Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15a

I, Zechariah, raised my eyes and looked:
there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.
I asked, “Where are you going?”
He answered, “To measure Jerusalem,
to see how great is its width and how great its length.”

Then the angel who spoke with me advanced,
and another angel came out to meet him and said to him,
“Run, tell this to that young man:
People will live in Jerusalem as though in open country,
because of the multitude of men and beasts in her midst.
But I will be for her an encircling wall of fire, says the LORD,
and I will be the glory in her midst.”

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you.
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Commentary on Zec 2:5-9, 14-15a

This first selection from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah is the third vision the prophet has described. The vision requires and angel to measure the expanse of the New Jerusalem, God’s heavenly Kingdom (see also Ezekiel 40:2-3 and 41:13). In the broader sense, it predicts the coming of the Messiah providing a rather unique glimpse at the messianic expectation – He comes to unify and bring security to the faithful. This passage also demonstrates the “true man, true God” essence of the Lord by saying “I am coming to dwell among you.”

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Responsorial Psalm:
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd guards his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
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Commentary on Jer 31:10, 11-12ab, 13

The song from Jeremiah recalls the Diaspora, the exile of the Hebrews. Jeremiah continues the song and prophesies their return and reunification of the people; giving praise to God for his mercy.

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Gospel: Luke 9:43b-45

While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
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Commentary on Lk 9:43b-45

Jesus begins this second announcement of his coming passion using language that would have evoked a sense of the holy as his words (literally; “lay these words within your ears.”) would be reminiscent of Exodus 17:14b. “…meaning; Think seriously about what you have seen and heard, for my life is moving determinately to a violent death. handed over: From Isaiah 53: 12 (LXX) the fourth song of the suffering servant.”[4] The fact that the disciples “…should not understand it” was not seen as a defect of belief on their part, but rather as necessary (not yet time) in the plan of revelation.

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Reflection:

The Gospel proclaimed today is set shortly after the miracle of the Transfiguration of the Lord. He has continued with his disciples toward Jerusalem and his great passion, curing and preaching along the way. As the disciples become more and more in awe of the Lord’s great majesty, he finds it necessary to remind them what he has already told them – he is not to assume power and majesty in the earthly kingdom, his place is in the New Jerusalem (as described by the Prophet Zechariah in the first reading).

Even with the added emphasis “Pay attention to what I am telling you” they did not grasp what was unfolding. They were so completely taken aback that they were even afraid to ask him for an explanation. They would have to wait and face their fear in the Garden.

The spiritual frailty of the twelve painted in this excerpt from St. Luke’s Gospel gives us hope for ourselves. How often have we been confronted by issues in our lives and said in prayer “Lord help me to know what to do! I don’t understand what is happening and I can’t see the way.” The disciples were in that place and we know that ultimately the love of God showed them the way.

Our great solace is that when we are confronted with a situation we do not understand, recalling the disciples’ similar challenge, we can be patience and have hope. The Lord went to his passion for our salvation and his Holy Spirit is with us still to help and guide us. We pray today for the Wisdom to hear that word and have hope.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “Saint John the Evangelist's Vision of Jerusalem” by Alonso Cano, 1636-37
[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.
[4] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 44:92.