Solemnity of All Saints

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 61, 946-962, 1090, 1137-1139, 1370: The Church, a communion of saints
CCC 956, 2683: The intercession of the saints
CCC 828, 867, 1173, 2030, 2683-2684: The saints, examples of holiness
 
Additional Information about the Solemnity of All Saints
 

“Madonna and Child with Saints”
by Andrea Del Castagno, c. 1445.

Readings for the Solemnity of All Saints [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
 
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.
 
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
 
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”
 
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
 
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
 
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
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Commentary on Rv 7:2-4, 9-14
 
St. John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom unfolds in this passage with an image of those who have gone from this life to the next, and now stand before the throne of God. “A seal is a mark of ownership and protection. Here the seal of God is related to the seals of the scroll, giving protection to the believing remnant of Israel, who will pass through the tribulation. This may refer to a grace of spiritual perseverance rather than a guarantee of physical survival. In the broader context of Revelation, there is a contrast between the seal of God stamped on the foreheads of the righteous and the mark of the beast inscribed on the brows of the wicked (Revelation 13:16). The former bears the divine name of God (Revelation 14:1; 22:4) while the latter bears the demonic name of the beast (CCC 1296). […] The entire scene parallels Ezekiel 9:1-7 where the messenger seals the foreheads of the righteous in Israel to protect them from the wrath of God poured out on Jerusalem. The seal was shaped like the Hebrew letter taw, which in ancient script looked like a cross (x or +).” [5]
 
Hebrew numerology provides the number, one hundred and forty-four thousand (from each of the tribes of Israel) representing a huge number (1,000 times 12 times 12), possibly a number of completeness, and follows that with uncounted saints from the Gentiles beginning with the martyrs (those who have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb). “The blood of the Lamb, who has been offered in sacrifice for all, has exercised its universal and most effective redemptive power in every corner of the earth, extending grace and salvation to that 'great multitude'. After undergoing the trials and being purified in the blood of Christ, they - the redeemed - are now safe in the Kingdom of God, whom they praise and bless for ever and ever" (Saint John Paul II, "Homily" 1 November 1981).
 
CCC: Rv 7:2-3 1296; Rv 7:9 775, 1138
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
 
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
 
The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
 
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
 
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
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Commentary on Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
 
Psalm 24 is a processional song. It recalls that God is the great Creator and he calls his people to be faithful. It asks the question: "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?" The psalmist answers, only those who are sinless (completely reconciled to God). They who achieve that beatified state will receive the reward of eternal life from the Savior. It focuses on the character of the one who worthily seeks God, and the one who is worthy to come into God’s kingdom and stand before him. We are answered: “He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.”
 
This is part of an entrance hymn, sung as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple at Jerusalem, followed by the faithful. Once again in this song, we find a reference borrowed by St. John’s Revelation (Revelation 14:5), and an image created in the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:22). Who are the ones allowed full access to God?
 
CCC: Ps 24:6 2582
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Reading 2: 1 John 3:1-3
 
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 3:1-3
 
“The greatest sign of God's love is the gift of his Son (John 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.” [6] “The world” is the biblical term consistently used in reference to the non-Christian populations of that era. In modern terminology it would refer to secular society.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 3 2822; 1 Jn 3:1 1692; 1 Jn 3:2 163, 1023, 1161, 1720, 2519, 2772
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Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a
 
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
 
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:1-12a
 
This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”(Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:13; Sirach 25:8-9) This designation identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God. (This distinction is for the devout poor.) The discourse continues, blessing those who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
 
The litany of praises for those to be blessed by the Lord has an overarching theme. It holds up the spiritual strength of complete dependence on God for life, health, and prosperity. St. Matthew captures the strength in that dependence, and God’s promise of salvation through the words of the Savior.
 
It is noteworthy that the word “blessed” [μακάριοι (makάrios) in Greek and beati in Latin] is translated “happy” in many Old Testament texts.  The idea of happiness or peace as a blessing from God is an important understanding about the intent of this discourse.
 
