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Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Readings for Monday of the Second Week in Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Daniel 9:4b-10
“Lord, great and awesome God,
you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you
and observe your commandments!
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,
our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day:
we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, near and far,
in all the countries to which you have scattered them
because of their treachery toward you.
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Yet we rebelled against you
and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,
to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”
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Commentary on Dn 9:4b-10
We find in this reading from Daniel a prayer of repentance. This is not an individual prayer, but a prayer of the whole people. In addition to enumerating the failings of the people it also asks for compassion and forgiveness. We note that, following this request, the commandments of the Lord are summed up with; “…to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets." The Law and the Prophets are fulfilled in Christ.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
R. (see 103:10a) Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
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Commentary on Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
Psalm 79 is a lament over the destruction of the Temple. This passage is a plea for compassion and help while repenting from their sins (“Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake.”).
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Gospel: Luke 6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
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Commentary on Lk 6:36-38
Jesus takes a quote from the Old Testament and twists it just slightly (In the OT the phrase frequently used is “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (e.g. Leviticus 19:2) He goes further to tell the people that they need to stop judging or condemning but to forgive. He concludes by saying that: “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” In other words, the standard against which they judge others is the standard by which the disciples will be judged by the Heavenly Father.
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Reflection:
Today we are awed by how much we learned about God and his desire for us through the revelation brought by his Son – Jesus. Let us look at the reading from Daniel and see his prayer for forgiveness. We feel the absolute contrition for not just the author’s own sins but the sins of all the people. The pleading sense that comes through in that prayer lacks any sense of confidence in God’s mercy.
It is clear that the people in the time of Daniel knew the Law and the Prophets. They knew the kinds of behaviors that God expected from them as a consequence of his covenant with their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. They knew from the Prophets that God watched them, interacted with them through a spirit of holiness (although the Holy Spirit was not explicitly left with us until Pentecost). The fact that they recognized their sin is clear. What is also clear is that they did not understand the infinite love and compassion God had for them. This huge lack of understanding was at least part of what Jesus brought when he came.
See now the Gospel of St. Luke. In the passage given the Lord specifically tells the disciples “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” There is no ambiguity; no need for pleading, all that is needed is faith that the Son of God came as the sacrifice that washes away our sins.
In the same breath that the Messiah (the promise fulfilled) assures us of God’s mercy, he also provides insight into how we are to see God’s law. We are not to be the judges of whether our brothers and sisters will or will not suffer punishment. We are not to usurp God’s role as judge. We are to have the attitude of Christ “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (I could not help quoting the Kenotic Hymn for Philippians 2, my favorite scripture).
How fortunate we are to have Christ as our example! He is the great revelatory event telling us once and for all that God loves us and wants us to likewise love all his creation. During this our Lenten Journey we pray that we will be able to faithfully follow that example in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Pax
[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Daniel’s Prayer” by Sir Edward Poynter, 1865
[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.
Second Sunday of Lent
Readings for the Second Sunday of Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”
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Commentary on Gn 15:5-12, 17-18
We hear, in this reading, of the ritual formalization of the covenant between God and Abram (before his name was changed to Abraham). A three year old animal was ritually mature, and the animals being cut in half is preserved today as a sign of that covenant. We see it in the sacrifice of the Mass when the Priest breaks the large host in half and pronounces the words; “This is the Lamb of God…” While it is not explicit in this text, Abram probably walked between the halves of the sacrifice to symbolize what happened to them would also happen to him if he failed in his part of the agreement (see Jeremiah 34:18).
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
Similar in tenor to Psalm 23, we hear in this passage both a profession of faith (“The Lord is my light and my salvation”) and a plea for help (“Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;”). Taken in total it is a consolation for all who have faith.
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Reading II
Longer Form: Philippians 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.
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Commentary on Phil 3:17—4:1
The longer form of this reading provides a contrast for the faithful. St. Paul first calls on the Christians at Philippi to imitate the evangelist himself. He then (Philippians 3:17-20) identifies those who “…conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.” They do so by focusing their efforts on themselves (their stomach, their glory, earthly things). In contrast, the selection concludes, the Christian should focus on spiritual gifts and the promise of the resurrection.
