(Optional Memorial for Saint Stephen of Hungary)
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| “Ordination” by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, 1712 |
Reading 1: Joshua 24:1-13
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
In times past your fathers, down to Terah,
father of Abraham and Nahor,
dwelt beyond the River and served other gods.
But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River
and led him through the entire land of Canaan
I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac.
To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.
To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle,
while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt
“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and smote Egypt
which I wrought in her midst.
Afterward I led you out of Egypt
the Egyptians pursued your fathers to the Red Sea
with chariots and horsemen.
Because they cried out to the LORD,
he put darkness between your people and the Egyptians,
upon whom he brought the sea so that it engulfed them.
After you witnessed what I did to Egypt
and dwelt a long time in the desert,
I brought you into the land of the Amorites
who lived east of the Jordan
They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power.
You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them,
the two kings of the Amorites, before you.
Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab
prepared to war against Israel
He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you;
but I would not listen to Balaam.
On the contrary, he had to bless you, and I saved you from him.
Once you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho
the men of Jericho
but I delivered them also into your power.
And I sent the hornets ahead of you that drove them
(the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites,
Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites)
out of your way; it was not your sword or your bow.
“I gave you a land that you had not tilled
and cities that you had not built, to dwell in;
you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves
which you did not plant.”
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Commentary on Jos 24:1-13
This selection of Joshua, called variously "the assembly at Shechem"[4] or "covenant ceremony at Shechem," [5] summarizes God’s plan for the children of Israel to this point. Joshua reminds them, speaking as an oral historian, of all that God has done. This final verse echo’s God’s promise recorded in Deuteronomy 6:10, wherein the Lord gives them cities they did not build and crops they did not till. This summary leads into a renewal of the Hebrews' covenant with the Lord (vv.14-24).
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24
R. His mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the LORD of lords,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
Who led his people through the wilderness,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who smote great kings,
for his mercy endures forever;
And slew powerful kings,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
And made their land a heritage,
for his mercy endures forever;
The heritage of Israel
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
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Commentary on Ps 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24
This ancient litany of praise to God was probably sung just as we do, in responsorial or antiphonal fashion. Like the first reading, this selection summarizes God’s saving works directed to the people of Israel.
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Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
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Commentary on Mt 19:3-12
This passage from Matthew’s Gospel is foundational to our understanding of the sacrament of matrimony. Here we find Jesus challenged by Pharisees (possibly being asked to take sides in an argument but more likely to be tricked). Jesus' comments on the origins of marriage and its sanctity are attacked again using Mosaic Law. Jesus once more goes back to the Father’s intent but does give an out – “unless the marriage is unlawful,” that is, the sacramental bond did not exist from the beginning.
The discourse then switches to one between Jesus and his disciples as they discuss the idea of living the celibate life. Again the Lord tells them that this is not for everyone but “only for those to whom that is granted.” The Gospel links the call to marriage and celibacy; both are gifts from God.
CCC: Mt 19:1-12 2364; Mt 19:3-12 1620; Mt 19:3-9 2382; Mt 19:4 1652; Mt 19:6-12 2053; Mt 19:6 796, 1605, 1614, 1644, 2336, 2380; Mt 19:7-9 2382; Mt 19:8 1610, 1614; Mt 19:10 1615; Mt 19:11 1615; Mt 19:12 922, 1579, 1618
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Reflection:
The Gospel passage from St. Matthew is so important that volumes have been written about its implications on both the sacraments of matrimony and holy orders. It is interesting that the two sacraments are joined even in scripture.
Central to our understanding of the sacramental bond celebrated in both sacraments is the idea of indelibility. If a sacrament exists, it cannot be broken; it cannot leave. Jesus, in this passage, speaks the words used in the sacrament of matrimony to describe the permanent nature of the bond (“what God has joined together, man must not separate”).
It is the understanding of the Church, when it witnesses the sacraments, that they cannot be undone. Rather, if at a later time it is found that the call to the sacrament of marriage is untenable or not present, or if the call to holy orders no longer exists, a mistake was made at the onset, and the sacraments were not present in the first place. This is the reason for the existence of the marriage tribunals and the mechanisms at the Vatican to make certain the mistake was made, and it is something not taken lightly. God’s instruments of grace must not be taken lightly.
Today we thank God for the gift of marriage and the gift of holy orders. We ask the heavenly Father to strengthen the gifts of grace provided in these sacraments and pray that those so called will be faithful to their callings.
Pax
[1] The picture is: “Ordination” by Giuseppe Maria Crespi, 1712.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 7:66, p.147.
[5] The Jewish Study Bible, © 2004 Oxford University Press, New York, NY, p.505.
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