Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

“St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori” 
Artist and Date are UNKNOWN

Proper for the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori [1]

Biographical information about St. Alphonsus Liguori

Readings for Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38

Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.

On the first day of the first month of the second year

the Dwelling was erected.

It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.

He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,

and set up its columns.

He spread the tent over the Dwelling

and put the covering on top of the tent,

as the LORD had commanded him.

He took the commandments and put them in the ark;

he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.

He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,

thus screening off the ark of the commandments,

as the LORD had commanded him.

Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,

and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.

Moses could not enter the meeting tent,

because the cloud settled down upon it

and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.

Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,

the children of Israel would set out on their journey.

But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;

only when it lifted did they go forward.

In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;

whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud

by the whole house of Israel

in all the stages of their journey.

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Commentary on Ex 40:16-21, 34-38

The conclusion of the Book of Exodus gives the details of the establishment of the meeting tent referred to earlier in the story of the journey of the Children of Israel. The Ark of the Commandments is placed in the tent, and the image of God's presence in the form of a cloud is established.  This image will be used again in Numbers 9:15ff. The people will follow the will of God as symbolized by the cloud over the tent; they are guided on the path God has chosen for them.

"The Fathers also saw this cloud as a figure of Christ: 'He is the pillar who, keeping himself upright and strong, cures our infirmity.  By night he sheds light, by day he becomes opaque, so that those who do not see are enabled to see and those who see become blind' (St. Isidore of Seville, Quaestiones in Exodum, 18, 1)" [4]

CCC: Ex 40:36-38 697

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11

R.(2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

My soul yearns and pines

for the courts of the LORD.

My heart and my flesh

cry out for the living God.

R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

in which she puts her young–

Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my king and my God!

R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

Blessed they who dwell in your house!

continually they praise you.

Blessed the men whose strength you are!

They go from strength to strength.

R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

I had rather one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

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Commentary on Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11

Psalm 84 gives thanks for the courts of the temple in Jerusalem. It supports the story of the establishment of the “meeting tent” (Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38). The praise given to the temple may also be applied to the less permanent symbol of God’s guiding presence. It also recalls Jeremiah’s oracle that the temple would not be a refuge for the wicked, and that the great gift of his presence in the temple was for the faithful.

Those who find a home in God's temple are blessed. They find strength flowing from the Lord, sustaining them. The timelessness of heaven is reflected in the service of God's house, his dwelling place.

CCC: Ps 84:3 1770

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Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples:

"The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,

which collects fish of every kind.

When it is full they haul it ashore

and sit down to put what is good into buckets.

What is bad they throw away.

Thus it will be at the end of the age.

The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous

and throw them into the fiery furnace,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

"Do you understand all these things?"

They answered, "Yes."

And he replied,

"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven

is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom

both the new and the old."

When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

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Commentary on Mt 13:47-53

Jesus concludes his discourse about the Kingdom of Heaven with a final parable about the fisherman’s net. He then makes reference to the disciples’ (and their successors') role as “Christian scribes” or teachers of the Kingdom of God. In his description, he refers to the “new and the old” being brought out. This reference is to the new teaching from Jesus and the old from the Law of Moses and the prophets.

CCC: Mt 13:50 1034; Mt 13:52 1117

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Homily:

The sacred history recorded in Exodus depicts a people seeking to follow God’s will for them.  Exodus explicitly states that “Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.” 

Indeed, the Bible is filled with stories of people seeking to do God’s will, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing.  The parable of the Fisherman’s Net is laid in our hands today.  It gathers up all of the examples of earlier generations struggling to follow the will of God and tells us that the challenge of discerning that will and helping others to do so is ours as well.

The Lord reminds us, by his very existence among us, of how precious we are to him.  We quote St. Peter Chrysologus here, whose feast we recently celebrated, who said of the incarnation of Christ:

“Why then man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God? Why render yourself such dishonor when you are honored by him?  Why do you ask how you were created and do not seek to know why you were made?”

– St. Peter Chrysologus from a homily on the incarnation of Christ

All of us are precious in the eyes of Christ whose love for us cascades from the altar of his sacrifice.  All of us were given life and purpose by him who loves and supports us with his Holy Spirit.  We are asked to be the net as well as the catch in this parable.

Today our prayer is that we are constantly vigilant, and prepared to be what the great lover of souls has called us to be.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN.

[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 409.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

“Ignatius of Loyola” 
Artist and Date are UNKNOWN

Proper for the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola [1]

Biographical Information about St. Ignatius of Loyola 

Readings for Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Exodus 34:29-35

As Moses came down from Mount Sinai

with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,

he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant

while he conversed with the LORD.

