Saints Sixtus II, Pope, and his Companions, Martyrs
Saint Cajetan, Priest
Alternate for the Proper of St. Sixtus II
Alternate for the Proper of St. Cajetan
Readings for Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Moses said to the people:
“Ask now of the days of old, before your time,
ever since God created man upon the earth;
ask from one end of the sky to the other:
Did anything so great ever happen before?
Was it ever heard of?
Did a people ever hear the voice of God
speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?
Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself
from the midst of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors,
all of which the LORD, your God,
did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
All this you were allowed to see
that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other.
Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you;
on earth he let you see his great fire,
and you heard him speaking out of the fire.
For love of your fathers he chose their descendants
and personally led you out of Egypt by his great power,
driving out of your way nations greater and mightier than you,
so as to bring you in
and to make their land your heritage, as it is today.
This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart,
that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.
You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today,
that you and your children after you may prosper,
and that you may have long life on the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dt 4:32-40
In this selection from Deuteronomy, Moses begins to describe the unique participation of the Hebrew people, the Chosen People in God’s covenant. Moses actually presents a homily on the election of Israel; how God has shown his omnipotence through the salvific acts and signs (e.g. plagues in Egypt, saving miracles that facilitated the exodus).
These proofs, Moses explains, are the reason they must be faithful to God and instruct their children to do the same. In doing so they receive the reward for their fidelity – “…that you and your children after you may prosper “. This section acts as a prologue to the introduction to the Law.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21
R. (12a) I remember the deeds of the Lord.
I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old.
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
O God, your way is holy;
what great god is there like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
among the peoples you have made known your power.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moses and Aaron.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21
Psalm 77 is a communal lament. The fist section of the psalm pleads for God not to abandon them as they are in dire straits. The strophes used here reflect the promise on the part of the psalmist that the people will remember the great saving works of the Lord (as required by Moses’ instruction in Deuteronomy).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 16:24-28
This is the second time within the Gospel of St. Matthew the Lord instructs the disciples that if they wish to follow him, they must take up the cross (the first time is in Matthew 10:38). This passage focuses the followers of Christ on the idea that serving the Lord must come before any other purposes in life since it is through following Jesus that eternal life is gained. It is also explicit that bringing the Word of God, the message of the Kingdom of God to the world will lead to persecution and even the possibility of death.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Ben Stein, the comedian (also a graduate of Columbia and valedictorian of his class at Yale Law School – not bad for the “clear eyes” guy) produced a move called “eXpelled” in 2008 which was an absolute gem and therefore a box office flop. It challenged the academic community and its “atheistic agenda” using the conflict between “Creationists” and “Intelligent Design” and academia to demonstrate its point. If you want to understand this issue (and you should since the issue continues to attack religious and academic freedom) it is a “must see”.
Without spoiling it for you, there is one segment in which Ben (who is by the way brilliant) is interviewing Richard Dawkins, the highly publicize atheist from the UK. In a series of questions, Ben finally gets to the point of challenging Dawkins on the origin of life, fist having allowed him to deny any possibility of God’s existence through out their discussion of evolutionary history. To our amazement, obviously finding no other “logical or scientific” explanation the atheist suggests that it was likely “aliens” (that is space aliens) who brought life to earth.
This film represents an explanation point to Moses instruction to the Hebrews in the reading from Deuteronomy. The history of God’s creation stands around us every day. The gifts God has given us are obvious in every breath we take. Moses asks the question of that ancient audience that we should remember today; “Did anything so great ever happen before?”
Jesus, when he pointed to his cross and told his disciples “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” made a fundamental assumption. That before one takes up the Cross of Christ, that person needs to have underlying faith that the omnipotent Father, who created all that is, will provide for them spiritually in the face of any difficulty or crisis. Before we accept the Son we must accept the Father who is one with him.
