Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[i][ii]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[iii]

Reading 1: Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29

Brothers and sisters:
I ask, then, has God rejected his people?
Of course not!
For I too am a child of Israel, a descendant of Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah,
how he pleads with God against Israel?

Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall?
Of course not!
But through their transgression
salvation has come to the Gentiles,
so as to make them jealous.
Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world,
and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles,
how much more their full number.

I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers and sisters,
so that you will not become wise in your own estimation:
a hardening has come upon Israel in part,
until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

The deliverer will come out of Zion,
he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.

In respect to the Gospel, they are enemies on your account;
but in respect to election,
they are beloved because of the patriarch.
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
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Commentary on Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29

St. Paul asks his Jewish audience if God has rejected them. The answer “Of course not!” identifies the Evangelist as an Israelite and begins his ironic description of how God used the rejection of the Messiah as a reason to invite the Gentiles to participate in his salvation. He goes on, in the passages omitted, to indicate that the Israel remains holy in the eyes of God but the majority that has rejected the Lord paved the way for God’s plan to invite the world into that favored status.

The text he quotes is Isaiah 59:20-21 joined with Isaiah 27:9 providing a positive offering to the Jews whom he had previously condemned (v.8ff) for rejecting the Lord. The confluding verse makes it clear that even though the Jewish people who rejected the Gospel of Christ are “enemies on your account”. There election as the chosen people is irrevochable – the offer of salvation is not withdrawn.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18

R. (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.

Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.

For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.

Were not the LORD my help,
my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
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Commentary on Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18

Psalm 94 is an individual lament. The strophes used today reflect the faith and confidence in God who will continue to support (linking to St. Paul above) them in the face of their enemies.

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Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-11

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Commentary on Lk 14:1, 7-11

This parable, found only in the Gospel of St. Luke, gives us Jesus teaching the need for humility. The Lord’s indirect criticism of those who seek the attention of the rich and ignore the poor sets the stage for the next passage and the parable of the great banquet. Jesus is giving some wisdom of his own. He first speaks of the charism of humility using the example of a feast (just like the one to which he was invited) saying that one should assume the lowly station and be invited up, rather than assuming the higher station and being dismissed.

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Reflection:

The Gospel parable from St. Luke requires that we examine humility; our own virtue with regards to pride and our desire to assimilate into the secular culture. True humility can only come if a person has faith in God! It will flow from the knowledge that God is omniscient, and always present in his triune nature, creator of all that is. How can personal pride stand when we know that, not only did God create us; give us life in the flesh, but also gave up his only Son so that we could enjoy eternal life? Can a person who recognizes that they owe everything that they have and are to God be prideful, self-indulged, or self-adsorbed?

Going even further, once we understanding that the Savior of mankind walks with us daily; that through the Holy Spirit he is with us constantly, how can we take pride in what we do that serves God’s purpose? It is his strength and wisdom poured out for us that allows us to do what we do. And even further still, if we also know that God not only created and gave us life, but also created and gave life to all living creatures, how could we disrespect the dignity of another person or casually destroy God’s creation?

True and virtuous humility comes from faith in God. That same faith demands that we also respect ourselves; the very personal gift God gave us. How can we think that we are anything but beautiful in the eyes of God? We are his favorite creation and he loves us more than anyone can imagine. Who are we to think poorly of ourselves? In humility we must prize what we are as God created us.

As the Lord tells the Pharisees in the Gospel, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” In all humility we must respect others, not because they demand respect, but because they too are loved by God. It is the great paradox of faith that in humility we are glorified. Today we pray that our faith in the Father, His Only Son, and the Holy Spirit, inspire us with awe and wonder imparting to us true humility and grace.

Pax

[i] ALTRE
[ii] The picture is “Madonna of Humility” by Domenico Di Bartolo, 1433
[iii] 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.

Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[i][ii]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[iii]

Reading 1: Romans 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are children of Israel;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
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Commentary on Rom 9:1-5

“The apostle speaks in strong terms of the depth of his grief over the unbelief of his own people. He would willingly undergo a curse himself for the sake of their coming to the knowledge of Christ (Romans 9:3; cf Lev 27:28-29). His love for them derives from God's continuing choice of them and from the spiritual benefits that God bestows on them and through them on all of humanity.”[iv]

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
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Commentary on Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise. In this second section of the song, the Lord is praised for sending food that sustains the people. The final strophe also rejoices that the Law was handed on to them through Jacob.

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Gospel: Luke 14:1-6

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”
But they kept silent; so he took the man and,
after he had healed him, dismissed him.
Then he said to them
“Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?”
But they were unable to answer his question.
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Commentary on Lk 14:1-6

The miracle of the cure of the man with dropsy (a condition in which there is severe swelling caused by the retention of water) is unique to St. Luke’s Gospel. The issue he addresses at the banquet, however, is also taken up in a different context in Mark 3:1-6 and Matthew 12:9-14. The point (logion) expounded upon here is that fanatical observance of Mosaic Law is not serving God. Rather, the spirit of God’s law is love and compassion which he demonstrates by curing the man.

There is also a pun used in the language Jesus uses. When he says “if your son or ox falls into a well”, the words in Aramaic are be’îrā (“ox”) and berā (“son”) followed by bērā (“well”) giving us insight into Jesus sense of humor.

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Reflection:

Sacred scripture gives us a look at the complexity of issues associated with the coming of the Messiah to the Jewish people. St. Paul feels the problem of his people in his letter to the Romans. He is almost crying out to God to make them understand that Jesus came to fulfill all that had been promised by the historical relationship with God. He sites those gifts; “…the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ.” Yet even though they had been prepared as the chosen people, they could not recognize the Christ when he came in the person of Jesus, and St. Paul greaves for them – for their loss.

We follow St. Paul’s diagnosis of the Jewish problem with a typical example of that very issue. Jesus, in the story from St. Luke’s Gospel, goes to the house of a well-known Pharisee. A test or trap has clearly been set up (…the people there were observing him carefully). They have invited a man with dropsy, a chronic and painful condition and seated him directly across from the Lord. Jesus understands their motives at which we can only speculate. They may have simply been curious (most likely he concluded his conversation with them with a pun) or it may indeed have been a more sinister motive, to see if he would violate the laws of the Sabbath and perform “work” on the day of rest.

Regardless of the motive, Jesus cures the man. His statement following the cure, in spite of the play on words, is instructive. His use of the statement “…if your son or ox falls into a cistern” would seem to imply both his love for the many he cured (son) and his feeling of responsibility for his well being (ox). The larger lesson is the fundamental example Jesus always provides - love one another.

The situation remains complex for the Jewish people. Even in the face of his physical presence, faced with the fact that fulfills the covenants of God, the Law of Moses and the oracular predictions of the Prophets, they cannot come to believe he is the Christ. While this seems, on the surface, to be less of an issue for us, as modern day disciples, it is also complex but in a different way. We have the benefit of scripture and the two thousand years of historical faithfulness passed down to us through the Church. Yet, we live in a world that is constantly trying to “spin” the Jesus story in a different way.

We pray today for the faith and courage to see the absolute love Jesus has for all peoples, whether they believe in him or not. We have faith that, the Holy Spirit which he left us as guide and advocate, will provide us with the help we need in our days labors and activities. And above all, we seek the peace that comes from knowing that Jesus loves us and offers himself to us this and every day in his body and blood.

Pax

[i] ALTRE
[ii] The picture is ” Christ at Simon the Pharisee” by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, 1618-20
[iii] 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.
[iv] See NAB footnote on Romans 9:1-5

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Romans 8:31b-39

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day;
we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Commentary on Rom 8:31b-39

St. Paul bursts into a hymn proclaiming the victory over death and suffering experienced by the faithful, lifted up by God in Christ. The premise that the love of God assures salvation to the faithful is strengthened as the evangelist asks the rhetorical question “What will separate us from the love of Christ?” Over all obstacles (human, physical, and metaphysical – “height and depth” probably referred to ancient astrological terms indicating the closest proximity and the most distant star from the zenith.) were the love of God expressed in Christ is the unshakable foundation Christian life and hope.