CCC: Mt 5:1 581; Mt 5:3-12 1716; Mt 5:3 544, 2546; Mt 5-7 2763; Mt 5-6 764; Mt 5:8 1720, 2518; Mt 5:9 2305, 2330; Mt 5:11-12 520
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Reflection:
 
On this the Solemnity of All Saints we celebrate those who have listened to God’s word, heard his call, and faithfully followed him. We differentiate the saints, known and unknown, from those who we remember tomorrow on the Feast of All Souls because we do not know all those whom God has admitted to his heavenly court. Some of those whose lives we celebrate are in the list of saints. The exact number is not easy to find but it is thought to be over 8,000 (saints and blessed according to Saints.SPQN.Com) but a recent article from Catholic Exchange challenges that number. While one might think this is a huge number, consider that this list started two thousand years ago. If there are, as supposed over 8,000, that’s really only about four a year; roughly lottery statistics.
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says the following:
 
By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. "The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history." Indeed, "holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal." (CCC 828) [7]
 
The important fact about this celebration is that we remember all of the men and women who have demonstrated heroic virtue for the cause of the Holy Church. Their examples of faith and fidelity span almost every conceivable circumstance, era, and lifestyle. There is, within the ranks of those at the foot of the throne of God, a saint with whom every person on earth may identify and say – “That one is almost like me.” And that is the idea behind All Saints: to recall the various paths offered by God to the holy men and women who so faithfully served him on earth. We are given this day to reflect on our own lives and what they may yet become in the service of the Lord.
 
There is a reason that St. Matthew’s recollection of the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount is given to us on this feast day. The Lord invites all of us to participate in being called “blessed.” He calls and has called all peoples of all nations and ranks from the loftiest halls of power to the lowliest beggar in the street to follow him and serve his great plan. As Moses gave the Hebrews the Decalogue saying what we must not do, here our Savior gives us his nine commandments on what we should do.
 
Today we think about all those wondrous men and women who have gone before us in faith and provided Holy Mother Church with the great and small saints who have done the Lord’s will throughout the ages. We give them thanks for their examples, praise for their faithfulness, and ask for their prayers that we too might come into that heavenly presence and join them in their hymns of praise.
 
Pax
 
A history of Halloween
 
In other years: Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
 

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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 “Madonna and Child with Saints” by Andrea Del Castagno, c. 1445.
[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] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 501.
[6] NAB footnote on 1 Jn 3:1-3.
[7] English Translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, © 1994 United States Catholic Conference Inc., Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 828.

Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“Alms to the Poor”
by Martin Drolling, c. 1815

 
Readings for Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Philippians 2:1-4
 
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but (also) everyone for those of others.
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Commentary on Phil 2:1-4
 
St. Paul continues his affectionate teaching of the Philippians enjoining them to be in harmony with each other if they wish to make him, their brother and exemplar, happy with them (“complete my joy by being of the same mind”). He tells them to place the good of their brothers and sisters before their own interests, in this way adopting an attitude also of humility which will be exalted in the Kenotic Hymn in the next verses.
 
CCC: Phil 2:1 2842; Phil 2:4 2635
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 131:1bcde, 2, 3
 
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
 
LORD, my heart is not proud;
nor are my eyes haughty.
I do not busy myself with great matters,
with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
 
Rather, I have stilled my soul,
hushed it like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
 
Israel, hope in the LORD,
now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
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Commentary on Ps 131:1bcde, 2, 3
 
Psalm 131 is an individual lament praying for harmony and humility among the members of the community. The singer proclaims trust in the Lord and peace, like children's contented peace, secure in the knowledge of the love and protection of their parents.
 
CCC: Ps 131:2 239; Ps 131:2-3 370
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Gospel: Luke 14:12-14
 
Then he said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
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Commentary on Lk 14:12-14
 
("On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.” 14:1) Following on the teaching about humility (those seeking places of honor at the banquet), Jesus now goes on to speak of service to the poor and to those who could not be expected to pay (or repay) for kindness or service. The purpose of this discourse reflects Jesus’ concern that his disciples should minister to the poor, not just to those who could repay them for their efforts.
 
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Reflection:
 
There is a very subtle difference between pride and expected courtesy on occasions where guests are invited into one’s home.  On the one hand, we feel obligated to serve our guests the foods they will enjoy, in a home as clean and comfortable as we can make it.  On the other hand, there is “one-upmanship”:  The thought that we went to dinner at so-and-so’s house last month and they set an opulent table, so in our turn we must try to outdo them.  Our menu must be more exotic, our home more inviting and bedecked with more signs of secular success.  This attitude is the one Jesus addresses to his disciples in St. Luke’s Gospel.
 
When we think about whom we minister to, do we gravitate toward those who have much to give in return, or do we seek those who have nothing, in order to give them something?  Do we serve others who in turn can serve us (and better), or do we offer our service, knowing as Christ encouraged, that we will not be repaid?
 
St. Paul, addressing the Philippians, clearly has an idealistic view of how the Christian community should operate.  He wishes his disciples to be in complete harmony and unity with one another, sharing the wealth of the community equally, a very communal view of church.  That would mean then that when a new member was brought into such a community, the expectation would be for that person to share what they had, great or small, and to receive an equal share (which might be larger or smaller than what they brought to the community).
 
