Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Callistus I, Pope and Martyr)

 

Proper for the Memorial of St. Callistus I

“Mass of St Basil” 
by Pierre Subleyras, 1743

 

Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]

 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

 

Commentary:

 

Reading 1: Romans 2:1-11

 

Commentary on Rom 2:1-11

 

St. Paul begins a rather long discourse on the impartiality of God toward Jew and Gentile alike.  He begins by indicating that those who judge others have no moral superiority.  The standard applied to others will be applied by God to them in the final judgment (see also Matthew 7:5ff).  This judgment, St. Paul says, will be measured out to Jews and Gentiles as will salvation for those who demonstrate their faithfulness through good works.

 

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9

 

R. (13b) Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.

 

Commentary on Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 9

 

This hymn of praise strikes a tone of complete submission to the will of God and reflects the peace that comes from the trust that attitude requires.

 

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Gospel: Luke 11:42-46

 

Commentary on Lk 11:42-46

 

In this passage the Lord continues his criticism of those who believe that ritual practice is more important than the spirit of God’s law.  He points at their contributions to the temple and their neglect of the needy as symbolic of this lack of understanding.  In teaching this type of faith, focused only on religious practice, they lead others astray and in doing so they are doing the evil one’s work (“You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk” touching human remains, according to Hebrew Law caused ritual impurity).

 

Likewise, when questioned by the scholar of the law (probably referring to a scribe), the Lord points at his questioner and says that those who focus only on the minutia of Hebraic Law are missing its intent.

 

CCC: Lk 11:39-54 579; Lk 11:41 2447

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Reflection:

 

Scripture today contains a great reminder for us.  We get it with both barrels, so to speak.  In the first reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, the Apostle begins a discourse on God’s impartiality.  His first argument in this apologetic is a theme the Lord himself provided both in St. Luke’s Gospel (Luke 6:27ff) and in St. Matthew’s (Matthew 7:1ff).  St. Paul expands this prohibition against being judgmental to all peoples of all races and nations.  All people, he tells us, will stand before the same God in the final analysis.

 

We couple St. Paul’s reminder with the Lord’s criticism of the Pharisees and Scribes, two groups viewed by the Jews of his day as being the most faithful to God.  Lord accused these two groups of completely missing the point of God’s message in spite of their knowledge and practice of the Law.  They were viewed by most Jews as being examples to be followed.  They knew each jot and tittle of the Law of Moses and took it literally, practicing intricate rituals from memorized obscure passages in the Torah; very impressive.

 

Their mistake, the Lord tells them, is that while the letter of law is important, the spirit of the law is more important.  When they expect others to do as they do with their sometimes meaningless practices and accuse them of betraying God if they fail, they place burdens on the people they themselves cannot lift.  They judge the people using a scale they will not be able to meet when their time comes.

 

Of all the Christians in the world, we Catholics with our Eastern Rite brothers and sisters have retained most of the ritual handed down by the early Church.  Our celebrations are more complex and our rules more exacting.  We have said before, following the discipline of the Catholic Church is a difficult thing to do.  Many of us do it extremely well, some of us hold up our faithfulness as a source of pride.  That is where the caution comes in.  When we look at others and think, because we are more involved in that discipline, for instance, “I not only attend Mass daily, I also do the Liturgy of the Hours, the Angelus, the Divine Mercy, and the Rosary.” And think; “Therefore I am a better Catholic than Joe who only makes Mass once a week if he’s lucky.”  The Lord would look at us as he did the scribes and Pharisees and say; “…you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.” St. Paul would probably blast us as well.

 

The reminders call us back to what is truly important in our faith, to love God and love one another.  When this is at the heart of all we do in God’s name and for our own spiritual health, we have gotten the point.  When our practice is a reflection of our life with others, we have come close to getting it right.  This is a super tough reminder today and one that we will take to heart.

 

Pax

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[1] S.S. Commemoratio

[2] The picture is “Mass of St Basil” by Pierre Subleyras, 1743