Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Proper Readings for the Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

 
Biographical Information about Saint Thèrése Of The Child Jesus
 

“Saint Thérèse of Lisieux”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
Job answered the Lord and said:
 
I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.
I have dealt with great things that I do not understand;
things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know.
I had heard of you by word of mouth,
but now my eye has seen you.
Therefore I disown what I have said,
and repent in dust and ashes.
 
Thus the Lord blessed the latter days of Job
more than his earlier ones.
For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,
a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.
And he had seven sons and three daughters,
of whom he called the first Jemimah,
the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch.
In all the land no other women were as beautiful
as the daughters of Job;
and their father gave them an inheritance
along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years;
and he saw his children, his grandchildren,
and even his great-grandchildren.
Then Job died, old and full of years.
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Commentary on Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
In these verses we find Job’s final repentance and salvation from the burden placed upon him. In reward for his faithfulness, he is given twice what was taken away in property, in family, and in lifespan. 
 
He first answers two challenges.  “To the first (v. 3) Job replies by confessing that he did speak without knowing all the facts, that is, without appreciating the harmony with which creation is imbued, the awesome fact that even seemingly useless and destructive things have their part to play. This is a sort of ‘sapiential' response. To God's second appeal (v. 4). Job's reply is full of faith: he acknowledges that God has manifested himself in person: now he has seen him with his eyes (v. 5), as Moses and the prophets saw him, Job feels consoled, and he is moved to repentance now that he has actually met God.” [4]
 
In the final blessing (v.12-17), Job has all he had lost returned to him and more. “The Fathers see Job as prefiguring Jesus; this applies also to the restoration of his fortunes: Job recovered both his health and his wealth. In the same way, the Lord, through his resurrection, brings not only good health to those who believe in him, but immortality; and he restores the whole kingdom of nature, as he himself assured us when he said: Everything has been given to me by my Father. New children are born of Job to replace those who died. Similarly, the holy Apostles are sons of the Lord in the same line as were the prophets of old. Job is filled with happiness and in the end rests in peace. And the Lord is blessed forever, as he was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be (St Zeno of Verona, Tractatus, 1, 15).” [5]
 
CCC: Jb 42:2 275; Jb 42:3 299
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may know your decrees.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
Psalm 119, in this section, is an individual lament asking for God’s support in times of difficulty. From this, the longest of the psalms, the strophes ask for the psalmist to be strengthened in the truth, and given wisdom that comes from the law. The use of v. 71 (“It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws”) provides a clear reference to the suffering endured by Job, and God’s final gift of salvation. (Job 42:1ff)
 
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Gospel: Luke 10:17-24
 
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
 
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
 
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:17-24
 
The return of the seventy (two) gives rise to the prayer of Jesus (expanding Mark 6:30), who turns the victory of the disciples into a means to glorify the Father. The Lord gives thanks that God has seen fit to reveal his identity, and pass on his power to these disciples of his. Jesus tells them of the positive effect of their mission saying: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 14:12; the evil one is defeated. The thought is concluded: “…do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This warning is a caution against becoming fixed on external signs, but exhorts the Christian to look to the positive effect on the spirit (cf 1 Corinthians 12).  The Gospel follows this with Jesus’ hymn of praise, also found in Matthew 11:25-27, and concludes the passage by telling the disciples that they are given a privilege beyond prophets and kings (see also Matthew 13:16-17). They are seeing God’s plan fulfilled in Jesus.
 
CCC: Lk 10:17-20 787; Lk 10:21-23 2603; Lk 10:21 1083
 -------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
The Gospel tells us – the hard part of God’s plan is already done!  The Lord has come, fulfilling all that was written in the Law of Moses and predicted by the prophets.  He has defeated the evil one: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” (Note – that’s past tense)  Death and sin have been conquered and the gates of heaven flung open.  Through the Apostles, led by St. Peter, the authority of the Lord is passed to us.  All we are asked to do is wield that authority in his name.
 
Ok, so it’s not that simple.  Even though the authority was given, not all of us have accepted the fact that we can cast the defeated enemy down.  We are not confident that our spiritual strength is sufficient to overcome the effects of Satan (even though beaten) in the world.  All we need to do is look at the general trend of moral decay around us to see that most of us have accepted the secular status quo. But all is not lost. We can rise to the challenge.  It is within our grasp to do so.
 