There was good reason for the Pauline communities to establish a three-year introduction to the communal life (their form of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults [RCIA]).  They needed to make sure the shared faith and attitudes were there.
 
Back to the main message: “We are fools on Christ’s account,” as St. Paul has said elsewhere (1 Corinthians 4:10).  As such, we give without expectation of repayment.  We offer help without expectation of reciprocity.  Our example is Jesus who never turned his back on those in need, and offered the most unworthy people a place at the wedding banquet.  If we are worried that a person might take advantage of us, we have probably not made a deep enough commitment to help that person.
 
Perhaps an explanation is needed for that statement.  If we are asked, say by a person begging on the street, for money so they can buy food, why not, instead of money, take that person to a place where they can be fed?  (This does not mean to throw out common sense!  We must have a prudent and realistic view of potentially dangerous situations.  Act in concert with people you trust, not alone.)  If a person asks for work, offer work if you can and reward that person generously.  Many who, out of pity, give money to such people are contributing to degrading their dignity.
 
The key point Jesus is making in the Gospel is the need for those with more to look after those with less. It is a consistent message of love, love of those with more for those with less, love of those in power for those who are powerless, love by those who are loved for the unloved.  And this will be our prayer for today; that we may use the examples of the saints to love the poor and build up the Body of Christ that is the Church by extending the loving hand of Christ to those we meet.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used today is “Alms to the Poor” by Martin Drolling, c. 1815.
[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.

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]

CCC 293-294, 299, 341, 353: The universe created for God’s glory
CCC 1459, 2412, 2487: Reparation
 

“Zacchaeus”
by William Hole, c. 1880’s

Readings for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Wisdom 11:22-12:2
 
Before the Lord the whole universe is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people's sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O Lord and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!
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Commentary on Wis 11:22-12:2
 
Wisdom (from the second diptych) tells us that God created all that is and has being, and because his creation is loved by him, all things and people are loved (see also Hosea 6:4-6; John 3:1-4:11). Origen used this passage to draw lessons about God's all-embracing love: "Because we are his children, the Lord encourages us to develop the same attitude, and teaches us to do good works for all mankind. For that is why He is called the 'savior of all people, especially of those who believe in him' (1 Timothy 4:10), and his Christ the 'expiation of ours sins, and the sins of the whole world' (1 John 2:2)" (Contra Celsum, 4, 28).”[5]
 
Implicit in that relationship, however, is the need for repentance by those who have sinned. In that repentance is salvation, for God corrects: “rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!”
 
CCC: Wis 11:23 269; Wis 11:24-26 301; Wis 11:24 373
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
 
R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
 
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
 
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
 
Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
 
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The Lord lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
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Commentary on Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
 
This hymn of thanksgiving praises God for his mercy, and reflects the same relationship as that described in Wisdom 11:22-12:2 . God loves his creation and tries to conform all to his image. He punishes those who sin against him and gives support to the downtrodden.
 
CCC: Ps 145:9 295, 342
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Reading II: 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
 
Brothers and sisters:
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
 
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed
either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
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Commentary on 2 Thes 1:11-2:2
 
St. Paul concludes his introduction to his second letter by telling the Thessalonians that his prayer is that all may be worthy of the faith to which they were called. He tells them that their actions would bring glory to God, and Jesus, God's Only Begotten Son. He begins the second chapter warning them not to be taken in by a false letter, purportedly from him (St. Paul), which said the Lord had already returned and the end times were upon them. 
 
Those who try to mislead the people of God by teachings contrary to Christian faith often use methods of the same sort. By twisting the meaning of Sacred Scripture (cf. Matthew 4:6) they not infrequently promote wrong teaching as if it were a revelation from the Holy Spirit. The Second Vatican Council has reminded us how to identify subjective interpretation of that kind: "The task of giving an authentic interpretation, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ" (Dei Verbum, 10).[6]
 
CCC: 2 Thes 1:11 2636
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Gospel: Luke 19:1-10
 
At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over."
And Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."
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Commentary on Lk 19:1-10
 
In this passage, we hear the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector, and Jesus. While still on his final journey to Jerusalem, this encounter takes place in Jericho, on the western edge of Jordan Valley, about 6 miles north of the Dead Sea, northeast of Jerusalem. Jesus chooses Zacchaeus’ home for his resting place (an unpopular choice: “they began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner’”).
 
Jesus uses this occasion to give us a clear idea of why he came. When Zacchaeus tells him what he has done with his material possessions, Jesus proclaims: “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” The Lord's mission is salvation.
 
