Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed. [1]  Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. (USCCB recommends: #32. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Teacher in the Spirit )

“The Holy Family with God the Father
and the Holy Spirit”
by Carlo Dolci, 1630

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Romans 4:13, 16-18
 
Brothers and sisters:
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
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Commentary on Rom 4:13, 16-18
 
St. Paul continues his discourse on justification through faith. In this passage he reasserts that Abraham was given the promise that he would be blessed with posterity, not because of adherence to the law, but because of God’s love. In an intense theological statement, St. Paul states that the law has the negative function of bringing deep-seated rebellion against God to the surface in specific sins.
 
CCC: Rom 4:16-21 706, 2572; Rom 4:17 298; Rom 4:18-21 723; Rom 4:18 146, 165, 1819
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
 
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
 
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R.  The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
 
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.
 
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R.  The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
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Commentary on Ps 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43
 
Psalm 105 is a hymn of thanksgiving.  These strophes recount the covenant with the houses of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the faithful descendants of this line.
 
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Gospel: Luke 12:8-12
 
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.
 
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
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Commentary on Lk 12:8-12
 
Jesus, still addressing the disciples about their mission, brings in the person of the Holy Spirit. “The sayings about the Holy Spirit are set in the context of fearlessness in the face of persecution (Luke 12:2-9; cf. Matthew 12:31-32). The Holy Spirit will be presented in Luke's second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, as the power responsible for the guidance of the Christian mission and the source of courage in the face of persecution.” [5] The Lord concludes by telling his disciples that in times of trial especially, they should not fear. If they depended upon their faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit would direct them.
 
CCC: Lk 12:8-9 333; Lk 12:10 1864; Lk 12:12 1287
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Reflection:
 
St. Luke’s Gospel provides us with a look into the mind of Christ as he instructs his disciples about their upcoming mission. He tells them that if anyone denies Jesus, the “son of man,” they may be forgiven, but if anyone blasphemes against God in the person of the Holy Spirit, they will be condemned.
 
This small set of sayings about the Holy Spirit provides us with an understanding of the power the Lord left to us, his modern-day disciples. He promised that this Divine Advocate would be provided so that we could have ongoing guidance from God (recall his words: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always” (John 14:16)).
 
He reminds us, his faithful followers, that what he asks of us will not be easy. We, like so many who have gone before us, will be resisted, persecuted, and rejected by those who would rather embrace darkness. On our own we will be ineffective in overcoming this resistance. The Lord did not leave physical proof that the kingdom of God is coming, and so many who do not want to believe in the Son of God demand that physical proof. Like the unbelieving people in this same Gospel, they ask for a sign.
 
He tells his disciples not to worry about these times of confrontation. He tells them: “the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” The faith that St. Paul speaks about in the reading from Romans taps into the power of that Holy Advocate and our words can have power beyond all reckoning.
 
That is the hard part, of course, being so at peace with the knowledge of God’s love that we can reach in and open our indwelling source of grace, giving it the power to silence the evil one and proclaim God’s glory. Today we pray for that peace, that state of grace which will allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into instruments of God’s purpose. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
 
Pax

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[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 is “The Holy Family with God the Father and the Holy Spirit” by Carlo Dolci, 1630.
[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 re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB footnote on Luke 12:8ff.