We submit that it is like a child (thank you St. Thérèse) who is learning to ride a bike.  As long as they are sure the parent is there beside them holding them steady as they learn to ride, they are fine.  But as soon as they look back and see that mom or dad’s hand is no longer on the bike holding them up, they fall.  We need to be confident; confident that, even though invisible, the Holy Spirit is there holding us up.  We need to recall that the Lord has assigned heavenly messengers to keep us safe, giving us God’s own armor against evil.
 
Today we pray for confidence.  We ask God to give us strength to do his will, and the wisdom of the disciples, who saw and heard what the ancients did not, and recognize Jesus is Lord.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Saint Thérèse of Lisieux” 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: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 152.
[5] Ibid.

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Jerome

 
Biographical Information about St. Jerome
 

“Saint Jerome”
by Guido Reni, 1635

Readings for Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
 
The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said:
 
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place
For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;
But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.
 
Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!
 
Then Job answered the Lord and said:
 
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
 
The exchanges between Job and the “three friends” have concluded.  Now God himself speaks to Job: “He speaks of his wisdom and power, which are altogether beyond the capacity of Job, who therefore should never dare to demand a reason for the divine actions. Out of the storm: frequently the background of the appearances of the Lord in the Old Testament; cf Psalm 18; 50; Nahum 1:3; Hebrews 3.” [4]
 
Other versions of Scripture translate the word as “whirlwind.” “The theophany 'out of the whirlwind' would alone have made this plain; it was a whirlwind that took Elijah up to heaven (2 Kings 2:1,11) and it figures in the eschatological appearances of the Lord (cf. Ezekiel 1:1-3; 15; Zechariah 9:14); even if God had made himself silently present, Job would have had his desire fulfilled: he would have met the Lord. But by responding to Job with words, God is bestowing on him the same sign of favor as he gave to the patriarchs and to Moses, with whom he spoke face to face. In this way the sacred writer shows how very worthy a person Job is.” [5] Job’s response to God (in Job 40:3-5) is his final admission that he is incapable of understanding God’s ways.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
 
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
O Lord, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
--------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
 
Psalm 139 is a hymn of meditation upon God’s presence in our lives. The selection carries the awe that one so great could love one so insignificant. It recognizes that God’s spirit is in all his creation, and, by its existence, knowledge of God's spirit is omnipresent.
 
--------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 10:13-16
 
Jesus said to them,
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.’
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:13-16
 
This selection is a continuation of the instructions being given to the seventy (two) who are being sent out. The Lord instructs them to issue a call to repentance to those who reject the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. The punishment of these unbelieving communities will be severe, as their rejection of the call to holiness is a rejection of Christ himself: “And whoever rejects me [Jesus] rejects the one who sent me."
 
CCC: Lk 10:16 87, 858
-------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
What do the wisdom of Job and the exhortations of the Gospel tell us as we hear them proclaimed?  In the Book of Job, we approach the climax of Job’s story.  God speaks to him asking if he [Job], like the creator, has knowledge of all that is created.  He challenges Job to have faith, to consider all the power and majesty of what the Lord has laid before him.  God points out, not just physical creation, but also that his justice will defeat the wicked in the end, and the faithful shall be vindicated, although this is not comprehensible by human standards (any more than our complete understanding of creation).
 
We jump forward now to Jesus’ instructions to the seventy (two).  Like the wicked in God’s discourse with Job, whose “light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered,” the unbelieving communities to whom these disciples are sent “will go down to the netherworld.”  Like the wicked mentioned in Job’s discourse, those who hear Christ’s Gospel and reject it will not participate in God’s mercy.
 
From a very pragmatic perspective, this makes perfect sense.  Think for a moment about what a believing person receives automatically from their faith in God and Christ.  Immediately they recognize that, while they may not understand all of God’s actions, nor even Christ’s will for them, they are recipients of God’s consolation.  God is with us, Christ supports us, and the Holy Spirit infuses us with strength.  What confidence and peace that gives the believer as the world rages with uncertainty.
 
For those who reject God, and who look to their own strength to secure themselves, they will certainly fall prey to despair.  Walking alone into the lion’s den will bring death; coming with God’s support and strength, even in the face of terrible danger, will bring victory.
 
And for those who do not believe, what are we to do about them?  We are called, as the seventy (two) were called, to love them and reach out to them.  God sent Christ so that all peoples of all nations might know his love for them and receive his invitation to join in his heavenly banquet.  We must never cease inviting them to join us, but not as a demand. Jesus did not demand acceptance but offered an invitation to salvation.  Just as we would offer a seat in a lifeboat to those on a sinking ship, we should call to them. “Follow the Lord, he shows the way.”
 
