Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop)

 

Proper for the Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret

“Pilgrimage at Sunset (Sunrise)” by Caspar David Friedrich, 1805

 

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

 

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

 

Commentary:

 

Reading 1: Ephesians 4:32–5:8

 

Commentary on Eph 4:32–5:8

 

St. Paul continues to exhort the church at Ephesus to live as imitators of God in Christ. He lists the virtues of Christ’s love and excludes a litany of behaviors inappropriate for those who wish to be part of the community, insisting that such people have no share in the inheritance of the Kingdom of God (of Christ).

 

He concludes this section with a strong statement warning that those who turn away from God and embrace the darkness, will receive God’s wrath. He then calls them to “Live as children of the light.” (This passage is quoted during the Sacrament of Baptism as the newly baptized are presented with a candle lighted from the Easter Candle, the light of Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit).

 

CCC: Eph 4:32 2842; Eph 5:1 1694; Eph 5:2 616; Eph 5:3-5 1852; Eph 5:4 2204; Eph 5:5 2113; Eph 5:8 1216, 1695

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

 

R. (see Eph. 5:1) Behave like God as his very dear children.

 

Commentary on Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

 

Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands, and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As in Romans 6:19ff, this selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the punishment of the wicked.

 

This wisdom psalm begins by extolling the virtue of those who follow the law. The focus is to look to God for guidance, and not to trust only in the counsel of men. Those who reject the law will be blown away like “chaff,” an image used in the Gospel as well (Matthew 3:12).

 

This portion of the psalm is later echoed in Isaiah 48:17-19, like an overlapped formula of covenant.  Blessed is the man who “delights in the Law day and night,” but “the way of the wicked vanishes.” It also takes up the theme of following right paths and staying true to the teachings of God: “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night.”

 

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Gospel: Luke 13:10-17

 

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 (see Luke 14:1-6). He is challenged by the local Jewish leadership for doing “work” on God’s holy day (cf. Exodus 20:8; 31:14 Leviticus 19:3-30). 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. He re-interprets the Law establishing the need to please God through acts of mercy and kindness (cf. Hosea 6:6; James 2:13).

 

CCC: Lk 13:15-16 582

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Reflection:

 

“Live as children of the light.”  We are all called to that reality, and images of light and darkness fill our culture and myth.  So ingrained has this analogy of good and evil become that we use it without thinking.  Many see those who embrace the “Goth” look (dressing in black, striving for a dark appearance) as seeking a persona that is intimidating because of its embrace of darkness.  When we think of a “dark” place, we automatically associate it with fear (afraid of the dark), and evil deeds (most crime is conducted at night- in the darkness).

 

On the other side we are called as “children of the light,” the antithesis of darkness.  Our actions are to represent the goodness of one to another.  St. Paul defines this understanding of “children of the light” with his exhortation to the church at Ephesus.  He tells them to love one another, as Christ loved us.  He calls them to be compassionate; that there is no place among them for greed, malice, or even suggestive behavior, which leads to dehumanizing attitudes and detracts from the dignity which all deserve as children of the same God.

 

This last example is subtle.  We might think that, even in polite company, friendly or suggestive banter is acceptable.  What harm does it do?  It generally injects humor into a conversation and that is a happy thing.  We take St. Paul’s warning to heart though.  Too often the butt of this humor is hurtful (even innocently so), and while the person who is the target of this wit may even laugh with us, the intent can lead down a path that is destructive or may encourage inappropriate, even licentious behavior. 

 

In essence, St. Paul warns about the slippery slope that can come through familiarity and familial fraternity.  Where else is this type of interplay more prevalent than with friends, co-workers, or classmates?  We are called to be “children of the light” and as such we do not need to be condescending or critical of our peers. We can choose to stand apart from these types of activities.  Our lack of participation will mark us for what we hope to be, and when it is appropriate and can be done in a loving way, we can gently chide our friends for their insensitivity to the dignity of the person.

 

Being “children of the light” is a call we dare not refuse; but it is difficult.  We pray today for the strength and wisdom to find the lighted path and to always choose that way.  And when we fail, we ask God and His Son to forgive us and show us the light once more.

 

Pax

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[1] S.S. Commemoratio

[2] The picture used today is “Pilgrimage at Sunset (Sunrise)” by Caspar David Friedrich, 1805