Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“The Vision of Daniel” (detail) by  Willem Drost, 1650

Readings for Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Daniel 7:2-14

Commentary on Dn 7:2-14

This selection from the Book of Daniel called "Daniel’s dream," is the first of four apocalyptic visions presented. Scripture scholars agree that the vision of the four beasts represents four successive pagan empires: the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks. These kingdoms are represented by different metals (see Daniel 2) and the numeric value of the horns represents the numbers of rulers in the various kingdoms.

The last horn of the fourth beast, the final ruler (…a little horn, sprang out of their midst) is considered to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the final Greek ruler who persecuted the Hebrews before that kingdom collapsed (see 1 Maccabees 1:41-64). The vision of the heavenly court that follows describes how two of the beasts (the Medes and the Persians, now greatly diminished) are allowed to survive for a period. The Messianic King (“One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven”) comes from above, whereas the four beasts come from below. This kingdom is established for all eternity: “…his kingship shall not be destroyed.”

CCC: Dn 7:10 678; Dn 7:13 440; Dn 7:14 664

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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Commentary on Dn 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

The selection from Daniel used as a Psalm Response is once more take from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego still singing from the furnace. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90)  is broken into three litanies. This selection begins the second.  It praises God's creation of the earth and the life that flourishes by his will.  Subsequent sections praise humankind in its various categories.

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Gospel: Luke 21:29-33

Commentary on Lk 21:29-33

As part of his discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem, St. Luke’s Gospel gives us the Parable of the Fig Tree (see also Mark 13:28-32 and Matthew 24:32-35). In Palestine, nothing looks as dead in the winter as a fig tree. However, in spring fig trees bloom to new life (see also Joel 2:22). This imagery is seen at two levels. First, the Lord himself must undergo his passion before taking his place at the right hand of the Father. Second, more prophetically, the Christian community must also undergo trials before coming to its own spring-time of rebirth, alluding to the persecutions to come.

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Reflection:

One of the greatest barriers to manned interplanetary travel is the fact that when exposed to weightlessness, the human body loses bone mass at an alarming rate.  Astronauts who serve 6 months at the international space station expect to lose ten percent of their bone density in that time.  When they come back, they must go through rigorous rehabilitation to recover from these effects in spite of the fact that they work out every day when they are off-world.

Why is this?  It is because gravity is absent.  The lack of gravity tells the body it does not need all that structural support, so it erodes, as do the muscles that drive them. In the Gospel, the Parable of the Fig Tree does not speak to this phenomenon, but it does prove the same point.  When we as Christians are not challenged, when we simply take for granted that our faith is unopposed, it erodes just like bone density in an astronaut.

The worst part of the erosion of our faith is we may not notice it until we really need strength of faith.  When we reach out for those reserves of strength that flow from faith and find that they have been depleted we may find ourselves in real trouble.  It is for this reason that we should rejoice when we are persecuted and thank those who challenge our beliefs.  We recently took a fairly hard shot at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  Given that they challenge Christians in a society that is at least nominally pro-Christian, they provide a valuable service.  They make sure we do not become complacent and find our faith weakened to a point of non-existence. (Given recent developments such as the Supreme Court decision to redefine marriage and the persecution of the Church by LGBT supporters it looks like we may be in for some serious muscle-building.)

As we think about all of the visions we are given in scripture of the trials and persecutions the Church and its Hebrew ancestors underwent, let us thank God for that resistance. Those times of testing gave us strength.  As we recall the lives of martyrs, we give thanks to God because they showed us how to endure the trials that may come.  The Lord tells us in parable that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die if it is to have new life.  Let us accept the trials that come our way, welcoming them as a chance to exercise our faith and grow stronger in it.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Vision of Daniel” (detail) by  Willem Drost, 1650

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

“Martyrdom of St Andrew” by Guillaume Courtois, c. 1660’s

Biographical Information about St. Andrew

Readings for the Feast of Saint Andrew[1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Romans 10:9-18

Commentary on Rom 10:9-18

As part of his dialogue regarding why the Jews had failed in their mission, St. Paul calls upon the Roman Christians to profess their belief that Jesus is the Son of God, divine in his own person.  The Jewish converts could not say the name of God but referred instead to Yahweh as “Lord.”  By asking the Christians to “…confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord“, they professed their belief in his divinity and what flowed from that profession was justification (to be made just as if one had not sinned).  In justification is salvation since the physical act of confessing with the lips must come from an interior faith from the heart.

