Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

"The Charge to Peter"
by James Tissot, c. 1860’s

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Peter 1:10-16
 
Beloved:
Concerning the salvation of your souls
the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and investigated it
investigating the time and circumstances
that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated
when it testified in advance
to the sufferings destined for Christ
and the glories to follow them.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you
with regard to the things that have now been announced to you
by those who preached the Good News to you
through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels longed to look.
 
Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly,
and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Like obedient children,
do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
but, as he who called you is holy,
be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 1:10-16
 
In this selection, St. Peter continues to exhort the five churches to respond to the call to holiness, a call brought to them by the Apostles who were filled with “the Spirit of Christ.” It was this Holy Spirit that motivated them as it had motivated the prophets of old in their understanding of God's salvation to come.
 
The passage concludes with very practical instructions about their behavior, instructing them to avoid their former way of life: “do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance,” but rather be holy as God is holy, quoting Leviticus (Leviticus 11: 44).
 
CCC: 1 Pt 1:10-12 719
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
 
R. (2a) The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
The Lord has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
 
Psalm 98 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. We see in this selection how God is praised for the strength he lends his people, and the salvation he brings to those who are faithful. The psalm rejoices in God’s salvation. The Lord has revealed his compassion toward the people, and they sing his praises in response. The Hebrews saw this as salvation for the people of Israel from its enemies. Christians see the deeper expression of God’s love, as he sent his Son for salvation and justice for the whole world.
 
This is an excellent example of how Christians, heirs to the Judeo-Christian truth, can see clearly in these ancient texts the references to the Christ: “The Lord has made his salvation known.” It is this event about which we “sing joyfully to the Lord.”
 
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Gospel: Mark 10:28-31
 
Peter began to say to Jesus,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
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Commentary on Mk 10:28-31
 
The passage contains the disciples' response to Jesus’ teaching about the discipline of discipleship embodied in the story of the wealthy young man (Mark 10:17-27). After seeing the young man leave because he could not part with his possessions, Peter finds it necessary to remind Jesus that they (the disciples) had given up everything to follow him. The Lord replies that those who have sacrificed to follow him will receive not just the seven-fold repayment promised by Sirach 35:10, but a hundred times more than what they have given up.
 
This reference made by St. Mark is likely to the growth of Church under the Apostles’ evangelization, and the communal sense of the Church in its early years. The same reference is true of Jesus’ final statement where we hear: “But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first." Here St. Mark is probably referring to the martyrdom many will find before joining the Lord in his heavenly kingdom.
 
CCC: Mk 10:28-31 1618
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Reflection:
 
What’s in it for me?
 
As we hear the response of the disciples to Jesus’ requirement of the “Rich Young Man,” we empathize with them.  Jesus has just told the young man that he must give up what is most important to him in order to follow Jesus.  Seeing this requirement of self-sacrifice, the disciples exclaim that they have given up everything to follow the Lord, and are now wondering what they will receive in return.  To this Jesus reassures them, saying the material wealth and social position they have given up in this world will be made up many times over in the next.
 
Responding so completely to the call of the Lord is something most of us just cannot do.  We have accepted the vocation of marriage, or we live in a secular world that places responsibilities upon us that force us to keep a job, dedicating much of our time to that effort. Or we are called to care for a home and children, an equally important vocation.  How then can we fulfill the requirements of social responsibility and also dedicate ourselves to Jesus?
 
We come closest to doing this when we dedicate our effort, whether at home, at work, or other committed action, to God’s greater glory, rather than our own.  We offer our success to the Lord and give him credit.  We ask for his help in being examples to others, bringing the Holy Spirit to the world as we are called while, in our heart of hearts, remaining apart from it.  We reject the call of Satan, who beckons to us constantly, and we embrace the austerity we can while supporting our families.
 
It is a very difficult thing the Lord asks, and we must be constantly mindful of our own tendency to procure an excess of material wealth in the name of familial support or the rationale of need.  We pray today for the spirit of the disciples, that we might offer up our lives for the sake of the one who gave up his life for us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is "The Charge to Peter" by James Tissot, c. 1860’s.
[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.

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

“Christ and the Young Rich Man”
by Heinrich Hofmann,1889

 
Readings for Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Peter 1:3-9
 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 1:3-9
 
St. Peter writes to early churches of Asia Minor. This letter is thought to have been composed while St. Peter was in Rome, and published to them between 64 and 67 AD, shortly before his martyrdom at the hands of Nero.  He begins this selection with a prayer, thanking God for the grace given in baptism (“gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”). This passage is the beginning of the first section of his letter, dealing primarily with the gift and call of Christ in baptism.
 