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Or
Shorter Form: Philippians 3:20---4:1
Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
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Commentary on Phil 3:20---4:1
The shorter form of the reading omits the contrasting secular values of the enemies of Christ but retains the promise to the faithful members of the community. The promise is that, in the end, they will be conformed to Christ in spirit and body.
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Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.
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Commentary on Lk 9:28b-36
We are given St. Luke’s story about the Transfiguration. Jesus goes up a mountain (to a high place – representative of Hebrew altars or places of worship; frequently identified as “high places.”) with Peter James and John. His appearance changed and the disciples observe him conversing about “his exodus” (Jesus’ exodus would be the Passion to which he was moving) with Moses and Elijah.
The disciples response to this vision was first to “make three tents” alluding to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles placing the Lord on the same plane as Moses and Elijah. Before any response was made, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them and God’s voice came from the cloud, announcing “This is my chosen Son, listen to him.” Jesus is elevated above Moses and Elijah to a place with God Himself.
It is clear from this story and the other Transfiguration accounts that the event was kept secret until after Jesus death and resurrection. It was at that time that the true significance of the event was understood by the Christian community and the experience placed in its proper position chronologically.
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Reflection:
In professing our faith in Christ we accept his sacrifice of atonement for our sins. In accepting his sacrifice we are bound by our promise to accept his yoke and follow his commandments. That is our part of the covenant which Christ seals with his sacrifice.
We can only imagine coming before the judgment seat of Christ. He will ask us; “Have you failed to love God in your earthly life?” We must answer – “I have.” He will ask us “have you failed to love your brothers and sisters whom I also created?” We must answer – “I have.” And then will he ask; “And what sacrifice have you offered to atone for these sins?” What answer will we have? We must look at the Risen Lord and profess that it was his own sacrifice that freed us from this debt.
A jealous god or a vengeful god would scoff at us and say you have created the filth of sin, now you must live in it for all eternity. But our God is love and mercy itself. Again we imagine him on the judgment seat looking down upon us and in his eyes we do not see anger, we do not see disappointment, we see the love of a parent whose child has learned a difficult lesson. With that look of love that follows the long period that is time out of time in what we understand as Purgatory, we are invited into the heavenly banquet that is the destination he discussed with Moses and Elijah at his transfiguration.
We now look with renewed respect at the Sacrifice of the Mass. It is in that celebration we recall the love of God and the mercy of Christ who offered himself on the cross as the new covenant. We rejoice in the breaking of the bread that affirms that the covenant is cut, the promise is fulfilled and the reward is still offered.
The rules of the ancient covenant were these that in return for the promise of God, humankind must demonstrate their love of God by following is commandments. Our Lenten journey is intended to provide us with a time to check ourselves; to make sure we are fulfilling our vows to the Lord and practicing our faith In a manner pleasing to him. That is what we promise when we accept his covenant – when we say “Amen” to the Body and Blood of Christ.
Pax[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Abram’s Descendents” Artist 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.
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Readings for Saturday of the First Week of Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”
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Commentary on Dt 26:16-19
This reading from Deuteronomy is the final agreement in Moses’ Covenant. In it the Israelites are told by Moses that for their part they must always follow God’s commandments and statutes. For his part, the Lord has made them his special possession, favored above the other nations he has made.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
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Commentary on Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
An acrostic poem; each of the eight verses of the first strophe (aleph) begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet; each verse of the second strophe (beth) begins with the second letter; and so on for all 22 letters of the alphabet.
The entire work is in praise of the Law, and the joys to be found in keeping it. It is not "legalism" but a love and desire for the word of God in Israel's Law, which is the expression of the Lord's revelation of himself and his will for man.
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Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:43-48
This passage is the second of six examples in St. Matthew’s Gospel of conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. Jesus takes the commandment to “love thy neighbor" and gives it a deeper meaning. He goes further and strengthens this commandment including ones enemies in that list of those to be prayed for and loved (also echoed in Romans 12:17-21). This exhortation differentiates the Christian who loves even their enemies from mere ethical morality.
