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| “The Holy Women” by James Tissot, 1886-96 |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 1 Timothy 6:2c-12
Commentary on 1 Tm 6:2c-12
As part of his caution about false teachers, St. Paul exhorts St. Timothy to teach and exemplify the Gospel he was given (by St. Paul). Challenges to St. Paul’s Gospel do not come from Christ but out of conceit and his student should avoid public debates about this teaching because they would serve only to divide the community of faith and cause suspicion to be cast regarding St. Timothy’s motives in preaching (thinking, perhaps, he had a profit motive as ascribed to false teachers).
The Apostle encourages his disciple telling him that there is value in the peace of Christ that is beyond material gain. He espouses the view that Christians cannot serve God and the Gospel while striving for material riches. This kind of effort will divide the individual and the community and cause great pain.
He concludes this selection instructing his disciple to encourage the community to the Christian virtues “righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.” These he reminds St. Timothy are what lead to the prize – “eternal life”.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Commentary on Ps 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
Psalm 49 is a “Wisdom Psalm”. In this selection strophes focus on the folly of those who trust in temporal wealth. All the riches one can posses cannot ransom them from God’s judgment. In the end, the psalmist says, all die the wise and the foolish alike and the wealth of the world stays in the world.
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Gospel: Luke 8:1-3
Commentary on Lk 8:1-3
“St. Luke presents Jesus as an itinerant preacher traveling in the company of the Twelve and of the Galilean women who are sustaining them out of their means. These Galilean women will later accompany Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem and become witnesses to his death (Luke 23:49) and resurrection (Luke 24:9-11, where Mary Magdalene and Joanna are specifically mentioned; cf also Acts 1:14). The association of women with the ministry of Jesus is most unusual in the light of the attitude of first-century Palestinian Judaism toward women. The more common attitude is expressed in John 4:27, and early rabbinic documents caution against speaking with women in public.” [4]
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Reflection:
What is the value of salvation? What is it worth to insure a place in God’s heavenly kingdom for eternity? In both the Gospel from St. Luke and St. Paul’s letter to Timothy the idea of temporal material support is dealt with.
In St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, the Apostle uses a play on words to contrast the value of material gain with the gain received from the salvific path to Christ. He tells his student that those who teach falsely about Christ and make a profit for doing so have completely tarnished the very teachings they are professing. Indeed there is gain to be made from teaching and exhorting the Gospel of Christ, but it is not monetary, rather its value is beyond that of money. The value of the Gospel is Christ’s peace in this life and an eternity of peace with him in the next.
In the Gospel of St. Luke, we hear the description of Jesus’ teaching mission and how he and his disciples were able to do the important work entrusted to them. They received support from others whose charism was to provide support for the Lord out of their own means.
These two examples bring to light a frequent tension in ministry; the idea that when we give the Gospel of Jesus to others, it is done without charge. How could we charge for something that has value beyond any price? This is weighed against the need for financial support to continue to do the work the Lord calls us to do. As long as the secular world demands currency of perceived value to provide the basic needs for God’s servants so that they can continue to do his work, there will be a need for benefactors, blessed and praised for their support, because without it God’s work could not be done. There will need to be fund raisers, telethons and pledge drives because those with means to do so must be given an opportunity to use their talents (that may otherwise seem to have only secular value), in the service of God.
Today scripture brings us an invitation to embrace those who have a talent for secular success. May they always see that ability as a way they can contribute to God’s plan through their generosity.
Pax
[1] S.S Commemoratio
[2] The picture is “The Holy Women” by James Tissot, 1886-96
[4] See NAB footnote on Luke 8:1-3
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