The Apostle quotes Psalm 44:23 as his song denies that even death is a barrier between the faithful and God’s love. No earthly or spiritual force can stand against such love as that shown in Christ Jesus.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

R. (26b) Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.

Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;
in your generous mercy rescue me;
For I am wretched and poor,
and my heart is pierced within me.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

Help me, O LORD, my God;
save me, in your mercy,
And let them know that this is your hand;
that you, O LORD, have done this.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,
and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,
For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,
to save him from those who would condemn his soul.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
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Commentary on Ps 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

Psalm 109 is an individual lament. The strophes presented ask for the Lord’s mercy (the earlier part of this psalm speaks out vehemently against the enemies of the faithful with a series of curses). The singer has faith that God will lead him to salvation and offers praise to God for his justice.

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Gospel: Luke 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
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Commentary on Lk 13:31-35

In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel we hear Jesus responding to Pharisees who are warning of a plot by Herod. Their motives are not made clear but we see Jesus using the opportunity to reinforce his role as fulfilling the Law and the Prophets- declaring in essence that he is the Messiah. There is a subtle message carried in St. Luke’s use of the number three and one half as well. This number (half of the perfect number “7”) symbolizes a time of dark persecution that will end with God’s glorification (see Daniel 7:25, 8:14, 12:12, and Luke 4:25).

The poem at the end, ending in a quote from Psalm 118:26, is found in St. Matthew’s Gospel linked with the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mt 23: 37-39). Placed here (and actually paraphrased again after Palm Sunday) it takes on a prophetic tone, an image of the passion to come.

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Homily:

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” These words from St. Paul might cause the naïve person to think that simply by adopting faith in Jesus that everyone will love you; all opposition to your pursuits would ne scattered because the Lord God has adopted us as his children. It is a good thing then that we are also given St. Luke’s Gospel in which Jesus tells those who are trying to warn him about a plot on the part of the Herodians that he recognizes that he must be killed as part of his mission.

What is St. Paul saying then? Clearly God is for us. He sent his Son so that we might see his face clearly – in human form. He offered his beloved Son as sacrifice for us so that we could be freed from sin and death. Yet many stand against us, many hate us for what we believe and practice. This will become increasingly evident as it does each time around the holiday season when those who deny God want no part of images that remind them that we lift him up in celebration.

St. Paul is not being naïve; rather he looks to that part of our being that is indestructible, our souls. God provides an impenetrable armor around that essence of our being, protecting it from any harm, for it is precious to him. Who indeed can stand against us when we are so protected?

Today we rejoice in the sure and constant hope that since we join ourselves to Jesus at the spiritual level, we will be with him always in the New Jerusalem, our heavenly home. May our faith remain firm and our armor strong this day as we continue to work for his greater glory.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “No. 26 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 10. Entry into Jerusalem” by Bondone di Giotto, 1304-06
[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.

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Biographical Information about Sts. Simon and Jude[1]

Readings for the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Ephesians 2:19-22

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
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Commentary on Eph 2:19-22

St. Paul, speaking to the Church at Ephesus speaks of the unity of all Christians, those who were formerly Jews and those who were formerly Gentiles. They are, says the apostle, joined through Christ on the same road to the Kingdom of God. They share the same foundation of faith, transmitted to them through the Apostles and held firm by Christ the “capstone”. Together they form the “Temple of the Spirit”; the essential understanding that together the Church is the mystical Body of Christ.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

R. (5a) Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
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Commentary on Ps 19:2-3, 4-5

Psalm 19 is a song of praise with the earth’s elements proclaiming the greatness of God who created them. In all that is, the handy work of God is proclaimed. Placed as it is on the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude (and also used on the Feast of St. Matthew), this passage with its antiphon reminds us of the great work of spreading the Gospel of Christ.