Even as we take those instructions to heart, we are warned by the Gospel that there will be many who refuse.  Today we pray for them, the ones who hear and reject the priceless offer.  May our continuing invitation persuade them in the end, and may they join us in the glory of God’s love.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “Saint Jerome” by Guido Reni, 1635.
[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] NAB footnote on Job 38:1.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 139-40.

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

Additional information about Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

“The Three Archangels”
by Marco d’ Oggiomo, c. 1490

 
Readings for the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1:
 
First Option: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
 
As I watched:
 
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
his throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened and the books were opened.
 
As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
 
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
 
In this vision from the book of Daniel, we see the symbolic descriptions for God the Father, “the Ancient One,” seated on the Throne of Judgment (symbolized by fire), with all the faithful before him. Then comes “one like a Son of Man"; this reference is a messianic vision. Jesus took that title upon himself in fulfillment of Scripture (in addition to John 1:51, see also Mark 14:62, Luke 22:69 and Matthew 26:64 all of which reference the attendance of heavenly powers).
 
CCC: Dn 7:10 678; Dn 7:13 440; Dn 7:14 664
-------------------------------------------
OR
Second Option: Revelation 12:7-12ab
 
War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.
 
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rev 12:7-12ab
 
This selection from the Book of Revelation is of the same eschatological prophetic genre as that found in Daniel 7:9ff. Here, St. John envisions the battle for heaven, joined by the forces of God led by St. Michael who is victorious.
 
The vision makes clear that those who were thought to be from God but who opposed the “Anointed One,” Christ, were influenced by Satan, and in the devil’s defeat by the blood of the Lamb, God’s victory is assured and the truth will prevail.
 
CCC: Rv 12 1138; Rv 12:9 391, 2852; Rv 12:11 2853
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
 
R. (1) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
 
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
 
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
 
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD
when they hear the words of your mouth;
And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD
“Great is the glory of the LORD
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
 
This song of praise offers thanksgiving for the visible support of God, here attributed to angelic action. The hymn attributes this saving help to an all-merciful God to whom all glory and honor are due.
 
CCC: Ps 138 304; Ps 138:2 214
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Gospel: John 1:47-51
 
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 1:47-51
 
Word of mouth attracts Philip to discipleship, and he in turn invites Nathanael. The symbolism in this passage is noteworthy, especially when Jesus describes Nathanael as “a true Israelite.”
 
There is no duplicity in him: "Jacob was the first to bear the name 'Israel' (Genesis 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Genesis 27:35-36). Jesus tells Nathanael 'Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.'" The fig tree is a symbol of messianic peace (cf. Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10). [4] 
 
So, in essence, Jesus is saying that Nathanael was resting in messianic peace, inferring from that state that he had faithfully followed Mosaic Law, and had a genuine love of God. Jesus goes further than Nathanael’s faith in the final verse, telling him that he, Jesus, is the Anointed One: “you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Archangels. (In addition, my ordination class and I celebrate our 39^th anniversary of ordination.) Just so we are all on the same page, we can listen to the words of Pope St. Gregory the Great who defines what angel means:
 
“You should be aware that the word ‘angel’ denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.” (from a homily by Pope Saint Gregory the Great)
 
The three archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the only ones named in Scripture and each has a distinct role (as can be seen from the links provided above). The fact that these three spirits have had a direct involvement with mankind is the reason we celebrate their feast today. We see in their intervention God’s fingers affecting the course of human events. Deep within each of us, there is also the wish that, at some point in our lives, an angel would speak to us, directly, personally, with clarity. The angel would tell us what God wants from us, or what he wants us to do.
 
It is interesting today that, on this the feast of the archangels, the church gives us the story of Jesus’ encounter with Nathanael, rather than one of the encounters with the archangels. In this Gospel Jesus has identified the young man as someone without duplicity, that is, innocent of worldly demeanor that would portray him as something he was not. The way Nathanael speaks when he says, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel,” makes us wonder how one, not of the twelve, had such an instant and deep understanding of Jesus’ identity. Could it be that this was a messenger from God? None of the commentaries assume this is the case.
 
Still we wonder if this innocent young man, without prompting, identified Jesus, and if he was an angel in human form. If that were true, it would mean that God may send his spirits, as Pope St. Gregory the Great has called them, to us, and we might not recognize them as anything but people. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2.
 
