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| “Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1510 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Genesis 1:20—2:4a
Commentary on Gn 1:20—2:4a
This passage completes the Priestly creation account in Genesis. It describes the creation of all life on earth and concludes with the establishment of the Sabbath on the seventh day, establishing the sacredness of that day. God’s creation of man in v. 26 represents the climax of his creative effort in that God give mankind dominion over the rest of creation.
CCC: Gn 1:21 299; Gn 1:26-29 2402; Gn 1:26-28 307; Gn 1:26-27 1602; Gn 1:26 36, 225, 299, 343, 2501, 2809; Gn 1:27 355, 383, 1604, 2331; Gn 1:28-31 2415; Gn 1:28 372, 373, 1604, 1607, 1652, 2331, 2427; Gn 1:31 299, 1604; Gn 2:1-3 345; Gn 2:2 314, 2184
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Commentary on Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 8 is a song of thanksgiving for the creation event described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, his creation, and the life he gave us. The singer expresses the humility of a people who, through no merit of their own, God has made little less than angels and given a place of honor. Having done all this, mankind accepts great responsibility for stewardship.
CCC: Ps 8:6 2566, 2809
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Gospel: Mark 7:1-13
Commentary on Mk 7:1-13
We begin the seventh chapter of Mark’s Gospel with an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples are not following strict pharisaic laws regarding ritual purification and the Lord, who is their teacher, is taken to task for it. Jesus responds indignantly, asserting that it is the Pharisees with their man-made laws who are sinning against God. He points out that not only have they placed pharisaic law above Mosaic Law (see also Galatians 1:14), but they have violated the Law of Moses by doing so. He gives one example about children who, under Mosaic Law, are to honor and support their parents. Instead of supporting them directly, they satisfy their obligation by contributing it to the Temple and count that as support, even though it gives the parents no comfort.
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Reflection:
Today I plagiarize myself. The following was written eight years ago on Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time. The person described deserves to be remembered.
“This week I was called to do a vigil service for Dorothy H. Szyniszewski who died at 86 of cancer. As usual, when I don’t know a person well, I first read the obituary notice and then asked to speak with one of Dorothy’s daughters before the service. The picture that was painted of this woman’s life was a text book image of a lived faith. By all accounts, she lead an exemplary life, full of service, first to her children and then to the community at large. She was known as a go-to person at the retirement home where she spent the last years of her life, and was always independent of her children.
The reason I think of her now is that I did not know her. I have been at St. Thomas as parishioner and Deacon for over forty years and I can’t recall having met her, even though her children and one of the priests of our diocese who were present vouched for her lively and lived faith.
Many people believe that in order to be a good church member one must be known to be pious by the clergy, and seen by other dedicated individuals as a person living a holy life by their observance of the traditions of the Church. Yet there was a person who, at 86, had a vigil on Super Bowl Sunday, during the game, and had over 30 people present. Here is a woman who had hundreds file through the home during her visitation period. Here is a woman who did not want to be a burden to her children, so she took a part time job and worked until two weeks before she died, while suffering the ravages of her cancer, never complaining.
When we think about the Gospel today, and how Jesus challenged the Pharisees, he was not just talking about his disciples, but about the Dorothy H. Szyniszewski’s of the world, who live the spirit of God’s law in humility. Our prayer today is that we may do as well as Dorothy when our time comes.
Pax
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