 |
| “Joshua passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant” by Benjamin West, 1800 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38
Commentary on Ex 40:16-21, 34-38
The conclusion of the Book of Exodus gives the details of the establishment of the meeting tent referred to earlier in the story of the journey of the Children of Israel. The Ark of the Commandments is placed in the tent, and the image of God's presence in the form of a cloud is established. This image will be used again in Numbers 9:15ff. The people will follow the will of God as symbolized by the cloud over the tent; they are guided on the path God has chosen for them.
"The Fathers also saw this cloud as a figure of Christ: 'He is the pillar who, keeping himself upright and strong, cures our infirmity. By night he sheds light, by day he becomes opaque, so that those who do not see are enabled to see and those who see become blind' (St. Isidore of Seville, Quaestiones in Exodum, 18, 1)" [4]
CCC: Ex 40:36-38 697
------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
R.(2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Commentary on Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11
Psalm 84 gives thanks for the courts of the Temple in Jerusalem. It supports the story of the establishment of the “meeting tent” (Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38). The praise given to the Temple may also be applied to the less permanent symbol of God’s guiding presence. It also recalls Jeremiah’s oracle that the temple would not be a refuge for the wicked, and that the great gift of his presence in the Temple was for the faithful.
Those who find a home in God's temple are blessed. They find strength flowing from the Lord, sustaining them. The timelessness of heaven is reflected in the service of God's house, his dwelling place.
CCC: Ps 84:3 1770
------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53
Commentary on Mt 13:47-53
Jesus concludes his discourse about the Kingdom of Heaven with a final parable about the fisherman’s net. He then makes reference to the disciples’ (and their successors') role as “Christian scribes” or teachers of the Kingdom of God. In his description, he refers to the “new and the old” being brought out. This reference is to the new teaching from Jesus and the old from the Law and Prophets.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
The sacred history recorded in Exodus depicts a people seeking to follow God’s will for them. It is explicitly stated that “Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.”
Indeed, the Bible is filled with stories of people seeking to do God’s will, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. The parable of the Fisherman’s Net is laid in our hands today. It gathers up all of the examples of earlier generations struggling to follow the will of God and tells us that the challenge of discerning that will and helping others to do so is ours as well.
The Lord reminds us, by his very existence among us, of how precious we are to him. We quote St. Peter Chrysologus here, whose feast we would have celebrated last Sunday, who said of the incarnation of Christ:
“Why then man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God? Why render your self such dishonor when you are honored by him? Why do you ask how you were created and do not seek to know why you were made?”
– St. Peter Chrysologus from a homily on the incarnation of Christ
All of us are precious in the eyes of Christ whose love for us cascades from the altar of his sacrifice. All of us were given life and purpose by him who loves and supports us with his Holy Spirit. We are asked to be the net as well as the catch in this parable.
Today our prayer is that we are constantly vigilant and prepared to be what the great lover of souls has called us to be.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Joshua passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant” by Benjamin West, 1800
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 409
No comments:
Post a Comment