 |
“Martyrdom of Sts. John De Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues
and Their Companions,”
artist and date are unknown |
Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Romans 3:21-30
Brothers and sisters:
Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
though testified to by the law and the prophets,
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction;
all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as an expiation,
through faith, by his Blood, to prove his righteousness
because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,
through the forbearance of God–
to prove his righteousness in the present time,
that he might be righteous
and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out.
On what principle, that of works?
No, rather on the principle of faith.
For we consider that a person is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.
Does God belong to Jews alone?
Does he not belong to Gentiles, too?
Yes, also to Gentiles, for God is one
and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith
and the uncircumcised through faith.
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Commentary on Rom 3:21-30
St. Paul begins this section with a statement that indicates Jesus is the “new covenant.” As Moses laid his covenant embodied in the law at the feet of the people, now Jesus comes to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (“Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets”).
The passage continues with a statement that appears to be at odds with St. James' letter as St. Paul seems to indicate that we are justified (that is made just, without sin) by faith alone (see also James 2:14-24, 26). These two statements are reconciled in v. 28, as St. Paul points out that his reference is to popular piety (“we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law”) as proposed by Pharisaic traditions that have no bearing on the love of God and others which constitute actions of faith.
The passage concludes with a statement of universality. The Lord is God of all peoples and the Jews (who are now seeing the Law and Prophets fulfilled in Jesus) are justified based upon their claim as the chosen people, while the Gentiles are justified by their faith in Jesus the Christ.
CCC: Rom 3:21-26 1992; Rom 3:21-22 2543; Rom 3:22 1987; Rom 3:23 399, 705, 2809; Rom 3:25 433, 1460
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
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Commentary on Ps 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
Psalm 130 is an individual lament. The singer acknowledges sins and expresses faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness (“But with you is forgiveness”), and in that mercy his people praise God. The selection concludes with the ultimate expression of trust in God whose salvation is to come.
CCC: Ps 130:3 370
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Gospel: Luke 11:47-54
The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
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Commentary on Lk 11:47-54
Jesus continues his attack on the Pharisees. In this passage he begins by criticizing them for giving prophets respect (“build the memorials”) only after they have been killed. He recounts explicitly the deaths of Abel (see Genesis 4:8) and Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-22). This emphasis provides an explanation of the Lord’s own later persecution.
The final “Woe,” “You have taken away the key of knowledge,” is a reference to the Pharisees' rejection of Christ (who is the key of divine revelation). In rejecting Jesus, they exhort the people who look up to them as teachers to also reject Christ (“stopped those trying to enter”).
CCC: Lk 11:39-54 579
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Reflection:
We look today at the warning Jesus gives the Pharisees. There are two parts of his criticism. First, he blasts them for seeing God’s attempt to lead them through the prophets only after the prophets had already been mistreated and killed. We can see this as prophetic at the time it was spoken. Jesus was later treated the same way, rejected by those most responsible for providing a vision of God’s will for the people and killed by the civil leadership.
Was he saying this in an attempt to help them see what their forefathers had not? Was he really saying: “Stop what you are doing to me? Don’t you see it is the same trap your ancestors fell into?” In the back of his mind, he must surely have hoped they would not be like those forebears, although he could see history repeating itself disastrously.
He continued with his second point. He attacks their attitudes most severely because the Pharisees have positions of responsibility and trust. What they say to the people matters. When the spiritual leadership missed something so fundamentally important to their own salvation, they also hid the door so others who were seeking God’s kingdom could not find it. Once more we speculate on the Lord’s thoughts behind the words. “Can’t you see?” he must have thought: “You condemn yourselves further because you are held to a higher standard.”
There is a great lesson for us highlighted by the Lord’s critical words to the Pharisees. We focus our worship and adoration upon Jesus who died and was raised. In him, the revelation of God was complete. But God’s plan continues. The Lord sends his faithful to accomplish his will in the world and we cannot close our eyes and reject out-of-hand messages that are not popular with our own world view. It is critical we do not fall into the closed-minded trap that so bound the Pharisees. As an apostolic community, we must prayerfully listen for the messages God sends. We must be hypervigilant, seeking God’s fingerprints in our lives.
This is so critical to us, in part, because we are witnesses in the world. What we say is important to our friends and families. We do not want to compound our lack of vision by blinding others to God's actions.
The Lord makes it tough on us today. We are called to be open to God’s actions but discerning as well – we must be prepared to accept God’s will but be sure it is his will and not someone else’s we follow. Our prayer today, therefore, must be one of discernment. May God give us the wisdom to see the things that come from him and the strength to reject those things that come from the Evil One.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Martyrdom of Sts. John De Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues and Their Companions,”
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.
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