With that question still ringing in our ears “Did anything so great ever happen before?” We pause to look around us. We give thanks for all the marvels God has provided, proving beyond any questioning that he not only exists, but is active still in our world through the Advocate he left us. We give thanks and then take up the Cross to bring God’s Heavenly Kingdom to earth.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Christ Carrying the Cross” by El Greco, 1580s
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Saint Cajetan, Priest
Alternate for the Proper of St. Sixtus II
Alternate for the Proper of St. Cajetan
Readings for Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Moses said to the people:
“Ask now of the days of old, before your time,
ever since God created man upon the earth;
ask from one end of the sky to the other:
Did anything so great ever happen before?
Was it ever heard of?
Did a people ever hear the voice of God
speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?
Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself
from the midst of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors,
all of which the LORD, your God,
did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
All this you were allowed to see
that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other.
Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you;
on earth he let you see his great fire,
and you heard him speaking out of the fire.
For love of your fathers he chose their descendants
and personally led you out of Egypt by his great power,
driving out of your way nations greater and mightier than you,
so as to bring you in
and to make their land your heritage, as it is today.
This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart,
that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.
You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today,
that you and your children after you may prosper,
and that you may have long life on the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dt 4:32-40
In this selection from Deuteronomy, Moses begins to describe the unique participation of the Hebrew people, the Chosen People in God’s covenant. Moses actually presents a homily on the election of Israel; how God has shown his omnipotence through the salvific acts and signs (e.g. plagues in Egypt, saving miracles that facilitated the exodus).
These proofs, Moses explains, are the reason they must be faithful to God and instruct their children to do the same. In doing so they receive the reward for their fidelity – “…that you and your children after you may prosper “. This section acts as a prologue to the introduction to the Law.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21
R. (12a) I remember the deeds of the Lord.
I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old.
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
O God, your way is holy;
what great god is there like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
among the peoples you have made known your power.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moses and Aaron.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21
Psalm 77 is a communal lament. The fist section of the psalm pleads for God not to abandon them as they are in dire straits. The strophes used here reflect the promise on the part of the psalmist that the people will remember the great saving works of the Lord (as required by Moses’ instruction in Deuteronomy).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 16:24-28
This is the second time within the Gospel of St. Matthew the Lord instructs the disciples that if they wish to follow him, they must take up the cross (the first time is in Matthew 10:38). This passage focuses the followers of Christ on the idea that serving the Lord must come before any other purposes in life since it is through following Jesus that eternal life is gained. It is also explicit that bringing the Word of God, the message of the Kingdom of God to the world will lead to persecution and even the possibility of death.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Ben Stein, the comedian (also a graduate of Columbia and valedictorian of his class at Yale Law School – not bad for the “clear eyes” guy) produced a move called “eXpelled” in 2008 which was an absolute gem and therefore a box office flop. It challenged the academic community and its “atheistic agenda” using the conflict between “Creationists” and “Intelligent Design” and academia to demonstrate its point. If you want to understand this issue (and you should since the issue continues to attack religious and academic freedom) it is a “must see”.
Without spoiling it for you, there is one segment in which Ben (who is by the way brilliant) is interviewing Richard Dawkins, the highly publicize atheist from the UK. In a series of questions, Ben finally gets to the point of challenging Dawkins on the origin of life, fist having allowed him to deny any possibility of God’s existence through out their discussion of evolutionary history. To our amazement, obviously finding no other “logical or scientific” explanation the atheist suggests that it was likely “aliens” (that is space aliens) who brought life to earth.
This film represents an explanation point to Moses instruction to the Hebrews in the reading from Deuteronomy. The history of God’s creation stands around us every day. The gifts God has given us are obvious in every breath we take. Moses asks the question of that ancient audience that we should remember today; “Did anything so great ever happen before?”
Jesus, when he pointed to his cross and told his disciples “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” made a fundamental assumption. That before one takes up the Cross of Christ, that person needs to have underlying faith that the omnipotent Father, who created all that is, will provide for them spiritually in the face of any difficulty or crisis. Before we accept the Son we must accept the Father who is one with him.
With that question still ringing in our ears “Did anything so great ever happen before?” We pause to look around us. We give thanks for all the marvels God has provided, proving beyond any questioning that he not only exists, but is active still in our world through the Advocate he left us. We give thanks and then take up the Cross to bring God’s Heavenly Kingdom to earth.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Christ Carrying the Cross” by El Greco, 1580s
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 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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