Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori
 
Biographical information about St. Alphonsus Liguori

“St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
 
The tent, which was called the meeting tent,
Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp.
Anyone who wished to consult the LORD
would go to this meeting tent outside the camp.
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise
and stand at the entrance of their own tents,
watching Moses until he entered the tent.
As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down
and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.
On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would rise and worship
at the entrance of their own tents.
The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face,
as one man speaks to another.
Moses would then return to the camp,
but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun,
would not move out of the tent.
 
Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;
yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,
but punishing children and grandchildren
to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O LORD,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people;
yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”
 
So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights,
without eating any food or drinking any water,
and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant,
the ten commandments.
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Commentary on Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
 
The excerpts from the Book of Exodus paint a picture of Moses' relationship with God. It is clear from this and previous readings about Moses that he had a unique relationship with the Lord, and was able, as he did in this passage, to intercede on behalf of the people. The construction of the meeting tent described in this passage is taken up in later Scripture. The Ten Commandments are restored to the people following their destruction in Exodus 32:19 as Moses fasts. We note the duration of his fast is of the same duration as Christ’s fast in the desert following his baptism by John.
 
CCC: Ex 33:9-10 697; Ex 33:11 2576; Ex 34:9 210; Ex 34:28 2056
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
 
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
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Commentary on Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
 
Psalm 103 echoes in gratitude the gift of Mosaic Law from Exodus, and the relationship of Moses to God the Father. Though we are unworthy, God shows us love and compassion.
 
CCC: Ps 103 304
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Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43
 
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
 
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
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Commentary on Mt 13:36-43
 
Jesus dismisses the crowd which, in this instance, represents the unbelieving of Israel. The remainder of this passage is directed at instruction of the disciples. The Lord’s explanation of the parable of the weeds clearly shows the intent of the story. The judgment of the wicked by God through his angels will take place in the eschaton (the end times – the end of the age). The righteous will be vindicated (shine like the sun). The final statement, “Whoever has ears ought to hear,” is both a warning and a statement of the need for patience by the faithful.
 
CCC: Mt 13:41-42 1034; Mt 13:41 333; Mt 13:42 1034
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Reflection:
 
So often we forget that there is a dynamic struggle taking place in the world between God and his nemesis, the Evil One, as the Gospel names him.  We mistakenly think that evil is passive in the world and while we should avoid it, it does not seek us out.
 
Jesus makes it clear that the struggle is ongoing and that the children of God are at risk, not just of sinning of their own accord, but of being seduced by the Evil One and falling into eternal fire.  The warning is apt.  The evil of the world has trapped so many right-intentioned people.  We see the devil portrayed in Scripture as a fallen angel.  If, therefore, we consider how an angel might appear to us, we must also consider that should the fallen one present himself to us, how are we to know that it is not one of God’s messengers who persuades us to take a course of action?
 
In the desert, when Christ was tempted by the same Evil One, the devil, we recall, even quoted Scripture to the Lord to try to seduce him away from his salvific mission.  He offered food to a hungry man and water to one who thirsted.  He offered all the kingdoms of the earth, essentially the fulfillment of Christ’s mission, to Jesus who came to save all people for the Heavenly Father.  All this he offered if our Lord would but bow to him, the fallen angel.  How tempting that must have been to the Lord as he looked past his trial in the desert and saw at the end of his earthly mission the cross of his passion standing starkly at Golgotha.
 
The Lord’s warning to the disciples and hence to us is indeed apt.  We, who strive to keep Christ’s mission of love visible in the world, are challenged constantly not by some benign evil that sits like a pit for us to avoid; but by a malignant evil, active and insatiable that seeks to ambush us, choke us as weeds, as we attempt to do God’s will.  Our attitude must be one of constant vigilance and prayer.  It is only by keeping this vigil and remaining in a state of constant discernment that we can see evil for what it is and avoid the terrible harvest at the end of time. “Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori” 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.

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola 
 
Biographical information about St. Ignatius of Loyola

“Ignatius of Loyola”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34
 
Moses turned and came down the mountain
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
tablets that were written on both sides, front and back;
tablets that were made by God,
having inscriptions on them that were engraved by God himself.
Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting,
he said to Moses, “That sounds like a battle in the camp.”
But Moses answered, “It does not sound like cries of victory,
nor does it sound like cries of defeat;
the sounds that I hear are cries of revelry.”
As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing.
With that, Moses’ wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets down
and broke them on the base of the mountain.
Taking the calf they had made, he fused it in the fire
and then ground it down to powder,
which he scattered on the water and made the children of Israel drink.
 
Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people ever do to you
that you should lead them into so grave a sin?”
Aaron replied, “Let not my lord be angry.
You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.
They said to me, 'Make us a god to be our leader;
as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,
we do not know what has happened to him.’
So I told them, 'Let anyone who has gold jewelry take it off.’
They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
 
On the next day Moses said to the people,
“You have committed a grave sin.
I will go up to the LORD, then;
perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin.”
So Moses went back to the LORD and said,
“Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin
in making a god of gold for themselves!
If you would only forgive their sin!
If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written.”
The LORD answered, “Him only who has sinned against me
will I strike out of my book.
Now, go and lead the people to the place I have told you.
My angel will go before you.
When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 32:15-24, 30-34
 
In this passage from Exodus, Moses has gone up Mt. Sinai and has been absent from the people for some time.  In their ignorance, the people are afraid that they have no leadership in the wilderness and ask Aaron to make for them an image of God. (Most scholars agree that the calf was intended to be an image of God rather than a false god.  Graven images of God were forbidden.) Moses smashing the tablets upon which the law had been engraved by the hand of God was a symbol that the covenant between the people and God had been broken through their sinful actions.
 
Moses' actions in destroying the idol and then having it ground to powder, put in water and drunk by the people creates an ordeal by which the innocent would be spared and the guilty would be punished (see also Numbers 5:11-28). Note also the weak argument Aaron provides.  In Exodus 32:4 he fashions the idol from gold, here he states he simply melted down the gold and the calf miraculously appeared.
 
God’s response to Moses' intercession is that those who committed the sin would be punished on the Day of Judgment. Moses offers his own life as an atonement saying: “If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written.” This statement presupposes God has a list of names, a book of life (see also Psalm 69:29) from which a name may be struck and that person shall die.
 
CCC: Ex 32 210; Ex 32:1-34:9 2577
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
 
R. (1a) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
Our fathers made a calf in Horeb
and adored a molten image;
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bullock.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
Then he spoke of exterminating them,
 but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
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Commentary on Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
 
Psalm 106 is a national lament remembering the events from Exodus 32:7-14, where the Jews brought out of Egypt by Moses fell into idol worship, even as he received the law on Mt. Horeb. The psalmist reminds the people that Moses interceded and turned away God’s wrath.
 
CCC: Ps 106:23 2577
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Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35
 
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”
 
He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
 
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
 
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
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Commentary on:  Mt 13:31-35
The Lord continues his descriptions of the kingdom of heaven using two parables. The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast have the same point. What appears to be small grows to miraculous size. What has been insignificant is vastly important; what cannot be seen is unknowingly immense. The parables of the mustard seed and yeast (see also Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-21) emphasize that from the smallest of beginnings with the proclamation of the word, the kingdom of God expands to encompass all peoples.
 
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Reflection:
 
We see the events that took place in the Exodus couched in the language of the Hebrew author who recorded them after they had been passed down orally from generation to generation for two thousand years. We marvel at the truth contained in God’s interaction with humankind.  The children of Israel had been led out of Egypt with great hopes and expectations by Moses (accompanied by Aaron).  They had come to Horeb at the base of Mount Sinai footsore and hungry from their journey.  Things were not turning out as they had expected. They had anticipated a quick and easy journey to a land that flowed with milk and honey.  Instead, they find a harsh desert, hardship, and in this passage, Moses disappears up the mountain and is gone for a good deal of time.
 
In easier situations in the modern times, people would act the same way.  Deprived of leadership, a new leader would be selected or self-proposed.  Deprived of God, a new god would be selected as the object of adoration.  We see it time and again, those searching for God and failing to find him. In spite of all attempts to show them the kingdom of God, the face of Jesus, they pick the golden calf instead.  The calf may be represented by material wealth, or perhaps a passionate pursuit of a hedonistic lifestyle, completely self-engrossed.  Failing to find God or dissatisfied by what God stands for, they invent a personal god that ultimately is unsatisfying, hollow, and in the end denies them the love, comfort, and peace they are seeking.
 
