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| St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, photographer and date are UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Commentary on Dt 10:12-22
Moses reminds the tribes about the articles of the covenant under which they are bound, to love and serve the Lord. He does so because the Lord God has authority over all that exists. He goes on to tell them that God created the universe and selected the children of Israel as his special people. The Lord watches over them, and has allowed them to thrive and become numerous.
Key to this passage is the statement “Circumcise your hearts.” We note that during this period, circumcision was not practiced by the Hebrews as they were nomadic. But once installed in the Promised Land the tradition was reestablished, and has inclusive significance into the faith community. The term applied here enjoins the tribes to mark themselves visibly as attached to God.
CCC: Dt 10:15 218
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem
Commentary on Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise. In these strophes the singer celebrates God’s gifts to his people, the gift of faith to the patriarch Jacob, and the gift of His presence in the holy city Jerusalem. These strophes are from the third section (each section offering praise for a different gift from God to his special people). This section focuses on the gift of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as its spiritual center. We see the call to praise Jerusalem, the Holy City, because in it was revealed the Word of God and a call to holiness. The Lord is praised for sending food that sustains the people. The final strophe also rejoices that the Law was handed on to them through Jacob.
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Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27
Commentary on Mt 17:22-27
This passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel begins with the second passion prediction (the first immediately followed the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 16:21). The first time Jesus made this prediction there was argument from the disciples; in this instance they are overwhelmed with grief. (This can be contrasted with St. Mark’s statement that they did not understand. Mark 9:32)
The second element of the reading deals with Jesus and Peter (again we note the special emphasis on Peter as leader of the disciples) and the payment of the temple tax. According to Exodus 30:13-15, each adult male Jew owed a half-shekel each year for the maintenance of the temple. Jesus uses the example of “tolls or census tax” to indicate that they should be exempt from paying the tax. (Roman taxes were for those who were not Roman citizens; hence Roman taxes were for those who were aliens or allies. Claiming the same logic, since Jesus is of God’s family, Jesus (with his disciples) was exempt from the temple tax.)
Yet, the Lord instructs Peter that the tax should be paid regardless, “that we may not offend them.” This implies Christ’s compassion for those who do not understand his identity. God provides what is needed in these situations. (The fish with a coin would be symbolic to the early Christian community of Christ (symbolized by the fish) providing all that was needed.)
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Reflection:
Today’s scripture is very complex theologically. We reflect today upon Christ’s instruction to Peter and how Peter was to go and get a fish. We note that the fish was an early Christian symbol for Jesus. And inside that fish would be a coin that would pay for not only the Lord’s temple tax but Peter’s as well. The price he paid was, in essence, for all of us.
There is no way of telling if we should assume there was a practical meaning for the early Church as it related to the temple, or post 70 AD when the Romans reintroduced the tax to pay for the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. We can however be assured, especially as this discourse immediately follows the Lord’s prediction of the passion, that the price he paid for us was extreme and for all time.
If there were one like Moses here today, he would be standing in front of us (as Moses did with the tribes) reminding us that we are called to be the Lord’s chosen people. We were redeemed by Jesus’ blood, and that through him our tax was paid. Moses would tell us, as he told those ancient forefathers, to “circumcise our hearts,” to become visibly attached to the faith we profess and the faith we were given with so high a price.
Today we pray that we are worthy to be called Christian, followers of the Lord, the Only Son of God who, for our sins, paid twice the tax that we might have life.
Pax
[2] The vigil of the Mass of the Assumption may be celebrated this evening either before or after Evening Prayer I of the Solemnity.
[3] The photograph is of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, photographer and date are UNKNOWN
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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