The Evangelist continues his call to faith explaining that this path to salvation is open to all peoples (“There is no distinction between Jew and Greek”).  This invitation does not have any prerequisites (i.e. one does not have to have come to belief through Judaism) to be unified in Christ, paraphrasing Isaiah 28:16.

In the next section (v. 14-21) St. Paul poses questions as to why the Jewish people forfeited their status as favorites in the eyes of God.  Perhaps there were reasons which he rhetorically proposes and then rejects: did they not hear; did they not understand?  To the question, have they not heard?  St. Paul responds quoting Psalm 19:5, which concludes this passage.

CCC: Rom 10:9 343, 186, 449; Rom 10:12-13 2739; Rom 10:13 2666; Rom 10:14-15 875; Rom 10:17 875

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

or:

R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage, we give praise for God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtues of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.

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Gospel: Matthew 4:18-22

Commentary on Mt 4:18-22

This passage is the account in St. Matthew’s Gospel of the call of the first disciples. The important principle provided in this episode is the fact that the four disciples called by Jesus, the first four, followed the Lord immediately.  It is recorded that they left their entire livelihood and all their possessions behind and followed Jesus. (A similar abruptness is found also in the call of Levi, Matthew 9:9.)

Ironically the notes on this section point out that three of the four called, Peter, James, and John, are distinguished by a particular closeness to Jesus. The reason that Matthew’s account indicates the disciples left work and family immediately, without any explanation, may be due in part to Andrew’s earlier encounter with Jesus as a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:40)

CCC: Mt 4:19 878; Mt 4:21 878

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Reflection:

What would the world be like if St. Andrew had not become a disciple of St. John the Baptist?  We don’t know what called him to follow the Voice, to become a member of that close circle of devout followers.  But we do know that if the Apostle had not, he would never have been sent, as tradition holds, with his companion to ask Jesus if he was the one to come or if they should expect someone else.

And what if he had not gone to the Lord and heard those words: “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (Luke 7:22)?  Those words had meaning beyond the obvious.  While indeed the blind, the lame, and deaf were healed, those events were a direct reference to the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1).

[Note: there are two different versions about the call of Andrew and his brother, Simon (St. Peter).  In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus calls them while they are fishing with their father (Mark 1:16; Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11), although we notice in Luke, Andrew is not mentioned.  However, in the Gospel of St. John, hear the following: "Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed)." (John 1:35-41) The reflective mention above sort of cross references the two versions of the call.]

And what did St. Andrew do?  He returned to the Baptist and then, perhaps taking St. John’s own mission to the next level went immediately to his brother (John 1:37-40).  The words he spoke to him echo through the thousands of years that have passed.  They are graven in the heart of every Christian who has ever come to faith, "We have found the Messiah."

From that point forward the profession of faith made by and to the brother of the one who would be given the Keys to the Kingdom would shape the whole world.  From St. Peter and those first four disciples would be added eight more, including the one who betrayed him.  From them, the Gospel of the Lord would travel to every part of the world.  It began with a simple statement of faith - "We have found the Messiah."

Today as we celebrate the feast day of St. Andrew, we thank God for the gift of faith, the faith he gave St. Andrew and all the Apostles and the faith he gives us.  We ask on this day that St. Andrew will intercede for us and the one he found will bless us with an abundance of faith so that we in our turn may announce it to the world - "We have found the Messiah."

Pax

In other years: Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

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[1] The picture is “Martyrdom of St Andrew” by Guillaume Courtois, c. 1660’s

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] 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.