We might ask how and why supposedly bright people can be seduced by the golden calf.  It does not take long thought to understand that those who give free reign to their desires for only their own pleasure can easily see and reject God, who tells us that only when all are comforted can we find comfort, only when no one is thirsty can our thirst be satisfied.  The golden calf represents the selfish and shallow side of human nature.  The standard-bearer is Satan, and its golden invitation is to eternal damnation.
 
It is always good to recall that ancient time when the Hebrew people, our predecessors in faith, fell prey to their basest impulses and turned to a false god.  We are reminded of the frailty of our own wills and cautioned to be on guard lest we begin to build our own version of the golden calf.  Our standard is the Cross.  We have the Lamb of God who calls us to holiness.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Ignatius of Loyola” 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.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]

 
CCC 407: Cannot ignore wound of sin in discerning human situation
CCC 1777-1785: Moral decision making in rapport with God’s will
CCC 1786-1789: Seeking will of God in divine law in difficult circumstances
CCC 1038-1041: Separation of good and evil at Judgment
CCC 1037: God predestines no one to hell

“Hell” (detail)
by Hieronymus Bosch, 1500-04

Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time  [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12
 
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“O Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
 
The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
“Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
 
King Solomon is in the process of uniting the kingdom of Israel’s worship with the construction of the temple. It is still unfinished when this dream occurs. Solomon has just offered a huge holocaust (“a thousand holocausts”) and in response God offers to grant him a request. Because Solomon, in humility, asks for “understanding” rather than a selfish boon, God grants him wisdom, a wise and understanding heart.
 
"Solomon’s request is an anticipation of the proper order which, according to Christ’s teaching, should be present in prayer of petition: 'The one Master and Lord teaches us how and in what order we ought to pray to God for the things we want; since we indicate and express our desires and petitions in prayer, then we pray properly and well when the order of our petitions matches the right order of desires. True charity teaches us that we ought to dedicate ourselves and all our desires to God; God, the supreme Good, deserves the highest form of love. And God cannot be loved from the heart, exclusively, if his honor and glory are not valued above all other things and creatures; all good things, those we have and those we do not possess, all things that are called good, must be subordinated to the supreme Good from whom they derive their goodness' ('Roman Catechism', 4, 10, 1)." [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
 
R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.
 
I have said, O Lord, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
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Commentary on Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
 
Psalm 119, the longest of the psalms, is a hymn in praise of the law. It is not legalism, but rather a love of doing what is right in the sight of God. In these strophes, the psalmist proclaims his faithfulness to the law in the face of his adversaries and waits for final salvation.
 
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Reading II: Romans 8:28-30
 
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
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Commentary on Rom 8:28-30
 
St. Paul outlines the call to a life in Christ. He reflects that God so loves his children. He called some individuals to participate in his redemptive plan at a deeper level. Because Christ existed eternally, those called to him were carefully chosen, or elected from the beginning of time, to be called to salvation. These “elect,” because of their unwavering service to God, will also be glorified. The Church recognizes this call to holiness.  It also recognizes that, while all are called, those who accept this call must do it from the heart (on-going conversion) in order to be justified and glorified. 
 
Created with free will, many will choose an easier path.  This passage is among several that are central to the Calvinist idea of predestination. (Note: This reading used on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary clearly points to her glorious vocation and the honored place she has in heaven and on earth.)
 
CCC: Rom 8:26-39 2739; Rom 8:28-30 1821, 2012; Rom 8:28 313, 395; Rom 8:29 257, 381, 501, 1161, 1272, 2790
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Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
 
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
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Commentary on Mt 13:44-52
 
“The three brief parables that conclude this series of seven are linked together with the particle ‘again’ at 13:45 and 47. All three have to do with discrimination – the ability to recognize quality when one encounters it.”[6]
 
The Parable of the Buried Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl have the same point. One who understands the Kingdom of Heaven and sees its worth, places obtaining the promise of the kingdom before all else. It is the primacy of Christ’s teaching that guides the disciple in all things. The third parable in this group speaks of the eschaton, or end times. Those who have remained faithful in their pursuit of the Kingdom of God will be saved. Those who have chosen evil over good will suffer eternal death.
 