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Reflection:
Sometimes when we are in discussions with friends or family who see the faith as “un-inclusive” we may hear retorts like “The best Christian that has ever been was Gandhi” or some other epithet intended to challenge the notion that belief in the supremacy of Christ is key to our salvation. Such people have missed something very important that St. Matthew’s Gospel makes clear in the passage we are given today.
There is a difference between being a good and moral person and being a good Christian. To use an analogy, it is like saying; “I have a row boat in a pond and am therefore a sailor, making me just like the maritime seamen who take huge ships on the seas of the world.” Some of the ingredients are the same; both have boats (although the scale is drastically different) and both are in a body of water; however the size and hazards are tremendously different.
The principle differences between the good and moral person and the good Christian are first what they believe about God; and second how they are motivated and what they expect from their lives. We draw the distinction here because many of or brothers and sisters who claim to be Christian are in fact good moral people who have not taken a leap of faith.
As the Gospel tells us, the Christian follows God in loving all his creation; that which is pleasing to eye, touch, smell and taste and that which is not – all is created by him and is therefore to be respected by us. That includes our fellow travelers; whether they love us or not. All were created by God, all are loved by God and as God’s only Son shows us time and again, all are loved equally.
The distinguishing element here is that the good and moral person may love and respect creation too, but does so only so far as it is seen in that person’s best interests or the best interests of their society in general. Here’s an example. There is an organization called PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). While it is certainly a Christian ideal to treat animals humanely, certain radical members of this group have gone so far as to kill people whom they thought were treating animals inhumanely. Their reverence for the life of animals actually exceeded their reverence for human life.
This is just one example of how morality may be misconstrued as Christianity. The Christian is driven by love and that is underlying difference. We are asked to love God first (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and then love others (all others, not just those who love us). To do less would be a betrayal of Christ who showed us what that kind of love means.
Pax[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Moses with the Ten Commandments” by Philippe de Champaigne, 1648
[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 First Week of Lent
Readings for Friday of the First Week of Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Ezekiel 18:21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?
And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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Commentary on Ez 18:21-28
The Prophet Ezekiel expounds upon the concept of individual responsibility (see also 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29ff, and Deuteronomy 24:16). He begins this passage by saying that if an evil person turns away from their sins they will earn redemption. Speaking for God, he says that the Lord does not enjoy punishing those who disobey, rather he rejoices when repentance leads to redemption. The reading continues saying that if a virtuous person falls into sin and turns from the righteous path, that person will die because of their sin. It has been postulated that this may have been part of a liturgical rite that was an act of contrition prior to entering the temple in that it brings into consideration the code of the Law and the Code of Holiness.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
R. (3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
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Commentary on Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
Psalm 130 is a song of lament. The psalmist cries out to God to hear the voice of the one who calls and to forgive the sins they have committed. The third verse, which is also the refrain sums up the lament saying if there is not forgiveness all will fall because all have sinned.
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Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:20-26
This passage is the first of six examples in St. Matthew’s Gospel of conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. The first three, including this one today, take a commandment of Mosaic Law and deepens the meaning. Here the Lord takes “You shall not Kill” (quoted from Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17) to a new level. He reminds the disciples that they must not only avoid the impulse to physically act against another person but must also change their outlook in such a way that their thoughts do not take them into sin.
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Reflection:
Just when we thought that we had it made, scripture insures that we remain constantly vigilant. Just when we thought we were doing everything according the commandments of the Law, Jesus changes the context to include interior holiness.
We are reminded by the Prophet Ezekiel that no matter how scrupulously we have followed all of the precepts and obligations of our faith in the past, if we mess up and fall off the wagon, as they say, we can still snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. If you will forgive an Olympic reference, it is like the Dutch speed skater, Sven Kramer, who was on his way to a gold medal in the 5,000 meter race this past week when his coach signaled him into the wrong lane on the final lap and he was disqualified. He was on track to win right up to that last mistake.
Like all analogies this one breaks down a bit. Unless we are at death’s door when we make that terrible error, the God of love will offer us another chance. We will get a do-over. We believe that there is a process for atonement, even after we pass from this world to the next. Although, we must believe it is far better to catch those mistakes before we get to Purgatory and need to get cleansed through that process.