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Gospel: Luke 6:12-16

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
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Commentary on Lk 6:12-16

This passage is the call of the Twelve Apostles from St. Luke’s Gospel. It is noteworthy that Jesus began this process with a prayer of discernment. He then names the twelve (including Judas Iscariot who was replaced after his suicide). This important event extends Jesus mission through these chosen ones (selected from the ranks of Jesus’ disciples; see Mark 3:14-15). This selection marked them with special authority (Matthew 10:1ff) and responsibility to transmit the Gospel to the world.

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Reflection:

The celebration of Sts. Simon and Jude recalls for us our own call to be an apostolic people. We’ve heard that term used, especially in the Dogmatic Constitution On The Church (Lumen Gentium). Through Christ’s call in scripture and through our own understanding of what we, as a people of God believe our call to be we recognize a special responsibility to participate in the same mission for which the “Twelve” were selected.

While it is argued that we are all given different gifts and aptitudes by God and therefore we are not all cut out to go into the world verbalizing God’s call to holiness to each person we meet, we are all called to do our part in this great work. We believe this is not optional. We cannot simply say “I believe in God and that Jesus came as God’s Only Son. Therefore, because I accept him as my personal Savior (He did not come for just one person), I am saved.” No, our faith, breathed in through Sacred Scripture, breathed in through the sacraments, breathed in through prayer, must be breathed out in actions, a living witness that testifies to our faith.

The Apostles were taken aside by Jesus and given a special authority, special gifts that would allow them to take Jesus’ message into the world so that all might hear the message and live. He did not restrict this truth to his followers; some how inferring this was a secret or special insight given to them alone! Rather he gave his followers the mission of taking that message to all the corners of the earth.

The world to Jesus was a giant canvas with which he painted using the brushes of the Apostles in bold strokes. But much of what they (the Apostles) could do was also passed on. The blank pieces of canvas to be filled in by those they touched and then further by those touched by students of the students of the Twelve, and so on until at last the brush is handed to us, so that every speck can be coated with the love of Christ.

We celebrate today the great work of Simon and Jude, Apostles. In their lives and missions we see the hand of God reach out to the world, inviting all to come and live. We see also in their call, our own invitation to participate in this great apostolic work of the Church in the world. We pray today for all who work to spread God’s message. We pray also for ourselves, that we might accept the call to witness the love of Christ in all we do.

Pax

[1] The picture is “Saints Simon and Jude” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN
[2] ALTRE
[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.

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Romans 8:18-25

Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
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Commentary on Rom 8:18-25

“The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God's people (Romans 8:19-22).

After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the Spirit's presence will be realized. On earth believers enjoy the first-fruits, i.e., the Spirit, as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Romans 8:23).”[4]

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.

Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.

Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
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Commentary on Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

Psalm 126 recalls God’s salvation as the people scattered and enslaved are brought back out of exile. The restoration of the land and the people is seen as a foreshadowing of the salvation to come.

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Gospel: Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
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Commentary on Lk 13:18-21

These two parables describe the humble beginnings and the ultimate growth of the Kingdom of God presented through Jesus’ ministry. While they have parallel passages in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark (Matthew 13:31-33 and Mark 4:30-32) they are especially powerful for the Gentile population to which St. Luke ministers because of the inclusive nature of the stories.

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Reflection:

There is a comedic theatrical device wherein the hero or heroin is facing a seemingly overwhelming group of adversaries when suddenly the attackers stop and flee. The hero is surprised since defeat was certain. Then the camera view pulls back to reveal an even larger threat to the attackers (a huge number of reinforcements, a monster {as in the case of Abbot and Costello, Lou was frequently in this situation.}). The viewer was generally surprised with the hero when the attackers ran away and then, when the supporting force was seen, everyone laughs because it was not the hero his attackers fled, it was the unseen force supporting or behind him or her.