There is nothing theological in this reflection. It is just a hope that God might one day send an angel to us, so that we might understand at last and clearly what he wants from us. Since we have speculated above that God may indeed send his angels to us in human guise, we must be constantly vigilant that one of our daily encounters may turn out to answer our prayer.  It should also serve another purpose since God frequently gives us opportunities to hear his voice through others we meet in our daily lives.
 
Certainly, the more common intervention of the Holy Spirit can be seen, although usually in retrospect and not always clearly. The overriding principle here is we must always be open to that kind of guidance, and be constantly vigilant, knowing that God intervenes in our lives and we must watch for it.
 
Pax
 
In Other Years: Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

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[1] The picture is “The Three Archangels” by Marco d’ Oggiomo, c. 1490.
[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] NAB Footnote on John 1:43-51.

Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Lawrence Ruiz, Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs)

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs
 
Biographical information about St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions
 
(Optional Memorial for Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr)
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Wenceslaus
 
Biographical Information about St. Wenceslaus
 

“The Trials of Job”
by Leonaert Bramer, 1630s

Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Job 9:1-12, 14-16
 
Job answered his friends and said:
 
I know well that it is so;
but how can a man be justified before God?
Should one wish to contend with him,
he could not answer him once in a thousand times.
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
who has withstood him and remained unscathed?
 
He removes the mountains before they know it;
he overturns them in his anger.
He shakes the earth out of its place,
and the pillars beneath it tremble.
He commands the sun, and it rises not;
he seals up the stars.
 
He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads upon the crests of the sea.
He made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;
He does great things past finding out,
marvelous things beyond reckoning.
 
Should he come near me, I see him not;
should he pass by, I am not aware of him;
Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay?
Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
 
How much less shall I give him any answer,
or choose out arguments against him!
Even though I were right, I could not answer him,
but should rather beg for what was due me.
If I appealed to him and he answered my call,
I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 9:1-12, 14-16
 
This reading picks up Job’s second response to his friends (although they are for the most part ignored in his response). He focuses his response not on Bildad (Job 8), but on a comment by Eliphaz, on the justice of man before God: "Can a man be righteous as against God? Can a mortal be blameless against their Maker?” (Job 4:17)
 
Job reflects upon God’s omnipotence and omnipresence; the Lord is almighty and everywhere. God created all things and has power over them. Mankind has no options but to endure God’s judgment, even if that judgment seems unjust (“Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me”). “God’s justice is really his power; he can do what he chooses; none can withstand him; and if he declares a man to be guilty, then it is so.  No appeal can be made, and no other standard of justice can be invoked.  Yet if the man’s conscience is clear, what he suffers is not felt as justice but as divine anger; thus it is with Job.” [4] He concludes in humility that even in his situation he would be surprised if God noticed his plea.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
 
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
Daily I call upon you, O Lord;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work wonders for the dead?
Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
Do they declare your mercy in the grave,
your faithfulness among those who have perished?
Are your wonders made known in the darkness,
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O Lord, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
 
Reminiscent of Job, Psalm 88 is an individual lament. The psalmist cries out at having been afflicted and deserted by his friends. The song implores the Lord to hear the living (feeling the hand of death the singer urgently prays) asking why God has seemingly rejected him.
 
CCC: Ps 88:11-13 633
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Gospel: Luke 9:57-62
 
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey to Jerusalem,
someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus said, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."
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Commentary on Lk 9:57-62
 
This passage from St. Luke’s Gospel gives us three sayings of Jesus about the requirement to place the values of Christian discipleship above all other requirements of life. Proclaiming the Kingdom of God must come before even family obligations.
 
In the first, “Foxes have dens,” Jesus does not deceive anyone – he lives in poverty, dedicated to his mission.
 
The second, “Let the dead bury their dead,” is a play on words: let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead. Jesus' message is the message of life. This saying was never intended to be taken literally as filial piety is deeply ingrained in Jewish life.
 
In the third saying; “No one who…looks to what was left behind,” Jesus demands more than Elisha (see 1 Kings 19:19-21). “Plowing for the Kingdom demands sacrifice.” [5]
 
CCC: Lk 9:58 544
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Reflection:
 
The sheer weight of the day demands that we think about our obedience to God’s will, and to the mission in which we have been called to participate.  It starts with Job, whose remarkable faith allows him to have a relationship with God that is at once submissive, and at the same time familiar.  He speaks, in the ninth chapter of God’s power over all things, and how mankind is powerless to stand against the will of God.  Job’s only answer is to depend upon God’s mercy and accept God’s answer to his prayer.  (We later see the familiarity as Job begs God to just leave him alone.)
 