To compound the difficulty we face and to re-emphasize the need for constant conversion and repentance, the Lord points out in St. Matthew’s Gospel that even if our actions do not violate the Law of God, our thoughts may still betray us. It is a measure of how far we need to go, looking at our private thoughts and our secret wishes. We are reminded that nothing is private to God. He hears our darkest prayers and sees our most ignoble desires.
How fortunate we are to have a season of Lent in which we can look at these flaws and see what we must change. Once again we propose a new measure for our daily spirituality. Instead of asking what Jesus would do, let us ask how Jesus would love. It is only through genuine love of God and of others that we can find that interior holiness the Lord calls us to follow.
Our prayer today is that we recognize the path we are on and may correct our course to follow the Lord more closely. We recall especially today the words spoken as the cross of ashes was traced: “Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel.”
Pax
[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Cain Killing Abel” by Daniele Crespi, 1618-20
[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.
Thursday of the First Week in Lent
Readings for Thursday of the First Week in Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God.
“And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”
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Commentary on Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25
In this rare reading from the Book of Esther, we find the queen in great distress praying for the deliverance of the people of Israel. They are to be put to death by an evil Persian King (Haman). She places all of her trust in God’s mercy, confident that He will intercede.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
R. (3a) Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
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Commentary on Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
Psalm 138 is a psalm of thanksgiving. Placed here it almost feels like a continuation of the prayer of Esther. It praises God for his saving works and expresses confidence in His saving help.
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Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”
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Commentary on Mt 7:7-12
In this passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew Jesus explains that, if the faithful pray to the Father, what they ask for will be given (within the context of “good gifts”). This universal truth, he explains is because of God’s infinite love for us. In this case he uses the analogy of a father feeding his child and how even sinful parents give good things to their children.
Almost as an afterthought, the Lord then delivers what has been called since the 18th century, the “Golden Rule.” No old testament quote exactly correlates to this quote so we must accept it as an interpretation by the Lord, probably of the Law in Leviticus.
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Reflection:
We all know the Golden Rule. We have heard it since we were children. It is similar in intent to the more recent “What would Jesus Do?” We have all heard it; we all know it. Then why is it so difficult to do in practice?
The difficulty we have in treating others as we want to be treated comes from a couple of different sources within us. First we take a look at our own motives in life. We want to have the very best of everything. We want to have the best material things. We want to do the best at school, at work, and in our social settings. In other words, we want to be first and if we are first, others must be second. How can we treat others with deference when we wish to be deferred to by them? Sitting behind that motive is greed and gluttony.
Next we must look at our natural impulses. When a person treats us badly, even though Jesus says “turn the other cheek”, we do not enjoy being put in that situation. Do we treat others who treat us badly the way we want to be treated? It is unlikely – our natural impulse is to avoid them or worse reciprocate with the way we were treated – a kind of inverse application to the Golden Rule: Treat others as you have been treated by them. Behind these impulses we find wrath and pride.
This being the Lenten Season we need to hold ourselves up this mirror of faith and ask God, first of all for forgiveness. We then must ask him for the strength to do as His Son would do, to be so dominated by our love of others that greed, gluttony, wrath and pride find no place in us. That out of our love for others we find the grace and strength to receive hatred and bitterness with compassion, looking always for the good in others.
The Golden Rule is a difficult rule for us. We are challenged by the Lord to put on his mind to banish self-serving thoughts and actions, thinking always of God’s greater glory instead of our own. We pray for the strength and courage to make strides in that direction – it is that path that leads to the Father.
Pax
[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Esther” by François-Léon Benouville, 1844
[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.
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Readings for Wednesday of the First Week in Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Jonah 3:1-10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
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Commentary on Jon 3:1-10
Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish, the Prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of the Jews, to spread the news that, unless they repented their ways the city would be destroyed. It is not explicit in this reading but Jonah was sure he would fail and the city be destroyed. This reading, then, describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption.
Placed in context of the season of Lent, the reading reminds us of the need for repentance and the promise of God’s mercy.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
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Commentary on Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Consistent with the theme from Jonah, this selection from the great penitential psalm is a lament. It expresses sorrow for sin and an understanding of the need to reform the heart.
