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| “Hell” by Hans Memling, c. 1485 |
Reading 1: Sirach 5:1-8 [4]
Commentary on Sir 5:1-8
Sirach condemns those who “presume” upon the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness. He points out that wealth in itself is not evil, but the sense of self-reliance and power that comes with wealth is the real danger. Those who presume that, because they are wealthy and powerful, they do not need to follow God’s laws are doomed to reap the punishment of the God of Justice. They must repent and turn away from their conceit, or find it is too late. Here “on the day of wrath” refers to reversals in fortune or even death.
CCC: Sir 5:2 1809
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Commentary on Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s commands, and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As in Romans 6:19ff, this selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the punishment of the wicked.
This wisdom psalm begins by extolling the virtue of those who follow the law. The focus is to look to God for guidance, and not to trust only in the counsel of men. Those who reject the law will be blown away like “chaff,” an image used in the Gospel as well (Matthew 3:12).
This portion of the psalm is later echoed in Isaiah 48:17-19, like an overlapped formula of covenant. Blessed is the man who “delights in the law day and night,” but “the way of the wicked vanishes.” It also takes up the theme of following right paths and staying true to the teachings of God: “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night.”
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Gospel: Mark 9:41-50
Commentary on Mk 9:41-50
In this passage, Jesus finishes his warning to the disciples against jealousy and intolerance toward others. Having said that, he warns that those who call people to faith in him, even if they do not walk with the disciples, are friends. He speaks of those who would lead the people away from him, again using the “little child” as a symbol of the weak in spirit and the poor. Those that mislead, or who are tempted to do so, should resist such temptation at any price, or they will find an eternal punishment waiting for them. The Lord makes this warning using a paraphrase from Isaiah 66:24.
The final verse speaks of salt, using the analogy of purifying and preserving food. The word of Christ will have the same effect, that is, purifying and preserving the believer.
CCC: Mk 9:43-48 1034
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Reflection:
The words of Sirach and the Psalm are certainly in synch with each other, pointing out that the values of the faithful must be placed on spiritual things rather than material wealth. Even the Gospel chimes in, speaking about the consequences of getting it wrong, as the Lord talks about avoiding temptation (“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire”).
There are those who would say that Holy Scripture, properly used should always be “uplifting.” Today instead, we get a reality check. When we hear that God will deal harshly with the unjust rich, those who covet their wealth and ignore the plight of those less fortunate, we are forced to examine our own circumstances. We, who live in the richest nation on earth, must constantly be vigilant not to allow wealth to become the motive for what we do. As scripture points out, there are unpleasant consequences.
It is easy to fall into that trap of serving wealth instead of God. Our society praises those who are able to gain great wealth. Likewise society tends to turn a blind eye on those who abuse that wealth and the power that comes with it. Our children are exposed to these misguided values (“whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea”).and it is sometimes tempting to rationalize that, by focusing on the accumulation of wealth, we can do more good with the money we hoard.
Look at the transcripts from the recent exchange between corporate executives of the oil companies and the Senate Energy Committee. When asked how they could continue to justify huge profits while the people are suffering because of high gas prices, their responses were that they are forcing the country to become better at conserving energy resources. Even a firm believer in the free enterprise system would agree that sometimes greed gets out of hand.
The Gospel mandate is clear. While we are called to use the gifts God gives us to provide for ourselves and our families, we must constantly be on guard against allowing our search for prosperity override the need to express God’s love to those with less. Our prayer today is a simple one; God help the prosperity of the work of our hands for your greater glory and may what we do help those less fortunate, that they too might know their loving Father and His Son, Jesus
Pax
[1] The icon is “Hell” by Hans Memling, c. 1485.
[4] Note: The citation for this reading is incorrect in the published index of the Lectionary for Mass.
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