The question Jesus poses to his disciples following the parables requires an understanding of the structure of the Christian community at the time of Matthew. That is well described in the following: “The church of Matthew has leaders among whom are a group designated as "scribes" (Matthew 23:34). Like the scribes of Israel, they are teachers. It is the Twelve and these their later counterparts to whom this verse applies. The scribe […] instructed in the kingdom of heaven knows both the teaching of Jesus (the new) and the Law and Prophets (the old) and provides in his own teaching both the new and the old as interpreted and fulfilled by the new. On the translation head of a household (for the same Greek word translated householder in Matthew 13:27), see the note on Matthew 24:45-51.”[7]
 
CCC: Mt 13:44-45 546; Mt 13:50 1034; Mt 13:52 1117
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Or
Shorter Form: Matthew 13:44-46
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
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Commentary on Mt 13:44-46
 
The shorter form provides only the Parable of Buried Treasure and the Parable of the Pearls.  It does not offer the Lord's explanation (v. 51-52) nor the consequences of failure in this key understanding.
 
“Anyone who understands the Kingdom which Christ proposes realizes that it is worth staking everything to obtain it […]. The Kingdom of heaven is difficult to win.  No one can be sure of achieving it, but the humble cry of the repentant man can open wide its doors” (St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 180).[8]
 
CCC: Mt 13:44-45 546
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Reflection:
 
Oh, that we all could have been granted the boon given to Solomon.  We would always be able to discern the proper action. We would always make the right choices, and we would always be in accord with God’s plan for us.  But that is not the case.  Even though we may pray for it constantly, God does not wish to take away the freedom he gave us to choose our own course.
 
The parables we are given in St. Matthew’s Gospel show us what we should do.  The person who finds a buried treasure should do everything in their power to possess it.  The same is true with the analogy of the pearl.  If we follow the parables, that is, state their meaning in clear language, God’s desired response to them becomes clear. 
 
Let us look at buried treasure.  First, we understand that the treasure (and the pearl) are metaphors for our understanding of what it takes to reach God’s Kingdom (both on earth and in the eternal sense).  God’s Kingdom on earth is achieved through a harmony with the whole of God’s creation.  That harmony is possible only if we put on Christ.  His love for all people gave him such peace that God’s expressed hope for his children from the beginning of time was revealed through him.  The way for us to achieve God’s Kingdom on earth, therefore, is to emulate the mind and heart of Christ as best we can.  Now that we know where the treasure of God’s Kingdom can be found, as the parable says, attaining that stated goal becomes the point, the goal of all we do.  The parable says, “out of joy (he) goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”  We understand the object of the parable.
 
The same basic meaning is true for the Parable of the Pearl.  The pearl, like the treasure, drives all of our actions on this earth toward our goal of attaining the Kingdom of Heaven.  We do this because striving to achieve it on earth places us on a path to achieve eternal peace in heaven.
 
We pledge ourselves once more then to do all we can to emulate Christ who places us on the path to the insurmountable joy embodied in the love of God.  Through the one who is love we find the peace and contentment possible only by sacrificing hedonistic pursuits for those which build the spirit and build treasure in heaven.  We once again wish Solomon’s gift might be ours in some small measure.
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: Optional Memorial for Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “Hell” (detail) by Hieronymus Bosch, 1500-04.
[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: “Joshua-Kings,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 425-26.
[6] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume II, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 2003 p. 192.
[7] NAB footnote on Matthew 13:52.
[8] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 136.

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Proper readings for the Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany

“Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany”
iconifer and date are unknown

 
Readings for Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Note: The Gospel for this Memorial is taken from the Proper Readings.
 
Reading 1: Exodus 24:3-8
 
When Moses came to the people
and related all the words and ordinances of the Lord,
they all answered with one voice,
“We will do everything that the Lord has told us.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israel
to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the Lord,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,
who answered, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.”
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,
“This is the blood of the covenant
that the Lord has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his.”
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Commentary on Ex 24:3-8
 
Following the presentation of the precepts of the law, Moses gets consensus from all of the people whom God has brought out of bondage, the children of Israel (Jacob), that they will follow the law handed down to them. Moses erects pillars, one for each tribe, and makes a sacrifice to seal the covenant. He then sprinkles the people with the blood of the (old) covenant sacrifice. "References to this solemn ratification of the covenant with blood is also found in Zechariah 9:11 and Hebrews 9:18-20. Likewise was the New Covenant to be ratified in blood, i.e. Christ's blood (cf. Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25)" [4]
 
CCC: Ex 24 2060; Ex 24:7 2060; Ex 24:8 613
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
 
R. (14a) Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
 
God the Lord has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
 
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
 
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”
R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
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Commentary on Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15
 
Psalm 50 recalls the sealing of the covenant with sacrifice. It gives praise to God remembering his promise to the faithful that he would be with them as long as they kept the precepts of the law – their part of the covenant of Moses. “Gather my faithful ones before me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” This verse from the second strophe of Psalm 50 reminds us that God supports those faithful to him in their distress.
 