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Gospel: Luke 11:29-32
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
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Commentary on Lk 11:29-32
Jesus’ message, in this reading, echoes Jonah’s call to repentance but this time is it is directed to the Jewish people. Instead of a prophet he uses himself; “Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.” The reference to the “queen of the south” is a reference to the Queen of Sheba who in the first book of Kings (1 King; 10, 1ff) came and saw God’s wisdom in Solomon. Using this imagery, the Lord refers to himself as Wisdom incarnate.
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Reflection:
If we were all great artists, we would not need cameras. We would be able to recreate an image on canvas or in some other media by painting, drawing or sculpting it. Others would see what we had seen and the image would be transmitted; one person to another. But we are not all great artists so we struggle to communicate the beauty of what we see in other ways.
Our spiritual selves are like that. We hear the word of God. He calls us to repentance; to turn away from sin and to embrace the peace and mercy he offers. We hear those words. We know what they mean. We may even be able to envision what we would be like if we were to follow these instructions perfectly, unreservedly. But when it comes down to living the Word of God in our thoughts words and actions, we fall far short of that vision. Like the painter who does not quite get the colors right or the sculptor who does not find the right proportions.
Thank God for the examples of his saints and thank him also for the gift of His Son who continues to invite us to deeper understanding and deeper conversion. He tells us in the Gospel that just as Jonah was a sign that the people of Nineveh needed to repent; he came to show the world that all were in need of repentance. He came telling them unless they turned away from sin they invited the death promised to the Ninevites. He came promising the gift of the Holy Spirit – greater than the Wisdom of Solomon, offered for the price of faith in him.
That invitation remains open to us. The picture of what we should be is once more painted with by the words of sacred scripture and we are asked once more to try to capture the spirit of those words with our hearts. In a sense it is like the movie Ground Hog Day in which the main character was forced to repeat the same day over and over until he had gotten all of the details right. We are asked to move closer to God each day; each day with a deeper conversion, a deeper understanding of what is pleasing in God’s eyes.
Our prayer this day is for the strength to make those steps, walking with Christ on that difficult path. And when we fail, we ask for forgiveness with the promise that we will continue to seek to follow God’s only Son.
Pax[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Christ the Redeemer” by Tiziano Vecellio, 1533-34
[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 First Week of Lent
Saint Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr
Alternate Proper for the Memorial of St. Polycarp
Readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible:
Readings and Commentary;[3]
Reading I: Isaiah 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
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Commentary on Is 55:10-11
“The Word comes from God, but it can be heard only when it is soaked up in human life and spoken with human accents. Deutero-Isaiah (Deutero-Isaiah refers to the second half of the book, written during the Babylonian exile) explains world history, particularly the sacred history of Israel, through the deep, omnipotent presence of the Word (cf. Wisdom 8:1; 2 Corinthians 9:10). M.-E. Boismard attributes to this text the immediate origin of the Johannine theology of the Word (St. John's Prologue [Westminster, 1957] 100). We hear its echo in John's doctrine of the Eucharist-the Word come down from heaven and received as bread (John 6:32, 35).”[4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
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Commentary on Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
Psalm 34 is a psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. The just cry out to the Lord and he hears them and rescues them.
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Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
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Commentary on Mt 6:7-15
We are given St. Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (see also Luke 11:2-4). We are told not to pray like the “pagans” notice he is not saying the hypocrites here – pagans of that era “babbled” long lists of names hoping one of them would be effective. The written commentary on this section is rich and I recommend reading the footnotes on this section for a good explanation of the various sections within the prayer.
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Reflection:
Even leaving the historical context of the commentary aside, we can take the reading from Isaiah a face value and understand that what the Prophet was saying was that his prayer would not be like sand thrown into the wind; that his prayer, his dialogue with God would bear fruit like rain falling on the crops.
Likewise, in the psalm, we give thanks to the Lord for hearing us in our distress. What does he hear? He hears our prayer. Prayers uttered at strange moments, at painful moments, even prayers uttered profanely and unintended are heard (think of that the next time you hit your finger with a hammer!)
Scripture brings us to closure on prayer with the story from Matthew about Jesus teaching his disciples to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern. We begin by, first, giving thanks and praise to God for all his works and all his kindness both now and in eternity. Then we ask for what we need each day, including forgiveness and asking for mercy as we show mercy.