The story of Zacchaeus is another of the stories unique to the Gospel of St. Luke. The tax collector exemplifies the attitude the faithful should take. He detaches himself easily from his wealth. Zacchaeus' offers go beyond what Mosaic Law calls for (assuming some of his dealings were dishonest: Exodus 21:37; Numbers 5:5-7) to give half of his possessions to the poor, and to make amends four times over for any accounts he has wrongly settled. This action, the Lord tells those present, has earned him salvation.
 
CCC: Lk 19:1-10 2712; Lk 19:8 549, 2412; Lk 19:9 1443
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Reflection:
 
There is an axiom in the first reading from the book of Wisdom that must not be forgotten and bears on all the things that the Church teaches.  In short, the key words are:
 
“For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.”
 
This is especially important as we deal with issues reported in the media and supported by many in popular or secular culture.  As members of the Catholic Church we are considered by many to be non-inclusive and, in some quarters, even bigoted because we refuse to change our stance on the Church’s long-held moral principles.  Our first response to those who challenge our views must be to point first at this principle from the book of Wisdom.  First, it must be understood that we are called to love all that God has created as he loves it.  We are called to love people who differ from us, even our enemies, for they too are God’s creation.  When people call us names because we do not support and cannot accept what we consider to be immoral behavior, we must tell them it is the actions of some we detest, not those who have sinned.
 
We next consider Zacchaeus the tax collector (publican [not Republican-humorous political comment suppressed]).  Zacchaeus was trying to see Jesus, and we find irony here because Jesus, as it turns out, was also seeking him.  Zacchaeus, once his encounter with the Lord had taken its effect, understood what God wanted from him. He understood what Scripture said and required, and he exceeded the demands of the Law in his restitution.
 
We contrast this story with what was going on with St. Paul as he wrote to the Thessalonians in the second reading.  The apostle addresses a very real concern.  A letter was apparently being sent around that St. Paul is supposed to have written. The letter says the end of life on earth is at hand (sound familiar?).  We can imagine what kind of disruption this causes with the Christian community.  We’ve seen what happens when modern-day self-proclaimed prophets do likewise.  Most are viewed as fanatics or kooks, but some (David Koresh of Branch Davidian infamy, Jim Jones with Jonestown) can cause incredible harm.
 
What Paul speaks out about, and what Jesus evokes from Zacchaeus, is what could be called in a cliché kind of way, “God’s Truth.”  The problem Paul faces is that others are claiming this same authority.  They claim to speak with either their own version of truth or have commandeered the apostle’s authority, claiming he has said things about Jesus and his mission that he had not said.
 
We find the warning given to the Thessalonians germane: “not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a ‘spirit,’ or by an oral statement.”  There are many people who are trying to justify their actions using Sacred Scripture, twisting the meaning of it by either taking it out of context or by attempting pseudo-scholarly interpretations that change the meaning.  Here’s just one example:
 
A friend of mine recently became quite upset because his denomination, the Presbyterian Church, was considering ordaining openly homosexual individuals as ministers and pastors.  The arguments put forward for accepting this behavior by his minister, a Ph.D. in theology, cited Scripture (Genesis19:4-11; Judges19:1-30; Leviticus 18:1-30; Leviticus 20:1-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-17; 1 Timothy 1:3-13; Jude 1-25; Romans 1:26-27), and said they really didn’t mean that homosexual behavior was necessarily immoral.  The rationale was that there was no reason to exclude an openly homosexual person simply because the marriage covenant did not extend to same-sex partners. (From a civil contractual standpoint, this has now been changed by Obergefell v. Hodges and the Supreme Court.)  He completely ignored the biblical teaching that identified sodomy (and by implication its female counterpart) as “unnatural [disordered] acts.”
 
There are numerous other examples of attempts to weaken the concept of “Christian morality” in the name of “inclusivity.”  (The same friend tells me that a Protestant church in his rural hometown recently removed the cross from its steeple because they wanted to send the message that they were more inclusive.)
 
While some of the more liberal individuals within the Church might find these arguments compelling, the Church’s teaching authority on this subject and many others is firmly rooted in biblical and traditional moral theology.  This has not been changed, as popular media are contending, by our current Pope, Francis.  While he has placed our moral battles in perspective, prioritizing the need to proclaim the Gospel, he has not changed the consistent teaching on these moral truths.  Our constant battle as Church is to make sure those teachings remain clear and that those who claim to be telling us what the Church believes or teaches are doing so with appropriate authority, not something usurped to promote their own agenda or interpretation of morality.
 