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GOSPEL
 
First Option
John 11:19-27
 
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you." Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world."
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Commentary on Jn 11:19-27
 
Within the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, we see the very human emotions of Jesus. They range from confidence in his relationship with the Father at the end of the story, to the all-too-human grief and fear, as he expresses his concern at what this revelatory event has cost his close friends, Martha and Mary, as they see their brother die. The encounter describes how Martha’s fear and remorse change to faith as she makes her profession of faith (“I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”). This exchange of fear for faith, seen in the witnesses, is the same conversion the Gospel attempts to initiate in the Christian faithful in response to these events.
 
CCC: Jn 11 994; Jn 11:24 993, 1001; Jn 11:25 994; Jn 11:27 439
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OR
 
Second Option
Luke 10:38-42
 
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
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Commentary on Luke 10:38-42
 
In this encounter with Martha and Mary in St. Luke’s Gospel, we see two distinct messages. First, we see the importance of the role of women and Jesus’ attitude toward them. Second, we see the importance of listening to the word of God: "Mary has chosen the better part."
 
The selection emphasizes the importance of listening to the teachings of the Lord. While in some early texts the Lord tells Martha there is “need for only a few things,” or of one, the message is clear: Mary, in assuming the role of disciple (listening at the master’s feet) has chosen the correct or better role. Martha, concerning herself with the requirements of hospitality (old law) has chosen the lesser.
 
“Mystically (St. Gregory the Great, Moralia 2, 6): the two women signify two dimensions of the spiritual life. Martha signifies the active life as she busily labors to honor Christ through her work. Mary exemplifies the contemplative life as she sits attentively to listen and learn from Christ. While both activities are essential to Christian living, the latter is greater than the former. For in heaven the active life terminates, while the contemplative life reaches its perfection.” [5]
 
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Reflection:
 
St. Martha’s role in the life of Christ resonates with those who have chosen to take an active role in service to the Church. Whether that role is in the form of lay or ordained ministry, active participation means we have chosen to assist with the labor involved in ministering to God’s people. When we choose that role, we frequently (especially over time) take ownership of the tasks, and when disruptive forces come along, or when it seems we have taken on more than our share, we assume the Martha persona we see in the Gospels.
 
To place this tendency in the form of analogy, Martha’s sister Mary represents the congregation we serve. They sit at the Lord’s feet, without all the turmoil and distraction of the tasks necessary to serve the guests in which Martha (representing those of us who serve) is involved. There are times when we long for that peaceful place at the Master’s feet. There are times when we would like to go to them and say: “Would you mind helping? There is much work to do here.”
 
It is at these times we must remember that other role that Martha had in the life of Christ. When Mary and the other mourners were sitting with their brother Lazarus who had died, it was Martha who met the Lord (she met the Lord!) and spoke with him. Not only that, but after she chastised him (completely out of place to complain to the Lord, right? We would never do that), it was Martha who was honored to make the great profession of faith. What an exalted role she played in Christ’s life.
 
The life and ministry of St. Martha should be a constant reminder to all of us who work for Christ in our time on earth. There will be times when we too become tired and frustrated; when we pray for a little help in doing what we have set our hearts to do for God. Like St. Martha, we are very human and prone to these outbursts. Let us pray that when our work is done, and we at last are face to face with the Lord, we too may be allowed to proclaim to the heavens and earth “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God the one who is coming into the world.” With Sts. Mary and Lazarus, this family reminds us that each member of a family of faith brings a different dimension of understanding to the way the Lord calls us.  Martha serves at table, Mary prays at the feet of the Lord, and Lazarus represents the deep love the Lord has for each of us.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is: “Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany” iconifer and date are unknown.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio 400/607
[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, 3:68, p 61.
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p.129.