Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

“Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-In-Law”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1645

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

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Colossians 1:1-8

Commentary on Col 1:1-8

This selection begins St. Paul’s Letter to the Church at Colossae; it is a Church the apostle did not found and apparently had never visited. In these verses he begins by commending them on their faith in Christ Jesus, and congratulates them on living the Gospel values. He assures them that knowledge and faith in Christ is growing in the world, and they are among those faithful having genuine teaching about the Lord. Later in this letter he clarifies some articles of faith that are causing anxiety.

CCC: Col 1:3-6 2632; Col 1:3 2636

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 52:10, 11

R. (10) I trust in the mercy of God for ever.

Commentary on Ps 52:10, 11

The latter strophes of Psalm 52 (an individual lament against evil) used here give thanks to God and proclaim the singer’s faithfulness. The author sees himself flourishing like a tree as he contrasts the faithful with the wicked  (see also Jeremiah 11:16). The singer resolves to praise the Lord always and spread the news of God’s goodness.

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Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

Commentary on Lk 4:38-44

This Gospel passage continues the healing mission of Christ in Capernaum. He first heals Simon’s mother-in-law (at this point in St. Luke’s Gospel Simon has not yet been called). He then proceeds to heal all who are brought to him. The demons he cast out were aware of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God (as was the demon in Luke 4:31-37).

When Jesus tries to leave the people try to keep him with them. Contrast this response with the people of Nazareth, his home town, earlier. The Lord then proceeds to teach throughout the region, proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

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Reflection:

We pause to consider this question; the Gospel the Lord proclaims is “the good news of the kingdom of God,” what exactly does that mean, “The Kingdom of God”?  The Catechism of Catholic Church says this:

“The Kingdom of God lies ahead of us. It is brought near in the Word incarnate, it is proclaimed throughout the whole Gospel, and it has come in Christ's death and Resurrection. The Kingdom of God has been coming since the Last Supper and, in the Eucharist, it is in our midst. The kingdom will come in glory when Christ hands it over to his Father:”[4]

While this works for us because we have heard the entire story (we know what happened in the upper room and we rejoice in the Eucharist), clearly Jesus presumed the Good News of the Kingdom of God would be understood by the people with whom he communicated.  What must they have thought?  Was the Lord speaking of the end time – the final judgment when all will come before him?  Certainly those people of his time would not have found comfort in that news.  With a few exceptions, they could not know that Jesus was the gate of salvation for all mankind.

Jesus was saying that God’s Heavenly Kingdom (the Lord’s Kingdom in Heaven) was being opened.  This was the Good News! The gates that had been barred by sin since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden and fell were flung wide by the Son of God. It is he alone who had the keys to that Kingdom. To use an analogy, it was as like the re-opening of the crown in the Statue of Liberty, closed since the tragedy of September 11.  People thronged to be able to ascend once more to the head of that national shrine.  Of course the Good News of the Kingdom of God causes that analogy to pale in comparison.

We come at last to the answer to our question; what was the good news of the Kingdom ofGod that Jesus proclaimed?  It was, as he quoted from Isaiah when he was in Nazareth (Luke 4:18) “he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” While we could go through each of these groups and identify ourselves with them, the point becomes clear.  The good news is our great hope, that the Lord has freed us from death and offers us eternal life in the Holy Spirit with God the Father.

Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-In-Law” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, c. 1645

[2] S.S Commemoratio

[4] Catechism of the Catholic Church #2816