the example they provide. Parents can talk to their children until they are blue in the face about the importance of, for instance, praying; but unless the child sees and hears their parents praying, they are unlikely to develop that important ability.
We are all called to lead by example and even the quietest of Christians who sits in the back pew silently asking for God’s mercy provides that leadership. The one who works tirelessly, without reward for the wellbeing of others is recognized as the best of Christian witnesses. It is they who provide the rest of us with an understanding of unselfish love and humility, two of Christ’s key attributes.
This kind of leadership is what Jesus was talking about when he said “whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave”. Our prayer today is that we may be the servant leader who provides an example to others and thereby brings glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture today is “Jeremiah” (detail) by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1511
[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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