The focus remains the same. We are called to be a people of prayer. Whether structured like the Liturgy of the Hours or short and simple like “God help me.” We need to be in constant communication with God. It is the Lord that provides us constant guidance, the Lord who leads us down right paths, and it is the Lord who speaks to us in the silence of our heart. It is that silence that we often forget. We must spend time listening to what God intends to tell us (as Fr. Pat Egan is fond of saying – “Without bullying God into listening to what we want him to say”).
As we continue to grow in discipleship today, we remember that we are called to pray constantly. We ask for the strength to do just that.
Pax[1] A:TRE[2] The picture is “Prayer in the Garden” by Sebastiano Ricci, c. 1730
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle
Readings for the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Beloved:
I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd is revealed,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 5:1-4
St. Peter, the first Bishop of Rome writes to those who have been appointed to lead local Christian communities. He provides a view of leadership consistent with Christ’s teaching and contradicting the Jewish Leadership style which was authoritarian. He exhorts the Presbyters or Elders to offer their service as a gift to God and provide leadership through their example of humility.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6
Continuing the theme of shepherding the flock we have the most popular Psalm in all of Holy Scripture. While the theme of Shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in HIm, even into the “dark valley”.
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Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
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Commentary on Mt 16:13-19
St. Matthew’s story of how Jesus asked about what people were saying about him has a profound impact on the Church. Here, when challenged by Jesus with the question, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon answers, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” The second title is not present in St. Mark’s version of this encounter. It adds an understanding that Jesus is not just the Messiah, but also the Son of God.
Given this response, Jesus confers upon Simon a new name “Kephas” which comes from the root Aramaic word Kepa or “Rock”. When translated into Greek it came out Petros and from there to Peter. The name, however, becomes the foundation for the Church and Peter, as a consequence of this exchange is given Christ’s authority, an authority that is passed down through Papal Succession to Pope Benedict XVI today.
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Reflection:
It is ironic that the rationale for our celebration surrounding the story of the Lord giving the “Keys of the Kingdom of God” to St. Peter should come from St. Paul. It was St. Paul who so eloquently proclaimed the understanding that we are all adopted children of God and as such all heirs to the legacy left on earth as well as a place in the Heavenly Kingdom. We are given the formal access to that treasured status as Jesus passes his authority to St. Peter. The keys to the treasury are given; a treasury that is at once the deposit of faith and the responsibility that goes with it.
It is a great blessing for us, this offer of adoption through the authority passed on to St. Peter. It gives us access to the wisdom of God and the peace that comes with knowing God’s salvation is available to us. The reading from the First Letter of St. Peter points out that with this adoption, this special status of belonging to God’s family, there are also responsibilities.
Some might say that St. Pete is only addressing his fellow Presbyters – the Priests and Bishops of the early Church in this letter. It might be said that we need only listen to those whose authority flows more directly from the Chair of Peter, as the pontificate in now called. But those who think so would be wrong. We are all given some share in the responsibility for leading God’s flock. We are all witnesses to the world of the love of Christ that is most eloquently proclaimed from St. Peter’s Chair. It is our inheritance to spend in the world. The keys that bind us in the form of the Magisterium are also the keys that free us; allowing us to be free from the secular chains of envy and greed.
In a sense it is like the Mark Twain story of "The Prince and the Pauper”, the two identical youths switched places and in their unfamiliar roles the boy who was now a Prince was thought to have become mentally ill and the Prince not placed in the role of beggar was likewise thought to have become deranged. They were not acting in accord with their birth rights. We are not merely sheep to follow blindly anyone who calls themselves shepherds. We are the part of the flock of the one true shepherd and we follow only his voice. And those who see us and know us understand that we follow that voce; it is like a brand set upon us; ashes on our foreheads that should not be washed off.
Today we rejoice in our adoption as children of God. We thank the One Shepherd for calling us and setting wise shepherds to carry on the great work that he began. We pray this day for the strength and courage to be seen as members of that flock and to be worthy to carry his brand in our hearts.
Pax
[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “St Peter Enthroned with Saints” by Cima da Conegliano, 1495-97
[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.