In front of the backdrop of God’s majesty, his Only Begotten Son comes, apparently trying to dissuade potential followers from accepting the call to follow him.  The Lord makes it very clear that what he asks is difficult.  He himself has no place to call home (recall he has already been rejected by the members of his hometown, and just recently by the Samaritans).  To others he says that the proclamation of the Kingdom of God must be their life’s priority, above family and friends.
 
From a spiritual perspective, this same prioritization comes to us.  If we are to be obedient, following Christ as his faithful, our efforts must always proclaim that message.  Quoting St. Francis of Assisi, we are to “proclaim the Gospel always, and use words when we must.” 
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Trials of Job” by Leonaert Bramer, 1630s.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 31:39, p. 518.
[5] Ibid, 44:97, p. 143.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul
 
Biographical Information about St. Vincent de Paul
 

“St. Vincent de Paul”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
 
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
Job spoke out and said:
 
Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, “The child is a boy!”
 
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
 
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
 
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
 
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Those whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
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Commentary on Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
 
Job, the faithful servant of God, has lost all his possessions. His family has been taken from him, and he has been personally afflicted. In these verses he begins his first soliloquy. Without asking for salvation by God, Job laments his desperate state, by beginning to question why he was even given the first gift of life (see parallels in Jeremiah 20:14-18, 1 Kings 19:4 and Sirach 23:14). The important element of this lament is the question itself: “why,” for what reason? Going further in vs. 20-23, the question is broadened to include all who are born into suffering and harsh servitude. In this early part of the Book of Job, there is bewilderment on Job’s part. Divine justice has not yet been introduced.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
 
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
O Lord, my God, by day I cry out;
at night I clamor in your presence.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my call for help.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
My couch is among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom you remember no longer
and who are cut off from your care.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into the dark abyss.
Upon me your wrath lies heavy,
and with all your billows you overwhelm me.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
 
Reminiscent of Job, Psalm 88 is an individual lament.  The psalmist cries out, having been afflicted and deserted by his friends.  As the singer calls for God to attend his prayer in the first strophe, he considers his descent to death in those that follow.
 
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Gospel: Luke 9:51-56
 
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.
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Commentary on Lk 9:51-56
 
This passage from St. Luke’s Gospel marks the beginning of the Lord’s final journey to Jerusalem. Just as his Galilean ministry began with a rejection by the people of his home town, this passage sees him rejected by the Samaritans. Jesus disregards the suggestion by his disciples to call down heavenly retribution. In doing so he disassociates himself from the image of Elijah (see what could be thought to be a parallel story in 2 Kings 1:10, 12). The final journey begins as it will end, with rejection.
CCC: Lk 9:51 557
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Reflection:
 
Taken as a whole, the readings today are really depressing.  First Job, having lost everything, his possessions, his family, and even his health, asks the rhetorical question: “Why was I even born?”  That same tone is taken up in the lament of Psalm 88, as the singer pleads with God to hear that desperate prayer.  Finally, in the “Good News,” Jesus begins his ominous last journey to Jerusalem, encountering a (not unexpected) rejection by the Samaritans.  What joyous, pragmatic advice can we deduce from these selections?
 
If this day were taken alone, out of context, our faith would indeed suffer a bout of depression.  But even as we reflect upon the hardships of Job, and the rejection of Jesus, we know how things will turn out.  Job has his fortunes and health restored, and Jesus, though he dies, rises to new life.  But how could we rejoice in these final outcomes, if we had not first been plunged into the despair of life’s realities faced by our heroes?
 
These difficult situations and events relating extreme conflict serve as times of consolation for us.  They are in actuality gifts of hope.  Job, whose fall was far worse than any most of us will ever experience, demonstrates a faithfulness that, even faced with complete disaster, was not broken.  His example in the face of dire consequences is one of fidelity, which we are called to emulate.  Jesus’ rejection by the Samaritans likewise teaches us that even the most joyous news can be rejected by those who are blocked from seeing truth by forces about which they are ignorant.
 
Rather than being depressed by these stark events today, we should take hope from them.  We know how their stories end, and how ours, if we remain faithful, will end as well.  Let us rejoice in our misfortunes this day; we are in very good company.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. Vincent de Paul” 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.