Servant of the Word: Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Friday, October 09, 2015

Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“Nursing Madonna” by Bernardino Luini, 1520s

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time [2][3]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1: Joel 4:12-21

Commentary on Jl 4:12-21

The Prophet Joel concludes his oracle as he presents a view of the final judgment with all the people of all the nations of the earth brought to the Valley of Jehoshaphat or the “valley of decision.” (the word hārûs interpreted as “valley of thrashing” is another possibility[5]). The time of judgment is portrayed as a time of harvest, the iniquity of the world being ripe, ready to be crushed in the Lord’s grape press. God’s faithful, however, will be spared this fate “…Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem for all generations.”

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Commentary on Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

This hymn rejoices in the supremacy of God the Father. The apocalyptic imagery demonstrates God’s authority over all his creation. Natural disasters of all sorts (earthquakes, storms, and even famines) were seen as punishments from God as were misfortunes of all sorts both collective and individual.

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Gospel: Luke 11:27-28

Commentary on Lk 11:27-28

This short saying of Jesus is not a contradiction of the woman who blesses Mother Mary; rather it is an assertion by the Lord that the message is more important, in his eyes, than that biological relationship. Mary is more blessed because she heard “the word of God” (see also Luke 1:28-29 and Luke 1:42-45). This passage is consistent in meaning with Luke 8:19-21.

"In the course of her Son's preaching she [Mary] received the words whereby, in extolling a Kingdom beyond the concerns and ties of flesh and blood, he declared blessed those who heard and kept the word of God (cf. Mark 3:35; Luke 11:27-28) as she was faithfully doing (cf. Luke 2:19, 51)" (Lumen gentium, 58). [6]

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Reflection:

The scripture we are given today is like a sign seen in many industrial structures. There is a large red or bright yellow placard with bold letters “Warning! High Voltage!” Then just below “To be opened by authorized [trained] persons only!” The reading from Joel we see is the warning part. He reminds the people of

Israel

that a day of reckoning will come and that those nations who oppose the will of God will be “harvested”.

This warning is followed by instructions given in the form of what can be seen as a fairly controversial saying of Jesus as he responds to a person who is clearly thankful to God for the Lord’s presence. That person says, in language startlingly contemporary “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Our thoughts immediately spring to St. Gabriel’s greeting to the Blessed Mother, Mary Most Holy at the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-30ff) or perhaps St. Elizabeth’s greeting to her a short time later.

Instead of joining in the praise of his mother because of her status and relationship, Jesus points rather at her spiritual grace which allowed her to accept God’s gift/burden without hesitation. It is this openness to the will of God that the Lord praises rather than status which may or may not be deserved. We have clear examples in contemporary society. The Lord would surely praise the political leader who acted with compassion and justice, having heard and headed God’s call to love all peoples as neighbors. That praise would be due to that person, not because of their status, but because of they listened to God’s word and acted upon it.

Similarly, each of us is due the respect and compassion of others because of our status as fellow human persons. However, praise would only be given when our actions reflected the fact that we have heard and listened to the word of God.

The obvious link between the Gospel and Joel is like the warning and instruction on the sign. The person who is not authorized [trained] will get a dangerous shock. Our prayer today is that we always head God’s word and act upon it.

Pax

[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The picture is “Nursing Madonna” by Bernardino Luini, 1520s

[6] The

Navarre