Although baptism is not mentioned specifically, we see the allusion to it, first with: “who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope,” and then later with: “you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.”  These gifts of hope and faith, presented in baptism, give Christians their indelible character.
 
CCC: 1 Pt 1:3-9 2627; 1 Pt 1:3 654; 1 Pt 1:7 1031
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c
 
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the Lord,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c
 
Psalm 111 is a song of praise. The hymn professes God’s greatness, revealed in creation and revered by all that live and have being. The final reference to God’s imperishable covenant (“he has ratified his covenant forever") reminds us of our adoption by the Father.
 
CCC: Ps 111:9 2807
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Gospel: Mark 10:17-27
 
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
 
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
 
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
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Commentary on Mk 10:17-27
 
The story of the rich young man, presented in St. Mark’s Gospel, is an ideal teaching moment for Christ. Clearly the young man depicted is of Pharisaic persuasion since he believes in the concept of eternal life (Sadducees would not). After he has heard that the young man has carefully followed Mosaic Law (summarized in the Decalogue the Lord mentions), Jesus tells him he has only one more step to take. Selling all he has and giving the proceeds to the poor is too much for the rich young man who leaves downcast.
 
Jesus uses this example to emphasize, first, that the love of God must come first, before desire for possessions, and before the accumulation of wealth. Those listening were also downhearted and say: “Then who can be saved?”
 
Jesus then makes his second point. No one earns salvation from God! Only the Lord alone can grant it, and nothing is impossible for him. “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” God must provide the path.
 
CCC: Mk 10:19 1858; Mk 10:22 2728
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Reflection:
 
It is very tempting to focus just on the Gospel.  Jesus challenges us with reordering our priorities in the parable of the rich young man.  However, there is a passage in the final verse of the first reading from St. Peter’s first letter that refines our idea of the role our faith plays in directing our lives:
 
“Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)
 
While we have heard the definition of faith from St. Paul as being: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), here St. Peter gives us the goal of faith, our salvation, the very fundamental purpose of God’s Son coming into the world: eternal life.
 
On the surface this sounds very ethereal, a nice philosophical realization without real pragmatic application in our lives.  How, after all, does this realization drive our application of faith in our daily lives?  St. Peter praises the early Christian community, to whom he writes, for their faith in Christ: “even though you do not see him now.”  In fact, most of those he writes to never saw Jesus in the flesh. In that sense, we are not dissimilar to his audience.  So, the totality of Peter’s message flows to us.
 
He pointedly speaks of our rebirth in baptism, and the gifts given in that most important first sacrament (while Eucharist is considered the most holy sacrament, baptism, because of its prerequisite nature is considered the most important).  Through this gate (the true sheep gate of Christ), we are called to be a people enlightened by faith, that is, to be a beacon to others.  The faith we are given is not to be kept hidden, nor is its purpose to be restricted to us.  Rather the faith we are given is given to share with the world.
 
As we take that gift of the Holy Spirit and go into this new season of faith, we ask God to strengthen the faith we have been given, for our salvation and that of the whole world.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ and the Young Rich Man” by Heinrich Hofmann,1889.
[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.

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Catechism Links [1]

CCC 2563: The heart is the home of truth
CCC 1755-1756: Good acts and evil acts
CCC 1783-1794: Forming conscience and decision-making
CCC 2690: Spiritual direction
CCC 1009-1013: Christian view of death

“The Blind Leading the Blind”
by Sebastien Vrancx, c.1620’s

Readings for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary [4]
 
First Reading: Sirach 27:4-7
 
When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear;
  so do one's faults when one speaks.
As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace,
  so in tribulation is the test of the just.
The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had;
  so too does one's speech disclose the bent of one's mind.
Praise no one before he speaks,
  for it is then that people are tested.
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Commentary on Sir 27:4-7
 
In this passage the author addresses dangers to human integrity and friendship with three analogies.  The analogy of the shaken sieve refers to the process of separating good grain from husks (or refuse from the Greek kopria). The grain is passed through the sieve, but the refuse is thrown away or burned.  The analogy is mindful of the St. John the Baptist’s references to the threshing floor (Matthew 3:12) where the wheat remains but the chaff is burned.  The second analogy, the potter's test, is consistent with the theme of the just being tested through tribulations (see also Sirach 2:5; Wisdom 3:5-6; 1 Peter 1:7).
 
