Proper for the Memorial of St. Philip Neri
Biographical information about St. Philip Neri
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“St. Philip Neri”
by Sebastiano Conca, c.1730s |
Readings for Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17
Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
look upon us, show us the light of your mercies,
and put all the nations in dread of you!
Thus they will know, as we know,
that there is no God but you, O Lord.
Give new signs and work new wonders.
Gather all the tribes of Jacob,
that they may inherit the land as of old,
Show mercy to the people called by your name;
Israel, whom you named your firstborn.
Take pity on your holy city,
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty,
your temple with your glory.
Give evidence of your deeds of old;
fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name,
Reward those who have hoped in you,
and let your prophets be proved true.
Hear the prayer of your servants,
for you are ever gracious to your people;
and lead us in the way of justice.
Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth
that you are the eternal God.
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Commentary on Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17
This selection is a prayer by Sirach asking for vindication for Israel and praising God as the supreme ruler of the universe; asking him to hasten to bring his redemption for his children. He calls upon God’s divine intervention to unify the faithful and demonstrate His omnipotence by bring back the people following the diaspora. It is one of the few times when the son of Sirach looks forward to messianic times.
Sir 36:11 441
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
R. (Sirach 36:1b) Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Show us, O Lord, the light of your kindness.
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Commentary on Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
Psalm 79 is a lament over the destruction of the temple. In this part of the hymn the psalmist asks God for forgiveness of past offenses and compassion in their need. Their sins have resulted in their imprisonment and separated them from God. This hymn was offered after the destruction of the temple and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant. It is a plea for compassion and help while repenting from sins (“Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake”).
CCC: Ps 79:9 431
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Gospel: Mark 10:32-45
The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to Jesus and said to him,
‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him,
“Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, ‘We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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Commentary on Mk 10:32-45
This Gospel passage starts with the third prediction of the Passion in St. Mark’s Gospel. The sons of Zebedee take this opportunity (thinking it is the time for Christ to come into glory) to ask for places of honor when he assumes his kingship. The Lord responds with the metaphors of “drinking the cup he will drink,” and “being baptized with the baptism with which he will be baptized,” symbolic of his passion and death. When the brothers respond in the affirmative, Jesus predicts that they will follow him in martyrdom, but that only God can give them the places of honor they request.
When the disciples become upset at James and John, Jesus uses the opportunity to explain “servant leadership.” Unlike secular leaders who autocratically order their subjects about, the servant leader comes to lead by example and service to those being led. He concludes by describing his own role: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
CCC: Mk 10:32-34 557; Mk 10:33-34 474; Mk 10:34 649, 994; Mk 10:38 536, 1225; Mk 10:39 618; Mk 10:43-45 1551; Mk 10:45 608, 1570
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Reflection:
Breaking from tradition, this reflection will be a personal episode from my own experience. The Gospel story reminds me of a time shortly after I had taken up my profession as an executive recruiter (about 40 years ago) and before I heard the call to the diaconate when my wife and I had a young associate pastor, Father Ed, come over to the house for dinner.
One of the elements of my secular job was to find out the career aspirations of the talent I had surfaced so I decided, during the course of my conversation with Fr. Ed, to ask the question of him. I think my words were something like “What are your career plans?” As I recall he looked at me like I had swallowed a frog.
Thinking I had been misunderstood I started him off saying “I expect that in your next step you will be pastor of a parish. How long will you do that before you go for bishop?” Although I can’t remember his exact reaction, I think he may have almost choked on the wine he was drinking. It was then that I received my first homily (although I did not think of it as such at the time) about the Gospel passage we heard today.
Fr. Ed explained to me that when he was called to the priesthood (he committed to high school seminary when he was 13 or 14) it was for a life of service. He never had a greater ambition than to be a parish priest and that if he did anything else with his life, he would need to answer that call as he had discerned his call to the priesthood. He must ask, in prayer, “Lord, what is it you want of me? How can I serve you? And how can I serve my brothers and sisters whom you have also called to yourself?” These were not his exact words, but close, and I recall that I pressed him about how he could become a bishop which I am sure was amusing to him. Reflecting on this conversation, it may be the reason my favorite biblical passage has become the kenotic hymn from Philippians (Phil 2:5-11).
The point the Lord made in the Gospel is that to lead others in the service of the Lord we must be as humble as the Lord is humble. We must lead through example, and never expect that place of honor. The price tag might be higher than we thought possible.
Pax
[1] The picture is “St. Philip Neri” by Sebastiano Conca, c.1730s.
[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.
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