When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses

and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,

they were afraid to come near him.

Only after Moses called to them did Aaron

and all the rulers of the community come back to him.

Moses then spoke to them.

Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,

and he enjoined on them all that the LORD

had told him on Mount Sinai.

When he finished speaking with them,

he put a veil over his face.

Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,

he removed the veil until he came out again.

On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel

all that had been commanded.

Then the children of Israel would see

that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;

so he would again put the veil over his face

until he went in to converse with the LORD.

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Commentary on Ex 34:29-35

Moses returns a second time (see Exodus 32:19) bearing the tablets of the Law to his charges, the children of Israel whom he has led out of Egypt. The startling change in Moses' appearance (“the skin of Moses’ face was radiant”) will later be remembered as Jesus is transfigured in front of his disciples (Matthew 17:1-9, Luke 9:28b-36, and Mark 9:1-8). The episode concludes with Moses veiling his face. “St. Paul sees in this a symbol of the failure of the Jews to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah: the true spiritual meaning of the writings of Moses and the prophets is still veiled from the unbelieving Jews. Cf 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.”[4]

CCC: Ex 34:29 2058

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 99:5, 6, 7, 9

R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.

Extol the LORD, our God,

and worship at his footstool;

holy is he!

R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;

they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

R. Holy is the Lord our God.

From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;

they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.

R. Holy is the Lord our God.

Extol the LORD, our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for holy is the LORD, our God.

R. Holy is the Lord our God.

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Commentary on Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9

This psalm of praise and thanksgiving holds up the traditions of Moses and Aaron. The praise and respect given to the Law of Moses extolled here stands between Paul’s assertion that the New Covenant superseded the covenant of Moses and Jesus' assurance that the Law of Moses stands firm. The psalmist recalls the great boon given to the Children of Israel as God gave the Law to Moses on the holy mountain.

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GOSPEL: Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,

which a person finds and hides again,

and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant

searching for fine pearls.

When he finds a pearl of great price,

he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

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Commentary on Mt 13:44-46

The parable of the buried treasure and the parable of the pearl have the same point. One who understands the Kingdom of Heaven and sees its worth joyfully places obtaining that promise before all else. It is the primacy of Christ’s teaching that guides the disciple in all things. While these two parables have generally the same meaning, it is interesting to note they have some subtle differences. The parable of the hidden treasure which is found by accident refers to an abundance of gifts.  The parable of the pearl sought out through diligence refers to the beauty of the Kingdom of God.

“Anyone who understands the Kingdom which Christ proposes realizes that it is worth staking everything to obtain it […]. The Kingdom of heaven is difficult to win.  No one can be sure of achieving it, but the humble cry of the repentant man can open wide its doors” (St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 180).[5]

CCC: Mt 13:44-45 546

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Reflection:

We reflect today on the outward signs of inner conversion.  In the first reading today we hear how Moses, after having a close encounter of the holiest kind, came down the mountain and “he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant.”  It was as if he had stepped across the threshold and had entered the Kingdom of God.  From that point, the light of his spirit burst out and his physical appearance to those who knew him changed.

So remarkable was this change that his friends asked him to veil his face so they would not see it.  Why would they ask such a thing?  It could have been because they were afraid that by looking upon one who had been so thoroughly converted by God they might die, which is what they thought would happen if they ever saw God, face to face. 

Their fear could also have been because they recognized their own sinfulness.  Like placing a poor copy of a beautiful painting next to the original, the contrast became so apparent that they could not accept their own flaws.  As a result, they asked Moses to cover himself so he would not shame them.

Faith and conversion have that effect.  Internal conversion manifests itself externally.  It is something we must all remember.  A wise person once said, “The person who can remain calm in the face of a heated argument has already won.”  This true statement has a side effect.  The person who cannot remain calm in the face of an emotional argument will become even more incensed and irrational in the face of that calm.  The same is true of the outward peace of conversion in the face of the enemy.  That wondrous peace of Christ can stir up resentment and mistrust in those who do not understand it.  I will quote St. Augustine who famously said: “Resentment is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies.” It is something we must be at least aware of because resentment can blindside us if we are not aware that our inner peace has an exterior affect.

Nonetheless, today we pray for that complete conversion that will cause us to glow with the light of our spirit.  May all who encounter us see that light and be comforted by it.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Ignatius of Loyola” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN.

[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] See NAB footnote on Exodus 34:33.

[5] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.136.