The passage clarifies what will be considered by God and others to be the fruits of integrity; the words uttered by a person define the person’s heart to others.  Similarly, Jesus will also take up this topic as he states, “It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.” (Matthew 15:11)
 
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Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
 
R. (cf. 2a) Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
 
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
  to sing praise to your name. Most High,
to proclaim your kindness at dawn
  and your faithfulness throughout the night.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
 
The just one shall flourish like the palm tree,
  like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.
They that are planted in the house of the LORD
  shall flourish in the courts of our God.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
 They shall bear fruit even in old age;
  vigorous and sturdy shall they be,
declaring how just is the Lord,
  my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
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Commentary on Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
 
Psalm 92 is a song of thanksgiving. The psalmist sees God’s gifts pouring onto the faithful and in consequence, those who dwell with the Lord will flourish and bear fruit. In their faith there is great strength and endurance in God’s great wholesomeness.
 
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Second Reading:
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
 
Brothers and sisters:
When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility
  and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,
  then the word that is written shall come about:
     Death is swallowed up in victory.
     Where, O death, is your victory?
     Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin,
  and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory
  through our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters,
   be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord,
   knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 15:54-58
 
This passage is St. Paul’s hymn of victory over death. It concludes his discourse on the resurrection. When the bodies of the elect, by resurrection or change, become incorrupt, death is defeated, prophecy is fulfilled (Isaiah 25:8), and the final victory is won. He loosely quotes Hosea 13:14 in which the “sting” of death is vanquished; a reference to the venomous sting of a serpent’s bit, the allegory to sin. The serpent without its sting can no longer harm those clothed in Christ.
 
St. Paul sees this as existential application of the Law, by which sin was defined and applied but without giving mankind the strength to avoid the sins so defined (see also Romans 7:7-25). The hard work of the faithful Christian is not in vain as Christ’s victory is granted and salvation assured.
 
CCC: 1 Cor 15:56 602
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Gospel:
Luke 6:39-45
 
Jesus told his disciples a parable,
   "Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
  but when fully trained,
   every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye,
   but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
   'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,'
   when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own
       eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
   then you will see clearly
   to remove the splinter in your brother's eye.
 "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
   nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
 For every tree is known by its own fruit.
 For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
   nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
 A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart
     produces good,
   but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
   for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."
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Commentary on Lk 6:39-45
 
St. Luke continues Jesus’ dialogue from the “Sermon on the Plain” concerning the judgment of others. Taking his disciples aside he tells them that in time they will assume his role in proclaiming the Gospel (“but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher”). The exhortation that follows is not intended to say that they should not notice the failings of others; that would be inconsistent with Matthew 7:5,6. Rather it is “against passing judgment in a spirit of arrogance, forgetful of one's own faults.” [5]
 
The passage concludes Jesus’ discourse on judgment of others using the analogy of the fruits born by a tree – good and bad. The intent of this allegory was to expose false prophets – hypocrites who say one thing but do another. "What matters is not whether or not we wear a religious habit; it is whether we try to practice the virtues and surrender our will to God and order our lives as His Majesty ordains, and not want to do our will but his" (St Teresa of Avila, "Interior Castle", II, 6). [6]
 
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Reflection:
 
I recently met a man while on a trip to the North Country.  He was standing outside my hotel room as I checked out and he seemed ordinary enough.  He had a really pretty black Labrador retriever on a leash lying at his feet.  I had come and gone to the room a couple times, bringing out bags, when he struck up a conversation.  I commented on his dog, and he told me it was the first time he had been off leash which surprised me because he was clearly on a leash.  It was then that the man told me he was blind, and the dog was in fact a leader dog.   I did not realize the man was blind until he told me.
 
It begs the question, in light of today’s Gospel from St. Luke, how do we know if those we meet are blind?  Or perhaps even a better question; how do we know when we are blind?  The Lord speaks to us about being judgmental; of making determinations about others before we understand completely their situations.  Like the blind man who didn’t seem blind, how often do we assume others are blind without trying to understand where their apparent blindness comes from?
 
As disciples of Christ, we are called to treat every person we meet with the dignity that should be afforded to a son or daughter of God.  We are told, in no uncertain terms, that we must not be deceived by appearances or, as the Lord himself showed us as he was tempted in the desert, not to be fooled by smooth speech and overly generous offers.  We are called to examine our own motives and standards. 
 
