Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr)

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Apollinaris 
 
Biographical information about St. Apollinaris

“Christ the Consoler”
by Ary Scheffer, 1837

 
Readings for Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 3:13-20
 
Moses, hearing the voice of the Lord from the burning bush, said to him,
“When I go to the children of Israel and say to them,
‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:
I AM sent me to you.”
 
God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel:
The Lord, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob,
has sent me to you.
 
“This is my name forever;
this my title for all generations.
 
“Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them:
The Lord, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
has appeared to me and said:
I am concerned about you
and about the way you are being treated in Egypt;
so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt
into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,
a land flowing with milk and honey.
 
“Thus they will heed your message.
Then you and the elders of Israel
shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him:
“The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word.
Permit us, then, to go a three-days’ journey in the desert,
that we may offer sacrifice to the Lord, our God.
 
“Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go
unless he is forced.
I will stretch out my hand, therefore,
and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there.
After that he will send you away.”
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Commentary on Ex 3:13-20
 
This passage continues Moses' interview with God at the burning bush on Mount Horeb. Moses first tries to get God to give a name that he can use to tell the leaders of the people of Israel who it is that sent him. God’s response is a non-response: “I am who am.” Existing without a proper name, God is beyond control of mankind.
 
He continues his instruction telling Moses that the king of Egypt (pharaoh) will not simply allow the people of Israel to leave. He prophetically promises to smite Egypt and in response the people will be sent away.
 
CCC: Ex 3:13-15 205; Ex 3:14 446, 2666, 2810
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:1 and 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27
 
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He greatly increased his people
and made them stronger than their foes,
Whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people,
and dealt deceitfully with his servants.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He sent Moses his servant;
Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They wrought his signs among them,
and wonders in the land of Ham.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 105:1 and 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27
 
Psalm 105 is a hymn of thanksgiving. In the first strophe we see a call to invoke the name of God whose name can only be God or I AM (see Exodus 3:14) . The song continues to remember the story of Moses’ call to go to Egypt.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30
 
Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
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Commentary on Mt 11:28-30
 
In this passage, Jesus invites those burdened by the yoke of Pharisaic law to believe in him. Obedience to the word of Christ is much easier than the complex rules of the law under scribal interpretation. This “wisdom” saying of Jesus builds upon that found in Sirach 51:23-27.
 
With heart-piercing tenderness, Jesus' invitation to peace and salvation is best expressed in these two verses. The Lord invites us to be placed under the authority of his word ("Take my yoke"), and there we will find rest. Jesus addresses all who are burdened by the requirements of the lives they live. He offers them the help of God, who takes those burdens of pain, fear, and fatigue upon himself, replacing them with the yoke of God’s kingdom. Quoting Jeremiah 6:16, he calls the weary to follow his way.
 
CCC: Mt 11:28 1658; Mt 11:29-30 1615; Mt 11:29 459
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Reflection:
 
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
 
What a gracious invitation from Jesus.  Scripture scholars tell us that the reference in this passage is to the burden of Pharisaic law with all its complex requirements that made it difficult even to go about one’s daily business without violating some minute requirement.  This, say those who study the ancient texts, was the original purpose for the statement.
 
For those of us who walk in the world the simple words, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest,” say much more, don’t they?  They invite us to place all of life’s burdens at the feet of Christ.  His invitation tells us he will take away the fears and sorrows, the anxiety and dread we feel, and leave in their place peace.
 
It is so simple an offer.  We can almost feel it being made as he hung upon the cross for us. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”  He takes away the intense guilt we feel, he washes us from all the ways in which we have turned from him and leaves us light and pure.
 
What is the catch, our skeptical inner voice may ask?  The catch is that we must open our hearts and accept that invitation.  We need to put the burdens down, not cling to them as we often do.  We must lay our hatred, our jealousy, our greed, and our fear at his feet.  If we can do that, his tender yoke is indeed no burden at all, and we will have peace.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used today is “Christ the Consoler” by Ary Scheffer, 1837.
[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.