We us this familiar movie ploy to emphasize the underlying meaning contained in Jesus’ parables of the “Mustard Seed” and the “Leaven”. The use of these stories was to tell the followers of Jesus that from that small group of faithful believers, the Gospel would spread to every part of the world. But there is something deeper. It spreads not because the disciples are superhuman. Quite the contrary, they are ordinary men; we might even call them average. Yet when they are handed the Gospel of the Lord and he gives them his authority and the Holy Spirit, it is as if there were suddenly a host of reinforcements standing behind them. The enemies of the Word of God cannot stand against that host no matter how insignificant their numbers may seem or how weak they appear physically.

It is this very idea that makes our pride in spreading the Word of God laughable. When we believe that what we accomplish in the name of the Lord occurs because of our efforts, we are like Lou Costello facing down a group of killers thinking he has intimidated them it to running away when all along the huge giant behind him was what caused their flight.

Today we pray that we may be like the leaven that continues the spread of the Gospel of the Lord but that we never assume that we do so out of our strength. May we look to the Lord for that strength today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The photograph is “Mustard Tree in the Mist” Photographer and Date are UNKNOWN
[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 NAB footnote on 8:18-25

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Romans 8:12-17

Brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.
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Commentary on Rom 8:12-17

St. Paul continues his discourse about the importance of making life in the spirit a priority as opposed to the life of the “unspiritual”. He reminds his Christian audience that when they became Christians they were not made slaves but adopted as children of God. Able, he tells them, to call God the Heavenly Father “Abba” the familial term used by Jesus, emphasizing that they are co-heirs with Christ whose sufferings and glory they share.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:2 and 4, 6-7ab, 20-21

R. (21a) Our God is the God of salvation.

God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.

The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.

Blessed day by day be the Lord,
who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.
God is a saving God for us;
the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 68:2 and 4, 6-7ab, 20-21

This song of thanksgiving exalts the Lord for his salvation of his children with the theme of adoption carried forward, specifically referencing God assuming the fatherly role with widows and orphans (The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling). His faithful followers, the singer calls, enjoy his strength, even his power over death.

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Gospel: Luke 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
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Commentary on Lk 13:10-17

The story of the cure of the crippled woman is parallel to the story of Jesus curing the man with dropsy on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6). He is challenged by the local Jewish leadership for doing “work” on God’s holy day. As before, he uses the need to tend to the necessities of life on the sabbath as parallel to his need to cure the woman.

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Reflection:

We are forced to look at what it means to be “adopted” by God. St. Paul makes it very clear that those who are baptized into Jesus are adopted and sons and daughters of God. In an earlier era, that adoption was extended to the Hebrews as is made clear in both the Psalm and the Gospel as Jesus refers to the woman he cures specifically as “This daughter of Abraham”.

Abstractly, before our adoption as natural beings we were slaves of the flesh, thinking only in terms of what gratified the flesh. When one takes that view the stark reality of death becomes a finite ending. The body, the flesh will die and all the effort that went into making the flesh happy or strong will have ended with it. Yet, we have chosen to accept adoption by Jesus and in doing so our main concern must now be with our soul or spirit. It is the spirit that animates the flesh and to a great degree controls its appetites.

Becoming adopted children of God carries with it both wealth and obligation. An orphan adopted by a titled family inherits the title of that family, they also inherit the responsibility that goes along with the title, and so do we who are adopted by God inherit the responsibility of the title Christian. If the adopted child of a titled family does not live up to their obligations the family may “disown” that child, making them ineligible to inherit the wealth of the adopting family. Here is where the analogy breaks down a bit since our adoptive Father will never disown us. His hand is always outstretched. It is we who disown him through sin – separating ourselves from his love by our own choice – forfeiting our inheritance in favor of death in the flesh.