Taking the Gospel from Luke with the analogies from Sirach we must draw one piece of wisdom from what we have heard today; embrace God’s wisdom for ourselves, praying for God’s grace and peace, and do not set a bar for the behavior of others we ourselves cannot achieve.
 
Pax
 
In other years on February 27^th, Optional Memorial for Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “The Blind Leading the Blind” by Sebastien Vrancx, c.1620’s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] 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.
[5] NAB footnote on Matthew 7:1.
[6] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 396.

Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for the Blessed Virgin Mary)

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1]  Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (USCCB recommends: # 35. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Pillar of Faith)
 

“Let the children come to me”
by Vogel Von Vogelstein c. 1815

Readings for Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary:[4]
 
Reading 1: James 5:13-20
 
Beloved:
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
 
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be
healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.
 
My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
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Commentary on Jas 5:13-20
 
St. James offers a treatise on the power and need for prayer in the Christian Community. In the first instance he addresses the power of healing, giving strong scriptural support for the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (“…He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord”). This practice was also mentioned in Mark (see Mark 6:13), as the Twelve anoint the sick on their missionary journey.
 
Next the author promotes the confession of sins as part of this process (“If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven”), and, as a practice in general, part of the process of coming before God in prayer. The concluding verses (19-20) speak of reconciliation of those who have sinned and come back to the way of truth, and the grace given to those who lead them back.
 
CCC: Jas 5:14-15 1510, 1511, 1526; Jas 5:14 1519; Jas 5:15 1519, 1520; Jas 5:16 2737; Jas 5:16b-18 2582; Jas 5:20 1434
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 141:1-2, 3 and 8
 
R. (2a) Let my prayer come like incense before you.
 
O Lord, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
 
O Lord, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my Lord, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
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Commentary on Ps 141:1-2, 3 and 8
 
Psalm 141 is an individual lament. This part of the hymn supports the power of prayer, and the need for God’s grace provided in answer to these pleas. The faith of the just will not be rejected, and the salvation of God will be given to those who ask. See also the remarks on Psalm 142.
 
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Gospel: Mark 10:13-16
 
People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
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Commentary on Mk 10:13-16
 
The image of Jesus portrayed by this passage demonstrates that those who had seen his works and heard his words saw greatness in him. They brought their children to him instinctively, that these little ones might receive the grace bestowed by his touch. This activity made his disciples indignant. They felt that their master should not be pestered by the children. The Lord, however, used this situation as a teaching moment. Jesus told the crowd that only complete dependence upon God’s support would allow them salvation (“…for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”).
 
CCC: Mk 10:11 2380; Mk 10:14 343, 1261; Mk 10:16 699
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Reflection:
 
We must, given the direction offered by Sacred Scripture, contemplate the need for, and power of, prayer in our lives.  If we think about the relationship, we hope to establish with God our Father and His Son Jesus, we can use the relationships we build on earth as a worldly model.
 
When we wish to get to know someone well, we speak with them, we ask them questions. We hope that by speaking with them we can uncover who they are, where they were from, how and where they grew up, and what they like and dislike.  The more intensely we want this relationship, the deeper and more intensely we talk to them, spending hours conversing about all manner of things.
 
With members of our own families, much of this discussion is not necessary since we share a common history and life. Much of what we need to know we have learned through long association.  The love we have for these family members is stimulated by our common desires, our common experiences, and the deep understanding we build with them over time.  A child knows the mind of their loving parent so well that the worst thing they could contemplate is disappointing that parent through actions they know would be against their wishes.  Likewise the child knows, without question, that if they are in trouble, their loving parent will do everything in their power to rescue them from that situation.  And if that child falls ill, the loving parent does whatever they can to see the child of their love is returned to health.
 
The analogy comes so easily.  If we wish to know God, to build that relationship with him, prayer is one of our best approaches.  Much of who God is and what he likes and does not like, we discover in the sacred texts of the Holy Bible.  The deeper we delve into that treasure chest of past experiences of God, the better we understand how to know him in our lives.  But God is not just a “historical figure,” he is a living God who loves and cares for us.  It is this present and living Trinity that we want to know.  So, we talk to him.  We tell him we love him; we honor him because he deserves honor, and when we are in need, we ask for his help.  We ask, confident as the child with a loving parent, that he will do all he can to save us from our difficulty.  He may show us the way, he may open a door, and if all that is not enough and he wishes to demonstrate his love more visibly, he may offer up a miracle.  They are more common than we know.
 
