(Optional Memorial for Saint John Paul II, Pope)
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| “The Redeemer” by Master of the Osservanza, c. 1450 |
Grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Therefore, it says:
He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;
he gave gifts to men.
What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended
into the lower regions of the earth?
The one who descended is also the one who ascended
far above all the heavens,
that he might fill all things.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,
so that we may no longer be infants,
tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching
arising from human trickery,
from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.
Rather, living the truth in love,
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
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Commentary on Eph 4:7-16
St. Paul continues his discourse, enumerating the leadership gifts given to “building up the Body of Christ,” bringing the fledgling Church to maturity. In maturity, the apostle tells the Ephesians, they will resist those who teach falsely and become more unified in the love they share.
CCC: Eph 4:7 913; Eph 4:8-10 661; Eph 4:9-10 611, 2795; Eph 4:9 633, 635; Eph 4:10 668; Eph 4:11-16 794; Eph 4:11-13 669; Eph 4:11 1575; Eph 4:13 674, 695, 2045; Eph 4:16 798
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
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Commentary on Lk 13:1-9
The incidents recorded at the beginning of this reading (likely the accidental death of those on whom the tower fell) are found only in St. Luke’s Gospel. Based upon historical works of the time, the actions of Pilate were in keeping with his character. Jesus uses the event to call his audience to repentance.
“Following on the call to repentance, the parable of the barren fig tree presents a story about the continuing patience of God with those who have not yet given evidence of their repentance (see Luke 3:8). The parable may also be alluding to the delay of the end time, when punishment will be meted out, and the importance of preparing for the end of the age because the delay will not be permanent.”[5]
Reflection:
The Gospel goes on to talk about eighteen people who were killed in Jerusalem when one of the towers that guarded the aqueduct that fed the pool of Siloam collapsed on them. Scholars believe this may have been an act of zealot sabotage.
In both these cases, the Lord does not condemn the person, in the case of Pilate, or persons in the second instance. Rather, he points to the need for repentance, implying what he later said plainly: we do not know the hour or day when we will be called home to the Father.
In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus gives us the parable of the fig tree. He tells the story of a landowner who was waiting for one of his trees to bear fruit and, after three years, when it did not, the owner told his gardener to cut it down. Since all it was doing was depleting the soil of his garden it was of no value. The gardener asked for patience and offered to ”cultivate the ground around it and fertilize It,” if the landowner would be patient a while longer.
This story is very good news for us. It tells us that the Lord, while he expects us to bear fruit through our prayers, words, and actions, is willing to be patient. The urgency of that call to repentance is amplified by the parable. Jesus comes as the gardener to nourish us and intercede for us so that we might bear fruit, but we must turn away from sin to do so.
The story also tells us we have free will. We can choose salvation through repentance. Even though we may have fallen far from Christ, the great gardener continues to till soil, that we may bear fruit.
[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] The picture used today is “The Redeemer” by Master of the Osservanza, c. 1450.
[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 Luke 13:6-9.
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