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“Belshazzar's Feast” by Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt, 1635

Readings for Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

Commentary on Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

In this reading from the Book of Daniel the son of Nebuchadnezzar (actually a crown prince), Belshazzar profanes the spoils of the Temple in Jerusalem at a huge party. In the midst of the revelry the vision of a hand writes words on the wall that none of the court scholars or wise men can interpret. At that point, Daniel is brought in and offered a huge reward to interpret the writing. He declines the reward and tells the prince how the words are interpreted.

The words written, Mene, Tekel, and Peres, according to scholars, are Aramaic names for weights and monetary values: “the mina, the shekel (the sixtieth part of a mina), and the parsu (a half-mina).” Daniel’s interpretation plays on these words. “Mene, (is) connected with the verb meaning to number; Tekel, with the verb meaning to weigh; Peres, with the verb meaning to divide. There is also a play on the last term with the word for Persians.” [4]

The underlying meaning we take from this story is the vision of the God of Justice who, in the eyes of the faithful, rejects those who reject him, and that structures built upon such greed will not stand. In the full text of this chapter this meaning is punctuated by the death of Belshazzar who is slain the night of the party.

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Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Commentary on Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

The selection from Daniel, used as a psalm response, is once more taken from the chant by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they defy death in the furnace. This long hymn of praise (from verse 24 to verse 90) is is broken into three litanies. This is part of the first.  It praises God's creation in the world.  Subsequent sections praise all that grows upon the earth and finally humankind in its various categories.

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Gospel: Luke 21:12-19

Commentary on Lk 21:12-19

The apocalyptic discourse from St. Luke’s Gospel continues as Jesus, who has just predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, now tells the crowd that this does not mean the end time has come. He predicts the great persecutions that will take place. The subject of how the Gospel message will divide families is once more brought up.  The Lord informs those present that persecution will take place within families as well as in society at large.

The Gospel being proclaimed by the Lord's followers will result in persecution from every side for the early Christian community. Jesus foresees this time of intense persecution and asks for a steadfast response. By not preparing a defense, he is asking that those persecuted not recant the faith and promises them the reward of the martyrs. The passage concludes with a restatement of the promise of salvation for those who remain faithful: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

CCC: Lk 21:12 675

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Reflection:

The lesson we take away from these scripture selections is that the foundation of whatever we build in our lives must be securely grounded in our faith values.  If we examine what has transpired in the reading and psalm response from Daniel, we see a clear picture unfolding.  King Nebuchadnezzar is seen by the early Hebrews as being a destructive force that God allowed to capture and sack Jerusalem and the Temple.  Essentially, he is viewed as an instrument of punishment for the faithlessness of the people. 

King Nebuchadnezzar’s actions, in the view of the authors of Daniel, go too far.  The spoils of the Temple of Jerusalem are taken to the king’s son, Belshazzar, who profanes them by using the Temple’s sacred vessels to toast the graven images worshiped by the Babylonians.  God’s hand writes the doom of this kingdom on the wall of the hall in which the celebratory party is being held.  Daniel’s interpretation is seen as the judgment of God upon those who hedonistically trample the sacred under foot for human profit.  The Hebrew vision of the God of Justice is fulfilled quickly as this story ends with the death of Belshazzar, which takes place that very evening, validating the truth of Daniel’s interpretation.

The moral we take away from this story is tempered by the New Covenant.  When the Lord came, he showed us a new vision of God.  Indeed, that was a major purpose in his coming.  He revealed a Father who is loving and merciful.  Through our new understanding we see Nebuchadnezzar as a godless barbarian whose cruelty and debauchery earned him the rewards of what was sown, as do all the servants of the Evil One.  Created with free will, Belshazzar established a moral environment in which his own death was assured.  But the lesson is not lost on us.  We see how important it is to stay firmly grounded in Christ.  If we fall prey to human weakness and profane that which is holy, we too walk in the steps of those who tread in darkness.

Today our prayer is that all we accomplish may be held up for God’s greater glory and that with great care, we will keep all that is sacred and holy safe from the poison of sin.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Belshazzar's Feast” by Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt, 1635

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] See NAB footnote on Daniel 5:25