Today we pray to know our loving Father better.  We thank him for all he has done for us and in a special way, we pray for all those who are sick that through the Sacrament of Anointing, they might be restored to health and oneness with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
 
Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by ‘BVM.’ The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The picture today “Let the children come to me” by Vogel Von Vogelstein c. 1815.
[4] 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.

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

“Wedding Feast at Cana”
by Rufilio Manetti, 1620

 
Readings for Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: James 5:9-12
 
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job,
and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
 
But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath,
but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,”
that you may not incur condemnation.
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Commentary on Jas 5:9-12
 
Just prior to this excerpt from the Letter of St. James, there is an exhortation to patience. There is also a clear expectation that the Parousia is at hand. The author then points to the example of the prophets, especially Job, to keep God foremost in their minds, especially during trying times, reemphasizing Christian patience. He concludes with a prohibition against “oath taking,” a means by which the Jewish community circumvented the binding force of the law and avoided using God’s name in vain.
 
CCC: Jas 5:12 2153
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Responsorial Psalm Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12
 
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
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Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12
 
Psalm 103 is a song of praise to God for his mercy. It recognizes both God’s mercy and our need, as sinners, for it. The psalm describes the qualities of God's mercy, its enduring expression of love for his people through the forgiveness of their sins.
 
CCC: Ps 103 304
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Gospel: Mark 10:1-12
 
Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
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,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”
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Commentary on Mk 10:1-12
 
This passage gives us the scriptural support for the Church’s view of the durability of the Sacrament of Matrimony. The Pharisees' question to Jesus, and their response to his question: “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her," shows that the Mosaic Law they were referring to (Deuteronomy 24:1) dealt with a contractual relationship. Jesus, in quoting Genesis (see Genesis 1:27 and 2:24), speaks instead of the spiritual bond which joins husband and wife. This bond cannot be broken (“what God has joined together, no human being must separate").
 
This unbreakable bond is at the heart of the Church's understanding of the Sacrament of Marriage and is distinct from the civil marriage contract (referred to by the Pharisees above).  This passage is also central to the Church's teaching that the Sacrament of Marriage is valid only between a man and a woman.
 
CCC: Mk 10:8 1627; Mk 10:9 1639, 2364, 2382; Mk 10:11-12 1650; Mk 10:11 2380
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Reflection:
 
Understanding the reading from the Gospel of St. Mark is critical for us if we are to understand the Church’s view of the Sacrament of Marriage.  In the past the view was popularly held that the Church forbade divorce entirely because of the statement: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
 
The historical difficulty here is the clear reference earlier in the passage stating: “Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”  The key idea in this verse is that God has joined the couple, not man. Marriage is not a civil contract that can be ratified by a justice of the peace or a civil judge.  Those whom God has joined in marriage share an unbreakable bond.  It is a covenant that includes God the Father and is seen as a living symbol of Christ and his bride, the Church.  If this bond is truly present, it cannot be broken.
 
Does this mean that all marriages witnessed by the Church include this sacramental bond?  We do our very best to insure they do, but the Sacrament of Marriage is a lived sacrament.  The Church does not “administer” the Sacrament of Marriage as it does baptism or the eucharist. 
 
The Church, through its marriage preparation programs, tries to ensure the sacramental bond is present.  But it is like a scientist using a very powerful microscope to look at the molecular structure of some material.  Is he able to see the chemical bonds that hold the material together and make it the compound it appears to be?  No, he cannot see the bonds but, depending upon how the material reacts under different circumstances (especially when he tries to take it apart) the bonds demonstrate their existence, even though they are invisible to the human eye.
 
The civil contract of marriage can be broken.  It is just like any business contract.  There are terms and conditions and there are remedies in civil law.  The only cost is legal fees.  If the civil contract is nullified in what was presumed to have been a sacramental marriage, does that mean the sacramental bond that was presumed to have existed at the time it was validly witnessed in the Church was also nullified?  No!  That is why there is a marriage tribunal in each diocese.  It is their job to make sure that the sacramental bond was never present.  If present, it cannot be broken, if not present, the civil bond was all that bound the couple in the first place.  And just to be very clear, like all other dogmatic and magisterial teaching about the Sacrament of Matrimony, Amoris Laetitia, the Holy Father’s apostolic exhortation on the family, did not change this understanding.
 
This whole view is widely misunderstood, even within the ranks of the faithful, and whenever we encounter these misunderstandings, we need to correct them.  Jesus said, “What God has joined together, no human being must separate.”  Thank God for his unfailing love for us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture today is “Wedding Feast at Cana” by Rufilio Manetti, 1620.
[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.