Today we pray that we may always be aware of our adoption as children of God and co-heirs to his Kingdom. May we conduct ourselves as is befitting one called a child of God and bring honor to his name in so doing.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “The Orphanage” by Jan de Bray, 1663
[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.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings for Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Jeremiah 31:7-9

Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
Behold, I will bring them back
from the land of the north;
I will gather them from the ends of the world,
with the blind and the lame in their midst,
the mothers and those with child;
they shall return as an immense throng.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.
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Commentary on Jer 31:7-9

The Prophet Jeremiah is looking forward to the return of the Hebrews from their exile. In this selection he foresees the return of a great throng, gathered from the far reaches of the world as the people return to the promised land – Jerusalem. The prophet speaks to the people of the salvation that will be theirs because God has chosen them for his own. The passage serves as prelude to Jeremiah’s great song beginning in the next verse.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
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Commentary on Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Psalm 126 is a lament. The strophes used rejoice in the return of the captives placed in servitude during the Diaspora. The sense is one of being overflowing with thanksgiving.

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Reading II: Hebrews 5:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
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Commentary on Heb 5:1-6

This is an important passage from the standpoint of understanding the call to ministry, especially the Priesthood. It is frequently used at ordinations and provides an understanding of what it means to be called to a vocation; “No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God.”

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Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me."
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
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Commentary on Mk 10:46-52

In St. Mark’s story of the cure of the blind man (see also Matthew 20:29-34 and Luke 18:35-43) it is the way he addresses Jesus that becomes the focus. We are told he address him as “Son of David”. This is the messianic title applied by Jewish tradition to the one who comes to “heal the blind and the lame and set the prisoners free” Isaiah 42;6-7). In response to the blind man’s request “Master, I want to see”, in an almost casual way Jesus tells him his faith has saved him and the blind man sees. Not surprisingly the now sighted man follows Jesus.

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Reflection:

Students who will be assisting the blind are frequently required to spend an extended period (perhaps a couple days) blindfolded, completely without sight or light, to help them understand what it feels like for their future charges. There are few things in life we would miss more than our ability to see. While those physically without sight have learned to compensate for their lack of sight with other senses and aids, those of us who see today would be in a pretty sorry state if tomorrow we woke up and the world was dark.

Most are probably thinking, “Yes, I know Jesus did the blind man a huge service by restoring his sight.” And of course you would be right. But let us look at this action metaphorically for a moment. Let us assume that it is not physical sight that was restored but the light of truth that was given. Perhaps what the blind man received was not just the ability to perceive the world around him, but the ability to understand what God wanted for him. Just as a sighted person can see danger and avoid it, so the enlightened person can see spiritual danger and avoid it. Recall, St. Peter even mentioned this in his letter; “…keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul”(1 Peter 2:11). The ability to see and avoid these dangers comes from our spiritual sight, sight only the Lord can give

The very good news is that he offers this gift to us freely. It is enhanced through sacramental grace, like corrective lenses or laser eye surgery, we see more clearly as a result of the special grace given in the sacraments. Today as we recall how Jesus gave sight to the blind, we pray that he will continue to shed his light on our path so that we might not stumble as we walk with him.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture today is “Christ Healing the Blind Man” by Eustache Le Sueur, c. 1650
[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.

Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret

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

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Romans 8:1-11

Brothers and sisters:
Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has freed you from the law of sin and death.
For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do,
this God has done:
by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh
and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
For those who live according to the flesh
are concerned with the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the spirit
with the things of the spirit.
The concern of the flesh is death,
but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.
For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God;
it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it;
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
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Commentary on Rom 8:1-11

In the first section of this passage from St Paul’s letter to the Romans the Evangelist differentiates between the disconnected Law that leads to death and the Law connected and fulfilled in Christ that leads to salvation. He goes on to say that those who concern themselves more with the material world have chosen death while those who have elected to pursue life in the spirit have chosen live eternal.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
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Commentary on Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

Psalm 24 was probably used as part of a high celebration that both commemorates God’s creative power and provides a formula for a profession of faith.

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Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
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Commentary on Lk 13:1-9

In the story from St. Luke there is once more reminder that there is urgency required for repentance. The story begins with an explanation by the Lord that victims of Roman punishment and God did not single out victims of an accident for punishment. He uses the parable of the barren fig tree as a way of saying that God, at some point will become impatient and will call sinners to account for their actions.

