The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), no. 373, designates January 22 as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children”: “In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.”
Note: In the Dioceses of the United States the Memorial of Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr is perpetually transferred to January 23rd.
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| “Melchizedek and Abraham” Artist and Date UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Hebrews 6:10-20
Commentary on Heb 6:10-20
This selection from the Letter to the Hebrews enjoins the faithful to remain steadfast in faith even though they may grow weary. The author uses the example of the Old Testament forefathers (“those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises”). The example of God’s promise to Abraham is used. “I swear by myself" (from Genesis 22:16). “’I will indeed bless you and multiply you'“ was the basis for the hope of all Abraham's descendants. Abraham, the author explains, has, through his patience, achieved the promise of salvation (“And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise”).
The passage continues with reference to the Hebrew practice of the swearing of oaths as a means of concluding an unalterable promise. God, the author, continues to be faithful, having entered into a covenant (unbreakable: “so that by two immutable things” the promise and the oath, both made by God) with his heirs (those also adopted in baptism) and through it promised salvation. It is this covenant, sealed by Christ’s sacrifice that is the foundation of faith and the hope of all Christians. [4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Commentary on Ps 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c
Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise. It remembers the covenant with Abraham. We are reminded that God has given us all things and we should be thankful.
CCC: Ps 111:9 2807
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Gospel: Mark 2:23-28
Commentary on Mk 2:23-28
In this passage from St. Mark’s Gospel, the Lord has another conflict with the Pharisees over laws they have implemented. In this case, the laws are about doing no work on the sabbath. The disciples of Jesus were hungry, and as a result gathered and ate grain on the sabbath. Strictly speaking, this was labor (Leviticus 24:9) and that is what the Pharisees were objecting to.
Jesus responded by reminding them (the Pharisees) about a story from the first book of Samuel (1 Samuel 21:2-7). In that story restrictions not included in Mosaic Law, but established by men, were relaxed at need. The example can be seen as a link between Jesus’ own genealogy (coming from the line of David) and his mission as Savior, the Anointed One, the Messiah. It also teaches a more pragmatic lesson about the sabbath being created for man, and not as the rules of Pharisaic law had restricted it.
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Reflection:
The Gospel draws a line in the sand for us today. It is one of those actions of faith that is frequently being challenged from one side or the other. Jesus is once more confronted by the Pharisees over something that he allows his disciples to do that is in conflict with their rules. We must understand that Pharisaic Law had literally hundreds of rules (613 laws, 365 negative commands and 248 positive laws). There was great pride among them with regard to how closely they could follow all of them. It was a contest of sorts, to see how strictly they could be observed. The winner was the one who could still function as a person while following all of them.
There is an attraction to this kind of discipline. Some groups have always found the ability to truly express their love of God through this type of asceticism. A great example of this kind of devotion is some of the “Rule” for some religious orders. The difference is that in religious orders, people voluntarily submit themselves to the rules as an expression of their devotion to God, as opposed to what is happening in the Gospel. In the Gospel, the Pharisees, who have their set of rules governing what constitutes “labor” on the sabbath, have decided that picking grain, as Jesus’ disciples did, was a clear violation of those rules. Since Jesus was a rabbi, a teacher, the Pharisees took him to task for his laxity.
The Lord’s response draws the line. He does not tell the Pharisees their rules are foolish, that they should not have such rules. Rather he tells them that they do not apply universally. He uses the example of the companions of David (1 Samuel 21:2) (the use of David’s companions is loaded with symbolic meaning as well but we will just look at the surface story). David’s companions had been consecrated to a task, and because of that, temple rules were suspended for them. Those familiar with the details of the story, as St. Mark’s original audience would have been, would have seen the Lord’s statement as a huge statement about who he was and what his mission was.
The message we take from this selection of scripture is that there is a need for discipline in our worship. God has seen fit to provide us with commandments which direct us, and the Church through her Magisterium, has provided a framework in which those commandments are reinforced and followed. There is a point, however, when we must examine what we do and make sure that it is for God’s greater glory and not just out of habit or tradition. Our intention must be pure and not rationalized, and we certainly should not judge others as the Pharisees did. The Lord teaches us love and compassion, and this is the standard to which we are all called.
On this special day of prayer, we ask for God’s help to convert the minds of our political leaders, that they might remove unjust laws that permit the killing of the unborn. We pray also that we who profess our Catholic faith, may do so in support of life and not submit to secular humanism, which sees human life as disposable if inconvenient.
Pax
[1] The picture today is “Melchizedek and Abraham” Artist and Date UNKNOWN.
[4] See NAB footnotes Hebrews 6:12, 6:13, and 6:18.
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