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“Crucifixion”
by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, 1822 |
Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.
If by that one person’s transgression the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.
Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign through justification
for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Commentary on Rom 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
St. Paul uses this simile of sin and righteousness to describe the effects of Jesus on the world. He recalls that sin entered the world through Adam’s original sin (“as through one person sin entered the world”). Through a number of iterative comparisons (the transgressions of the one offset by the sacrifice of God; offset by the gift of justification; offset by one righteous act), he establishes that, through Christ’s entry into the world, sin and death are defeated for those upon whom his grace falls.
CCC: Rom 5:12-21 388; Rom 5:12 400, 402, 602, 612, 1008; Rom 5:18-19 605; Rom 5:18 402; Rom 5:19-21 1009; Rom 5:19-20 411; Rom 5:19 397, 402, 532, 615, 623; Rom 5:20-21 1848; Rom 5:20 312, 385, 412, 420
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
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Commentary on Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
Psalm 40 is a song of thanksgiving. It is also combined with a lament. In these strophes the thanksgiving of those who hear the voice of God and obey his words is sung. This obedience is loved by God above ritual sacrifices. The Lord especially loves those who follow his law. Once heard, the good news is proclaimed to all the people.
Supporting the new covenant, the psalm selection tells us that the animal sacrifices and sin offerings of the Hebrews are not what the Lord wants; he would rather have a humble and contrite heart.
CCC: Ps 40:7-9 LXX 462; Ps 40:7 2824
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Gospel: Luke 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”
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Commentary on Lk 12:35-38
This selection from St. Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the need for fidelity and faithfulness to Christ’s teachings because the hour and the day of the Lord’s return are not known. The image used to describe this preparedness, “Gird your loins and light your lamps,” instructs the faithful to be prepared for a journey from darkness into light. Similar ideas are presented in Matthew 25 1-13, in the parable of the Ten Virgins (see commentary on Matthew 25:1ff). To gird one’s loins refers to the practice of tucking the long, oriental style robes into a belt in order to move more rapidly (see Exodus 12:11; 1 Peter 1:13). The evangelist makes it clear that the time of the Parousia is unknown and the need for continual preparedness is expressed in the statement, “And should he come in the second or third watch.” The Hebrews divided the evening hours into three watches (the Romans into four). The third watch would have lasted until the night ended.
CCC: Lk 12:35-40 2849
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Reflection:
Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit. It is the opinion of St. Augustine that "the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth," because "heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect . . . will not pass away."[4] He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy. – Catechism of Catholic Church # 1994
St. Paul speaks of the “the gift of justification,” and as we hear from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, that gift is beyond measure. So, what, we might ask, is this “justification,” and what does it do for us, to us?
Justification means that we (who are justified in Christ) are recreated – just as if we had never sinned. In Christ’s sacrifice, all the sins of mankind found atonement. A terrible scar received at the birth of mankind in Adam was erased. A deformity in our character was repaired, and we were made whole – able once more to attain the gates of the heavenly kingdom.
It is this state of grace, complete and unstained, that we seek in our communion with the Lord. All the little (or not so little) blemishes, stains, and bruises our soul receives when we fail to love are laid at the foot of the Cross in the confessional as we pledge our faith and are allowed to go into the world once more assured that the sacrifice once made can keep us whole.
Today we give thanks to the great sacrifice of Jesus who accepted the Cross for our salvation. He recreated us in the image of himself and opened the gates of paradise for all eternity.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Crucifixion” by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, 1822.
[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.
[4] St. Augustine, In Jo. ev. 72,3:PL 35,1823.
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