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Reflection:

There was recently a news report about an unusual car chase. A woman was captured on camera driving down a freeway during the day. She was driving erratically and when the person in another car pulled up next to her, she was clearly asleep at the wheel. The observing car honked at her and while she jerked away for a short time, soon she was weaving again. This incredible saga lasted for 58 miles until a highway petrol vehicle finally pulled her over.

Anyone who has been driving for a number of years has probably had a situation where they caught themselves nodding off. We all know how dangerous it can be to fall asleep at the wheel. The Lord is making that same point in the Gospel. We cannot afford to fall asleep at the wheel of our faith and we all know that happens as well.

When we are driving and begin to get drowsy, we know we need to pull over and get some sleep. When we feel ourselves weaving on the road of faith it’s time to stop what we are doing and spend some time with the Lord. That can be in prayer, in meditation, with the Holy Scripture or with the sacraments. The point is that we need to be constantly vigilant.

Today we thank God for watching over us and keeping us safe. We thank the Lord in a special way when he sends us reminders like the one we received today. We vow to remain awake and vigilant and continue to fill up our spiritual selves as we continue our journey in life to the one who promises us eternal life.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “St Giustina and the Guardian Angel Commending the Soul of an Infant to the Madonna and Child” by Gaetano Gandolfi, 1792-93
[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.

Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint John of Capistrano, Priest

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. John of Capistrano

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

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Romans 7:18-25a

Brothers and sisters:
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Commentary on Rom 7:18-25a

St. Paul continues he existential apology about over-dependence on the letter of the Law: “…persons who do not experience the justifying grace of God, and Christians who revert to dependence on law as the criterion for their relationship with God, will recognize a rift between their reasoned desire for the goodness of the law and their actual performance that is contrary to the law. Unable to free themselves from the slavery of sin and the power of death, they can only be rescued from defeat in the conflict by the power of God's grace working through Jesus Christ.”[4]

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

R. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Never will I forget your precepts,
for through them you give me life.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
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Commentary on Ps 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

In ironic counterpoint to St. Paul’s discourse about the need to be dependent upon the spirit rather than the letter of the law, this passage from Psalm 119 give thanks for the Law and rejoices in its structure as a saving grace.

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Gospel: Luke 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
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Commentary on Lk 12:54-59

The Lord continues his reflection on the end times (the Parousia) and, using the analogy of seeing what weather will come based upon the direction of the wind, he asks if they cannot see the signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. Applying the image of an impending court date at which a judge will pass a sentence, he urges the people to reconcile themselves with the Lord. Using that urgency generated by the uncertainty of the hour of that call to judgment, he exhorts the crowd to order their lives now and do not delay.

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Reflection:

St. Paul sets the tone for us today. In his Letter to the Romans he gets into a very deep apology about how the Law of Moses actually defines right and wrong and therefore opens the door to sin by so defining it. The logisticians would have loved that argument postulated in classical Greek forms.

For us, however, we look at a much more practical application of that same kind of logic. As Christians we are defined by the language and logic of Christ. The concepts he taught go against modern norms surrounding some important concepts. Let’s take the Lord’s definition of leadership for example. In his day, political leaders ruled with an iron fist. There was no democracy, no benevolent governance. There were rules and armies to enforce those rules and the leaders lived in lavish comfort, usually having attained their posts through ruthless dealings with their competitors.

Christ taught his disciples to lead through service telling them that the greatest among them would be the servant of the rest. This is a complete inversion of the view of leadership in his day (and to a large degree, ours).

Let’s also look at how the Lord defines victory or success. It is not as the world counts success. His victory was the Baptism of his passion. It is his great suffering, sacrifice and ultimate crucifixion that marked his victory. By the standards of his day (and ours) that would have seemed a defeat, but in dying he destroyed death for those who love him and fulfilled the plan God had set in motion from the beginning of time.

St. Paul drives a good argument as he twists the logic of his opponents. As he so eloquently points out “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In him we have found the hope and reality of salvation through the forgiveness of our sins and new life in His resurrection.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “The Last Judgment” by Lucas van Leyden, 1526
[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 NAB footnote on Romans 7:18ff