Zacchaeus found the truth in Christ.  Jesus in turn passed the keys of truth to St. Peter, and he to his successors.  Today we cling to that authoritative teaching body as a source and wellspring of truth as we strive to do God’s will.
 
Pax
 

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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 used today is “Zacchaeus” by William Hole, c. 1880’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] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp.534-35.
[6] Ibid 1 Thessalonians 2ff.

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial of 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. Note: Suggested for this date # 24. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom
 

“Christ before the High Priest”
by Gerrit van Honthorst, c. 1617

Readings for Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Philippians 1:18b-26
 
Brothers and sisters:
As long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,
Christ is being proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Indeed I shall continue to rejoice,
for I know that this will result in deliverance for me
through your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
My eager expectation and hope
is that I shall not be put to shame in any way,
but that with all boldness, now as always,
Christ will be magnified in my body,
whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.
And this I know with confidence,
that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you
for your progress and joy in the faith,
so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me
when I come to you again.
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Commentary on Phil 1:18b-26
 
St. Paul writes from imprisonment, and begins this passage rejoicing that the Gospel of Christ is being proclaimed, even though it is others who are doing so. He goes on to express a feeling of his mortality which he couples with a sense of longing to be with Christ in his heavenly kingdom. Still, the apostle feels called to remain on earth to continue the work the Lord intended for him. We hear this same interior debate in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 as he refers to our “earthly dwelling.”
 
“Paul earnestly debates his prospects of martyrdom or continued missionary labor. While he may long to depart this life and thus be with Christ, his overall and final expectation is that he will be delivered from this imprisonment and continue in the service of the Philippians and of others. In either case, Christ is central; if to live means Christ for Paul, death means to be united with Christ in a deeper sense.” [5]
 
CCC: Phil 1:21 1010, 1698; Phil 1:23 1005, 1011, 1021, 1025; Phil 1:27 1692
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 42:2, 3, 5cdef
 
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.
 
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.
 
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.
 
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God.
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.
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Commentary on Ps 42:2, 3, 5cdef
 
Psalm 42 (paired with Psalm 43) is an individual lament.  Sung near the origin of the Jordan River at Mt. Hermon, the singer laments not being in God’s presence in the temple of Jerusalem.  The great pain expressed flows from being separated from the holy spaces of the house of God.
 
CCC: Ps 42:3 2112
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Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-11
 
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 14:1, 7-11
 
This parable, found only in the Gospel of St. Luke, gives us Jesus teaching the need for humility. The Lord’s indirect criticism of those who seek the attention of the rich, and ignore the poor, sets the stage for the next passage and the parable of the great banquet. Jesus is giving some wisdom of his own. He first speaks of the charism of humility using the example of a feast (just like the one to which he was invited), saying that one should assume the lowly station and be invited up, rather than assuming the higher station and being dismissed.
 
CCC: Lk 14:1 575, 588
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Reflection:
 
The Gospel parable from St. Luke requires that we examine humility, our own virtue, with regards to pride and our desire to assimilate into the secular culture. True humility can only come if a person has faith in God! It will flow from the knowledge that God is omniscient, and always present in his triune nature, creator of all that is. How can personal pride stand when we know that not only did God create us, and give us life in the flesh, but also gave up his only Son so that we could enjoy eternal life? Can a person who recognizes that they owe everything that they have and are to God be prideful, self-indulged, or self-absorbed?
 
Going even further, once we understand that the Savior of mankind walks with us daily, that, through the Holy Spirit, he is with us constantly, how can we take pride in our own actions that serve God’s purpose? It is his strength and wisdom poured out for us that allows us to do what we do. And even further still, if we also know that God not only created and gave us life, but also created and gave life to all living creatures, how could we disrespect the dignity of another person or casually destroy God’s creation?
 
True and virtuous humility comes from faith in God. That same faith demands that we also respect ourselves, the very personal gift God gave us. How can we think that we are anything but beautiful in the eyes of God? We are his favorite creation, and he loves us more than anyone can imagine. Who are we to think poorly of ourselves? In humility we must prize what we are as God created us.
 
As the Lord tells the Pharisees in the Gospel: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” In all humility we must respect others, not because they demand respect, but because they too are loved by God. It is the great paradox of faith that, in humility, we are glorified. Today we pray that our faith in the Father, his Only Son, and the Holy Spirit, inspire us with awe and wonder, imparting to us true humility and grace.
 
Pax
 

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5.
[2] The picture is “Christ before the High Priest” by Gerrit van Honthorst, c. 1617.
[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 Philippians 1:19-25.