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“Last Judgment”
by Raphael Coxcie, c.1570 |
Readings for Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1 2 Corinthians 3:15—4:1, 3-6
Brothers and sisters:
To this day, whenever Moses is read,
a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel,
but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.
All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us,
we are not discouraged.
And even though our Gospel is veiled,
it is veiled for those who are perishing,
in whose case the god of this age
has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
so that they may not see the light of the Gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.
For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness,
has shone in our hearts to bring to light
the knowledge of the glory of God
on the face of Jesus Christ.
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Commentary on 2 Cor 3:15—4:1, 3-6
St. Paul continues his apologia to the Christian converts in Corinth who were either being attacked by the unconverted Jewish population or who were still struggling with the Christian doctrine. Here he makes reference to the veil placed between the Torah and the people. The book is just words, but the Holy Spirit of God transforms the words into actions which bring glory to God. Those who cannot understand or come to faith in the Gospel reject it because they have chosen to do so and that path leads to death (of the soul).
CCC: 2 Cor 3:14-16 1094; 2 Cor 3:17 693, 1741; 2 Cor 4:4 1701; 2 Cor 4:6 298, 2583
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Responsorial Psalm Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the Lord–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The Lord himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
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Commentary on Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
Psalm 85 is a communal lament that focuses on the woes of the nation. These strophes reflect the joy of salvation at the restoration of the land following the destruction of the temple and the Diaspora. Those faithful to God see the reward: a land restored, justice returned, and the salvation of God. When used in the context of the Advent season, the theme of preparation for a time of peace is announced. It is a clear tie to the herald of the Messiah, echoing Isaiah’s oracle (Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11).
CCC: Ps 85:11 214; Ps 85:12 2795
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Gospel Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:20-26
This passage is the first of six examples in St. Matthew’s Gospel of conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. The first three, including this one, take a commandment of Mosaic law and deepen the meaning. Here the Lord takes the commandment “You shall not kill” (quoted from Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17), to a new level. He traces the logic from thought, to vulgar or abusive words, to violent action. In this translation, the Greek word "Raqa" is used to indicate deep insult. Where the Jewish law forbids the action, Christian law forbids the antecedents as well. The passage continues with the remedy for this action, and a foundation for the sacrament of reconciliation. He instructs us to be reconciled with a person with whom we have bad feelings, before coming to the altar. The consequences of failing to do so, he warns, are judgment and punishment.
CCC: Mt 5:20 2054; Mt 5:21-22 2054, 2257; Mt 5:21 2262, 2302; Mt 5:22-39 2262; Mt 5:22 678, 1034, 2302; Mt 5:23-24 2608, 2792, 2841, 2845; Mt 5:24 1424
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Reflection:
It has been a couple of months since the great celebration of Easter and therefore even longer since the intense introspection of the Lenten season. Today we are reminded that it is not just our actions that identify us to others but our attitudes as well.
We suppose that, unless we were perfect as Christ is perfect, there will always be an upwelling of anger as the events of our lives unfold. When we become aware of how and how often these feelings are provoked, we come to appreciate how serene the Kingdom of Heaven must be. But what do we do about the here and now?
Even though we do our very best to remain outwardly calm in the face of provocative acts there will be times when our actions betray us; when we speak words in anger, directed at either another person or even a thing. It is at these times we must take ourselves firmly in hand and make sure we do not go any further. We must immediately run back to the Father for forgiveness. That does not mean we have to get to confession that day. But it does mean that our prayer must include a request for forgiveness.
The real damage to us comes when we do not recognize that this attitude of anger is not going away. Anger of this sort, frequently a result of deep hurt caused by someone close to us, can fester like a cancer; it destroys the peace of Christ which should be something we bask in. It colors our actions and attitudes. It is this anger, especially, we need to reconcile and expose in the sacrament of reconciliation. It is also frequently something we might be embarrassed to bring forward. We must remember that our Lord sees our deepest secrets and hurts. We take it to the confessional so that we can be reassured of God’s love and feel the peace that comes from that healing sacrament.
Is it time for a deep dive into a perfect act of contrition? Let us make sure, today, that we do not foster the anger that keeps us from Christ and enter confidently into his loving embrace.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Last Judgment” by Raphael Coxcie, c.1570.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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