First Sunday of Lent
Readings for the First Sunday of Lent[1][2]Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“The priest shall receive the basket from you
and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,
‘My father was a wandering Aramean
who went down to Egypt with a small household
and lived there as an alien.
But there he became a nation
great, strong, and numerous.
When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits
of the products of the soil
which you, O LORD, have given me.’
And having set them before the Lord, your God,
you shall bow down in his presence.”
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Commentary on Dt 26:4-10
Moses gives the people a ritual formula to pronounce when making their offering to the temple (previously required in Exodus 22:28ff, Exodus 23:19). While the date is not stated explicitly, it is probably to occur at the spring festival of Azymes. The rite recalls the nomadic nature of the people (Aramean: either in reference to the origin of the patriarchs from Aram Naharaim (cf Genesis 24:10; 25:20; 28:5; 31:20, 24), or merely in the sense of "nomad," in the same way as "Arab" was later used; cf Jeremiah 3:2.[4]), and then follows the enslavement in Egypt and the release from bondage to be brought into the land of Israel. Essentially recalling the Lord’s mercy and salvation, the offering is from the first fruits of their harvest.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.
R. (cf. 15b) Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
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Commentary on Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Psalm 91 is especially important as the reference Satan uses on the Lord in the desert when he tempts him to throw himself down from a high place so the angels of the Lord God might rescue him. “For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.
Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone”. We hear these same words in Luke’s Gospel story of the temptation in the desert below. .It is a song praising God for his saving works.
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Reading II: Romans 10:8-13
Brothers and sisters:
What does Scripture say?
The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
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Commentary on Rm 10:8-13
The author of the Letter to the Romans (probably from the Pauline Community) states the confession of faith in Jesus and the view of the universal invitation to Christ. Anyone who calls on Christ in sincerity and believes in his divinity has access to his mercy and salvation.
Taken in context this reading is part of a larger apologetic about Christ being the one who brings salvation and not the Law of Moses. In that context and in that time, this reading takes on a different meaning – professing Christ openly could result in persecution and even death.
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Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written:
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
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Commentary on Lk 4:1-13
The story of Jesus being lead into the desert to be tempted by the devil is consistent with the other synoptic Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Jesus is “filled with the Holy Spirit” as he is emerging from the baptismal waters. Forty days is symbolic of the forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert during the Exodus.
The story serves to help us understand that the temptations we faced were also faced by Jesus who was totally human, like us in all things but sin. The Lord overcame the temptations of food when he was hungry and power when he was powerless. We note that the devil used scripture to support these temptations, twisting what was good to evil purpose.
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Reflection:
On a day when we celebrate the goodness of God in giving us His Only Son, it is appropriate that we understand that all God created that was good can also be used by the evil one to lead us down the wrong path. Today we hear the story of Jesus, lead into the desert following his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Jesus wanders for forty days and when he is weak from lack of food, the evil one comes to him and offers him what his human self must want the most. Further, the devil uses the Lord’s own identity to tempt him. Had Jesus wished, he could have grasped at the devil’s rationalization (using scripture no less) and satisfied his hunger.
More tempting to the Lord must have been the second temptation. Jesus had a mission to lead all the people of the world to God. The devil offered him all of that in one instant. All Jesus had to do was give homage to Satan. We can almost image him, weak from hunger challenged by one who seemed so fare but felt so foul. He offered Jesus everything his heart desired. But the Lord was stronger. He drove the devil away with his words, “for a time.”
With all the cunning and power of Satan, is it any wonder that we are sometimes tricked into actions that we know are not in keeping with God’s commandment to us? This time of lent is our chance to look back at our lives and see there the fingerprints; the fingerprints of God who supports us in time of distress and the fingerprints of Satan who takes advantage of our weakness and even provides rationalization for us using scripture.
Today let us ask God to show us those times when we were buoyed up by his presence and ask him to forgive us for those time we were weak. Let us pray that he might strengthen us so that we might, in the future be more aware of the difference.
Pax
[1] ALTRE[2] The picture is “Temptation of Christ” by Michael Pacher (St Wolfgang Altarpiece) 1479-81
[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 Deuteronomy 26:5
