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| “Abraham and the Three Angles” by Giambattista Tiepolo, 1770 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Genesis 18:16-33
Commentary on Gn 18:16-33
Following the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham and Sarah ("I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son." Genesis 18:10), the messengers of the Lord leave the hospitality of his tent. Led by Abraham, they travel together to where Lot and his household had gone (Genesis 13:12) and prepare to punish the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sinfulness. Abraham, for his part, attempts to negotiate for the cities asking for mercy for the innocent. He is successful, demonstrating the mercy of God to the innocent.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Commentary on Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11
Psalm 103 is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. Remembering God’s promise of mercy for the innocent, the psalmist praises God for his compassion and gives thanks for his salvation. It is not by human merit that God judges, but out of compassion and mercy.
CCC: Ps 103 304
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Gospel: Matthew 8:18-22
Commentary on Mt 8:18-22
This is an interlude between the miracle stories in St. Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage we find two sayings dealing with discipleship, and what that means. The first of these is in the form of a reply to a scribe who wished to travel with the Lord. The Savior’s response indicated that he must be prepared to have no permanent home if he was going to do so. The scribe must give up material wealth, and embrace Christ's consistently stated love of the poor.
In the second situation, the would-be disciple asks to be allowed to bury his father. This does not mean his father had already died, but that he wished to wait for that to happen so he could carry out his family responsibilities. The Lord’s response makes it clear that ties to the family would be secondary to the disciples' call to follow him (see also commentary on Luke 9:51-62).
CCC: Mt 8:20 2444
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Reflection:
The whole idea of spiritual leadership is presented in broad brush strokes in today’s Scripture. In the first reading God is intending to punish the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham, the Patriarch who knows his kinsman Lot has taken up residence there pleads with God for mercy for the innocent. In this same way we are called not to judge in the name of God but to pray for God’s mercy for those who live in sin.
Just as Abraham did not judge those who lived in the accursed cities, we are not to judge those whose actions proclaim them to be godless. Ours, as our Savior taught us, is a role of intercession even for our enemies.
The second part of the lesson plan for discipleship comes from the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus responds first to the scribe telling him that if he wishes to follow the Way he must have as his first priority the kingdom of God. The scribe’s possessions must take a distant second place. That message comes to us as well. We too are called to focus our efforts on living a life worthy of the name “disciple of Christ.”
The final lesson on spiritual leadership takes the focus on the Lord further, eclipsing even our ties to family. If our efforts are first for God all else will fall into place. If we place anything else first in our lives, this emphasis will be clearly visible to others as well.
Pax
[1] The picture today is “Abraham and the Three Angles” by Giambattista Tiepolo, 1770.
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